Possession: Severing the Childhood Bond

Possession. Is it possession? Yeah, it has to be possession. Somehow... I get momentarily confused by that ambiguous line between reincarnation and possession.

My blurry vision clears up right away. It's not a landscape I've actually experienced firsthand, but my brain accepts it as familiar based on memories captured by these eyes. That unfamiliar sensation of synchronization is so eerily creepy it gives me chills.

"Hey... Lee Do-hyun. Come out for a sec."

The classroom is rowdy. Amid the noise, the girl sitting next to me whispers to me, covering her mouth with one hand in that cautious tone.

The classroom is noisy, but for some reason, that tiny whisper rings crystal clear in my ears. It must be Seo Hye-in. At first, it was hard to tell who she was just from the voice. Yeah, I've only encountered her through text all this time... I just realized she sounds like this in real life. Maybe a bit different from how I imagined.

"Sorry, but from now on, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can we pretend we're strangers?"

After leaving the classroom and reaching a quiet spot in the corridor, she glances around once and blurts it out. Totally out of the blue.

Ah... so this must be early in the story. Like, super early.

Then... in the original, I probably responded like this.

"Strangers? Why...?"

Uh... shit. I only thought it, but it slipped out as words on its own. I still don't have full control. And that makes sense—this emotion I'm feeling right now. Yeah, this heavy, suffocating tightness in my chest. This isn't my emotion.

It must be the original character's feelings. The girl I've always seen as my childhood friend, the one I've secretly crushed on. And now, right after starting high school, she asks me to act like strangers. It's a sudden declaration of cutting ties. So it's natural I'd be swept up in confused emotions.

"We're all grown up now. We have to worry about what the other kids think, and if we're stuck together from day one... they might get the wrong idea... Honestly, hanging out together now..."

Hye-in glances at me quickly, scanning me up and down as she speaks. Yeah, I get what she means. High schoolers are super sensitive to others' stares. So basically, she's embarrassed to be seen with me. She's beating around the bush a lot, but that's the conclusion.

Even though I'm not that pathetic-looking in reality. Yeah, this body is way better than my real-world self. That's why the original protagonist gets pretty hurt here. Totally understandable. He was in love ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with Hye-in, after all—beyond just childhood friends, as a guy.

Anyway, what bugged me about the protagonist was why he clings to her even after getting hurt like this. No matter how much you like someone, why stick around when they're pushing you away this hard? Why hold onto feelings for a girl who says to your face that hanging out is embarrassing?

Yeah, at least as a third-party reader, I had zero attachment like that.

"Fine, then... at least at school, we can pretend not to know each other..."

I stay silent for a while, so Hye-in peeks at my expression and suggests that.

"Yeah, sure."

But I answer before she even finishes. Yeah, she wants to be strangers. So I'll make it happen. Simple and straightforward.

Now I just cheer her on from afar. Respect her choice and support it. But that's not how it went in the original. Definitely not. In the original, it was more like...

...something like that, desperately clinging to Hye-in right in front of him. Then he works his ass off to stand by her side again. Trying over and over to become a friend she wouldn't be embarrassed by.

And because I clung so pathetically, the power dynamic between us flipped instantly. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠From that moment, Hye-in always held the reins. And I hated that. I hated this frustrating, spineless protagonist who got dragged around by Hye-in.

That's why I made this choice right away.

"Huh...?"

Hye-in lets out a startled sound, almost like a sigh. Makes sense. Me agreeing so readily isn't part of the original plot.

Her voice even sounds like she expected me to cling desperately here. Like she thought I'd grab onto her at least once. Not just agree immediately.

Maybe it was just whining. Maybe she wanted to inject some tension into our "everyday" relationship. Like, don't take our childhood friend bond for granted—appreciate it. Since she probably thinks she's out of my league. Maybe she wanted to drill into me that she's the one in charge.

Or screw it all. Maybe she's just annoyed that a nobody like me dares to agree so quickly. She thought I was into her forever, and now I say "strangers" without hesitation... From her perspective, feeling dumbfounded right now isn't unnatural.

Whatever. It doesn't matter much. Anyway, I'm not getting played by Hye-in's shallow games. I deviated from the original plot exactly because I didn't want that.

Right from the very first button. From the very start, I chose to twist things. Because I hated the original plot.

"You mean it?"

"Yeah, we'll do that."

"Oh... uh, great. Thanks."

"Alright... I'm going."

I turn and walk away first, leaving Hye-in with her eyes still flickering restlessly. I can't pinpoint what emotion is making her pupils shake like that. Just that it's not a very pleased reaction for someone who got what she wanted.

I don't know why, though.

By the way, my chest has been stinging in one spot ever since earlier. Like I could cry out from the pain any second. Getting tangled in someone else's emotions is disgustingly unpleasant. Feels like I've done something I shouldn't have.

Like the original soul is resenting me. I just keep telling myself to stay calm and soothe it.

Yeah, from now on, I'm in charge. No more getting swayed by the lingering echoes of this pathetic protagonist. I'm leading.

It's exciting. Think of it as excitement. This churning in my gut is surely anticipation. I'm mistaking heart-pounding nerves for queasiness.

Picture the future right now. With my attitude changed like this, what changes will come? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'm already curious.

The original protagonist pathetically chased Hye-in... but with me like this, who knows what'll happen. Maybe I'll meet a new heroine instead of Hye-in. Maybe I'll end up with her in a happy ending.

Yeah, I want to prove that even after cutting ties with Hye-in, this protagonist can still get a happy ending. Those thoughts have me pretty thrilled.

"Hey... you okay for real?"

A frail voice calls from behind. But that line's subject isn't me anymore. After our talk, Seo Hye-in and I are strangers now.

Just like that, after all that time together. My precious childhood friend. The girl I crushed on. We become strangers.

Back at the classroom door. I open the back door to head inside.

And at that moment, some inexplicable sense of wrongness hits me hard. Just pushing this ordinary door aside feels suddenly off. Without thinking, I squeeze my eyes shut and shove it open.

[Thud-]

With that dull thud, something slams into my chest with strong force, then bounces back from the impact.

"Ah... fuck..."

A low curse follows. Not from me.

"What are you staring at like an idiot? If you bump into someone, apologize quick!!"

She covers her forehead with one hand and glares up at me sharply. Looks like her forehead hit my chest.

Anyway... this development. Completely new scene. It sends an unpleasantly eerie chill down my spine.

Everything's changed, right from the start.

"Look at this guy ignoring me? You crazy?"

While I'm lost in those thoughts, blankly assessing, she snaps at me in a bold voice.

And she's a pretty famous character in this world. That's how she's set up. The novel describes her as strikingly attractive, and seeing her in person, I nod in agreement. Her face is so flawless, down to the soft folds behind her knees, it seems like it'd smell nice. Zero imperfections.

Thanks to that, in the original, she's quickly dubbed the school idol, her words carrying huge influence. With guys and girls alike.

Her flaw? A vicious temper. And one more thing: in the original, she's the villain.

"Sorry, Yu-hwa."

I look down at her and say it.

"Huh? How do you know my name?"

Whoops. Slipped out her name without thinking. We're not at that point yet.

"Who the hell are you? First time seeing you, and you're creeping me out? Say something!"

As I'm pondering how to play this off, Yu-hwa shoots me down fiercely. My eyes drift to her uniform top.

"Your name tag."

"Oh, right?"

"Yeah. Anyway, your forehead okay from the bump?"

"No? It's not. What if you scarred my face?"

The mood softens a bit, but she switches right back to aggressive, staring me down.

Honestly, in my head, I'm thinking, you're so short, what gives you the balls to act this tough?

"No scar, though. So we're good."

"Ha?"

"It was an accident. Not on purpose."

"So what-!"

I glance at her forehead as I speak, and she reacts with utter disbelief.

Meanwhile, Seo Hye-in, whom I left behind, has walked up to the classroom too. Makes sense—same class.

"Sorry, excuse me."

Hye-in squeezes past me with that whisper. Guess I was blocking the back door while talking to Yu-hwa.

"......"

I don't reply, just step aside casually. Yu-hwa in front of me shifts to the side too.

I catch her gaze flicking to Hye-in's face for a second. Brief eye contact, maybe.

Then Hye-in heads to her seat.

"That girl's in a bad mood since morning or something."

Yu-hwa mutters it softly, just for me. Probably Hye-in's expression during that glance prompted it.

"You know her?"

Then she asks that out of nowhere. No idea why it jumps there.

"Why?"

"Just asking."

"......No. First time seeing her today?"