Chapter 110
Chapter 110
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Between Love and Resentment (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Why had Kang Haneul suddenly turned on her broadcast while drunk and started venting to her viewers?
She, who had refused to even confide in her fellow Greenhouse Academy students, claiming everything in this world was fake—why had she poured out her troubles to complete strangers whose faces she didn't even know?
To sum it up in one word, Kang Haneul's actions were close to utter desperation.
The emotions surging through her as she cracked open her first beer can were these.
Jealousy and resentment toward Ji Ye-won.
Disappointment and betrayal toward Ahn Su-ho.
And skepticism toward the world itself.
Kang Haneul's mental state was one where these negative emotions were firmly suppressing her love for Ahn Su-ho.
Everyone feels the urge to vent and expel negative emotions when they arise. Kang Haneul was no different.
The problem was that she had no way to release the negativity festering in her heart.
People usually seek comfort and empathy by confiding in others when times are tough, but there was no one around Kang Haneul she could do that with.
As a result, the negative emotions inside her just kept piling up. And once a large amount of alcohol entered the mix, she ended up turning on the broadcast in a half-desperate state.
The desire to vent to someone.
But not wanting to face the "characters" of this world she already knew by face.
Those conflicting feelings led Kang Haneul to conclude that she should spill her troubles to people online. On the surface, it sounded logically sound, but in truth, her actions had no logic at all. Strip away the fancy packaging, and it was just her doing something reckless on a drunken whim without thinking of the consequences.
"Anyway. I, I really don't get it? Actually, I'm prettier than that sister, right? That sister might be just a tiny, tiny bit prettier than me in the face. But that sister has this super, super skinny body, you know? But mine sticks out where it should and curves in where it should, right? And my face isn't bad at all. No, not me, my friend. My friend. That's what my friend says. Hmph. Shit..."
Having taken a break from broadcasting for a few days due to the kidnapping incident, she suddenly went live without any announcement. The viewer count was still low. But those few viewers were eagerly watching Kang Haneul's raw outpouring with great interest.
"Yeees? You keep getting calls but not picking up? I said I don't want to pick up like a million times! Right now, right now, I don't even know what I'd say if I did. Ughhh."
Ignoring the phone ringing behind her as best she could, Kang Haneul chugged her beer.
About an hour into the broadcast. The alcohol in her room was nearly gone. It had been a considerable amount, so she was well and truly plastered.
The viewers enjoyed watching her disheveled state, but some among them decided to play malicious pranks.
*Ka-ching!* ProNyeomChaengHoPpaAce donated 10,000 won!
>="Do the sexy Zero Two for 50k" "Zero Two for 50k...?"
Kang Haneul read the message from the viewer with a blank stare. Soon, displeasure flickered in her eyes.
"Damn it. Just because I'm drinking a bit, you send crap like this? Hey! I wrote in the notice that that's banned, didn't I?! You think I'm drunk? I'm not drunk at all! You're banned, banned! Die—! Ehehhehehet! Ugh! Uhh, ugh! Kkhiiiing..."
Like a bipolar patient, Kang Haneul alternated between crying and laughing. Perhaps finding her reaction amusing, another donation came right away.
*Ka-ching!* Cobin donated 10,000 won!
>="Then do the official drunk cat reaction, nya~." "Drunk cat...? I'm not in the mood for that today..."
*Ka-ching!* JacobdeGrom donated 10,000 won!
>="Listeners have been putting up with your venting for an hour already, so isn't it fair to tidy up at least once?" "Ah... Yeah, that makes sense? If it weren't for you viewers, I'd just be suffering alone, and venting it out has made me feel a bit relieved—"
*Ka-ching!* NariyaMulgeo donated 200,000 won!
>="Nariya, do nyaang~ nyaang~." "Nyaaang~"
The chat exploded at her capitulation to the power of money. Kang Haneul let out a wry chuckle at the sight.
She didn't even know what she was doing anymore. Just letting things happen as they would.
Suddenly, an indescribable wave of sorrow welled up inside Kang Haneul. She had started the broadcast herself, but after fighting with Ahn Su-ho, here she was, fawning over faceless viewers. Her situation felt pathetic and embarrassing.
*Riiiing ri ri ri ring!* The phone rang again.
Kang Haneul glanced at the phone tossed on the bed and deliberately ignored it.
But then.
*Thud thud!* The sharp impact sounds made Kang Haneul snap her head up. Her gaze turned to the window across the room.
"...Huh?"
Beyond the window loomed a dark human silhouette.
Startled, Kang Haneul stumbled to her feet. Her room was on the fifth floor of the building. No one should be passing by the window.
"W-What? Who are you—"
Kang Haneul's words didn't finish. The sudden intruder opened the unlocked window, slipped inside, and spewed forth thick black smoke.
*Fwoosh!* The black smoke obscured the streaming camera lens. As the screen went dark, bewildering the viewers, the mysterious intruder strode toward the computer. Only then did Kang Haneul recognize him.
"O-Oppa?"
"..."
Ahn Su-ho didn't reply. He silently stared at the monitor, closed the active browser window, then unplugged the camera and mic cables.
"Kang Haneul."
Only after shutting down the computer did Ahn Su-ho finally speak. His breath came in heavy gasps, as if he'd rushed over.
"Why didn't you pick up? I called so many times."
"...Because I didn't want to."
Tears welled up in Kang Haneul's eyes. She raised her voice and snapped at Ahn Su-ho.
"I didn't pick up because I didn't want to! Why? You think after saying that crap this morning, I'd sweetly answer with 'Oppa!' if you just called? You thought I would?!"
"Haneul. Quiet down a bit. If the next room hears—"
"Let them hear! Let them all hear! Heck, shout it to the whole neighborhood! Get disciplined for breaking into a girl's room without permission, Ahn Su-ho!"
"Hey, just quiet down—"
At that moment, the sharp alcohol scent hit him, and Ahn Su-ho furrowed his brow. Seeing the empty bottles scattered everywhere, he broke into a cold sweat.
'Just how much did she drink...?'
"Haneul. Calm down first. You're really drunk right now, so activate your avatar. Okay? Let's calm down and talk."
"No! Why should I do what you say? And I'm not drunk! Not drunk, hngh, huuuu..."
"Haneul?"
"Hngh! Go, go suck face with that Ji Ye-won or whatever! Hweeng. Why, I said I like you, why don't you like meee... Hik!"
"Hey, when did I say I don't like you? I like you—"
"If you want two-timing, then two-time! Do you even know how heartbroken I was hearing that... Hwaaaang!!"
*Thump thump thump!* The student next door pounded on the wall, annoyed by the noise. Ahn Su-ho sweated bullets. He was currently trespassing in the girls' dorm—if caught, it wouldn't end well.
"Kkhheeeeng, heup?"
"Haneul. Please. Please calm down. Activate your avatar first. Let's talk calmly. Okay? Please."
Ahn Su-ho desperately pleaded while covering her tearful, wailing mouth.
"Talk. Got it? Talk."
"..."
Sobbing, Kang Haneul looked up at Ahn Su-ho and slowly nodded. Soon, a pure white glow enveloped her body.
"..."
When Kang Haneul reappeared, she was in her usual avatar form from streams—sky-blue hair. Her swollen eyes and messy hair were all neatly fixed.
"............Ah."
Of course, the drunkenness had vanished too. Realizing her earlier disgrace late, Kang Haneul flushed red and shoved Ahn Su-ho away.
Kang Haneul bowed her head, avoiding Ahn Su-ho's gaze. He didn't press her either.
A brief silence settled between them.
"...Why'd you come?"
Finally, Kang Haneul asked, her rationality restored by the avatar ability. She posed the question to the man who had betrayed her at dawn.
"You were saying stuff on stream you shouldn't, so I figured I had to stop you."
"...Thanks for that. Is that it?"
"And I have something to say to you."
"About accepting two-timing, right?"
"Yeah."
"Oppa, do you really think that makes sense? Confessing to someone you like, then saying, 'Actually, there's one more person I like besides you, so let's all three live happily ever after'? You think that's normal?!"
"..."
"What about Ji Ye-won? Did she say she'd accept it?"
"...She said she respects my choice."
"Ha."
Kang Haneul's legs gave out, and she plopped onto the bed. Her face twisted in frustration as she neurotically ruffled her hair.
"...Two-timing. It's abnormal to accept it logically. But Ji Ye-won did. Oppa, do you get what that means?"
"............What?"
"It means Ji Ye-won isn't a real person—just a novel character."
A sudden leap in logic. But Kang Haneul calmly continued her explanation.
"When I read novels, harems or reverse harems always felt so contrived. Unless it's a medieval fantasy world, no sane modern person would laugh and accept group affairs, right? It's just the author sacrificing realism to please readers. Contrived. Author-convenient. Impossible in reality."
"..."
"Oppa. This morning, you said this world is real too."
But she couldn't accept it, Kang Haneul added.
No matter how real it seemed, its essence was still a novel. A contrived model garden filled with fabrications by the author Pleasure Heavenly Demon.
Proof? This world was rife with contrived plot developments. Take Ji Ye-won alone—or herself, nearly dying three times in under two months, living proof of the contrivance.
All the hardships, trials, pains, and sorrows she'd endured were evidence that this world was fake.
"...I totally get that."
Ahn Su-ho nodded slightly at Kang Haneul's impassioned plea. He'd suffered through contrived events too. If anything, even more than her.
"This world is definitely contrived. It's long since trashed any realism. But..."
Ahn Su-ho met her eyes. A faint, powerless smile tugged at his lips.
"So what if it lacks realism?"
"...What?"
"No realism. Contrived. Bizarre events that make you doubt if it's real. Things like that happened in our original world too, occasionally. Seen that way, our old world and this one aren't that different, are they?"
"...You're saying Ji Ye-won accepting two-timing is one of those things?"
"There's no guarantee our original world wasn't a model garden either."
Ahn Su-ho didn't answer her question directly. Instead, he shared a thought that had long lingered in his mind.
"What matters is how I perceive the world. If I think it's real, it is. If fake, then fake."
"You're saying that now—"
"Haneul. Did you fall for me because I'm not a character, but a real person?"
His words stopped Kang Haneul cold. Cowardly, she thought fleetingly.
"Not for me. Even when I wasn't sure if you were possessed or not, I liked you. Real or fake didn't matter. To me, Kang Haneul was just Kang Haneul. That's why I fell for you."
Just as she sensed, Ahn Su-ho's words were utterly cowardly.
Abandoning logical explanation to appeal to her emotions instead.
"You said this world is all fake. All meaningless."
"...That's."
"Then what about me? Was I just another meaningless character to you?"
Kang Haneul reflexively shook her head at the question.
No.
That's not it.
She hadn't fallen for Ahn Su-ho because of his "essence." It was simply the person Ahn Su-ho was, the way he'd shown himself, that captivated her.
Though she'd waffled because he might be a created character.
Paradoxically, that meant she'd loved him despite seeing him as a character. That was the truth.
"Haneul. Tell me. Why did you fall for me? Because you realized I'm possessed, from the original world just like you?"
"...No."
"Then?"
"Because... I just liked you, oppa..."
As she answered, Kang Haneul vaguely realized she was dancing to his tune. But that didn't make her words any less true.
"Even if you were a created being, I'd have loved you. And you me. That means, without realizing it, you've accepted this world—at least me—as real, not fake. What matters is how you accept it. Even if fake, if you treat it as real, it's real to the one accepting it."
"..."
"If I'd seen Ji Ye-won as just a novel character like you, knowing both of you loved me, I'd have chosen you without hesitation."
Tears pooled in Kang Haneul's eyes at his words.
It was mere hypotheticals, but to Kang Haneul, mentally exhausted after today's ordeal, those simple words were profoundly grateful and joyful.
"Really...?"
"Yeah. Probably. No, definitely."
Ahn Su-ho added to his answer.
But he'd accepted Ji Ye-won as a real person, not a character.
Just as Kang Haneul was real to him, so was Ji Ye-won. Thus, he couldn't give up either affection, undeserved as it was.
"So I got greedy. In this world that turns maliciously against me, being fully with the people I love might make it bearable."
Ultimately, Ahn Su-ho's logic hadn't advanced since that morning. Purely his selfish decision—a sophistry to convince her.
But even sophistry carried genuine emotion. And that emotion made Kang Haneul confront the core of their relationship.
Did she love Ahn Su-ho?
And did Ahn Su-ho love her?
She hadn't fully accepted the Ji Ye-won issue. But she'd rediscovered her love within, now surpassing jealousy and betrayal.
"............So you're still going two-timing. Couldn't refuse the undeserved love. You talk a good game. What are you, a drama lead...?"
Kang Haneul muttered sulkily, head bowed. Ahn Su-ho, having said his piece, silently watched her.
How much time passed like that?
"Oppa."
"Yeah."
"Do you love me?"
"I love you."
"You love me now?"
"I love you now."
"You'll keep loving me?"
"Yeah. From now on. Always. I'll keep loving you."
"...Then that's fine."
That's fine. As those words revealed, Kang Haneul ultimately gave up on compromise. Instead, she yielded a step.
"If you say it that much, I have to go along. You win."
Finally, Kang Haneul lifted her head. Large transparent teardrops glistened at her eyes' corners. But her expression wasn't purely sad.
"Doesn't mean I like two-timing. Honestly, I can't stand Ji Ye-won being by your side. But..."
Kang Haneul smiled wryly. The first smile since facing Ahn Su-ho.
"Since you want it, I'll be generous. Anyway, when we return to the original world, she can't follow since she's just a character..."
"Haneul..."
"But promise me two things."
Kang Haneul patted the bed beside her. As if telling him to sit. Ahn Su-ho nodded and sat next to her.
"First. No more girls. Ji Ye-won came before me, so unavoidable, but after that, no. Especially original heroines. Absolutely don't touch them. Let them date Ryu Tae-hyun nicely. Got it?"
"Yeah. Got it."
"And second."
Kang Haneul stared up at Ahn Su-ho intently. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
"...I said I'd be generous, but I can't accept losing to some character."
"Lose? To me, you're just as much as Ji Ye-won—"
"Not that. I mean, in our relationship, I don't want to lag behind her. You said she confessed first? So how far did you go? Held hands? Solo date? Kissed?"
"W-What?"
"Whatever. However far you went with her..."
*Push.* Kang Haneul shoved Ahn Su-ho roughly. He, sitting on the bed, toppled backward onto it.
"...Today, I'll take the lead."
Without hesitation, Kang Haneul straddled him. Feeling the soft sensation on his lower abdomen, Ahn Su-ho asked in panic.
"H-Haneul? What are you doing right now?"
"Th-This is my second request! If you won't agree, then forget it! Go suck face with her alone!"
"A-Are you in your right mind?"
"I am now."
*Flash!* The next instant, light enveloped Kang Haneul's body as her avatar deactivated. Back to her original self, her cheeks glowed with drunken pink.
"Hey, you..."
Kang Haneul whispered stickily into Ahn Su-ho's ear.
"But not anymore."