By Zephyria “…….”
It was getting harder and harder to breathe, so he knelt on the floor, but it didn’t get any easier no matter what he did.
“Because….”
Because, Sung Se-han. I’m a disaster to you.
“I….”
I, I made you die. I made you have that accident.
“I think I was thinking something wrong.”
-Just talk about the main point. I can’t understand.
The chilly voice made his heart freeze, but on the contrary, his body was getting hotter and hotter. He barely wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and there was a lot of damp sweat on it.
“Se-han, I….”
If he had trusted and tried to understand you in the first place, if he hadn’t resented and rejected you, you wouldn’t even be collecting figures.
You wouldn’t even be trying to relieve my heart with that.
You didn’t do anything wrong, so why did you have to go through such a painful time?
You didn’t lose the light in your eyes even when you were a child surrounded by thugs.
I don’t know anything about what kind of life you lived in a place I don’t know, but I can be sure of this. Maybe no one could have made you give in.
If it wasn’t for me, nothing would have made you suffer.
If I had abandoned myself and only thought about you, you could have lived happily, enjoying what you had.
“Sung Se-han, I think I made you misunderstand because I showed an ambiguous attitude.”
-Misunderstand?
He tried to get up and grabbed the rug, but he couldn’t put strength into his arms or legs. He closed his eyes tightly in the bent-over position.
“I’m really sorry, Sung Se-han.”
I really didn’t know that someone as insignificant as me could mess you up like this.
No, actually, I knew it. I knew very well that you only cared about me. So I ignored you even more. I wanted you to be in complete pain, so that you couldn’t be comfortable even for a day without me.
So I wanted to be confirmed that I was in an emotional position of superiority. Every single day.
Because of me, who is so foolish, you.
“The reason I like you is just as a friend, but I think I’ve been too swept away by it.”
Now, I’ll protect you so that someone like me can’t waste you.
“Because we met again after being apart for a long time… I guess I was a little confused.”
-Tae-kyung.
Every time Sung Se-han called his name, his heart would drop, which was really a shameless thing to do. What qualifications did he have anyway….
-You should talk about that in person.
“Ah, Se-han. That’s….”
A hollow laugh leaked out without difficulty.
“Please understand. I think I’ll be confused again if we meet. Your face attack is too severe… You don’t want me to be swept away like that either. Right?”
-No. I like it.
Sung Se-han’s voice was frighteningly cold.
-Whether it’s your face or your body. If it’s good, it’s good. Why do you have to argue and distinguish it?
“Se-han.”
He put strength into his legs and barely got up, but he was dizzy. He kept wiping the sweat that was flowing with his sleeves, and then belatedly found a tissue.
“Let’s go back to being good friends. Otherwise, I don’t think I can see you anymore.”
While holding my breath and waiting for Sung Se-han’s answer, the tissue I pulled out to wipe away sweat was being crumpled in my hand.
—Where are you now?
I wiped my forehead with the ruined tissue and pulled out several more sheets.
“Actually… I got a 3-day vacation. So, I came home.”
If Sung Se-han needs to see me, then I guess I have to. I have to meet him as many times as it takes until he’s convinced. That’s all I can do.
—I’ll be there in an hour.
“Wait! Se-han!”
—…….
“I’m not going anywhere, so please drive slowly. I’ll be waiting here…”
Sung Se-han hung up without even giving me an answer. I wiped away sweat while holding the phone, then threw the wad of tissues away in a fit of pique.
No matter how much I wipe, the sweat won’t stop, what am I supposed to do!
I looked around the living room with bloodshot eyes and ran into the bathroom. I could only calm down after standing under the cold shower.
Now the sweat is finally being washed away properly. Now everything is getting clean.
Ding-dong.
[How to Prevent the Death of Genius Idol Sung Se-han.]
[Inferiority Score decreased by -1.]
[Inferiority Score decreased by -1.]
[Inferiority Score decreased by -1.]
…
…
[Here is Lee Tae-kyung’s current Inferiority Score.]
[Congratulations! 3 points!]
“Hahaha….”
It was so funny that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I guess I’m beyond saving since I still have an Inferiority Score towards Sung Se-han.”
[Lee Tae-kyung, stop thinking bad thoughts.]
“No, think about it. Se-han died because of me, but all I can’t kill is my inferiority…”
[The last 3 points are difficult.]
“Status Window, you care about Se-han, don’t you? But why did you appear to me?”
I turned off the shower and turned around, but I couldn’t see well because of the water. Wiping my face with my sleeve didn’t help much because it was soaked.
“Kang Robin or Jae-yi Sunbae… anyone would have been able to save Se-han more easily than me.”
I snatched the towel hanging on the bathroom door and scrubbed my face roughly. Then I looked at the Status Window head-on.
“Why did you appear to me of all people, the one who caused Se-han to die?”
[Status Window is not a target for complaints.]
[Lee Tae-kyung, please cool your head and be calm.]
Leaving those cold words behind, the Status Window disappeared.
“Ah… you’re right. I need to be calm.”
Even if the risk of accidents disappears by getting rid of my inferiority, if I, a dangerous element, am by his side, who knows what kind of accident might happen at any time.
So, I need to come to my senses for Sung Se-han’s safety, but my head is a mess and I can’t think straight.
Actually, I didn’t have the luxury to calmly sort out my thoughts. Sung Se-han will be arriving soon.
“I need to hurry…”
I can’t meet Sung Se-han looking like this. I quickly took a shower, dried my hair, changed my clothes, and sat on the sofa, and there were still 20 minutes left until Sung Se-han’s promised time.
During the long and tedious time, I couldn’t move and sat in the same position.
But after the promised time passed, and another 30 minutes passed, Sung Se-han didn’t arrive. Suddenly feeling a chill down my spine, I hurriedly opened my phone.
With trembling fingers, I searched for articles first, but couldn’t find anything special.
Feeling a little relieved, I searched the fan community, then put down my phone and covered my face.
Photos of us being discharged from the hospital were circulating everywhere. Sung Se-han’s lips with scabs were so clearly captured that various speculations and bad rumors seemed to be spreading among the fans.
“I’m the problem. It’s all because of me.”
I was sitting in the dark living room, and when I finally got up and turned on the lights, it was already close to 8 o’clock. Sung Se-han, who said he would arrive within an hour, hadn’t contacted me for almost 3 hours.
If Sung Se-han changed his mind and decided not to meet me, that would be a fortunate thing.
“Hoo.”
My heart ached and I bent over, and then I heard the sound of the password being entered at the front door. I suddenly stood up, staggered, and ran to the front door.
“Tae-kyung! My son!”
The person smiling with open arms at the front door was not Sung Se-han, but Mom. A mix of joy and disappointment made me unable to cry or laugh.
“Mom!”
When I hugged Mom tightly, my throat felt tight and sore.
“Let me see my wonderful son’s face! Huh?”
Even while saying she wanted to see my face, Mom didn’t let go of me. I hid my face on Mom’s small shoulder and took a moment to calm myself.
Even after being abandoned by her loved one, Mom protected us. With this small body, without ever falling down.
So, I have to cheer up too. For the sake of our family.
Thanks to Tae-min, who skipped his academy and came home early, our family had dinner together for the first time in a while. Throughout dinner and the conversation in the living room, laughter never stopped in the house.
Even while spending happy and comfortable time with Mom and Tae-min, I couldn’t let go of my phone.
“Hyung, are you waiting for a call?”
Tae-min asked me, who was holding my phone even while lying in bed.
“Just, it’s a habit.”
“Hyung, can I take a picture and show it to my friends?”
When I glanced up, Tae-min was already holding up his phone.
“You’re going to take embarrassing pictures of me and show them? Are you even my brother?”
“You don’t seem to know. Hyung looks much cooler in these natural moments. Look, this one turned out really well.”
“You punk, your Hyung is….”
Woo-oong. I jumped up at the vibration of my phone.
“Uh, Hyung? What’s wrong?”
It was a text from Sung Se-han.
[Come to the playground.]
12:23 AM. Sung Se-han, who arrived in the early morning, is waiting at the playground. I jumped out of bed like I was bouncing and put on a hoodie.
“Hyung? Where are you going?”
“Tae-min, a friend came to visit nearby, so I’ll be back in a bit.”
I patted the shoulder of the surprised Tae-min and hurriedly left the room. I put on my sneakers and left the front door, but I couldn’t run because I was trying to calm my pounding heart.