Chapter 75 – Best Friends

Press conference?

Me and Seok-ho’s eyes widen. A statement so out of the blue that you would forget for a moment the heat that is burning up in the beating sun. How…

Somehow, this feeling of insecurity never leaves me. I put my phone in the middle and watch the video with Seok-ho.

Iarin, who seemed nervous, looked straight ahead. He gulps down her saliva and slowly opens her mouth.

[The reason I gathered you all today… Is because of the rumors that are spreading right now.]

Irene is out of luck.

The sound of flashes that had been exploding ceased for an instant.

[It is true that I broke up with Seok-ho, but it was absolutely not because of the wind… I would like to ask you.]

As soon as Iarin finished speaking, the sound of a flash that was several times louder than before hit my ears. I feel her voice tremble a little.

“Ummm…”

Sweat drips down your forehead. You can’t… That’s not what you mean?

The moment she makes the remark that she has been ‘gaslighted’, Arin’s reputation goes down through the cellar to her floor. As expected, dozens of times the contemptuous gaze I felt at the academy will be pierced by the ‘world sphere’ level.

Ia Lynn purses her lips. When she turned her head and looked at Seok-ho’s expression, she saw a slightly surprised expression.

[I want to tell you that it is absolutely not true that Seok-ho was having an affair.]

Lee Ah-rin speaks clearly while looking at the camera.

[The reason is… I have it.]

Ah.

Isn’t it?

A cold sweat runs down your forehead. Her lips quiver with tension. No, Iarin is not an idiot. She is like this, but she is not so bad at judging the situation that she throws away all her fame and image. But, even so, she can’t relax… She can’t stop the cold sweats.

Those earnest eyes.

Those eyes make you anticipate what you will say later.

[‘Gaslighting’ repeated for 4 years]

Spurt.

Flash stops.

For a moment.

[This is why Seok-ho decided to break up.]

Like a bomb exploding, the flashes are focused on Iarin from all directions. She puts her hand on her forehead as her spirit fades away. Fuck. Turning her head to look at the lagoon.

“…Uh.”

A look of bewilderment is evident.

A humming sound fills the video. When I looked at Ia-Rin, I saw a determined expression. Swallowing a gulp, she continued her words.

Ia Lin makes eye contact with her camera.

[In conclusion…]

[I am.]

[With my will for four years- I suppressed the lagoon. According to my taste, I like ‘weak man’-]

[I did ‘gaslighting’ to Seok-ho.]

Ah.

Finished.

Everything is over.

The silent flash starts to explode like crazy. Dozens of people are seen arguing to ask questions, raising their hands in unison. I stopped watching the video for a while and looked for other articles, and the ‘wind’ was all there was to talk about gaslighting.

If you go to the search window, you will find Lee Ah-rin and gaslighting paired at the top of popular search terms, and words related to Lee Je-ga and Han Seok-ga are lined up at the bottom.

Cell phone stutters There are so many people that it is difficult to even turn a single page. Then – stop.

“Ah.”

Internet pages die. It just tells you there is no response. With just that remark, a search bar flew away. Same in other places. The same goes for going to Japan or the US. Fuck.

How big of an influence is it?

Turn around, open the roof door, and go down the stairs. Complete silence unlike before. There is no one in the hallway…

I walk slowly down the empty hallway. Looking out the window of the class next to me, all the students’ eyes are focused on the TV hanging on the wall. Everyone kept their mouths shut, as if they had promised. Don’t take your eyes off the TV. I walked slowly down the corridor and looked at the other half, and everything was the same.

Everyone is looking at Iarin. Seriously, no one is left out. Entire.

Return to Class A, sit down, keep your mouth shut, and focus your eyes on the TV. In the middle of the day, Arin Lee… Is explaining the whole story of the incident.

[…So, all the fault is on me, so I earnestly ask you to stop all the lies towards Seokho.]

Iarin gets up and bows her head. Emphasized several times. Seok-ho said there was nothing wrong, the truth without a single lie.

I pressed my forehead against my growing spirit. Before the shock, why… Oops… Something has changed. Come to think of it, when I went to Yijega because of my ability… Iarin, you were crying, right?

“Ummm…”

As if she was about to collapse, she shed tears beside me. Could it be that they broke up then? Originally, Irene doesn’t do that. As usual, she would pass it ‘roughly’…

In an instant, people changed.

Focus your attention back on the TV. The end of the press conference is slowly approaching.

When the whole story is revealed, the audience is enveloped in silence. Reporters, students, everything. He is looking at Ian with a shocked expression. The flash, which explodes without breathing, eats up Iarin’s face.

The more you answer the questions that follow, the stronger the contempt of the people around you. Ah, crossed the line. It’s also a lifeline. Just passed over no, not the lines.

Crossed the river The podium Iarin is standing on no longer looks like a podium. Not a single phase, but a guillotine.

Iarin put her own head on the guillotine.

After the question and answer session, Arin Lee came down the podium. When she takes out her cell phone, the normalized page is burning with a bit of stuttering.

Han Seok-ho and Lee A-rin broke up.

Even this alone is a nuclear bomb in the media world, but the reason is revealed… Something like a ‘nuclear bomb’ has become something like that. Carpet bombing. No, at the level of nuclear carpet bombing. Truly, the media apocalypse has arrived.

“…Ah.”

Then…

Who is my girlfriend?

I tremble my legs in anxiety. It’s the only card that can protect your girlfriend… You say it flies away like this? No, no. There is still hope. At least if you take care of me… Fuck.

Paper hits

“Ha…”

In anxiety and trembling, that day.

I couldn’t concentrate in class.

*

*

*

The next day, lunchtime.

Ia Lin, who was absent, has returned to her academy. As she walked out into the hallway, she knew right away that a group of murmuring students had built a wall. As Iarin approaches, people part like the Red Sea.

When she comes to her senses, Ia-rin keeps running away to somewhere like Seol-ah, and she can’t be found.

Sometime after school.

As time goes on, I feel that Arin is about to collapse. Chew it gently. Where the hell is she? After searching for a long time, she finds Seol-ah.

“Hello…”

Seol-ah slowly waved her hand towards me. She greets her casually and teases her feet, and Seol-ah gently grabs her wrist.

“Where are you going…?”

“Rooftop.”

She looked all over. All that remains is the roof. Saying that, Seol-ah nodded her head.

“Let’s find it together…”

Saying that, he starts following me around. I’m going to ask why all of a sudden One o’clock is in a hurry, so I just skip it. I don’t know. Even if it’s just Seola, I’m sure I’m worried about Arin.

I hurriedly reached the rooftop, then clicked. Open the door

I find Arin Lee with her head down as she leans against the railing.

“Ha… Ha… Here you are.”

I had a bit of trouble finding it.

Slowly, I leaned against the railing next to Iarin. Seol-ah sticks right next to me. Are you crying? I tap her on the shoulder, and Ia Lin raises her head.

Not crying at all With a rather venomous expression on her face, she turns her head towards me.

“…I’m here?”

I nodded her head slowly.

“Oh, there’s also Seol-ah…”

There is no strength in the voice. I open my mouth with a worried expression as much as possible.

“Are you okay?”

Ia Lin nods her head helplessly. Look, she doesn’t look okay at all.

“Ha…”

Irene sighed deeply. Driving me crazy.

“…Can I help you?”

She insinuates. Ia Lin slowly raises her head. Then.

Shake her head from side to side.

“No it’s okay.”

…What?

“No, that, Arin. I’m not joking around and it looks really tough. If you can’t stand it, lean on me-“

“It’s okay.”

Ia Lin lets out a short sigh and looks up at the sky blankly.

“I can’t rely on this.”

Eyes meet each other. Determined eyes. Intuitively detects being fucked.

I’ve already made up my mind. Also, very firm.

“Taeho… You know what?”

“Huh?”

“What happens when a person spends his whole life escaping from reality… And then suddenly takes the red pill.”

Ia Lynn is down her luck.

“I thought I was okay. Those actions at that time, everything. But I said that it was okay because I ‘loved’ it. My boyfriend would understand- and I thought, like an idiot, ‘roughly’ passed it all my life.”

“But, it wasn’t. It’s obvious, but I realized it too late.”

“I just thought that ‘love’ would solve everything.”

“Ignoring everything my boyfriend was dreaming of and hitting her love, it’s strange if the relationship doesn’t break down.”

“So… After realizing it, I tried to apologize right away. Because I made up my mind, if I did, I would even hit her in the head… But, my boyfriend refused.”

“Just, don’t do that in the future. That one word was the end. I didn’t expect it, but I couldn’t get an apology. After that, there was only one way left.”

Iarin looks at the sky again.

“To carry.”

“There was only this.”

“So, Taeho. It’s okay if you don’t.”

“Because I can’t lessen this burden. I’m sorry.”

Irene smiled slightly.

“Haa… Taeho. I, were you surprised? For the first time in my life, I was despised by people… This. It was more than I could have imagined.”

Ia Lin lowers her head slightly.

“You… You get ignored a lot. At the academy. You’ve been enduring these stares… Alone? Haa… Sorry. If I had known, I would have helped you in advance.”

Ia Lin looks at me and she smiles.

“It was definitely different after going through the ‘experience’. Do you know how it was when I came back after the press conference?

“Haa… But I don’t regret it.”

“Because it should have been like this from the beginning.”

Haa, Iarin let out a short sigh.

“It’s just… A little late.”

Ia Lin puts on her hand pods and stretches her all the way. Then.

“Oh, boys. You know what?”

“Huh?”
“Yes?”

“I was kicked out of the house?”

Throw bombshell remarks.

That fuck…

What?

“Uh, uh… What?”
“Um… Uh, huh?”

Seol-ah and I are embarrassed at the same time.

“…Why?”

“Haa… It wasn’t just my father who was angry.”

“Han Ga-yoon, the head of the household, came to our family.”

…Ah.

“He glared at me like he was going to kill me, even with my father right next to me.”

Irene sighed briefly.

“Originally… I was going to go through the legal process. Han Ga-yoon, the head of the family, really wanted that… So I said I would.”

What?

“But, my father stopped me. After wrestling like that… From today until the start of winter vacation, we agreed to kick him out of the family…”

What? From today to December 31st… Kicked out of the family?

A cold sweat runs down your forehead.

“It’s a small punishment for a big sin, that’s what Ga-yoon Han said. I don’t really have anything to say…”

“So, I was kicked out. All I have now is…”

Ia Lin takes out her card, her phone and charger.

“There is only this.”

Then, Ia Lin pulls another item out of her pocket.

“Oh, there’s this too.”

Something… Earphones with a lot of decorations. Is this… An artifact?

“I couldn’t possibly throw this away.”

Ia Lin slowly comes out and meets her gaze. Then she hurriedly averted her gaze.

“…Don’t worry. I’ll just keep it.”

She says in a crawling voice.

“What?”

“Huh? No.”

Iarin smiles brightly.

“But…Then where are you going to sleep?”

“I already got a room.”

Ia Lin thrusts her cell phone towards me. An inn a bit far from the academy.

“How much is in that card…?”

Seol-ah asks anxiously.

“Um… 1.28 million won?”

What?

“Yes?”
“Huh?”

Seol-ah and I react at the same time. What? Only 1.28 million won?

“Wait a minute, then part-time job…”

“No, my father said he would give it every month…”

Ia Lynn caresses her nape cheekily.

“Even if it’s really okay, he wouldn’t back down until the end.”

No, but with 1.28 million won… But wait a minute.

“Still… Don’t you have any followers left? Didn’t you ask for help?”

“No, I thought it would be meaningless to receive help like that… So I quit.”

What?

No fuck… That, ha… Done. Now, Irene is sincere. How can I not dry it If you’re going to do this, just go to my house- fuck. I shouldn’t do that, but… Ha.

Going crazy. After I groaned on my own for a while, Seol-ah touched Ia-rin’s arm.

“Huh?”

“It’s too reckless…”

Seol-ah shoots with an annoyed tone.

“Are you crazy…? How can you survive on 1.28 million won a month…”

“Yeah, but if you save it…”

Seol-ah gets a little nervous. She hooks up and takes Arin Lee’s cellphone away.

“Look at this, the monthly rent is 600,000 won. How can it be that it will cost more money if you include everything you eat?”

“And… You haven’t rented it yet…?”

Ia Lin nods her head in embarrassment.

“I’m sure you know that your image isn’t good… Why don’t you just send me out right after sleeping for one day? Then I’ll look for an inn again… If you repeat it, you’ll end up spending more money and being pushed out of town…”

Seol-ah lets out a short sigh.

“I’m sure I’ll spend the money soon and sit down on the street… Are you crazy? Who gave you this money?”

“That, Ga-yoon Han gave it to me like this-“

“Haa… Money wasn’t the problem…”

Ia Lin averts her gaze.

“So that’s what I mean…”

The two meet eyes.

“Just… Do you want to live in my house?”

…What?

“Huh?”
“Uh?”

Arin and I are embarrassed at the same time.

“What?”

“I don’t mean to just come because they’re friends, no, that’s… It’s not right that they’re friends…”

“Now, stand still. I did something like that, huh?”

“It doesn’t matter…”

What? Iarin and I’s eyes turn white.

“If it’s a friend… I’ll have to help first…”

Seol-ah wiggles her fingers. She blushes her cheeks shyly.

“You came from the family today?”

Ia Lin awkwardly nods her head.

“Come to my house. Umm… Hmm… We don’t let you in for no reason, so you should know this…”

“…Any reason?”

“Uh, uh… Ah, no…”

Seol-ah stretches her cheeks as if embarrassed.

Lifting her wrist and looking at her watch, she noticed that evening was right around her nose.

“Shall we go now…?”

*

*

*

He trudges and chases Seol-A along the sidewalk block.

She thought she had her heart to some extent, but she was so easily caught up in reality. She lets out a short sigh. There was nothing wrong with what Seol-ah said. When her father asks for money later, he refuses… Then his father’s expression floats over her faint head.

I’m still stupid

Let out a short sigh As soon as the power of the family disappears, she leans on others. As soon as she realizes that, she comes up with a feeling of remorse.

I am still the same

Didn’t change.

As the two of you walk between the dusk and dawn, you can see a villa complex in the distance.

“Ah… Here it is…”

Seol-ah points her finger at her villa complex.

“I’ve explained everything to my dad, so don’t worry…”

Nod her head

When I came to the front of the villa like that. Seol-ah suddenly stops.

“Arina…”

Seol-ah calls my name.

“Did I say there was a ‘reason’?”

With Seol-ah standing in front of her front door, she didn’t look back. She says it She’s a little nervous, her heart is pounding. I know I’m a bad bitch… I have no idea what to ask for. Isn’t Seol-ah disappointed in me and just asking me to do strange things?

The back of her neck aches from her tension, and cold sweat runs down her forehead.

“Uh, yes…”

“I just need to do this one thing…”

Seol-ah slowly turns her head. Smiling face.

“Just… Uh, be my ‘best friend’…”

What

The tension melts away effortlessly.

“Uh, huh?”

“I have a few friends…”

Seol-ah laughs bashfully.

I thought I was going to ask for something huge… But only this one?

“Hey, let’s go in…”

Seol-ah grabs my wrist and slowly.

Enter the little shabby villa.

Really…

Aren’t you too nice?