"Are all manhwas of this genre like this?"
In a dimly lit living room somewhere in downtown Chicago, a young man made a frustrated sound, his head slacking back as he flung his iPad aside.
His other hand held his phone where a young girl giggled at his expense. "Hey, don't look at me like that. You're the one who told me to help find something new to cheer you up."
"And this," he waved his iPad in front of his phone screen, "is the best you could come up with? Really. I should write you a one star Yelp review, Sam."
"You're such a baby, Benji."
Benji Foster.
A tall tanned young man with curly black hair and hazel eyes. He sat curled up on his sofa, dressed in an ashen hoodie with a blanket over it. There was also a cup of coffee on the small table in front of him.
Used tissues, a half-empty bag of chips and the unmistakable stench of depression and regret filled the living room.
And the reason for his sorry state?
"You can't continue letting that guy rule your mind, big brother." Samantha smiled, her freckled face beaming under the soft white light in her room. "What's done is done."
Benji snorted. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one who gets constantly reminded of the hell that jerk put me through. About... About the manipulation. The cheating," he chuckled dryly. "Now I can't even read a stupid Guideverse Manhwa without finding the MC's situation relatable."
"Hey!" His sister scolded, voice blaring from the other end. "We can drag your cum drop of an ex any day. But don't you dare come for my favourite BL genre."
When Benji arched his brow with an unimpressed look, Samantha's act crumbled. She broke into laughter, soon infecting her brother through the screen.
They kept at it for a few seconds or so before Benji grabbed his iPad again. His thumb brushed gently across the screen; eyes settling on the panel that had got him this way.
The main character was weak. Bullied. Humiliated. And now beaten to a pulp and left for dead in an alleyway by his love rival.
Sad and pathetic indeed.
"If you can't handle the manhwas, that's fine." Sam sighed, flicking a stray strand of her brown hair. "You can always stick to your soap operas and sappy Western romcoms."
"Saying that like you didn't binge Dynasty this week." Benji sniffled. "Thanks for the call, Sam. I really appreciate it."
His eyes flicked to the time on his phone.
Ten twenty-five PM.
"I need to get some much-needed shut-eye," he said through a yawn, rubbing his nose. "Catch you tomorrow, sis."
Sam blew him a kiss. "Okay, big bro. You know, that new guy I saw at McDonald's still—"
"Do not try hooking me up with anyone, Sam." Benji rolled his eyes, already swiping up the hang-up button. "Love you. Good night."
He hung up before she could respond, heaving with a mix of relief and despondency.
Silence.
A familiar sound that's settled not in his three-bedroom duplex—but in his mind. And heart.
Memories of all that's happened the past week hit him again.
From his growing suspicion toward his now estranged ex. Then the night he decided to give him a surprise visit and caught him cheating.
With his freaking cousin!
Saying he was appalled would be the worst understatement of the decade. He was scarred. Traumatized.
"Tyler," a bitter smile twisted his lips. "You sure took 'keeping it in the family' seriously."
He got on his feet, stretching his sore limbs and back. A massage and spa was imminent in his life... Someday.
For now, he'll stick to rotting in bed and reading outrageous BLs—
THUD!
A loud sound made him freeze, chills petrifying his spine.
Benji didn't move. He didn't even breathe too loudly, spinning around slowly until he faced the dining room and kitchen where the sound came from.
"Are those fucking raccoons back?" He frowned, wondering if he should go out the kitchen back door and check.
Another thud followed by a violent rattle of the door handle made him come to a harsh realisation.
That was no raccoon.
The moment the door burst open, a man in a black mask walked in, holding a pistol. He immediately pointed it at Benji, raising a finger to his mouth. "Shh."
Terror gripped his body so hard he didn't even know how to react. Sweat already clung to his shirt like a second skin, his mind finding it difficult to comprehend what was happening.
It felt like a dream. It had to be.
But when three more masked men trooped into his house with guns, he knew this was no dream.
"On your bloody knees now!" One of them boomed, inching toward Benji with slow, practised steps. Like he's done this a thousand times. "If you don't want your brain blown out your fucking skull, you better listen."
Benji dropped to his knees, raising his shaking hands over his head.
This couldn't be happening.
How?
He locked the kitchen door and last time he checked, no one had the keys. Except for his sister and—
His heart dropped to his stomach, eyes searching the masked faces of the men.
The guy who ordered him to kneel had messy black hair but was average in height. His eyes were bloodshot under that mask, jean pants sagging.
As for the other guys, they secured the place, one standing close to the stairs, another by the living room door. And finally... One in front of him.
Strawberry blonde hair. Familiar black leather jacket he dared to wear here, knowing Benji bought it for him.
It... Couldn't be.
'God, please, it just can't be who I think it is.'
"T–Tyler?" The name left his mouth in a bewildered croak. "Is... Is that really—"
SLAM.
One of the others slammed a gun right into his jaw. Blood spewed out of his mouth, his head snapping sideways so hard he thought his neck would break.
He trembled, ignoring the taste of his own blood as he slowly dragged his gaze to the cold metal pointed at his head.
"So he does know you, huh?" The one at the stairs sniggered. "What? You two used to date or something?"
The other guys chuckled at his 'joke'.
Benji's fists clenched as he stared at the man who clearly organised this.
His ex.
The bastard cheated. Betrayed his trust. And now he was using that same trust to rob him?
"You're despicable." Benji spat before he could stop himself, attention fixed on Tyler's cold eyes under the mask. "W–Was any of it even real? Did you ever love—hold that thought."
He scoffed at himself, swiping off the blood trickling down his mouth. "You never loved me. You've only ever used me for my money. Two years, Tyler. Two years built on—"
SLAM!
This time, the other guy standing beside Tyler gave Benji a kick to the chest. The latter fell back, landing hard on the cold marble floor.
"I swear, I'll light this bitch up if he keeps yapping." He sneered at Benji. "Such a wuss."
Ringing grew in his ears until he felt like ripping them off.
Bitch?
Benji swung his head to Tyler and the other guy. At this point, his veins overflowed with adrenaline, pushing his body before his mind could catch up.
It happened in a blur.
One second he was on the cold ground—the next he'd managed to get up, punch the man square on the jaw and then grab Tyler by his collar.
"You!" He barked, staring into those green eyes that once gazed at him like he was the most precious thing on earth. "I'll fucking kill you! I'll—"
BANG!
When the gunshot sounded, Benji's senses stalled. The corners of his eyes blurred. Ringing in his ears magnified, the metallic taste of blood stronger on his tongue.
Then—pain.
Pooling on his chest. Right above his heart.
His eyes lingered briefly on Tyler's masked face. On the gun he had pressed against his chest.
Benji staggered backwards, trying hard to keep himself standing. "Y–You... Did you..."
He slipped, falling to the ground. Barely breaking his fall with his elbows and enduring even more nerve-wracking pain.
Tyler stared down at him as the other guy Benji punched charged at him.
"Fucking crazy!" He kicked Benji's stomach with enough force to make the bullet wound rip deeper. "Go rot in hell. Fuck, he nearly dislocated my jaw."
"Guys, I found the loot upstairs!" Footsteps pounded down the stairs but Benji couldn't look.
Or move.
His eyes were on the ceiling, jaw wide open as he fought to pull air into his lungs.
The robbers ignored him, rushing to their accomplice to assist. Leaving him there to bleed out.
He tried reaching for his phone on the sofa beside him but it was hopeless. He didn't even have enough strength to focus on his thoughts.
Life flashed past his vision, slow and painful.
What would his sister think when she finds his body? What would his mother do when she got the news of her son's death?
Is this... Is this how he was going to die?
"One more chance." He choked out, gurgling sounds erupting from his chest. "J–Just one more chance. T–To change everything... P–Please. Anyone..."
Tears spilt down his face.
As for the robbers, they barged out of his house the same way they came in. Tyler didn't even acknowledge his condition or existence, barely giving one glance over the shoulder.
That was it.
Two years of love and devotion reduced to... This.
Darkness clouded Benji's eyesight.
It felt like his soul was halfway out of his body. There was no hope—he was dying.
As his eyelashes fluttered shut for the last time, consciousness slipping into the void... Hope returned. In the form of a mechanical ding in his head.
[Host Acquired! Commencing Transmigration protocol.]
[Transmigration complete!]