I Became the Childhood Friend of a D*ug Dealer

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Han Si-Hoo once played with a balloon.

Throwing it filled with water is quite the fun!

And inevitably, one thing comes to mind.

How much water can I put in the balloon before it bursts?

What’s the tipping point where it can barely hold up?

Water goes in.

He fits the balloon’s opening around the faucet and secures it, waiting.

It inflates and inflates until, finally, bang!

He bursts into laughter, and just like that, the fun ends.

The problem is that Seo-A is in a similar situation as that balloon.

Not quite burst yet, surprisingly stretchable… but just on the brink of popping.

The water in the balloon is like magical power for Seo-A.

Just a little more magical power and it’ll burst.

That balloon, which should have already popped, is now a mess of tape and balloon, hard to tell apart.

Honestly, the options are limited.

Han Si-Hoo is thinking of two plans.

One is to find a way to treat Seo-A.

That plan is currently in progress.

“I have to do something.”

Han Si-Hoo is trying to find a cure, even taking medicine himself, but he feels himself becoming slightly addicted.

The purification penalty gnaws at his mind along with the side effects of the drug.

Of course, thanks to the strength he borrowed from the medicine, he was able to wipe out the villains quicker.

He demolishes the hindering organizations, acquires the factories producing drugs, and kills anyone who shows up as an enemy.

He even gathered evidence that a doctor is still alive.

But the treatment method is still unknown.

He tried researching several treatment methods with the saint, but nothing worked.

Han Si-Hoo himself is starting to feel something like a dragon within.

It feels like there’s no answer in sight.

Unless he goes back in time, it seems like there won’t be a solution.

So, there’s really only one last resort.

If he can’t create a happy ending through normal means, Han Si-Hoo is considering going back in time.

Beyond just restoring memories, literally changing the past.

To put it simply, Han Si-Hoo’s ability is that of a protagonist.

The protagonist has the power to make their wishes come true.

Wanting to master the sword, he gained swordsmanship skills.

Wanting to handle magic, he acquired magic skills.

In order to run fast, the sprint skill was created.

Wanting to wipe out the bad things, he gained the purification skill, and wanting to shine light on everyone, he obtained light attribute skills.

Recently, hoping to overcome drugs, he got the drug resistance skill.

And there was one thing that Han Si-Hoo wanted the most.

To go back in time.

A strong desire to live like he used to birthed a skill.

[Retry]

Reading the skill description, it says this.

[Can be used when you’re about to give up everything. It sends you back in time to fulfill your wish.]

Giving up everything carries a heavy meaning.

It’s a skill that’s difficult for Han Si-Hoo to use, even if he wanted.

Because he’s never really given up everything.

He guesses it would be a skill activated when attempting suicide.

In games, there’s this mechanic.

You put in a coin and revive your character.

It probably has that kind of feeling of retry.

So really, if he’s out of options, Han Si-Hoo has no choice but to entrust his fate to a skill like this.

“…No, that’s not it.”

He says while looking into the mirror.

Now he understands why Seo-A muttered to herself in front of the mirror.

“This isn’t right.”

[Retry]

A strange reassurance that seems to imply there’s one more chance.

So maybe it’s okay to live casually?

If Seo-A gets broken, he can just go back and fix it; if a problem arises that he can’t handle, he can simply return to the past.

Thoughts like these bubble up everywhere.

“Try harder.”

Was Seo-A feeling this way too?

Even with a skill, it’s hard to endure.

He finds himself addicted to the medicine while using it.

Seo-A must have been struggling a lot.

Han Si-Hoo continues to be weighed down by guilt.

Having felt the effects of the medicine, he realizes just how well Seo-A has endured.

He might have thought that only the weak succumbed to drugs, but Han Si-Hoo then concludes that all humans are weak.

“Si-Hoo, what are you doing?”

“…Oh, just looking at the mirror.”

“Are you going out again today?”

Yeah.

Nodding absentmindedly, he prepares to leave.

Today, he’s going to raid what seems to be the doctor’s base.

“…Why are you going out?”

Seo-A always asks this.

It’s become routine to either say he can’t tell her or to just make up something vague.

“Uh, Seo-A?”

But today feels a bit different.

Seo-A is holding a kitchen knife.

It doesn’t seem like she’s about to attack, but it’s definitely odd behavior.

“You know… I’m worried about you, Si-Hoo…”

“Why the knife…”

“You haven’t been hanging around any bad people, right?”

“It’s not like that.”

It’s scary, her holding a knife.

Sure, Han Si-Hoo could overpower Seo-A immediately, but there’s a different kind of fear in that.

“Ahh… umm… is there anything I can do to help? Huh?”

Hearing that while holding the kitchen knife, Han Si-Hoo can’t feel at ease.

Seo-A’s expression is gentle, but what she holds feels like it could be used as a weapon.

“It’s fine.”

No need to help.

Really, it’s all okay.

“…Really won’t you let me help? Huh? You’re not doing something dangerous outside, right?”

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

It’s a lie.

If Han Si-Hoo were to list all the shady things he was involved in, Seo-A would definitely freak out.

“Right… I see.”

Then, the fate of the kitchen knife in her hands gets decided.

“Then here.”

She tries to hand the knife over to Han Si-Hoo.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

Neither understands the other.

“Ah, this is sharp, so just use it as-is. Look.”

Seo-A casually cuts her palm with the blade.

“W-WHAT are you doing?”

Han Si-Hoo snatches the knife, but it’s too late.

Blood is flowing from Seo-A’s hand.

“You need a weapon, right? You’ve seemed like you’ve been running around unarmed lately.”

In her own way, it seems she thinks of the knife as a weapon.

But the idea that Han Si-Hoo has no weapon is a misconception.

Call it a spatial pocket or an inventory, he’s got weapons stored out of sight.

Originally, it wasn’t a big enough storage to fit weapons, but as the skill level increased, it became possible to store them.

“I’m fine. Look.”

Whoosh.

A sword appears in his hand.

A weapon he had stored away.

He even shows her how to put it back into the pocket.

“Wow…”

“Weapons are stored separately. For now, wash your hands quickly. I’ll disinfect it and put on medicine.”

Is it normal for someone to casually hurt their own skin?

Sure, it’ll heal quickly since it’s just a shallow cut…

But what if this were the old Seo-A?

No way that would have happened.

Even if Han Si-Hoo tries to return Seo-A to her state with medicine, it’s impossible to prove that.

Of course, Han Si-Hoo knows.

This is just a temporary measure.

Covering up the wounds with deception so that Seo-A doesn’t suffer.

If the fundamental treatment doesn’t happen, it will eventually burst someday.

[Restart]

Will the time ever come when he’ll give up everything?

This was a skill he had completely ignored.

A skill he didn’t even consider for a second as a second option.

Yet, the more time passes, the more appealing it becomes.

But Han Si-Hoo won’t give up.

He’ll overcome it.

Because Seo-A hasn’t given up either.

“Huh? Why are you staring?”

Seo-A looks confused.

Or maybe Seo-A has already given up.

It was Seo-A who said reversing memories with drugs would be good.

It was Seo-A who mumbled about wanting to die.

It was also Seo-A who lost her mind due to drug addiction and tried to kill Han Si-Hoo.

“Ah, it looks like I’m smiling. Hehe.”

Drawing on his palm with the blood flowing from it.

Is it truly a territory where one can say it’s innocently playful?

-This isn’t the Seo-A you know.

-Just kill me.

-Seems like she’s already dead anyway.

The purification penalty is whispering in his mind.

And lately, the voices caused by the penalty don’t seem all that wrong either, which makes it worse.

“Si-Hoo?”

Seo-A notices his grim expression and asks.

Wondering if she did something wrong, she starts reflecting.

“…Uh, ah, I did something weird. Ah. Right… cutting my hand is strange. I must have done it habitually…”

Babbling incoherently.

“I’ve been feeling off lately, so that’s why. All because of… no… uh… sorry…”

Seeing Seo-A not knowing what to do pains him.

There’s no way he can give up.

He can’t give up on Seo-A.

And then, he just hugs her tight.

“Huh, ah, uh… ohhh…”

After momentarily being taken aback, Seo-A hugs back.

“I’m sorry…”

Han Si-Hoo apologizes.

He’s lost count of how many times he’s said that.

If he were to ask the exact reason he’s sorry, he wouldn’t have an answer.

Because he has so much to feel guilty about.

“Ah… yeah… Si-Hoo, if there are tough things going on… I might not say it, but… it’s okay to just give up. I won’t say anything.”

It’s okay to give up.

She whispers that in his ear.

“You mentioned going out to do things because of me… Just don’t overdo it. You don’t need to force yourself to hold onto something difficult.”

But he has no thought of giving up.

He must find a solution.

“So… yeah… won’t you just stay with me instead of going out?”

That sounds nice.

Han Si-Hoo almost answers without thinking about it.

Feeling Seo-A’s warmth in his embrace makes him want to say it even more.

But still…

They have tasks that must be done.

No, how about just giving up everything and using drugs together with Seo-A instead?

Since it seems all hopes are lost, isn’t it fine to just enjoy whatever time is left and start over after a while?

“No, I have things to do.”

He shakes off the temptation.

“Yeah…”

“I’ll be done soon, so just wait a little.”

He won’t give up.

Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean he can toss aside his responsibilities.

For Han Si-Hoo, the only responsibility is to ensure Seo-A’s happy ending.

 

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