Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: From the Rooftop's Edge
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Jin-seong gazed at the heavy snowflakes.
He recalled Mi-yeon's inner thoughts.
[It's been a while since I listened to a song I used to enjoy. The bright melody contrasts with how I feel like I'm the only one left behind.]
[The heroine in the movie looked so, so happy, but my life feels so small and pathetic.]
[Why is this happening? Why am I even alive? Is it right to live this miserably? Wouldn't it be better to just die?]
[I hate Yoo Jin-seong. I hate living diligently. I hate changing. I hate believing everyone can change like him.]
Jin-seong scratched his cheek with his index finger.
Next, he recalled his own words.
[No matter how hard I try, my life doesn't change dramatically overnight.]
[Even if you put in the effort, it won't change dramatically all at once.]
[But the more you try, the more it changes little by little, so subtly you can't even see it, gradually.]
Looking back belatedly,
it felt like the wrong thing to say.
He had spoken to a despairing person with the nuance of, "Live diligently like me. If you work hard like me, your life will change."
From Mi-yeon's perspective,
it must have sounded like a high-level player decked out in unique gear bragging about their weapons to a newbie clutching a rusty dagger.
"Even I think... my words were pretty tasteless..."
From the start, he shouldn't have uttered the word "effort" about himself.
Mentioning effort while using cheat abilities was deceptive.
'I was too reckless.'
Of course, Jin-seong's intention
was completely different.
Jin-seong wanted to help Mi-yeon. He wanted to prevent her suicide. He wanted to give hope to the defeated woman.
Just as he lived with hope.
He hoped Mi-yeon could have hope too.
He hoped she could shake off despair and stand up.
'Then, how can I give Mi-yeon hope? How can I make my words and actions not sound tasteless?'
To comfort the frustrated Mi-yeon.
To comfort a despairing person.
How should he do it?
'Ugh, I don't know. It's hard.'
The world seemed truly complicated.
He thought reading people's inner thoughts had deepened his understanding of human nature, but he realized he was actually ignorant.
He arrived at the gym.
With heavy snow falling today and needing to stop Mi-yeon's suicide in the evening, he visited the gym in the morning.
'Skip the jog. Too bad, but no choice.'
He changed into workout clothes. As usual, he checked his weight, did thorough stretching, and ran on the treadmill.
3 minutes walking, 3 minutes running.
Again.
3 minutes walking, 3 minutes running.
He repeated walking and running.
"Jin-seong, long time no see."
"Oh? Myung-ho hyung? Hey."
"Wow, you've lost even more weight since last time? Your face looks even more handsome too. Do you take care of your hair? It seems fuller."
Lee Myung-ho scanned Jin-seong up and down as he ran on the treadmill.
Thicker hair. Slimmer build. Handsomer features. Healthy complexion.
A change on the level of heaven and earth. He had become a completely different person.
[Inner Thoughts: Wow, he's really amazing.]
[Inner Thoughts: Losing weight isn't easy at all, so how hard must he be grinding to shed it so quickly?]
Jin-seong scratched his cheek with his index finger.
The extreme praise made him honestly embarrassed.
'I could change quickly thanks to Era of Success...'
On the other hand,
praise makes even a whale dance.
He felt good.
The corners of his mouth lifted on their own.
"Myung-ho hyung, I have a question."
A question?
"How can you give hope to someone in deep depression who's thinking of ending their own life?"
To Jin-seong's question,
"It's tough."
Lee Myung-ho's answer was skeptical.
"No matter how much good advice you give Jin-seong, or how much you comfort them for a thousand days, they won't hear your voice."
"......"
Lee Myung-ho moistened his throat with water.
"There are two realistic ways. One, take them to the hospital. Two, coax them gently with promises of tasty food."
"......"
Lee Myung-ho walked on the treadmill.
"Mental illness is much deeper, darker, scarier, and more painful than you think, Jin-seong."
"......"
He gave a bitter smile.
He changed the subject.
"Are you reading the book I recommended?"
"Yeah, a little every day."
"Good. Very good."
"It's tough, but good."
Jin-seong checked his shop tab while running.
'Giving hope... is nearly impossible...'
His gaze fixed on an item.
'Still... even so... I hope she can hold onto hope...'
The item's name was Mental Recovery Potion.
Mental Recovery Potion
[Effect: Restores 1% of the mind upon consumption. Brings 24 hours of peace to the heart.]
He read the item description over and over.
'At least for me... thanks to Era of Success... there are plenty of ways to help...'
Having resolved to stop the suicide,
having decided to save her,
he was determined to save her no matter what.
Jin-seong didn't think death was only the end of the body. He considered the collapse of the mind as death too.
"Myung-ho hyung, I think I've finally found the answer to how I want to live."
"Really?"
Jin-seong nodded.
He focused on his workout.
[Inner Thoughts: Why's he working out so ferociously? Running, push-ups, burpees, jump rope, strength training...]
[Inner Thoughts: No wonder he lost the weight so fast.]
Lee Myung-ho clicked his tongue in admiration.
Mi-yeon was doing clerical work.
'I want to die...'
She left her shabby studio for work.
'I want to die...'
With pretty makeup.
Neat clothes.
A clear, kind expression as she walked.
Eyes turned to Mi-yeon.
Passersby looked back.
Office workers walking by lost their composure.
A student's face flushed.
Regardless,
her gaze lacked focus.
Her consciousness held no others.
No noise reached her ears.
'I don't want to live...'
Lately, the joys of living were fading away.
No hobbies were fun anymore.
Even sweet desserts tasted bland.
No one to trust and rely on.
Not a speck of hope to be found.
Only frustration and despair filled her.
'Tasteless!'
She ran into Jin-seong again today.
'Dog food!'
What a strange thing.
Just encountering Jin-seong soured her mood.
Irritation swirled in her hollow, empty heart like a paper lantern.
'That real bastard. Changed again. Handsomer again. Thinner again. Total tasteless. Want to punch him.'
She cursed inwardly but smiled outwardly.
She was skilled at wearing masks.
"Mi-yeon, is something bothering you?"
To Jin-seong's question,
"Huh?!"
Her poker face cracked. Her expression stiffened. Her pupils dilated.
"You don't look so good."
"...?"
Honestly, she was quite flustered.
"Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"No."
She shook her head a couple times.
"Busy with work. Later."
She passed by Jin-seong. Actually, it wasn't just passing; she was fleeing in panic from Jin-seong who had read her inner thoughts.
This was the third time.
Someone had read her inner thoughts.
'I want to die...'
As the irritation subsided, the intense depression returned.
'I don't want to live...'
She thought getting annoyed at Jin-seong was better.
She got off work.
'Not yet...'
The street food stall was preparing to open.
She suddenly craved a bowl of udon from the stall after a long time.
'Don't want to live.'
Should she just die?
'Yeah, let's die.'
She no longer had the confidence to keep living.
Living was more horrific than dying.
She went up to the rooftop.
She tried to jump.
'Why?'
Mi-yeon couldn't help but be puzzled.
'Why on earth?'
She bit her lip in confusion.
"Why!!"
Her body wouldn't move.
She couldn't jump.
Her mind was full of thoughts of jumping, but her body refused. She couldn't even twitch a finger.
"Mi-yeon."
A voice came from behind.
It was a voice she knew well.
'Tasteless?'
She turned around.
Jin-seong was there. He approached. She shook her head. Don't come closer. Don't stop me. I want to die here.
"It's dangerous. Come down."
She shook her head vigorously.
"Come on."
She shook her head side to side.
"Hold my hand."
Side to side.
"You still have to eat."
Side to side.
Mi-yeon swatted away Jin-seong's hand.
She looked behind her.
She would jump. But regrettably, she couldn't.
"Ha..."
Mi-yeon collapsed to the ground right there. She buried her face in her knees. Tears flowed from sorrow and pitifulness.
She cried for a long time.
"You okay?"
"Tasteless."
"Huh?"
"You're tasteless. I really hate you."
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"Mi-yeon, it's cold out. Instead of staying here, how about we go to the street food stall for a bowl of udon?"
Street food stall? Udon?
"...No."
"You say yes? Let's go."
He grabbed Mi-yeon's arm. He pulled her to her feet.
"...Are you deaf? Are they just for show?"
"Oh? You like udon?"
"Seriously?! Why ignore what I say?"
"I like udon too."
"Hey!!"
"You can't die anyway, Mi-yeon."
"......"
Jin-seong swallowed the rest.
He'd used the Action Restriction Pass (One-Time Use) item.
"You're really tasteless!"
"Yeah, I'm tasteless."
Mi-yeon shut her mouth. She gave up resisting. She meekly followed him and sat on a stall chair.
It had been preparing just moments ago.
Now it was open for business.
"Ha... Why the hell am I..."
She had tried to kill herself,
so why was she eating udon with you?
Why with someone as tasteless as you drop to dog food level?
Unhappiness Diary page 3 has been deleted.
All misfortunes have been averted.
At the company,
Jin-seong and Mi-yeon ran into each other.
"Mi-yeon, have some coffee."
"No thanks."
"Aw, don't make me feel awkward. Take it."
He half-forced the paper cup into her hand.
Mi-yeon looked down at the paper cup.
"You didn't put anything weird in it, right?"
Jin-seong flinched.
His pupils trembled faintly.
'How did she know?'
He had mixed an item into the coffee.
"I'll drink it well."
Mi-yeon took a sip of the coffee.
"......"
Was it his imagination?
Her already gentle face softened even more.
A warmth and freshness appeared in her previously empty eyes.
[Inner Thoughts: Warm. Cozy.]
[Inner Thoughts: Tasteless guy brews good coffee.]
Favorability: 10
Today,
is the day for a date with Park Ha-yeon.