NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Impulse and Indifference
Ha-Na sat on her bed, surrounded by the opulent decorations of her mansion. She stared blankly at the wall, her mind racing with thoughts and memories.
She tried to recall the details of the novel she had read before her transmigration. The characters, the plot twists, the settings... everything seemed so familiar, yet so distant.
Ha-Na's eyes narrowed as she concentrated. She remembered the protagonist, a strong-willed and determined girl who navigated the complexities of high school life. She remembered the love interests, the friendships, the rivalries...
But Ha-Na's memories were hazy, fragmented. She couldn't quite recall how the story ended, or what happened to the characters in the final chapters.
Frustration crept up her spine as she realized how much she had forgotten. She needed to remember more, to piece together the fragments of her memories and understand the world she now lived in.
Ha-Na took a deep breath, determination burning within her. She would recall every detail, no matter how small. She would uncover the secrets of this world, and she would take control of her own destiny.
Ha-Na smiled wryly to herself, feeling a sense of resignation wash over her. She couldn't force the memories to come back, and worrying about it wouldn't change anything.
She changed into comfortable pajamas, climbed into bed, and settled under the blankets. As she closed her eyes, she felt a sense of exhaustion wash over her.
"Goodnight," she whispered to herself, letting the softness of her bed envelop her.
As she drifted off to sleep, Ha-Na's mind whispered a gentle reminder: tomorrow was a new day, full of new possibilities. And she would face it head-on, one step at a time.
Ha-Na's eyes widened in shock as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
"Who are you?" Ha-Na demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.
The voice chuckled, a low, amused sound. "Hehe I'm the one who created this world, Ha-Na. And you're the protagonist."
Ha-Na's mind reeled as she tried to process the voice's words. "You mean... I'm a character in a book?"
The voice laughed again. "You're more than just a character, Ha-Na. You're the heroine of this story. And to escape this book, you need to complete the story."
Ha-Na's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
The voice's tone turned serious. "You need to follow the plot, Ha-Na. Make the choices that will lead you to the ending. And if you succeed... you'll be free."
Ha-Na's heart pounded in her chest. She was trapped in a book, and the only way out was to play along. But what if she didn't want to follow the plot? What if she wanted to forge her own path?
As Ha-Na walked downstairs, the voice continued to chatter in her mind, offering annoying commentary on everything from her outfit to her breakfast choices.
"Really, Ha-Na, you're going to wear that? Don't you think it's a bit... bland?"
Ha-Na rolled her eyes and tried to tune out the voice, focusing instead on her breakfast and the day ahead.
But the voice refused to be silenced, following her out the door and into the car as she headed to school.
"Oh, great, now you're going to drive to school? How cliché. Can't you think of something more original?"
Ha-Na gritted her teeth and tried to ignore the voice, but it was starting to get under her skin. She just wanted to get to school and have a normal day, without the constant commentary from... whoever or whatever this voice was.
___
Ha-Na raised an eyebrow as Yoon-Ah stepped out of her sleek, black Porsche Cayenne. Yoon-Ah flashed her a bright smile, looking every inch the wealthy, popular girl that she was.
"Hey, Ha-Na! Morning!" Yoon-Ah called out, sauntering over to Ha-Na's car.
The voice in Ha-Na's head snarked, "Oh, great, now the queen bee has arrived. Time for Ha-Na to play the role of loyal sidekick."
Ha-Na shot the voice a mental glare, but smiled politely at Yoon-Ah. "Morning, Yoon-Ah. You're looking bright and cheerful today."
Ha-Na's eyes scanned the hallway, taking in the sea of faces that seemed to be staring at her and Yoon-Ah. She felt a surge of discomfort at being the center of attention.
The voice in her head continued to provide a play-by-play commentary. "Oh, look, there's Namjoon, staring at you like you're the only girl in the world. And Shin-Ae, looking like she's about to spit venom. This should be fun."
Ha-Na's eyes met Namjoon's across the hallway, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. She felt a flutter in her chest, but quickly looked away, trying to brush off the feeling.
The voice in her head snickered. "Oh, Ha-Na, you're so predictable. You're already falling for the charming hero, aren't you?"
Ha-Na's eyes widened as she watched Yoon-Ah trip and almost fall, but the boy's quick reflexes saved her from a nasty tumble.
The voice in Ha-Na's head whispered, "Ah, look who's playing hero. Min Yoongi, the infamous bad boy with a heart of gold... or so the rumors say."
Ha-Na's gaze met Yoongi's, and for a moment, they locked eyes. She felt a shiver run down her spine as he flashed her a devil-may-care smirk.
Yoon-Ah, still shaken, clung to Yoongi's arm, gazing up at him with adoration. "Thank you so much, Yoongi-ssi!"
Yoongi shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "No big deal. Anyone would've done the same."
The voice in Ha-Na's head snickered. "Oh, sure, anyone would've caught the beautiful Yoon-Ah and saved the day. But only Min Yoongi can make it look so effortlessly cool."
Yoon-Ah's eyes sparkled as she gazed up at Yoongi, a dreamy expression on her face. "You're so gallant, Yoongi-ssi," she cooed, her voice dripping with admiration.
Ha-Na rolled her eyes, feeling a pang of annoyance. The voice in her head chimed in, "Oh, please, Yoon-Ah, you're not exactly subtle, are you?"
Yoongi, however, seemed oblivious to Yoon-Ah's flirtations, his expression still neutral. "Let's get to class, shall we?" he said, gently extricating himself from Yoon-Ah's grasp.
As they walked to their classrooms, Ha-Na couldn't help but notice the way Yoon-Ah continued to fawn over Yoongi, who remained steadfastly unresponsive. The voice in her head snickered, "This should be interesting. The queen bee has set her sights on the bad boy. Wonder how long it'll take her to realize he's not interested."
Ha-Na smiled wryly to herself as she took in the familiar scene before her. Yoongi, as usual, was sitting at the back of the class, his eyes fixed on some unknown point outside the window. Namjoon, meanwhile, was engrossed in a book, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Yoon-Ah, on the other hand, was fast asleep, her head resting on her desk. Ha-Na shook her head, chuckling to herself. Only Yoon-Ah could manage to fall asleep in class and still look adorable.
The voice in Ha-Na's head chimed in, "And only Namjoon could make reading a book look so sexy. Priorities, people!"
"You're so annoying ", Ha-Na complained.
The voice in Ha-Na's head fell silent for a moment, before responding in a mock-offended tone, "Hey, I'm just trying to keep things interesting around here. You're the one who's stuck in this cliché romance novel. I'm just trying to help you see the humor in it."
Ha-Na's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with thoughts. She wasn't sure if she could trust the voice, but at the same time, it seemed to know more about her situation than she did.
The school's wannabes, a group of girls who desperately sought to be part of Yoon-Ah's inner circle, fluttered around her, oohing and aahing over her encounter with Yoongi.
"Oh my god, Yoon-Ah, you're so lucky! Yoongi is, like, soooo hot!" one of them squealed.
Yoon-Ah preened under the attention, smiling smugly. "I know, right? He's just so charming and brave."
Ha-Na rolled her eyes, watching the scene unfold with a mix of amusement and annoyance. The voice in her head snarked, "Gag me. These girls are so predictable."
Just then, Namjoon appeared at Ha-Na's side, a book still clutched in his hand. "Hey, Ha-Na, what's going on?" he asked, his eyes scanning the scene before them.