Everyone is Obsessed With Me (reupload)

Chapter 11

Hanbal stood frozen, his mind racing as he grappled with the bewildering reality. The female lead, seemingly meek and gentle, is someone he never wants to interact with. Those who spoke of her painted her as an innocent soul, lost in a cruel world, but he had seen glimpses of her true nature—sharp, calculating, and undeniably dangerous.

At just 13, she was a force to be reckoned with, wielding the kind of power that came with being the protagonist of a story. The way she maneuvered through the Sather Mansion was both mesmerizing and terrifying; the servants and 'his' own family alike were caught in her web, dancing to her whims as if enchanted. But it was not the girl he feared most. No, the weight of her influence and the sheer potential of her power loomed over him like a storm cloud. She had somehow managed to unravel the tightly wound threads of pain that had shackled the male lead for 14 long years. With a mere smile, she seemed to possess the ability to 'undo' trauma, leaving Hanbal questioning the story's authenticity.

In that single meeting, she had effortlessly woven her spell, her "main character halo" illuminating the dark corners of his ambition. Hanbal had watched, incredulous, as the emperor—once resolute and unyielding—transformed before his eyes. He had shed his armor of ambition and power, allowing her to lead him down a path of introspection and change. It was astonishing how one encounter with her had shifted his entire perspective, making him question how inaccurate and one-dimensional these characters were.

But for Hanbal, this transformation was as enigmatic as it was alarming. Her character was a labyrinth, filled with twists and turns that left him disoriented. To the world, she was celebrated as a white lotus, the epitome of purity and grace. Yet, beneath that façade lay a cunning mind, one that orchestrated chaos while cloaked in the guise of victimhood. She had been the catalyst for the incident involving the young villain, drawing him into a trap with a sly smile and a soft word.

No, she was no white lotus. Hanbal could see past the surface, and it filled him with dread. The girl who played the victim was, in truth, the puppet master, pulling strings with an effortless charm that masked her true intentions. Each time he thought he had grasped her essence, she slipped through his fingers like smoke, leaving behind only questions and a gnawing suspicion.

He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her than met the eye, a darkness lurking beneath that innocent exterior. As he pondered her role in the grand narrative, he felt a chill run down his spine. The story was not just hers to tell; it was a tapestry of intertwined fates, and he was caught in its intricate weave. And as much as he tried to distance himself from her influence, he feared that he, too, was becoming a character in her dangerous play.

In Hanbal's eyes, she was nothing but a frog on a large lily pad.

"Damn...why can't I just reincarnate into a better book..." Hanbal sighed to himself and sat on his new bed. After the incident with the servants in his old room, Hanbal found himself relocated to a newer chamber, one that stood closer to the main wing of the Sather Mansion and closer to Osric. He did not see any of the familiar faces that had once populated his life. The servants, who were the cause of all the pain. seemed to disappear from the face of the earth.

What troubled Hanbal the most was the bizarre transformation in 'his' brothers' behavior. Once cold and dismissive, they now hovered around him with an unsettling affection that felt both foreign and suffocating. Each day, he found himself grappling with this sudden shift, a change so stark it was as if he had stepped into an entirely different story.

In the past, their interactions had been at a chilling distance. They had treated him as if he were a ghost, an inconvenient presence to be overlooked. Hanbal had grown accustomed to the silence that hung between them, a heavyweight that only deepened his sense of isolation. It was to the point that even in his 1 year of Hell, he did not ever think of calling his 'brothers' brothers. Since they were never 'brothers' in the first place. But now, it seemed as though the very fabric of their relationships had unraveled, replaced by an overwhelming eagerness to engage with him.

It was bewildering. What had caused this 180-degree change? The questions gnawed at him relentlessly. Had something shifted within the household that he was unaware of? Or was there a deeper, more insidious reason behind their newfound warmth? Hanbal found it difficult to trust their intentions, feeling as if he were caught in a twisted game where the rules had suddenly changed.

Perhaps his mere presence had thrown off the balance of this world, but Hanbal had no time to ponder the implications. His only concern was to find a way to escape this tangled web, especially once the female lead arrived. He sighed deeply, collapsing onto his bed as thoughts raced through his mind. He knew that interacting with her was unavoidable; he would need to do so carefully to avoid raising any red flags. The weight of the day pressed heavily on him, and he felt utterly worn out from pretending to be a carefree child just to appease the "snake". With a heavy heart, Hanbal closed his eyes, surrendering to sleep, hoping to find some respite until the old snake returned with the female lead.

As Hanbal drifted into a light slumber, the sudden creak of the door jolted him awake, his heart racing as adrenaline surged through his veins.

"Brother? Are you sleeping?" A whisper floated from his bedside, pulling him from the edge of sleep. The voice was familiar yet disarming, and it took a moment for him to fully process who it was.

No, I'm just closing my eyes and hoping for death to come to retrieve my soul. Of course, I'm sleeping, you dimwit!

"Brother, I'm going to pick you up and bring you to my room," his brother announced, the words hanging in the air like a shocking bombshell.

Hanbal's mind raced as he processed the statement. Ah, thanks for the heads-up, buddy. Wait—huh?! No! Panic surged through him. The last thing he wanted was to be dragged out of his sanctuary and into another uncomfortable situation.

"Brother, I miss sleeping with you..."

I don't even know who you are!!! Fuck off!

"Brother, if you need anything, just tell me. I'll do anything for you..." His brother's voice was warm and sincere, but Hanbal was too distracted by the sensation of being lifted into the air. The smell of vanilla and gold coins filled his nose, triggering a wave of déjà vu.

Vanilla? Money?

Recognition hit him like a bolt of lightning. Ah, it's Rayder. The realization made his heart race, but confusion quickly followed. 'What the hell is he doing creeping into a person's room?' he thought, annoyance bubbling up.

"My dear, I know you are awake." Rayder cooed, his voice cold and devoid of any emotions. Hanbal's heart jumped, but he slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Rayder,

Hanbal chuckled sheepishly, attempting to push against Rayder's firm chest, hoping to create some distance between them. But Rayder ignored his struggle, tightening his grip and pulling Hanbal even closer.

Frustration welled up inside him, and he bit his lip in defeat. Fine, if this is how it's going to be, he thought, resigning himself to the older man's whims. It wasn't worth the effort to resist any longer; he might as well let Rayder do as he pleased, at least for now.

How long is he going to live like this?

___

sticking out  you tongue for the rizzler... you're so skibidi, you're so fanumtax