Part 1Who Tastes Better

Ever since I was a child, I have had a bizarre biting fixation. Ross, my childhood best friend, was the only one who knew, and he willingly offered himself up to satisfy my cravings.

When we were little, it was his wrists. As we grew older, my teeth migrated to his shoulders and the curve of his neck.

[Don't you think he absolutely detests this?]

The cold, mechanical voice echoed in my head just as I pulled back from Ross's shoulder.

[Look at how tightly his brow is furrowed, how fast his breathing is. He looks like he's about to cry from pure disgust.]

I looked down. Ross's eyelashes were indeed damp. He kept his head lowered, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of his jeans.

[He's practically dying of revulsion from your drool, yet he still hasn't pushed you away. The Male Lead is way too nice.]

It turned out my childhood best friend was the male lead of some story. And the female lead wasn't me.

[If you don't kick this biting habit soon, just wait until the fated female lead transfers here. You'll have nothing left to chew on but raw pork.]

So, I resolved to break the habit Ross had enabled for over a decade.

But when the craving hit me like a physical wave in class, my desk mate, Mary, kindly offered his forearm.

"Don't hold it in," Mary whispered. "Just bite me."

I was just about to lean in when I caught sight of Ross standing a few yards away, his face deathly pale.

…

My head was spinning when that mocking, mechanical voice first broke into my thoughts. I had just lifted my head from Ross's shoulder.

"Finished?"

His voice was incredibly hoarse, so rough that I barely recognized it.

"Yeah," I murmured.

The mocking voice in my head grew louder.

[I'm talking to you, NPC. Do you even hear me?]

[Don't you think he hates this?]

I frowned, arguing back in my mind.

No way. We've been doing this since we were toddlers. Ross has never once said no.

Realizing I could hear it, the System perked up instantly.

[Of course he hasn't. The Male Lead is gentle, kind, and soft-hearted. He's not going to say it to your face, and your wooden head is too dense to notice.]

[Look at how his shoulders are shaking, how fast he's breathing. He's holding back tears because of how gross this is.]

I looked down, and my heart sank. Ross's long eyelashes were indeed glistening with moisture. He kept his head lowered, silently pulling his collar up to cover the damp, reddish teeth marks on his shoulder.

His knuckles were stark white. He was trembling.

Sensing my gaze, Ross looked up, his dark eyes searching mine.

"What's wrong? Was it not enough?"

His Adam's apple bobbed. Wetness clung to the corners of his eyes, and he looked like he was enduring some unspeakable torment.

My mind was a chaotic mess while the System kept up its relentless chatter.

[He is literally gagging on your spit and he still asks if you want more. What a saint.]

[Look at what you did to his shoulder. Are you a stray dog or what?]

I clenched my fists, feeling a sudden pang of hurt.

I didn't bite that hard.

The System scoffed.

[That's not the point. The point is that you're both adults now, and you're still chewing on the Male Lead. You aren't the Female Lead. You're occupying a space that isn't yours. Understand?]

Ross, seeing me space out, waved a hand in front of my face.

"Kate?"

I snapped out of it and forced a stiff laugh.

"Thanks, Ross. I feel a lot better. I should get going."

He sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the blanket over his knees. After a long pause, he nodded.

"Okay. I won't walk you out then."

The System translated his words instantly.

[Yeah, go away. He's sick of looking at you. He doesn't even want to walk you to the door. He wants you gone.]

The System was incredibly harsh, but its words stung because they felt plausible. I didn't look at Ross again as I grabbed my bag and left.

On my way home, the System explained my reality.

I was a minor character in a high school romance novel. My childhood friend, Ross, was the male lead. The female lead was a gorgeous transfer student who would arrive next week.

The System took immense pleasure in my misery.

[Listen to me, NPC. You need to stay away from him. He only told you to bite him because he felt sorry for your condition. He was just being polite, and you actually took him up on it for years. If you don't cure this fixation before the actual female lead shows up, you'll have to buy raw meat from the butcher to satisfy your teeth.]