In a high school classroom, two close friends, Mansh and Ankhush, sat side by side, engaged in their usual chatter. Mansh was a high school boy with black hair of medium length, while Ankhush, also in high school, was shorter in height and had short brown hair.
They were students of Class 3-2, a class well-known among the teachers for being overly talkative during school hours. Their constant chattering often led to scoldings and punishments, yet they never seemed to learn their lesson.
On this particular day, during a short break between lessons, Ankhush leaned toward Mansh with a spark of excitement in his eyes. He could barely contain his enthusiasm as he shared something that had been on his mind.
Ankhush grinned. "Hey, what web novel are you reading these days? If you ask me, I'm reading *Solo Leveling* right now. I absolutely love its writing style, the story, and the characters. Seriously, you should give it a try, Mansh. I'm sure you won't regret it."
Mansh blinked, trying to recall the name of the novel he had just started reading earlier that morning. He had come across an advertisement for it and, intrigued, had decided to give it a read. However, no matter how hard he tried, the title stubbornly refused to surface in his mind.
He furrowed his brows in concentration. "Oh, mine? Hmm... let me think. Ummm… for some reason, I can't remember its name. It's weird—it was right there on the screen when I started reading this morning." He let out a small sigh. "I'll check when I get home and tell you tomorrow. It's a new novel, by the way. The author has only released one chapter so far."
Ankhush nodded eagerly. "Alright! Make sure to check and let me know. Don't forget, okay?"
Before Mansh could reply, their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of footsteps entering the classroom. The chatter in the room died down as the teacher arrived and began the lecture. Mansh and Ankhush exchanged a knowing glance—they both knew they were supposed to stay quiet.
However, old habits were hard to break. Despite their earlier promise of not talking in the middel of classes, the temptation to whisper to each other proved too strong. It started with a hushed comment from Ankhush, to which Mansh responded in a barely audible voice. But their whispers did not go unnoticed.
The teacher, having had enough of their distractions, shot them a stern look. "Mansh. Ankhush. Out. Now."
The two friends exchanged sheepish glances before reluctantly getting up from their seats. With the weight of yet another punishment on their shoulders, they stepped outside the classroom, standing in the hallway as their latest penalty for talking too much in class.
After a few minutes, the teacher stepped out of the classroom, his expression stern. Without a word, he pointed at the wall.
"Face the wall, and go stand in front of deffrent walls also no talking," he instructed.
Mansh and Ankhush exchanged quick glances but obeyed, shuffling to their new spots. The punishment had just gotten worse. Now, not only were they standing outside, but they were also separated, unable to even glance at each other.
Time passed slowly. The sounds of the lesson carried through the closed door, but neither of them could focus on it. They simply stood there, waiting for their punishment to end.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the class ended, and the teacher called them back inside. Mansh and Ankhush returned to their seats, this time determined to stay quiet. They had learned their lesson—at least for now.
After School
Once the final bell rang, the students poured out of their classrooms, eager to head home. Mansh and Ankhush walked together, chatting about their usual topics as they made their way down the familiar streets. They laughed, joked, and pushed each other playfully, as if the day's punishment had never happened.
Eventually, their paths split, and they said their goodbyes.
"See you tomorrow," Ankhush called out, waving as he walked away.
Mansh nodded. "Yeah, see you."
When he reached home, he pushed open the front door and stepped inside. Without wasting any time, he headed straight to his room, eager to change out of his school uniform. Once he was comfortable, he sat down at his desk and turned on his computer.
For the next few hours, he immersed himself in anime, letting time slip away. Eventually, hunger pulled him away from the screen, and he went downstairs to eat lunch. After finishing his meal, he returned to his room and spent some time playing games.
It wasn't until later in the evening that he finally remembered the web novel. With a yawn, he grabbed his phone and continued reading from where he had left off.
But fatigue soon caught up with him, and before he knew it, he had dozed off, the phone slipping from his grasp.
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The Next Day (6/2/2009)
The morning light filtered through Mansh's window, gently pulling him from sleep. He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes as he stretched.
As he began getting ready for school, a sudden thought hit him like a bolt of lightning.
The novel!
His eyes widened in panic. He had completely forgotten to check its name!
Heart pounding, he grabbed his phone from where it had fallen the previous night and quickly opened it. His eyes scanned the screen, searching for the title.
"Novel of Reality," he muttered aloud, reading the words displayed on his screen.
He repeated the name a few times in his head, making sure he wouldn't forget it again.
Deciding to take his phone with him that day, he slipped it into his pocket before picking up his school bag. A quick check of his stationery and books assured him he had everything he needed.
Just before leaving, curiosity got the better of him. He reopened the novel and read a few paragraphs of the chapter he had started the night before.
That's when he noticed something.
His brows furrowed. Something about the story felt… unusual.
No—interesting.
His grip on the phone tightened. He needed to tell Ankhush about this.
Without wasting another second, he slung his bag over his shoulder and rushed out the door. Ankhush had been eagerly waiting for Mansh's recommendation. He trusted Mansh's taste when it came to novels and games—whenever Mansh suggested something, it was always worth checking out.
That morning, as soon as he stepped into the school grounds, his excitement grew. He couldn't wait to hear about the novel.
Meanwhile, Mansh had already arrived and was seated at his desk. He absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the surface, his mind still occupied with the strange coincidence he had discovered.
A few minutes later, Ankhush entered the classroom. The moment he spotted Mansh, he hurried over, unable to hold back his curiosity.
He dropped onto the bench beside Mansh. "Hey! Did you figure out the name of that novel?"
Mansh looked up, snapping out of his thoughts. "Oh yeah! It's called Novel of Reality."
Ankhush nodded, eager to hear more. But then, Mansh leaned in slightly, lowering his voice, whisperingin Ankhush's ear.
"You know, something weird happened," Mansh continued. "In the last chapter, there were two friends talking about a novel—just like us. And get this—one of them couldn't remember its name, just like me yesterday!" He let out a small laugh. "What a coincidence, right?"
Ankhush's smile faded.
A shiver ran down his spine.
His mind reeled as he processed what Mansh had just said.
'How is this possible? The exact same thing happened to us… down to the smallest detail. What are the chances of something like this?'
For some reason, unease crept into his thoughts.
Trying to brush off the feeling, he cleared his throat and forced himself to focus. "Which app is it uploaded on? And at what time?"
The teacher had arrived.
Instinctively, Mansh ducked lower in his seat, careful not to attract any unwanted attention. He glanced toward Ankhush and whispered quickly, "It uploads daily on the " "WBNovelapp, at 7:30 AM. Wait—"
He paused, noticing the troubled expression on Ankhush's face.
A frown crossed his lips. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You look tense. Are you okay?"
Mansh continued whispering, glancing around cautiously. "By the way, a new chapter is about to release in three minutes! I can't wait. I'm going to read it in class—just don't tell the teacher, okay?"
Ankhush bit his lip, trying to ignore the curiosity creeping into his mind. 'It's just a coincidence,' he told himself. 'No big deal.'
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't focus on the lecture. The words on the blackboard blurred as his thoughts kept circling back to Novel of Reality. He had to know.
Giving in, he discreetly pulled out his phone under the desk, keeping an eye on the teacher. His fingers hesitated for just a moment before tapping the app open.
The latest chapter had just been uploaded.
As he started reading, his hands trembled.
His breathing grew unsteady.
Line by line, word by word—the events in the novel mirrored everything that had just happened to him and Mansh.
His heart pounded in his chest.
Sweat formed on his palms. His grip on the phone tightened.
And then—
"How is this even possible?! It's exactly the same!"
The words burst from his lips before he could stop them.
The classroom fell into stunned silence.
Every head turned toward him.
The teacher's eyes narrowed, his face darkening with irritation. she marched toward Ankhush without hesitation.
Before Ankhush could react, the phone was snatched from his hands.
The color drained from his face.
"Ankhush," the teacher's voice was cold, sharp. "If you want your phone back, tell your parents to come talk to me after class."
Ankhush sat frozen in place. His saliva dried up. His hands turned ice-cold.
He wasn't just reading a novel.
He was reading his own life—written in real time.
As soon as the teacher left, two boys sauntered toward Ankhush, smug grins plastered on their faces. Their posture alone told him everything—trouble was coming.
Ankhush recognized them instantly. These were the same boys who preyed on weaker students whenever the teachers weren't around. He had seen them do it countless times, and now, it seemed, it was his turn.
what are the bullies going to do?
how is Ankhush going to protect himself?
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A/N: this is where it gets interesting. Please save this book to library and give me gems.