Those two must not cross paths for even a single second. He didn’t know how the villain became interested in Unyoung in the first place, but Unyoung was so needlessly pretty that a single glance was likely enough to trigger an obsession.
He remembered the comment section of the novel exploding with rage when Joo Hyeonje suddenly appeared in the latter half.
“I thought this was a sweet healing story, what is this sudden dark turn?”
“If Choi Jingi hadn’t saved him, this would have ended in high school kidnapping and confinement…”
“I don’t have the confidence to save anyone. What do I do?”
In the original, Choi Jingi had kicked down doors and beaten up everyone who tried to swarm him. Perhaps he had started working out after losing to Baek Jaehui, or maybe the author, Kim Hyeyeon, just wanted that scene to be spectacular—either way, the description had been glorious.
But the current Jingi had never even been in a verbal argument, let alone a fistfight. In his past life, even if he was underpaid, he just held it in.
He was the guy who struggled to even climb a school fence on his first day here. He didn’t know how to hit someone, nor how to win a fight against multiple people.
‘Preventing the meeting is the only answer…’
He couldn’t even let Go Yeol save Unyoung. What if an athlete ruined his life by hitting someone? Jingi shoved the paper back into the corner of the drawer and collapsed onto his bed.
‘Why did I have to end up as Choi Jingi? If I were in a body that had nothing to do with Joo Unyoung, everyone could have had a happy ending…’
“It’s the curse of being handsome and rich. I guess everyone gets balanced out somehow.”
Jingi slapped his own cheeks under the covers before burying his face into the pillow with a muffled groan.
“Aaaaaagh!”
‘I wish I were just a little less handsome!’
Go Yeol and Jingi headed to school together for the first time in a while. Each day, the heat seemed to grow more intense. As Jingi panted for air, thinking longingly of the air conditioner at home, he barely managed to stop Go Yeol from calling the private driver. Honestly, he still wasn’t used to being called “Young Master.”
‘This isn’t a morning drama, what ‘Young Master’?’
Jingi insisted on taking the bus and stood at the stop. Go Yeol, who admitted he’d rarely ridden a bus, followed him to the very back row. Since it was early morning—or perhaps because people in this wealthy neighborhood didn’t use the bus—the seats were empty.
Because his head practically touched the ceiling, Go Yeol had to sit hunched over. Jingi let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. Even though the temperature was similar to the first day, it felt unnervingly hot.
‘I died from the heat in my past life, and I have to deal with it here too?’ Jingi parted his lips slightly, breathing in shallow gasps with his eyes shut.
“Hot?”
“Yeah… feels like I’m dying.”
Since Go Yeol, the rich kid, didn’t know how to properly adjust the overhead vents, Jingi had to reach up himself to fiddle with the nozzle and aim the air toward them. He was still a commoner at heart who felt more comfortable in a taxi than a chauffeured car, and even more comfortable on a bus.
“Did you get home okay yesterday?”
“Yeah… Oh, let’s eat that delicious meal next week. Is there a day you’re free?”
“Ah, not next week. I have a match coming up.”
“Really?”
Go Yeol gave a light nod. Jingi leaned his cheek against Go Yeol’s cool shoulder. The guy was like a walking refrigerator. Normally, even close friends might find this gross and push him away, but Go Yeol sat there in silence.
Once his body cooled down a bit, Jingi felt much better. He turned his head slightly to peek at Go Yeol.
In the original novel, there was never a “Second Male Lead’s POV.” It was exclusively the story of the Main Lead and the Main Shou. Go Yeol, having the least screen time among the rivals, was nothing more than a character who pined in silence.
That was why some readers had commented that they “bought stocks” in the Go Yeol ship even though the main couple was already established—and then lost everything.
“Yeol, what do you think of Unyoung?”
Jingi asked cautiously. The school trip happens in the middle of Volume 2, and Go Yeol was supposed to have liked Joo Unyoung since before then.
“Joo Unyoung?”
“Yeah.”
“……I don’t know.”
Did “I don’t know” mean he truly didn’t know, or was he feeling a new emotion and finding it unfamiliar? Frustrated by the ambiguity, Jingi pressed further.
“Do you like him or dislike him?”
He felt Go Yeol staring at him as if he didn’t understand the intent of the question. Jingi felt the gaze piercing the top of his head but pushed on shamelessly.
“Unyoung is pretty. He’s kind, has a good personality, and he’s cute.”
“……”
“It’s an all-boys school, but I can see why he’s popular. It’s not just that he’s pretty; he’s a genuinely good kid.”
Leaning against his shoulder, Jingi could feel the steady thrum of Yeol’s pulse. Go Yeol delayed his answer for a long time. Unable to read his mind, Jingi eventually gave up on hearing an answer from those tightly closed lips.
‘Well, even in a BL novel, characters go through a phase where their orientation isn’t fully defined yet.’ He figured Yeol was just confused.
When he’d read it as a book, he thought of it as a simple, slightly childish story about multiple guys loving one person.
But watching the process firsthand was stifling. It clearly wasn’t easy. Human hearts are complex. One might be too afraid to even speak, especially if there are obstacles like in the original story.
‘I really hope it works out for him this time.’ After a moment of contemplation, Jingi realized it was time to get off and stood up. He stretched his legs and gave Go Yeol a quiet, warning-like whisper.
“……If you just stay still, someone else is going to take him.”
Go Yeol didn’t answer, but Jingi hoped that in this life, the boy wouldn’t have to be sad.
Go Yeol went to practice, and Jingi dozed off in Yeol’s empty seat. He had stayed up late the night before, racking his brain over how to shake off Sunbae Joo Hyeonje.
Hyeonje had babbled something about “fate” or whatever last time, and it seemed like he genuinely wanted to get close. But with the unpredictability of the situation, hanging out with him felt like a high-stakes gamble. What if he kidnapped Joo Unyoung after he finally got together with Go Yeol…?
‘Just in case, I should double-check if there’s anyone else with the same name.’
In fact, Joo Hyeonje had been texting him quite often since that day. Feeling awkward and having no desire to prolong the conversation, Jingi had been shutting him down with one-word replies.
Protagonists in novels always need hardships. Most stories end with them overcoming adversity to achieve success, victory, and love.
But this was no longer just a novel. At least, not for Jingi and his friends. Every character was alive and moving, and even the extras he never cared about were breathing. That’s why Jingi didn’t want to give Joo Unyoung any unnecessary suffering.
Even without trials, Unyoung was someone who deserved to love and be loved.
Jingi looked down and pulled out his phone. He opened the chat history with the Sunbae from the past few days.
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” Did you get home? ’19:22′
“Me:” No. ’20:01′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” Then what are you doing? ’20:01′
“Me:” I ate dinner. ’22:17′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” You’re probably heading to bed soon haha. ’22:18′
“Me:” Ah, yes, I slept. ’06:11′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” Jingi~ On your way to school? ’08:01′
“Me:” I’m at school. ’08:45′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” Good luck in class! ’08:45′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” What’s up? ’12:01′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” I guess you finished eating haha. I was going to try and see you during lunch, but I guess I can’t. ’12:29′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” Jingi-ya~ want to head home together? ’18:23′
“Me:” I have self-study today. ’20:22′
“Hyeonje Sunbae:” Morning~ Did you sleep well? Did you study hard? ’07:45′
For a senior, he sure responded fast—as if he wasn’t studying at all.
