I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Sui**de

---

What’s this? Is it déjà vu?

“It’s just a decoration.”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

I tried to make the same excuse, but it didn’t work.

Of course, Sophie knew and just turned a blind eye.

Anyway, this is bad.

How do I get out of this?

I didn’t expect Hong Yeon-hwa’s gaze to fall from the ceiling.

“You… No way, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“Damn it. Just take that down and get rid of it quickly.”

If she spreads rumors, it’s going to be a real headache.

“Y-you can’t tell the others, okay? Got it…?”

“……….”

Immediately, she glared at me with a rotten expression.

That’s harsh. I just asked for a favor; is that really such a bother?

“Hey. Doesn’t Kim Shinwoo know about this? No, never mind. He wouldn’t know. Damn.”

No, he already does know.

Hong Yeon-hwa’s tone is getting rougher.

Is she really going to hit me?

Is it impossible for a delinquent to change their ways?

“Hurry up and take it down! Damn it, I’ll just do it myself.”

Hong Yeon-hwa, standing below, jumped up and easily ripped the rope off.

Her physical abilities are impressive.

The rope ignited in her hand and disappeared without a trace.

“Yeon-hwa, if you use your powers like that…”

“What? Do you want me to get disciplined like Han Si-hyun?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Hong Yeon-hwa stomps closer.

I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut and put my guard up.

“Hey. Open your eyes.”

“……….”

I cracked one eye open.

She was glaring at me with a piercing stare.

She’s pretty, but she looks terrifying.

Not that Hong Yeon-hwa is scary.

It just means her impression is pretty fierce. Yeah.

“Is this because of Han Si-hyun?”

“…Huh?”

“Whose fault is that rope, huh?”

It’s a tricky question to answer.

I was curious how she’d react if I said it was her fault.

But if I had to justify it, I’d say it was for a better future.

What an absurd answer.

She’d probably think I’m crazy the moment she hears it.

So, I decided to keep my mouth shut.

“Guys… I finished cooking the kimchi stew…”

“…Sigh.”

With a long sigh, Hong Yeon-hwa scratched her head in frustration and returned to the dining table.

I watched cautiously and followed her.

There was no choice.

I was too hungry.

The three of us sat at the table.

An awkward silence hung in the air.

I felt like I’d choke if I tried to eat in this atmosphere.

“Hehe. Let’s all eat well!”

Even in such a situation, Sophie is sweet.

I picked up my spoon and took a bite of the kimchi stew.

Slurp.

“It’s delicious.”

“Really? Thank goodness!”

Hong Yeon-hwa took a spoonful and exclaimed with a hearty reaction.

“Wow… I want some soju.”

“………”

“Just kidding, just kidding. You’re so pure.”

When you say it, it doesn’t sound like a joke at all.

Honestly, if green bottles were scattered around the dorm, it wouldn’t feel out of place at all.

Anyway, while we were enjoying dinner, Hong Yeon-hwa, who was slurping, opened her mouth.

“Hey. You stray dog.”

“…Huh?”

“If someone bullies you in the future, tell your sister, got it?”

“Uh…?”

What’s that supposed to mean?

Is she seriously unaware?

Does she not know she’s the bully?

“Our scrawny little friend can only bully me.”

…Or is it just that her personality is twisted?

Thinking that makes more sense.

Sophie awkwardly smiled and tried to diffuse the situation.

“There’s no way someone would bully someone as cute as Hana.”

“Well, a mutt is still the cutest.”

Is that a compliment or an insult?

*

After the bizarre dinner, Hong Yeon-hwa returned to her room.

Right before leaving, she looked at the ceiling where the rope had hung with a complicated expression.

Then, as time passed and it was about time to sleep,

A problem arose.

“I’m sleeping on the floor.”

“Well, that’s a bit…”

If there’s no bed, I get it, but there is one.

It’s just a single bed; the issue is a little cramped, nothing major.

I couldn’t help but blame the dorm supervisor.

If that’s the case, why not just quickly get us a bunk bed?

Telling me to hold on for just one more day while the work is half-heartedly done.

“Let’s just share the bed, even if it’s a little cramped.”

“Wouldn’t that be uncomfortable for both of us?”

“Seeing you sleep on the floor would be more uncomfortable.”

“Alright. Then I’m going to be rude.”

I cuddled up to the left, and Sophie laid to the right.

Not bad, huh?

With this much, it’s quite sufficient.

Of course, there is some body contact.

It seems our small frames made it work.

If it were Hong Yeon-hwa instead of Sophie…

Just thinking about it takes my breath away.

In the dark room,

The sound of someone else’s breathing felt strangely intriguing.

It had been a long time since I shared a space with someone while sleeping.

“Hana. Are you…?”

“No.”

“I see.”

A momentary silence passed.

Sophie continued the conversation.

“I’m really glad I met you.”

“…Out of the blue?”

“Hehe. Just because. I actually didn’t have any friends.”

So we’re both loners, huh?

That makes sense. I had some suspicion before.

Sophie was kind and pure.

On the other hand, this world was anything but.

Everyone shines white in a black world.

“Aren’t we friends, right?”

I didn’t intend to make any friends.

After all, I plan to cut all ties made at the academy.

Still…

At least for a few days, it should be fine.

“Yeah. Of course.”

That’s all I said.

In reality, it’s not true.

It’s just a white lie.

I’m sure it is.

*

I woke up to the morning sunlight.

Sophie, who should’ve been beside me, was nowhere to be seen.

Where did she go?

Clatter, clatter.

I turned my attention to the noisy sound.

Sophie was in the kitchen.

“Ah, you’re awake?”

Sophie smiled brightly at me, who was still dazed from sleep.

She got up early to make breakfast.

Impressive.

Something I couldn’t even imagine doing.

“Just wait a little bit. I’ll be done soon.”

“Sure… Yawn.”

I let out a big yawn and scratched my back.

It seems Yu Hana isn’t much of a morning person.

Or maybe it’s my influence.

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

After a quick wash, I returned to find breakfast ready on the table.

Toast, fried eggs, bacon, and sausage.

A classic American breakfast.

“Wow…”

My mouth was watering.

Sophie is a goddess.

A goddess of abundance.

I sat down with Sophie and we had breakfast together.

Just as I was about to dip my fork into the toast for my first bite,

Knock, knock.

A knock echoed.

“Who is it?”

“Um. I don’t know.”

Sophie shrugged, as if she didn’t have a clue either.

There shouldn’t be any visitors at this early hour.

“Just a moment!”

I headed to the front door and opened it.

The person standing in front was a familiar face.

“Hey. Good morning.”

“Uh… Um. H-hi.”

I was so surprised that I almost bit my tongue.

What is Han Si-hyun doing here?

Especially at this time in the morning.

“What’s up?”

“Could I borrow you for a moment?”

“Uh, well, I guess it’s okay…”

I mean, a delicious breakfast is waiting for me anxiously.

So, can’t you just get to the point?

“Is your schedule free today?”

“Today…? After school…?”

What’s going on?

Is he suggesting we chat at the café again?

If that’s the case, we could talk at school too.

Han Si-hyun shook his head.

“No, I mean right now.”

“Right now…? But I have to go to school soon.”

As the conversation was dragging on, Sophie peeked her head out and asked.

“Who is it?”

“Um, well…”

Han Si-hyun and Sophie’s eyes met.

The first to speak was Han Si-hyun.

“Did you have a roommate?”

“I guess I just got one since yesterday…”

“Hmm.”

“Is it the Han Si-hyun I know?”

Sophie whispered quietly.

Of course, given how close we were, Han Si-hyun would’ve heard it too.

“Hey. You must be Sophie, right? I went to class A in your place.”

“Yeah. That’s me. Hello!”

“Nice to meet you.”

They exchanged greetings without a hitch.

Well, Sophie is one thing, but Han Si-hyun is normally fine too unless there’s a special situation.

After their greetings, Han Si-hyun’s gaze returned to me.

After thinking for a moment, he asked.

“So… Where did we leave off?”

“Can you come with me somewhere?”

“What about school?”

“I just have to miss the morning class.”

“…What?”

I recoiled in surprise and asked back.

You mean miss class?

The fact that those words came from Han Si-hyun made me astounded.

She’s obsessed with being the ‘best.’

There’s a reason her younger brother committed suicide.

In other words, it’s a symptom of a kind of trauma.

So she won’t let anything slip from her grasp.

Her grades reflect that too.

Attendance is foundational when it comes to grades.

For Han Si-hyun to suggest skipping class and going with me…

“Do we really have to go now? Can’t we just go after class?”

“Now is when the chances of getting caught are the lowest.”

Getting caught.

The more I heard about it, the more my anxiety grew.

“Where on earth are we going…?”

In the end, this is the most important question.

What could be so important that Han Si-hyun would go this far?

“I found out about your ability.”

“…What?”

“To be precise, I’m saying let’s go find out now.”

Han Si-hyun thinks she can find out my ability?

How? By what means?

Sophie glared at Han Si-hyun.

“Whatever it is, it can’t be dangerous.”

“I won’t deny that. If we get caught, it could get tricky.”

Something feels off.

This is not right.

Han Si-hyun is not the character to say things like this.

In the original story, she valued safety above all else.

“But it’s a risk worth taking.”

“Si-hyun, please tell me exactly where you want to go.”

I need to hear this to judge.

Han Si-hyun hesitated for a moment before answering my question.

“To the center of the academy.”