I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: SemiPickle

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“This is… a problem.”

Han Si-Hoo looked at the hand holding the leash.

Seo-Ah’s state was even more problematic.

“I like it.”

Seo-Ah smiled.

“You like it…?”

“It means we can stay together. You won’t leave me anymore, right? Hm?”

“Of course, I won’t leave. But wouldn’t it be uncomfortable if I kept holding the leash?”

“If you let go, I’ll die.”

Her words were oddly chilling.

But to some extent, they were true.

If her magic wasn’t restrained, Seo-Ah would be devoured by the dragon.

He had no intention of letting go.

But perhaps there was a more comfortable way to hold the leash.

“…Ah, it seems it’s okay to tie it to my wrist.”

Han Si-Hoo tied the leash to his left wrist.

The fact that he could use both hands was a relief.

The leash’s length was 2 meters.

Seo-Ah stood right next to him.

A peculiar smell of chemicals lingered.

“You’re not going, right?”

Seo-Ah asked quietly.

“Where?”

“To the Academy.”

“Oh.”

He wasn’t planning to go anyway.

Maybe Seo-Ah feared he’d leave for the Academy, which was why she was so intent on the leash.

“If you leave me here alone, I’ll really die.”

“I’m not going.”

“Ehehe.”

There was no reason to go to the Academy anymore.

And there likely never would be.

“I have no reason to go to the Academy.”

“Do you plan on going anywhere else?”

“We need to go somewhere safer.”

“Somewhere safe?”

“Let’s move to another city entirely.”

He had already found a suitable place.

For Seo-Ah’s sake.

“Is this a trip?”

“Yeah. But I’m not fully prepared yet. There are still things I need to take care of.”

“Take your time preparing.”

Seo-Ah spoke as if trying to reassure him.

“I want to, but… we can’t stay here too long.”

The problem was that this facility used to belong to a government institution.

He had repaired the structure, which had been partially buried underground.

It worked as a temporary prison, but using it as a long-term shelter was risky.

“So?”

“For now, I think I’ll need to go alone.”

“…Where?”

“To several places. There are many things I need to get before we can move.”

“Let’s go together.”

He wanted to, but staying undetected was the priority.

The Academy might be tracking Han Si-Hoo.

And dragging Seo-Ah around on a leash would create too many issues.

“I’ll come back as quickly as I can.”

If he had known it would come to this, he might have waited to put on the leash.

“You’re thinking about it again, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“The thought of abandoning Seo-Ah. I can feel it.”

“No, it’s a misunderstanding.”

He had never thought that.

This was frustrating.

He needed to stay with Seo-Ah, but he couldn’t keep being with her.

This place was too dangerous.

The facility was located too close to the city.

“You promised to protect me.”

Seo-Ah said with a trembling voice.

She clung to Si-Hoo’s collar.

It seemed she couldn’t control her emotions.

“Let’s go together, let’s go together, let’s go together, let’s go together, okay?”

Her extreme anxiety was manifesting.

This wasn’t surprising.

“I want to, but if we stay like this, we’ll both be in danger.”

“There’s never been a time when we weren’t in danger. You just want me to stay in danger alone, don’t you? Is that it?”

“No.”

“If you leave me, I’ll really die.”

Her threat was effective.

Han Si-Hoo didn’t want Yoo Seo-Ah to die.

The old Seo-Ah wouldn’t have been able to make such threats.

Because she’d been too afraid Han Si-Hoo might actually tell her to die.

But now, she knew better.

Whether he liked it or not, she had realized one truth.

Han Si-Hoo didn’t want her to die.

“Don’t leave me.”

“…I’ll never abandon you. But we can’t keep going like this. I need to find a better way.”

“Don’t leave me…”

“It’s okay. I’m not going. Tell me when you feel better.”

They were in the corridor of the solitary cells.

Han Si-Hoo sat Seo-Ah down on a makeshift chair placed there.

Then he sat next to her.

He had time to calm her down.

But he couldn’t stay with Seo-Ah indefinitely.

What was the best option?

Locking her up in the modified solitary cell?

He didn’t want to treat her as if she were some kind of monster.

Even if he locked her up, Seo-Ah might not even remember it.

If asked whether that was acceptable… well, who knows.

Sometimes, decisive actions were necessary.

If he wanted the future to exist, he had to endure the pain of the present.

“…Let’s just stay here forever.”

Should they?

Even Han Si-Hoo began to wonder.

“Should we?”

He enjoyed being with Seo-Ah.

It had always been that way.

Seo-Ah leaned her head on his shoulder.

This made it impossible to get up.

“Hee.”

Seo-Ah laughed.

A faint sense of happiness radiated from her.

Ah.

Maybe they should just stay like this.

That was the conclusion Han Si-Hoo reached.

What should they do from now on?

The plan was as follows.

First, destroy everything that confirmed his identity.

The Academy student ID, uniform, and so on.

Even the citizenship card issued back then.

Phones and similar devices—all gone.

The money was being stored in an untraceable manner.

And then, he would change his identity.

The goal was to flee to a quiet place and live peacefully.

Escape.

Was running away without fighting the right choice?

As long as there was something to protect, no one could blame someone for running.

-Han Si-Hoo, without you, we’ll have a major gap in our strength. People we could have saved won’t survive without you.

That was what Cheon Yoo-Hwa had said when Han Si-Hoo informed her of his decision.

But after thinking it over, Han Si-Hoo realized something.

Trying to save the world while failing to protect even one friend was arrogance.

And was saving people truly the right thing to do?

Was saving people the correct course of action?

Even if it wasn’t wrong, he concluded it wasn’t something to obsess over.

People who were going to die would die anyway.

And if someone like the doctor survived, that would be a problem in its own way.

Letting things flow as they should seemed right.

“…Maybe it doesn’t matter.”

Han Si-Hoo murmured.

Seo-Ah had fallen asleep at some point.

She leaned against Han Si-Hoo, resting her head.

***

When she opened her eyes, she was alone.

Had he locked her in the room again while she was asleep?

It didn’t make sense.

“…Please…? Please. Wh-why…?”

But that couldn’t be it.

He wouldn’t just leave her.

He couldn’t. She would die.

“Why would you leave?”

They had promised to stay together.

That’s what they said.

The surrounding objects appeared distorted.

They stayed still yet seemed to move erratically.

Her mind had completely snapped.

Even hearing her own voice sounded strange.

No, honestly, I don’t even know what I was saying.

“Si-Hoo, it’s fine, really.”

Did I say something like that?

“I’ll just stay in the room for now, so hurry back, okay?”

Why didn’t I just say we should stay together?

It’s because being with Si-Hoo makes me feel calm.

I made the wrong choice.

“…Heheh.”

When will I ever return to being normal?

Just give me some medicine.

“Ah, Si-Hoo?”

Are you there?

Of course not.

“…No, you’re not.”

I told you, I’ve lost it.

Even I hate myself.

[Deactivated]

Still, Si-Hoo said he’d get out of here.

I don’t really understand how this is different from transporting a monster.

But Si-Hoo says this is his act of mercy.

It’s about taking care of a monster that vaguely resembles an old childhood friend.

Think about the story.

Try to remember it.

How it all unfolds from here.

But now, there’s no answer.

The Han Si-Hoo from the novel wouldn’t have done this.

At this point in the story, Han Si-Hoo was already perfect.

He was complete.

He understood and dismantled the shadowy schemes unknown to his allies.

All the heroines adored him.

Everyone respected him.

“Because of me, Si-Hoo…”

Si-Hoo isn’t the only one affected.

The people who were supposed to be close to Si-Hoo originally—they were affected because of me.

Because of me.

It’s all because of me.

I shouldn’t have read this ridiculous novel in the first place.

What did the childhood friend of the protagonist ever do to deserve this?

I think I had those same doubts back then, too.

“Because I must have done something wrong.”

That’s why I’m suffering.

But it’s not like I’ve only suffered.

I also experienced unimaginable pleasure.

The kind of pleasure an ordinary person might never know in their lifetime.

Not that I ever wished for it.

I just feel sorry for Si-Hoo.

“I need to help Si-Hoo.”

But how am I supposed to help him?

Look at what’s left of me.

Nothing.

“How do I help?”

I need something to give.

Something Si-Hoo would want.

What do I have?

Let me think.

What could Si-Hoo possibly want from me?

“All I have is my body.”

I have nothing else.

Everything else is borrowed or broken.

“…”

There must be something.

Something I can give to Si-Hoo.

Apologize for ruining his life.

“…My body?”

This is so messed up.

Covered in scars, it’s even worse.

Now that I think about it, Si-Hoo got mad at me once.

Asked if I was selling myself.

So what Si-Hoo really wants is…

“…Could it be? Does he actually want my body? No, that’s ridiculous.”

I’m jumping to conclusions.

Still, I’ll ask him when he comes back.

Ask him to tell me clearly what he wants.

Si-Hoo isn’t the type to indulge in pleasure.

Sure, he had a lot of heroines.

But I don’t even have anything to offer for pleasure.

“I don’t want that…”

How could that be good?

I can’t let my body be treated that way.

But then again, compared to returning to the lab…

“I don’t want it…”

Compared to the pain that comes when the drugs wear off…

When the pain becomes overwhelming, there comes a point where you just give up.

What should I say when Si-Hoo comes back?

My head feels so dizzy.

It’s like I’m trapped in a nightmare.

I feel like the researchers are here.

If this is all a dream, and I’m actually lying on an operating table somewhere, that thought terrifies me.

My body is trembling.

I need the drugs.

The drugs.

Something’s coming closer.

There’s something in the darkness.

I know it’s just my imagination, but it doesn’t feel like it.

I hear the researcher’s voice right beside me.

When Si-Hoo is around, at least I feel a little safe.

But now, there’s no one here.

Why did I let Si-Hoo go outside?

A disgusting voice echoes around me.

A hateful, mocking laugh.

I see people sneering at me.

“Ah… Ahaha…”

I try to laugh it off.

It’s a habit.

The kind of thing you do because someone once said that laughing will make happiness find you.

Calm down.

There’s nothing here.

Nothing that can hurt me.

But then I hear the sound again.

The sound of a surgical knife clattering onto a metal tray.

Ah.

I keep hearing murmuring voices.

Even when I cover my ears, I can still hear them.

Please.

Somebody, save me.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Just give me the drugs.

I’ll do anything.