11 Virtues A Hero's Civilian Friend Must Uphold (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 10

At Na Eun’s muttering, Seung Joo and Seon Jin fell silent for a moment, for some reason.

Then suddenly, as if remembering something, Seon Jin looked over at Seung Joo.

“Oh, right. Now that I think about it, I forgot to tell you—she’s still alive, that brown-haired girl.”

“What? Ah, damn it.”

At the news Seon Jin delivered, Seung Joo’s face twisted as if crumpling a sheet of paper.

In the past, she would’ve immediately pretended not to hear and shoved in her earphones the moment such a conversation started, but this time, having witnessed it firsthand, Na Eun couldn’t help but ask.

“That woman…?”

It seemed they were referring to the person who had killed the bride at the wedding.

At Na Eun’s cautious question, Seon Jin nodded.

“She’s into Seung Joo.”

Though not entirely certain, there seemed to be an organization behind the string of explosions erupting across the city, and this woman appeared to be someone they frequently clashed with.

In movie terms, she was the villain—but unlike an ordinary one, this villain went completely crazy whenever she saw Seung Joo, acting like a lovesick weirdo, or so Seon Jin claimed, adding that the girl clearly wasn’t in her right mind.

Even from their brief encounter that day, it had been obvious the woman wasn’t sane, so Na Eun nodded in agreement.

Seung Joo once broke that woman’s arm.

Ever since then, the woman had become especially fixated on Seung Joo.

Wherever Seung Joo went, she’d be waiting; whenever they fought, she only ever wanted to fight Seung Joo.

After hearing all this, Na Eun couldn’t help blurting out what she truly thought, despite trying to hold back.

“That sounds exactly like… ‘You’re the first woman who’s ever treated me like this,’ straight out of a chaebol male lead’s playbook, doesn’t it?”

“Shut up. Seriously, for a chaebol…”

“My parents are rich, not me.”

“That’s even more annoying—just shut up, please?”

Watching Seung Joo grind her teeth in frustration, Seon Jin oddly twitched the corners of her mouth before speaking.

“She even stole a kiss from her.”

“Hey, shut up!”

“Huh? Seriously?”

Mortified that her friend had just revealed a dark secret she’d never wanted anyone to know, Seung Joo flopped face-first onto her desk.

Na Eun grabbed Seung Joo’s shoulders and shook her, asking,

“Seriously? That woman did that to you?”

Have you ever kissed someone?

Na Eun’s oddly off-target question made Seon Jin burst into laughter, and Seung Joo, irritated, slapped Na Eun’s hands away.

“It was just an accident! I let my guard down for a second and—ah, damn it.”

That crazy bitch.

Never having been in a relationship before, her first kiss had been stolen by a lunatic.

Seeing Seung Joo squirm in humiliation, Na Eun patted her back consolingly.

“Don’t dwell on it too much. That wasn’t your first kiss—it was forced on you.”

“What? That’s even more humiliating!”

Ugh! Just thinking about it now made her blood boil.

The chilling sensation of that lunatic briefly lowering her mask during their one-on-one clash and lingeringly brushing lips remained vividly etched in Seung Joo’s memory.

“Where are you going?”

“To wash my mouth out!”

Seung Joo abruptly pushed her chair back, stood up, and stormed out of the classroom.

Seon Jin, seemingly accustomed to Seung Joo’s outbursts, lazily waved her hand behind her back as if to say, “Go on, I’ll be here when you get back.”

As Na Eun picked up Seung Joo’s bag for her, Seon Jin spoke.

“I’ll try my best to prevent it, but if you ever run into that woman again, just stay completely still.”

Because that woman loved nothing more than watching her victim tremble in her grasp, begging for their life.

For some reason, Seon Jin’s words sent chills down Na Eun’s spine, and she rubbed her neck with the back of her hand.

She could almost feel cold sweat trickling down from where the woman had pressed a gun barrel against her throat.

It felt as though she’d been instantly transported back to that chaotic wedding hall, her whole body turning ice-cold.

Seon Jin watched Na Eun’s pale expression intently before speaking.

“Sor—”

“Don’t you dare say you’re sorry.”

Cutting in abruptly, as if she already knew what the other was about to say, Na Eun’s voice startled Seon Jin momentarily.

Na Eun stared straight back at Seon Jin, her eyes slightly reddened.

“I… I’m grateful to you.”

“…”

“Thank you. Really.”

Faced with her friend’s sincere, perhaps even desperately needed words of comfort, Seon Jin remained speechless for a moment.

Most of the students had already left, leaving the classroom empty, and an unfamiliar silence settled between the two girls.

It felt strangely similar to the awkward tension they’d once shared alone in a hotel elevator.

After a while, Seon Jin suddenly asked,

“But… why did you go there that day?”

“Huh?”

“You never went to places like that with your parents before.”

Seon Jin had never once seen Na Eun attend any of the corporate events or parties her parents attended.

Especially not a wedding of their acquaintances.

Knowing Na Eun would’ve rather gone on a date with her boyfriend at that hour, Seon Jin asked without thinking—but closed her mouth immediately upon hearing Na Eun’s reply.

“I heard your favorite singer was performing the wedding song.”

“…”

“I wanted to get you an autograph…”

Though I never actually got it.

Seeing Na Eun lower her head with a slightly embarrassed look, Seon Jin gazed at her silently for a moment before speaking.

“Oh.”

So that’s how it was.

“Thank you.”

“…”

Hearing that, Na Eun instantly lifted her head.

Meeting Seon Jin’s gaze, she saw an unexpectedly mature expression on her friend’s face—one she’d never noticed before—and her eyes softened with a hint of pity.

But then, finally hearing the words she’d longed to hear, she beamed at Seon Jin with pure, unclouded joy, leaving Seon Jin no choice but to smile back.

The things worth protecting always turned out to be this simple.

[This is the timeline separator]

Being alive is just good luck.

A new feeling had recently taken root in Na Eun’s mind.

Gratitude for simply being alive. Life, which she’d always taken for granted, could be lost at any moment for any reason.

Having learned this harsh lesson from the recent incident, Na Eun resolved to cherish each day more deeply.

That she remained safe and healthy was indeed something to be thankful for.

There were countless tragedies in the world, and she now understood that the only reason she hadn’t become a victim of one herself was sheer luck.

Late at night. After finishing a quick review for tomorrow’s final exam, Na Eun lay in bed, tossing and turning for a bit before finally picking up her phone, which was still charging.

In the darkness, she stared at the glowing screen for a moment, then moved her finger.

If she could die tomorrow, she wanted to always be honest—so she’d have no regrets.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ahaahaha! This kid is too cute!”

A brown-haired woman, her nails extravagantly decorated, tapped her phone screen and tossed her head back, laughing heartily.

Right after, Jae Kyung emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a robe and towel-drying his damp hair, and snatched the phone from her hand with visible irritation.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jae Kyung glanced at the message that had just arrived for him—then fell silent, speechless.

[Why won’t you kiss me? Do you really not like me that much?] [I like you that much!]

“…”

A pink cartoon bear clinging to a red heart and whimpering rolled across the bottom of the message window.

It was a sticker Na Eun often used when throwing tantrums or acting clingy.

Amused by Jae Kyung’s silent, brooding reaction, the woman giggled and leaned back on the sofa, crossing her legs.

“What have you even been doing all this time if you haven’t kissed her yet? Poor thing must feel neglected.”

“I told you not to barge into my room.”

“How did you even find out my room number?” Facing his cold question, the woman winked one eye and pointed to her ear.

Seeing the tiny earpiece plugged in, Jae Kyung’s expression grew even colder.

He warned her about misusing the listening device they’d recently planted on each other.

“If you use that thing for personal reasons even once more, I’ll crush it.”

“Alright, alright. So prickly.”

The woman pouted unhappily.

As she swung her crossed leg, the blue high heel on her smooth heel wobbled precariously, nearly slipping off.

Watching this, Jae Kyung furrowed his brow.

“Don’t come in here wearing shoes.”

“Why not? I look sexier in heels.”

Twirling a strand of her brown hair around her finger, she immediately continued before he could change the subject.

“By the way, seriously—you haven’t even kissed her yet? Hasn’t it been over a year since you started dating?”

Even high schoolers usually get further than that after dating for so long, right? Jae Kyung, still staring indifferently at his phone, replied,

“Not only do you force me to wear a school uniform for over three years, now you expect me to sell my body too?”

His annoyed tone made the woman double over laughing again.

“What? I think you look absolutely adorable in that uniform!”

She admitted she’d actually come hoping to see him in it, but was disappointed he’d been in the shower, then got up.

In one swift move, she approached the bed, wrapped both arms around his neck, and said,

“You’re impressive, Jae Kyung Han. Must’ve been tough keeping that girl happy all this time without even selling your body.”

“Thanks to you, all the effort I’ve put in for over a year nearly went to waste in an instant.”

Jae Kyung fixed her with a cold stare.

“I clearly told you Na Eun Yoon’s itinerary.”

“Ohhh, I wanted to avoid her too! But what could I do? The venue was already set, all the people were in place, the bombs were all planted—we’d already started the game. If we backed out then, the Boss would’ve found out everything.”

Pouting like a petulant child, she hopped onto his lap and bounced lightly.

“And I was a little jealous, okay?”

She reached inside her coat and pulled something out.

Holding up one of several photos between her fingers, she waved it playfully in front of Jae Kyung’s eyes.

The photo showed three girls in school uniforms happily sharing ice cream and laughing together.

She pouted.

“Look at K’s expression here. If K were a guy, I’d swear Na Eun Yoon was his girlfriend.”

In the picture, K—Seung Joo Kwon—was beaming as she watched Na Eun wiping ice cream off the floor.

Beside her, Seon Jin was clearly offering Na Eun a tissue.

“She’s never smiled at me like that. So unfair.”

Then, like a mischievous child who’d just thought up a cruel prank, she grinned.

“How about I cut off Na Eun Yoon’s fingers one by one while K watches?”

She eagerly whispered that K would surely lose all affection once she saw Na Eun Yoon scream and cry in agony.

Jae Kyung responded with a low, firm warning.

“Let me make this perfectly clear—Na Eun Yoon is a useful piece. If you ruin all the time I’ve invested because of your petty emotions, you’ll be the first to die by my hand.”

“Oh my, sounds just like you’re worried she might get hurt.”

Did you fall for that timid little rabbit while dating her? At her probing question, Jae Kyung scoffed.

“I’m not a lunatic like you who lusts after minors.”

“That’s exactly what K says to me every time she sees me. Crazy bitch.”

Saying she got chills every time she heard that insult, the woman shivered dramatically—only for Jae Kyung to push her off his lap with a look of disgust.

Even as she tumbled messily onto the floor, she remained utterly unfazed, rolling playfully on the plush carpet before tossing something toward him.

He caught it—a small USB drive glinted in his palm.

“How about taking our sweet little rabbit on a date to the amusement park next? The college entrance exam will be over soon anyway.”

“…”

“Maybe Na Eun Yoon learned the alphabet backward—L, K, J…”

How could they all be strung together like candy? She laughed, fingers idly tracing the air.

“I think I could even tie in one more.”

“You mean Hee Won Seo?”

“You’ve already finished investigating?”

Jae Kyung’s eyes turned icy—he’d already dug up everything about anyone he’d made contact with.

“Remove Jay. Na Eun Yoon only met her once, and there’s no chance they’ll get close.”

“It wasn’t just once—they met at that hotel wedding hall.”

“…”

“Did she not tell you?”

The woman laughed, genuinely baffled.

“That girl really keeps her mouth shut when it comes to the heroes.”

“I’m sleeping. Get out.”

Jae Kyung’s voice cut like frost.

Having known him for over ten years, the woman recognized this as his final warning and obediently got up.

Grabbing her handbag from the sofa and swishing her short skirt, she left—and soon, the hotel room filled with the quiet Jae Kyung desired.

“…”

Silently, Jae Kyung looked back down at his phone screen, which had lit up again.

Staring blankly at the pink bear sticker still rolling around on the floor, crying pathetically, he walked over to the table and picked up the crumpled cigarette pack lying there.

He put one in his mouth, lit it with practiced ease, and gazed fixedly at his chat with Na Eun—then scrolled upward with his thumb.

Because they’d exchanged countless trivial messages nearly every day, it took him a while to scroll back far enough to reach that part—and out of habit, he read it over and over again.

[Jae Kyung] [I’ll definitely protect you.]

Jae Kyung’s gaze, which had been scornful and dismissive of those presumptuous, foolish words, gradually darkened into absolute blackness.