IMAGINE being the main character of a toxic BL novel who somehow transmigrated to the real world— and then you found out that your readers 'ship' you with your abuser.
Awful, right?
Thankfully, that didn't happen to Bae Wonyoung.
But that could happen to An Baekya— the main character of an omegaverse novel titled 'Chained to You'— if the poor kid were in his shoes instead.
And that poor Omega is my son-in-law…
Yep, the red flag male lead who abused the main character was Wonyoung's son.
I wish I didn't remember my 'past life,' but I did.
So now he was fully aware that he was the Omega who gave birth to Yun Yuhyun— the male lead in Chained to You, and the Alpha who abused An Baekya.
My son grew up as a red flag male lead in a toxic BL novel!
Wonyoung gently bumped his forehead on the steering wheel of his car, already stressed out when the memories of his past life started playing in his head like a tragic movie.
How did I end up remembering it again?
Ah, right.
It started when Wonyoung, a rising actor, received the script for a BL series a few days ago…
***
"SO, the male lead broke the main character's ankle, locked him up in an isolated villa, raped him until he got pregnant, and they still lived happily ever after?" Wonyoung asked, horrified after reading the novel on which the script he had received was based. "This should be labeled as 'horror' and not 'romance.' I wouldn't complain if that was the case."
He spent his precious day off reading the script for the upcoming series called 'Chained to You.' The script that he received was only up to episode 4, and it ended in a cliffhanger.
Hence, he decided to buy the original novel.
Needless to say, he was traumatized after reading it.
"Do the readers actually ship the victim with his abuser?"
"Well, the male lead said 'sorry' and shed a few tears," Han Myung, his manager and friend, said while neatly placing the other scripts that Wonyoung had received on the coffee table. "Apparently, the male lead turned out that way because his parents didn't love him. I think the revelation of the ML's sob story is supposed to be his redemption arc."
Aigoo.
Wonyoung had a lot to say about that, but he decided to keep his mouth shut.
I'm at the age where I've stopped caring about what other people do as long as they don't affect me directly.
He was only in his mid-twenties, but being a celebrity forced him to be jaded that early.
I've seen and heard so many shits in this industry, after all.
"They offered you the role of An Baekya," Han Myung said. "He's the main character, and uh, what do you call it again? Omega?"
"Yes, the main character is an Omega," Wonyoung confirmed. He had just finished reading the first volume of Chained to You, so the details were still fresh in his mind. "The novel takes place in a world known as 'omegaverse.' People are classified into three Secondary Genders: Alpha, Beta, and Omega."
"Oh, right. I remember now. Betas are supposed to be the 'normal' ones, right?"
"I wouldn't say 'normal' because that would make Alphas and Omegas 'abnormal,' which isn't the case. Betas just happen to take up the majority of the population in an omegaverse," Wonyoung corrected his manager. "Though I have to say that in an omegaverse, it seems like Alphas and Omegas have their own world because of their pheromones."
"That's why Alphas and Omegas are usually attracted to each other, right?"
"Yeah, but this novel's worldbuilding is pretty sad. The author established that Alphas often abuse Omegas and treat them like sex dolls," Wonyoung said, sighing while shaking his head. "Anyway, I think the selling point of this omegaverse novel is the fact that men can get pregnant. Maybe that's why it's super famous?"
"I'm also surprised by how popular the genre is, especially that novel. The BL industry in our country is thriving, but mostly because of international fans. That's why I don't think the concept of omegaverse will be digested by the general public easily," Han Myung said. "Even so, a big studio still picked up Chained to You. It's also rumored to be aired on a major broadcast channel. That's why even established actors who steered away from BL dramas before are suddenly showing interest."
"I wonder why they sent me the script, though. Didn't they hold an audition for it?"
"They only held an audition for Yun Yuhyun's role."
'Yun Yuhyun' was the male lead in the story— the Alpha who abused An Baekya, the main character.
"Apparently, the writer wants you to play An Baekya's role, Wonyoung-ah."
To be honest, the role of An Baekya was interesting.
It also sounds fun to take the role of an Omega, since it's something I don't think I'd be able to play twice in my life.
However…
"Please return the script, Myung-ah."
"Is the script that bad, Wonyoung-ah? I know many people criticize the novel for romanticizing rape and abuse. Stockholm syndrome, too."
"The novel isn't for me, but it's not the reason."
"Then why are you turning down the script?"
"I'm not sure either," Wonyoung said, lying down on the sofa. He felt like his strength had left him after reading Chained to You. "I know An Baekya is only a fictional character. But I feel bad for the kid. He was abused when he was a child, got chased by a creepy loan shark because of his uncle's debt, almost got sold to a brothel, and then bought by a chaebol in the end."
The 'chaebol' was Yun Yuhyun, the Alpha and the so-called male lead of the novel.
"If you feel bad for An Baekya's character, then don't you think you'd be able to play his role well?"
"That's what I don't understand, Myung-ah," Wonyoung said, thumping his fist against his chest lightly. "After reading the novel, I feel so attached to An Baekya. I know I won't be able to play his role well because I can't see myself as him— I see myself as his guardian. I want to hug An Baekya and protect him from the cruel world. The child didn't deserve the bad life that he had."
"Oho? That's the first time you felt that deeply towards a character."
"I know, right? Plus, I'm afraid I might end up beating the hell out of the actor who'd play Yun Yuhyun's role."
Han Myung laughed out loud.
His manager probably thought he was joking, but no.
"For real," Wonyoung insisted, causing Han Myung to stop laughing. "I only scanned the last few pages of the novel, so I don't remember Yun Yuhyun's parents well. But they failed as parents!" He raised his clenched hands. "Now I want to know what kind of parents raised a monster like Yun Yuhyun."
"Then you're in luck," Han Myung said, showing Wonyoung his phone. "The author of Chained to You just dropped a surprise announcement— they're releasing a prequel featuring Yun Yuhyun's parents."
***
"YOU CAN'T run away from me, Hoobae-nim[1]— not even in your death."
Huh?
When Wonyoung opened his eyes, the most handsome face he had seen in his life greeted him.
How breathtaking.
But…
"Why do you look sad?" Wonyoung asked in a soft voice, his hand moving to touch the stranger's beautiful but melancholic face. "Sunbae-nim[2]?"
Wait, what?
'Sunbae-nim?'
"Since when did you have a close 'sunbae-nim,' Wonyoung-ah?"
Huh?
When Wonyoung blinked rapidly after getting startled by Han Myung's voice, the apparition of the beautiful man quickly vanished.
It was replaced by his manager's confused and worried face.
Hmm?
"Were you dreaming?"
Wonyoung got up, still a bit disoriented, and looked around.
Oh, I'm in my room.
Han Myung opened the blinds, letting the sunlight in.
"Why are you here again, Myung-ah?" Wonyoung complained lightly. "I don't have any schedule today, do I?"
"Yeah, you don't have work today. But I'm here to deliver something that you'll definitely like," Han Myung said, showing off the paperbag in his hand. It was from a famous bookstore. "But are you sure you're alright? You were talking in your sleep, Wonyoung-ah. I didn't catch most of it, but I clearly heard you say 'sunbae-nim.'"
Really?
To be fair, I know that I had a dream, but…
Wonyoung tilted his head to one side. "I don't remember anymore."
"Never mind then. Maybe it was just some incoherent mumbling. After all, you were tired from your magazine shoot yesterday."
Right, he was busy filming these days.
I'm not working on any acting project yet, but I'm still busy filming commercials and shooting magazine pictorials for the brands I endorse. Which is fine since that's where the money is coming from.
That was how Wonyoung was able to buy an apartment, a building, and a foreign car even though he had only been in the industry for five years.
I just need one hit drama to be recognized as an A-list actor.
"Anyway, look at this, Wonyoung-ah," Han Myung said excitedly, and then he pulled out a book from the paperbag he was holding. "Ta-dah!"
Ah, it was a fiction book titled 'Endless.'
The book cover was pretty interesting: a pair of hands tied not by cuffs but by the infinity symbol.
Is it saying that the person to whom those tied hands belong can never escape?
The title 'Endless' and the infinity symbol would make sense then.
Oh, well.
Anyway, even the writer's name was pretty catchy.
'hanwoobeef?'
The author's name is pretty funny.
"Did I receive another script?"
"This is the prequel to Chained to You. You were curious about the story of Yun Yuhyun's parents, right?"
"Ah, right. But why do you look excited, Myung-ah? We already turned down the script for Chained to You. I'm not playing An Baekya."
"My excitement has nothing to do with that," Han Myung said, and then he flipped the book until Wonyoung was looking at the short summary of the book. "Look at this, Wonyoung-ah."
The first thing that caught Wonyoung's attention was the short line (probably taken from the novel) above the book summary.
<"You can't run away from me, Hoobae-nim— not even in your death.">
Wonyoung suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
I feel like I've heard that line before?
He couldn't remember when or where, though.
"Hey, read the summary," Han Myung whined lightheartedly. "Look, you have the same name as Yun Yuhyun's Omega father!"
Excuse me?
Wonyoung finally started reading the summary.
Oh, it was true.
Wonyoung's eyes were glued to one thing only, though.
Yun Dujun.
A Dominant Alpha.
And the book Bae Wonyoung's sunbae.
Wonyoung felt his heart thump hard and fast against his chest.
Dujun Sunbae-nim?
Why does his name just roll off my tongue?
***
Please ADD
[1] Hoobae is a Korean term meaning "junior" or "underclassman" and refers to someone with less experience or who entered a school, workplace, or industry later than you.
[2] Sunbae is a Korean term for a senior or experienced person within a group, such as a school or workplace, who has been there longer or has more experience than you. 'Upperclassman' is the closest equivalent in English.