Because I love you, I’ll protect you forever.
It was a line frequently encountered in webtoons, manga, and web novels—a declaration that promised the love between a heroine and a protagonist. More precisely, it symbolized a relationship of pure, devoted love.
While it was a fervent declaration of affection typically exchanged between lovers, this particular line in the game Asteraa carried a distinctly different nuance.
This was because it was spoken by a yandere heroine—one who pathologically craved love, far surpassing the devotion of a megadere (TL Note: A character archetype characterized by extreme devotion and affection for their love interest, often to an overwhelming degree).
Doesn’t the phrase, “I’ll protect you forever,” strike you differently now?
When uttered by an obsessive heroine, “I’ll protect you forever” could be interpreted in myriad ways—imprisonment, abduction, murder, or manipulation.
Through diverse methods, they expressed their twisted devotion. They sought to claim their love for the protagonist, even if it required coercive tactics. For his affection was something they deemed irreplaceable.
My present circumstances were no different.
I had become a heroine within the game.
A heroine so deeply enamored with the protagonist that she would willingly brave death itself…
“For my sake… make it a happy ending…”
Drawn by Ha Eun-ah’s voice, my eyes fluttered open. Only moments before, I had been seated before my computer; now, finding myself sprawled across the floor, I wondered if I had fainted.
I pushed myself up. Rubbing my eyes, I rose to confront a scene entirely unfamiliar to me.
Reflected in the full-length mirror before me was none other than Ha Eun-ah.
Her pink hair framed a face that appeared sickly, making her a woman one instinctively wished to protect.
And she, this very woman, was gazing intently at me from within the mirror.
Slowly, I approached the mirror, extending a hand to touch its surface.
It was cold.
The mirror’s frigid, lifeless touch met my fingertips. Tentatively, I shifted my hand, brushing it against my own face.
Soft and delicate skin.
The Ha Eun-ah in the mirror mimicked my every movement precisely.
Could it be?
Had I truly become Ha Eun-ah?
I had certainly been playing a game, yet what was this surreal reality now confronting me?
Hesitantly, I stared back at the reflection of Ha Eun-ah.
A choked gasp escaped my lips.
An immense, unbidden pain surged through my head.
Why was it hurting so intensely?
I couldn’t breathe.
Why was this torment so agonizing?
Clutching my head, I crumpled to the floor.
A pain that felt as if my skull were being ripped to shreds.
The worst agony I could recall was the day I was struck by a car while cycling in elementary school, an incident that left me with injuries requiring two weeks of recovery.
Yet, the pain I experienced now far surpassed even that.
Had Ha Eun-ah endured such torment all this time?
Someone, please help me.
Yet, it seemed no one could halt this suffering.
Even if a doctor were to arrive, could they truly alleviate this anguish?
Beyond prescribing mere painkillers, there would be no remedy.
I was now experiencing the very same pain she had always endured.
‘For my sake, make it a happy ending.’
Ha Eun-ah’s voice resonated within my mind, accompanied by excruciating agony.
Never had I experienced such torment.
If I were to survive, I had no choice but to craft a happy ending for her.
Yes, she had to be happy.
