Burning Bridges

Since I’d only picked things up secondhand from my sister, it took me a moment to remember who this guy was.

She’d recommended all kinds of novels to me, and this one had, what, four or five male leads?

So it took longer.

“How unpleasant. You’re looking at me like that again. Have you already forgotten your fiancé, Baek Dojun?”

“Huh? No, what?”

I was just observing him to figure out who he was so I could respond properly,

But this guy had completely misunderstood.

‘Are you insane? Why would I look at you like that when you’re a guy too?’

Even if I’m in Chanyeong’s body—a recessive Omega—how do you just casually say something like that?

…Yeah, the real Chanyeong’s karma must’ve been massive.

Why dump this mess on me?

“Stop misunderstanding things and let go.”

Annoyed, I brushed his arm off, mimicking Chanyeong’s usual attitude.

I’d been worried it wouldn’t work against an alpha, but it came off surprisingly easily.

‘Damn, Chanyeong’s stronger than he looks.’

Still, a red mark was already forming on my wrist.

Probably going to bruise.

As I rubbed it, the violent bastard grabbed me by the collar this time.

“Cough—let go! What the hell are you doing?!”

“A misunderstanding? You call this a misunderstanding? You always said that.

And yet you kept clinging to Seo Eunsu like a cockroach, harming him over and over again.”

“That’s…”

If only I could say, That wasn’t me.

But wearing Chanyeong’s face, I couldn’t say anything.

‘Still, grabbing my collar is too much!’

Did Chanyeong really endure this kind of humiliation all the time?

Were these guys even worth loving that much?

I’m not him, and I don’t even know where he went.

So I’ll never get that answer.

“Just… let go first!”

“Ugh.”

He was too threatening.

So I ended up throwing a punch.

His handsome face split at the lip, blood dripping down.

And honestly?

I didn’t feel even a little sorry.

‘Well, maybe don’t grab random people then!’

…Okay, I wasn’t scared at all.

Totally.

The guy staggered from the hit, then steadied himself again.

He touched his bleeding lip and let out a dry laugh.

“You think assaulting me will just be brushed off because you’re from the Seong Group?”

Excuse me, you started this.

That was self-defense.

Why are you talking nonsense?

Even though his gaze made my legs weak,

My anger flared just as strongly.

If he was going to treat me like trash anyway,

I didn’t need to be polite either.

‘And now I remember who he is.’

Honestly, I figured it out because he acted like such a jerk.

Joo Taegang.

The embodiment of an obsessive male lead.

Grandson of the Taewon Group.

A division head.

Always dressed in sharp suits.

In the novel, he fell for Seo Eunsu at first sight and would secretly send him things—like premium beef during holidays.

But couldn’t express his feelings properly.

A tsundere, apparently.

‘Yeah, right. What kind of tsundere is this?’

Cold to everyone else but warm to one person?

Please.

He’s just awful to others, and the guy he likes doesn’t even know.

‘How is he any different from Chanyeong?’

My opinion of him plummeted instantly.

“My reason for coming here was to apologize.”

“…What?”

“I came to Seo Eunsu’s place today to apologize for everything I’ve done. I also gave him a written pledge that I won’t show up again.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You? Do that? Even a passing dog would laugh.”

Why are you dragging innocent dogs into this, you psycho?

Everything about him was starting to annoy me.

“If you don’t believe me, call Seo Eunsu. You have his number, don’t you?”

“How do you—”

Seeing him flustered felt satisfying.

In the original timeline, Seo Eunsu didn’t even know Joo Taegang yet.

But Joo Taegang had already been watching him for years.

‘A full-on stalker.’

He had people investigate Seo Eunsu after falling for him.

So from Seo Eunsu’s perspective,

Both Chanyeong and Joo Taegang were terrifying.

The only difference was intent.

But stalking is stalking.

‘You even track his location in real time.’

And you think you’re better?

“…Right. Someone like you probably investigated me too. Guess that was a dumb question.”

What nonsense is he spouting now?

I don’t care about you at all.

Never.

“Why would I?”

“Because you begged for my love—”

“Not anymore.”

“What?”

At this point, I decided to go all in.

‘Originally, I planned to apologize to the male leads too…’

But if they were all like this, forget it.

“I don’t have any interest in you anymore. Earlier, you compared me to a cockroach, right?”

Now, to me—

You feel just like one.

“Disgusting enough to make me curse. Got it?”

“……”

Apparently, no one had ever called him a cockroach before.

He froze.

Still annoyingly handsome, though.

‘Ugh. I hope Seo Eunsu doesn’t end up with this guy.’

What a creepy stalker with zero manners.

Just as I clicked my tongue—

A taxi approached.

I quickly waved it down while he stood there stunned.

“…After wanting my love for so long, after tormenting Seo Eunsu whom I like, now you say you hate me?”

Even as I got into the taxi, he muttered to himself.

His pheromones surged dangerously, so I covered my nose.

Why is he reacting like that?

I made it clear.

“Yeah. I really hate you. So much I don’t even understand why I liked you before.”

“Why…?”

“Why? If I tell you, will you even listen? You were just being violent a second ago.”

“……”

Figure it out yourself.

I told the driver my address, then shouted one last thing.

“Goodbye, Joo Taegang. Let’s never meet again.”

“Wait—”

I shut the window.

The taxi pulled away.

I didn’t look back.

“Ugh… that hurts.”

My wrist throbbed.

I felt like crying.

I missed my family so much.

For a moment, I even wished the housekeeper was home.

That’s how miserable I felt.

The next morning, my eyes were swollen from crying.

There was no one to talk to, so I’d cried myself to sleep.

‘I should just contact the secretary.’

There was only one way out of this shitty villain life.

Self-isolation—

No, farming.

With a hoarse voice, I called Secretary Choi.

He picked up immediately.

[What is it, young master?]

“Ah… about what I asked before.”

[You mean finding farmland?]

“Yeah. That… can you speed it up? Preferably somewhere remote.”

[May I ask why that location?]

He didn’t question me rudely.

Just asked politely.

Even if it was just professionalism,

I appreciated it.

‘Of course I can’t tell him it’s to escape the male leads… or that it’s my dream.’

Because I’m not the real Seong Chanyeong.