i reincarnated as a villainess, so what?! (unedited and on hiatus)

Sesenta y ocho

"but the manga" I said weakly

"but this is not the manga world! This" Rin pointed below "is our world!" Rin put emphasis to her last word.

"if it's the real world then explain to me why am I inside a manga!" I said helplessly. "ever since I remembered my memories I already recognized this world as different however what made it hard to sink in is the fact that I'm inside a freaking manga!" I raised my hand in frustration before turning my back to them "My life is revolving around a fixed plot! With fixed characters! And the hardest thing is that the man I just realized I love is destined to be with the heroine!" I uttered every word as if they're curse as hot tears flow down my face while I clench my hands tightly to restrain myself from completely flaring up while exposing my thoughts to them.

"Catherine" I look at Kana when she held my hand "this is not the manga world" she said solemnly

"how can you be so sure? Ryuuji is there, Aoi, even the hero—"

"they're not some characters Catherine! I know, deep down you know that" I lower my head because indeed a part of me had acknowledge them as human being and not just any manga character. However, still, a large part of me can't shake off the thought that I'm inside the world of Kira Kira no Love story.

"yes, indeed I've acknowledged them as human beings, however how can you assure me that the events that transpired inside the manga will not happen here? Kana, Rin you've seen it, you've witnessed moments in this world that are pretty much a copy of the events in the manga. I was kidnapped, Ryuuji and Aoi is here, even the heroine!"

"yes, but there are also events that are entirely different from what happened in the manga" Kana enunciated

"Catherine, did your father turned black in character? Did your mother ended up having an affair? Did you Ryuuji caught the falling heroine from the tree during the beginning of the school term? Did Ryuuji stayed in the archery club?" I stare at Rin as the information stated in the manga filtered my mind "Catherine, did the Catherine in the manga joined the karate club? Did she ended up being the vice president of the middle school division? Did she get acquainted with Ryuuji when she was in elementary, did Zero, your uncle and the others around you appear in the manga?" as I hear every words that came out from Rin's mouth it feels like every shackle that restrains me with the thought that I'm living inside the manga world which contains a pre-ordained fate is slowly being shattered one by one. "tell me Catherine, do you still think that you're living inside the world of Kira Kira no Love Story?" I gave Rin a conflicted look "Catherine!" I flinched when she shouted my name "look around you, remembered what the past years had transpired! Are your parents, your brother, your bodyguards and everyone around a mere manga character? Were the beings that are being controlled by a so called plot?" suddenly the veil covering my eyes is slowly being lifted "were their emotions and actions controlled by it? Were your decisions and theirs being influenced by a plot? Where your growth and theirs because of it?" I shake my head, slowly at first but as everything sinks in I suddenly feel free. The shackles of my own making had finally crumbled to the ground, the mindset that imprisoned me had turned to dust. Everything turned clearer.

"no! no" I shake my head fervently this time as tears stream down from my eyes "this is real! everything is real" I slumped to the floor smiling and crying at the same time as my mind finally become clearer. I'm such an idiot for cocooning myself with the thought that I'm not living in a real world, I'm such a fool for always reminding myself that I'm a villain when I can be the own heroine of my own story.

"even though you look crazy right now, I'm glad that you've finally woke up from your stupidity" I laugh at Rin's words before hugging her and Kana.