Click, click, the sound of cameras filled the air as Zayn stepped out of the door. People turned, their eyes locked on him, and whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire. The moment he appeared, the world seemed to focus entirely on him.
"Can we get a picture, Zayn?" A reporter's voice cut through the noise, sharp and clear. Almost instantly, flashes exploded from every direction, each one bright and quick, capturing every move he made.
Zayn didn't pause. His smile remained steady and practiced, as natural as breathing. He walked through the chaos, the noise of the crowd fading into the background, his presence the calm center of the storm.
Zayn pulled out his phone and opened the web novel app. His eyes scanned the latest chapter, and then his thumb froze as he read a shocking line.
"So the author really did kill Zayn Heavensfall," he muttered to himself, a mix of disbelief and amusement in his voice.
He let out a quiet chuckle and shook his head, as if the twist in the story was more absurd than anything. Leaning against the car, he continued reading, the words on the screen feeling strangely distant from the life he was living now.
Zayn stared at the screen, his finger pausing on the page.'He was my favorite character', he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips.
'Because he had the same name as me'.
He shook his head and chuckled softly to himself. It felt strange, almost funny, how a character with his name had become the one he'd connected with the most, despite the differences in their worlds.
Zayn's eyes shot wide as he saw the headlights of another car speeding toward them.
"Watch out!" he yelled, gripping the seat in front of him.
"Turn! Turn now!"
The driver's hands fumbled with the wheel, but it was too late.
With a deafening crash, the two cars collided, metal screeching as everything went black in an instant.