Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Trauma
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"Anyway, like I said before, Seo-ah is severely addicted to the drugs."
Lee Yoo-ram said.
"Yes."
"She hasn't been using just one type, which complicates things, but I believe she can recover if she gets the right care."
"Recover..."
"Lately, drugs manufactured by Awakeners have been a huge problem. The academy has been preparing countermeasures. You could say Seo-ah is the first to benefit from them."
To properly raise growing students, you had to be mindful of so many things.
Even to the point of being able to solve problems like drug addiction.
"That's a relief."
"You're childhood friends, and you've been together so long you're practically family. This is a good chance for you to look after her here at the academy."
Family?
Right.
We were family.
Han Si-hoo knew that.
He had wanted to at least stay in touch.
But he couldn't just leave the academy whenever he wanted.
He tried sending texts. There was never any reply.
He tried calling. She never picked up.
Worn out by the constant rejection, Han Si-hoo had decided to put his concern for Yoo Seo-ah aside.
It wasn't that he'd completely forgotten about her.
He had sent a significant portion of his academy earnings to Yoo Seo-ah.
He gave her the money and told her to use it for whatever she needed.
To eat whatever she wanted, to do whatever she wanted.
He thought that, if she wished, she could get a decent place to live.
But it all vanished on drugs.
"...Let me say this again. Seo-ah is very sick."
"I understand."
"She's a bit better now, but she had a high fever, and the side effects of the drugs seem quite severe..."
Lee Yoo-ram trailed off, hesitating.
"If—if Seo-ah tries to attack you, or if she seems terrified, just back away. We have sedatives ready."
"I see."
A sense of devastation bled into Han Si-hoo's voice.
"For now, follow me."
Lee Yoo-ram gestured for Han Si-hoo to follow.
She led him to an isolation room.
"Alright, she's in here... Want to go in?"
Lee Yoo-ram said, standing before the door.
They couldn't keep Seo-ah here forever.
If there were misunderstandings to clear up, that was Han Si-hoo's job.
"Yes."
*Should I really go in?*
After a moment's hesitation, Han Si-hoo grasped the doorknob.
He had to see what state Yoo Seo-ah was in.
- *Click.*
The door opened with a soft noise.
Inside was a space enclosed by gray walls.
A brown-haired girl was sitting in the corner of the room.
She was wearing a white patient gown.
"Seo-ah...?"
Han Si-hoo called her name.
She didn't react at all, not until he was right beside her.
"Seo-ah."
"Ah?"
When he got closer and spoke again, Yoo Seo-ah finally lifted her head.
"Are you okay?"
Yoo Seo-ah's expression brightened.
"Si-hoo."
Her face was bright for just a moment.
Then it hardened.
Her eyes wavered.
"S-Sorry."
Yoo Seo-ah said, lowering her gaze.
Though she was already in a corner, she looked like she wanted to shrink even further into it.
***
He was always so kind.
Seo-ah and Si-hoo.
They got along so well.
They got along so well.
I don't want to get hurt anymore.
I don't want to be stabbed in the back.
I don't want to spill my blood on the dirt floor.
I don't want to die.
"S-so. I'm really sorry..."
I have to ask for forgiveness, quickly.
This can't happen again.
"Huh?"
Even I think what I did was despicable.
Asking for drugs in the middle of a fight, trying to kill him.
I'm a character who just gets in the way.
So I'd understand if the protagonist decided to deal with me.
Honestly, if I were the protagonist, I'd abandon Yoo Seo-ah too.
She just holds you back. Better to just kill her.
I get it.
"I'm sorry for, for attacking you. Sorry. It was a mistake."
"......"
"It was really a mistake..."
I said in a slightly trembling voice.
I wasn't in my right mind.
Normally, I'd just be resting comfortably at home.
I want to go home.
I want to go get a fix and lie down comfortably and sleep.
I don't feel at ease here.
The bed might be nicer, but my mind is restless.
"Ah, ah, right. I haven't spent the money you gave me yet."
It's a good thing the academy gave me the drugs for free.
I still have the money.
"I'll give it back as soon as I get home, home."
The money in my bank account.
The money Han Si-hoo gave me to buy drugs.
Luckily, the doctor gave me the medicine for free, so I didn't have to spend it.
So I hope he'll take the money back and calm down.
I want to get out of here alive.
"Oh, right, I know you told me not to come, but I'm sorry I did. I... I just... I came to congratulate you on your graduation... You're a high schooler now, so, so, I wasn't trying to attack you..."
Her words were a jumbled mess.
There were too many things to apologize for.
I've done so many things wrong.
I couldn't see Han Si-hoo's expression.
"-It's, it's okay."
What's okay?
"You can relax. I'm not going to do anything."
Hearing him say that made me feel a little relieved.
No, actually, I'm still scared.
I don't know what he wants.
My head isn't working right.
Didn't I get stabbed?
I did.
I barely managed to stop my breathing from becoming ragged.
"I'm sorry. Please believe me. You don't have to be scared."
Scared?
No, I'm not scared.
I have to think that way so my hands won't tremble.
I looked up at Han Si-hoo again.
He looked strangely sad.
"What happened during the battle... was an accident. I wasn't trying to attack you, Seo-ah. I'm not angry with you."
He said, as if explaining himself.
It didn't seem like he was planning to attack me right now.
At least for the moment, I didn't sense any hostility.
"I didn't hurt you on purpose. A teammate made a mistake and attacked, so I'm not going to attack you."
A mistake, huh.
I think that might have been how it was.
Then that's a relief.
We might not be friends, but we're not enemies either.
Thank goodness.
"Last time... I was too harsh. I'm really sorry. When you came to see me, I mean, I'm just sorry. I apologize."
Han Si-hoo struggled to find the right words.
I wasn't expecting an apology.
Maybe he's not as angry as I thought.
He kept opening and closing his mouth slightly.
"...I promised I'd always protect you."
He muttered something.
"Where did it all go wrong?"
I couldn't tell if he was talking to himself or to me.
He didn't have his usual bright demeanor.
He's not acting like a protagonist.
"The fact that you ended up like this... is because I couldn't protect you properly."
He's so gloomy.
The protagonist shouldn't have done anything wrong.
Right, the protagonist needs to be strong.
Because he's the protagonist.
The world is safe only when he's active.
"It's okay. I'm..."
I'm okay.
[4 hours 20 minutes]
As long as I have time left, I'm okay.
My fever isn't that high.
Was it 37.8 degrees?
It's gone down a lot.
"I'm, I'm fine."
I'm perfectly healthy, not a single thing wrong with me.
I'm just taking medicine for a cold that won't go away.
I can live perfectly fine on my own.
"I'm not hurt at all-"
A bitter taste surged up her throat.
She swallowed it back down before anything could escape her lips.
The taste of rusted iron.
No, it can't be blood.
I'm taking medicine, so why is my condition getting worse?
Is it because I overdid it?
"Seo-ah?"
Well, I was stabbed.
I was stabbed.
So I'm probably bleeding.
I don't know for sure yet.
"-Are you okay?"
Han Si-hoo reached out his arm.
Why is he coming closer?
He's too close.
My thoughts shut down.
"Hk!"
I covered my stomach with my hands.
My body leaned forward slightly.
Getting stabbed hurts.
I don't want to get hit, either.
It wasn't a conscious action, but a reflex.
"Ah."
I had unintentionally shown my wariness of Han Si-hoo.
When I think about it, it's meaningless.
Whether I cover my abdomen or not, it's not like it would offer any real defense.
Damn it.
I'm so weak.
Why is Yoo Seo-ah so weak?
"Ah..."
I lowered my hands and waited for my punishment.
Am I going to get hit? Am I going to get hit? Am I going to get hit?
I don't see a knife, so that's a relief.
If it's a fist, I can probably take one punch.
I've been hit by an academy student before.
Yeah. I can take it.
No.
But I don't want to be hit.
I still don't know why I was hit that time.
"No. It's not like that."
Han Si-hoo said, flustered, as he backed away.
It seems he wasn't trying to hit me.
"Oh, ah, right. I'm sorry."
I finally managed to speak.
I'm clearly overreacting.
I just can't think straight.
My head feels like it's overheating.
And I do actually have a fever.
"I know we're not friends anymore, but I know you wouldn't hit me, Si-hoo. Ah, I mean..."
I was rambling again.
It felt like I was saying anything to reassure myself.
Have I forgotten how to speak coherently?
"We're not friends?"
Han Si-hoo asked.
"Huh?"
"Well, I... I still thought of us as friends. If you don't want to, I can't force you, but I still think of you as my friend. Even now."
"Ah, we were still friends?"
If we can remain friends, that's good.
Yoo Seo-ah's friend list has been restored.
What a relief.
"Yeah. Of course."
Han Si-hoo said, his voice full of sincerity.
A reconfirmation of our friendship.
This is a meaningful event.
"So we're still friends."
I feel so relieved.
[2 hours 32 minutes]
I don't feel relieved.
Wasn't it four hours just a moment ago?
I need my medicine.
I have some left at home.
With that, I can hold on for a while.
When that runs out, I can just go to the doctor and buy more, right?
But I'll need a lot of money to buy it.
If I kill Han Si-hoo, I can get a lifetime supply of drugs.
That's what the doctor said.
Ah, can I kill him?
I quickly erased the thought that had just popped into my head.
There's no way I could kill him.
Why would I kill my friend?
Why would I kill someone who's helping me?
But the doctor is helping me a lot, too.
"Then, Si-hoo."
[2 hours 28 minutes]
I don't know.
Time is passing too quickly.
Let's deal with the medicine first and think about this later.
"Can I go home now?"
I need to get my drugs.