The sound of pages turning echoed through the classroom.
Everyone was solving practice questions.
Except one person.
"AHHHH!"
The girl suddenly slammed her novel shut.
"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"
"..."
The entire classroom turned toward her.
Her best friend sighed so deeply that even the teacher looked concerned.
"Tara."
The girl blinked.
"Hm?"
"You do realize we're in school... right?"
Tara scratched her cheek.
"...Oops."
The teacher pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Miss Tara."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"If you have enough energy to scream over fictional characters, perhaps you also have enough energy to solve Question Five."
"...No."
The class burst into laughter.
After school...
Tara and her best friend walked toward the bus stop together.
Her best friend, Nina, carried three textbooks.
Tara carried...
A bag full of manga.
Nina stared.
"You packed more manga than notebooks."
"They're educational."
"...How?"
"They teach me emotional damage."
"..."
Nina had long since accepted that arguing with Tara was impossible.
She simply continued walking.
"So..."
Nina asked,
"How many stories did you read last night instead of studying?"
Tara proudly raised four fingers.
"Only four."
"ONLY FOUR?!"
"I stopped at 3 a.m."
"..."
"Tara."
"Hm?"
"Our exam starts in eight hours."
"I know."
"And instead of revising physics..."
"I was revising heartbreak."
Nina smacked her forehead.
"I swear one day those novels will kill you."
Tara laughed.
"They're worth dying for."
"...You're hopeless."
A few hours later...
The final exam ended.
Students poured out of the school building.
Some looked relieved.
Some looked devastated.
Tara...
Looked furious.
Nina noticed immediately.
"...Your exam went badly?"
"No."
"Then why do you look like you're planning a murder?"
Tara crossed her arms.
"I'm angry."
"At whom?"
"At an author."
Nina blinked.
"...Again?"
"THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL."
Nina sighed.
"...Fine."
"What happened now?"
Tara immediately became dramatic.
"You know I started reading that BL manga yesterday?"
"The one you wouldn't stop talking about?"
"Exactly!"
"It started perfectly!"
"The main character had pink hair."
"His boyfriend had beautiful blonde hair."
"They confessed."
"They dated."
"They were adorable."
"I was already imagining their wedding."
Nina nodded.
"Sounds nice."
"THEN."
Tara pointed dramatically toward the sky.
"That blonde idiot had a straight best friend."
"Oh?"
"And he was rich."
"Handsome."
"Black-haired."
"Tall."
"The typical second male lead material."
"So?"
"So THAT GUY fell in love with his own best friend!"
Nina frowned.
"...But isn't the blonde guy already dating someone?"
"EXACTLY!"
Tara looked ready to explode.
"Instead of moving on like a normal person..."
"He kissed him."
"..."
"He kissed him?"
"YES!"
"And the worst part?"
"The blonde guy pushed him away immediately."
"So...he didn't cheat?"
"No!"
"But someone uploaded a picture online."
"The pink-haired boyfriend saw it."
"The next day..."
"He broke up with him."
Nina frowned.
"Without even listening?"
"WITHOUT LISTENING!"
"I was screaming at my phone!"
"What happened after that?"
"The straight best friend was secretly HAPPY."
Nina blinked.
"...That's awful."
"I KNOW!"
Tara continued ranting.
"Years later..."
"The pink-haired guy became a teacher."
"He eventually fell in love with one of his students."
"Well...the student was actually the same age because he repeated several grades after trauma."
"They became happy."
"But STILL!"
"I'm angry!"
Nina laughed.
"So you're upset because the original couple never got back together?"
"They deserved happiness!"
"The blonde guy spent years blaming himself!"
"And that black-haired best friend..."
"I would've kicked him."
Nina laughed even harder.
"You?"
"Kick someone?"
"I absolutely would!"
"If I entered that novel..."
"I'd glue those two together!"
"I'd watch the black-haired guy twenty four hours a day!"
"I wouldn't let him ruin anything!"
Nina shook her head.
"You're impossible."
"Stories don't work like that."
"Besides..."
"Nobody suddenly enters a novel."
Tara smiled confidently.
"You never know."
That night...
Tara finally finished eating dinner.
Her mother placed a glass of water beside her.
"You studied hard."
"Drink this before sleeping."
"Thanks, Mom."
She smiled.
After taking one sip...
Everything became blurry.
"...Huh?"
The room spun.
The glass slipped from her fingers.
Crash!
"M-Mom..."
Darkness swallowed everything.
"...Tara."
"..."
"Tara."
"..."
"TARA!"
She opened her eyes.
A loud classroom surrounded her.
Students chatted.
Desks filled the room.
The smell of chalk lingered in the air.
"...What?"
She slowly sat up.
"...School?"
"But..."
"I already finished my exams."
She looked around.
"...This classroom..."
"...isn't mine."
The uniform...
Was different.
The desks...
Different.
Even the school logo...
Didn't exist.
"...Am I dreaming?"
A gentle voice interrupted her.
"Hey."
She turned.
Standing beside her was a boy with soft pink hair and warm brown eyes.
He smiled awkwardly.
"You were sleeping."
"The teacher asked for your homework."
"Can I take it?"
Tara froze.
Pink hair.
Warm smile.
"...No way."
"..."
"...NO WAY!"
She stared at him.
"...You're..."
"...Kai."
The boy blinked.
"Huh?"
"I mean..."
"...Nothing."
Inside...
Tara screamed.
THAT'S THE MAIN CHARACTER!
I'M REALLY INSIDE THE NOVEL!!
OH MY GOD!!
Her heartbeat exploded.
She looked around desperately.
This classroom...
This uniform...
It's really the manga!
Her breathing quickened.
Calm down.
Calm down, Tara.
Think.
If Kai is here...
Then...
His boyfriend should also be here!
That means...
The breakup hasn't happened yet!
She clenched her fists.
This is my chance!
I WILL SAVE THEIR LOVE!
And that stupid best friend...
I'll keep both eyes on him!
You won't ruin this story again!
Kai spoke again.
"...Um..."
"My homework?"
Tara snapped back to reality.
"Ah!"
"I..."
"I forgot."
Before Kai could answer
The teacher slammed a ruler on the desk.
"Miss Tara!"
Everyone became silent.
"Did you give Kai your homework?"
Kai answered honestly.
"No, Ma'am."
The teacher glared.
"Stand outside."
"Now."
"...Yes, Ma'am."
Tara lowered her head dramatically.
First day inside a novel...
Already punished.
Amazing start.
She walked toward the classroom door.
The moment she stepped outside
A tall figure walked past her.
Black hair.
Cold expression.
School bag hanging from one shoulder.
Several girls whispered.
"He finally came."
"I thought he'd skip again."
One boy grinned.
"Hey, Adrian! You're late."
Tara's eyes widened.
Adrian.
THE BLACK-HAIRED BEST FRIEND!!
TARGET SPOTTED!
Adrian ignored everyone and entered the classroom.
Tara slowly peeked through the window.
So that's him...
Hmph.
You look innocent.
But I know exactly what you're going to do.
Not this time.
She narrowed her eyes.
Mission One...
Observe Adrian.
For the next few days...
Adrian noticed something strange.
No matter where he went
The weird girl appeared.
Library.
There she was.
Hallway.
There again.
Basketball court.
Still there.
School cafeteria.
She accidentally hid behind a vending machine.
"..."
She wasn't very good at spying.
Even his teammates noticed.
"Dude."
"I think that girl likes you."
Adrian looked toward Tara.
She immediately hid...
Behind a tree.
Unfortunately...
Half her body was still visible.
"..."
He sighed.
"...She's terrible at this."
Three days later...
Practice ended.
The basketball court became quiet.
The sun slowly set.
Tara peeked from behind another tree.
"...Still watching."
She scribbled into a notebook.
Adrian Report
✓ Arrives late.
✓ Plays basketball.
✓ Eats strawberry milk.
✓ Doesn't look evil.
✓ Suspiciously handsome.
"...Hmm."
Suddenly
A shadow covered her notebook.
She froze.
"..."
"..."
She slowly looked up.
Adrian stood directly in front of her.
Hands inside his pockets.
Expression unreadable.
"...You've been following me."
Tara laughed nervously.
"Haha..."
"...Really?"
"Yes."
"...For three days."
"..."
"...Four, actually."
"..."
Silence.
Adrian crossed his arms.
"So."
"Why?"
Tara's brain completely stopped.
THINK!
THINK!
YOU CAN'T SAY
"I'm making sure you don't destroy the main couple!"
HE'LL THINK I'M INSANE!
"...Uh..."
"I..."
"I..."
She forced out the first excuse she could think of.
"...I got lost?"
Adrian stared.
"...At school?"
"...Yes?"
"...For four days?"
"..."
"...It's a very...big school?"
Adrian looked at her for several seconds.
Then...
For the first time
He laughed.
A quiet laugh.
"So..."
"You really are weird."
Tara blinked.
"...Eh?"
He turned around and started walking away.
Just before disappearing around the corner
He spoke without looking back.
"If you're going to follow me tomorrow..."
"At least stop hiding behind trees."
"I can see you."
Tara stood there, frozen.
"..."
"...WHAT?!"
She grabbed her hair.
I GOT CAUGHT!
THIS WASN'T IN MY PLAN!
MISSION: DON'T LET THE GAY COUPLE BREAK UP...
...HAS ALREADY GONE OFF THE RAILS!
End of Episode 1
