Park Ha-rin's Suspicion

Chapter 6

After the alley fire, Se-eun and I were taken to Seongbuk Police Station for questioning.

Seongbuk-dong was one of Seoul's wealthiest neighborhoods, but being rich didn't earn us ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠any gentler treatment.

"If you keep denying what you did, you're only going to make things worse for yourself."

"..."

The officer barely knew me, yet he was already trying to frighten a confession out of me.

In my head, true to its eroge nature, there was a fantasy of being interrogated by a sexy female officer noona in a miniskirt, but it fell through by the narrowest of margins.

It was because the male officers, seeing the female officer noonas' faces flush as they looked at me, stepped up and insisted they be the ones to detain and interrogate me.

'Fucking bastards...'

Not being able to spend time with the sexy female officer noonas... truly, the world was so unsatisfying.

We were being questioned about suspected arson ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and public indecency.

Apparently, lighting my uniform on fire and standing around in my underwear had drawn attention.

When the police arrived, I'd briefly considered borrowing Se-eun's skirt. Somehow, I doubted she'd have agreed.

We both denied starting the blaze. There was no CCTV in the alley, and nobody had actually seen me light anything.

—I'm telling you, the thing was defective! It caught fire on its own! What do you want from me?

That was what I wanted to say. Instead, I lowered my eyes and played the frightened Si-hyun.

"Park Si-hyun, was it? Burning that bag was reckless. The material resists catching fire, but once it ignites, it's extremely difficult to put out. What were you thinking?"

I hadn't expected the bag or uniform to burn so fiercely. Perhaps their unusual materials explained it.

"If it was an accident, we can take that into account. But you need to tell us the truth. You're responsible, aren't you?"

"N-no... I didn't..."

'Then show me your proof.'

I looked around the disinfectant-scented station. Under ordinary circumstances, I'd have been terrified.

『Passive <Optimal Progression> completion increased by 2.18%.』

『Passive <Optimal Progression> is active.』

But instead of panic, I felt an odd, detached calm.

It was like watching someone else's playthrough from the safety of a screen.

And that wasn't all.

『Protagonist Synchronization Rate will increase across the board!』

『Protagonist Synchronization Rate 125% → 131%』

Apparently, breaking away from the original protagonist's behavior increased my Synchronization Rate.

'I still don't know exactly what this rate measures. But if acting independently earns rewards, escaping Ha-rin may be the right path.'

I glanced across the room.

Several officers were whispering to one another, distracted by something across the room.

I followed their gazes and grimaced.

"Sniff... I really don't know. I can't remember what happened. My brother's been acting strange lately, but I don't know what he did..."

"Oh, you poor thing. Are you all right, sweetheart?"

Se-eun sat across from a policewoman, performing an award-worthy impression of a helpless victim.

'She's scared of Ha-rin, sure, but does she have to make me look guilty?'

Tremble.

'You little traitor!'

"I didn't see anything... Does that mean it's my fault, too...?"

Her tearful expression made her look innocent beyond doubt, whatever had actually happened.

"Of course not! None of this is your fault."

For an instant, she lowered her head and smiled to herself.

'She ought to be on television.'

Ha-rin had really done a number on both of us.

Then—

BANG!

My interrogator slammed his palm on the desk.

"Hey! Are you listening? Do you understand how serious this is? You were sober, you have no medical record explaining this behavior, and you set a fire while standing there half-naked! That's not normal! What kind of lunatic does that?"

"..."

'Did you have to call me a lunatic, Officer? I'm doing my best not to use my family's influence here.'

Optimal Progression had made the plan easy to carry out. Facing the consequences was another matter.

Still, I didn't regret it.

'Spend a day under Ha-rin's surveillance. Then tell me destroying a few bugs was unreasonable.'

I'd been fighting to stay alive.

I had also needed Se-eun's support. Despite everything, I thought I'd made progress.

Given another chance, I probably would have done it again.

"You're a student, but you put the public at risk. You can't just walk away from something like this."

In an ordinary world, he would have been right.

Unfortunately, this world had never behaved like an ordinary one.

Click.

The rules here seemed to make less sense with every passing hour.

Click. Click.

Heels clicked across the floor. The interrogating officer stopped talking and turned toward the entrance.

Conversations faltered, then died. The station went quiet.

Thump. Thump.

Of course it did. The woman approaching me could silence a room without speaking.

Silver-white hair entered my field of vision. My hands clenched together.

I caught a familiar trace of perfume, and every muscle in my body locked up.

...

『Passive <Optimal Progression> is active.』

Even with the skill helping me—

『Passive <Optimal Progression> is active.』

—I still froze beneath her gaze.

Cool fingers settled on my shoulder. I couldn't make myself turn around.

"Si-hyun."

Her quiet voice brushed my ear.

I managed to lift my head, though every instinct told me not to.

There she was.

"Why won't you look at your sister?"

Park Ha-rin stood beside me, smiling with unfocused eyes.

* * *

Her golden eyes seemed to pierce straight through me, as if she were examining something hidden beneath my skin.

Her face was perfectly still, without a trace of warmth.

The shadows beneath her eyes made her look almost inhuman.

They were dry, unblinking, utterly expressionless.

"...."

How could anyone look at another person like that?

Terror left me speechless.

Her stare stripped away my ability to think.

Then—

Bzzzt—

A blurred notification flickered above her head.

『Park Ha-rin strongly suspects that your soul is not that of Protagonist Park Si-hyun.』

『If Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level reaches 100%...』

Then—

『...you will die.』

The warning felt like a fist closing around my heart.

Her eyes narrowed.

Beep.

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 98.7%』

My chest tightened.

I was already on the edge of disaster.

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 98.9%』

One wrong move, and I was dead.

As our eyes met, the display ticked up again: 『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 99.0%』.

I had only one thought.

'Ah, shit.'

* * *

"S-Sis!!"

Without even a second thought, I drove my forehead straight into my sister's huge breasts. Her enormous chest jiggled against my cheeks as I rubbed my face against it wildly.

Those breasts, bigger than my own face, pressed plumply over the side of my face.

"...I missed you!"

I went through the familiar motions, but my thoughts remained unnervingly clear.

'What the hell is happening?'

I'd never seen the System behave this way.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 99.0%』

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 98.9%』

'Come on. Calm down. Please, just calm down.'

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 99.0%』

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 98.9%』

The number swung back and forth while my heartbeat slowed with unnatural precision.

I forced myself to smile up at her.

Ha-rin watched me with narrowed eyes.

'How did she figure it out so quickly? I've been here only a few hours. Who immediately suspects a stolen body?'

I cursed inwardly and gave her my most devoted look. Her obsession with Si-hyun was the only vulnerability I knew how to exploit.

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 99.1%』

That hadn't worked.

'Am I really going to die here?'

Ninety-nine percent. She was practically certain.

Which meant—

'Am I going to die before the story even begins?'

Ding.

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 99.2%』

'...No.'

As I looked at Park Ha-rin's soft cleavage, the images of the other heroines' curvy, bombshell bodies flashed before my eyes. So many breasts were still waiting for me.

'...No. ...I'm gonna live. I'm definitely going to survive for a long, long time and get rid of this virgin tag! With this insanely hot face, I'm gonna seduce every last woman out there!'

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 99.3%』

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes remained full of suspicion.

But—

'I still have 0.7% left.'

Think. I needed something that would make this version of Si-hyun believable to her.

『Passive <Optimal Progression> is active.』

The notification flashed, and an idea took shape.

There might be one way out.

'Give her a reason for the change. Something she understands—and might even welcome.'

I grabbed the interrogation desk and heaved it upward.

『<Optimal Progression> allocated to Strength.』

And then—

"GAAAAAH!"

I smashed the desk against the floor, splintering the wood.

'If she decides I'm unstable like her, she might accept it.'

『<Optimal Progression> allocated to Acting Ability.』

CRASH!

The desk broke apart. The officer stared in disbelief.

I snatched up a long splinter and waved it like a club.

"I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T START THE FIRE!"

I struck the floor over and over until the wood began to crack in my hands.

I had to keep going.

"AAAAAH! FUCK!"

I let out every bit of fury I'd been hiding, striking the floor until the makeshift club nearly disintegrated.

"What?!"

Everyone was staring. Even my interrogator had forgotten how to shout.

Ha-rin looked surprised. Then a delighted smile slowly spread across her face.

I dropped the shattered wood and sat down as though nothing had happened.

'Anger problems. That's my explanation, and I'm sticking to it.'

At last, she had a reason for my strange behavior that she might believe.

Whether she'd accept it was another question.

'I've done everything I can. If she still kills me...'

I struggled to catch my breath, then dared another glance at her.

"You must have been frightened, Si-hyun."

Suddenly, a gentle voice rang out, and Park Ha-rin smiled elegantly. Then she tightly embraced me against her full bosom.

Ding-

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 82%』

Without letting go, she raised a hand and gently stroked my head, full of affection.

"It's okay. Big sister's here, after all."

Her manner was gentle, as if she were indulging my childish clinginess.

'Huh?'

As I rubbed my face against her cleavage, the Suspicion Level dropped rapidly.

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 44%』

'Did that actually work?'

The falling percentages were the only proof I needed.

『Park Ha-rin's Suspicion Level - 38%』

Thump. Thump.

The crushing pressure in my chest finally eased.

With the danger gone, my strength seemed to drain out of me.

'I survived.'

The officers were staring, but I was far too relieved to care.

Se-eun and I had agreed to play along with Ha-rin for now.

My younger sister still looked at me as though I were insane. I couldn't blame her.

There was just one more obstacle.

I relied on the original Si-hyun's most dependable defense: tears.

"B-big sister... They say I'm going to prison... I'm sorry. I don't think I can stay with you anymore..."

I sobbed as convincingly as I could.

Whenever the original Si-hyun got into trouble, he begged Ha-rin to save him. I needed to look just as helpless.

Ha-rin stroked my cheek and held my gaze.

Then she leaned closer and whispered.

"Don't worry, Si-hyun. No one can take you away from me."

Her gleaming golden irises grew increasingly bewitching. Her appearance and aura were so alluring that one could be drawn in without realizing it. No wonder the protagonist is totally hooked on her.

Ha-rin smoothed my hair before turning toward a nearby policewoman. The officer went rigid.

"May I take Si-hyun home?"

One quiet question was enough.

The policewoman went pale and began nodding.

"Y-yes! Of course! There was a misunderstanding. Our junior officer was careless. We had no reason to detain him, and I sincerely apologize."

"How amusing. Do take care on your way home. Come along, Si-hyun."

Ha-rin linked arms with me and walked past the officer, whose face had gone gray.

Se-eun followed. No one tried to stop us.

Click. Click.

The man who'd been shouting at me lowered his eyes as we passed.

Ha-rin's heels echoed through the silence.

Behind us, the policewoman bowed again and again.

Only after we were out of earshot did Ha-rin's expression twist.

"Useless bitch."

'Right. There was definitely something wrong with her.'

A woman ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠who's crazy to the extreme, not just in her face, but in her mind as well.

Still, those bouncing breasts were huge.