I was a high school student who had recently transferred to a prestigious academy.
I'm an enthusiastic and straightforward girl who loves acting. My best friend, Kreiza, also studied there.
One day, while Kreiza and I were walking past the outdoor basketball court, a basketball suddenly flew toward me.
Thud!
"Ow!"
The ball struck me squarely on the head.
As I rubbed the sore spot, someone hurried over.
"Are you okay?"
When I looked up...
...I froze.
He was unbelievably handsome.
That was the moment I fell in love.
Later, I learned his name.
Kyle.
The school's famous heartthrob.
---
"Hahaha! Wait... you're seriously going to confess to him?"
"Stop laughing!" I pouted. "I know there are lots of beautiful girls around him, but if I keep proving my feelings and never give up... maybe someday he'll accept me."
Kreiza sighed.
"I hate to say this, but he'll never notice you."
"How could you say that? You're supposed to support me!"
"...Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Hmph."
---
With Kreiza's help, I wrote a love letter and slipped it into Kyle's locker.
I asked him to meet me behind the gym during lunch.
I waited.
One hour.
Two hours.
Lunch ended.
Classes resumed.
I skipped the rest of the afternoon, convinced he would come eventually.
The dismissal bell rang.
Students began leaving campus.
"What the heck are you still doing here?!"
I turned to see Kreiza running toward me.
"Don't tell me... you waited here the entire afternoon?!"
Although she looked furious, I simply smiled.
"Maybe he hasn't read the letter yet."
"Or maybe he's just busy."
She pressed her fingers against her forehead.
"My blood pressure..."
I laughed.
"You dumb idiot! This isn't funny!"
That only made me laugh harder.
Even though he never showed up...
I still refused to give up.
---
Every morning, I greeted Kyle with a smile.
Sometimes I'd buy him snacks.
Sometimes I'd cook lunch for him myself.
Every day, I'd stop by his classroom just to say hello.
One year passed.
Nothing changed.
---
"Seriously..." Kreiza sighed.
"How does your brain even work? You're smart, yet you still can't see that he's not interested."
"So what?"
I smiled.
"Maybe someday he'll fall in love with me."
"You've been chasing him for an entire year!"
"So?"
"He dated several girls during that year!"
"So?"
"He barely even looks at you!"
"He will."
"Avery..."
She rubbed her temples.
"How can someone be smart and stupid at the same time?"
Just then...
I spotted Kyle walking down the hallway.
"Kyle!"
He glanced toward me.
"Good morning!"
"What are you having for lunch today?"
"I don't know," he answered indifferently. "Probably whatever they're serving in the cafeteria."
"Oh!"
I brightened.
"I made lunch for you."
I carefully handed him the lunchbox.
For a moment...
He silently stared at it.
Then...
He took it.
A smile bloomed across my face.
As he walked away, I noticed Kreiza watching me.
"What?"
She sighed.
"...I really don't know what to do with you."
Before I could respond, I noticed Kyle had dropped his keychain.
"I'll give it back."
I hurried after him.
Eventually, I found him chatting with his friends.
Just as I was about to call out—
"There you are!" one of his friends laughed.
"That girl gave you lunch again?"
"So lucky."
Kyle sighed.
"If you want it, take it."
"I don't eat the food she makes anyway."
His friend looked uncomfortable.
"...Bro."
I froze.
No...
I must've heard wrong.
He wouldn't...
Surely...
Then I watched Kyle casually toss the lunchbox into a nearby trash bin.
His friend frowned.
"You threw it away again?"
"I don't like it."
"You've never even tasted her cooking."
"What a waste."
Everything around me went silent.
It felt like my world had collapsed. I wanted to believe I had misunderstood.
I wanted to believe...
...but I couldn't.
Footsteps approached behind me.
I turned around.
It was Kreiza.
"You knew..."
My voice trembled.
"...didn't you?"
She remained silent.
"Why?"
"If I'd told you..."
She looked at me sadly.
"...would you have believed me?"
"But you should've told me!"
My emotions exploded.
"Weren't you my best friend?!"
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
"You're a traitor!"
Kreiza flinched.
"...Avery."
"I don't want to see you anymore."
"We're not friends anymore."
"...Alright."
Without another word, she walked away. Leaving me all alone.
---
The following morning, I went to Kyle's classroom as usual.
A girl stood beside him.
She laughed as she playfully touched his arm.
Kyle didn't stop her.
Something inside me snapped.
Before I realized what I was doing—
I rushed forward and grabbed the girl's hair.
She screamed.
Before I could pull harder—
Someone shoved me.
I fell onto the floor.
Looking up...
I met Kyle's eyes.
Cold.
Disgusted.
"Avery."
His voice was emotionless.
"I've tolerated you for an entire year."
"But you've become exhausting."
My heart pounded.
"Huh...?"
"Please."
"Leave me alone."
"But..."
Tears blurred my vision.
"I love you."
"...Well, I don't."
Those three words shattered me.
"A year ago..."
He continued quietly.
"When I received your letter, I deliberately didn't show up."
"I thought you'd understand and move on."
"I never expected you'd keep chasing me."
"I should've rejected you properly back then."
No...
No...
"Why...?"
I looked into his eyes.
"What am I lacking?"
"If there's something wrong with me..."
"I'll change."
"So please..."
"Love me."
Kyle shook his head.
"...Your love is too suffocating."
Those words echoed endlessly inside my head.
---
Days passed.
Although I stopped approaching Kyle openly...
I still couldn't let him go.
I also wanted to apologize to Kreiza.
Gathering my courage, I visited her classroom.
She was laughing with her classmates.
She looked...
Happy.
For some reason...
My chest tightened.
Then I really looked at her.
Her fair skin.
Her bright eyes.
Long eyelashes.
Soft rosy lips.
Her graceful figure.
Why hadn't I noticed before?
She was beautiful.
Far more beautiful than me.
A poisonous thought quietly crept into my mind.
No wonder.
---
"I heard you wanted to see me."
Kreiza stood across from me on the rooftop.
"I wanted to apologize."
She blinked in surprise.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"No..."
Tears welled in my eyes.
"I'm really sorry."
She smiled faintly.
"I already forgave you."
"...Avery."
She frowned.
"You're acting strange."
Strange?
Maybe.
Then...
Her old words resurfaced.
"He likes pretty girls."
Pretty girls.
Life really is unfair.
"You said..."
"...he likes pretty girls," she continued.
Kreiza frowned.
"I never said that."
"I just said he wasn't interested in you."
I laughed quietly.
"I finally understand."
"What?"
"If I had your face..."
"...maybe he would've loved me."
She stared at me.
"...Avery?"
"If I were you..."
"I could make him fall in love."
Her expression changed.
Fear.
"Avery..."
Before she could react—
I shoved her.
She stumbled backward.
The rooftop railing stopped her.
"What are you doing?!"
She desperately grabbed the railing.
"I'll fall!"
"Then fall."
"You're insane!"
She grabbed my wrist.
I tried to push harder.
But she pulled me with her.
The railing gave way.
For one brief second...
Our eyes met.
Then—
We both fell.
Darkness swallowed everything.
How laughable.
Was this...
...the end?
---
Warm sunlight touched my face.
Birds chirped nearby.
Slowly...
I opened my eyes.
"I'm..."
Alive?
Confused, I stood and walked toward the mirror.
Then—
I screamed.
The reflection staring back at me...
...wasn't mine.
It was Kreiza.
I raised a trembling hand to my face.
The girl in the mirror did the same.
"No..."
"This can't be..."
I had become... Kreiza.
And I'm still alive.
To be continued...
