Jisoo was just a university student who had always loved reading books, comics, novels, watching movies, anime, and so much more.
One day, she sat down with her iPad to read the latest trending novel, and she became completely obsessed. She couldn't put it down for a second. The male lead hated the female lead because, as a beastman, he believed she was cursed.
She whispered to herself, incredulous. "What the hell? Are all these beastmen blind? Can't they see that she's actually a blessing? They're going to regret the way they've treated her!" She shook her head, utterly frustrated, but she couldn't stop turning the pages.
The next morning, Jisoo woke up far later than intended, still thinking about the novel. When she glanced at the clock, her heart sank—it was already 10:00 a.m. She screamed, "Holy shit! I'm late for class! I'm so dead!"
She jumped out of bed and sprinted to the bathroom. In less than two minutes, she was done and rushed to get dressed. She grabbed her bag, nearly tripping over her own feet, and bolted out the door toward the subway. "Oh my gosh, I'm so screwed. Dammit!" she muttered under her breath, her heart racing as she ran, hoping she wouldn't be too late.
Even as she ran, her thoughts lingered on the female lead and the beastmen. "Seriously, how could they be so blind?" she grumbled, already planning to finish the novel the moment she got home.
---
When Jisoo finally reached her classroom and stepped inside, she froze. Her eyes widened in shock—there were more than 400 students crammed into the lecture hall. The sheer number of people made her heart pound even faster.
All eyes seemed to turn toward her, but what made her stomach drop was the professor. He was standing at the front, looking straight at her with a calm, piercing gaze. Her cheeks burned instantly.
"You're late today, Jisoo," he said, his tone carrying just enough authority to make her wish the floor would swallow her whole.
She swallowed hard, mumbling an almost inaudible apology, her heart still racing from the morning chaos. The room suddenly felt ten times bigger, and the sea of students staring—or at least glancing her way—made her wish she could disappear.
Jisoo shuffled to her seat as quickly as possible, trying to make herself as small as she could. Every step felt like it was under a spotlight, and she imagined the whispers of students around her: "Who is she? Why is she so late?" Her face burned hotter with every glance.
The professor cleared his throat, and she quickly looked down at her notebook, pretending she had been there all along. "Try to be on time next class," he added, eyes still sharp on her. She nodded furiously, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from blurting out, "I was reading the most amazing novel!"
Even as she settled into her seat, she couldn't resist sneaking peeks at the screen of her iPad tucked safely in her bag. The story from last night played vividly in her mind—the male lead's rage, the female lead's grace. She had to see how it ended, even if it meant daydreaming through the lecture.
And just like that, her morning of chaos seemed to settle into calm—but only temporarily. She knew deep down that as soon as class ended, she'd be sprinting home to dive back into that world that had stolen her sleep, her time, and almost her sanity.
---
As soon as the class ended, Jisoo quickly grabbed her bag, trying to move as quietly as possible, though she knew the professor's gaze was still on her. She prayed he wouldn't call her out again. With a deep breath, she slipped out of the lecture hall and made her way home, her steps faster than usual, fueled by nothing but sheer excitement.
Finally back in her room, she tossed her bag onto the chair and flopped onto the bed.
"Yes! Finally," she whispered, her heart racing. "Let's see what's going to happen in the next chapter!"
She opened her iPad with trembling hands, and the familiar world of the novel swallowed her whole. Every word, every scene felt more vivid than before. The tension, drama, and emotions of the characters consumed her—time no longer existed; only the story did.
---
As she continued reading, her anger began to boil over. What was wrong with these male leads? They were planning to kill the female lead just because they believed she was cursed. Meanwhile, she knew the female lead wasn't cursed at all—it was the second female lead who had framed her.
"F*** that girl!" Jisoo muttered under her breath, glaring at the screen. "If I were the female lead, I would be shouting, 'Hallelujah! Praise be to God!'"
She threw her hands up, pacing across the room. The injustice made her blood boil, but she couldn't stop reading. She had to see how the female lead would survive this mess, rise above the lies and betrayals, and confront the scheming second female lead.
Finally, she reached the part where the male lead declared they should kill her—and they actually did. Her hands clenched the iPad so tightly her knuckles turned white. Meanwhile, the real culprit—the second female lead—lurked in the shadows, grinning smugly.
Jisoo muttered under her breath, pacing, "Just wait… I'll make sure you get beaten black and blue!"
Just as she was about to stand and take a shower to calm down, a voice rang out—clear, sharp, and otherworldly:
"Oh, really?"
She froze, her heart skipping a beat. Everything went blank, like someone had pulled the plug on reality.
Then a calm, mechanical voice echoed in her mind:
"[Welcome to the Beast World.]"
A chill ran down her spine. A system voice? Beast World? Her room, her bed, her iPad—everything she had known vanished in an instant.