Three years had already passed since Do Yejun had transmigrated into the romance novel ‘The Angel’s Mask Does Not Smile’.

In this story, the most pivotal character was undoubtedly “Cheon Sahyun.”

His name was even partially used in the novel’s title, emphasizing his importance.

Yet, ironically, he wasn’t the male lead.

Despite dominating the early parts of the story, his role was that of a villain—the one responsible for orchestrating the accident that led to the demise of the two protagonists in the latter half.

In the beginning, when the female lead Han Siyeon and Cheon Sahyun were the only characters in focus, everything seemed peaceful.

Cheon Sahyun, a third-generation chaebol who joined the company through nepotism, and Han Siyeon, a hardworking woman who clawed her way into a corporate job through sheer effort, made for a classic setup.

It was a predictable narrative that readers flocked to for the comfort of familiarity.

They boarded the train one by one, eager for the sweet romance promised by the plot.

That is, until the second arc began, and the true male lead, Baek Kanghyuk, made his abrupt entrance.

From that moment, chaos ensued. Unlike Cheon Sahyun, who struggled to empathize with Han Siyeon’s ordinary yet grueling life, Baek Kanghyuk embraced all of her pain as if it were his own, offering her solace and support.

With a level of understanding that Cheon Sahyun could never achieve, Baek Kanghyuk and Han Siyeon’s romance blossomed at a rapid pace.

Even so, it wasn’t all bad—competition between the male lead and the secondary male character can often add spice to a story.

The problem arose when the author seemingly forgot about Cheon Sahyun and began funneling every bit of narrative importance into Baek Kanghyuk.

Hardcore fans of Cheon Sahyun began clamoring for his return in the comments.

At that point, the author must have realized their oversight.

Honestly, regardless of how the title or the setup was framed, Baek Yoomin was certain the author’s original intention had been for Cheon Sahyun to be the male lead.

But for reasons unknown—perhaps a change of heart or a whim—the author had shifted the spotlight to Baek Kanghyuk.

Faced with mounting complaints from readers desperate for more of Cheon Sahyun, the author must have agonized over what to do.

“How do I handle Cheon Sahyun now?”

Cutting his screen time felt wasteful given all the groundwork laid for his character.

Yet, returning the narrative focus to him was impossible when the author’s heart had already chosen Baek Kanghyuk.

Simply demoting him to a secondary role would only invite backlash during the finale.

Ultimately, the author chose to make Cheon Sahyun the villain.

From there, the story spiraled out of control, as if Cheon Sahyun himself had seized the wheel and driven the plot to its doom.

The narrative crashed spectacularly, resulting in the protagonists’ tragic deaths due to Cheon Sahyun’s schemes.

Baek Yoomin could hardly believe it.

Staring at the screen, he re-read the final sentence he’d just witnessed.

[And so, the love of the three ended in ruin.]

No matter how many times he blinked, the damning sentence remained, glaring back at him as if mocking him.

Ruin?

No, the only thing ruined here was this novel.

With an incredulous look on his face, Baek Yoomin just sat there, blinking in stunned silence.

Shortly after, the comment section erupted into chaos.

The author deleted their social media accounts.

The publishing company uploaded the final chapter on a Friday evening and promptly left work for the weekend.

The once-promising ‘The Angel’s Mask Does Not Smile’, a novel touted for potential webtoon and drama adaptations, had now become an infamous symbol of controversy.

Some criticized the story for “living up to its title” in the worst possible way.

Baek Yoomin watched the community’s reactions unfold.

By midnight, wild rumors were circulating—some speculating the author had rushed the ending due to a terminal illness.

After cursing out the friend who recommended this travesty of a novel, Baek Yoomin swore never to trust their recommendations again.

Muttering about the wasted months spent waiting for the finale, he fell asleep…

…only to wake up as Do Yejun, a side character doomed to die alongside the protagonists in the novel’s final tragedy.