As the empty bottles rolling across the floor grew in number, the night deepened as well.
Beyond the window, light was gradually finding its way into the night sky.
Before they knew it, dawn had begun to break.
By then, the drinking party held in Yeon Haneul’s room had nearly reached its end.
“Saaek, saaek….”
“O-one more time…. You think I’ll lose to this? I-I’m Min Arin…. I won’t lose to, to some lousy soju….”
“Arin finally passed out too, huh?”
“Yeah.”
On the bed, Cha Eunsol was sleeping curled up like a cat.
Having been the first to go to sleep not long after midnight, her face looked utterly peaceful.
Min Arin, on the other hand, sprawled out on the floor, muttering in her sleep and occasionally snoring, looked miserable.
Go Eunbi gave a small snort of laughter at the sight, while Yeon Haneul raised a bottle of soju to her lips alone.
“I guess Arin really is competitive. She can’t even drink soju, but she still made such a fuss about challenging you to a drinking contest.”
“I don’t know why she challenges me when she’s going to lose in the end anyway. What if something goes wrong like that….”
It was dawn.
Soon, they would have to get ready for school.
Sitting on the floor with her back against the bed, Yeon Haneul glanced at the time, then poured soju into an empty glass.
It was too late to sleep now, so she intended to spend the remaining time drinking what little alcohol was left.
Just then, Go Eunbi sidled up beside her, promptly held out her glass, and proposed a toast.
“Why do you keep trying to drink alone? Drink with me. Cheers!”
“Cheers. Thanks, Eunbi. But you must be tired too, so you don’t have to drink. You don’t need to match me.”
“I’m only going to drink half a glass at a time, so it’s fine. And it’s better than drinking alone, right?”
Go Eunbi rested her head on Yeon Haneul’s shoulder.
With a gentle smile, Yeon Haneul quietly accepted her.
She glanced at her smartphone.
There was still no message from Do Gyeonu.
‘Has Gyeonu still not come out yet…. He told me he’d be out early.’
Liar.
Pouting inwardly, Yeon Haneul once again downed the soju in her glass.
‘He could have taken me with him….’
She had not been able to say that to Do Gyeonu.
Afraid that he might grow tired of her, that he might see her as unattractive.
Yeon Haneul resented him for leaving her behind, and she felt hurt.
More than anything, she was afraid he had abandoned her because she was useless.
Even though she knew he would never do that, a small seed of fear had sprouted in one corner of her heart.
Its source was something Do Gyeonu’s cousin, Do Seungwoo, had said during the midterms not long ago.
—A lowly child who doesn’t even know her parents, without any roots to speak of.
—Do you think something like you suits our family? If you thought so, you were gravely mistaken.
—No doubt that bastard Do Gyeonu is only playing with you out of idle curiosity.
Whenever she was alone, those words embedded in her consciousness would slowly crawl out.
No, in truth, even before Do Seungwoo had said them, they had been there for a very long time.
What had happened during the midterms was merely the trigger that had stimulated the anxiety lying beneath her mind all this time.
“….”
“Haneul? What’s wrong?”
She could not tell Do Gyeonu.
She believed that he would never abandon her, and yet she was afraid of that one-in-a-million possibility.
To begin with, if she opened up to him, he might be disappointed.
He might ask if he had really failed to give her that much trust.
“You know, Eunbi.”
“What?”
But Go Eunbi was different.
It was fine to show her a pathetic side that she could not show Do Gyeonu.
Had the alcohol crept up on her without her noticing?
Yeon Haneul, who rarely revealed her true feelings because she was so wary of people, began to speak.
“Do you think I don’t suit Gyeonu?”
“…Why would you think that? Did Gyeonu say something to you? Should I go scold him?”
“It’s not like that…. It’s just… I don’t have confidence….”
At times, she envied Min Arin’s pointlessly strong pride.
Yeon Haneul sighed.
Meanwhile, Go Eunbi, who had organized the drinking party to cheer her up because it seemed she had something on her mind, could only find this baffling.
“What’s wrong with you, Haneul? Is there anything about you that falls short compared to Gyeonu? You’re this pretty!”
“But… I’m not from a prestigious family. And I’m a demi-human….”
“Did Gyeonu ever care about things like that?”
“He didn’t, but… actually….”
“….”
Once Yeon Haneul started speaking, she borrowed the courage of the alcohol and told her what had happened during the midterms.
Listening to her, Go Eunbi suddenly scowled.
“No, what kind of brat is that!? Just how great does he think he is, saying that kind of thing to you!”
“E-Eunbi! The others are sleeping…. Let’s talk quietly, okay?”
“And you just stood there and listened to that?”
“No…. I did talk back, but… it’s not like what he said was wrong….”
“How is that not wrong!?”
“….”
“Do you really think Gyeonu sees you that way in the first place?”
“I don’t, but….”
She felt frustrated and angry.
As if she had been the one wronged, Go Eunbi thumped her own chest in exasperation.
Sitting shoulder to shoulder with her, Yeon Haneul hung her head, completely dispirited.
‘Why doesn’t she know?’
Go Eunbi rubbed the space between her brows.
Anyone close to Do Gyeonu and Yeon Haneul could not possibly fail to see how intimate they were.
Not only she herself, but the others as well, had been shocked to realize that they were not lovers.
A relationship that was more than friends, but less than lovers.
Perhaps, in fact, theirs was a bond of trust far deeper than even that.
Surely the two people involved were conscious of each other as well.
And yet, she could not believe that Yeon Haneul was harboring such insecurity deep down.
Of course, it was not that she could not understand it.
After all, there was no clear definition of what the “childhood friends” the two of them spoke of actually meant.
‘So they should just stop tormenting everyone and hurry up and start dating already…. Arin’s been trying to cross the line lately too.’
There was no emotion quite like romantic affection when it came to tangling up personal relationships.
As far as Go Eunbi was concerned, she simply wanted to prevent any possible trouble before it began.
For that reason as well, she hoped the two would hurry up and firmly define their relationship.
‘Why on earth aren’t they dating?’
Was it because they were not sure of each other’s feelings? Or because they were afraid of breaking up? Was that why they were content with their current relationship? Or was there some other reason?
Go Eunbi could not grasp what the two of them were feeling.
No one but the people involved could know.
‘Come to think of it, Lisa mentioned something once before….’
Go Eunbi suddenly recalled a conversation she had had with Lisa.
It had come up by chance while Do Gyeonu and Yeon Haneul had gone to the convenience store to buy strawberry milk after drinking.
Back then, Lisa, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol, had spoken almost self-deprecatingly.
—Perhaps it’s because Gyeonu is from a prestigious family.
—Why would being from a prestigious family matter?
—It feels a bit strange to say this myself, but… people of high status have duties that come with it. The most representative one is producing heirs.
—Heirs? Ah, you mean having children.
—Yes. To create better Hunters. We can’t be free from that ideology. Dating and marriage aren’t things we can simply do as we please. To leave behind superior genes, for political interests, for legitimacy… there are many cases where people enter marriages they don’t want, or become engaged.
—….
—Gyeonu hasn’t told us, but he might already have a fiancée elsewhere. Or his family might have chosen a fiancée for him without his knowledge.
—Come on, surely not….
—Gyeonu is expected to do great things by his family, isn’t he? I don’t know much about the Divine Sword Do Clan, but historically, there have always been stories of families trying to preserve excellent and legitimate bloodlines. There’s no guarantee the Divine Sword Do Clan wouldn’t do the same.
—Still, when I see how Gyeonu treats Haneul, it doesn’t seem like he cares about his family’s circumstances….
—It looks that way to me too. Who knows? Only Gyeonu knows the truth.
For Go Eunbi, who had not been born into a prestigious family, it was a memory so shocking that it had left a deep impression.
For that very reason, she, who was not one of the people involved, could not carelessly interfere in Do Gyeonu and Yeon Haneul’s circumstances.
However, if he was refusing to accept Yeon Haneul because he was someone from a prestigious family.
‘What? Then he’s just been toying with Haneul? If that’s really the case, just you wait….’
If that were true, she did not think she would be able to endure it.
She would absolutely not let Do Gyeonu off.
Making that firm vow in her heart, Go Eunbi pulled Yeon Haneul into her arms.
“Haneul, if Gyeonu is going to make you suffer this much, why don’t you just date me instead?”
“Huh? With you?”
“Yeah! I’m confident I can treat you well! Do you want to date me? No, should we get married?”
“Mm… should we?”
“Great! Then we’re getting married now! I’ll be the husband, so you be the wife!”
“Okay. Eunbi, take responsibility for me.”
She rubbed her head against Yeon Haneul’s white and blue hair.
She stroked her hair with her hand.
In that way, Go Eunbi did her best to comfort the gloomy girl.
Leaning into her, Yeon Haneul seemed to gradually calm down, letting out a small giggle.
It was then that the doorbell rang.
Ding-dong!
“Huh? Who is it at this hour? Did the dorm supervisor catch us? It’s time to sleep, so should we just pretend we’re not here?”
“….”
Go Eunbi muttered tensely.
Yeon Haneul, held in her arms, also had a stiff expression on her face.
…Until a voice she had been anxiously waiting for came from outside.
“Haneul, it’s me. Do Gyeonu. If you’re awake right now, could you open the door for a moment?”
“Y-yeah! Okay! I’ll come out right now!”
“H-Haneul? Ah….”
Startled by the sound of Do Gyeonu’s voice, Yeon Haneul sprang to her feet.
Her rabbit ears stood straight up, and she was brimming with joy.
Watching her leave her arms without the slightest lingering attachment, Go Eunbi felt a sense of resentment.
“Gyeonu, wait just a second! Just 10 seconds! No, 30 seconds, one minute!”
Meanwhile, Yeon Haneul, who seemed as though she would head straight for the entrance, hurriedly rushed into the bathroom instead.
Go Eunbi quietly followed after her and peeked into the bathroom.
“Ugh… there’s nothing weird, right? My face looks a little swollen….”
“….”
Yeon Haneul used Clean magic to dispel her hangover and lightly put herself in order.
She carefully examined her face in the mirror, arranging her hair and straightening her clothes.
“Eunbi, there’s nothing weird about me, right? I look okay, right?”
“Ah, uh, yeah…. You’re fine….”
“Okay!”
After fidgeting in front of the mirror for quite a while, Yeon Haneul seemed to make up her mind and ran toward the entrance.
Go Eunbi let out a hollow laugh as she watched her open the door and welcome Do Gyeonu.
“Haneul, isn’t the temperature difference between when you’re with me and when you’re with him a little too extreme…?”
Still, seeing Yeon Haneul so happy made Go Eunbi feel much more at ease.
* * *
As expected, by the time we came out of the Gate, it was already time to get ready for school.
Having cleanly given up on sleeping, we decided to wash up as soon as we returned to the dormitory.
After parting with Kang Hanbyeol and Bak Sagun in front of the Olivine Dormitory, we entered the Jadeite Dormitory.
‘I want to see Haneul.’
The thought of Yeon Haneul suddenly came to me while I was riding the elevator.
I had planned to return to my room and text her that I was back, but I changed that plan at once.
I decided to go see her in person.
“Gyeonu, then you worked hard yesterday and today. Next time, let’s do a party play while properly resting….”
“I’ll get off here too.”
“…Pardon? This is the girls’ floor. In hanja, it’s a geumnam (禁男) area. It’s a place men can’t enter without the dorm supervisor’s permission, Gyeonu….”
“I know. That’s why I need you to secretly take me to Haneul’s room.”
“…It doesn’t seem like you’ll listen even if I say no, so fine. Follow me quietly. I don’t want to get penalty points.”
“I’ll follow as quietly as a mouse, don’t worry.”
“Gyeonu, Gyeonu! Then I’ll check ahead to see if there are any people!”
Having suddenly received my request, Lisa could not hide her bewilderment.
But we had stayed up all night and formed a close friendship.
She looked as though she wanted to say something to me, but then sighed and led the way.
Nam Yuri, whose interest had been piqued, volunteered to keep watch.
“I’m tired, so I’ll go to my room. When you go back, get Haneul’s help. You worked hard yesterday and today. Rest well.”
“You rest well too.”
“Yes….”
“Gyeonu, Gyeonu! I’ll get going too! Yesterday and today were really fun!
Lisa, who had brought me all the way to Yeon Haneul’s room, walked toward a nearby room.
I waved at her as she disappeared into her room, her shoulders drooping as if she was tired.
After seeing Nam Yuri off as well, I knocked on Yeon Haneul’s door and called her out.
“Haneul, it’s me. Do Gyeonu. If you’re awake right now, could you open the door for just a moment?”
“Y-Yeah! Okay! I’ll be right out!”
The thought that suddenly occurred to me—that Yeon Haneul might still be asleep—fortunately turned out to be needless worry.
It seemed she happened to be awake.
From behind the door came her voice, responding to my call.
Before long, a little later than the time she had mentioned, she opened the door and appeared.
“D-Did you just get back?”
“Yeah, I just got back. I was about to go straight to my room, but then I suddenly thought of you, so I stopped by. I’m not bothering you, am I?”
“Bothering me…? Of course you’re not. I was thinking about you too… You have to go to school later, so you must be really tired.”
“That’s why I’m thinking of only attending morning classes today and skipping the afternoon ones… I’d like to skip the morning classes too, but I don’t think the Witch or Instructor Noeul would let that slide.”
As if she had just woken up, Yeon Haneul’s hair was a little tousled.
Perhaps she knew it herself, because the way she bashfully swept her hair back strangely drew my eyes.
She gave off a pure, innocent air.
‘Even when we slept together back in elementary school, I felt this, but… she even sleeps as prettily as she looks. How can she not even have sleep in her eyes?’
She seemed like someone who lived in a different world from me, someone who started every morning with hair like a magpie’s nest.
At the same time, I felt nothing but pleased by the fact that I was seeing Yeon Haneul first thing in the morning.
Just this alone made it worth coming to see her.
Looking at her dressed in thinner clothes than usual, I twitched my lips.
She, too, whose thoughts I couldn’t read, was cautiously looking up at me with a smile.
It was then that I felt something was off.
“Hm?”
“What’s wrong?”
“You… were you drinking?”
“Huh?”
I had been so distracted by Yeon Haneul that I realized it too late.
From inside the room, the distinct scent of alcohol was wafting out.
Then I noticed the shoes scattered around the entryway.
“Well… actually, Eunbi, Eunsol, and Arin came over, so we drank together… I’m sorry, Gyeonu. While you were all inside the Gate, we were just drinking and having fun…”
“No, that doesn’t matter… Did the four of you drink until now?”
“Yeah… But I only drank a little, and Arin drank a lot by herself.”
“She did? She can’t even hold her liquor. What got into her?”
“…Right? Ahaha… I guess it was just one of those days when she wanted to drink a lot. She’s sleeping inside now.”
“You must’ve had a hard time putting that drunk to bed. She should’ve drunk in moderation…”
“No, it’s fine. It was still fun.”
“If you had fun, then that’s enough.”
Yeon Haneul fidgeted, looking embarrassed.
It seemed she was bothered by how she was dressed.
Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, I decided to wrap up my business here and leave.
I took out the bundle I had prepared for her from my Pocket.
“Here, take this.”
“What is it?”
“I got it from the Gate. I brought it as a present for you.”
“…”
Adorably, Yeon Haneul received the bundle politely with both hands.
When she untied the cord binding it, yellow-tinged magic stones revealed themselves.
“They’re magic stones containing the principle of Toxicity Decomposition. You can probably guess what kind of principle it is just from the name, right?”
“Ah…”
“If you absorb the magic stone, you’ll be able to sense it vaguely by instinct. First, try channeling mana into it and check your compatibility.”
“Okay…”
Yeon Haneul, who had strangely grown quiet, infused mana into the magic stone.
As if welcoming her mana, the magic stone emitted a yellow light.
She was compatible with it.
I asked her as she stared blankly at the magic stone, as though entranced by something.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
“Gyeonu.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Did you… go into the Gate to give this to me?”
“…”
“You didn’t have to do that for me… Why would you go through so much trouble because of me?”
“…Are you crying?”
Yeon Haneul lowered her head while covering her face, her shoulders trembling.
Seeing her seemingly on the verge of tears, I couldn’t help but feel flustered.
If I followed my heart, I would have pulled her into my arms and patted her back, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that with an unwashed body.
After thinking it over, I chose my words.
“I didn’t go through any trouble at all. It was easy because the others helped me. So don’t misunderstand.”
“…Liar.”
“Still, the reason I went into the Gate was because of you. Because I never want to see you get poisoned again. And more than anything…”
“…”
“I wanted to see you happy.”
“…Huh?”
“Leaving aside any other reason, I just wanted you to receive this and be happy.”
“…”
“Do you not like it? Is it too much?”
“No! That’s not it…”
“Then do you like it? Are you happy?”
“Yeah… I like it. I’m happy, really happy.”
“Then don’t cry and smile for me. Come on, stop crying. My hands are dirty right now, so I can’t wipe your tears…”
“Thank you so much for the present.”
Right then, Yeon Haneul suddenly hugged me.
The way her hands tightened as if she wouldn’t let me go was bewildering, yet I could only like it.
The way she rubbed her face this way and that against my chest, too.
Unable to bring myself to touch her, I raised both hands above my head and gave a wry smile.
Then, with her face buried against me, she spoke.
“You hug me too.”
“…My hands are dirty, though. Is that still okay?”
“You used Clean magic anyway. It’s okay.”
“…”
“I don’t have anything to give you right now… So instead, I’ll let you touch my tail as much as you want.”
“Really?”
“Touch it.”
For someone giving me permission, her tone sounded almost like she was demanding it.
For a moment, I was stunned, then came back to my senses and slowly moved my hands.
When I wrapped one arm around Yeon Haneul’s waist, she flinched.
Her grip on my collar tightened.
While waiting for her to get used to it, I moved my other hand to her tail.
A round white tail protruded over her pink dolphin shorts.
“Ugh…”
“Sorry, does it hurt?”
“Nn, no. It feels good.”
“It feels good?”
“Yeah…”
Every time I touched her tail, Yeon Haneul stirred slightly in my arms.
Watching her reactions carefully, I enjoyed a moment of easing my fatigue.
Then Go Eunbi cut in.
“Haneul, earlier you were going on and on to me about feeling anxious and all that… But after getting a surprise present like this, can you still say that?”
“What does that mean?”
“D-Don’t say it! It’s nothing. I think I’m fine now! I’m okay!”
“Sure, Haneul. You’d better be okay and not make people worry, got it? And Gyeonu, I’m sorry to tell you this, but I’ve decided to marry Haneul. I’m going to be the husband, and Haneul is going to be the wife.”
“Huh?”
“We’re a married couple now. So take your hand off Haneul’s tail…!”
“When did I ever say I was getting married? Gyeonu, Eunbi is just joking. You don’t have to mind her.”
“Wow, Haneul, what’s with that sudden change of attitude… Honey, how could you do this to me?”
While Go Eunbi protested jokingly,
Yeon Haneul, still in my arms, shook her head as if to say it wasn’t true.
For some reason, the sight made me laugh, and I patted her back.
“I’m not really sure what’s going on, but give up on Haneul, Go Eunbi.”
She’s mine.
I had no intention of handing her over to anyone else.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss