The living room was filled with noise, but none of it felt real.
The television droned on endlessly, its light flashing across the walls in irregular bursts. Some variety show was playing. People were laughing loudly on the screen, their expressions exaggerated and hollow.
Kuen lay stretched out on the couch, one leg hanging over the edge, an arm thrown loosely across his eyes. He wasn't watching. He wasn't listening. The sound was just there, a background hum meant to occupy space.
On the opposite couch, someone was very much alive.
His sister sat curled up with her phone held close to her face, eyes sparkling unnaturally bright. Every few seconds, her toes kicked the air, betraying her excitement.
"No way… no way…!" she whispered, then immediately clapped a hand over her mouth.
Kuen didn't react.
A moment later—
"Ahhh—!"
She let out a sharp shriek, burying her face into a pillow as if the screen had burned her eyes. Her legs flailed wildly, heels knocking against the couch cushions.
Kuen shifted slightly, but only to turn his head away.
"Too much," his sister muttered breathlessly. "This is way too much—!"
Another kick flew out.
This time, it didn't hit the couch.
Pain exploded across Kuen's face.
"—!"
His vision went white for a second. The force knocked his head sideways, his body sliding awkwardly down the couch. He barely managed to catch himself before falling onto the floor.
He sat up slowly, one hand pressed to his cheek.
"Kuen!" his sister shouted, sitting upright. "Why are you right there?!"
He stared at her.
"You kicked me," he said calmly.
"That's because you're in the way!"
"This is my couch."
She huffed. "You weren't even using it properly."
Kuen looked at her kicking legs, then at the phone she had abandoned on the cushion. Something inside him snapped quietly.
Without warning, he lunged forward.
"Hey—!"
The next few seconds were a mess.
Pillows were grabbed and swung with no aim. His sister squealed and tried to shield herself, retaliating by shoving him back. The couch creaked under their combined weight
.
"Stop hitting me!"
"You kicked my face!"
"That was an accident!"
"You didn't even apologize!"
Their argument ended abruptly when the living room door slammed open.
"What are you two doing?"
Their mother stood in the doorway, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
Silence fell instantly.
Kuen straightened. His sister scrambled back to her seat, smoothing her hair as if nothing had happened.
"Nothing," she said quickly.
Their mother looked at them for a long moment, then sighed.
"If you break something, you're both paying for it."
After she left, the living room felt quieter than before.
A few minutes later, his sister scooted closer, her earlier excitement returning as if it had never left.
"Kuen," she said sweetly with a cheeky grin."I found a novel that really suits you."
"I'm not interested," he replied, eyes fixed on the TV.
"But the main character has the same name as you."
He paused.
Slowly, he turned his head. "What?"
She grinned. "Kuen. Same spelling. Isn't that fate?"
"I don't believe in fate."
"It's BL," she added cheerfully. " And it's Omegaverse."
He frowned. "What's Omegaverse?"
She waved her hand dismissively. "
You'll understand once you read it."
Before he could refuse, his phone vibrated.
She had already sent him the link.
Satisfied, she leaned back against the couch, hugging her pillow again.
Kuen stared at the screen of his phone for a moment, then stood up.
"I'm going to sleep."
His sister didn't even look up. "Don't forget to read it!"
He returned to his room and shut the door.
The heat hit him immediately.
It was the kind of summer night where the air felt heavy, pressing down on his chest.
He turned on the fan and lay flat on the bed, letting the wind blow directly at his face.
He stared at the ceiling.
After a while, boredom crept in.
With a sigh, he picked up his phone and opened the novel.
He skimmed a few lines. The writing style was straightforward. Clean. Surprisingly easy to read.
He didn't get far.
The fan rattled softly above him. The sound was almost soothing.
His eyelids drooped.
Then—
A sharp cracking noise split the air.
Something slammed into his face.
Pain bloomed violently, stealing his breath.
Darkness swallowed everything.
—
Light.
That was the first thing Kuen became aware of.
Soft, warm light filtered through his eyelids. The air smelled faintly sweet, unfamiliar yet not unpleasant.
He lay still, his mind
sluggish, the sensation of falling lingering strangely in his chest.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
The ceiling above him was pale pink.
He blinked.
This wasn't his room
.
He pushed himself upright, the sheets sliding down his arms. The bed was too wide, too soft. Plush toys were arranged neatly nearby, their glassy eyes staring back at him. Jewelry sparkled on a dresser, catching the light.
A large mirror stood directly opposite the bed.
Kuen's heart pounded.
"This is a dream," he said quietly.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and looked up.
A girl stared back at him.
Delicate features. Smooth skin with a faint blush. Soft plum-colored cheeks. Red lips shaped perfectly, slightly parted in shock. Long black hair cascaded down slender shoulders, shining like silk.
She wore a light pink nightgown.
Kuen froze.
The girl in the mirror froze too.
For a long second, neither of them moved.
Then a scream tore through the room.
It was sharp, high, and unmistakably feminine.
And it came from him.