DISCLAIMER: The author's imagination and passion are the only sources of inspiration for this novel, which is a work of dedication. Parallels between these pages and the past or present may be apparent to some readers, but they are completely coincidental. You are free to interpret this art anyway you see fit, and it is meant for your enjoyment.
The "Final Male Lead"—the man in the white wedding suit—arrived, and the atmosphere on the Isle of Echoes fell silent. He was a terrifyingly perfect combination of Killian's captivating appeal, Dyierrean's intensity, Ji-Hoon's cold precision, and Giywon's grace. Beneath it all, however, was the distinct, possessive atmosphere of Samantha's former boyfriend from the "Source World."
The Groom remarked, "You've played long enough, Samantha," in a hollow, silky voice. "The Multiverse was a fun distraction, but the audience is waiting for the finale. The 'Happy Ever After' where the girl returns to the man who knows her best."
The ground underneath them moved as he lifted a gloved hand. Rising, the obsidian sands twisted into the shape of a massive, ghostly church that extended toward the flickering heavens.
"Leo, tell me you have a 'Cancel Wedding' button on that tablet," Giywon said as he pulled out his blade.
Leo yelled, "I'm locked out!" while anxiously tapping his device. "He's using 'Primary Narrative Authority.' He isn't just a character; he's the personification of the Original Ending. He's the 'Safe Choice' the readers expect you to make!"
A crowd of "Ghostly Wedding Guests"—shadows of the people Samantha had known in Seoul—started to pour into the courtyard as the cathedral doors opened. They were there to pass judgment, not to rejoice.
The Genre-Leak's "Slapstick Comedy" took a bizarre turn as the fight started.
A phantom of Samantha's former HR Manager confronted Ji-Hoon right away. "Mr. Kang! You haven't submitted your quarterly 'Relationship ROI' report! You can't marry the Lead without a signed contract!"
Ji-Hoon yelled, "I am the Chairman!" while attempting to repel the shadow with his sophisticated briefcase. "I don't file reports, I am the report!"
A bunch of "Bridesmaids" who were actually pink-dressed sirens were pursuing Killian Thorne in the meantime. "Oh, look at his hair! He'd make a lovely centerpiece!"
Killian yelled, "Stay back, you hags!" while brandishing his cutlass. "I'm a Pirate King, not a floral arrangement!"
Giywon and Dyierrean were made to actually "Walk Down the Aisle," where the floor tiles were pressure plates that caused "Romantic Flashbacks" intended to cause self-doubt. Giywon was struck by an image of Samantha's former existence in an office cubicle as soon as he walked on a tile.
"Is... is this a 'Cubicle'?" Giywon asked, horrified. "Why is there so little sunlight? No wonder she wanted to stay in my Empire!"
Ignoring the mayhem, the Groom approached Reinn with a calm, frightening assurance. He stood for the "Mature Path" of least resistance, a life in which she could simply return to being a typical lady in a typical world without having to struggle.
"Look at them, Samantha," the Groom muttered, pointing to the four men fighting the Guests. "You don't belong with them. You belong in a world where you don't have to be a 'Lioness.' A Prince who doesn't understand your world. A Duke who is a murderer. A CEO who views you as a merger. A Pirate who is a ghost."
Reinn turned to face the groom. She briefly caught sight of the man she had once loved in Seoul. She saw the security he used to stand for. But then, she looked past him.
She spotted Giywon, tired and covered in soot, defying the darkness. Dyierrean, bleeding from a dozen "plot-holes," stood between her and the emptiness like a mountain. She witnessed two men from opposite worlds, Ji-Hoon and Killian, cooperating to defy expectations.
Reinn responded, "You're right," in a steady voice. "I don't belong with them because of who I was. I belong with them because of who I chose to be."
She pulled the groom in close by reaching out and grabbing his tie. "And in my world, we don't 'Rehearse' for a wedding. We build a life. And you? You're just a ghost of a man I already outgrew."
A dazzling, prismatic light started to emanate from the "Ink of Free Will" on Reinn's skin. It connected to the four males as it streamed out of her.
"Leo! Now!" she cried out.
At last, Leo circumvented the Groom's power. "Synchronizing the Suitors! Sam, if you want to win, you have to give them all a 'Role' in the new ending!"
The four suitors surrounded the Groom at the foot of the altar. Giywon provided the Legacy (The Dragon). Dyierrean provided the Protection (The Wolf). Ji-Hoon provided the Structure (The Diamond). Killian provided the Freedom (The Anchor).
Together, they overwrote the groom rather than merely fighting him.
The white void beneath the groom's white suit was exposed when it started to split. "You can't do this!" he yelled. "The Editor demands a single Male Lead!"
Reinn joined the four men's hands on the Compass of Desires and stated, "Then tell the Editor that this story is a Collaboration."
A flood of light erupted from the ghostly church.
The Isle of Echoes vanished as the light dimmed. The group had returned to the Hylde Manor's garden. The sky was no longer flickering; instead, it was a stunning, steady fusion of a dream morning and a contemporary sunset.
Leo's tablet finally displayed a green "System Stable" indicator as he sat on the grass. "We did it. We merged the genres. The Manor is officially a 'Neutral Zone' between five different dimensions."
Giywon wiped blood from his lip and said, "And the Groom?"
"Relegated to a 'Deleted Scene,'" Leo grinned.
Reinn turned to face the four men in front of her. She had never loved them more, although they were worn out, bruised, and completely out of place.
Killian Thorne smoothed his ruffled red coat and remarked, "So," breaking the stillness. "Since the wedding was canceled... who wants to help me plunder the CEO's penthouse for some of that 'filtered water'?