I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Suicide

Chapter 80

Thud.

White Sheep watched indifferently as the instructor collapsed before her.

On her way here, she had encountered numerous enemies. Most were no match for her, but a few had displayed formidable skills.

It was unusual. Logically, academy students shouldn’t be stronger than heroes. They were still inexperienced and lacked real combat experience.

However, it was the students who had proven the most threatening among her opponents. Some of them felt oddly different, as if they had a foreign power enhancing their abilities.

All of this led her to one conclusion: they must have used some unnatural means to rapidly increase their strength.

If even ordinary students could become this powerful, then those who were already strong must have reached terrifying levels.

She couldn’t afford to waste any time. She had to retrieve the Holy Grail as quickly as possible.

The boy she had encountered previously was likely carrying it. Where could he be?

White Sheep strode down the empty school corridors. Naturally, everyone had evacuated to safer areas.

The number of people she encountered dwindled. That didn’t matter much; she wasn’t searching for just anyone. She was looking for a particular boy.

As she walked, she suddenly stopped.

For some reason, she felt her gaze drawn to a classroom.

2-A

She peered through the window into the empty room. A wave of familiarity and melancholy washed over her, compelling her to enter.

The outside was chaotic, a fierce battle raging somewhere nearby. But inside, the classroom was serene and quiet.

Sunlight filtered through the windows, and a gentle breeze swayed the curtains. She wandered around, trailing her hand across the desks.

When she reached the teacher’s podium, she noticed a class roster. She hesitated for a moment, then opened it without further thought.

There were around thirty photos and names filling the roster, students from this class.

Among them, she spotted familiar faces: Kim Si woo and Han Si-hyun, the kids she had met in Japan.

She looked through each picture, one by one, as if searching for a memory that might resurface.

Then her gaze lingered on two names.

Sophie, Yoo Hana

The two names were placed side by side, as if they were close friends. But unlike the others, there were no photos above their names.

Instead, a single word was written over each name:

Expelled (Deceased)

“…”

An unexplainable emotion churned inside her.

No matter how much she traced the names with her fingers, no memories surfaced.

Why were there no photos?

If she could see them, maybe something would change.

Could Yoo Hana truly be her?

And Sophie…

She had resolved that even if she regained her memories, she would continue to live as White Sheep. She had no desire to betray her teacher and allies by siding with humanity.

Yet, she couldn’t deny her curiosity.

Had she really lived in this class as the girl named Yoo Hana?

What kind of life had she led then? What had she thought?

Why did she feel such strange emotions when she looked at Kim Si woo?

And why did her heart ache every time she thought of the name Sophie?

She wanted someone to tell her why.

She wanted her memories back.

“I didn’t expect to find you here.”

A voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and White Sheep instantly went on guard.

Standing at the back door was a girl whose face she had just seen in the roster.

Han Si-hyun.

“You are…”

White Sheep’s voice trailed off, recognizing her.

Despite their obvious enmity, Han Si-hyun didn’t seem eager for a fight.

The last time they met, she’d been bandaged, but now she looked exactly as she did in the photo—unblemished, her stoic beauty undiminished.

“Does looking at that roster bring anything back to you?”

“…”

“Guess not. That’s too bad.”

White Sheep hesitated. Normally, attacking without conversation would be the best choice.

But, just as a girl rather than an Apostle, she asked, “You know who I am, don’t you?”

“Well, I’d need to see your face behind the mask to be certain.”

“Are you asking me to take off my mask?”

Han Si-hyun responded with a faint, enigmatic smile.

“I’m not forcing you. It’s up to you. If you’re curious, take it off. If not, leave it.”

“…”

White Sheep remained silent, then slowly reached up and removed her mask.

As her face was revealed, Han Si-hyun observed her calmly, nodding as if confirming a long-held suspicion.

“You really are Yoo Hana.”

Though her features had sharpened slightly, her gentle eyes, the faint amber glow that had dulled a bit, and the small mole on her left cheek—all confirmed it.

“If you have questions, go ahead. I’ll answer as best I can.”

Questions?

There were so many she didn’t even know where to start.

But there was one she needed to ask first.

“Who is Sophie?”

Sophie.

She wanted to know about the owner of that name.

She had met Kim Si woo, Han Si-hyun, and herself as Yoo Hana.

But she had never encountered Sophie.

Apart from the two syllables of her name, she knew nothing—not her appearance, age, or even gender.

Of course, she could make some guesses.

Perhaps Sophie was a girl, based on her name.

She was likely the same age as her, as she had just checked the class roster.

What did she look like?

Did she have yellow hair like hers?

Or maybe black hair or stark white hair, like Shark’s?

It would be nice if her eyes were emerald green, sparkling like gemstones.

And so, her imagination ran in countless directions, but it always came back to one image.

Eyes as blue as the ocean.

Shining like stars in the night sky, looking at her.

With a gentle smile, she would extend a hand.

And say…

“…”

But her imagination always ended there.

She could never picture what Sophie would say.

Or maybe she couldn’t bring herself to.

“Sophie… I see. Even without your memories, she still holds a place in your heart, doesn’t she?”

Han Si-hyun sighed softly, her gaze lowering.

Her voice was calm but laced with a subtle heaviness.

“Sophie was your roommate in this class… and your best friend.”

As she listened, White Sheep pieced together an image of the girl.

“She had red hair and blue eyes, with adorable freckles. She was as lively and cheerful as she looked, and she was kind to everyone.”

I see.

Blue eyes, just as she had imagined.

Even a faint trace of happiness flickered within White Sheep at the confirmation.

But then Han Si-hyun fell silent, leaving White Sheep puzzled and impatient.

“And… where is Sophie now?”

“Sophie was gentle… and she cared about you very much. More than she did herself.”

“…What?”

The strange response made White Sheep repeat her question, though she couldn’t shake an inexplicable unease creeping up on her.

But Han Si-hyun didn’t lie to her.

She knew that being gentle to the point of deception could sometimes be more harmful.

Finally, she told the truth.

“Sophie sacrificed her life for you.”

“…”

White Sheep’s gaze wavered slightly.

But only for a moment.

Quickly quelling her emotions, she answered with a steady tone.

“I see. So Sophie is dead.”

Han Si-hyun frowned subtly at her calmness.

Even without memories, it was unnatural for her to show no sign of shock.

Especially since she’d shown a clear attachment to Sophie.

The fact that she could so quickly dismiss that attachment didn’t sit right.

“Then, that’s all I needed to know. I have no further questions.”

It was clearly a lie.

She was shaken.

Pretending to be unaffected, she was merely putting on a front.

“I’ll be leaving now. As thanks for sharing, I’ll let you go this time. Goodbye.”

White Sheep hurriedly turned to leave.

Feeling the urgency, Han Si-hyun called out.

One sentence that could change everything.

“The Black Goat is the one who killed Sophie.”

“…What do you mean?”

“The leader of the group you’re with, the Black Goat, tried to kill you. Sophie sacrificed herself to save you.”