I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Sui**de

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I acknowledge it.

I had no idea at all.

That Hana was suffering like this.

But now I know.

The past can’t be changed, but the present and future can be altered in any way.

I don’t plan to take that guy’s advice even a little bit.

He says I should leave since I’m no help?

That somehow, that would be in Hana’s best interest? I can’t accept that.

There must be a much better way.

When I close my eyes, your figure still vividly comes to mind.

The bright smile of the girl with two ponytails.

In that smile, were you in pain?

I admit it.

I had no idea about your pain at all.

I might just get in your way instead of helping you by myself.

So, we just need to help each other out.

Not with some shady science teacher, but with the kids.

I’m sorry for realizing it so late.

This time, I’ll save you.

Just like you saved me.

*

Shin Woo busily moved his head as soon as he entered the class.

Hana still hadn’t arrived.

Actually, it’s a relief. It’s more convenient without Hana around right now.

He approached the two girls.

Kyung Ah and Han Si-hyun.

“Can we talk for a moment, both of you?”

“What about?”

“I’m busy.”

Kyung Ah asked back, while Si-hyun replied coldly.

Shin Woo didn’t back down and calmly spoke.

“I need help.”

“Can you do anything other than bow your head?”

Si-hyun’s tone was so frosty it felt like a challenge.

Maybe it wasn’t just a misunderstanding.

Shin Woo acknowledged it with a bitter smile.

“Yeah. I can’t manage on my own. If nobody helps me, all I can do is bow my head.”

“W-why so suddenly? What are you asking for?”

Shin Woo scanned the surroundings for a moment.

Then, he glanced at Hong Yeonhwa sitting at the back and whispered softly.

“It’s hard to say here. Let’s move somewhere else.”

“···Is this related to what happened yesterday?”

“Yep.”

Kyung Ah looked uneasy, glancing around before finally standing up.

Only one person remained.

As their gazes met, Han Si-hyun sighed and also stood up.

“This debt will have to be repaid someday.”

The three entered a storage room at the end of the corridor.

Since it was filled with cleaning tools, nobody would come at this hour before the session.

“So what do you want to talk about?”

“It’s about Hana.”

“Yesterday too. Something must have happened to Yu Hana?”

Han Si-hyun quickly caught on.

Of course, she too would be shocked if she knew the exact situation.

“I’ll get straight to the point. It seems Hana is being bullied.”

“That’s it?”

“···What?”

Shin Woo frowned.

A lot of thought went into saying this.

He worried that being a third party mentioning it might seem unnecessary.

But what was that reaction?

It was as if it was no big deal, with indifferent expressions and casual tones.

“What do you want from us? Since Yu Hana is being bullied, should we step in and stop it? Is that it?”

“You’re talking so carelessly…”

“Actually, that’s what I want to say. You know how it feels right now? You look like Yu Hana’s dad. Like an overly zealous daddy’s girl.”

Shin Woo glared at Si-hyun without a word.

She, too, held her gaze, and a tense atmosphere spread between them.

It really doesn’t sit well with me.

We’ve clashed a few times since first year, but ever since we’ve been in the same class, we naturally oppose each other.

I thought things had improved a bit when preparing for the recent group assessment, but evidently not.

“Hey, how about both of you just calm down for now?”

At that moment, the class representative Kyung Ah intervened to mediate between them.

Fortunately, the atmosphere eased just barely.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Kyung Ah naturally led the conversation.

“First of all, you have a reason for saying that, right? There’s proof that Hana is being isolated.”

“There isn’t solid evidence, but I have a gut feeling. Yesterday, I saw Yeonhwa bullying Hana.”

“Hmm. Yeonhwa, huh…”

Hong Yeonhwa is the most standout delinquent in Class A.

It wouldn’t be strange if she really was bullying Yu Hana.

At least based on the image.

“So you’ve concluded all that just based on your gut feeling, without any concrete evidence. The more I hear it, the less I feel the need to breathe in this dust here.”

“Um, Si-hyun. I totally get what you mean… But this situation is much more serious than I thought. I just happened to visit Hana’s room yesterday and… I saw something by chance.”

“What did you see?”

At Si-hyun’s question, Kyung Ah hesitated, before finally whispering after a long pause.

“…Uh, she was self-harming.”

“Self-harming? Yu Hana?”

“Y-yeah.”

A moment of silence.

Si-hyun narrowed her eyes, trying to envision Yu Hana in her mind.

Cream-colored, messy hair.

Eyes that lacked charisma entirely.

Eyes so innocent they looked weak.

The thought of ‘self-harming’ and ‘Yu Hana’ was a confusing mix like oil and water.

Shin Woo rubbed his forehead and quietly said in a low voice.

“Yesterday, I felt anxious for some reason and went to Hana’s room. Do you know what I saw in there?”

“······.”

“There was a rope. It was hung from the ceiling, meant to strangle herself.”

Kyung Ah gasped and covered her mouth to prevent a scream.

On the other hand, Si-hyun didn’t show a clear reaction but lowered her head, deep in thought.

“Hana is in a much more dangerous state than you think. She’s at a point where she could be considering taking her own life… So please help her. So she can live. I can’t manage alone. I beg you. Please.”

Maybe it sank in how serious this was.

Si-hyun, who had been nitpicking at his words, didn’t say anything this time.

A heavy silence settled in the storage room.

The weight of the word ‘suicide’ was heavier than imagined.

After a long time, Si-hyun finally spoke.

“What exactly do you plan to do? Do you have any methods in mind?”

“…Actually, the fact that Hana even thought about suicide isn’t just because of the bullying. There must be an even more serious issue.”

If what I heard yesterday is true, she’s been living with a painful illness for years that felt deadly.

All while hiding it from herself.

“The more important thing than stopping the bullying is, she needs friends.”

“Friends?”

“You all know it, right? Hana doesn’t have any close friends besides me. If this continues, she might end up getting involved in something strange or become too reliant.”

As Shin Woo said that, he thought of the science teacher.

Maybe she’s already deeply involved.

But we can’t think it’s too late.

If she’s stuck, we need to pull her out and save her.

If we don’t, she could sink into a murky swamp and stay there…

“On top of that, I have limitations because of my gender. Especially in the dorm. So, she’ll need a same-sex friend she can rely on.”

“You want us to take on that role?”

Kyung Ah’s clear summarization made Shin Woo nod.

Thinking about it, it’s quite the ridiculous request.

To ask someone to be a friend. At this rate, isn’t Shin Woo just like Si-hyun said, a doting dad?

But if that’s what it takes to save Hana, then that’s all that matters.

If the roles were reversed, Hana would have certainly made the same choice.

“I get it. Honestly, even if you didn’t ask, I was going to talk to Hana. I’m the class president, after all. It’s my duty to care for the kids.”

“Thanks.”

Once again, their gazes turned to Si-hyun.

She rested her chin in thought for a moment before sighing.

“To be honest, I don’t understand. Will making friends change anything? I don’t particularly care about having friends.”

She acknowledged that she doesn’t have friends.

When you think about it, she has a pretty unique personality.

Most of all, she’s even maintaining her position as the top-ranked student in the second year, yet she lacks any suitable friends.

It seems she deliberately avoids making friendships.

“I get it for now. I’m not sure how I’ll become friends with her, but I’ll at least try.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“No need to get the wrong idea. I’m just feeling indebted to you, that’s all.”

“So it shall be.”

In any case, they gained a reliable ally.

They are the class president and vice president of Class A.

You could say they hold a certain influence in the class. If two such people become friends with Hana, then Hong Yeonhwa won’t easily mess with her.

“Wait a minute.”

“What’s up?”

“Is that teacher you mentioned last night also involved with Hana?”

She certainly catches on quickly.

She might have guessed since Shin Woo admitted to visiting Hana’s room yesterday.

Shin Woo nodded and confirmed.

“That’s right.”

“What’s he like?”

What kind of person is he?

Shin Woo paused for a moment before finding the perfect expression.

“A person like a viper.”

After the strategy meeting, the three returned to the class.

There sat Yu Hana, who had not been there earlier.

In that moment, Shin Woo froze and stared at her.

At a glance, she didn’t seem different from usual.

If anything, she even looked brighter.

It must be an act.

She attempted suicide just yesterday; there’s no way she could be fine.

Suddenly, the thought crossed his mind.

Is today just an act?

After enduring such painful suffering for years.

How many more acts has she put up for herself?

The iron mask Hana wore must have grown stronger day by day.

No one could see her true expression within it.

With that smile plastered on her face.

Who would think that the girl who considered suicide last night was smiling like that?

He clenched his fist tightly.

His nails digging into his skin, drawing blood.

It’s urgent to take off that mask.

I have to confirm and understand Hana’s true pain.

Just as he was about to enter the class.

Si-hyun stopped him.

“Wait a minute.”

Without asking why, Shin Woo’s expression darkened.

He noticed Hong Yeonhwa approaching Hana’s side.