11 Virtues A Hero's Civilian Friend Must Uphold (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
They nearly got arrested by the police while heading to the amusement park.
Patrolling officers who happened to witness Seung Joo’s scream truly believed she’d been kidnapped and sternly scolded Seung Joo and her friends, warning them never to pull such pranks again before leaving.
It wasn’t a prank. We genuinely thought we might die.
They considered complaining about the unfairness but instead decided to deal with the person who’d caused this whole mess.
For some inexplicable courage, Na Eun refused to give up the driver’s seat even after the police left, and after much bickering, she actually succeeded in parking the car in the amusement park lot.
In truth, it was only thanks to Jae Kyung’s constant guidance from the passenger seat—she’d essentially become his avatar—but Na Eun shamelessly took full satisfaction in her successful first parking attempt.
The moment they stepped out of the car after parking, Seung Joo grabbed the collar of the reckless friend who’d caused today’s disaster and shook her vigorously.
“Hey! If you want to die, do it alone!”
“Guh… Seung Joo, I can’t breathe.”
“What on earth made you think you could drive? Huh?!”
Seon Jin, standing beside her, grabbed Na Eun’s head and demanded an explanation, prompting Na Eun to chuckle awkwardly.
“Yeah, exactly. I thought I could do it, but it’s a bit harder than I expected.”
“…….”
“…….”
At school, Na Eun was undeniably a model student, so some teachers often found it hard to understand why she hung out with them.
But Seung Joo and Seon Jin had known since freshman year.
Among the three of them, Yoon Na Eun was clearly the craziest.
“If we strangle her neck, will she die?”
“Patience, patience. She’s got a boyfriend, after all. Let’s save it for later.”
To Seung Joo, who was seriously deliberating, Seon Jin seriously offered her advice in return.
Sensing her life was in danger, Na Eun reached out both hands toward Jae Kyung, whining for help—but Jae Kyung was too busy doubled over laughing against the car to pay her any mind.
“You’re just standing there laughing at this? Impressive.”
“That’s true love.”
Though Jae Kyung had practically driven the entire way here by constantly steering in Na Eun’s place, never once showing frustration and only smiling, Seung Joo and Seon Jin finally acknowledged that their relationship was the real deal.
“But if you know how to drive, why did you keep letting Yoon Na Eun handle it?”
Given how he’d advised her and precisely signaled when to change lanes, it was clear Jae Kyung was quite comfortable behind the wheel.
Boys often got their licenses early, after all.
Setting that aside, Seon Jin shot him a resentful look—after all, even when they’d briefly stopped because of the police earlier, he hadn’t offered to switch seats. Jae Kyung simply smiled and replied,
“Driving is all about experience, right? Na Eun needs to practice too.”
Damn it. So she practiced at the cost of our lives.
Not yet close enough to grab Jae Kyung by the collar, Seung Joo clenched and unclenched her fists in frustration, while Seon Jin vented her anger by grabbing Na Eun’s collar and shaking her once more.
[This is the timeline separator]After all the chaos, they finally arrived at the amusement park—and it was fun.
Even though each ride required hours of waiting due to the crowds, they passed the time chatting with each other, so it never felt boring.
This was the first time they’d all met up with Jae Kyung together, so Na Eun had worried a little about awkwardness—but that worry proved unfounded, as the three of them naturally clicked.
Mature Jae Kyung, slightly headstrong Seung Joo, and Seon Jin played together so effortlessly it seemed as if they’d always been close friends.
Thanks to the many discounts offered to high school seniors after the college entrance exam, they used coupons to buy all sorts of snacks and treats, and before they knew it, the sun had already set.
Having already decided they’d stay for the final evening parade, the four of them gathered to discuss what to eat for dinner.
Korean food, Chinese, or Western? How about burgers? Or just grab some churros and call it a snack? As various suggestions flew around, Na Eun suddenly looked up—and her eyes met Seon Jin’s face.
Though Seon Jin appeared to be casually weighing menu options, Na Eun noticed her expression had subtly changed. Na Eun pulled out her phone from her pocket.
Seeing no messages, she fiddled with the screen pointlessly, then deliberately put on an urgent look.
“Oh! What should I do? My mom and dad said to come home quickly.”
“What?”
“Why?”
Jae Kyung looked down at her, while Seon Jin and Seung Joo asked what was going on.
Noticing her friends’ expressions slowly brighten with relief, Na Eun inwardly smiled bitterly.
She let out an exaggerated sigh and put on an act that was now becoming familiar.
“Sorry. I completely forgot we had a family dinner tonight. They keep asking when I’ll be home….”
“Oh….”
“Well, I guess there’s nothing we can do.”
Her friends quickly played along. Na Eun stood up and turned to Jae Kyung.
“Jae Kyung, I’m really sorry, but I need to leave right away. Could you drive for me instead?”
“Got it.”
With no girlfriend of his own to stay for, Jae Kyung stood up without protest.
Na Eun linked arms with Jae Kyung and looked toward Seung Joo and Seon Jin.
“Sorry, guys. I’ll head out first.”
“No, it’s okay!”
“It’s a family dinner! Nothing we can do!”
Na Eun, sensing their true desire was simply to get her out of this dangerous place as quickly as possible, waved and said,
“I’ll go ahead then. Today was really fun! See you at school.”
“Sure.”
“Bye!”
After their brief goodbyes, Na Eun grabbed her bag and hurried off.
As soon as they left the restaurant area, Jae Kyung quietly matched her quickened pace without a word.
The moment they reached the parking lot, Na Eun climbed into the passenger seat. Jae Kyung watched her silently for a moment, then started the engine and pulled away.
Their car smoothly exited the parking lot almost immediately.
[This is the timeline separator]“Today,”
After driving silently toward her house for a while, Jae Kyung glanced sideways and finally spoke.
“You’re not actually going home because of some family issue, are you?”
Knowing her boyfriend understood her better than anyone, Na Eun honestly nodded.
“Yeah.”
Jae Kyung was just as sharp as she was. He gave a soft laugh.
“So it’s not you who’s busy—it’s your friends.”
“…….”
“But why did you lie and say you had something urgent first?”
His gentle, not accusatory, question slowly opened Na Eun’s lips.
“I just… hate it when they feel sorry for me.”
“…….”
“It’s been like this since freshman year.”
Whenever something happened during their hangouts, those two always had to leave Na Eun behind against their will—and they never hid their guilt.
Even after becoming close enough to exchange rude but affectionate teasing, whenever they suddenly had to leave her alone, they’d always glance at her cautiously, afraid they’d hurt her feelings.
At first, she’d brushed it off—but later, she grew tired of how excessively they tiptoed around her. So she’d learned to break plans herself, preemptively.
After three years of meeting every day, they could tell just from her expression whether she needed to leave a situation or not.
And every time that moment came, she’d made a decision.
At the very least, she wouldn’t let those words—”I’m sorry”—come from their mouths first.
That resolve had only strengthened after seeing Seon Jin bowing apologetically like a criminal to the sobbing bride’s parents during the hotel incident a while back.
At the very least, she’d make sure those two never had to say “sorry” to her.
“Jae Kyung, let’s go faster.”
They needed to get away from here quickly.
From their expressions, Na Eun knew it was necessary.
At that exact moment, both Jae Kyung’s and Na Eun’s phones rang loudly.
Na Eun silently stared at the emergency disaster alert flashing on her screen.
The amusement park where she and her friends had just been playing was now declared a danger zone and off-limits.
Na Eun slowly blinked.
“Jae Kyung, I made a rule for myself after becoming friends with them—one I never told you about.”
“A rule?”
“Something like… the virtues a civilian friend of heroes should have.”
Jae Kyung smiled slightly, intrigued.
You actually wrote that down? At his question, Na Eun tightly clutched her phone with both hands.
The emergency alert kept blinking repeatedly on the screen.
“One of them is this.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t get in their way when they’re fighting.”
“…….”
“If I’d stayed there, they’d both have been distracted and couldn’t have fought properly.”
Noticing the oddly subdued tone in her voice, Jae Kyung turned the steering wheel and asked softly,
“Are you sad?”
Because we couldn’t stay together?
Na Eun quietly shook her head.
No.
“I’m just… heartbroken for them.”
“…….”
Those two, always apologizing when they didn’t need to, always acting as if they had to sacrifice themselves even when it wasn’t necessary.
Na Eun had loved hero stories since she was little.
ShuXman, BatXman, SpXXman, OneXXman… Her admiration for them was filled with clear yearning and excitement—but beneath it all lay something closer to pity.
That was it. Na Eun felt sorry for those hailed as heroes.
At some point, Jae Kyung glanced sideways at Na Eun sitting silently beside him, then quietly focused back on driving.
Their car had already left the area now marked as dangerous and entered the safety of the city streets.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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Wow! Finally a glimpse of the Center Directors scolding >.<