Episode 1 — The Villain Who Was Supposed To Die

Rain slammed violently against the apartment windows.

Jiwon stared blankly at the glowing phone screen in his dark room, ramen cup forgotten beside him.

On the screen was the final chapter of the popular BL novel Starlight Confession.

And honestly?

He was furious.

“What kind of ending is this?!”

His voice echoed through the tiny apartment.

The villain, Kang Taehyun, had just died miserably.

Again.

Every reader hated Taehyun.

He was arrogant, rich, obsessed with the male lead, and cruel to everyone around him. He bullied the protagonist, spread rumors, and tried to force the male lead into an engagement.

By the end of the novel, Taehyun lost everything:

his family abandoned him

his company collapsed

his lover betrayed him

and he died alone in a car accident while crying in the rain

Jiwon clicked his tongue angrily.

“Okay, he was terrible… but did the author really have to torture him THAT much?”

The comments section was even worse.

“Best death ever.”

“That psycho deserved it.”

“Finally that villain is gone.”

Jiwon sighed heavily and tossed the phone beside him.

Still…

For some reason, Taehyun’s final words stayed in his mind.

“If someone had loved me first… maybe I would’ve taken another path.”

“…Damn,” Jiwon muttered softly.

The room suddenly flashed white.

CRACK—

Thunder exploded outside.

Then everything went dark.

Warm sunlight touched his face.

Jiwon frowned.

“…Huh?”

This wasn’t his apartment.

The bed beneath him was ridiculously soft. The ceiling above him glittered with expensive crystal lights.

Wait.

Why did his body feel… smaller?

Jiwon slowly sat up.

A giant mirror stood across the luxurious bedroom.

And the person reflected inside—

Silver-gray hair.

Sharp eyes.

Beautiful face.

Pale skin.

Jiwon froze.

“No way…”

He jumped off the bed and stumbled toward the mirror.

The face staring back at him was painfully familiar.

Kang Taehyun.

The villain.

The SAME villain who was supposed to die.

“…WHAT?!”

The bedroom door burst open.

A maid rushed inside, startled.

“Young master? Are you alright?”

Jiwon stared at her blankly.

Young master?

OH NO.

NO NO NO.

This wasn’t okay.

This was NOT okay.

He grabbed the maid by the shoulders desperately.

“What chapter is this?!”

The maid looked horrified.

“Y-Young master?”

“What chapter?! No, wait—what date is it?!”

After ten minutes of confusion, panic, and nearly scaring the poor maid to death, Jiwon finally understood the situation.

He had transmigrated into the novel.

And not just anytime.

He entered right before the original story began.

Meaning…

He still had time before Taehyun ruined everyone’s lives.

Jiwon collapsed dramatically onto the bed.

“I’m doomed.”

Because he remembered exactly what happened to villains in BL novels.

Especially THIS villain.

A slow, painful death.

“Nope,” he muttered firmly.

He pointed at himself in the mirror.

“We are NOT doing that.”

This time, Kang Taehyun would survive.

No bullying.

No obsession.

No evil schemes.

He would stay far away from the male lead and live peacefully.

Easy.

Simple.

Perfect plan.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

“Young master,” the maid said nervously, “your father is asking you to attend today’s welcoming ceremony at the academy.”

Jiwon froze.

Academy.

Welcoming ceremony.

His soul nearly left his body.

Because today was the day Taehyun first met the male lead.

The beginning of the disaster.

Jiwon slowly covered his face.

“…Can I fake my death already?”

An hour later.

A luxurious black car stopped before the elite private academy.

Students crowded the entrance, excited voices filling the air.

Taehyun stepped out of the car.

And instantly—

Everyone went silent.

Whispers spread immediately.

“That’s Kang Taehyun…” “He’s even prettier in person.” “Scary…” “Don’t look at him too long.”

Jiwon wanted to cry.

So this was the villain aura.

Wonderful.

He walked through the campus carefully, trying his best not to make eye contact with anyone.

Avoid trouble.

Avoid the male lead.

Avoid death flags.

Easy.

Then—

SMACK.

Someone crashed directly into him.

Books scattered across the ground.

“Ow—”

Jiwon looked down automatically.

Black hair.

Cold sharp eyes.

Tall figure.

The male lead.

Han Seojin.

The future terrifying male lead stared at him silently from the ground.

And Jiwon’s brain screamed.

OH GOD.

According to the original novel…

This was the moment Taehyun mocked Seojin publicly and started their lifelong hatred.

The entire future depended on THIS scene.

Students nearby already looked nervous.

Waiting.

Watching.

Expecting Kang Taehyun to explode.

Jiwon panicked internally.

Then suddenly bowed deeply.

“I’M SORRY.”

The entire hallway froze.

Even Seojin looked shocked.

Jiwon quickly picked up the fallen books with trembling hands.

“S-seriously, I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you hurt?”

Silence.

Dead silence.

A girl nearby literally dropped her phone.

Because this…

This was NOT the Kang Taehyun everyone knew.

Seojin slowly accepted the books.

Their fingers brushed slightly.

For one brief second—

Jiwon felt strangely cold.

Seojin’s dark eyes narrowed.

Carefully.

Suspiciously.

As if seeing something strange.

Then the male lead quietly asked:

“…Who are you?”

Jiwon blinked.

Wait.

What kind of question was that?

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