I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Sui**de

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“…What did you say?”

“Apologize to Hana.”

As the teacher’s pressure grew more intense, Shin Woo stood his ground without flinching.

“Does that mean I’m in the wrong?”

“I don’t think your teaching method is entirely wrong. But mocking Hana by bringing up Si-hyun has nothing to do with the class.”

“Unbelievable.”

Cold glares fell upon them.

In a tense moment, no one dared to look away.

Meanwhile, Hana curled up and mumbled to herself.

I wanted to rush over when I saw my childhood friend in distress, but the teacher stopped me.

“Don’t move.”

“…”

“I’ll ask one last time. Is my method wrong?”

I sensed that opening my mouth now could lead to irreparable consequences.

My relationship with the teacher responsible for one of the core classes would end forever.

And just then,

“Wait a moment!”

Someone barged in through the door, recklessly interrupting their tension.

A freckled girl with red hair, trembling like a small animal.

It was Sophie.

Receiving the intense glares from both sides, the girl trembled even more.

Yet, she mustered the will to speak up.

“It’s just that Hana doesn’t look well… Shouldn’t we do something about it?”

Sophie’s words were spot on. Who could say that state was normal?

Yu Hana seemed to be in quite a dangerous condition.

As the teacher kept silent, Sophie cautiously approached Hana.

She reached Hana’s side and began to care for her.

“Hana, are you okay?”

“I-I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I won’t do it again…”

“It’s okay. It’s me, Sophie.”

“Sophie?”

Seeing Hana stabilize a bit, Shin Woo let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew…”

“Hah.”

Their simultaneous heavy sighs came from the teacher.

“We’ll continue this conversation after class. You should go back now.”

It was a proposal for a ceasefire.

Shin Woo’s response was simple.

“I still haven’t heard an apology.”

“…Is this really such a big deal? Fine. I acknowledge that I was angry. And I admit my words were harsh. If I hurt that child, I’m sorry. But is there a flaw in the logic behind what I said?”

“I’m talking about your harsh words right now!”

“Is that your idea of being a proper student!?”

The second round began.

The teacher, agitated, pointed fingers at the student and pressed him.

“Why are you protecting that child so much!?”

“She’s still unstable and anxious, you know.”

The reply didn’t come from Shin Woo.

It was from a third party who had entered the training room unnoticed.

‘How did I not sense them at all…!’

The teacher was internally flustered.

A perfect stealth that even the military instructor of the academy couldn’t detect?

That was something only a formidable individual could accomplish.

That person was not a student.

A man with neatly brushed-back hair, dressed in a suit, wearing glasses.

“…Who are you?”

“Excuse me. I’m the teacher in charge of the first-year science class.”

First-year science?

This was a training room for combat classes, only for second years.

That meant he had no reason to be here at all.

“It seems you’ve come to the wrong place.”

“No, I’m in the right place. I have business with one of the students in this class.”

He stepped forward leisurely.

For some reason, everyone’s gaze was fixed on the science teacher.

“There she is. Miss Yu Hana.”

“…That student cannot be taken right now. It’s rude to barging in during a class like this.”

“Rude? If you ask me, it’s you who is being rude.”

At the sudden retort, the teacher’s expression soured.

“You… are you out of your mind?”

“As I mentioned earlier, Miss Yu Hana is in a very anxious state. You should know that.”

“Monsters don’t concern themselves with such situations.”

“But classes can proceed. If you want it to feel like a real battle, wouldn’t it be better to let the monsters kill you? That would improve the efficiency of the lesson.”

“…”

The science teacher’s calm smile contrasted sharply with the stiffening face of the combat instructor.

Shin Woo felt the same.

Finally, when he opened the door to come inside, it was the first time they faced each other since that day.

It felt like three seconds passed as their eyes met.

The science teacher averted his gaze first, ending their silent battle.

“What will happen if I report this situation to the faculty committee?”

“…Are you threatening me?”

“I’m just looking out for you, as a fellow teacher.”

The teacher casually patted the instructor’s shoulder.

As if he were a mere non-combat teacher.

If he so much as lifts a finger, this weakling would be dead.

Yet the instructor didn’t move a muscle.

It was clear who the strong one in this space was.

“I’m glad you seem to understand. Now, I’ll take Hana with me.”

Just as the science teacher stepped past the instructor to approach Hana,

the instructor shouted in a last-ditch effort from behind.

“This is my class! You think you can barge in and take my student? Don’t make me laugh!”

“A very profound statement indeed.”

He shrugged and turned away.

A cynical smile graced his face.

“But what can you do? It’s recess right now. Seems you were so engrossed in your class that you didn’t even notice the bell.”

“What? That can’t be…!”

The instructor hastily checked his wristwatch and cursed inwardly.

9:52. It was indeed recess.

“Or were you so busy fighting with a student that you didn’t notice? That could also be a problem.”

“Ugh…”

In the end, the instructor couldn’t utter another word.

The science teacher confidently approached Hana.

Seeing this, Shin Woo hesitated to reach out.

He couldn’t let him take her away.

She shouldn’t be left alone with that guy!

Then what?

Who had resolved this issue so far?

If he didn’t rescue Hana from this space, who else could?

Could I do it?

As a defined student, there were limitations.

No matter how much he struggled, a student could never defeat a teacher.

I have to let him go.

I already came to that conclusion in my head, but accepting it was a different matter.

A horrid feeling of defeat and self-loathing gnawed at me.

Is this how it ends again?

Is the person Hana needs not me but that guy?

He finally reached Hana’s side.

There was another girl, Sophie, right there as well.

Sophie, who had been caring for Hana, lifted her head from the shadow.

The science teacher and Sophie’s eyes met.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

*

Hmm…

I stirred and slowly opened my eyes.

What happened?

My memory was hazy.

It felt like my brain was rebooting and taking its time to boot up.

Ah, I was in class.

I had chosen a gun to fight against the monster during the practice.

But I hadn’t even fought properly, just curled up in fear and trembled.

I couldn’t remember much after that.

I recalled the monster’s appearance.

A horrifying figure. A creature I’d never seen in my life.

The ground trembled as it charged at me.

Its chilling cries echoed.

The nauseating stench.

The murderous gaze.

…Could I recreate all that as a hologram?

Or was I just too scared and dreaming it all?

I’m not sure.

Anyway, thinking about it made my knees weak.

Finally coming to my senses, I realized I was lying down.

I got up and looked around.

Where am I?

This doesn’t seem like the nurse’s office…

“Ah! You’re awake!”

Someone opened the door and entered.

With a bright and lively smile, she radiated warmth.

Seeing Sophie brought back my last memory in bits.

When I was losing my mind, Sophie had hugged me tight and comforted me.

If it weren’t for her, I might have really gone insane.

In other words, she’s my lifesaver.

Ah, I have to thank her.

Is that a bad thing? Anyway.

“I’m so glad you’re okay!”

She genuinely cared about me.

We had just met this morning.

We barely exchanged any words yet.

How can someone be this kind?

It’s almost miraculous.

“But where are we?”

“Oh, we’re in the science classroom.”

…What?

“In the science classroom?”

“It seems you’re back to your senses. That’s good.”

Upon seeing the man who entered afterward, I immediately frowned.

His expression soured.

“…Why the long face? You’re hurting my feelings.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Mr. Science said he has business with you, Hana. I was worried, so I came along.”

This guy has business with me.

That sounds rather ominous.

“You’ve been sleeping quite a long time. It seems the shock was considerable.”

“A long time? What time is it now?”

“It’s after school.”

“…What?”

I collapsed during the first period, and it’s already after school?

Is this for real?

Sophie next to me nodded.

It’s true. Oh my god. Was it really that scary?

…Hmm. It was scary.

Telling me to fight monsters. Truly, it’s too much for me.

“Wait. Sophie, you’ve been here all the time?”

“Yep.”

“What about class?”

“Friends are more important than class, right?”

“…”

What? That’s way too kind-hearted.

She feels like a character who can rival or even surpass Yu Hana from the original work.

Feeling a bit shy, I quickly changed the subject.

“So, what exactly was the business?”

“It’s simple.”

He looked at me with a strange gaze and opened his mouth.

“It’s about Han Si-hyun.”