Chapter 3.1

About ten years ago, just before the college entrance exams.

I was exhausted from spending hours either locked in a staring contest with my math homework or wrestling with my thoughts. So I decided to turn to romance fantasy novels.

And I was immediately hooked.

‘How did I not know something this amazing existed?!’

Honestly, anything would’ve fascinated me back then.

I wanted to forget the harsh reality of being 100 days away from the college entrance exams, so I obsessed over romantic stories set in other worlds.

Masked balls with crown princes, tea-time squabbles over cookies and black tea… those kinds of things.

Then one night, I opened my notebook and started writing my own story.

The male lead’s last name was “Cocoa” because I happened to be drinking cocoa at the time.

I honestly think it was inspired by something I saw in a dream the night before.

Anyway, I fleshed out a female lead, came up with a few villains, and wrote about the destined meeting between the hero and heroine…

[Hey, Malhee! Are you done studying yet?!]

When my mom suddenly barged into my room. I slammed my notebook shut, and after that, it was really time to focus on studying.

I completely forgot that I’d ever written a story.

“But what the heck is this?”

My head spun as I tried to figure out who I’d ended up inside a novel where I’d barely drafted the main characters’ first meeting.

But now wasn’t the time for that. The man in front of me was groaning and struggling to stay alive.

I picked up the diary again and flipped through the pages.

…In preparation for any unforeseeable disasters, the mansion is stocked with ample supplies.

First: roughly a decade’s worth of food.

Most of the food can be found in the underground cellar across from the kitchen.

Second: emergency medical supplies.

If you or your companions suffer injuries, I’ve prepared potions. You should find them inside my wardrobe, hidden in the underwear drawer.

Why would she stash emergency supplies in her underwear drawer? But I pushed the question aside and raced upstairs to find the potions.

The dressing room was so big I got lost for a second, but thankfully it didn’t take me too long. I grabbed the “critical injury” vial from the rainbow array of potions and hurried back downstairs, dropping to my knees beside the man.

His face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and a sheen of sweat covered his skin.

He’s not going to die on me, is he? Handling a corpse right after possessing a body was not on my to-do list.

Especially in a world where I had no idea how many survivors may be left.

“Are you supposed to drink the potion or apply it?”

I get that I somehow entered a story I barely started writing, but I don’t remember specifying any details like this.

Who would’ve thought I’d end up inside a story that I only managed to write a prologue for?

I groaned and, reluctantly, began unbuttoning the man’s shirt. I looked down at his smooth collarbone and broad, strong chest and groaned again.

With looks like that, he’d at least qualify to be the second male lead, even if he’s not the main.

But I don’t remember creating a dark-haired character like him?

“Ugh… whatever. Let’s just think of it as disinfectant.”

I poured the entire potion over the man’s blood-caked shoulder. There was no point trying to make him drink it. He was clearly too out of it to swallow anything.

I kind of wanted to wipe the blood off too, but I wasn’t exactly in the right mindset for that yet.

After pouring every last drop of the potion, I stared intently at his shoulder.

Suddenly, white foam began bubbling up around the deep wound.

Was that a sign it was working? It had to be, right?

Just as I leaned closer, anxiously watching, the man began writhing in pain.

“…Ugh! Cough!”

His beautiful face twisted in agony as his shoulder convulsed like he was having a seizure.

“Hang in there! You have to survive this!”

I gripped his hand tightly, pleading.

All I could do now was drape a blanket over him and hope it helped against the cold floor.

“…But seriously, who are you? Why did you show up here like this? You’ve got some explaining to do when you wake up.”