The Main Character is Obsessed With a Foreign Substance

“What is this?”

“It’s, uh, Heeyoung’s contact information. She gave it to me.”

“What?”

Seunghyun’s face stiffened as he released Suhwan’s hand and took the note with both hands. Then he stared intently at Heeyoung’s number with serious eyes.

Eventually, he took out his phone and tapped the screen with his fingers. He was probably trying to verify if Heeyoung’s number matched the contact information in his phone.

“…It’s correct.”

Seunghyun’s voice was as rigid as his face. His disapproval was palpable. When those sharp eyes that looked like they could cut turned toward him, Suhwan panicked and started rambling.

“Don’t misunderstand. She just gave it to me saying to contact her if anything happens. Absolutely no other words were exchanged, just…”

While listening to the incoherent explanation, Seunghyun tilted his head slightly and smiled. However, though his mouth was smiling, his eyes weren’t, which was terrifying. Suhwan’s voice grew increasingly quieter.

“Do you have any reason to contact her?”

His face was as stern as a judge about to deliver a verdict. Suhwan instinctively realized that he couldn’t answer this wrong. He immediately shook his head.

“No, I don’t. Absolutely not.”

“Then can I throw this away?”

“Yes.”

Watching Suhwan nod so readily, Seunghyun asked with narrowed eyes.

“You haven’t already saved her number, have you?”

“I haven’t. Look.”

He pulled up his contacts and held out his phone to Seunghyun. He extended it to prove his innocence, but didn’t think Seunghyun would actually check. But Seunghyun really took the phone and verified each contact name one by one. Suhwan was taken aback.

“You’re right.”

Having finished checking, Seunghyun returned the phone with a smile that curved the corners of his eyes, seeming pleased. Receiving his phone back, Suhwan lost his words and opened his mouth stupidly at that smile.

“Senior?”

“Ah.”

He turned his head to avoid the puzzled gaze. He didn’t want to be caught momentarily mesmerized by the main character’s beauty. But a persistent gaze clung to Suhwan’s face.

“Were you upset?”

“It’s not like that.”

Though he denied it verbally, his face looked dissatisfied. Perhaps he had been too intrusive. Seunghyun decided to apologize straightforwardly.

“I’m sorry. For overstepping my bounds.”

“What?”

Although it was a bit awkward, there was no reason for Seunghyun to apologize. Rather, if Jin Suhwan had truly done something terrible to Heeyoung in the past, Suhwan should be the one begging for forgiveness on his hands and knees. Suhwan waved his hands with a bewildered expression.

“No. I wasn’t upset. I think it was… reasonable for you to misunderstand.”

Suhwan anxiously observed Seunghyun’s reaction. In truth, if Seunghyun were to question further about Heeyoung, Suhwan would have nothing to say. This was because Suhwan had no idea what Jin Suhwan had done to Heeyoung in the past. He could only guess. He just hoped that the matter would quietly pass.

“Is that really what you think?”

“Yes.”

When Suhwan nodded fervently, Seunghyun’s face turned dubious. It was fortunate if Suhwan wasn’t upset, but his compliance seemed too easy. If it were Jin Suhwan…

Jin Suhwan, if it were Jin Suhwan…

Through his slightly blurred vision, Seunghyun could see someone’s face. He frowned. But that unpleasant face quickly disappeared.

“Seunghyun?”

A thin, puzzled voice brushed past his ears. And immediately after, the voice he heard was entirely different.

‘You can never escape from me, Lee Seunghyun.’

A low, authoritative voice entangled Seunghyun viscously. It was definitely something he had heard somewhere before.

“Seunghyun, are you okay?”

Yet somehow, now only a distant feeling remained. Seunghyun shook his head while facing Suhwan’s clear face.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“Really?”

His complexion definitely seemed a bit off. Suhwan examined Seunghyun’s face with a puzzled expression. But soon a sound made Suhwan turn his head elsewhere.

Ding-dong.

“…What’s that?”

Hearing the sound from the entrance intercom, Suhwan rose from his seat. Approaching the intercom, he could see a man wearing a cap standing in front of the door. He could tell at a glance. It was the delivery man. As if entranced, he pressed the button to open the door.

“Delivery!”

“Yes, please put it over here.”

The man carrying a large delivery box walked in with big strides and placed it at the entrance. Judging by its size, it seemed to be the mattress ordered yesterday. It was impressive that it arrived in just one day as promised with bullet shipping.

“Goodbye.”

“Yes.”

The curt delivery man immediately turned around and left. As soon as the door closed, Seunghyun approached Suhwan, who had started opening the package, and asked:

“What is it?”

“Huh? This?”

At Seunghyun’s question, Suhwan struggled to pull the mattress out of the box. Then, turning to Seunghyun, he answered:

“A mattress. It’s a bit uncomfortable sleeping on the sofa, so I want to put this in the room to sleep on.”

“Ah…”

Suhwan turned his head immediately after answering. The mattress was quite larger than expected, making it difficult to remove. He should have carried it to the room and opened it there instead of at the entrance. Belatedly regretting this, Suhwan frowned.

He was completely unaware that Seunghyun was watching him with peculiar eyes from behind.

***

The ordered mattress was surprisingly comfortable. Having ordered it rather casually based on eyeballing, Suhwan was satisfied that it exceeded his expectations. Thanks to this, he was able to sleep soundly that night.

Moreover, after that film liberal arts class, he didn’t encounter Seunghyun at school. Suhwan realized that was the only overlapping lecture they had this semester. So until Friday, the end of the first week, Suhwan was able to attend school with peace of mind.

“Hmm.”

After returning home and turning on his laptop, Suhwan pondered. Today was the last day of the course registration adjustment period. As he moved his hand holding the mouse, the cursor on the screen wiggled back and forth.

Suhwan had been contemplating since earlier about what to do with the liberal arts class that overlapped with Seunghyun and his classmates.

In fact, there was no need to deliberate—changing it was the right choice. Just the thought of facing Seunghyun and his friends in the same classroom made him shudder. Above all, Heeyoung was in that class.

But would changing the liberal arts class really solve the problem? Heeyoung seemed persistent enough to give Suhwan her contact information. It was hard to predict what she might do if she saw Suhwan avoiding her.

If she were to confide something to Seunghyun instead of him…

“Argh, no. Absolutely not.”

He had seen Seunghyun’s contemptuous eyes several times, but this would surely be incomparable. Suhwan could instinctively tell.

Seunghyun, the main character of the novel, had that kind of personality. He was insensitive to his own wounds or pain, but couldn’t stand seeing those around him suffer even slightly. If Jin Suhwan had done something terrible to Heeyoung, and Seunghyun found out about it…

Just imagining it made Suhwan’s blood run cold as he gulped. With trembling hands, he managed to close the course registration page.

This is me attending the same class to keep an eye on things. Absolutely, absolutely not because I have any ulterior motives toward Seunghyun, but solely to monitor the situation!

After affirming this to himself several times, Suhwan exhaled deeply.

“Phew…”

And if the opportunity arose, he definitely needed to find out what Heeyoung wanted. If she wanted compensation, he could provide as much as needed. Just thinking about it gave him a headache, but this was the karma he had to pay for being manifested in Jin Suhwan’s body.

Suhwan glanced at the clock. Checking that it was just past 8 PM, he perked up his ears. There was still no sign of Seunghyun returning.

He usually came back around this time. Does he have a department or club gathering today?

Blinking at his phone, which hadn’t vibrated once since morning, Suhwan pondered.

Of course, he had never received a call or message from Seunghyun on his phone until now. On days like this, it would be reasonable for a roommate to send a message saying they’d be late, but…

‘I shouldn’t expect such things from the main character. Not from a foreign substance like me.’

Swallowing a sigh inwardly, Suhwan got up from his seat. Having been manifested in Jin Suhwan’s body, who had no friends to casually contact on a Friday night, he naturally had to guard the house alone again tonight.

However, perhaps because his mind was restless today, it seemed a waste to just go to sleep. So Suhwan went to the living room and rummaged through the refrigerator.

“Hmm.”

Seeing the inside of the refrigerator that showed absolutely no signs of everyday life, Suhwan let out a groan.

Is this what you call the disposition of an obsessive madman? Looking at the refrigerator that only contained Evian water and beer, Suhwan felt disheartened.

“Should I have a beer?”