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them who wanted to protect each other
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🌸🌸🌸
Inside the empty cafeteria, Jinmichae stared at the portrait of Hana as Chun Hwa in Trumpet Creeper that he found in the library. He sighed as he reminisced about their time as Geum Jin Mi and Chun Hwa.
"That's Hana!"
Jinmichae gasped and flinched as he turned around to find Do Hwa behind him, carrying two ice creams. He glanced at Hana's portrait and quickly rolled it up and hid it from Do Hwa, who stared at him in confusion with his actions.
"She's really pretty, isn't she?" Do Hwa said as he smiled at Jinmichae.
"What brings you here?" Jinmichae asked him, changing the topic.
"I wanted to see something." Do Hwa replied as he handed an ice cream to him.
Jinmichae smiled awkwardly. "You're not my type." he told him and took the ice cream.
Do Hwa laughed. "I'm not talking about you. And, we know who our type is." he said and looked at Secret, lying on the table. "I'm talking about that."
Jinmichae nodded in realization and stared at the ice cream in his hand, while Do Hwa grabbed the manhwa and saw Jinmichae's diorama nearby.
"Hey, isn't this..." Do Hwa trailed off as he played with the light switch of the diorama. "Stage. Shadow. Stage. Shadow."
"What are you doing?" Jinmichae asked in confusion.
Do Hwa stopped playing and looked at him. "I still cannot believe that we're in the world of comics, but when I see those who aren't aware of themselves, I can easily believe that. It's rather frightening." he said and noticed Jinmichae staring warily at the ice cream he gave him. "It's strawberry. It's Hana's favourite flavor, try it."
Jinmichae's eyes widen as he looked at the ice cream in his hand, contemplating whether to eat it or not. "Is this really?" he asked Do Hwa, who chuckled in amusement.
"I told you it is! I've known her since we were little. I know every little thing about her." Do Hwa answered proudly.
Jinmichae smiled sarcastically. "Those memories of each other are just staged, it isn't really true." he clapped back and smirked. "You didn't even know how she feels about you for years, so it was labeled as unrequited love."
Do Hwa's proud demeanor diminished as he smiled sadly. "I want to change her set up. I don't want to see her hurting anymore." he explained as Jinmichae stared at him intently.
"Change? You're the reason Hana's been in many stages with you recently? You purposely change her set up, not only hers but yours as well." Jinmichae said, angrily and snatched Secret from him. "The writer changed both of your step up. What are you even trying to prove here? Endangering her life?"
He opened the manhwa and read Hana's character description, seeing that it indeed changed.
Siu Hana
second female lead
childhood friend of A3
class 2-8
fell in love with Lee Do Hwa
Lee Do Hwa
second male lead
part of A3
Class 2-8
fell in love with Siu Hana
Do Hwa looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Why are you so protective of Hana? Who are you to her exactly?" he asked suspiciously.
Jinmichae rolled his eyes. "That's none of your business." he muttered and turned to walk away.
"That portrait earlier." Do Hwa said, making Jinmichae stop. "That was Chun Hwa, wasn't it?"
Jinmichae turned around to face Do Hwa, who stared at him. "What?"
Do Hwa smiled as he walked closer to him. "Chun Hwa is Hana, and Hana is Chun Hwa. Same person, different character. I'm right, aren't I?" he asked as he stood in front of Jinmichae. "Geum Jin Mi. My older brother."
Jinmichae's eyes were deadly serious as he looked at him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Do Hwa was not just aware, but he knew about Trumpet Creeper.
"I read the manhwa called Trumpet Creeper by accident." Do Hwa confessed as Jinmichae looked stunned. "Back at summer camp, Hana and I were strolling around the ancient palace and rested at a pavilion surrounded by a lake. Hana bumped her back to my chest and started hearing my voice saying lines that I haven't said before but were familiar. All of them were about Chun Hwa."
Jinmichae clenched his fists in anger as he continued listening to Do Hwa.
"Then, I saw Hana, but she was wearing different clothes, the same one in that portrait you were trying so hard to hide."
Jinmichae took a deep breath. "How much did you read?" he asked.
Do Hwa shrugged. "Not much. There were so many missing parts in that manhwa." he answered as Jinmichae frowned. "I've just read about you, Hana and I."
"Where did you saw the manhwa?" Jinmichae asked once again.
"At the pavilion. I think it belonged to Hana and she dropped it by accident. Between us two, she was carrying a small backpack that time." Do Hwa answered as crossed his arms, remembering what happened at the ancient palace. "Does Hana know everything?"
Jinmichae looked away from him and nodded. "She's aware." he vaguely answered.
He didn't want to reveal anything to Do Hwa, unless Hana does it first. However, he knew that she has no intentions of telling Do Hwa anything. He respected her decision to protect Do Hwa from the truth.
Do Hwa looked at him in disbelief. "Why?"
"Because I wanted to protect you."
Do Hwa and Jinmichae's eyes widen in shock as they turned around and saw Hana standing by the cafeteria door, clearly heard everything.
"I just wanted to protect you from knowing the whole truth, Do Hwa. I don't want you to feel the pain that comes with it." Hana confessed.
Do Hwa stared at her in disbelief. "You don't have to do that for me, Hana." he said as Hana stood in front of him.
Jinmichae crossed his arms as he looked at him. "You don't seem to understand. By the way that you're behaving, you know nothing about what really happened in Trumpet Creeper." he said and glanced at Hana.
"You deserve the truth about what you read in Trumpet Creeper, but I have no intentions of telling you everything." Hana said as she showed them her copy of Trumpet Creeper. "By the time, I became a character for Secret, I already have this. I didn't want past memories to interfere with the present, so I hid it. However, every single time I do, it magically appeared inside my school backpack."
Hana revealed to Do Hwa that he was in another manhwa before Secret. He was Prince Do Yun, the Third Prince and younger brother of Geum Jin Mi. He and Jin Mi were Chun Hwa's love interests in Trumpet Creeper. He first met Chun Hwa after she bumped into his chest at the pavilion surrounded by a lake. From then on, he followed her everywhere she went, teasing and protecting her. It didn't take long for the two to fall in love as Jin Mi watched from the side.
However, the wedding of Chun Hwa and Jin Mi was bound to happen. Do Yun was heart broken as he watched the woman he love got married to his older brother. Even with a broken heart, he chose to remain by her side and support her and his older brother.
Jinmichae knew Hana left important parts about Do Yun, and he knew why. Despite the fact their rivalry when they fell in love with the same woman, they were brothers first. He also wanted to protect him against the bitter and painful truth of his character.
Hana and Jinmichae stared at Do Hwa, who was too shock to speak. They couldn't blame him, it was a lot to take in. Do Hwa flipped the pages of Trumpet Creeper and stopped at the last scene of Chun Hwa and Do Yun together before the royal wedding, standing under a plum blossom.
"I can only love you from afar, Princess Chun Hwa."
"So will I, Prince Do Yun. Maybe we were meant to be, but not in this lifetime."
Chun Hwa and Do Yun smiled lovingly at each other under the plum blossom tree as the petals fluttered around the two ill-fated lovers.
Hana's eyes widen, remembering the same scene in Maehwa. Of all the scenes he could have chosen them together, it was the same scene that they last had in Maehwa.
"Do Hwa?"
"Why is this scene so familiar?" Do Hwa mumbled softly as his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
Hearing him, both Hana and Jinmichae looked at him with different expression on their faces. One with confusion, and one with realization.
'Please don't ask, please don't.'
Do Hwa let out a heavy sigh. "Hana." he softly called out to her.
Hana flinched in surprise. "What is it, Do Hwa?" she asked.
Do Hwa looked at her as he stood in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders, making her nervous. Meanwhile, Jinmichae narrowed his eyes at his actions.
"Why didn't you choose me, Hana?" Do Hwa complained childishly and groaned in annoyance. "I mean, I'm way more handsome. You could have chosen me. It's obvious that Chun Hwa and Do Yun have more connection than she was with Jin Mi."
Hana and Jinmichae almost choked. They thought Do Hwa was going to ask something about Trumpet Creeper.
Do Hwa shakes Hana's shoulders. "Come on, Hana!"
Jinmichae looked at him in disbelief. "What did you just say? What do you mean you're more handsome than me?" he scoffed.
Do Hwa smirked as he turned to face him with his arms crossed. "Why? It's true, isn't it? Younger brothers are more handsome than their older brothers. It's a known fact." he taunted.
Jinmichae scowled as he pointed angrily at him. "Yah!" he yelled angrily as he took a threatening step towards him.
Do Hwa hid behind a confused Hana as he childishly stuck his tongue out, taunting Jinmichae more. Jinmichae's eyes widen in shock at his ridiculous childish behaviour.
"Yah!"
"Woah! This is fun!"
"Don't make it worse, Do Hwa!"
🌸🌸🌸
Hana found herself being dragged by Do Hwa towards Class 2-7. Do Hwa found out about Dan Oh's extra set up that she doesn't have much time because of her heart condition. Hana knew Dan Oh didn't think too deeply of her new set up and continued to live like she always did.
Hana drank the strawberry milk Do Hwa gave her as they entered Dan Oh's classroom and saw her table was full of her medications prescribed by Joo Hwa.
Do Hwa sat on the table beside Dan Oh, while Hana sat on the chair.
Do Hwa placed the strawberry milk he bought on Dan Oh's table. "Are you all right?" he asked in concern.
Dan Oh looked at him in confusion. "What's up with you?" she asked and grabbed the strawberry milk. "Didn't you buy this for Hana?"
Hana shakes her head, raising her own strawberry milk. "No, he already bought me one. That's for you." she said and gestured her hand towards the strawberry milk she was holding.
Do Hwa nodded. "She's right. I bought it for you. I want you to eat a lot of good food." he said and looked down sadly.
Dan Oh glanced at Hana, who mouthed her that he read Secret. She sighed and placed her medications back in her little bag. "You definitely read that part. Hey, don't worry. It's nothing. Okay? The writer just added an extra set up." she assured as Hana emptied her strawberry milk.
"My gosh, don't say it is nothing. You could, you could die." Do Hwa said dramatically as he looked away, holding back his tears.
Dan Oh stared blankly at him. "You and Joo Hwa have the same reaction." she said nonchalantly. "You two are indeed brothers."
"I had no idea. I only pined after Hana." Do Hwa said and continued sobbing dramatically.
Hana ignored their conversation when she felt someone looking at them. She turned around and saw Haru peeking inside the classroom. When they locked eyes, a distant memory from Trumpet Creeper resurfaced.
"Do you know the meaning of the flower Trumpet Creeper, Haru?"
"Trumpet Creeper, Your Majesty?"
"Even if the world falls apart and the earth splits up, I will only wait for you. Even how many lifetimes you and Dan Oh separate, wait for her until she finds you."
Haru winched in pain and looked down at his hand, feeling the scar on his hand hurt again. He looked up and saw Hana was smiling at Dan Oh.
🌸🌸🌸
Hana and Do Hwa were trying to find Dan Oh when they noticed Nam Ju and Joo Da were in the middle of a stage. There were spotlights on them and sparkles. They cringed at their childhood friend's lines and actions towards the girl he likes.
"Such typical romantic comic book scene." Hana muttered and looked at Do Hwa before they pretended to puke.
"I'm glad I was over that." Do Hwa said and looked back at Hana.
The two second leads laughed, but stopped when they saw Dan Oh and Haru eating nearby at one of the picnic tables.
"Dan Oh!"
Hana rushed towards her friend and tackled her into a tight hug.
"Hana! Do Hwa! You're here." Dan Oh greeted the two.
Do Hwa looked at Haru. "Hello, Back." he greeted and he sat beside him as he patted his back.
"That's not his name. It's Haru." Dan Oh complained as Hana sat beside her.
Do Hwa looked at Haru in awe. "Hey, I get why you go crazy for his back." he exclaimed as he continued touching his back.
Dan Oh smiled awkwardly at Haru. "Stop it." she muttered while Do Hwa ignored her. "Stop it."
"Did you know Dan Oh went crazy for your back?" Do Hwa told Haru.
Dan Oh's eyes widen. "Hey, stop making up stuff!" she said and pointed angrily at him before smiling at Haru. "That's not true. No."
Hana saw how Do Hwa compared his back to Haru and chuckled, but stopped when she noticed Haru stopped eating, leaving his cheeks puffed. "Haru's cute." she suddenly blurted out.
Do Hwa and Dan Oh stopped bickering and looked at Hana, who flinched in surprise with the sudden attention.
Haru looked at Hana and smiled softly. "You're pretty, Hana."
Hana's eyes widen in shock at what Haru said as she gently patted her face, trying to cool down her warming cheeks. "Haru, how can you say that while looking at me like that?" she asked and shyly looked away.
Do Hwa's eyes widen as he stood up and pointed at Haru accusingly. "Yah! Don't you dare steal Hana!" he threatened and grabbed Hana's hand before looking at her. "Hana, don't start liking someone else! We're supposed to be a couple, we're the second leads!"
Hana sighed in disbelief as she listened to Do Hwa childishly complain. She turned to Haru and smiled at him.
"Don't mind him. Just like he said, we're the second leads in this manhwa. We help the main characters deepen their love. Do Hwa was supposed to be in a love triangle with them, and I'm supposed to have unrequited love with him, but the story suddenly changed."
Dan Oh nodded enthusiastically. "If they could change their story, why couldn't I?"
Hana quietly looked away. 'If Do Hwa and I changed our story, things will get even more complicated. I don't know what to do anymore to protect Do Hwa.'
🌸🌸🌸
page flipping...
"Hana."
Stage Hana was at the rooftop, relaxing when someone called out to her. She turned her head and saw Do Hwa smiling at her, lifting two strawberry flavored ice cream in his hands.
She smiled and waved. "What are you doing here, Do Hwa?" she asked.
Do Hwa stood in front of her and handed her an ice cream. "I just wanted to hang out with you, that's all." he said and ate his ice cream.
Hana smiled shyly. "Thank you, Do Hwa." she said gratefully and ate her ice cream.
They heard the sound of a book closing and the stage ended. Hana happily continued eating her ice cream, while Do Hwa stared and smiled affectionately at her. When Hana turned to Do Hwa, he cleared his throat and quickly looked away, not wanting to be caught staring at her too much.
"You adapt quickly to our new set up." Hana said and looked up at the floating objects on the rooftop.
Do Hwa nodded. "Of course, that's what I wanted."
"It's not always a good thing, Do Hwa." Hana warned him.
Do Hwa frowned. "Why wouldn't it be?" he asked in confusion and finished his ice cream. "I just want to change your set up, I didn't expect mine would change too, but I'm not complaining."
"We're already aware of our set up, Do Hwa. We already know what would happen to our characters. Now, that our story is changing, we don't know what would happen. Will it get better or would it get worse?" Hana explained and looked down, sighing sadly. "What will happen with the story about you liking Joo Da? Why did that plot just disappeared? What's the writer even planning?"
Do Hwa gently grabbed Hana's hand. "I don't care about the writer, all I care is that I don't want you to experience unrequited love, Hana." he said softly and squeezed her hand. "It's not fair."
Hana looked at him, confused. "Not fair?"
Do Hwa just smiled affectionately at her as they heard a flip of a page.
page flipping...