LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 107
김신우, looking utterly baffled at my words.
“…What?”
“I said I’m a science teacher.”
At some point, a spark flickered from his hand.
That must be Valentina’s ability. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it.
“I’m not a strange person. So please put away your abilities.”
After staring at me for a while, Kim Shinwoo finally extinguished his power.
It seems he’s still holding on to his sanity.
“Why is a science teacher in a girl’s dorm?”
“It’s personal business. And let’s flip it back to you. How did you get into the girls’ dorm?”
“I’m a friend of Hana!”
“I’m her teacher.”
Arguing with myself from ten years ago must be such a silly scene if viewed from afar.
Things are starting to get awkward now.
Being grabbed by the collar like this isn’t exactly pleasant.
“Please let go. If I were the suspicious person you’re worried about, why would I just sit here doing nothing next to a sleeping Hana?”
“Don’t you think just sitting next to her is itself a problem?”
“Of course. But Hana specifically asked me to.”
“…Don’t kid me. You think I’d buy that kind of lie?”
Strictly speaking, I wouldn’t call it a lie.
It’s a bit ambiguous, but Hana definitely asked me to do it.
How could there be a clearer way than sitting next to her and petting her hair?
“I’m feeling a bit wronged here. I was pretty close to Hana. Of course, in a student-teacher relationship.”
“Hana and I are in the same class.”
“Well, that’s something.”
“That means I never attended a class taught by a person like you! What on earth could have brought Hana close to you?”
“We became friends last year. Were we in the same class back then?”
That too is an undeniable truth.
I didn’t promise not to mix in any lies, but it just happens that everything I said is true.
Although right now, Hana has completely forgotten that memory.
After saying that, Shinwoo finally calmed down.
He probably couldn’t find any contradictions in my words.
“Go ahead. I’ll keep watch over Hana.”
Even though his tone had softened, it still held firmness.
I poured oil onto the fire.
“It seems you are quite special to her. In that case, I’m a bit disappointed.”
“…Ha. Disappointed?”
For a moment shocked, Shinwoo turned into a mute after my next words.
“You don’t think that rope is just for decoration, do you?”
“…”
“Yes. That’s right. Hana was trying to die. By herself.”
“No way. Hana would never do that.”
Now he’s completely shutting his eyes to reality.
“Shinwoo, denying it won’t change the reality. Hana attempted to take her own life. If I hadn’t come in time…”
“Are you the one who…?”
“Hmmm.”
The situation is deteriorating.
It’s not particularly strange. It was too heavy of a problem for an 18-year-old to handle.
I felt pity and sympathy for my ten-years-ago self.
But honestly speaking, I was also frustrated and annoyed.
If I had dealt with things better back then, maybe the situation wouldn’t be this bad now.
In a situation that must flow according to the predetermined course, it’s unusual for me to say this, but the present me looks quite pathetic.
“Didn’t you encourage Hana to commit suicide? No, are you cleverly orchestrating this whole situation…?”
A clever design.
Of course, the intended meaning would differ, but it’s somewhat ironic that it wasn’t entirely wrong.
“I’ll give you the easiest and simplest answer.”
I pointed at Hana, who was eavesdropping on the bed.
“Wake her up. Then you can just ask her directly.”
“…”
“Why, can’t you do that? Are you afraid of facing the truth?”
This might not just be a question for anyone else.
It was a question I was throwing at myself.
“I think I know what you’re afraid of.”
The regrets I didn’t voice back then.
This painful emotion. The lingering attachment and anger towards my past self.
That young Shinwoo was revealing the fears he didn’t even realize he had.
“The fact that you didn’t know Hana’s pain was festering so much that she decided to commit suicide is terrifying, isn’t it?”
“I-I’m not… No, that’s not it.”
“Why did your bright and hopeful childhood friend suddenly attempt suicide? You can’t quite grasp it, can you?”
Gradually, Shinwoo showed signs of agitation he couldn’t hide.
“Do you want to know?”
Why I was so wary of that science teacher from the past.
“…Are you saying you know?”
Looking back now, the answer was simple.
I couldn’t deny a word he was saying.
Because he was me.
“Hana is suffering from a chronic illness.”
“It’s a heart condition. As long as she takes her medication regularly, there’s no problem.”
I believed that.
I had steadfastly believed Hana’s kind little lie.
“That’s a lie. It’s far worse, painful, and fatal compared to some simple sickness.”
“No, Hana told me directly. There’s no way she could be lying…”
If only I had paid a bit more attention.
If only I had realized that the sweet girl was suffering enough to hide her pain so that I wouldn’t worry.
“That’s a white lie. It came from her desire for you not to worry.”
“…”
Shinwoo’s gaze shifted to a sleeping Hana.
It’s already too late.
Right now, Hana can’t give any answers.
She has completely lost her memory.
“How long has she endured perched on some cheap painkillers?”
How much did it hurt?
How agonizing was it?
“I don’t know… How do you know?”
“Who knows. Perhaps Hana needed someone she could genuinely confide in.”
I was meant to take on that role.
But the first-year girl was so exhausted she couldn’t lean on anyone, not even a friend, to share her thoughts with a science teacher.
“Not just that. The ridicule, mockery, and ostracization as the academy’s only failure; you have no idea of that, do you?”
Of course, he knew.
He simply forced himself to look away and assumed everything would be fine based on no evidence.
Had I observed carefully, I would have seen how much Hana was struggling.
If only I had taken a little more interest back then.
This wouldn’t have happened.
“I shared many things with her. I listened, stayed by her side, and offered her medication.”
It’s time to wrap up this conversation.
“This is a medicine that brings happiness and makes one forget pain, incomparable to any painkiller.”
“…”
“During that time, what were you doing?”
“I…”
He wouldn’t be able to answer.
In fact, I knew all too well how this conversation would flow.
After all, I had already experienced it ten years ago.
That’s why I proposed the wager to Hana without hesitation.
But even so.
I still harbored a futile hope.
“Can you really say that you bear no responsibility for that?”
I asked, pointing at the rope hanging from the ceiling.
That’s our symbol. The most twisted expression of the sin committed against a girl.
I can still never forget the smiling face she wore while buying that rope.
“As a teacher who genuinely cares for Hana, there’s just one thing I want to say to you.”
“…What is it?”
So please.
Make a different choice than I did.
I declared coldly, praying fervently.
“Let her go.”
The room was engulfed in heavy silence.
I wished he’d at least say something, but as expected, the boy only drooped his head in silence.
Yeah. It’s flow is the same as before.
I struggled to swallow the bitterness and said firmly.
The test is already over.
The outcome hasn’t changed.
What a foolish guy.
“Please, take your leave. I’ll take care of Hana from here.”
“…But.”
“Do you have any right to be taking care of Hana?”
“…”
In the end, the boy, after staring longingly at Hana, weakly turned and left the room.
I flopped down onto the chair, repeatedly splashing my face with cold water.
Soon, I got up again and approached the window, where I saw him chatting with a female student.
“He’s left. He’s talking to another female student.”
As I said that and shifted my gaze back to the bed, I was momentarily at a loss for words.
“…Wow. I didn’t expect this kind of development either.”
I tried to speak casually, but internally I was bound to chaos.
However, I had to mask that with a smile to avoid suspicion.
“How about opening your eyes slowly now, Hana?”
The girl lying on the bed opened her eyes.
“How do you feel? Are you satisfied with the results?”
“…Yeah. Thanks to you, I’ve definitely pulled away.”
“I see.”
Why are you saying that?
And why do you…
“But why are you crying?”
I couldn’t understand whether she was truly crying.