I blinked, disoriented, and struggled upright.
“What?”
It couldn’t be real. I had died. So why was I still alive?
I looked around the spacious bedroom, a room I had never seen before. No one else was there. None of it made any sense. I was certain I had died.
I curled my trembling hand into a fist, then slowly opened it again. The movement, the sensation, were unmistakably mine. Nothing about it felt unfamiliar.
And yet I knew I had died.
I still remembered throwing myself off the bridge. I could still feel the water forcing its way into my lungs. The agony of drowning—the pressure, the suffocation, the sense that my body would burst—was something I could never forget. It had not been a hallucination. It had not been a dream. It had been my choice.
Then why...?
“What on earth is going on?”
I couldn’t understand any of it. I had definitely died, and yet here I was as if nothing had happened. The twitch of my fingers, the weight of my body, all of it felt even more vivid than before.
Was this heaven? If it was, why did everything still feel so painfully real? Heaven was supposed to offer peace to the dead. It wasn’t supposed to drag me back into the nightmare of my life.
Then was this hell? Or had I somehow failed to die?
I buried my face in my hands and curled in on myself, as if I could disappear into the floor. The ache in my chest was unbearable. It felt as though invisible shears were slicing my heart to ribbons.
Why me? I hadn’t even been granted a moment of rest. The courage it had taken to finally do it had all been for nothing. Frustration burned through me as I silently cursed whatever god might be watching. Was I not even allowed to rest in peace?
I rubbed my dry eyes with cold hands.
[Seong Yu-un.]
The voice rang out without warning, and I jerked my head up. I looked around at once, but there was nothing in the room that could have made that sound.
Was I hearing things?
No. Instinctively, I knew it wasn’t a hallucination. Unlike an ordinary voice, this one resonated directly inside my mind—strange, yet unmistakably clear.
“Who are you?”
[Min Yu-un.]
The voice repeated the name, as if clarifying.
[My name is Min Yu-un.]
“…”
[Yes. The Min Yu-un you’re thinking of.]
I froze. It was impossible to believe, but the voice went on as though my disbelief meant nothing.
Min Yu-un was the cruel, selfish villain from the BL novel That Boy in Third Year.
[I need you to do something. It’s not that difficult.]
Before I could make sense of anything, he continued.
[Live as me.]
Live as him?
I wasn’t being asked to become the protagonist, or even some forgettable extra. He wanted me to be the villain. After all the scorn and hatred I had already endured in my own life, now I was supposed to inherit his too?
A bitter smile tugged at my lips, but Min Yu-un only gave a soft laugh, as if he could sense my hesitation.
[I want to be loved.]
I stared ahead, listening to each word.
[If I apologize and make friends with everyone... maybe they’ll love me too. Just like that annoying guy.]
“…”
[But I can’t apologize. I don’t want to.]
“What?”
Whatever faint sympathy I might have felt vanished on the spot. Min Yu-un, however, seemed oblivious to my disbelief. He went on in a tone so shameless it was almost impressive.
[I didn’t do anything wrong. He was the one who took what was mine first.]
“Didn’t you just say you wanted to apologize?”
[Yeah, I do.]
Even though I knew no one was there, I could practically see him pointing at me with wide, expectant eyes.
[You do it.]
A dry laugh escaped me. I couldn’t begin to understand the way his mind worked, and frankly, I had no desire to. But Min Yu-un kept talking as though he hadn’t noticed my exasperation.
[Apologize for me, Seong Yu-un.]
“Why should I? You drag a dead man back out of nowhere and expect me to do you a favor?”
[If you do what I say, I’ll leave you alone. I won’t bother you anymore.]
A tired sigh slipped from my lips as I pinched the bridge of my nose. This wasn’t a request. It was a threat. I didn’t know how, but Min Yu-un clearly had the power to interfere with me even after death. It suited him perfectly. Even as a villain, he had both the means and the nerve.
So there’s no way around it.
Resigned, I gave a slow nod and rose to my feet. As if satisfied by my unspoken agreement, Min Yu-un immediately began rattling off explanations.
[It’s Monday.]
Half-listening, I moved cautiously through the house. The moment I opened the bedroom door, cool air brushed against me. The place was sparse and sterile, with barely any furniture and no warmth to speak of. It felt less like a home than a place someone used only to sleep.
Just in case, I opened the refrigerator. Aside from a single bottle of water, it was completely empty.
“Do you not eat at home?”
[I can just buy food. What’s the problem?]
Right. Of course. Min Yu-un is rich.
The thought struck me anew as I took in the spacious, immaculate house. There was no way he cleaned it himself. He must have hired someone. In every possible way, the place advertised money.
I considered exploring more, but decided to leave that for later. After checking the time, I changed into my school uniform, slung my bag over my shoulder, and headed out. The moment I stepped beyond the cold, empty house, the warm breeze of late spring brushed my skin.
The world outside felt no different from the one I’d known before. Nothing about it felt strange.
The only differences were that I was wearing a school uniform again for the first time in years, the house was larger, and there was no food in the fridge.
That was all.
I was still alone.
Following Min Yu-un’s directions as if he were some kind of personal GPS, I made my way to school and eventually stepped into the classroom. Several students glanced over, traded looks, and began whispering among themselves.
“What the hell? He actually came to school today?”
“Wasn’t he sick all last week?”
“How’d he recover that fast?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The second he thought about bullying Si-eon again, he jumped right out of bed.”
Some of the whispers were edged with fear. Others were openly defensive of someone named Yoo Si-eon. The insults themselves weren’t especially vicious—just petty, lightweight jeers.
Thankfully, if this was the worst of it, I could endure it a hundred times over.
[Sit over there in the back.]
At Min Yu-un’s prompting, my eyes moved to the seat by the window in the very last row. It was isolated, with no desk beside it. Given that the class had an odd number of students, I doubted it was a coincidence that Min Yu-un sat alone.
I walked over and took my seat. Even though I was in a body several years younger, the fatigue lodged deep in my bones refused to leave. Drowsiness crept over me, and I slumped over the desk without fully closing my eyes.
Quest 1: Apologize to the main characters. 0/3
★ TIP: A sweet little tip for someone who’s never apologized before! ★
How about offering a cream bun as a token of your sincere desire to turn over a new leaf?
Before leaving for school, I had asked how exactly I was supposed to apologize. Now the message box I had seen earlier kept flashing before my eyes. I read it again and again.
Setting aside the cutesy tone, what irritated me most was the way the system treated me like the offender. I wasn’t the one who had bullied the lead bottom or done anything criminal. That had been Min Yu-un. If anyone needed to turn over a new leaf, it was him.
And yet the apologies—and all the responsibility—had landed on me.
The more I thought about it, the more it got under my skin.
[Seong Yu-un, you’re not falling asleep, are you? Stay focused.]
Min Yu-un’s voice, spoken as though none of this concerned him, drained what little energy I had left. I was exhausted enough already.
“I’m awake, so stop popping into my head out of nowhere,” I muttered under my breath, letting my body sag against the desk.
The lead bottom, the lead top, the second top... whoever they were, I just wished they’d hurry up and appear.
Click.
The classroom door slid open.
In an instant, a wave of fresh, buoyant energy seemed to sweep through the room, as though sunlight itself had stepped inside and spilled warmth in every direction.
The students greeted the newcomer at once, their voices bright with excitement. Straightening a little, I looked toward the doorway.
A striking figure immediately caught my eye. His features were exotic enough to stand in stark contrast to my own plain black hair and black eyes. His soft pastel-pink hair and violet eyes were undeniably beautiful.
One look was enough.
I knew exactly who he was.
[That’s Yoo Si-eon.]
The lead bottom.
He was loved not only by the two tops, but by this entire world.
My fingertips twitched. An irrational hesitation tightened around my chest.
Then a notification window burst into view, filling my line of sight.
Quest 1: Apologize to the main characters. 0/3
★ TIP: A sweet little tip for someone who’s never apologized before! ★
How about offering a cream bun as a token of your sincere desire to turn over a new leaf?
The flickering light stung my eyes, urging me to get up and finish the task at once.
Swallowing a sigh, I rose from my seat.
My steps toward Yoo Si-eon were steady, without the slightest hesitation.
Hearing my footsteps, Yoo Si-eon looked up from setting down his bag. Surprise flashed across his face for a brief moment, then hardened into a frown.