Prologue
āDo you know why the second male lead becomes the second male lead?ā
It was a hot summer day.
A close friend asked me while I was sitting there, completely exhausted.
āNo? Isnāt it just because heās less attractive, so he becomes the second male lead?ā
I replied while poking the dirty chocolate on the plate with my fork.
The creator just puts more effort into the main character, so thatās why heās the second male lead. Thereās no big reason beyond that.
After hearing my words, my friend looked disgusted and shook her head hard.
Then she grabbed my shoulders and shouted as if warning me to remember this.
āIāll tell you why the second male lead is the second male lead.ā
āNo. Itās fine. Can I just eat my bread?ā
āHeās the second male lead because he can meet another woman besides the heroine. Because he dares to love with that kind of heart, thatās why heās the second male lead! Thatās why he becomes the second male lead!ā
As she continued, her voice kept getting louder, as if her anger was increasing.
What did she even watch to get so angry?
I listened to her passionate speech while drinking my iced Americano.
Well, itās not like Iām dating him, so why should I care?
Because of my indifferent attitude, she looked frustrated and kept hitting her chest, then handed me her phone.
āIf you read this, youāll understand what I mean.ā
ćThe Two Men Who Shake Meć
I casually glanced at the cover and nodded.
āIāll read it at home.ā
She insisted that I read the first chapter immediately and share my reaction.
But I ignored my friendās words and finished the remaining dirty chocolate.
Iāll read it on the way home.
I was already looking for something new to read anyway.
My life, soaked in the summer heat and passing by, felt too monotonous.
It was a calm midsummer in Korea, not knowing a new favorite was about to appear.