I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

“Anyway, as I said earlier, Seo-Ah is quite addicted to the drug.”

Lee Yu-Ram said.

“Yes.”

“Since it’s not just one type of drug she used, it’s troublesome, but I still think she can recover if she’s taken care of properly.”

“Recovery, huh.”

“There’s been a lot of problems recently with drugs manufactured by Awakeners circulating around. The Academy has also set up countermeasures to some extent. You could say Seo-Ah is the first beneficiary of that.”

To properly raise growing students, there are really a lot of things to take care of.

Even problems with drugs should be solvable.

“That’s a relief.”

“She’s your childhood friend, and if you’ve been together for a long time, it’s almost like family, isn’t it? You can take this opportunity to take good care of her at the Academy.”

Family?

That’s right.

Family.

Han Si-Hoo knew this too.

At the very least, he wanted to stay in contact with her.

But in this situation, he couldn’t just leave the Academy as he pleased.

He tried sending a message. There was no response at all.

He even tried calling. She never answered.

Tired of the constant rejection, Han Si-Hoo decided to give up caring about Yoo Seo-Ah.

It wasn’t that he had completely forgotten about her.

After all, he sent a significant portion of his earnings from the Academy to Yoo Seo-Ah.

He gave her money, telling her to use it for whatever she needed.

He thought she could eat whatever she wanted, do whatever she wanted.

If she wanted, she could even rent a nice room and live comfortably.

But all of it disappeared into drug money.

“…As I said before, Seo-Ah is very sick.”

“Yes.”

“She’s a little better now, but she had a high fever, and the side effects from the drugs seem to be severe…”

Lee Yu-Ram hesitated before continuing.

“If, by any chance, Seo-Ah tries to attack you, or if she seems severely frightened, you can just step back. We have sedatives ready.”

“Is that so.”

Han Si-Hoo’s tone revealed his heavy heart.

“Just follow me.”

Lee Yu-Ram gestured for Han Si-Hoo to follow her.

The place they arrived at was an isolation room.

“She’s in here… do you want to go inside?”

Lee Yu-Ram asked as she stood in front of the isolation room.

They couldn’t just leave Seo-Ah in there forever.

If there were misunderstandings to resolve, that was Han Si-Hoo’s responsibility.

“Yes.”

Was it okay to go in?

Han Si-Hoo hesitated for a moment, but then he grabbed the doorknob of the isolation room.

He needed to check Yoo Seo-Ah’s condition.

– Clunk.

The door opened with a slight noise.

Inside was a space surrounded by gray walls.

In the corner of the room, a girl with brown hair was sitting.

She was wearing a white patient’s gown.

“Seo-Ah…?”

Han Si-Hoo called her name.

She showed no reaction until he got closer.

“Seo-Ah.”

“Huh?”

When he approached and spoke to her, Yoo Seo-Ah finally lifted her head.

“Are you okay?”

Yoo Seo-Ah’s complexion brightened.

“Si-Hoo.”

Her expression was briefly cheerful.

But it quickly stiffened.

Her eyes wavered.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Yoo Seo-Ah said, lowering her eyes.

Even though she was already in a corner, she seemed to want to retreat further into it.

***

She was always kind.

Seo-Ah and Si-Hoo.

They got along well.

Because they got along well.

I don’t want to suffer anymore.

I don’t want to be stabbed in the back.

I don’t want to spill blood on the dirt ground.

I don’t want to die.

“So, I’m really sorry…”

I need to ask for forgiveness quickly.

I can’t let this happen again.

“Huh?”

Even I can admit I was shameless.

Asking for drugs in the middle of a fight, trying to kill him.

I was just an annoying character.

So I understand if the protagonist wants to get rid of me.

In fact, if I were the protagonist, I would abandon Yoo Seo-Ah too.

She’s just dragging him down. It’s better to kill her off.

I understand.

“I’m sorry for attacking you, sorry. It was a mistake.”

“……”

“It was really a mistake…”

She said with a slightly trembling voice.

She wasn’t in her right mind.

Normally, she’d just be resting comfortably at home.

I want to go home.

I want to go home, get some drugs, and lie down to sleep peacefully.

This place doesn’t give me peace of mind.

The bed is better here, but my heart is uneasy.

“Ah, ah, right. I haven’t used the money you gave me yet.”

Thankfully, the Academy provided the drugs for free.

The money is still there.

“When I go home, I’ll give it back right away.”

The money sitting in my account.

The money Han Si-Hoo gave me to use for drugs.

Luckily, I didn’t need to spend it since the doctor provided the drugs for free.

So, I hope he takes the money back and lets go of his anger.

I just want to survive and go back.

“Oh, right, I told you not to come, but I’m sorry you came anyway. I just… I wanted to congratulate you on your graduation… since you’re a high schooler now, I didn’t mean to attack you…”

I’m rambling.

There’s too much to apologize for.

I’ve done so many things wrong.

I can’t see Han Si-Hoo’s expression.

“-It’s okay.”

What’s okay?

“It’s okay to relax. I won’t do anything.”

He says that, so I feel a bit relieved.

No, actually, I’m still scared.

I don’t know what he wants.

I can’t think straight.

Wasn’t I stabbed?

Yes, I was.

I barely managed to calm my breathing.

“Sorry. Please believe me. You don’t have to be scared.”

Scared?

No, I’m not scared.

I have to think that way so my hands don’t tremble.

I looked up at Han Si-Hoo again.

He looks strangely sad.

“The incident in the last fight… it was an accident. I wasn’t trying to attack you. I wasn’t mad at you.”

He explained, as if to clear things up.

It doesn’t seem like he plans to attack me right now.

At least, I don’t feel any hostility at this moment.

“It wasn’t intentional. It was a mistake from a teammate. No one’s going to attack you.”

A mistake.

Maybe it was.

That’s a relief.

We may not be friends, but at least we’re not enemies.

That’s a relief.

“Last time… I said something too harsh. I’m really sorry. When you came to find me, I… I just want to say I’m sorry.”

Han Si-Hoo is struggling to find the words.

I didn’t expect an apology.

Maybe I’m not as angry as I thought.

He keeps opening and closing his mouth, unable to speak.

“…I promised I’d always protect you.”

He muttered something.

“Where did it all go wrong?”

I can’t tell if he’s talking to himself or to me.

It’s not the usual cheerful atmosphere.

This isn’t like the protagonist.

“You ended up like this… because I didn’t protect you properly.”

He’s too gloomy.

But the protagonist didn’t do anything wrong.

Yes, the protagonist has to stay strong.

Because he’s the protagonist.

The world is safer when he shines.

“It’s okay, I’m fine.”

I’m fine.

[4 hours 20 minutes]

I’ll be fine for the time being.

The fever isn’t that bad.

It was around 37.8 degrees, I think.

But it’s gone down a lot.

“I’m, I’m perfectly fine.”

I’m healthy, with nothing wrong.

It’s just that the cold hasn’t gone away, so I’m taking medication.

I can live just fine on my own.

I’m not hurt at all—

Choke.

Before something came out of my mouth, I swallowed it back down.

The taste of rusted metal.

No, it can’t be blood.

I’ve been taking the meds, so why is my condition getting worse?

Is it because I overdid it?

“Seo-Ah?”

Well, I was stabbed by a knife.

Since I was stabbed, of course, there’s blood.

I’m not sure yet.

“-Are you okay?”

Han Si-Hoo reached out his arm.

Why is he coming closer?

He’s too close.

My mind froze.

“Hik.”

I instinctively covered my stomach with my hands.

I bent forward slightly.

Getting stabbed hurts.

I also hate getting hit.

It wasn’t a conscious decision, just a reflex.

“Ah.”

I ended up bracing myself against Han Si-Hoo unintentionally.

Thinking about it, there’s no point.

Whether I cover my stomach or not, it’s not going to protect me.

Damn it.

I’m too weak.

Why is Yoo Seo-Ah so weak?

“Ah…”

I lowered my hands and waited for whatever came next.

Is he going to hit me? Is he going to hit me? Is he going to hit me?

At least I don’t see a knife, so that’s a relief.

If it’s a punch, I could probably take one hit.

I’ve been hit by an Academy student before.

Yeah, I can handle it.

No.

But I don’t want to get hit.

I still don’t know why I was hit last time.

“No, it’s not like that.”

Han Si-Hoo stepped back, flustered.

It seems he didn’t intend to hit me.

“Ah, uh, sorry.”

I barely managed to speak.

I’m definitely overreacting.

It’s just that I can’t think clearly.

My head feels overheated.

And I actually have a fever too.

“Even though we’re not friends anymore, I know you’re not going to hit me, Si-Hoo. Uh, so…”

I’m rambling again.

It’s like I’m trying to say anything to reassure myself.

Did I forget how to speak coherently?

“We’re not friends?”

Han Si-Hoo asked.

“Huh?”

“I mean… I still think we’re friends. If you don’t want that, I can’t help it, but I still think of you as a friend. Always.”

“Oh, we’re still friends?”

If we could stay friends, that would be good.

Yoo Seo-Ah’s list of friends just came back to life.

What a relief.

“Yeah, of course.”

Han Si-Hoo spoke as if he truly meant it.

Confirming that we’re still friends.

It’s a meaningful thing.

“We’re still friends.”

I’m incredibly relieved.

[2 hours 32 minutes]

But I’m not relieved.

Wasn’t it 4 hours just a moment ago?

I need the drugs.

There’s still some left at home.

If I take those, I can last for a while.

If they run out, I’ll just have to go to the doctor and buy more.

I’ll need a lot of money to buy them.

If I kill Han Si-Hoo, I could get drugs for the rest of my life.

That’s what the doctor said.

Ah, could I really kill him?

I quickly erased the thought that had popped into my head.

There’s no way I could kill him.

Why would I kill a friend?

Why would I kill someone who helps me?

But the doctor has been helping me a lot too.

“Then, Si-Hoo.”

[2 hours 28 minutes]

I don’t know.

Time is passing too quickly.

I need to deal with the drugs first, and then I’ll think about the rest.

“Can I go home now?”

I need to get my drugs.