I Became the Childhood Friend of a D*ug Dealer

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“Why is Si-Hoo bringing her along? Are they close? Did he go to visit her at home?”

I still couldn’t understand.

Si-Hoo wouldn’t be living with another girl.

It was all rather strange.

“Umm… if I had to explain, it might be a kidnapping?”

“Huh?”

“No one would believe me if I told them… Even if I went to Dr. Lee Yoo-Ram, he would completely deny the existence of the younger sister.”

What the heck is that supposed to mean?

“…Is she really not his younger sister?”

“No, I’m sure it’s confirmed by my ability. I haven’t told anyone, but Han Si-Hoo is definitely involved in kidnapping and confinement… and even threats.”

“Why…?”

I still couldn’t wrap my head around it.

Seol Ha-Jin, what’s going on in your head?

Or maybe I’m the one who’s crazy?

Kidnapping, confinement, and threats?

“It’s hard for you to believe, huh? I’m only telling you because you seem interested in Han Si-Hoo.”

“But Si-Hoo lives in the dormitory. In the first place…”

Let’s just say it was understandable why.

Okay.

Where exactly is he supposed to be doing the kidnapping and confinement?

“That guy… seems to have a spatial movement skill or something. It looks like there are plenty of other hideouts or residences.”

“The people around him wouldn’t not notice. Not with such a large incident going on.”

“It doesn’t seem like those around Han Si-Hoo know nothing. They might even be accomplices…”

What the heck is she talking about?

Seriously, what is she saying?

“So, uh, where is this teacher’s younger sister hurt?”

“I don’t really know. All I know is that she’s sick. Apparently, Han Si-Hoo is using that to hold some kind of leverage over Dr. Lee Yoo-Ram.”

Everything she says is just so bizarre.

“So what do you want me to do? Are you close with that younger sister? Is that why you’re saying all this?”

“No, I’ve never even met her.”

Seol Ha-Jin responds nonchalantly.

“Are you trying to mess with me?”

“Check it out for yourself. It’s real, you know. The promise to heal her—are you going to keep your word on that?”

“What…”

“It’s true. Han Si-Hoo is a bad guy, you see.”

It seems like she really dislikes Han Si-Hoo.

“There’s no way that can be true.”

“That’s what people think, but even that Yoo Seo-A from earlier seems strange too.”

“……”

“Wow, I didn’t have anyone to talk to about this. You don’t know how scary Han Si-Hoo really is.”

Isn’t this just a level of conspiracy theory at this point?

It’s easier to believe she’s just making stuff up because she hates Han Si-Hoo.

I’m losing my mind.

“No, I don’t understand the whole kidnapping and confinement thing…”

I’m confused about what I’m even hearing.

Shouldn’t this girl be the one needing treatment?

“I didn’t ask him directly because it seemed like I’d die, but could you go and check with the Saint? If there’s no kidnapping of the younger sister or anything similar… then treatment is fine.”

She says this seriously.

I mean, it still sounds pretty weird.

“Really.”

She opens her mouth again.

This time, there’s no hint of playfulness.

“Han Si-Hoo is not normal.”

She might know more about him than I do.

Someone hostile towards Han Si-Hoo is a new angle.

Saying he’s not normal too.

It is true that I don’t know Han Si-Hoo well.

It’s not like we’ve truly become friends yet.

“Alright. I’ll look into the… kidnapping or whatever.”

Kidnapping, confinement, and threats against the teacher’s younger sister?

Is that really Han Si-Hoo?

That just doesn’t fit the image.

He seems kind, gentle, and righteous.

Is he in a similar department as me?

People often assume just because someone is called a Saint, they must be good.

But Han Si-Hoo is genuinely kind.

Whatever it may be.

Not knowing is just part of getting to know him better.

But the whole kidnapping and confinement thing…

There must be some misunderstanding.

The most likely scenario is that Seol Ha-Jin here has lost her mind.

*

I returned home.

Thinking again and again, it still felt strange.

Something seems tangled up.

I was trying to connect with Han Si-Hoo through Yoo Seo-A.

But somehow, the teacher’s younger sister, whose name I didn’t even know, popped up out of nowhere.

Kidnapping, confinement, threats.

Even after contemplating, it still makes no sense.

“Why would Si-Hoo do something like that…”

Should I be suspicious, though?

If this Seo-A girl were truly a close friend, I would wonder why she was even being drugged.

Could there be some darkness within Si-Hoo that I don’t know about?

There are a lot of strange people in the slums.

Yet I still like Si-Hoo.

So I have no intention of giving up.

“I really need to get closer to him.”

What’s the best way to become friends with someone?

How about doing them a favor?

What if I saved Seo-A? That could be a new approach.

No, just providing information about Seo-A would probably increase our closeness.

Let’s make Si-Hoo the one to bring it up first.

Then after talking about Seo-A, I’d say I’d look into it.

I’m not completely devoid of information.

Ding.

A message came in.

This time, it’s a photo, not a video.

“Wow…”

It looks like something’s gone wrong.

Was this taken right after a procedure?

The person in question seems to be smiling, which makes it even stranger.

I’m glad to have more materials to give to Si-Hoo, but who the heck is this?

I have no idea who would do something like this.

What’s the point of not sending such pictures or videos directly to Han Si-Hoo?

They must know I could draw him into this.

Whoever it is emphasized that Yoo Seo-A and Han Si-Hoo are friends when they sent this…

I can’t figure out their purpose.

I can’t understand it at all.

I’ve been trying to ignore it, but really, who is this?

That voice was definitely female.

It might have been a voice I’ve never heard before.

Who the heck are they?

Ah.

My head hurts.

Why is this happening to me?

Last time, I panicked and ended up using drugs.

Even if self-healing is possible, I should restrain myself from taking drugs.

I might do something crazy in a fit of excitement.

“…Drugs do feel good.”

Maybe the Yoo Seo-A in the photo wasn’t unhappy at all.

There are plenty of people who’d do anything if they were just given drugs.

“Si-Hoo must feel bad too. If his friend is in such a state…”

But really, why is he friends with her?

What did Si-Hoo do that put Seo-A in such a state?

He’s a guy who would certainly uphold the vow to protect his friends.

Even when I first met Seo-A, there seemed to be no hint of friends around.

Did Si-Hoo abandon her?

No, that doesn’t make sense either.

“Should I ask Si-Hoo directly?”

My mind’s too tangled.

It’s all nonsensical tales.

“What if…?”

What’s the worst-case scenario?

“What if Si-Hoo really is a scumbag who abandoned his slum friends, kidnapped the teacher’s family, and is threatening them?”

Why would he do something like that?

But if, just if…

“Then talking about Seo-A might have a reverse effect…?”

I need to know what happened between them.

Not knowing is the reason for all this chaos.

“I thought we were a little close; guess I was wrong.”

Well, no matter how close we were, it would be tough to tell him about friends like Seo-A.

I’d have to come up with some excuse about kidnapping and confinement as well.

Everything is just hearsay.

To clarify the truth…

Ah, right.

I don’t necessarily need to spill any info about Seo-A.

What if I pretend to be an anonymous someone, delivering info about Seo-A and observing the reaction?

That sounds good.

Let’s put that into action.

*

Ranking first place reclaimed.

Chun Yu-Hwa’s dictatorship has ended, and Han Si-Hoo has officially become first place.

The ranking list pinned on the bulletin board.

While I can check the rankings on my device, there’s something different about seeing it printed out like this.

But the real problem isn’t the ranking.

It’s the photo pinned to the bulletin board.

“…Who did this…”

It’s a photo of Han Si-Hoo eating with Seo-A.

The reason it was pinned to the bulletin board is unclear.

There’s no one else near the bulletin board aside from Han Si-Hoo.

It’s clearly a photo meant to catch Han Si-Hoo’s attention.

With a thud, a thumbtack falls.

It’s my first time seeing this photo, but I can tell when it was taken.

Something is written on the back of the photo.

“Outside the Academy, beside the bookstore alley. 6:30 PM.”

I don’t know who did this.

It’s already very rare to know someone who knows about Seo-A’s existence.

“Is someone trying to have a secret meeting or something?”

That’s what I hoped.

I need to find out who’s doing this.

“…Anyway, I already have an appointment at 7.”

I have a promise with the Saint.

Before that meeting, I could stop by an alley or two.

Is it really necessary to time it at precisely 6:30 PM?

Is it crucial?

Si-Hoo immediately ditched class like it was nothing.

I arrived at the alley by 1 PM already.

Classes mean little to someone ranked first.

Neither the teacher nor anyone else can stop him.

And I waited.

Nothing special happened in the alley yet.

I slipped into the bookstore and took a seat.

I plan to observe who passes by in the alley.

If it’s a nearby alley, I can spot people coming and going even from inside the bookstore.

Given my current capabilities, that’s possible.

I could wait while reading a random book.

2 PM.

No one around.

3 PM.

Still no one.

The alley was completely void of people.

Even the bookstore hardly had anyone left.

No, that’s not it now.

The Saint.

The Saint entered the bookstore.

“Uh, Si-Hoo?”

“Hey.”

“Wow, I got here a bit earlier than you. What about class?”

“Skipped it.”

I got rid of it myself.

“I see. I came here to wait for you until you showed up.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you have something planned?”

I do.

Surveillance.

“Just a trivial matter.”

I open the bookstore door to check what’s missing in the alley.

“There’s someone messing around, I think.”

The vent located in the middle of the alley.

There’s a letter that wasn’t there before.

“Messing around?”

The Saint follows me.

“I was told to come here; I wonder who it is.”

I tear open the newly found letter.

The recipient’s name written is Han Si-Hoo.

Inside is another photo.

Han Si-Hoo stares intently at the photo.

And he remains silent for a long moment.

“…What the.”

There’s a smiling Seo-A in the picture.

It looks like she’s lying on the ground.

Several empty syringes are scattered beside her.

Someone seems to be stepping on Yoo Seo-A’s stomach.

It looks like they took the photo while stepping on her as if to keep her in place for the shot.

Oddly enough, she doesn’t seem upset at all.

At least, she appears to be smiling happily.

“……”

Is that really Seo-A…?

When on earth was this picture taken and by who?

Why?

Is it a manipulated photo?

No, whatever it is, I just need to ask the target who’s messing around.

Coincidentally, the Saint is right next to me.

Should I step on her?

I ponder if I can replicate the same angle as the photo.