LMO 73

I reorganized the situation. Yeon Su-hwan firmly believes Do Yun-hyeok is responsible for his sister’s death. However, since Do Yun-hyeok is not actually responsible, he intends to take personal revenge. The school gang fights were part of that.

Yeon Su-hwan… he’s truly not in his right mind.

The memory of his crazed eyes from before sent a shiver down my spine. In truth, since entering the novel, it was safe to say I hadn’t found anyone completely sane, but Yeon Su-hwan was different. There was no one else who harbored such hatred and resentment.

Wait, then if I try to mediate between Do Yun-hyeok and the Four Heavenly Kings, it’s impossible because of Yeon Su-hwan?

Excluding Yeon Su-hwan, Seong Hae-min and the others had no particular feelings towards Do Yun-hyeok. All the times the kids bared their teeth like angry animals when they saw Do Yun-hyeok were just meaningless power struggles.

I recalled Seong Hae-min saying to Do Yun-hyeok previously, ‘He’s an opponent we have to fight in the ranking battle anyway.’

“Is Do Yun-hyeok participating in the ranking battle… or whatever it’s called, this time?”

“If you haven’t changed anything, he’ll participate.”

“He promised not to fight last time. Though it seemed like he was just saying that when I saw him today.”

“Really? Then he won’t participate.”

Ban Seo-yi revoked it without hesitation, which was astonishing. I wondered if my influence was that strong, but it was just Ban Seo-yi’s prediction.

I casually dismissed the hollow revocation and fell into thought, replaying what I had learned so far.

Seong Hae-min, Yeon Su-hwan, and Do Yun-hyeok… and Ban Seo-yi.

The problem always lay in, ‘So, what will we do from now on?’

I slowly took a breath.

“Ban Seo-yi.”

“Why.”

“You said you didn’t like your ending, right?”

“…Who would welcome such an ending?”

Ban Seo-yi said with self-deprecation after a pause.

The ending where Lee Beom, the object of her unrequited love, lives happily with Ban Pyo-ran, and her father divorces and leaves for Ban Pyo-ran’s mother. All that remained for the villainous Ban Seo-yi was her mother’s cold treatment, legal punishment, and exile through studying abroad.

“You also said you struggled to change the plot.”

“…Why? Should I list everything I’ve tried?”

“Do you genuinely want to change it?”

Ban Seo-yi’s eyes wavered at my question. Then, without hesitation, he gave a firm answer.

“Yes.”

The answer was concise, but the emotions within it were not singular. It felt like a candle flame flickering endlessly.

After biting his lip for a moment, Ban Seo-yi earnestly confessed as if he meant it.

“I… I don’t resent my dad anymore. I don’t have any feelings for Lee Beom either. To be honest, I’m sick of it all. I’m tired of resenting them. Now, I don’t even want to, but being unable to do anything but watch with my hands tied makes a person feel more powerless than I could have imagined. I… want to stop.”

As if explaining himself, Ban Seo-yi lowered his head and mumbled.

“I don’t want to be the bad girl. I don’t want to be miserable alone. I want to stop now.”

His low voice drifted around like a monologue. The solemnity naturally closed my mouth. These statements, as if shedding old emotions, were clearly not lies or acting. It was impossible.

Suddenly, I wondered how much time had passed since Ban Seo-yi realized this was a novel, or when exactly he realized it, but I didn’t ask.

Instead, I realized that a very important person had not been mentioned.

“What about Ban Pyo-ran? Do you have no feelings for him either?”

“Him…”

Ban Seo-yi hesitated, as if he had heard a name he wanted to avoid. However, he didn’t look troubled or evasive in his answer.

“…To be honest, I don’t know.”

“…….”

“At first… I started to hate him more and more. Of course, I hated Lee Beom and Dad too, but they were people I wanted to be loved and accepted by, so it was easier to hate him. But now… I just want it all to stop.”

His gaze sank as if diving. His lips moved slowly, like a witness confessing the truth.

“I know… it’s not his fault.”

Seeing him like that, I made up my mind.

“Ban Seo-yi.”

“Huh?”

“If you truly believe I can change the novel.”

“It’s not belief, I know you can change it. It’s true.”

“…Yes. I can change it.”

I took a breath.

By speaking it aloud, I acknowledged it, and reality felt closer. So close I could almost touch it.

“Then let’s cooperate.”

“What?”

His eyes, as if doubting his ears, fixed on me. His wide eyes were round. In them, I noticed that even the shape of his eyes, which I thought was the most distinct difference between Ban Seo-yi and Ban Pyo-ran, resembled each other.

“I’m going to save Seong Hae-min. If you help me with that, I’ll help you too. So you can change your ending.”

“…….”

“I only know what I read in the book, so I don’t know this world well. But you’re different from me. So you can help me. Help me, Ban Seo-yi.”

Ban Seo-yi was frozen like hardened candle wax. Like raindrops suspended in mid-air in a world where time had stopped.

In the silence, as if everything had stopped, only the theme music of an amusement park, echoing from afar, playfully lingered in our ears. I held my breath, waiting for his answer.

After a long while, his eyelashes fluttered, and Ban Seo-yi slowly began to move like a statue brought to life by Eros.

“How….”

“…….”

His slender jaw trembled, searching for words.

“How are you going to save him?”

“Huh?”

“Do you have a specific plan? You know he wasn’t directly killed by anyone, right?”

Ban Seo-yi, who had regained his composure as if he had never been frozen, looked up at me sharply, showcasing his characteristic sharp eyes. I was inwardly flustered.

He recovers so quickly!

I asked again to confirm.

“You’ll help, right?”

“Do I have to say it? Of course! I felt guilty about that from the start. So, what’s the plan?”

Ban Seo-yi blurted out, urging me on. It seemed his temper was starting to show again… but he also seemed a bit awkward. As if he wanted to easily move past the stiff, mannequin-like state he was in just before, I played along.

“I don’t have a concrete plan, but I got a promise from him not to ride a motorcycle before. But that doesn’t seem like enough.”

“Hmm.”

“So I thought I had to make him quit being a delinquent, but he strongly refused. So, instead, I thought about mediating between him and Do Yun-hyeok. But then Yeon Su-hwan suddenly became an important figure, which is why I came to ask you today.”

Ban Seo-yi tapped his chin as he listened to my explanation.

“Hmm… In my opinion, just stopping Do Yun-hyeok won’t make Seong Hae-min completely safe.”

“Why?”

“I think you’re thinking too simply. That incident happened during the ranking battle. You don’t know what might happen. The name itself is ‘National Large-Scale School Alliance Ranking Decider.’ Everyone sharpens their knives for a year to reach number one. Kidnapping is considered mild. At least no one dies.”

“……What?”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Ban Seo-yi continued.

“This year, Seoyeon High School, with the Four Heavenly Kings, is a strong candidate for first place. As long as he participates, he can’t be safe. Even if Do Yun-hyeok is stopped, other factions might make a move. No one knows what anyone might do.”

It’s not like they’re competing for the position of head of state, but what on earth is this school ranking that warrants such a thing…

Ban Seo-yi’s argument was persuasive. If the ranking battle was such an important event, other school delinquents who wanted to use Do Yun-hyeok to achieve their goals without lifting a finger might step in directly.

“What’s the way to not participate in the ranking battle?”

“Quit being a delinquent.”

“Then, after all… the only option is for Seong Hae-min to quit being one of the Four Heavenly Kings.”

“That’s true, but you said he absolutely refused to quit. For his personality, it’s rare for him to be so absolute, isn’t it? Do you know why he joined the delinquents?”

“Yes. He didn’t tell me exactly.”

“Then he probably won’t tell you in the future either. What will you do now?”

Ban Seo-yi asked. But I was also pondering the same thing, so I couldn’t give a clear answer. I shook my head in surrender.

“We’ll have to think about it from now on.”

Even after hearing my hopeless words, Ban Seo-yi seemed amused rather than bewildered. He laughed, leaning back, and patted my shoulder with shining eyes. I straightened my swaying body. He’s strong too, just like Ban Pyo-ran.

“Alright. Let’s give it a shot. I’m counting on you.”

Ban Seo-yi extended his hand energetically. I thought his usually nervously pale cheeks seemed to have color for the first time, and I clasped his outstretched hand. Ban Seo-yi’s hands were warm too.

With that handshake as the last act, Ban Seo-yi checked the time and urged me to go, saying it was time. It was close to the time the teacher had told us to return. Ban Seo-yi said he would leave first and come later, as it might be unlucky if other kids spotted me.

“But how did you find a place like this?”

“Ah… are you asking that suddenly? I found it after coming here many times.”

Ban Seo-yi answered, visibly flustered, as if my casual question right before I left had been too sudden. Seeing the pile of cigarette butts at his feet, I understood his surprise.

“I’ll contact you if I need anything. I’m leaving now?”

“Go safely. See you again!”

Leaving Ban Seo-yi waving goodbye, I headed towards the school assembly point. My steps gradually quickened, and soon I was running.

I wasn’t late for the assembly time, but I didn’t stop running. As if filtering out impurities, all the noise was being strained out in my sprint. The only thought left in my tightly clenched hands until the very end was one:

‘Save Seong Hae-min.’