ISMCFC 01

Episode 01

“Why are you avoiding me?”

Hares’ voice was unusually rough—sharp enough to cut.

The deep crease between his brows was rare for him.

For someone who always carried himself with youthful confidence, as if he could do anything, and an easygoing charm that made everything seem interesting—this was unlike him.

My longtime childhood friend, Hares Irisel.

He took a step closer toward me.

“Avoiding you? What are you talking about?”

I forced a smile and answered casually, pretending nothing was wrong.

But I knew.

Unlike my usual self, my voice trembled faintly, and I couldn’t meet his gaze.

“Are you pretending to be close with that bastard just to make me look at you?”

He was obviously talking about Killian.

A dangerous choice of words—if Killian ever heard it, there would be trouble.

“Watch your mouth. Don’t call him that.”

At my reprimand, Hares let out a harsh, incredulous laugh.

“Then what should I call him?”

“Just… ‘that person’ would be enough.”

“Men can tell about other men. That ‘person’ isn’t it. So don’t act all close with him in front of me.”

Hares frowned, agitation clear on his face as he pressed me.

“Are you seriously going to keep hanging around that guy?”

“I guess… I have to.”

It wasn’t even my choice.

That was why my voice trailed off uncertainly.

Hares’ brows twitched as he looked at me coldly.

“…Don’t tell me you’ve decided to switch to that bastard now?”

I blinked at him, caught off guard.

What was he even saying?

But Hares continued—

And then, he said something I had never once imagined would come out of his mouth.

“You slept with me once, didn’t you? I pretended not to remember because it seemed like you didn’t want to… but—”

As the words left him, his eyes slowly reddened.

He bit down on his lip, as if embarrassed—or as if his pride had been wounded.

Then suddenly, he snapped.

“Hey. Take responsibility. Stop avoiding me.”

“W-what?!”

“I said take responsibility! You were the one who kissed me first—that’s how it started!”

My mind went blank.

He… remembered?

I never thought he would.

I couldn’t even figure out what to say first—my thoughts were in complete disarray.

Looking down at me with reddened eyes, he bared his teeth and continued bitterly.

“Stop running away from me. And now you’re even hanging around another guy? What, are you playing with me?”

My lips parted, but no words came out.

“Try sleeping with me and then running away—I dare you.”

“Y-you lunatic…”

The world began to spin around me.

How… how had all of this even started?

My fading memory traced back—not long ago.

“I’m only telling you this…”

Maybe the moment he said those words—

I had already known.

What was coming next.

Sometimes, for someone in unrequited love, even the most innocent words from the person they like can hurt unbearably.

No matter how carefully you choose your clothes, your hairstyle, even your perfume—spending hours preparing yourself for them—

It all becomes meaningless the moment their fated person appears.

You can dress exactly to their taste, say everything they might like, share everything they enjoy—

But their destiny?

It can win them over with nothing more than a carefree smile and wind-tousled hair.

And just like that—

It’s already over.

My first love, on a sweltering summer day, confided only in me.

“I think… I’ve found someone I like.”

A single sentence—

The final period that would bring an eternal end to my long, one-sided love.

I glanced sideways at Hares, who lay beside me, shirt discarded, lounging lazily without a care in the world.

I hadn’t fallen for him from the beginning.

At first, he was just a close friend—someone easy and fun to be around.

But somewhere along the way, something changed.

The playful smile he showed only to me.

The sharp lines of his neck, the tanned, well-built body that had grown broader than mine.

The way he joked around endlessly, yet suddenly showed unexpected consideration.

At first, they were scattered pieces—like fragments of a puzzle.

But one day, they all came together perfectly into a single picture.

I like Hares.

That summer, when I could no longer pretend I saw him as just a friend—

I realized it.

My first love had begun.

A love that could never be returned.

Hares didn’t see me as anything more than a friend.

If anything, if I stood in front of him naked, he’d probably scream and run away—not blush.

Meanwhile, I could barely breathe just from seeing him shirtless like this, my heart pounding too hard to meet his eyes.

And yet—

He was telling me about the first girl who had caught his interest.

“…You know her, right? Yves Rothessier. I don’t think I like her yet, but… I don’t know. There’s something special about her.”

“What about her?”

“I don’t know. But there’s something.”

I pretended not to know.

But I did.

I knew exactly who she was—and what made her so special.

Because at some point, I had realized that this world I lived in was a story.

And Eve—

The heroine of this novel.

A woman loved by all. Exceptionally beautiful.

And the first love of my childhood friend—Hares, the second male lead.

She had everything.

Right now, it was just interest.

But soon, Hares would fall deeper and deeper for her—

Until he loved her passionately, desperately.

As for me…

I had a limited lifespan.

One of the reasons Hares would become even more obsessed with Eve.

Because I—

His childhood friend—

Would die in exactly one year.

I didn’t know how.

Only that it would be an accident.

And honestly… I had already half given up.

After my death, Hares would cling even more to Eve, who comforted him.

But even he would never have his love returned.

Because the heroine already had her destined male lead.

If that’s his miserable fate… couldn’t he just choose me instead?

But Hares and I—

We were childhood friends.

Not the sweet, gentle kind.

We teased, bickered, and annoyed each other like siblings—without restraint.

A sudden romantic confession would destroy that balance completely.

Honestly, even if I liked him, if he suddenly confessed with cheesy lines—

I’d probably feel creeped out before I felt happy.

So instead of telling him the truth, I grumbled.

“But do you really think she’d like you? Look at yourself.”

“What about me?”

I stared at him deliberately, then shook my head.

“…You’re seriously ugly.”

“Hey!”

Even though I knew he was handsome.

But praising him didn’t suit this relationship.

“Stop acting shy all of a sudden. It’s disgusting.”

“Seriously? I’m trying to talk to you!”

“When you act serious, that’s when you’re the most…”

I continued flatly.

“Unappealing.”

“Hey, I only get treated like this by you. Outside, people actually like me. I’m the one rejecting them!”

“Same here. You’re the only one who calls me a pig. Other guys say I’m too skinny.”

Usually, he would have snapped back immediately.

But this time—

Hares froze.

Then asked seriously:

“Other guys?”

“Yeah.”

“Who?”

“Huh?”

This was the first time he’d asked so directly.

The way he was looking at me—

Why did it feel different today?

Could it be… he likes me too—

But before I could finish that thought—

Still wearing that serious expression, Hares came to his own conclusion.

“If someone says a pig like you is skinny, they should get their eyes checked. Are they blind?”

“Do you want to die?”

Of course.

Expecting any kind of romantic mood from him had been my mistake.

I grabbed a fistful of his hair.

He glared at me, clearly annoyed.

“Let go.”

“No.”

As soon as I said that, he grabbed my wrist tightly.

This time, I glared back.

“Let go.”

“You let go first.”

“You’re the one holding my hand so I can’t let go! Let go!”

“You let go!”

We shouted at each other, locked in a ridiculous standoff—

And then—

“You two are all grown up now. Are you seriously still playing like that?”