I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Sui**de

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“…What?”

“I said I’m a science teacher.”

That’s not why I asked again.

Why is this man so calm?

“I’m not a strange person. So please retract your abilities.”

The sparks surrounding Shin Woo trembled.

Upon hearing that, there was no way I’d drop my suspicions.

However, using abilities in this situation isn’t the best option either.

This self-proclaimed science teacher isn’t hostile towards me.

If he’s a teacher of a non-combat subject, he must be powerless.

Threatening a civilian with abilities is a serious crime.

It goes beyond just breaking school rules.

Shin Woo, glaring at him, ultimately retracted his ability.

The sparks disappeared, but he still held the man by his collar.

“Why is this science teacher in a female student’s room?”

“It’s personal business. And I’ll return the question: how did you get into the female student dormitory?”

“I’m Hana’s friend!”

“I’m the teacher.”

The man smiled nonchalantly.

Is there anyone who wouldn’t feel irritated by that?

“Please let go. If I were the suspicious person you seem to think I am, why would I be sitting idly next to the asleep Hana?”

“Isn’t sitting next to her itself a problem?”

“Of course. But it was Hana who asked me to.”

“…Don’t joke. You think I’d believe that ridiculous lie?”

Shin Woo’s hostility only grew.

Even so, the science teacher remained completely composed.

“It’s unfortunate that you keep going with that. I was quite close with Hana. Of course, as a student and teacher.”

“Hana and I are in the same class.”

“That’s impressive.”

“It means I’ve never taken a class from someone like you! What exactly made Hana close to you?”

“We became friends last year. Were we in the same class then?”

Shin Woo bit his lip.

It’s true that in the first year, Hana and I were in different classes.

If they really became friends back then, it wouldn’t be strange for Shin Woo not to know.

But…

Could that genuinely be the case?

Caught in conflict for a while, I finally let go of his collar.

He simply brushed off his clothes as if it was a natural consequence, showing no strong reaction.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I completely eased my doubts.

“Go ahead. I’ll take care of Hana.”

“Ah, so you must be quite special to her. I’m a bit disappointed then.”

“…Ha. Disappointed?”

Forget being a science teacher; this guy who wears glasses sure knows how to press my buttons.

“Do you really think that rope is just for decoration?”

“…”

“Yes. That’s right. Hana was trying to die. On her own.”

“No way. Hana wouldn’t do that.”

The truth, however, was already known.

Kyung Ah had told me everything.

I know that Hana self-harmed with a cutter knife all night long.

That she desperately tried to hide that truth from me too.

“Shin Woo, denying it won’t change reality. Hana tried to take her own life. If I hadn’t shown up in time…”

“It was you?”

“Hmm.”

How should I accept a fact that’s hard to believe?

Instantaneously acknowledging it would be close to impossible.

Most people deny it first.

Just like he said, denying it doesn’t change reality.

Thus, I’m led to the next step.

Compromise.

Or delusion.

Both share a common ground.

They can’t accept the truth as it is, so they attach their own reasons to it.

If it’s somewhat realistic, it’s a compromise.
If it’s absolute nonsense, it’s delusion.

Is Shin Woo in the stage of compromise or delusion right now?

The answer, I’m sure, he himself doesn’t even know.

“Didn’t you encourage Hana to commit suicide? Or perhaps you cleverly orchestrated this whole thing…”

Maybe.

The reason he created could very well be the truth.

However, the bespectacled man merely clicked his tongue in pity.

At least based on that reaction, it seemed far from the truth.

“I’ll give you the easiest and simplest answer.”

He pointed to the sleeping girl.

“Wake her up. And just ask her directly.”

“…”

“Why, can’t you? Are you scared to face the truth?”

He was right.

The truth about all this could be found by asking Hana.

But Shin Woo couldn’t do that.

“I think I understand what you’re afraid of.”

You think I’m scared?

Of what?

I don’t know.

You think you know my fear, something even I don’t understand?

Like a serpent tempting Eve.

He wielded sweet words and flicked his tongue.

“The fact that you had no idea about the pain that Hana endured — enough to consider suicide — is horrifyingly terrifying for you, isn’t it?”

“I-I… No. That’s not it.”

“Why did your always-bright childhood friend suddenly attempt suicide? You can’t wrap your head around it, can you?”

Breaths quickened.

My hands began to tremble slightly.

The serpent whispered in my ear.

“Do you want to know?”

An irresistibly sweet proposal.

“…You know, don’t you?”

That question was practically agreement in itself.

Both of them knew the truth.

“Hana is suffering from a chronic illness.”

“It’s a heart disease. If she takes her medication regularly, she has no problems.”

“That’s a lie. It’s far worse, more painful, and far deadlier than a mere illness.”

“No. She told me directly. It can’t be a lie…”

Memories of the past flashed through Shin Woo’s mind.

The day Hana was accidentally seen giving herself an injection.

She explained, with an awkward smile, that she had recently developed a chronic illness.

“It’s a white lie. It’s from a desire to avoid worrying you.”

“…”

Is that really true?

Please tell me it’s not so.

Please wake up and tell me that man’s words are all lies.

Hana lay there quietly, eyes closed with no words.

The answer wasn’t provided by anything else but the brain was speaking instead.

Those trivial moments I once brushed off as nothing.

As they accumulated, the anxiety only grew.

“How long has she been barely holding on with cheap painkillers?”

When did Hana start using injections?

She likely revealed her illness when she was around 13 years old.

Maybe she was using them long before that.

“I don’t even know… How do you know all this?”

“Well, maybe Hana needed someone she could honestly open up to.”

A support.

That word struck painfully.

Shin Woo had always firmly believed he was that person.

“It’s not just that. The ridicule and scorn she received as the only powerless student in the academy, the isolation. Did you really not suspect any of it?”

There’s no way.

I recalled just yesterday, Hana was with Hong Yeonhwa.

Even considering Yeonhwa’s rough personality, she didn’t look like a friend at all.

If only I had shown a bit more interest back then.

Might this not have happened?

Regret flooded in like a tide.

Something important in my chest ebbed away, leaving nothing but void and despair.

“I shared many things with her. I listened to her and was by her side, gave her medication.”

He showed me a vial.

“Much more than mere painkillers. It’s a medicine that makes you forget the pain and brings happiness.”

“…”

“In that time, what did you do?”

“I…”

I couldn’t answer.

I couldn’t respond.

The serpent pointed behind me.

There, hanging from the sky, was a rope.

“Are you able to say that you had no responsibility for that?”

That was more fatal than any attack I’d ever received in life.

A sharp knife seemed to pierce my insides.

Breath escaped me.

“As a teacher who truly cares for her, there’s only one thing I want to tell you.”

“…What is it?”

“Let her go.”

*

Shin Woo left the female dormitory.

With a vacant expression, as if lost.

“I didn’t expect you to come out here.”

At that moment, a girl spoke to him.

It was Han Si-hyun.

“…Han Si-hyun.”

“What’s up? You look like you saw a ghost. Why that expression?”

With no mirror around, I couldn’t tell what expression I had.

I didn’t particularly want to know either.

“Do you know anything about Hana?”

“Hana? Yu Hana? She follows you around every day. Aren’t you the one who knows her best?”

Yeah. That’s all there is to it.

If you asked others in different classes, they’d say the same.

Shin Woo thought the same too.

But that wasn’t true.

The one who knew nothing about her was none other than myself.

The person Hana was leaning on wasn’t me.

It was that damn science teacher.

The image of her brushing her hair aside still lingered vividly in my mind.

For some reason, thinking of it made my frustration boil over.

I felt like I was going mad.

The science teacher’s last suggestion popped into my mind.

“Let her go?”

“Drop away?”

“No.”

“What? What did you say?”

“Han Si-hyun. Please help me.”

At the unexpected request, she swept her hair back, looking incredulous.

“What, did you eat something wrong?”

“I’m begging you.”

“What do you want help with? Just tell me.”

“…Do you know anything about the first-year science teacher?”

*

“He’s gone. He’s talking to some female student.”

The man watching the entrance from the window murmured to himself.

“Honestly, I didn’t think it would unfold like this.”

Despite saying that, he smiled, clearly enjoying the situation.

He was the man who introduced himself as the science teacher.

“It’s about time you wake up, Hana.”

And then, the girl lying in bed opened her eyes.