83. A Sinister Childhood Friend
83. A Sinister Childhood Friend
83. A Sinister Childhood Friend
Students put their blood, sweat, and tears into earning good grades.
Whether they have talent or not.
That applied to all students, and even to Yu Ha-yeon, who possessed S-rank talent.
"Did you finish training?"
"Same as always."
Yu Ha-yeon, destined to become the youngest S-rank hero.
Despite her exceptional talent, she never missed a day of training.
Yu Ha-yeon had become diligent and hardworking.
She approached me and asked,
"So, why did you call me out at this late hour?"
Right.
How should I explain this?
In my eyes, I can see your danger level color.
And you're one step below the most dangerous color.
I couldn't just say it like that.
Feeling frustrated, I ran a hand through my hair and changed the subject.
"Let's walk for now. The breeze is nice."
"Walking sounds good. Is this a date?"
"...Not exactly."
"Tch."
Yu Ha-yeon clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Calling these little interactions between Yu Ha-yeon and me a date was a stretch.
So we walked along the promenade at night.
There were many students around who looked like couples.
Would we look like a couple in their eyes too?
As I was lost in that thought, Yu Ha-yeon tapped me and asked,
"Han Si-jun. We must look like a couple to other people, right?"
"...A little?"
Still, there was a slight difference that kept us from being called a couple. Unlike other lovers, Yu Ha-yeon and I weren't holding hands.
My words carried the implication, 'Wouldn't it be nice if we held hands too?'
Yu Ha-yeon, who was quite perceptive, smirked.
Then she snatched up my hand.
"Is this enough? Do we look like a couple now?"
"I think it's still a bit lacking."
"The more I look at you, the more you seem like a sly fox. Sigh, you weren't like this before..."
My past self was definitely aloof and quiet.
The type who sat at the back of the classroom and only let people come to him.
Or maybe that was still the same?
Come to think of it, the only thing that changed about me was that I figured out how to treat women.
That was the only thing.
Yu Ha-yeon gave me a look of resignation.
Then she laced her fingers through mine.
"How about now? We look a bit more like a couple now, right?"
Yu Ha-yeon proudly displayed our linked hands.
She walked the night path with a soft smile.
Her fair skin, illuminated by the moonlight, seemed even more like white jade today.
If it weren't for the purple light hovering around her, the mood would have been perfect.
I thought to myself.
We walked the promenade with our fingers intertwined.
We shared many stories.
How was academy life treating you?
How did you do on the exam?
Funny stories from the past.
...
Days when I was alone with Yu Ha-yeon were rare.
There was a mountain of things to talk about with her.
Normally, conversation never ran dry when I was with Yu Ha-yeon.
And I felt this moment was right.
Was this the right time?
The time to voice the concerns I'd been holding inside.
Why you appear purple in my eyes, and what you're hiding within.
I hesitated for a moment.
But I mustered up my courage and stopped Yu Ha-yeon in her tracks.
"Yu Ha-yeon, wait. I have something to say."
"Something to say. Okay, that's what today's date is for, right?"
I nodded silently.
It seemed Yu Ha-yeon had also picked up on my hesitation.
"Don't tell me... it's something that's going to disappoint me again..."
"It's not that."
"Then what?"
Yu Ha-yeon folded her arms and waited for my answer.
The purple flickered slightly.
She was feeling a bit anxious.
I spoke to her as seriously as I could.
"I... messed up, didn't I?"
Messed up.
An octopus hunts by attaching its suckers to its prey.
But the octopus doesn't realize that the prey it's attached to is also targeting the octopus itself, and that its outstretched arms are being clung to by creatures aiming for the octopus.
Excessive greed brings ruin.
With my lifespan at stake, I made advances on too many people in too short a time.
If I'd taken them on one by one slowly, it might have been different.
But the moment Yu Ha-yeon found out, I was done for.
"You only just figured that out?"
Yu Ha-yeon chuckled. She seemed somewhat resigned.
"I told you to just kiss other girls. I didn't tell you to make love."
"...Isn't that the same thing?"
"Don't make excuses!!"
Were my eardrums still intact?
Yu Ha-yeon's voice was laced with a bit of Magic Power, so I even felt a physical shock.
I voiced my frustration to Yu Ha-yeon.
"No, but I can't help it! The other person has to have romantic feelings for me; that's the only way I can extend my lifespan."
"So, you want me to just sit back and watch?"
"Huh?"
"You're telling me to just watch you kiss and seduce other women."
...Well, I guess you could put it that way.
What could I do?
I'd die if I didn't seduce other women.
The gap between Yu Ha-yeon's and my opinions didn't seem like it would narrow easily.
"I'll die if I don't seduce them."
"And I'd rather die than watch that!"
"But then I'll die!"
"Even if you died, I still don't want to see it!"
Ugh, that stubbornness.
I felt so frustrated I could die.
Dying from arguing with Yu Ha-yeon seemed much faster than dying from my lifespan running out.
'This is all Fenrir's fault...'
Of all things, why did the condition for extending my lifespan have to be kissing other women?
I'll just face it head-on.
I asked Yu Ha-yeon directly.
"You're not secretly plotting something behind my back, are you?"
"...No."
Yu Ha-yeon denied it firmly.
But the purple was saying, 'I'm dangerous.'
'There's definitely something going on...'
What on earth was Yu Ha-yeon's true intention?
Why was my childhood friend's danger level purple?
I couldn't get a read on the situation.
In times like this, I had a suitable ability.
'Libra. Tell me what Yu Ha-yeon is plotting.'
I hadn't used it often because of the penalty, but now was different.
I had a Mana Core in my body now, so I could get the information I wanted without offering my lifespan.
With that expectation, Libra's answer arrived.
-In exchange for the information, it will take 30% of your Magic Power. Do you accept the contract?
'I accept.'
the Magic Power drained from my body.
Because I had taken the exam today, I had little Magic Power left.
I felt a slight dizziness.
"What? Suddenly your Magic Power..."
Yu Ha-yeon sensed the flow of Magic Power.
As her voice faded, a scene played in my head.
***
"Hmph hm hmm~"
Yu Ha-yeon hummed a tune.
What was she so excited about?
Then suddenly her expression hardened.
"...It's nice, but it's annoying."
Was she bipolar?
Yu Ha-yeon, who had looked happy, suddenly seemed irritated.
What on earth was making her annoyed?
I couldn't find an answer.
But when I saw the items prepared beside her, I was absolutely horrified.
'What is that...?'
This was clearly Yu Ha-yeon's room in the girls' dormitory.
So why was there a basement there?
Seeing that Magic Power could be felt from the basement, the space was likely part of Yu Ha-yeon's ability, All Creation.
"Shall we go check it out?"
Yu Ha-yeon lit a candle and descended into the basement.
Tap. Tap.
Echoing footsteps.
Yu Ha-yeon walked down a long, dark corridor, relying on a single candle...
After walking for several minutes, a small room appeared at the end.
Yu Ha-yeon opened the solid iron door.
Inside was a space the size of the male dormitory, and in the center was a bed. A bed with chains dangling from its corners.
'This is insane...'
My childhood friend giggled and walked toward the bed.
"This is all your fault, Han Si-jun. How could you think of cheating on me? Even if it's to extend your lifespan... How could you do that with Lee Seol-ha, who hates me...?"
Yu Ha-yeon muttered to herself. She reached toward the bed with chains.
There was a pair of expensive-looking rings.
"Han Si-jun. Just kiss the last one. I'll make you rethink what you mean to me."
Yu Ha-yeon slipped the ring onto her ring finger.
Then suddenly her face turned red.
"W-What do I do...? Now that I think about it, it's a little embarrassing... We're still students, so... we shouldn't..."
Yu Ha-yeon stared at the ring intently. She covered her face, embarrassed, and mumbled.
"We can't do it as students... So I'll just keep you locked up for three years...?"
...That was a scary thing to say.
When did my childhood friend become so sinister?
It seemed the reason for that was partly my fault.
***
"Hah...!"
"W-What the! Han Si-jun...!"
The vision ended, and I returned to reality.
Yu Ha-yeon's plan was to imprison me immediately after I finished kissing the remaining person.
'So that's the contract she made.'
If I kissed someone, I'd be forced to tell her. Yu Ha-yeon's plan had started from there.
'I know the plan now... but how do I ruin it?'
Still, sincerity always wins.
Face it head-on.
With these words, Yu Ha-yeon's color would change drastically. It was a gamble, but I asked Yu Ha-yeon.
"Yu Ha-yeon."
"Yeah?"
"No matter what, imprisoning me is going too far, isn't it? And what's the ring about?"
"H-Huh...? H-How did you...?"
"Because we're students...? Is this how you plan to handle it?"
"Ah... Aaah...!"
Yu Ha-yeon turned away from me, muttering, 'How does he know that?'
She looked thoroughly embarrassed.
The proof was right there: '...It's fading.'
Yu Ha-yeon's purple was shifting to a slight indigo.
It seemed Yu Ha-yeon's plan had fizzled out.