I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Suicide

Chapter 35

Knock, knock.

How many times has it been?

I knocked one last time, but once again, there was no answer.

“Hana…”

Sadness colored Si woo’s voice.

He had been standing here, waiting, for over ten minutes.

Finally, the dorm supervisor shook her head and spoke.

“It’s time for you to go back. There are already many girls here who feel uncomfortable with you being here.”

This was the girls’ dormitory.

Normally, Si woo wouldn’t be allowed inside.

But this was a special situation.

Yoo Hana, the key person in this incident, who might know something about Sophie’s disappearance, had shut herself in her room ever since the incident.

They had allowed Si woo into the girls’ dormitory as an exception, but it was in vain.

“…Just one more time.”

“You’ve said that so many times already. Maybe she just needs some time alone.”

Is that really the case?

Si woo looked at the firmly closed door with a complicated expression.

He was anxious.

He kept picturing Hana inside, imagining her state.

The image of the rope that had been hanging from her ceiling kept coming to mind.

“It’s okay. We’ve confirmed she’s safe in her room. If anything happens, we’ll intervene immediately.”

“…Yes, understood.”

In the end, there was nothing Si woo could do.

As he turned to leave with his shoulders slumped, the door slowly opened.

“…”

Yoo Hana stepped outside her room.

For the first time in five days since the field practice.

—

When did it start?

When did Si woo begin coming to the library so often?

It had naturally become their meeting place.

As expected, she was in the library again today.

“You’re here.”

“Yeah.”

Si-hyun immediately asked.

“How is Hana?”

“…Not well.”

“Not well” was the most accurate way to put it.

The impact of that day had been unimaginable for Hana.

She had already been a girl with many wounds.

But she was always someone who tried to keep a bright smile.

Now, that smile is gone.

The lively sparkle in her eyes had dimmed.

Her dark circles, slumped shoulders, and downward gaze—none of it resembled the Yoo Hana he knew.

“Sophie must have meant more to Hana than I realized.”

“That makes sense; they were roommates. They must have been close.”

The Hana he saw before the field practice had looked so happy.

He had to admit it.

Sophie had fulfilled a role he could not.

If the incident hadn’t happened, Hana would have likely forgotten her pain and lived happily.

But now, Sophie is gone.

Whether she was dead or missing didn’t matter.

What mattered was that Sophie was no longer beside Hana.

Looking back, it seemed as though she had sensed her fate.

“Right now, Hana is in danger.”

That warning.

And the many secrets she revealed along with it.

It felt like she was entrusting him with a role, asking him to look after Hana in her place.

“What is Hana doing now?”

“Counseling.”

“Counseling? You mean…?”

With a hardened expression, Si woo replied.

“Yes.”

“…What are you going to do?”

“I’m going right now. Will you come with me?”

Si-hyun thought for a moment, then nodded.

“To be honest, I was skeptical, but now I have no choice but to believe.”

“…Yeah. Let’s go.”

The two of them left the library and headed to where Hana was.

—

“How are you feeling?”

How am I feeling right now?

Good? Bad?

I don’t know.

If I had to say, I guess… bad.

No, I’m sad.

Why am I sad?

Sophie.

Sophie betrayed me.

No, that wasn’t betrayal.

She acted that way for my sake.

But she was found out.

And so, in the end, she died.

Yes.

Sophie died.

That’s why I’m sad.

That’s why it hurts.

“Do you remember what happened that day?”

That day.

The day of the field practice.

The day I had marked as D-day.

It was the perfect day to end it all.

I had prepared meticulously.

I was careful to ensure that even if the original storyline diverged, it wouldn’t matter.

But I was arrogant.

I couldn’t control the story’s distortions.

A minor demon villain became the final boss.

Was that my fault, too?

It probably was.

So, Sophie’s death is ultimately my fault?

…Yes. That’s how it is.

“I understand it’s hard. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t press you.”

“…”

“Honestly, I was taken aback during last week’s session. I thought you had a bad attitude.”

Last week.

I vaguely remembered it.

It was because of Si-hyun’s disciplinary incident.

I had lashed out in frustration over the story being ruined.

Thinking about it now, it seems like such a trivial reason.

Compared to now, last week felt like paradise.

In fact, I should be grateful to this person.

Because of him, I met Sophie.

It was only for a week, but…

I was truly happy.

Sophie was the only one who kept me going in this hell.

A fake, not the real thing?

That it was all due to her ability?

I don’t care.

Even if it was influenced by her power, my happiness was real.

“Here, drink up.”

She placed a warm glass of milk in front of me.

I stared at it blankly.

Even something as small as this was filled with memories of Sophie.

Everything reminded me of her—my friend, whom I’d never see again.

“If you want, you can go straight back to your classes and focus on your studies. Or you can take it easy here in counseling. Choose whatever you’re comfortable with.”

I wrapped my hands around the mug of milk.

It was warm.

“…I’ll continue counseling.”

“That’s a good choice.”

There wasn’t any particular reason.

If I just stayed alone in my room, the memories would overwhelm me.

But I didn’t want to sit through classes, either.

I didn’t even really want counseling.

But this warm glass of milk, at least, was comforting.

It struck me as ironic.

Just last week, I was sure I’d never step foot in here.

If my plan had gone right, I would have taken my life, gained power, and returned to Sophie.

I never imagined I’d come back to the academy without her.

Why did she die, and not me?

Why?

The counselor looked at me with a sorrowful expression and reached out, gently patting my shoulder.

I didn’t resist.

There was no reason to.

At that moment, someone burst into the counseling room.

“…We’re in the middle of a session. Please wait outside. And you should knock first…”

“Get your hands off her. Now.”

A familiar voice.

It was Kim Si woo.

I was already sick of him.

I was just tired of everything.

I wanted to abandon this academy.

“…What?”

The counselor’s bewildered question was answered by the girl standing behind him.

“We know who you really are.”

Si-hyun was here, too.

What business did they have?

And what did they mean by “who you really are”?

Whatever it was, I wasn’t particularly curious.

Naturally, this scene wasn’t in the original story.

What kind of mess is about to unfold this time?

I have nothing left to lose.

“You students are getting way out of line! I won’t let this go! Especially you, Han Si-hyun—how long has it been since your last incident…”

“Shut up.”

Swoosh.

Huh.

Why does this look familiar?

Last time, I saw her use this ability at the café.

Now she was wielding it in the counseling room.

This time, the radiant sword in her hand didn’t stop.

“Aaah!!”

The counselor screamed, clutching his shoulder.

Even at a glance, the wound looked severe.

It felt surreal.

The usually kind-hearted Han Si-hyun was attacking an academy teacher with a sword.

What’s going on?

Hypnosis? Brainwashing? Corruption?

None of these words suit Han Si-hyun.

Drops of black blood fell onto the white marble floor.

Black blood.

Black… blood?

“So, you’re a demon after all.”

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

“There’s no point in denying it. Demons have black blood. We know that already.”

Si woo’s calm explanation visibly startled the counselor.

“How did you…”

“We heard it. That person told us everything.”

“Ugh…! That damn Sophie…! That traitorous girl!”

His demeanor changed completely.

Just moments ago, he had been offering me comforting words about Sophie’s death.

My heart pounded.

My breathing grew ragged.

A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

“Aah… Aaaah… Aaaaah!”

I stood up, clutching my head.

Sophie. Sophie. Sophie.

“Hana!!”

“Die. Die. Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!”

“Gah…! You… little…!”

Crash!

Bang!

“Hana! Calm down! Si-hyun!”

“Stay with us, Yoo Hana!”

“Die! Die! Die!! Just die!!!”

“Ugh…”

Si woo and Si-hyun grabbed hold of me and dragged me back.

Only then did I come to my senses.

I realized I had attacked the demon, strangling him.

Unable to properly resist due to his shoulder injury, he had been powerless against me.

The demon lay motionless, eyes closed.

Si-hyun approached him and checked his pulse.

After a moment, she spoke.

“…He’s dead.”

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