9.
“This is where In-ju is, isn’t it?”
I stood before the training facility for Awakened individuals, located near the main building.
Stepping inside, I headed straight into the building.
If classes were still in session, In-ju would surely be here.
Awakened individuals practiced their unique abilities, each absorbed in their own training.
It seemed they received systematic instruction tailored to their individual characteristics.
Assisting in their development were Homunculi, specially trained to facilitate Awakened individuals’ exercises.
They served as sparring partners, guiding the trainees through their paces.
Among the many Awakened individuals, In-ju undeniably stood out.
He confronted a Homunculus bare-handed.
It suddenly occurred to me that I didn’t even know what In-ju’s ability was.
“In-ju, here I come.”
“Yes! Please go easy on me.”
At the Homunculus’s words, In-ju nodded.
The Homunculus, armed with an AR rifle, began firing.
In response to its attack, In-ju raised his hands, adopting a ready stance.
Flames erupted—a blaze generated around him.
Bullets flying through the air melted and vanished instantly in the crimson inferno.
The Homunculus watched him, tense within the swirling flames.
“Ugh.”
The Homunculus attacked him from behind cover.
But merely doing so wouldn’t be enough to defeat In-ju.
Despite the Homunculus’s full assault, it failed to inflict even a scratch on In-ju.
In-ju immediately pressed his attack.
Flames erupted—his fire instantly melted the cover.
The Homunculus retreated, intensifying its gunfire, but In-ju would not be outdone.
He extended a hand toward the Homunculus.
A torrent of fire surged directly toward the Homunculus, engulfing it in an instant.
The Homunculus was consumed by flames in a flash.
It was over in a blink.
To subdue it so swiftly!
In-ju quickly withdrew the flames that had enveloped the Homunculus.
The Homunculus collapsed backward.
In-ju’s fiery assault seemed to have left it disoriented.
“Are you alright?”
In-ju rushed over to the Homunculus.
He checked on its well-being.
His ability was terrifyingly powerful.
“I’m fine. But then again, the top student of the first year is truly different.”
The Homunculus nodded, then spoke.
In-ju blushed at its words.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Class is dismissed here. It’s lunchtime, so eat and then come back.”
At the Homunculus’s words, In-ju nodded.
“Yes, I understand.”
In-ju slowly emerged from the training room.
Had his training finished? I raised my head and walked toward him.
I had come all the way to the training room entrance to have lunch with him.
“Eun-ah, what brings you all the way here? Are you looking for someone?”
The moment he exited the training room, he ran into me.
Clasping my hands together, I began to speak to him in a soft voice.
I had to tell him.
Even if it felt awkward, I needed to say that I wanted to eat with him.
“H-have you seen Seol? I was hoping to have lunch with her.”
The words slipped out, entirely unintended.
I hadn’t come looking for Seol.
The fact that I’d mentioned her made my eyebrow twitch involuntarily.
It seemed I couldn’t control my expression.
“Ah, you came looking for Seol. I heard Seol is doing more training, so I don’t think she’ll be having lunch.”
What a relief.
Seol wasn’t eating lunch.
I had to feign disappointment as convincingly as possible.
I pursed my lips, molding my face into an expression of regret.
“Ah, I see.”
Seeing my expression, In-ju smiled and continued.
“If you need someone to eat with, I can join you.”
At his words, I smiled.
Yes, this was exactly what I wanted.
To have a meal alone with him.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d be very grateful.”
At my reply, In-ju continued speaking, seemingly delighted.
Yes, if things continued like this, it would be the first step toward a happy ending.
“Shall we go then?”
“Mhm.”
And so, In-ju and I exited the training room and headed straight for the student cafeteria.
Lunch with In-ju! My heart fluttered with excitement.
Although we’d had breakfast together before, I’d passed out, unable to savor the moment.
Just watching him eat would be enough to send shivers down my spine.
That was how deeply I loved him.
“…But Eun-ah.”
In-ju, who had been walking toward the cafeteria, suddenly spoke.
Had something unexpected come to mind?
“Yes?”
“Eun-ah, looking at you, I get this familiar feeling.
It’s like I’ve seen you somewhere else, not just at the Academy.”
In-ju seemed lost in thought.
‘Could he not remember me?’
“Is that so? Perhaps it’s because I have a common face.”
As I offered a faint smile, In-ju shook his head from side to side, dismissing my words.
“No, that’s not what I mean…”
In-ju hesitated for a moment, then fixed his gaze upon my face.
With his eyes directly on me, I instinctively flinched, my hands rising to cover my face.
“Eun-ah, which elementary school did you attend?”
At his question, I pondered deeply.
‘According to the story, if it were Ha Eun-ah’s elementary school…’
“Pyeonghwa Elementary School.”
The words escaped my lips before I could stop them.
‘A name that didn’t even exist in the story, yet it just came out like that.’
As I stared in surprise, In-ju, equally startled, continued.
“Oh. I went to Pyeonghwa Elementary School too.”
In-ju seemed to ponder for a moment, then looked at me intently.
He scrutinized my face.
‘I feel embarrassed. No, I feel excited.
To think he’s staring at my face so persistently.’
“I remember now! We were in the same first-grade class!”
He spoke with a triumphant air, as if a memory had just clicked into place.
It seemed he finally remembered.
The events from elementary school.
Even the fact that we were childhood friends.
“Mhm.”
“It’s really good to see you. How many years has it been?”
Ten years.
For ten long years, I had waited for him.
I had struggled to reunite with him, but always met with insurmountable barriers.
Now, however, things were different.
I could be closer to him than anyone else.
“Around ten years, I suppose. So we were elementary school classmates.”
‘My acting was awkward.’
At my reply, In-ju continued speaking, seemingly delighted.
“Ah, it brings back memories. We used to play house together.”
‘As if I could ever forget.
In-ju had always occupied a corner of my heart.
My beloved In-ju…’
“Oh, we’ve already arrived at the cafeteria. Here, take this.”
The moment we arrived at the cafeteria, In-ju handed me a tray.
I took the tray he offered.
‘He’s looking out for me.’
Suppressing a delighted smile, I joined the line.
“Hello, In-ju.”
Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted from behind me.
The moment I turned my head, I saw Kang So-yi.
She stood directly behind me, a smile gracing her lips.
“Hello.”
In-ju waved, greeting her.
So-yi immediately pushed past me, positioning herself in front of In-ju.
Standing right beside In-ju, So-yi began to chatter away.
“What a coincidence! I came for lunch too. Can I join you?”
So-yi smiled, pressing herself close to In-ju’s side.
‘Too close. Far too close.’
A sharp *clench*—I found myself grinding my teeth.
“Oh, sure.”
In-ju nodded as he spoke.
It was then that So-yi seemed to notice me, finally addressing me.
“Oh my, Eun-ah, you’re here too? Would you like to eat with us?”
So-yi spoke to me, yet it felt as if she was deliberately trying to put me in an awkward position.
In-ju, who was beside her, interjected.
“Eun-ah came specifically to eat with me.”
At In-ju’s words, So-yi put on a contrite expression.
“Really? I’m so sorry, Eun-ah.”
So-yi clasped her hands, gazing at me.
There was no genuine apology in her eyes.
It was merely an act to dismiss me.
Without waiting for my reply, So-yi turned her head to look at In-ju.
“Oh, right. In-ju, there’s something I wanted to ask you…”
So-yi then led In-ju away, moving forward.
I stood there awkwardly, holding only my tray.
Tray in hand, I slowly walked forward.
Ahead, So-yi and In-ju were engaged in a lively conversation.
They were talking to each other, having completely forgotten about me.
I watched them.
Ignoring the pleas of my own heart, I followed behind him, getting my food.
A sharp throb—my head began to ache again.
It felt as though my senses were returning.
Another headache, so soon.
In-ju, who had gone ahead, immediately took a seat, and So-yi, not missing a beat, sat right beside him.
I ended up sitting opposite him.
I watched So-yi and In-ju sitting side-by-side, directly across from me.
Today’s lunch menu wasn’t bad.
“Bon appétit.”
At my words, So-yi across from me let out a small snicker.
*Munch*
I chewed my food, but tasted nothing.
If anything, my head was throbbing violently from the headache.
“Oh, right. In-ju, how are you training?”
So-yi spoke to In-ju with a gentle, amiable expression.
“Whenever I have time, I’m constantly working on regulating my abilities.”
“Really? That’s amazing. I find it so hard to be consistent.”
So-yi replied brightly to In-ju’s words.
So-yi, she was one of the bright and positive heroines in the game.
But seeing her like this, she looked like nothing more than someone shamelessly flirting with In-ju.
‘I can’t forgive her…’
It was strange.
It felt as though Ha Eun-ah’s voice was echoing within me.
‘I can’t forgive her.’
It was clearly a cry directed at So-yi.
“Would it be alright if I trained with you too? I really want to learn.”
At So-yi’s request, In-ju nodded, as if he couldn’t refuse.
“Well then. Next time I have some free time, let’s train together.”
He was too kind.
Nam In-ju.
The two continued their conversation, completely ignoring me.
“Thank you so much, In-ju. You’re the best!”
In-ju smiled at So-yi’s words.
That smile.
It should have been meant only for me…
“Ugh.”
My head began to ache.
Was the pain returning?
I frantically fumbled in my inner pocket.
“Eun-ah? Eun-ah, are you feeling unwell?”
Unable to answer In-ju, I searched for the pills in my pocket.
With trembling hands, I grabbed a pill and swallowed it.
I chewed and swallowed, but the headache wouldn’t subside.
“It hurts too much…”
I eventually collapsed onto the floor, face down.
The pills were useless.
I desperately tried to force more pills into my mouth.
I crammed a week’s worth of pills from my pocket into my mouth.
I didn’t want to feel this pain, this sensation of my mind being torn to shreds.
“The infirmary. I’ll take you to the infirmary.”
In-ju rushed toward me, speaking urgently.
But So-yi blocked In-ju, speaking in a calm tone.
“No, In-ju, you finish your meal. I’ll go.”
“But—”
“It’s fine. I’ve already finished eating. You don’t have to worry, In-ju. Just finish your lunch.”
At So-yi’s words, In-ju hesitated for a moment.
So-yi then scooped me up onto her back and smiled at In-ju.
****
I slowly opened my eyes.
Before me was So-yi.
I was lying in a bed.
The headache had not subsided.
The throbbing pain still lingered.
“You passed out for a bit, but it looks like you’re awake now.”
So-yi looked at me, a smile on her face.
It seemed she had brought me to the infirmary.
“The teacher isn’t here, so I guess you’ll have to stay here a bit longer.”
So-yi spoke in an annoyed tone, looking around.
Se-na was nowhere to be seen.
The infirmary was quiet.
So-yi continued, as if she had been waiting for this moment.
“Ha Eun-ah, do you often hear that you’re tactless?”
At So-yi’s words, my heart plummeted.
‘Tactless?’
As I stared at So-yi, she continued, as if she had been waiting for my reaction.
“I even gave you a hint that I wanted to be alone with In-ju, but you stubbornly sat right with us.
If you had any sense, shouldn’t you have eaten separately, by yourself?”
A throbbing headache—a sudden, intense pain made me clutch my head with both hands.
It was agonizing.
Why this sudden pain?
Moreover, it was a pain so severe that the medication was ineffective.
“Still, it wasn’t all bad. Because you got sick, I was able to look good to In-ju.
In-ju probably saw my kind side and…”
I couldn’t respond to So-yi’s words.
So-yi’s chattering voice felt like it was swirling relentlessly in my head.
‘I can’t forgive her.’
The Eun-ah within me was screaming.
She couldn’t forgive her.
“And from now on, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t get too close to In-ju.
In-ju is suited for Awakened individuals like me.
He doesn’t suit someone without abilities like you.”
So-yi began, staring intently at me.
She was looking directly at me as she spoke.
‘Don’t get close to In-ju?’
A ringing sound, *Jiiing*—a tinnitus filled my head.
Under the intense pressure in my head, my connection momentarily severed.
In a fleeting moment, my vision shifted.
“Wait… don’t do it.”
I saw myself, perched atop So-yi.
So-yi’s ability was weak: animal empathy.
In such a confined space with no animals around, she couldn’t utilize her power.
My hands grazed her delicate throat.
With gasps for breath, she couldn’t utter a word.
Perhaps the reason I was doing this was simply due to the headache.
This damned headache kept telling me to kill her.
I tightened my grip.
I squeezed harder, stronger.
Because I loved In-ju, I would eliminate any rival.
I had heard the term “brood parasitism” (TL Note: A behavior in which one species lays its eggs in the nest of another species, relying on the host to raise its young).
It was an act of a bird entrusting its eggs to another bird’s nest.
An act akin to parasitism.
Cuckoos, which lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, disappear without a backward glance.
As soon as a cuckoo chick is born, it pushes the other eggs out of the nest, monopolizing the care of its foster parents.
This behavior is done to be loved, to monopolize the mother.
Their actions were no different from mine.
To receive In-ju’s love, I could even kill the chicks in another nest.
I just needed to kill her.
“Eun-ah, I’m… I’m sorry. *Gasp*… Please, let me… live.”
So-yi, beneath me, was drooling and pleading.
Did she think that would make me release her?
Her legs trembled uncontrollably.
Her face contorted in a pained, staggering expression.
Serves her right.
A smile formed on my lips.
I could feel her life being extinguished by my hands.
Anything that dared to touch my beloved In-ju had to be eliminated.
They all had to die.
Don’t go near In-ju…
He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine.
****
[ Reconfiguring route. ]
“Eun-ah? Are you okay?”
At In-ju’s voice, I opened my eyes.
In-ju stood before me.
He tilted his head, gazing at me.
We were in the main building hallway.
It was still before we went to the cafeteria.
“Ah, what were we doing?”
I stared at him with a bewildered expression.
“We were just talking about how we went to the same elementary school.”
“That’s right. That’s what it was.”
I smiled, responding to his words.
It was strange.
It felt like I’d just had a bizarre dream.
I looked down at my hands.
The sensation of strangling still lingered.
A peculiar feeling.
“So, shall we go have lunch?”
At his words, I recoiled slightly.
Somehow, it felt like I shouldn’t go to eat lunch.
“Um, In-ju, would you like to go to the snack bar instead? I feel like having bread instead of lunch today.”
At my words, In-ju smiled.
“Eun-ah, you’re not feeling unwell, are you?”
“Mhm…”
In-ju stepped closer to me and placed a hand on my forehead.
At his touch, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“You don’t seem to have a fever.
Well, if you want bread, Eun-ah, let’s go to the snack bar.”
In-ju gave a cheerful smile, suggesting we go to the snack bar together.
I nodded frantically and grabbed his hand.
I quickly walked toward the snack bar.
I just wanted to get out of that spot as fast as possible.
