I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Sui**de

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The story flowed well, according to plan.

While I felt a sense of relief about that, I couldn’t help but accumulate frustration.

After all, I had to witness Hana crumbling little by little in real time.

And the root of it all was me.

I sat in the science lab, pondering our future plans.

At that moment, the device I had hidden in my pocket began to ring uncontrollably.

“This is….”

It was the emergency communication device I had given to Sophie.

I had instructed her to let me know if something happened to Hana.

Checking the GPS displayed on the device, I immediately left the science lab.

I arrived at the practical training room.

It was only after seeing the place that I recalled what the current incident was.

Without wasting any time, I opened the door and entered.

I understood the situation completely.

During a combat simulation training against monsters, Hana had panicked and lost her fighting spirit after being overwhelmed by an illusion of a monster attacking her, prompting the instructor to scold her.

As expected, I saw the instructor and students at odds inside.

And curled up in the corner, trembling, was Hana.

“……”

At the moment I witnessed that scene, my anger surged.

But if I just blindly lashed out, the entire plan could go awry.

“What does that kid have to be coddled for!?”

“She’s still unsettled and anxious, you see.”

I calmly interjected, sharply asserting my presence.

The instructor noticed my presence too late and looked flustered.

“…Who are you?”

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

Hearing my introduction, the instructor frowned and let out a heavy sigh.

How could he drop his guard just because I mentioned my subject?

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

“No, I came to the right place. I have matters to discuss with one of the students here.”

With that, I took a leisurely step forward.

“Over there, I’m talking about Yu Hana.”

“…I can’t take that student right now. Entering the class without permission is quite rude, don’t you think?”

“Rude? From where I’m standing, you seem to be the rude one.”

This situation was truly absurd.

If he understood how important Yu Hana was to the academy, he would never have acted this way.

No, those old geezers on the board would probably be welcoming it.

After all, they were the ones who were pushing for Hana to awaken as a savior, intentionally creating hardships for her.

“Are you mad?”

“As I said earlier, Yu Hana is very anxious right now. You know that too.”

“Monsters don’t consider such circumstances.”

“But classes can go on. If you really want to make it like a real-life experience, wouldn’t it be better to let her face a monster and actually die? The efficiency of the lesson would certainly increase.”

“……”

No matter how the debate unfolded, I was bound to come out on top.

Looking at the current situation objectively, it’s clear that the instructor’s response was excessive.

I opened the door and stepped into the closed training area.

And before me stood a boy.

I faced Kim Shinwoo directly.

Our gazes clashed for a brief moment.

Yes. It was a memory from a decade ago, but it was vividly clear.

The moment I first stepped up for Hana.

Yet, I wasn’t much help, and ultimately, it was the science teacher who appeared in that life-or-death moment.

“What do you think will happen if I report this situation to the Faculty Board?”

“…Are you threatening me right now?”

“I’m just looking out for you. As your fellow teacher.”

I gently patted the instructor’s shoulder with a hint of sincerity.

He seemed ready to explode with anger, but he didn’t show any further reaction.

“I’m glad you seem to understand. Then I will take Hana with me.”

Just as I said that and moved towards the collapsed Hana, a furious shout erupted from behind.

“It’s my class right now! Coming in here and taking my student? Don’t be ridiculous!”

“That’s a very wise statement.”

How worked up could he be?

I smiled, expressing a hint of pity for his situation.

“But what to do? It’s break time now. I guess you were so caught up in your class that you didn’t notice the bell.”

“What? That can’t be…!”

The instructor hurriedly checked his wristwatch.

But it was too late to change anything.

“Or were you too busy fighting with a student to notice? That too might be a bit of a problem.”

“Ugh…”

Eventually, the instructor fell completely silent.

But now, Kim Shinwoo next to him seemed to want to say something, his mouth agape.

Ignoring him, I turned away immediately.

After all, he couldn’t stop me, and I knew that better than anyone.

I approached Hana, who was curled up and shaking.

Next to her was another girl who had been looking after her.

Sophie and I locked eyes.

In her blue eyes swirled a complex mix of emotions too complicated to explain.

Perhaps it has been wobbling even back then.

“Thank you for your hard work. I’ll take Hana.”

“Ah…”

A regretful sigh.

Hesitant eyes.

Sophie awkwardly spoke up.

“I’ll help too. Just, supporting her, you know.”

“Hmm… Alright. I appreciate that.”

Hana looked like she had already lost consciousness.

Carrying such a girl, I exited the training area.

Kim Shinwoo stood there, rooted to the spot until I disappeared.

He simply clenched his fists tightly.

*

We arrived at the science lab.

Hana was still asleep, so I laid her down on the sofa.

Naturally, it left only Sophie and me in the small space.

An awkward silence lingered for a moment.

I was the first to break the silence.

“I’ve heard the news. You moved to Class A.”

“…Ah, yes. A chance happened to arise.”

“That’s good. You got in touch with the target right away.”

“……”

Yes, for the Mine, Yu Hana was merely a target to capture.

Sophie’s ultimate goal in moving to Class A was nothing more than that.

Of course, she would slowly change.

Sophie would gradually be drawn to Hana, considering her a friend.

She would eventually come to love her genuinely.

“Aren’t I bothering you? That’s a bit sad. I thought we had gotten close over the year.”

Sophie’s reactions when meeting me were always similar.

She would glance at me with a troubled look and quickly try to distance herself.

She would never give me her trust and would try to escape any way possible.

“Aren’t we on the same team?”

“…It’s nothing. I guess I’m just shy by nature.”

“Hmm. Is that really all there is to it? Is it not that you can’t read me with your ability?”

“H-how do you know that…?”

Sophie stepped back with a startled expression.

“I knew from the beginning that your ability was to manipulate and read minds.”

“…That’s right. That’s my ability. But I can’t read anything from you. That’s why I can’t trust you.”

I could roughly guess the reason why my ability didn’t work on her.

Either the Holy Grail was protecting me, or returning to the past had some effect.

“Are you really on the same side?”

“Sophie, what matters isn’t that.”

“Yes?”

“What matters is which side you will choose, Sophie.”

At my words, her eyes trembled slightly.

“What do you mean? Of course, I’ll side with the Mine….”

“Yu Hana is a pitiful girl. You must have gleaned a bit of that sadness nestled in her heart, which is hard to compare with anyone else.”

Right now, Hana’s mind was not in a normal state.

Her original knowledge. The personality that possesses her. All the memories enclosed within.

Perhaps Sophie had caught a glimpse of Hana’s twisted inner self, even if just a bit.

“……”

“Before long, you will inevitably find yourself at a crossroads. Depending on what you choose, everything will change.”

Her gaze turned to Hana, who was sleeping on the sofa.

Staring at the girl, she tossed the question at me.

“Do you know what’s right?”

“Be true to your heart. That’s all you need.”

Telling her to choose Hana here would hold little meaning.

Sophie would undoubtedly make the same choice anyway.

Just looking at her gaze toward Hana gave me the assurance of that.

“I’ll wait outside, so please let me know when Hana wakes up. Then, I’ll take my leave.”

Leaving the two of them behind, I stepped out of the room.

Now, there wasn’t much time left.

“……”

If Sophie dies, there would be no turning back.

Everything will unfold too quickly for me to control.

*

Several days had passed since then.

Recently, my life has been less hectic.

That was because Hana had begun to keep a wary eye on me.

It was a situation I could fully understand, yet for some reason, it felt a bit disappointing.

This calm routine would likely end soon.

I heard there was a field trip in a few days.

Just a few days left.

At that moment, someone came to the science lab.

An uninvited guest, one I didn’t particularly welcome.

I calmly donned a friendly mask and greeted him.

“Oh my, Vice Principal! What brings you here?”

He scratched the eye patch covering his eyes and spoke up.

“I have one question I’m curious about.”