Boredom.
Even though we as humans find joy in many things, we sometimes find it so fleeting that we get bored of it after a relatively short period.
For example, a once-loved hobby may become dull, and new interests can seem tedious. This is because our brain is not wired to maintain a single interest for a long time and may begin to lose interest as it adjusts to the stimulus, making it less captivating.
As humans, we tend to seek out new experiences and challenges to remain engaged and stimulated, which is why interests can change and decline over time.
They have a propensity for boredom, even with their interests. While other species may remain engaged in their pursuits for extended periods of time, humans often find themselves seeking novel experiences to stave off the monotony.
This trait may have played a role in the rapid development of human culture and society, as boredom is often a catalyst for innovation and change.
However, it can also lead to a sense of restlessness and difficulty settling into a routine.
As humans grow bored of their current activities and routines, they may find themselves willing to try new things for the simple benefit of getting a dopamine rush or change in their day-to-day life.
This can lead to impulsive decisions, risks, and experimentation in an effort to quench the boredom and introduce some more excitement.
This phenomenon may explain why many people try new hobbies, travel, or even take part in riskier activities, simply for the feeling of something new and the relief of boredom.
Boredom can also often leads to humans doing things they wouldn't otherwise do to relieve the feeling, such as trying extreme sports, excessive gambling, or even becoming overly impulsive.
This can be seen as a desperate attempt to find some excitement and feel alive, even if it comes with potential dangers.
The need for new experiences and sensations can sometimes push individuals to take unnecessary risks just to alleviate the tedium of routine.
Eunji was no different.
She felt the creeping sense of boredom slowly taking hold of her daily routine. Her usual activities and hobbies no longer brought her the same satisfaction and excitement they once had.
Desperate to break free from the monotony, she decided to embrace a habit of trying new hobbies, one after the other.
Cliché or not.
It was as if she was on a journey to find the elusive thrill of novelty, hoping that one of these new pursuits would finally capture her attention and reinvigorate her mundane life.
So, inspired by her boredom, Eunji began to browse for new interests online.
Being the daughter of a powerful and wealthy family, Eunji had the resources and opportunities to cultivate her skills in a diverse range of activities.
With access to the best instructors, courses, and facilities, she had the chance to excel in many areas, from sports to arts.
Her natural talent combined with her privileged background allowed Eunji to develop a well-rounded skill set, setting her apart from others her age.
Whether it was playing a musical instrument, painting, dancing, or even martial arts, Eunji showed proficiency and dedication in every endeavor.
Her family's status and influence provided her with the means to excel in almost every activity she chose to pursue, making her a jack-of-all-trades in many fields.
Eunji's many skills included playing the piano, painting landscapes, learning martial arts (with a focus on taekwondo, karaté and muay thai), playing the violin and harmonica.
She also had a talent for dancing, particularly contemporary and modern styles, as well as some traditional Korean dance known as samulnori. Additionally, she was proficient in multiple foreign languages, including English, Japanese, and French.
Another notable skill Eunji had acquired was public speaking. Since a young age, she had developed a strong sense of determination and independence, refusing to let her family or societal expectations dictate the course of her life.
As such, she excelled in public speaking, delivering eloquent and persuasive speeches whenever the opportunity presented itself. She was not afraid to voice her opinions or stand up for what she believed in, and her public speaking skills only bolstered her confidence and assertiveness in challenging the status quo.
She had a natural charisma and confidence that commanded attention when she took the stage or spoke in public.
Eunji's life had been relatively peaceful and organized under her own control. However, lately, she had been experiencing an unfamiliar sensation in her stomach. It wasn't a feeling of illness or discomfort, but rather a sense of unease, as if she was missing something.
For the past few months, she had managed to balance her many skills and interests while successfully fending off the boredom that used to plague her.
Despite the tranquility in her life, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there was something more out there waiting to be discovered or experienced.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the sense of unease was growing with each passing day.
In an attempt to refresh her ever-working brain, she decided to take a walk in the university garden. The same view as soon as she walked out the front door, the same location of the trees, the same colors of the flowers swaying in the breeze, the same benches filled with a few students.
Eunji had memorized everything, and it became boring to even look at the same big tree that would also turn pink once spring came. The patience she was supposed to have seemed to fade with the feeling of discomfort.
Walking across the stone pavement, her ears focused on the sounds around her, whether it was the occasional bird chirping, or just the leaves of the trees rustling.
Two female students, Minji and Jiyeon, as she remembered, were sitting in the garden chatting away. As they sat under a shady tree, enjoying the cool breeze, their conversation shifted to a popular cliché romantic novel.
"Have you read the latest cliché romantic novel 'Perfect Romance'? With the strong female lead and three male lead, you know."
Minji, the slightly more petite of the two, with soft facial features and a delicate frame. Her eyes are wide and sparkling with excitement as she talks.
"Oh, you mean the one where the female lead rejected the three male leads, and choose to help the commoners and villages?"
Jiyeon, on the other hand, had longer, wavy chestnut hair that went down to her shoulders, highlighted by her sharp jaw line and piercing eyes. She had an intense, almost serious aura but softened when she spoke to her friend.
The story had all the typical elements: a wealthy, handsome male lead, a talented and beautiful female lead, and a predictable storyline filled with drama and love triangles.
As they discussed the novel, the pair couldn't help but wonder if such clichés really existed or if they were just a product of romanticized fiction.
As Eunji was walking through the garden, she couldn't help but overhear Minji and Jiyeon's conversation about the cliché romantic novel. Her attention was instantly attracted by the discussion, as she also had a secret love for novels in general.
Eunji quietly sat down a few meters away from them, trying to keep herself unnoticed, and continued listening to their discussion.
Her ears perked up as she overheard Minji and Jiyeon's conversation about the cliché romantic novel.
She had been listening vaguely to their conversation, until the words "female lead" and "male lead" caught her attention.
As a voracious reader, Eunji had a passion for literature and stories of all kinds, and her curiosity was piqued. She had never tried reading the webnovel in internet, her attention was all concentrated and poured over philosophical books or on the manipulation of opinions, yet she knew about some popular stories and read them to use them as a subject for conversation.
And she started to enjoy them.
Minji rolled her eyes as she continued, "Ugh, I know, right? The female lead is so perfect it's almost unrealistic. And she has three guys following her around like lovesick puppies, regardless of what she does or says."
Jiyeon chimed in, "And the male leads are so cliché. We have the cold, brooding one, the charming, outgoing one, and the quiet, shy one who's secretly in love with her. They can't be more obvious!"
Minji clicked her tongue in annoyance, leaning back against the tree's shadow,
"The female lead... Aveline right? She is just a Mary Sue, it's ridiculous. She's smart, beautiful, talented, skilled in all jobs, and all the male leads are utterly smitten with her. Honestly, it's a bit cliché and tired, don't you think?"
Jiyeon nodded in agreement, sighing in boredom,
"Yeah, they're all following her around like lost puppies, completely enamored by her perfection. It's annoying to see them lose their individuality and character."
Eunji couldn't help but feel a pang of confusion. Hearing Minji and Jiyeon talk about the clichéd romantic novel, she found herself wondering why they had a negative opinion of it, especially since they mentioned the female lead being perfect.
Isn't it better if the female lead 'Aveline' is perfect to save the day and not make mistakes?
She thought, 'Why are they hating on a story where the female lead is perfect? Isn't that the whole point of a cliché romantic novel?'
As she continued to eavesdrop, she began to wonder if there was something more to the story than just the perfect female lead that they were annoyed by.
And she was right.
Minji groaned and shook her head,
"Ugh, and don't get me started on the minor villainess."
Jiyeon nodded again, her expression one of disapproval.
" Yeah, she's just a spoiled, weak, and useless character. I mean, she's supposed to be the villainess, but she's not even a challenge for the female lead. It's like the author is mocking the trope of a powerful villainess."
Minji continued,
"She's just there as a cheap plot device to create drama, but she's not even a proper villain."
Jiyeon laughed,
"Exactly! She's supposed to be the villainess, but she's not smart or cunning enough to be a good one. She's just a whiny, helpless character that's there to be pitied."
The more Eunji overheard Minji and Jiyeon's conversation, the more puzzled and confused she became.
'Why are they so annoyed with the minor villainess?' ,she thought, 'She's just a minor character, after all. And why is the female lead's perfection a problem?'
Eunji tried to imagine the novel they were talking about, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized that the criticism of the minor villainess and the female lead seemed strangely misplaced.
There must be a problem.
However, she decided not to intervene further, it was just another cliché novel and anything could happen in the plot, this is no more a surprising thing.
As Eunji was about to walk away, she stopped mid-step as she heard Minji and Jiyeon discuss the fate of the minor villainess.
"I'm just glad the minor villainess is going to die at the end of the story. She was just so annoying and worthless." Minji sighed.
Jiyeon agreed, "Yeah, it'll be a relief to get rid of that character. She was just there for dramatic effect, and now it's time for her to go."
It's time to get rid of the trash.
It was as if a cold shiver ran down Eunji's spine; something about the neutral way they spoke about the death of a fictional character didn't sit right with her.
Eunji tried to convince herself that it was just a harmless conversation about a fictional story and that she shouldn't get worked up over it. However, the nagging feeling in her stomach refused to subside.
As she walked away from the garden, she made a mental note to do some more research on the cliché novel.
Even if it's a fictional character, sometimes it also bound to happen in real life. If someone is useless or misplaced in a puzzle, they need to thrown away.