[Selena's POV]
"I... I love you, Lisa!"
He trembled, his knees giving out as he collapsed to the floor, eyes fixed on her.
"I'm sorry..."
She turned and ran—straight into the arms of the man waiting behind her. Blood poured from Dimitri's stomach, but even through the pain, his gaze never left her.
The man caressed Lisa's hair, then looked down at Dimitri with a cold smile.
"Dimitri. Today is the day you finally die. Any last words? Any regrets?"
Dimitri chuckled weakly. "I regret falling in love with you... with someone who fed me dreams made of lies. You spoke of love like you were an angel, but all you gave me was hell. If I have any last words, they're not for you—they're for God."
"How poetic," the man sneered. "Let's hope He's listening."
Then he left—with Lisa—leaving Dimitri bleeding on the cold, cracked floor of an abandoned room. He lay back, laughing bitterly at his fate.
The man once feared as a cold-blooded demon now wept... quietly, painfully.
Because in the end, he was human too.
---
That same abandoned house.
That same cold floor.
That same pain.
History was repeating itself... but this time, there was no Lisa.
How foolish I was to fall for her. She was just a snake... Is there anyone—anyone out there who could love me more than anything?
No answer came.
He died with that question on his lips, the blood still warm around him.
---
"Sniff... sniff... My love... You can't die! I love you!"
I screamed, hugging the book to my chest, tears soaking its pages.
"Stop screaming. He can't hear you," Elena sighed.
"But I love him, Elena! Dimitri is everything to me. He's my lifeline! Without him, I'll die—you know that!"
"Yeah, and that's why I feel bad for oxygen, food, and water," she muttered while picking out clothes for her date with Henry.
"I'm serious! Those things are for survival... but Dimitri? He's different."
"Yeah. Very different," she said, rolling her eyes.
I'm Selena. Just a college student. A reader. And hopelessly in love with a fictional villain.
Dimitri Romanov—the Demon King of the underworld. The man who loved Lisa, the female lead who saved him, played with his heart, and eventually killed him.
Even knowing she planned to destroy him, he stayed by her side.
Stupid... beautiful, loyal idiot.
Dimitri wasn't just a character. He was everything.
"Hey, aren't you getting late?" Elena asked.
"Oh crap—it's almost time!" I grabbed my bag and rushed for the bus.
I work at a quiet bookstore. My shift ends at 9 PM. I just sit at the counter, watch people come and go, maybe clean a little, then lock up and go home.
That night was no different—until the call came.
---
Phone ringing…
"Hey, Elena! How was your date?"
"Good. Listen, can you come home late tonight?"
"Don't tell me you're bringing Henry over?"
"I'll take you shopping. My treat—card and all."
"That's a deal. What time?"
"Come at midnight. Thanks, love you!" Click.
"What the heck? Midnight?! What am I supposed to do until then—die of boredom?"
I tried scrolling through Instagram, but my battery was at 3%. Sigh. It was already 11:00. Might as well clean.
The rain poured outside as I dusted shelves and rearranged books. That's when the lights went out.
Total darkness. The room turned icy.
I stumbled, knocking over shelves. I felt... strange. Like everything had vanished. Only the sound of rain remained.
I took a few cautious steps—and slipped.
What was that? Did I step on something?
The floor was freezing. My hands felt something hard... and wet.
I grabbed my phone and turned on the flashlight—and froze.
A man. Injured. Unmoving. Covered in blood.
I gasped and crawled toward him, shaking him, but he didn't respond. He was cold—too cold.
Panicking, I ran to get the first aid kit—only to realize... the store was gone.
No shelves. No counters. Just cracked walls and dust. Everything had disappeared.
I ripped off my favorite cotton T-shirt to stop the bleeding and started CPR—pressing, hitting, breathing into him.
Tears streamed down my face. I was losing hope.
One last time—I slammed my hands on his chest.
And then—he gasped.
His eyes snapped open. Breath returned to his lungs. Warmth returned to his skin.
He was alive.
"Who the hell are you?" he growled. "And why are you sitting on me?"
The light from my phone hit my face, blinding me. But I didn't care—I burst into tears.
"Why the heck are you crying!?" he shouted.
"I was scared, okay!? You were lying there lifeless—I tried so hard to wake you! I hit you! I gave you CPR! Why wouldn't you wake up?! WAHHH!"
"Okay, okay! I got it. Just stop crying... I'm injured, remember?"
"I tore my favorite shirt for you... sniff..."
Pause.
"...Thank you."
I collapsed on his chest, sobbing quietly.
"Hey, get off," he muttered.
"I don't have the strength. Let me rest."
"Fine. Just stop crying. You're annoying."
"Wow, rude. You call your savior annoying?"
He sighed. "Not in the mood to argue."
We fell silent. The rain still fell. My phone died.
I lay shivering on his chest.
"Hey," I whispered.
"What?"
"Where... are we?"
He blinked. "You don't know?"
"No... I was at work, then everything went black. Then... you."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"It sounds stupid, I know! But I'm serious! I don't even know who you are!"
He stared at me, suspicious.
"Fine. I'll try to believe it. Just... come up with a better story next time."
"What's the point in lying when you won't even believe the truth?" I muttered—and pinched his chest.
"Ow! Hey!"
I giggled.
He sighed again. "Just go to sleep if you're done being dramatic."
I smiled, closed my eyes, and drifted off on the chest of a stranger. My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, unwilling to let go.
It wasn't supposed to feel safe.
Not here.
Not in his arms.
Yet somehow... it did.
The last thing I recall was the distant rumble of thunder. And then—silence.
But when I sleep... I talk.
---
[Leo's POV]
She had gone completely still against me, breath warm and slow. Her trembling had stopped. She'd melted into me—like she'd found shelter.
Then I heard it.
A whisper.
"Dimitri…"
I didn't breathe.
She shifted slightly, nuzzling deeper into my chest. Her voice cracked.
"I missed you... I read your story again and again…" Her words trembled. "Why did you let her betray you?"
I stared down at her. She wasn't awake. Not really. But each word pierced deeper than the last.
"I would never do that to you," she murmured. "Never."
She touched my face—soft fingers, like I might vanish.
"I love you…" she breathed. "Even if you're not real."
Her lips brushed mine. A soft, dream-kissed press. So full of longing, it hurt.
Then—silence. Her head rested once more on my chest. Deep sleep.
I didn't move. Couldn't.
The sound of her breathing, the heat of her body, her words...
Dimitri.
She believed I was him.
And for a moment—I wanted to be.
---
[Selena's POV]
Something warm surrounded me. I clung to it instinctively.
But what was it?
I felt weight on my waist. Slowly, I opened my eyes...
And froze.
A face. Breathtakingly beautiful. Like an angel descended from heaven.
My fingers reached out on their own, tracing the curve of his face.
Smooth skin. Long lashes. A sharp nose. Full lips. A strong jaw. Soft, silky black hair. A perfect Adam's apple.
He was... unreal.
"He looks just like him..." I muttered.
Then reality struck. Dried blood on my hands. His arm still wrapped around my waist.
I tried to push him off, but he was too strong.
Wow. Handsome and strong. Dangerous combo.
"Do you like it?" came a voice.
"What the—were you awake this whole time?!"
"No. Not until your warm little fingers started wandering across my skin."
He smirked and opened his eyes—hazel-blue, stunning and piercing.
"So? Who do I look like?"
"Oh... you heard that?"
"Unfortunately."
"You look like my favorite book character. Your face is exactly like his—except the eyes. He has emerald green ones."
"What's his name?"
"Dimitri Romanov. He's... everything. Even though he's fictional, he's the most handsome man I've ever imagined. But he's a villain."
"A villain, huh? What does he do?"
"He's in a book called Soft Love. He's a mafia king—cold, terrifying—but he falls for Lisa, the female lead. She betrays him. He dies. It's heartbreaking. He deserved love... and I would have given it to him if I could. But... he's not real."
"Why not?"
"Because he's a character in a book. Ink on a page. I can't date someone who doesn't exist. But I want to. I want to kiss him, touch him, marry him, have kids, grow old with him. Everything."
He stared at me, stunned.
"Aren't you tired... loving someone who isn't real?"
"Never. I'll always love him."
His expression changed. Something unreadable passed through his eyes.
"Maybe you think I'm crazy. Loving a man written in ink. But does it matter? People in this world play with hearts like toys. But Dimitri—he may be a villain to the world, but in love, he's the purest soul. I just... I love him. Only him."
He was silent. Then stood, helping me to my feet.
"If you got the chance to date him—knowing everything—would you?"
"Yes," I said firmly. "I would love him. No matter what."
He chuckled, heading for the door.
"Congratulations," he said over his shoulder. "Your dream might just come true."
"Excuse me?"
He turned. "Fascinating. May I know your name, dear savior?"
"Selena."
"Beautiful name. Just like you."
"Are you flirting? Don't even try. I'm Dimitri's girl."
He laughed. It started small... and grew.
The smirk he gave me afterward sent shivers down my spine.
"Shall we explore this unfamiliar world of yours?"
"You say that like I'm an alien."
"Maybe you are."
Maybe you are, I thought, watching him. Or maybe you are.
We walked through the forest. I was tired, and he noticed.
"You're weak."
"There's nothing wrong with being weak. Because of weak people like us, strong people like you get to be called heroes."
"I'm no hero," he muttered. "You are. You saved me. That takes strength. Or stupidity."
I couldn't tell if it was a compliment.
"Whatever."
We kept walking, and I tried not to trip over every root and rock like a newborn deer. My legs were burning, my throat dry, and my stomach rumbling in betrayal. Still, I couldn't stop staring at him—this man with the mysterious eyes and teasing smirk. He walked like he owned the world, every step confident, graceful, lethal.
Who was he?
I caught up beside him, panting. "Okay, Mr. Mystery. If I saved your life, don't I at least get a name?"
He didn't look at me. "You can call me Leo."
"Leo?" I blinked. "That's it? No last name, no details?"
"Do you want my blood type too?"
I scoffed. "Maybe. You did bleed all over me."
He smirked again, but this time there was something colder in it—something unreadable. "You're not from here, are you?"
I froze. "What do you mean?"
He turned to me, those hazel eyes narrowing like he could see straight through my skin. "You talked in your sleep, Selena. You said things no one in this world should know."
I took a step back. My heart pounded.
"What... what did I say?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he walked toward me slowly, stopping just inches away. "Tell me something, Señorita... do you believe that fiction can become reality?"
I swallowed. "I-I don't know."
"I think you do."
He leaned down, his face inches from mine, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
"I think you know exactly what happened," he whispered. "And I think, somehow... you were meant to be here."
"Why me?" I whispered.
His eyes darkened. "That... is what I intend to find out."
---
Leo's POV
Her gaze trembled, her lips parted slightly as she looked up at me. So innocent. So full of questions. She didn't understand what she'd done—who she'd saved.
But I did.
Her words still haunted me. That desperate whisper in her sleep, the way she clung to me like I was her entire world. Her trembling fingers had touched my scars and called them beautiful. She thought I was just a dream.
But I wasn't.
I was real. And now, so was she.
Selena. My savior. My reader.
My obsession.
---
Selene pov
We reached a black car on the edge of the road. A suited man ran toward us.
"Sir! We thought you were dead—"
"She's with me," Leo said sharply. "She comes."
"Yes, sir."
Leo opened the door and climbed in. I hesitated.
He looked back. "You coming, or staying in the woods alone?"
I slid in beside him.
The car purred to life.
He leaned his head against the window, watching me out of the corner of his eye.
"You're strange," he said.
"Says the man who bleeds to death in bookstores."
He chuckled darkly.
Then his head tilted... and fell gently onto my shoulder.
"You're warm," he murmured.
"Didn't you sleep last night?"
"No. Someone kept crying for Dimitri Romanov in her sleep."
I turned scarlet.
The car grew silent.
My heart thudded wildly. I looked down at his peaceful face resting against me.
He said his name was Leo.
But something told me...
Dimitri Romanov never really died.
Not in that book.
Not in my heart.
And maybe—just maybe—
Not in this world either.
TO BE CONTINUED ➡️
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