Damn… a hospital again?
Those were the very first thoughts that ran through Cass's mind as his eyelids fluttered open.
Hospital? Wait—a hospital?
His vision was still hazy, the faint white ceiling lights above him glowing in a sterile blur. For a moment, he thought he might be dreaming again. The crisp smell of disinfectant, the muted beeping somewhere in the background, the faint rustle of curtains… it all felt surreal.
How did he even get here?
Why was he in a hospital again?
Determined to confirm whether this was reality or not, Cass raised a hand, pinched the skin on his arm… hard.
"Ow—!" He winced.
The sharp sting was all the confirmation he needed.
No, this wasn't a dream. Unfortunately, this was as real as it gets.
But then… why was he here?
His last memory was a blur of chaos, him almost getting raped in the dungeon, fighting back in self-defense, managing to hold his ground before… boom.
One of those bastards had punched him so hard he saw darkness. After that? Nothing.
Now here he was.
"Fvck," he muttered under his breath, the word coming out hoarse as he shifted to sit up.
"Ah—Cass, you're awake. Why?"
The voice was sharp, carrying an undertone Cass didn't like one bit.
He turned his head to see Rin sitting at his bedside, but instead of relief, Rin's expression was… conflicted. More than conflicted it was almost like he was annoyed Cass had regained consciousness at all.
Cass blinked at him in disbelief. "…Why the hell do you sound like you're not happy to see me alive?"
"Because you shouldn't be. At least not right now." Rin's tone was grim, almost urgent. "Being dead is better than being alive right now."
Cass frowned. "…And why's that supposed to mean anything to me? What the hell are you talking about?"
Rin's eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to prepare Cass for some world-ending news.
"Because Damien Hale is here."
The way Rin said that name… it was like uttering the name of the devil himself.
"Damien Hale is here so what—?" Cass froze mid-sentence. The words finally registered in his brain, and his stomach dropped.
Damien Hale. The male lead.
Why?
Why was he here?
This… wasn't in the script Cass expected. Not even close. His delusional predictions were already going up in flames, and the sense of dread pooling in his stomach was very, very real.
And it wasn't just him. Rin looked just as frantic if not more. That in itself was strange.
"I get that he's back," Cass said slowly, "but why are you freaking out? Last time you panicked, it made sense since I got hospitalized 'cause of… you know. But this time? I was wronged. So why panic, huh?"
Rin scoffed, crossing his arms. "You were wronged?"
Cass gave him a flat look. "Damn right I was wronged."
Rin's lips twisted in an almost pitying smile before he dropped the bomb.
"Does being 'wronged' mean waiting inside a dungeon to rape your fellow group members… and then trying to beat them up when they refuse?"
Cass stared at him blankly, his brain taking a moment to process those words.
What the actual hell?
"What did you just say?"
"That's what they told everyone," Rin said flatly. "When they came out of the dungeon and found you in that state, the group claimed you tried to rape them. They told the dean what they did to you was nothing but self-defense."
Cass's hands clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. Those bastards.
Those shameless, twisted, lying bastards.
"They're lying," Cass bit out, voice low but brimming with fury. "It was the exact opposite. They tried to rape me."
Rin sighed like he had expected that answer. "Even if I believe you, the dean won't. And Damien? He definitely won't. That's why I dreaded you waking up. Because now… you'll have to face him."
Cass's heart thudded in his chest. "So… Damien's heard the rumors already?"
Rin's lips pressed into a tight line. "He arrived the day after you were hospitalized. He definitely heard. He came to check on you yesterday, but you weren't awake yet. Now? I'm sure he knows you are."
Cass swallowed hard, trying to steady his voice. "…How long have I been here?"
"So far, three days," Rin replied casually, but the weight of those words hit Cass like a slap.
"Three days?!" Cass hissed. Damn, was this body made of paper? Three days of hospital rest over one punch? This was pathetic. He needed to start training this body, or he'd end up dead from a simple shove next time.
Still, that was a problem for another day. Right now, there were bigger threats like the male lead himself, getting involved in his affairs far earlier than in the novel… and the vice dean, who probably already had his name written on an expulsion notice.
Rin's next words only made it worse.
"Both of them are looking for you. The dean will probably expel you, and Damien… well, he'll probably kill you. For cheating on him."
Cass's mouth fell open. "Cheating?!"
"For something you didn't do," Rin confirmed with a shrug. "But truth doesn't matter here."
Expelled. Killed. For a lie. Could this day get any worse?
Cass was about to start planning a desperate way out when the door suddenly clicked open.
The air shifted instantly colder, heavier, dangerous.
A tall figure stepped inside, each step unhurried but full of an unspoken dominance that made the hairs on Cass's neck rise.
Cass didn't recognize him at first. But when Rin immediately bowed his head and spoke, his voice low with something like fear, Cass understood exactly who it was.
"Alpha Damien. Welcome."
Cass's head snapped toward the man—
—and froze.
Oh f*ck.
That was the male lead.
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