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It took Yixing two weeks to realize what the hell was happening.
As maddening as it sounds, he woke up one day and everything was different. Sure, he still lived in the same house, still had the same parents, still had the same annoying little sister Yichun… but different.
He suddenly has a best friend who his little sister has a crush on. For days, he was plagued by false memories of being friends with this Junmyeon person. He’s never even met him until that day when his so-called best friend marched into their living room, and he saw literal heart shapes above his sister’s head.
I’m going crazy, he thought. But that wasn’t the end of it.
Aside from Junmyeon, there were other good-looking boys surrounding his sister. These people seemed oddly familiar. Then it finally dawned on him: they were actually the characters of that otome game Yichun recently bought and played on their large flatscreen TV.
What the actual f—
"Is Junmyeon-ge coming over today?"
" Yes, we're doing assignments today." Yixing grimaced inwardly as a pink heart appeared above Yichun's head.
"Yes!" Suddenly, the area became shrouded in a dreamy-like filter, matched with cherry blossom petals falling from the sky, even if there weren't any trees around.
He shook his head and continued walking. He learned that the only way he can survive and remain sane until this stupid game ends is by living quietly.
To be honest, how he got here was still a mystery. He could be dreaming, sure, but do people feel pain in dreams? Do they taste food? Do they even sleep and dream within the dream?
"Yo, Xing!" Junmyeon placed an arm around Yixing's shoulder. He turned to his friend and saw a blue heart above his head. Beside him, Yichun has a beating pink heart above her head.
"Heeeyyyy…" he forced a smile.
“Hey, kiddo!” Junmyeon patted Yichun’s head, causing her to blush.
He rolled his eyes and started to walk fast, wanting to leave the two and give them a moment with each other. God, everyday he wished they’d get together real soon so he could go back to his old life.
Yixing has already accepted his fate that he might never go back, but a part of him wishes that he still could. He likes it here, as a background character, he never has to worry about anything, except for one.
“Is there something on my face?” Junmyeon asked. They were in Yixing’s room, doing assignments.
He immediately looked away and shook his head. He wonders what did Yichun see in Junmyeon? Sure, he has a handsomely beautiful face he could stare at all day, soft silky hair he’d love to run his hands through, shiny pinkish cheeks he’d be willing to pinch, soft, plush lips he could kiss all the time—
NO.
Yixing blinked a few times and stood up. This doesn’t seem right. He was about to leave the room without a word when Junmyeon grabbed his wrist to pull him back.
“Hey, where are you going?”
Panic started to rise in his chest. He managed to croak out “Bathroom” before Junmyeon let go of him and he rushed out of the room.
Yixing gripped the sink as he stared at himself in front of the mirror. He tried to steady his breathing and even splashed water on his face. What the hell is wrong with him? He should not be thinking this way towards Junmyeon.
Not when everything is going well between Junmyeon and Yichun.
Not when he’s almost at the end of this game.
Yixing found himself standing in front of an elegant full-sized mirror, fixing his suit and bow-tie. He stared at the other side of the room where Yichun sat on the bed wearing a pink princess-like gown for her birthday. He wanted to laugh. Who even throws lavish parties for 16-year-olds?
This freaking game, apparently.
“Gege, hurry up!” Yichun said impatiently. “Shouldn’t you be finished already?”
“Yeah I’m—” Yixing’s words were cut short as colors bloomed on his neck. He pulled at his shirt and frowned as he stared intently at the mirror. The shapeless flowing colors seemed to come from his shoulder and blended into his skin at the base of his neck down to his collarbones. “What?”
“It’s time!” Yichun stood behind him and tugged at his arm. When Yixing turned around, his sister did not seem to see the markings on his skin. Disoriented, he let himself be led down the hall onto the double doors that lead to the staircase and down to the grand ballroom of the hotel.
The party went on while he kept mum in a corner. He caught sight of the other ‘characters’ in the game but Junmyeon was nowhere to be found.
His brows furrowed. He supposed this would be the ending part of the game and, as much as it pained him, the part where Yichun and Junmyeon would get together. Where the hell is he?
Yixing led Yichun to dance in the middle of the room, as he was meant to do. The sea of people parted to watch them. Suddenly, Junmyeon started walking towards them. He immediately let go of Yichun
As Junmyeon started professing his love, he barely heard any of it except for words like soulmate marks, colors, and gravitating towards each other.
Oblivious to the glowing marks on Junmyeon’s hand and his neck, all Yixing could think of was how to escape. He couldn’t bear to witness seeing the person he likes and his sister get together. He is not much of a martyr as one would think. He loves Junmyeon but this universe is so cruel to him that he really had to be the—
“I love you, Yixing.”
—brother and best friend of the main characters.
Wait, what?
“Stay with me in this universe?” Junmyeon held out his hand.
Yixing blinked, digesting what he heard.
Minutes passed.
Finally, he smiled and took Junmyeon's hand
“Yes.”