Side Story 2: The Original World (2)

Lee Minji found herself unexpectedly flustered by the appearance of the man before her.

She hadn’t expected someone this outwardly attractive.

Not as striking as Owen, of course, but certainly on par with Kyle.

‘If someone saw him, they’d think a romance novel’s male lead just came to life.’

Minji sipped her Americano to steady herself, then exhaled and extended a hand in greeting.

“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Lee Minji. Is ‘Jung Woo-hyun’ your real name?”

“No, it’s the name of this body’s original owner,” Jung Woo-hyun replied, awkwardly shaking her outstretched hand.

Minji thought to herself, ‘Even his name sounds like a male lead.’

As she repeated his name internally and studied his face, Woo-hyun averted his gaze, clearly uneasy under her scrutiny.

He seemed shy, a trait that, combined with his tall stature and handsome features, came off as endearing rather than awkward.

‘…He’s cute,’ Minji admitted begrudgingly.

Woo-hyun was undeniably well-built, with a naturally symmetrical face, sharp jawline, and soft yet captivating eyes. His every movement seemed genuine and honest—perhaps thanks to the soul that now inhabited him.

“Uh, if it’s not too personal, may I ask what kind of relationship you had with this body’s original owner?” Woo-hyun asked cautiously, snapping Minji out of her thoughts.

His question made her pause.

How could she even begin to explain? The best descriptor was probably “rivals,” considering their conflicting preferences for story pairings.

But bringing up fandom shipping wars to a non-fan would be absurd.

“Well… we both enjoyed the same novel,” she finally said, opting for a safe response.

“That means you shared a hobby,” Woo-hyun remarked, nodding as if relieved.

“Shared… I suppose that’s accurate,” Minji replied, though inwardly she questioned herself.

‘Did we really share anything?’

Sure, they both created fan works for the novel, but Minji had always detested his contributions.

Later, as fellow possessors, they’d spent more time trying to outmaneuver or oust each other than cooperating.

“So, do you know much about… this person?” Woo-hyun asked, his expression brightening like someone who had found a lifeline.

The question caught Minji off guard.

She hesitated, unsure how to answer. She didn’t truly know the original owner of his body, only the soul that had temporarily inhabited it.

“I don’t know much,” she admitted after a moment. “We met because we both possessed characters in a story. That’s the only connection we had.”

“Wait… you possessed characters in a story? A ‘story’?” Woo-hyun repeated, wide-eyed.

His reaction reminded Minji of an innocent animal, like a startled rabbit. His large frame and boyish expression made for an amusing contradiction.

‘He really is too good-looking,’ she thought, noticing how even his hands—resting lightly around his coffee mug—seemed needlessly elegant.

The Creator chimed in, breaking her thoughts.

“Not just a story—a world inspired by it. I borrow stories from humans to create my worlds.”

The Creator’s voice held an air of smugness as it justified its “borrowing” of creative works.

Though Minji was tempted to call it out on its dubious ethics, she refrained. What would be the point of lecturing a god?

Instead, she asked a question that had been on her mind.

“The novel was completed only a few years ago. Does that mean the world I was in was created recently?”

“Recently, by my standards. About 1,000 years ago,” the Creator replied nonchalantly.

“Time doesn’t flow the same way between worlds. Don’t expect it to align with yours,” it added, as though explaining something obvious.

The Creator elaborated further, describing how time, governed by different deities, moved differently across worlds.

“Also, I’m not bound by time. I can move between past and future, between worlds, whenever I wish.”

The Creator’s explanation finally seemed to make sense, and both Minji and Woo-hyun nodded in understanding.

Satisfied with their comprehension, the Creator chuckled and added mischievously, “You two suit each other.”

Both humans immediately choked on their drinks.

They turned to the Creator with incredulous expressions—Minji looking as though a secret had been exposed, and Woo-hyun blushing furiously, his ears and cheeks tinged pink.

“Why not keep in touch?” the Creator continued, clearly enjoying itself. “Meet up, talk—it’d be fun to watch.”

Its tone was light, but the implied expectation of their compliance was clear.

Minji sighed, knowing there was no point resisting.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

Her words sounded resigned, but inwardly she felt that perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad. Life here had been dull and empty since her return; maybe having someone to interact with could add a bit of color.

Though Woo-hyun wasn’t Owen, he was honest and refreshingly straightforward—qualities she found oddly charming.

“I-I’ll do it too,” Woo-hyun stammered, clearly flustered.

The Creator beamed, pleased with their answers, and promised to keep watching over them before disappearing into thin air.

Its departure left an awkward silence between the two.

“Well, let’s get along then. Looks like we’ll be seeing each other often,” Minji said, breaking the quiet with a cheerful smile.

Her outgoing nature, honed from years of navigating social circles and business dealings, made her the first to extend an olive branch.

“Twenty-two?” Minji repeated, blinking in mild surprise.

Hel—no, Woo-hyun—nodded hesitantly, as if unsure how she might react.

For a moment, Minji processed the number. Two years younger than she’d expected, and a solid five years younger than herself. Not a shocking age gap, but still unexpected, given his demeanor and physical presence.

‘He’s basically a kid,’ she thought, hiding her amusement. But rather than voice her inner monologue, she tilted her head and gave him a curious smile.

“You don’t look twenty-two,” she said lightly. “If you hadn’t told me, I’d have guessed you were older.”

“Well… I’ve been through a lot,” Woo-hyun said, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. His voice was quiet but carried a weight that suggested his words weren’t an exaggeration.

That drew Minji’s attention. She studied him a little closer, noticing the subtle lines of tension in his posture and the way his eyes, though kind, seemed a touch too weary for someone so young.

“Another reason why you seem older, I guess,” Minji said, softening her tone. “Life must have been tough in your world.”

Woo-hyun smiled faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It was… eventful.”

‘Eventful’ is probably an understatement, Minji thought, but she didn’t push further. He seemed reluctant to elaborate, and she respected that.

Instead, she steered the conversation back to something lighter. “So, should I call you Woo-hyun or Henry?”

“Whatever you’re comfortable with,” he said, quickly adding, “Though, honestly, Henry feels more natural to me.”

“Henry it is, then.” She gave him a quick nod, sealing the decision.

Henry’s lips curved into a small but genuine smile, and for a moment, Minji felt the air between them grow a little less awkward.

“Well, Henry, now that we’re officially on first-name terms, let’s make a deal,” she said, leaning forward slightly with an almost conspiratorial grin. “If we’re stuck keeping in touch because of that meddlesome Creator, we might as well make it fun, don’t you think?”

Henry blinked, clearly taken aback by her sudden proposal, but there was no mistaking the slight sparkle of intrigue in his eyes. “What kind of deal?”

“Simple,” Minji said, resting her chin in her hand. “We hang out, trade stories, and make the most of this bizarre situation. No brooding over the past, no overthinking. Just… something like friendship. How’s that sound?”

Henry hesitated, as though the concept of casual companionship was foreign to him. But after a moment, he gave a small nod. “That… sounds nice.”

Minji smiled, satisfied. “Great. Welcome to the weirdest friendship you’ll probably ever have.”

And with that, the two began what could only be described as an unusual but oddly comforting partnership, orchestrated by none other than a god who thrived on chaos and curiosity.

 

 

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