Day 2

Fatigue soon caught up with Mansh, and before he knew it, he had dozed off, the phone slipping from his grasp.

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The Next Day (6/2/2009)

The morning light filtered through Mansh's window, gently pulling him from sleep. He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes as he stretched.

As he began getting ready for school, a sudden thought hit him like a bolt of lightning.

The novel!

His eyes widened in panic. He had completely forgotten to check its name!

Heart pounding, he grabbed his phone from where it had fallen the previous night and quickly opened it. His eyes scanned the screen, searching for the title.

"Novel of Reality," he muttered aloud, reading the words displayed on his screen.

He repeated the name a few times in his head, making sure he wouldn't forget it again.

Deciding to take his phone with him that day, he slipped it into his pocket before picking up his school bag. A quick check of his stationery and books assured him he had everything he needed.

Just before leaving, curiosity got the better of him. He reopened the novel and read a few paragraphs of the chapter he had started the night before.

That's when he noticed something.

His brows furrowed. Something about the story felt… unusual.

No—interesting.

His grip on the phone tightened. He needed to tell Ankhush about this.

Without wasting another second, he slung his bag over his shoulder and rushed out the door. Ankhush had been eagerly waiting for Mansh's recommendation. He trusted Mansh's taste when it came to novels and games—whenever Mansh suggested something, it was always worth checking out.

That morning, as soon as he stepped into the school grounds, his excitement grew. He couldn't wait to hear about the novel.

Meanwhile, Mansh had already arrived and was seated at his desk. He absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the surface, his mind still occupied with the strange coincidence he had discovered.

A few minutes later, Ankhush entered the classroom. The moment he spotted Mansh, he hurried over, unable to hold back his curiosity.

He dropped onto the bench beside Mansh. "Hey! Did you figure out the name of that novel?"

Mansh looked up, snapping out of his thoughts. "Oh yeah! It's called Novel of Reality."

Ankhush nodded, eager to hear more. But then, Mansh leaned in slightly, lowering his voice, whisperingin Ankhush's ear.

"You know, something weird happened," Mansh continued. "In the last chapter, there were two friends talking about a novel—just like us. And get this—one of them couldn't remember its name, just like me yesterday!" He let out a small laugh. "What a coincidence, right?"

Ankhush's smile faded.

A shiver ran down his spine.

His mind reeled as he processed what Mansh had just said.

'How is this possible? The exact same thing happened to us… down to the smallest detail. What are the chances of something like this?'

For some reason, unease crept into his thoughts.

Trying to brush off the feeling, he cleared his throat and forced himself to focus. "Which app is it uploaded on? And at what time?"

The teacher had arrived.

Instinctively, Mansh ducked lower in his seat, careful not to attract any unwanted attention. He glanced toward Ankhush and whispered quickly, "It uploads daily on the " "WBNovel app, at 7:30 AM. Wait—"

He paused, noticing the troubled expression on Ankhush's face.

A frown crossed his lips. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You look tense. Are you okay?"

Mansh continued whispering, glancing around cautiously. "By the way, a new chapter is about to release in three minutes! I can't wait. I'm going to read it in class—just don't tell the teacher, okay?"

Ankhush bit his lip, trying to ignore the curiosity creeping into his mind. 'It's just a coincidence,' he told himself. 'No big deal.'

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't focus on the lecture. The words on the blackboard blurred as his thoughts kept circling back to Novel of Reality. He had to know.

Giving in, he discreetly pulled out his phone under the desk, keeping an eye on the teacher. His fingers hesitated for just a moment before tapping the app open.

The latest chapter had just been uploaded.

As he started reading, his hands trembled.

His breathing grew unsteady.

Line by line, word by word—the events in the novel mirrored everything that had just happened to him and Mansh.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Sweat formed on his palms. His grip on the phone tightened.

And then—

"How is this even possible?! It's exactly the same!"

The words burst from his lips before he could stop them.

The classroom fell into stunned silence.

Every head turned toward him.

The teacher's eyes narrowed, his face darkening with irritation. she marched toward Ankhush without hesitation.

Before Ankhush could react, the phone was snatched from his hands.

The color drained from his face.

"Ankhush," the teacher's voice was cold, sharp. "If you want your phone back, tell your parents to come talk to me after class."

Ankhush sat frozen in place. His saliva dried up. His hands turned ice-cold.

He wasn't just reading a novel.

He was reading his own life—written in real time.

As soon as the teacher left, two boys sauntered toward Ankhush, smug grins plastered on their faces. Their posture alone told him everything—trouble was coming.

Ankhush recognized them instantly. These were the same boys who preyed on weaker students whenever the teachers weren't around. He had seen them do it countless times, and now, it seemed, it was his turn.

what are the bullies going to do?

how is Ankhush going to protect himself?

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