I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Inside the academy, at a small café.

The protagonist, Han Si-Hoo, was sitting in front of me.

To describe him, he had black hair and, as expected of a protagonist, he was quite handsome.

There was a reason so many heroines followed him around.

[1 hour 45 minutes]

There wasn’t much time left.

“You really came with a smiling face.”

Han Si-Hoo spoke in a rather thorny tone.

It seemed like he was angry.

For childhood friends, they didn’t seem to get along very well.

“Haha…”

That’s because, in truth, we really don’t get along.

The root of it was Yoo Seo-Ah forcibly pushing the protagonist away.

She said some pretty harsh words while pushing Han Si-Hoo away.

It seemed like Yoo Seo-Ah didn’t want to be a burden to the protagonist.

I understood that feeling.

I also don’t like asking others for help.

But now’s not the time to worry about things like that, right?

Even if it hurts my pride, there’s nothing I can do.

I need money to buy the drugs.

“…Yoo Seo-Ah. Didn’t you tell me to get lost?”

“Uh…”

“You told me never to come find you, right? Then why?”

“I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

How exactly did Yoo Seo-Ah push the protagonist away?

She said a lot of hurtful things.

She told him to go live well after entering the academy by himself.

Even though it was just to push the protagonist away, there was a mix of bitterness and inferiority about her own situation.

After that big fight, Han Si-Hoo didn’t bother to seek out Yoo Seo-Ah, who had rejected him.

He couldn’t even extend a hand for reconciliation.

And the result was that Yoo Seo-Ah ended up dead in that storyline.

If Han Si-Hoo had paid a little more attention to his childhood friend’s odd behavior, maybe things would’ve turned out differently.

Maybe, like me now, she could have lived well while taking the proper amount of drugs.

“T-that time, I said some terrible things, and I’m really sorry. I couldn’t control my emotions… Won’t you forgive me?”

It felt strange apologizing for something I hadn’t even done.

It also felt like I was trampling on Yoo Seo-Ah’s will to hide her poor condition from the protagonist.

But I didn’t care about that.

What mattered more than past decisions was the drugs right now.

“Uh? Please. I was wrong.”

“Hah… Fine. Just stop.”

“Wow, so you’re forgiving me? Thanks.”

I could finally relax my expression.

As expected of the protagonist.

I thought he would at least forgive me for this much.

Even though he grew up in a trashy place, making him seem mature for his age… he’s still a middle schooler, right?

Though he’ll be a high schooler soon.

In any case, this is an age where it’s easier to mend relationships than you’d think.

“So… why’s your arm like that?”

“Huh?”

My arm wrapped in bandages.

It certainly drew people’s attention.

“I got cut.”

I smiled sheepishly.

“Why?”

“I just scratched it on the edge by accident. Nothing serious, so you don’t need to worry.”

I wrapped the bandage just to hide the wound.

I’d hit the mirror until it was covered in blood, so of course the injury worsened.

But thanks to the drugs, it didn’t hurt.

If I’d walked around with the wound exposed, it would’ve drawn even more attention, wouldn’t it?

At least it wasn’t a fracture or a severe injury.

It’s really nothing.

“Okay, so did you come all the way to the academy just to apologize? Or was there another reason?”

“Haha… About that.”

It was harder than I thought to bring up the real reason.

Even between close friends, it’s difficult to ask for money.

Especially when we weren’t on great terms just a few minutes ago.

We’d only just reconciled.

But did we really reconcile?

I believed Han Si-Hoo would understand since he was kind.

Normally, you wouldn’t ask someone you just apologized to for money.

If I brought it up right after apologizing, it would seem like I’d apologized just to borrow money…

Which, honestly, is the truth.

I really did apologize just to borrow money.

What’s the point of honor?

Losing a bit of pride is better than dying.

“Um, you know the medicine I’ve been taking.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t have enough money to buy it. I came to borrow some.”

“What?”

“I’ll pay you back later.”

I bowed my head as I asked.

If it was just a few ten thousand won, I wouldn’t need to go this far, but the amount I needed to borrow now was quite large.

Each pill costs 70,000 won.

A month’s worth of injectable medication costs 3 million won.

The price of the drugs was definitely around 100,000 won at first, but the doctor kept raising the price.

He said it was because there were so many people trying to get it, so the price went up.

Anyway, Yoo Seo-Ah had already used up all the money she’d saved up.

Since there wasn’t enough money, she’d even sold what little she had.

“So, I was wondering why you suddenly came to apologize…”

“Sorry.”

“How much do you need for the drugs?”

“About… five million won?”

“What?”

Han Si-Hoo was shocked when he heard the amount.

Was it too much?

“Oh, no, maybe four million? No, three hundred thousand will be enough.”

I should lower it a bit.

I still have enough pills, so I just need to buy the solution.

“…Are the drugs really that expensive?”

“Yeah. Since so many people are looking for it, the price has gone up.”

“There’s no way. Didn’t they say it was something like a cold at first?”

[1 hour 25 minutes]

As I continued talking with the protagonist, time slipped by even faster.

I had to borrow the money here.

Isn’t there some childhood affection left?

He’d lend it, right?

“I’ll definitely pay it back somehow… Can’t you help me?”

But can I really pay it back?

It’s not like I have no way to make money, but in my current state, it’d be difficult.

To be honest, the drugs make me feel quite lethargic after taking them.

I get sleepy, and I don’t feel like moving.

Going outside makes the effects wear off quickly, too.

My daily life consists of sitting in a corner, smiling, doing nothing.

But since I said I’d pay it back, I’ll find a way, right?

I just hope Han Si-Hoo believes that.

“I don’t get it. You’ve never had trouble paying for the drugs before, right?”

“The price really went up.”

“I don’t know…”

He didn’t seem convinced.

If someone told me a drug that used to cost 100,000 won was now several million, I wouldn’t believe it either.

But considering its effects, I could see why it’d be so expensive.

No matter how bad you feel, once you take the drugs, you feel better.

Even if you get a little dazed, you can still think clearly.

“Well, to be honest, I’ve been using a different kind of drug from before.”

Even the one that requires using a syringe.

That one is especially expensive.

“……”

Han Si-Hoo looked at me with an expression full of pity.

His gaze was strangely filled with contempt.

“I’ll really pay you back…”

What if he turns down my plea for the sake of our childhood friendship?

I’d have to take out a loan, which would make things very complicated.

The world’s already not kind to me.

For now, Han Si-Hoo is my only hope.

“You need five million won?”

After some hesitation, Han Si-Hoo spoke up.

“Huh? Yeah.”

Was he going to lend it to me?

As expected of the protagonist.

“I sent it to your bank account.”

He fiddled with his phone a bit before saying that.

I didn’t have a phone, so I couldn’t check, but I’m sure he sent it properly.

He probably already knew Yoo Seo-Ah’s account number.

“Thanks… for lending it.”

“I’m not lending it.”

“Huh?”

“I’m giving it to you, so you don’t need to pay it back.”

“Really?”

Was our childhood bond that deep?

As expected of the protagonist.

I almost started laughing.

“But don’t ever come to me again. Let’s not get involved with each other anymore.”

“Huh?”

“Take the money and get lost.”

“Uh…”

In that moment, half of the few connections Yoo Seo-Ah had were severed.

How pathetic must I have looked for him to tell me to get lost.

I guess even I’d be reluctant to lend money to someone who seemed like they wouldn’t pay it back and crawled back begging.

Had I exchanged all the value of our childhood friendship for money?

This really wasn’t something to laugh about.

This wasn’t what I’d expected.

“Why? Are you flustered because it feels different when you’re the one hearing ‘get lost’?”

“……”

It must’ve felt like this when Yoo Seo-Ah pushed the protagonist away, too.

I guess I deserve this.

Even in this situation, he still gave me money, so I guess the protagonist is kind after all.

“To be honest… I’m disappointed in your behavior. I don’t know why you need that much money, but what, are you gambling or something… Anyway, let’s never see each other again. I’ll walk you to the exit. Goodbye.”

Han Si-Hoo stood up after saying that.

He didn’t believe me when I said it was really for the drugs.

“Hah…”

Even in this serious situation, I let out a hollow laugh.

Han Si-Hoo looked at me with even more pity in his eyes.

[45 minutes]

Maybe because the emotional pressure was intense, but time was running out fast.

It seemed like I’d need to borrow money for transportation as well.

But it was hard to ask for more in this atmosphere.

‘Could I just ask for a little cash? I need it to get home.’

‘I can’t withdraw the money from the account right away, so… just a little?’

‘Can you call me a taxi?’

I ran through a few options in my head.

Whatever I said would just make me look pathetic.

I had no choice.

“Hey, Si-Hoo.”

I called out to the protagonist, who was walking ahead.

“What?”

“Could you lend me a little money for transportation?”

“…For transportation? How’d you get here?”

“I walked.”

“Haha, come on, be serious. You’ve really hit rock bottom.”

“……”

I understood.

Honestly, even I wouldn’t lend money to someone like me.

It sounded like I was just trying to squeeze out more cash.

“Take care. Let’s never meet again. I mean it.”

“Ah…”

In the end, I was left standing alone outside the entrance.

I returned the ID badge I had around my neck to the security guard.

As I did, he said something like, “Judging by your smile, things must’ve gone well.”

I stood there in a daze for a while before snapping back to reality.

“How am I supposed to get home?”

Should I walk?

[31 minutes]

That wouldn’t work.

Even with public transportation, 30 minutes would be cutting it close.

If I take all the drugs I have left…

Still, there wasn’t enough time to walk.

I thought I’d at least get some taxi fare.

But Han Si-Hoo seemed angrier than I expected.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to calm him down.

“If I’d known it would turn out like this, I should’ve brought my syringe.”

Everything had gone way off my expectations.

More time had passed than I thought.

And I didn’t even have money for transportation.

It wasn’t an option to borrow money from someone else either.

There was no one I knew at the academy.

The security guard I had talked to earlier wasn’t around either.

I guess I’ll just have to go.

Counting the remaining pills, I started heading home.

At least it was an easy route since I’d been here once before.

What if the effects of the drugs wore off?

I’d just use a painkiller.

I brought it just in case something like this happened.

It was quite valuable, so I didn’t want to use it easily, but I had no choice.

There was only one thing that mattered.

The fact that I’d secured enough drugs for the next month.

That one fact was enough to make me forget about all the bad things.

I could be happy for another month.

The anticipation made me smile.

It would be great if I could stay sober like this forever.