Infinite Harem System: I Grow Stronger From Every Female Lead

"Hey, Mi, can you get down from there?"

Mi-kyong stared at him, then her eyes widened abruptly. "No~"

If someone else had heard the tone she used, they would probably have thought she was teasing.

But Beom-seok knew better.

He moved closer to her slowly.

The moment she saw him approach, she leaned back slightly, nearly losing her balance on the rod.

Beom-seok froze in place, his arm half-extended before retracting with a faint tremor.

He wanted to ask her why she was acting like this.

Was it because he had left her for months?

No...

It couldn't be.

Mi-kyong was never that shallow.

If anything, instead of pulling a stunt like this, she would have trapped him in a room for a week, feeding him until her hands bled.

Beom-seok's gaze darkened. "You thought I betrayed you, didn't you?"

Mi-kyong lowered her eyes. "Yeah."

"Do you have to do this?" he asked, fists clenched.

The young lady remained silent for a moment, but when she spoke, it was barely audible.

"I love you, Bemmy."

Bemmy tightened his jaw, trying desperately to restrain his fury.

But he couldn't.

It wasn't humanly possible to hold it back.

With a sharp yell, he tried to snap her out of her trance.

"Mi-kyong, are you dumb?! Are you a complete idiot?! What does it matter if you misunderstood my intentions?!"

Her eyes widened at his words, then slowly dilated, as if she sensed what was coming.

She forced a small smile, though her body trembled visibly.

"Thank you, Bemmy." She lifted her gaze to meet his. "You're truly a kind soul."

What…?

That thought echoed in his mind.

Not one "what," but many.

He had countless questions he couldn't answer.

Weren't couples supposed to have misunderstandings and fights?

Beom-seok's face burned with anger. "Mi, if this is about that whole ordeal, just forget it, okay? I forgive you. I never held a grudge."

He tried to suppress his tears, but they poured out like a river.

Mi-kyong tried to avert her gaze, yet his sobs drew her eyes back each time.

Through his broken weeping, Beom-seok managed to speak.

"Look at me, Mi..."

Mi-kyong lifted her head to meet his tear-filled eyes, tears spilling from her own.

"See, I'm fine."

I knew it, Mi-kyong thought. I knew if I saw you, I wouldn't be able to go through with it.

Her Beom-seok was a kind soul, tainted by the world.

He was her lover who would die for her.

Whenever he saw her, he wore a gentle smile, even in tough times.

Even when she messed up dinners or made mistakes, he would kiss her forehead and reassure her it was alright.

So why…?

Why did he look so… sorrowful?

Mi-kyong forced a smile, though the tears in her eyes persisted.

Yes, couples were meant to make mistakes.

But they were different. They were each other's world, promising to always be there for one another.

And she had betrayed him.

Stabbed him in the back so deeply it shocked even her.

For that, only death awaited her.

It was the only way to atone for her sins.

Maybe… just maybe…

If there were a second life.

If there were a chance to see him again…

Then they could reunite.

Mi-kyong stepped carefully along the rod, then another step.

Her hands flowed with the wind, and for a moment, Beom-seok was captivated.

She was beautiful, radiant, and graceful.

The dance on the narrow pole was unlike the one she had performed on the roof.

So this was her final performance.

Her final dance.

If they met again, perhaps they could have another.

But for now, their story had to end.

You have a tough life ahead, Bemmy, Mi-kyong thought as her dance concluded.

She opened her arms wide, embracing the wind.

But don't worry. No one will be able to touch you.

No one will know about our past or your pain.

So live this life without me.

...However, never, ever forget me, okay?

She smirked, that same soft, mischievous smile that had drawn him in from the start.

"Lee Beom-seok, from Sesang Elementary School…" Her eyes narrowed.

Beom-seok dashed forward immediately, arms outstretched.

Whoosh—

But he knew he couldn't reach her. Only her faint, muffled words reached him.

"…I love you."

In the end…

They were just kids.

And relationships weren't that hard to begin.

Crash—

Wee-oww! Wee-oww!

At that moment, something inside Beom-seok snapped.

Fear, pain, and countless emotions surged, then… nothing.

Absolute stillness.

It wasn't the dramatic sensation one might expect after death.

No. It was nothing.

The young man's knees buckled as the old cop rushed into the building, having heard the loud crash from a nearby car.

Beom-seok didn't know how much time had passed, but he knew it had been long.

What…?

That same question haunted him, though now with new uncertainty.

The old man, seeing Beom-seok alone on the floor, asked gently,

"Kid, what happened to Mi-kyong?"

The boy lifted his gaze, but something seemed off.

The old cop had always distinguished Beom-seok from other kids his age because of his mature eyes.

Now… they were gone.

The boy smiled warmly and asked,

"Ahjussi~ what are you saying?"

He stood abruptly, brushing dirt from his clothes. "I have to go to school, and you're here taking me to warehouses."

The old cop's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

The boy stared at him for a moment, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ahjussi, this is why you're not married. I told you not to invent people."

"But kid, Mi-kyong is your—"

The boy sighed. "I told you I don't know who Mi-kyong is."

He hopped past him like a child returning from an outing.

Suddenly, he stopped and glanced back.

"By the way, Ahjussi, can you tell me about kisses?" He placed a finger on his lips. "I suddenly feel like kissing."

The old cop lowered his gaze, his cap shading his face.

He didn't know what had happened here.

Whatever it was, it had left the boy deeply traumatized.

He raised his head with a loud laugh. "Silly me, inventing fantasies."

He stepped forward, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Why doesn't this old man treat you to ice cream?"

The boy nodded approvingly. "You better."

─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───