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  Disclaimer, i own nothing but my own idea.

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  Ted’s POV

  The next morning, sunlight hit my face, warm and blinding straight to my face.

  The bed was soft enough to make me groan and I didn’t really want to move from this bed.

  When I finally opened my eyes, I felt surprisingly refreshed.

  Maybe because today… I had a date with Robin.

  She’s beautiful, funny, smart and no wonder the old Ted fell so hard and never let go of her, he always had that kind of feeling for her.

  We’d talked until late last night, and time flew faster than I realized.

  Usually, that only happens when you’re with someone you actually care about, but it happened with Robin.

  Maybe I’m in love with her?.

  Like the old Ted was.

  No, that’s impossible. I’m not him.

  Sure, Robin and I will be friends, maybe best friends, probably, for a long time in the future like in the show.

  But love? That fast? No way.

  Oh, and for the record — I don’t have any cheat, system, or anything like those other reincarnated people.

  I’m just a regular guy trying to live his second life to the fullest.

  I mean, yeah, I’m rich and handsome.

  How rich? Well… let’s just say I “borrowed” some ideas from the future to my own books.

  There are books out there that technically belong to me, but no one knows that.

  Why? Because I used a pen name.

  I don’t really care about fame and besides, This is New York — we worship money, not God.

  As long as the checks are clear and my identity stays mysterious, I’m good.

  Sure, maybe there are big advantages if my identity got exposed, but that's for regular people right? Not me, who has knowledge about the books who will get best sellers.

  I was already doing it from the start and my pen name already reached the sky.

  Anyway, it’s nearly impossible for me to fall in love with Robin that fast.

  Maybe… deep down, I just want the show to play out like it used to?.

  I don’t know. It’s confusing.

  I got out of bed, went to the bathroom, splashed water on my face, trying to shake it all off.

  I just want to live this second life — not play God with it, I don't really want to change anything in this life.

  Oh, by the way — I’m still an architect.

  When I woke up, I was already enrolled in college, majoring in architecture.

  So I just went, “Why not?”

  Architects get paid well anyway.

  I walked to the closet and tried to find my clothes or whatever I threw in there. Thankfully I used to do house work and that is already in my system to keep neat.

  *RING!!!

  “Yeah?” I answered, half-awake.

  A woman’s voice greeted me, my editor. She wanted me at the publishing company, and they wanted to discuss my new book, the one I’d just submitted for review.

  I sighed after hearing that. Usually, after the success of my books, they will just review and edit the typo.

  This one’s different. It's not a fantasy novel like my previous hits; The Hunger Games, Divergent, that kind of vibe. That's why they wanted to discuss this, and my editor didn't seem cool about this change.

  “Alright. I’ll be there,” I said, hanging up.

  I checked my phone again and there were messages from Marshall and Lily.

  They’d apologized for last night, but I told them to relax and enjoy the moment.

  Then I saw Barney’s message.

  A photo.

  A very… disturbing photo.

  I immediately called him.

  “Don’t ever send me that again! Or I swear, I’ll block your number!”

  This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

  I hung up before he could answer.

  Seriously, who wants to see that?!

  Then salvation came. A text from Robin.

  Just one line, and suddenly the disgusting image in my brain vanished.

  I smiled and started typing.

  “Sorry, just woke up. Yeah, I’ve got a recommendation for a restaurant. I bet you'll love it.

  Spoiler alert: You’ll see Smurf Penis.”

  I hit send before overthinking it.

  If she’s the Robin I remember, she’ll laugh and not get offended.

  After all, we talked for hours last night and I know she gets my humor.

  Anyway, time to get up and make money!.

  —---

  3rd POV

  People always say libraries are the only places with that special scent — the smell of paper running around the room.

  But they don’t know… publishing companies smell like paper too.

  The difference?

  This paper smells from books and money.

  Money is paper too, right?

  And buried beneath that is the stronger scent of dissatisfaction running around the atmosphere too.

  Authors walk in with hope and joy, only to walk out deflated, angry, or heartbroken.

  Either their editors tell them their book isn’t good enough or they hate seeing their words and lore edited.

  People come here with dreams, the same way actors walk into auditions.

  Except, in that business, sometimes you still go home feeling violated. Yeah, either they just got home being depressed for not nailed it or because their ass was penetrated by a producer or director.

  Violated right?

  Anyway, Ted walked into the publishing company, he already knew what's gonna happen.

  His editor would probably say something good about his new book being followed by a “but.”

  He could smell it from a mile away and he already felt that experience from the first time he brought his first book.

  Still, he walked in with calm, composed, unbothered by whatever was going to happen today.

  If they didn’t like it, he’d just take it somewhere else.

  “Brittany! Hi!” Ted said cheerfully, tapping the receptionist’s desk.

  Brittany with blonde, beautiful, and very much legally blonde america because she’s having nice boobs — was on the phone, pretending not to hear him.

  Ted smirked while looking at her, who completely ignored him, “Wow, being ignored really sucks. I understand that…”

  He leaned closer, glancing around as if sharing state secrets. “By the way… I’ve got a secret to tell you.”

  Brittany glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Not interested but not uninterested either, she just pretended to ignore him.

  Ted leaned in and whispered, “....You look…beautiful today. Don’t tell anyone. Top secret.”

  She hung up the phone, a little too hard. Clearly, she hadn’t been talking to anyone from the moment Ted walked in.

  Ted saw it, which was exactly why he was teasing her in the first place. “Don’t give me that cute look,” he said seriously. “I might fall for you again.”

  Cringe!. Total dorky dad.

  Brittany raised her chin with a sneer, but there was the faintest hint of a smile.

  “How dare you walk in here and talk to me,” she said, voice dripping with venom, “...after what you did to me!”

  Ted blinked in mock confusion. “What?! What did I do?!”

  Of course, he knew exactly what he did.

  Brittany hadn’t always looked like this.

  She used to be the quiet, geeky girl with ponytail, big glasses, dull office suits.

  A background character in the world of book lovers.

  Ted had asked her out once, complimented her, even bought her a dress or two.

  And just like that — the ugly duckling became a swan.

  Now every man in the building or on the street said ‘dammnn!’ when she walked by.

  But the side effect?

  She’d fallen for him. Totally falling for him so hard and with a little psycho where they were supposed to be together or something.

  She’d given him everything, even her first time, and she never wanted to let go of him.

  For Brittany, being appreciated like that meant everything. When someone truly saw her, she gave them all of herself which is mind, body, and her heart to him.

  For Ted?

  He liked Brittany. Sure.

  But marriage? Not a chance.

  Oh yeah, she’s that kind of crazy. The kind who asks, ‘Will you marry me?’ after losing her virginity.

  “Come on, we just hang out and enjoy each other’s company,” Ted said softly, looking at her with sad eyes. “... Don’t you still want to hang out with me?”

  Did that crazy bother him? Of course not.

  “No! I like hanging out with you, Ted, but I want to be your girlfriend! You know I love you! Why can’t I be your girlfriend?!” Brittany’s voice cracked, thankfully no one was around to hear.

  “Brittany, I already told you! You’re not in love with me. You’re obsessed with me.” Ted stopped himself mid-sentence and sighed.

  “This isn’t the right time to talk about this… How about lunch today?” he said again, flashing that grin, the one that always melted her.

  She was about to say yes — of course she was — but someone else appeared and disturbed them.

  “You’re not having lunch with him. We have a meeting,” Claire snapped, glaring at Brittany, who shrunk into her chair.

  “Don’t be like that, Claire,” Ted said with a chuckle. Then he turned to Brittany, lowering his voice, “I’ll see you soon, okay?” He said but before he walked away, he looked at her with a scrutiny gaze, “… By the way, are you doing yoga?”

  Brittany smiled shyly and nodded, which only widened Ted’s grin.

  “Ted!” Claire’s sharp voice cut the air.

  He said goodbye to Brittany who looked at him sadly then followed Claire toward the conference room.

  They walked in silence with Ted behind Claire, calm as ever and didn't bother to hide his humming in the hallways.

  He knew the hierarchy here: best-selling author equals king.

  As long as his books sold, everyone smiled.

  But today felt different.

  Oh yeah, a few employees already saw Ted come here and go, usually the editor came to some place and talked with him about his book. While a few times Ted comes here is for signing the contract or just playing around here.

  So there is a rumor around Ted that Ted is a shareholder of the company. Ted didn't bother to correct them, which just brought him advantage to shadowing his Pen Name.

  Inside the meeting room, three people were already seated with copies of Ted’s new manuscript in front of them.

  “Hello, Ted. Good to see you again, I am sure you're feeling good today.” One of them greeted Ted with a polite and professional smile.

  “Yeah, sure,” Ted replied casually, taking his seat. “So? What’s this about?” unbothered by his pleasantries and looking at all of them.

  Like he said, the best selling author equals king in this company. So they didn't really take to their heart for Ted's rude action. Instead they know every author has their own unique side.

  Ted is already being nice to them and treating them like mutual humans and not underestimating them of their job.

  Like always, they deferred to Claire — the only person in the company who dared to talk to him directly.

  “Well,” Claire began flatly, “let’s talk about your new book.”

  She flipped through the manuscript with visible irritation.

  “Why are you writing this?! It’s an erotic novel, for God’s sake!”

  Ted didn’t look offended. He actually liked Claire’s bluntness.

  He’d rather deal with that than fake smiles.

  Well, he didn't hate those fake smiles either though.

  “This is completely different from your previous work, Ted! Fans will lose their minds. You’re throwing away everything you built!” Claire said, waving the script and pretending to look at the title.

  “Fifty Shades of Grey?—it’s a fucking Smut erotic book! How can you write this?!”

  Ted leaned back, smirking. “Don’t pretend you didn’t remember the title. You’ve read it, haven’t you?”

  “I did,” Claire said, calm as ever, holding the script tightly.

  Ted tilted his head. “...Did you enjoy it?”

  “I did. I masturbated three times while reading it.”

  The room went silent for her revelation she didn't bother to hide.

  Ted burst out laughing and while he laughed, The others looked down, faces red, pretending to read their notes.

  Not that any of them had done what Claire said — but still, they all agreed on one thing:

  The book was good.

  Dangerously good.