Episode 2 — The Male Lead Is Acting Strange

The hallway remained completely silent.

Even the air felt frozen.

Jiwon forced out an awkward laugh.

“…What do you mean who am I?”

Han Seojin continued staring at him without blinking.

Cold.

Sharp.

Unreadable.

The original novel described Seojin as someone who trusted nobody. After years of betrayal and abuse from his relatives, he became emotionally distant from everyone around him.

But right now?

His gaze looked almost… shaken.

Like he had seen a ghost.

Jiwon nervously handed over the last book.

“You dropped this.”

Seojin slowly accepted it.

Their fingers brushed again.

And suddenly—

A strange image flashed through Jiwon’s mind.

Rain.

Blood.

A car wreck.

Someone crying desperately.

“Please don’t leave me…”

Jiwon stumbled backward in shock.

“What the—”

The vision disappeared instantly.

His head throbbed painfully.

Around them, students whispered in confusion.

“Why isn’t Kang Taehyun yelling?” “Did he hit his head?” “Since when does he apologize?”

Jiwon wanted to disappear immediately.

This scene was already going off-script.

Dangerously off-script.

In the original story, Taehyun publicly humiliated Seojin here, which caused Seojin to hate him from the very beginning.

But now?

Everything felt wrong.

Especially the way Seojin kept staring at him.

Like he was searching for something.

Finally, Seojin spoke quietly.

“…You really don’t remember?”

Jiwon’s heart dropped.

Remember WHAT?!

Before he could ask, another student suddenly ran toward them.

“Seojin!”

A cheerful-looking boy with warm brown hair wrapped an arm around Seojin’s shoulder.

This was Yoo Minhyuk.

Second male lead.

Golden retriever energy.

Friendly to everyone.

And secretly in love with Seojin for almost the entire novel.

Minhyuk looked between them in confusion.

“…Why are you two standing like divorced parents?”

Jiwon nearly choked.

Seojin calmly pulled away from him.

Minhyuk then noticed who Jiwon was and immediately paled.

“Oh.”

A long awkward silence followed.

“…Oh no.”

Jiwon sighed internally.

Yep.

Even side characters were scared of the villain.

Wonderful.

To break the tension, Jiwon awkwardly pointed toward Seojin.

“You dropped your books. That’s all.”

Minhyuk blinked.

“You picked them up?”

“…Yes?”

“For Han Seojin?”

“…Should I not have?”

Minhyuk looked genuinely frightened now.

Seojin suddenly spoke.

“Minhyuk.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s go.”

Without another word, Seojin turned and walked away.

But before disappearing down the hallway—

He glanced back once.

Straight at Jiwon.

That look sent chills down his spine.

Not hatred.

Not anger.

Something far more dangerous.

Recognition.

The moment classes ended, Jiwon rushed toward the academy garden in panic.

“This is bad,” he muttered.

Very bad.

The plot was already changing.

And in transmigration stories, changed plots usually meant one thing:

Unexpected disasters.

He sat heavily beneath a tree and grabbed his hair dramatically.

“Why did he ask if I remembered something?!”

Could Seojin somehow know?

No, impossible.

Unless…

Jiwon froze.

“…Wait.”

What if Seojin also—

“No way.”

Before he could finish the thought, footsteps approached.

Jiwon looked up.

And immediately regretted existing.

Han Seojin stood there silently.

Alone.

The late afternoon sunlight made his dark uniform glow softly. Several girls nearby secretly stared at him while pretending not to.

The male lead was absurdly handsome.

Annoyingly handsome.

Jiwon quickly stood up nervously.

“H-hi.”

Seojin walked closer slowly.

Too close.

Jiwon instinctively stepped back.

Unfortunately, his back hit the tree immediately.

Trapped.

Fantastic.

Seojin lowered his gaze slightly.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

Because you’re the male lead who accidentally destroys people’s lives without even trying, Jiwon screamed internally.

Out loud, he forced a smile.

“I’m not avoiding you.”

“You’ve been running away since morning.”

“…I walk fast.”

“You almost sprinted into a fountain earlier.”

“…Exercise is healthy.”

Seojin stared at him for a long moment.

Then unexpectedly—

The corner of his lips lifted slightly.

A tiny smile.

Jiwon nearly stopped breathing.

WAIT.

THE MALE LEAD NEVER SMILED THIS EARLY IN THE STORY.

THIS WAS ILLEGAL.

In the original novel, Seojin only smiled around chapter forty-seven.

AFTER trauma.

AFTER romance.

AFTER emotional breakdowns.

So why was he smiling NOW?!

“You’re different,” Seojin said quietly.

Jiwon swallowed nervously.

“…Different from what?”

Seojin’s eyes darkened slightly.

“The Kang Taehyun I knew.”

Cold wind passed through the garden.

Jiwon’s heart pounded violently.

That sentence sounded terrifying.

Before he could respond, a group of girls suddenly approached nearby.

One of them shyly handed Seojin a small pink envelope.

“A-ah… Seojin, this is for you…”

Love letter.

Classic academy romance moment.

Jiwon immediately tried escaping sideways.

“Okay, I’ll just—”

A hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.

Firmly.

Jiwon froze.

Seojin didn’t even look at the girl.

His eyes stayed completely fixed on Jiwon.

Then, in front of everyone—

He said calmly:

“I’m busy right now.”

The girls gasped softly.

And Jiwon’s soul left his body.

WHY DID IT SOUND LIKE THEY WERE DATING?!

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