Chapter 1
The man sitting across from me, Aiberg Raffaello, stared at me with deeply sunken ash-grey eyes.
Feeling the heat of his gaze, I slowly pulled a clear crystal from my pocket. Then, I silently placed my other hand on his cheek.
His silver hair brushed lightly against the back of my hand.
“…Let me check your temperature.”
Only for a moment did I hesitate. Then, out of habit, I measured his body temperature first.
Not just today — lately, even when his temperature was low, it never felt abnormally cold like before. He was definitely getting better.
Relieved, I let the corners of my lips lift slightly.
“If it gets too hot, let me know.”
Right after I said that, a wave of flames burst across Aiberg Raffaello’s entire body, starting from his cheek.
To someone watching, it might look as though I were trying to burn someone alive.
That’s how violently the blue flames devoured him. Yet, he didn’t seem to be in pain at all.
In fact, he even wore a faint smile. His vivid ash-grey eyes followed my every movement.
“You haven’t changed a bit. You say that as if I could feel heat.”
I thought I’d gotten used to it, but it still felt awkward.
Every time emotions bloomed in this barren land like flowers, I couldn’t help but feel strangely ticklish.
“Well, you’re healing. One day, you might actually feel the heat of this treatment.”
“That will never happen.”
At some point, a thick hand came to rest atop mine.
“It’s always been warm.”
My throat went dry.
Maybe it was because those ash-grey eyes, looking at me like a starving beast, felt unfamiliar. When I first met him, I could never have imagined such a gaze.
In the original story, we were never that close. If anything, our roles were defined like this:
The “female lead’s brother” who doesn’t approve of her love life, and the “male lead’s little sister” who brings the main characters together.
Otherwise known as “The Female Lead’s Overprotective Brother,” Aiberg Raffaello.
He inherited his title at the young age of fifteen after the former Duke and Duchess died from illness. Now, at 23, he had been guarding the northern border for the past four years.
According to the original, he never even visited the capital, not once — not even in the ending.
But now?
“Dianta Valerian.”
“…Yes?”
“I don’t know what you’re thinking so deeply about, but just this once, I’d like you to focus only on me.”
His narrowed eyes gleamed dangerously, the ash-grey flickering fiercely.
Ahh… When did all this start to go off track? Why is the man once obsessed with his sister no longer focused on the female lead, and why am I, of all people, in this kind of situation with her brother?
‘When did it start to go wrong? This is all my fault!’
Yes. It all began when I decided to bring the original story’s ending forward.
* * *
“I hereby declare the engagement of Hynt Valerian and Seren Raffaello.”
The priest sprinkled holy water above the heads of the two main characters.
Thunderous applause rang through the hall, and I desperately tried to suppress the overwhelming emotion bubbling up inside me as I took in every detail of the scene.
How long I had waited for this moment!
All my sweat and tears over the past year flashed through my mind.
About a year and a few months ago, I had fallen down the stairs through my own carelessness — and it was then I realized this world was from a novel.
Though I had lived for many years as “Dianta,” not everything was clear.
Still, some details had returned vividly.
I had died in an accident at nineteen and was now reincarnated inside a romance fantasy novel.
The title? “So Close Yet Out of Reach.”
As the name suggests, the plot was filled with misunderstandings and missed chances between the protagonists.
In my previous life, I used to enjoy reading those types of romantic novels. There’s something satisfying about the sweet catharsis that comes after all the misunderstandings clear up.
But reality? Reality was different. These kinds of stories are only fun when you’re reading them — not living them.
After regaining my memories, I found myself unable to continue as before.
Especially since the male lead — now my real brother — was constantly drunk with longing, and the female lead — my best friend — kept sobbing over her one-sided love.
Worse yet, since I had been the bridge that introduced them, every time they got hurt by misunderstanding each other, they would both come crying to me.
They practically force-fed me dozens of emotional potatoes (metaphorically), stuffing me full of frustration.
Eventually, for many reasons, I decided I couldn’t take it anymore — I had to accelerate the ending.
‘For my own sake, I have to end this suffering myself!’
And honestly? It wasn’t just the endless misunderstandings — it was also about survival.
In one of the episodes, the villainess, sensing the protagonists’ slow relationship progress, approached me — the only common link between them — in an attempt to manipulate me.
Naturally, I got caught in the crossfire. The shrimp crushed between battling whales.
‘But now, I’ll never be falsely accused again!’
Why?
Because I managed to bring the ending forward by a whole year!
After tirelessly running back and forth between the leads and playing messenger for their love, I had finally reaped the fruit of my labors.
While I was reminiscing over my teary efforts…
“Dianta.”
The female lead, Seren Raffaello, who had now finished the ceremony, approached me sweetly.
Her silver hair rippled like waves with every step.
Her blue eyes, like a tranquil lake, seemed to bring peace to anyone who looked into them.
She was the very picture of someone you’d call “the heroine” — beautiful inside and out.
“Seren, congratulations.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Dianta.”
I didn’t deny it.
Smiling with pride, I gave a small nod. Finally, it felt like someone recognized all the effort I had poured in.
“I’m glad to hear that. And today’s dress — you look amazing in it, just as I thought.”
“Thanks. I’m really glad I wore the one you picked.”
It was a white silk dress that shimmered from the chest down as if sprinkled with glitter.
Not overly revealing, either — all other areas were modestly hidden beneath sheer white fabric.
Most of all, the veil atop her head made her look practically divine.
Pleased with my own sense of aesthetics, I nodded in satisfaction.
But then… I saw a shadow on Seren’s face through the veil.
She had a habit of biting her lower lip when anxious.
And right now, that’s exactly what she was doing.
“Is something wrong?”
“…I just told Hynt.”
“You told my brother?”
I glanced toward Hynt Valerian, the male lead of the story and my real-life brother.
Like me, he had Valerian’s signature red hair and eyes. His tanned skin gave him a seductive air of “languid beauty.” Normally, he was a cheerful man — seeing him with a tense face was rare.
“That doesn’t sound like good news.”
My guess was correct. Seren looked down, unable to meet my eyes.
After everything, could it be they were still struggling with misunderstandings — even on their engagement day?
Would I still have to play go-between even after they got married?
Growing anxious, I grabbed Seren’s hand.
“What happened? Did my brother say something confusing or hurtful?”
“No. Not at all.”
She answered firmly, lips pressed tight.
Her blue eyes trembled, like a calm lake suddenly disturbed by a heavy stone.
Her hand trembled in mine.
“We…”
We?
A chill ran down my spine.
This didn’t seem like another misunderstanding.
Whatever Seren was about to say — it wouldn’t be simple.
And sure enough, she said it plainly.
“…might end up breaking off the engagement.”
“…”
My brain froze.
Sure, people’s hearts could change… but not these two. Not from what I’d seen.
I’d watched them day and night. They couldn’t sleep before seeing each other, and even after they met, they immediately missed each other.
And now they might break off the engagement — without warning?
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. Hynt respects my decision, and if we do call off the engagement, I’ll take full responsibility and explain it to everyone…”
Her trembling voice — her apologetic expression — it all screamed how she truly felt:
That she didn’t want to break up. That she still loved Hynt. That her heart felt like it was being torn apart.
“Seren.”
“Y-yes?”
“Can you tell me why?”
After a moment’s hesitation, she stepped closer — not too close, just enough so only I could hear her whisper.
“My brother in the North… he said he can’t approve of my engagement. When I first introduced Hynt and told him I wanted to get engaged… he thought it was just a serious relationship. And…”
“…And?”
“He said he can’t accept me marrying someone he hasn’t even met. I told him the ceremony’s already prepared and the guests are invited, but… I still felt uneasy this morning.”
Even as she explained, she took short, shallow breaths — clearly anxious.
“I sent another letter two days ago… begging him to approve…”
I had suspected her overprotective brother would be an issue — and I was right.
But he was even more of an obstacle than I imagined.
A brother with an intense case of siscon.
“But… it’s not like I want to break up with Hynt or anything…”
Before she could finish, Seren suddenly collapsed backward.
But I didn’t catch her.
Because the one who pulled her away — was none other than my brother, Hynt.
“Hynt?”
“Dianta, don’t make Seren uncomfortable.”
“That’s not it. I just thought she should tell me too…”
“Ah.”
He pulled us apart and even sent a wary look at his own sister — me.
Then silence fell between the two leads.
Still, one thing was clear — there was no doubt they still loved each other.
But the silence was so awkward, no one would believe they were newly engaged.
As I debated whether to break the ice with a joke…
“My lady.”
A maid quietly approached us.
Seren stepped away from Hynt and nodded to the maid, who leaned in to whisper something.
And slowly, Seren’s face went pale.
“I’ll be back.”
Then, like she was being chased, Seren rushed out of the venue.
It happened so quickly, neither Hynt nor I could stop her.
But judging by Hynt’s reaction, he must have heard something from the maid.
“Follow Seren.”
“Me? Why not you?”
“I’d go too if I could, but… if I leave, the nobles will start gossiping.”
Apparently, a letter from Duke Raffaello had arrived.
What else would make the bride bolt from the ceremony while guests were still present?
So I chased after her.
I saw her enter a waiting room with a knight wearing a black robe, after having cleared out the attendants.
And shortly after…
“…Hngh.”
Seren’s sobs came faintly from behind the door.
It hadn’t even been that long. But I already knew what the letter said.
The Duke had refused her engagement.
Determined to comfort her, I burst in without knocking.
“…”
But the sight that greeted me was completely unexpected.
Seren was clinging to the knight — now unmasked and clad in black armor — crying her heart out. And the knight… gently patted her back.
“Sniff… sob, sob…”
“Yes, Seren. Just breathe slowly. It’s okay, it’s okay…”
At first, all I saw was his black hair, like a sack of grain.
But the moment he raised his head and looked at me…
“Wha… What…?!”
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Because his irises glowed with a vivid color — the hollow, ash-grey light of fading embers.
