~Chapter 1~
A shadow fell over my head.
Soon, a cold voice that made my back shiver spoke.
“Found you.”
I’m screwed.
‘What… what’s happening right now?’
A little while ago, I woke up to the salty smell of the sea. But what I saw was a port city that looked nothing like Busan—in fact, it looked more like Venice.
It was a place I’d never been before, but the view was so detailed, I was a bit surprised. Still, it’s a dream, so I thought it was possible.
A man was staring at me with a very intense gaze. Even though there were so many people, his eyes were so fierce that I noticed him right away.
My body spoke before my mind did. I had to run away, right now.
Before I could even agree with that feeling, my legs started running somewhere on their own. And that led me to this situation.
I didn’t even get a chance to escape. The man grabbed me by the back of the neck and dragged me somewhere.
Not long after, he stopped in an open area much bigger than the alley I’d been hiding in and threw me down in one move.
“Ah!”
It all happened so fast, I was completely shocked.
Who is this guy? Why did he chase me so scarily and treat me like this?
‘…I didn’t even do anything wrong.’
I hadn’t even been in this dream for very long.
I didn’t know what kind of relationship my dream-self had with this guy, but wasn’t this too much?
“Is it your specialty to drag strangers away?”
“Is it your specialty to pretend you don’t know people?”
Hmm… do I really have a specialty like that? I honestly don’t know you.
But listening to what the man said, it seemed like my dream-self and this man knew each other.
‘Isn’t this background and setting way too detailed for a dream?’
I guess I’ve had all kinds of dreams in my life.
The man let out a small laugh and slowly came closer to me. I tried to move back, but there wasn’t much space to run.
Seeing me like that, he knelt down on one knee in front of me.
“You’re very good at making people anxious. It was hard to find you this time.”
“…Sorry?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t find you just because you hid in this village far from the capital?”
I met his fierce eyes.
I really had no idea what this man was talking about.
Looking at those almost-obsessive purple eyes, it was clear we didn’t have a normal relationship…
‘Wait, is he an ex-boyfriend I dumped?’
Considering we know each other and he chased me so hard, maybe. And that’s what I hoped, too.
‘Because, up close… he’s really handsome!’
Thanks to him kneeling, I could look closely at his face.
His silver hair shined in the sunlight, and his mysterious purple eyes made him look almost holy.
He didn’t just look handsome—he looked perfect, like someone I had always dreamed of.
“…Why were you looking for me?”
“Are you really asking that?”
For him, maybe my question was strange, but I honestly knew nothing!
But most of all, I wanted to hear the reason from him. Maybe my guess was right.
‘If he’s my ex, depending on what I did, maybe we can get back together?’
As if he read my mind, the man brushed back his hair and spoke.
“Sigh… It doesn’t feel real to see you this close. I’ve spent three years looking for you.”
Oh my god! Not just a few months—but three whole years?
‘This is just like the classic obsessive male lead!’
Maybe my lucky day had finally come.
I tried hard not to smile as I carefully asked,
“Um… what’s your name?”
If he’s obsessed with me, I should at least know his name, right?
But for some reason, the man twisted his lips in a strange way.
He tilted his head a little and smiled—a smile that…
‘…Was he mocking me?’
Even with no dating experience, I could tell this wasn’t a normal smile for someone you like.
“Pretending we’re meeting for the first time? How ridiculous.”
His voice became cold and sarcastic, so different from before. I suddenly realized something was wrong.
A moment ago, my heart was fluttering, but now it started to beat fast from fear.
“…Ow.”
Just then, pain shot through my palm.
I raised my hand to look at it.
My palm was bleeding from being scratched by gravel on the ground.
Wait, why does it hurt? Isn’t this a dream?
In dreams, you’re not supposed to feel pain. Isn’t that why people pinch themselves to see if they’re dreaming?
‘…Is this not a dream? If it’s not, then what? Possession or something?’
I suddenly felt sick. Like I was just now realizing the truth.
While I was feeling more and more confused, the man grabbed me by the collar. He squeezed tight and stared at me with wide eyes.
His look was just like a beast about to pounce. It felt like he was growling.
My clothes around my neck were pulled tight—I couldn’t breathe.
“I can’t stand watching you act innocent any longer.”
“……”
“I am arresting you for violating Article 13 of the Imperial Security Law—disturbing social order.”
“W-What? Arrest me? Why? I didn’t do anything!”
He said I’d have to go to jail, even though I’d never even been to jail in real life.
No way—I never want to go to jail, not even for a romance!
It’s dark, smelly, full of bugs… no thanks!
Desperately, I tried to remember lines from dramas and said,
“You can’t take me away without telling me the reason! That’s illegal!”
“Ha.”
I didn’t know if that law worked here, but the man laughed, so maybe I wasn’t totally wrong.
As I got more confident, the man asked again,
“Illegal?”
“Y-Yeah, illegal!”
“Do you even deserve to say that?”
…Who am I supposed to be?
I stared at him, waiting for him to keep talking.
Maybe he saw through me, because he looked truly shocked as he spoke.
“Witch. Leana Montrose.”
“…A witch?”
“That alone is reason enough to arrest you.”
Witch Leana? No way—why does that name sound familiar?
Chills ran down my spine.
That was the name of the villainess in the 19+ tragic romance novel I read last night.
‘No way… Did I really possess her?’
Despair washed over me.
If I really became the villainess, I would die at the end.
‘No. I won’t die like those other villainesses! I want to live a happy life!’
I wanted to cancel this possession, but as a long-time reader, I knew that was impossible.
At least I knew what story I was in.
‘If I’m the villainess, the number one person I need to avoid is… the male lead, Yushen Willen, right?’
A cold feeling shot through my head.
Right in front of me—shining silver hair and purple eyes.
This man looked 99% like the male lead in the novel.
‘No way, there can’t be only one guy with silver hair and purple eyes in this novel… right?’
If this really was the male lead, I was in big trouble.
In the novel, the male lead was kind and soft, but only when he wasn’t working.
When it came to work, he became strict, cold, and logical—the perfect leader.
I prayed this man wasn’t the male lead as I asked,
“…Yushen Willen?”
The man holding my collar curled his lips into a cold smile.
“So you finally decided to stop pretending you don’t remember.”
He wasn’t an ex-boyfriend—he was here to kill me…
I realized the sense of danger I felt earlier was real.
My life as a possessed villainess was already ruined.
‘But was there a scene where Leana was chased by the male lead?’
I thought, in the first scene, it was Leana’s twin sister, Letitia, who got chased…
Wait.
‘Did I actually possess Letitia, not Leana…?’
As if to prove my guess, my hair blew in the wind—a soft pink color. Leana’s hair was black.
But wasn’t this worse? Letitia dies right after meeting Yushen!
If I wanted to live, I had to escape from Yushen right now.
If I couldn’t run, I’d die.
‘Of course, if I could just convince him I’m not Leana…’
But I couldn’t think of any way to do that.
Even if I told the truth, that I was the twin sister, he probably wouldn’t believe me.
But I couldn’t just let myself be taken away without doing anything.
“W-Wait, please listen to me?”
“Your crime is clear. There’s nothing to discuss.”
His voice was sharp and firm.
Of course. Just as I expected.
“No, not an excuse, I want to defend myself! Everyone has the right to defend themselves!”
Yushen let go of my collar, crossed his arms, and raised one eyebrow.
It looked like he was letting me try, just to see what I’d say.
I grabbed the chance and spoke quickly.
“I’m not the Leana you’re looking for.”
As soon as I said that, he clicked his tongue.
Do all criminals say that? Well, I guess that’s always the first thing they say…
But I’m really not her! We just look the same!
“I’m serious! You’ve got the wrong person!”
I was going to calmly explain, but Yushen looked annoyed, and I found myself yelling without meaning to.
Oh no, this isn’t good…
