Eunji arrived at her appartment, feeling drained from the long day of classes and the nagging feeling that had been eating away at her mind for most of the day. The conversation about the cliché novel had been playing on a loop in her head, making it difficult for her to focus on anything else.
She dropped her bag on the floor and slumped onto the couch, letting out a deep sigh as she tried to shake off the thoughts and sensations that were bothering her.
Her thoughts kept circling back to the conversation she had overheard in the garden, the criticisms of the characters and their fate, and why it had bothered her so much.
Eunji's appartment was a cozy yet spacious place. The walls were painted a soft, calming shade of blue, creating a soothing atmosphere. A large window in the living room allowed plenty of natural light to flood the space, making it feel airy and bright.
The furniture was a mix of modern and antique pieces, creating a warm and welcoming environment.
Opposite the living room was a small but well-equipped kitchen, and a door led to the bedroom and bathroom. Overall, the appartment was a comfortable and inviting space that reflected Eunji's taste and personal touch.
The living room was cozy and inviting, with soft, oversized couches and a plush rug on the floor. The walls were adorned with framed art prints and bookshelves that held a few of her favorite volumes and some plants pots.
The kitchen was small but functional, equipped with modern appliances, and the dining area had a simple yet elegant table with a few matching chairs. The bedroom, with a queen-sized bed, mirrored dresser, and a large window overlooking the city, was a private oasis away from the rest of the world.
After taking a moment to gather her energy, Eunji pushed herself up from the couch and made her way to the kitchen. She opened the pantry and took out some snacks and beverages, knowing that she would need some sustenance to keep her going during her 'research'.
She grabbed a bag of chips, an apple juice, and a small chocolate bar, setting them all down on the counter. She prepared some deli meats and cheese, and a fresh loaf of bread. Cutting the bread into slices, she layered the cooked meat and cheese along with her favorite veggies, creating a simple yet satisfying sandwiches.
Eunji had changed out of her school uniform and into her comfortable clothes. She was now lounging in a cozy pair of sweatpants and a loose, oversized t-shirt, perfect for a lazy evening spent indoors.
The soft material of her loungewear felt comfortable and soothing against her skin, adding to the feeling of relaxation she needed after a long day.
Her hair, usually let loose and fell freely down her back, was now pulled back into a neat bun with a black clip, adding to the relaxed atmosphere she craved.
Eunji settled herself on one of the high chairs at the kitchen counter, the snacks she had gathered earlier laid out in front of her.
She placed her laptop on the countertop and opened it up, the screen glowing to life. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she took a moment to consider her approach.
She took a sip out of the apple juice, savoring the sweetness of the fruit in liquid form as she began typing into the search engine.
She took a deep breath, trying to focus her thoughts on the task at hand, and began typing away at the keyboard, ready to delve into a world of cheesy romance and overused tropes.
Eunji's mind returned to the conversation she overheard in the garden, the name of the cliché novel they had mentioned reverberating through her mind.
'It was something cliché, something like 'A Perfect Romance' ,she thought to herself, the name sounding corny yet familiar.
More like Perfect failure Romance.
She repeated the name to herself, rolling the words around in her mind. It was a name that perfectly captured the essence of predictability and cheesiness that she had come to expect from such stories.
Eunji took a hearty bite of her sandwich, enjoying the flavors mingling together in her mouth. With a satisfied smile, she set the sandwich down and turned her attention back to the screen. She scrolled down the webpage, her eyes skimming over the synopsis of "A Perfect Romance".
The generic descriptions of the female lead's perfection and the three male leads' infatuation with her made her chuckle ironically, like what did she except. Despite the cliché nature of the plot, she couldn't help but feel interested in seeing how the story would unfold, as if something gonna change.
The cover of [A Perfect Romance] was just as predictable as the plot itself. It featured a simple, yet eye-catching design.
It showed a beautiful female lead, standing amidst a field of lush green grass, surrounded by three handsome men. The sky behind them was a clear blue, and the setting was picturesque. The men had adoring expressions on their faces as they looked at the female lead, while she had a cold look not even a shy or confiding smile, she looked ahead, eye contact with the readers.
The title of the novel was printed across the top in bold, elegant letters.
Eunji took a sip from her cup, savoring the taste as she continued to examine the novel's cover.
"Well, they definitely put some effort into this."
She thought, appreciating the visual appeal.
"The female lead is almost perfectly beautiful, and the male leads look almost dreamy."
She chuckled, amused by the clichéd aesthetic of the artwork.
The colors were vibrant and striking, drawing the eye immediately. The use of light and shadow was masterfully done, emphasizing the beauty of the characters. The whole scene was portrayed in a romantic and dreamy way, adding to the fantasy element of the story.
The designer really did great job, Eunji couldn't deny that the cover had definitely done its job in capturing her interest.
Eunji continued skimming through the synopsis of the novel, her eyes rolling at the formulaic plot.
The usual elements of a cliched romance story were present-a female lead with unmatched beauty and intelligence, three male leads, each with their own distinct personalities, hopelessly enamored by her.
One of them was the cold, aloof type crown prince, another was the playful and charming wizard, and the third was the loyal and caring knight.
The setting was just as generic, with no hint of originality. Eunji sighed to herself, her initial intrigue quickly morphing into disappointment.
With a sigh of resignation, Eunji read through the first chapter of the novel. True to form, the female lead was introduced as the epitome of perfection, and the three male leads had fallen head over heels for her almost immediately.
Eunji munched on her snacks as she continued reading, watching as the cliché plot began to unfold.
She was determined to see the novel through to the end, but she couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment at the predictability of it all.
She took occasional bites from the snacks she had gathered earlier, enjoying the contrast between the sweetness and saltiness of the food and the predictability of the story. The words on the screen swirled together, forming a familiar narrative of the female lead meeting each of the male leads in turn and captivating them with her perfection.
Despite her earlier skepticism, Eunji found herself getting sucked into the story, wondering how everything would play out.
The story is also simple, Aveline was an orphan who lives in a village before it is attacked. She awakened her powers and was able to help the villagers who treated her like their daughter. One of the male lead, the knight, finds her and recognizes her thanks to her powers and hair color which resembles those of the Ducal family, and takes her with him to the empire.
And of course she was introduced as the Duke's real daughter and not the minor villainess who is the fake one who was different hair and eye color from her parents.
'They could just verify her DNA. Easy peasy.'
As Eunji continued reading the novel, she reached the part where the minor villainess made her entrance. With a dramatic flair, she was introduced in the most ridiculously cute (or cutely ridiculous) way possible.
Eunji couldn't help but roll her eyes as the character tripped, spilled her ice cream, and accidentally splattered a passing noble young master with it(?), making her box full of insects flew away at the crown prince who was froze because he was scared.
It was such a cliché way to introduce the villainess that it almost felt like parody.
Thanks to it, everyone knew that the crow prince has insects phobia.
In her surprise, she accidentally choked on her sandwich, coughing and sputtering as she tried to catch her breath.
As Eunji continued reading, the minor villainess kept making her appearances, each time more clumsy and naive than the last. Every scene featuring her was filled with the most cliché of tropes, and Eunji found herself stifling laughs at the absurdity of it all.
The more she read, the harder it was to take the character seriously.
The way the minor villainess stumbled into situations and made a mess of things was almost funny in how exaggerated and cliché it was.
It was as if the author had taken every cliché and cranked them up to eleven. The villainess was not only clumsy but also incredibly naive and easily fooled. Each of her appearances was met with a mixture of disbelief and mirth from Eunji.
As Eunji continued to read the novel, her mood darkened with each page as the plot thickened.
The minor villainess, initially portrayed as a clumsy and naive character, was now being accused and ostracized because of unfounded rumors. She was embroiled in a maelstrom of accusations and hatred. Rumors spread like wildfire, and everyone seemed to turn against her without even a chance to defend herself.
It was clear that her character was being used as a convenient scapegoat for the larger plot. A stepping stone for the female lead and her male interests to be more close and just-get ride of her.
The way the other characters treated her without even a hint of doubt or empathy left a bitter taste in Eunji's mouth.
[No one listened to her cries and plea...]
Eunji felt a pang of sympathy for the character despite her initially comical portrayal. But just as soon as the sympathy arose, it was overshadowed by a sense of disappointment, knowing all too well what the final fate of the minor villainess would be.
This is why it was called a cliché novel, some events may be differents and comical but then the fate of the characters is the same. Like always.
As Eunji's mood darkened even more, she knew exactly what was coming next.
The female lead would be revealed to be the true daughter instead of the minor villainess. It was a trope that had been used countless times before, and Eunji couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration at the predictability of it all.
Knowing what was coming next, Eunji braced herself for the inevitable downfall of the minor villainess.
The minor villainess would be disposed of, and the female lead would live happily ever after with her three male leads. It was all so disappointingly typical.
Nothing's new.
As Eunji thought about the minor villainess' fate, a thought occurred to her.
Why was it always the minor villains who got the harshest treatment?
The ones who were caught and punished severely?
What about the ones who were not discovered but were just as guilty?
Surely they deserved punishment too. But alas, fiction never seemed to work that way.
The more powerful antagonists, if they were caught at all, were usually just given a light punishment or a slap on the wrist, either because of the element of tragic past, or because they're were adored but the author and readers.
It was frustrating, but it was the norm in this genre of stories.
There were others in the story who were more powerful and influential, yet they got away with mere light punishments. It was a double standard that Eunji found infuriating.
The minor villainess, whose only crime was her naive nature, was being cruelly punished, while others who committed far worse offenses escaped unscathed. It was just another example of the unjust world of the novel.
As Eunji continued reading the novel, she reached a point where she came across the comments section. She couldn't help but notice that many of the readers were completely enamoured with the cliché plot and the overly perfect female lead.
They praised the story as a 'masterpiece' and 'refreshing'.
Eunji couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation at these comments. She cracked open a pack of chips and popped a few into her mouth, crunching on them furiously as she read through the gushing reviews.
As Eunji continued reading the comments section and saw all the praise and adoration for the cliché novel, it dawned on her why the two students were so annoyed. The clichés were so obvious and overused, and yet the readers were eating it all up.
They were completely smitten with the perfect female lead and the cliché male leads, and they didn't seem to care that it was nothing new or innovative.
Eunji couldn't blame the students for their frustration. She, too, was beginning to feel fed up with the same old plotline.
As Eunji read through the passages about the minor villainess, she began to analyse her character and personality.
The minor villainess was portrayed as naive and clumsy, but Eunji recognized that there was more to her than just her silly accidents. She had a poor kind heart and genuine intentions, but she was constantly misunderstood and manipulated by others.
Initially, she was made seem like a comedic and amusing character. However, her clumsiness was exaggerated to the point of being ridiculous, and her naivety was taken to the extreme. The constant mistakes and missteps made her seem more like a buffoon than a villainess.
She doesn't even deserve being called minor villainess, third rate villainess.
She's just a girl.
Eunji felt a pang of sympathy for the character, wondering if there was more to her than just being comedic relief.
As Eunji continued reading about the minor villainess, she realized that she didn't want to be like her. The character was so easily led and manipulated, always falling into traps set by others.
Eunji didn't want to be like that. She wanted to be strong and smart, able to stand up for herself and think critically.
She knew that in real life, being naive and easily fooled could lead to being taken advantage of. She was determined not to become a laughingstock like the minor villainess. She closed the novel tab and took a deep breath, resolving to stay vigilant.
Time passed, and days turned into weeks, then months, and eventually years. Eunji's life went on, and the memory of that cliché novel faded into the background. She had other things to deal with - classes, friends, and her everyday life fighting.
The minor villainess and the frustrations she had felt while reading the novel became just a fleeting memory, pushed to the back of her mind as newer and more pressing matters took over.
But every so often, when she came across another cliché story or trope, a flicker of irritation would spark inside her, reminding her of that forgotten novel.
Eunji had pushed the minor villainess and that cliché novel to the back of her mind.
She never gave her another thought until the moment she was betrayed. As she lay there, wounded and poisoned and on the verge of death after being pushed from higher floors, the memories of that novel suddenly resurfaced.
She remembered the minor villainess, who was always betrayed and discarded. And in her moment of pain and despair, Eunji found herself relating to her, feeling the same sense of abandonment and helplessness.
The image of the naive and defenseless character came back to her, and she couldn't help but draw parallels between herself and that character. She realized that just like the minor villainess, she had been easily taken advantage of.
In stark contrast to the minor villainess, Eunji had always been strong, vigilant, and cautious. She never let her guard down, and she never trusted anyone completely.
Despite her guarded nature, she had been betrayed by someone who she had thought was close to her. As she lay there, dying, she couldn't help but feel a sense of irony. She had fought so hard to be unlike the minor villainess, and yet, in the end, she had still met a similar fate.
Even the strong can fall.
As Eunji lay there, her life slipping away, she realized with a jolt that no one had truly cared or loved her. Her father had only seen her as an obedient daughter, her mother as a good prospective wife, and her friends as a means to enhance their social standing.
No one had appreciated her for who she was, and no one had genuinely cared about her happiness or dreams.
The realization stung, and regret washed over her as she came face to face with the truth of her lonely and loveless existence.
What a lonely life.
What a tragic way to die.