I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: SemiPickle

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In fact, everything depends on one’s mindset.

I don’t know who said it, but it’s true.

You can’t change anything happening outside.

No matter what chaotic or bad things happen outside, as long as your inner self is stable.

Then it’s fine.

Some people may look unhappy on the outside, but in reality, they could be living happily.

Just because someone eats delicious food in a nice house and sleeps on a comfortable bed doesn’t guarantee they’re happier than someone in the slums.

Even being trapped in a place like this, similar to a prison, it’s the same.

Because I’m having fun.

“You came again.”

It’s a male researcher whose name I don’t know.

He looks to be in his thirties.

He sometimes comes by and talks to me.

Even if I don’t respond, he talks to me.

“Here, a snack. I brought it secretly again.”

It’s milk and bread.

I gratefully eat it when given.

“You’re the only one here who listens to me.”

The bread is delicious.

The red bean paste inside is tasty.

If someone gives you food, they’re usually a good person.

Is that so?

My thoughts seem to flow in a very simple way.

It seems my intelligence has dropped.

Wasn’t I smarter before?

Anyway, the bread was delicious, and the researcher’s grumbling ended quickly.

“Shall I cut your bangs like last time?”

My bangs are a bit long.

I used to have a bob haircut.

“They don’t allow scissors here without permission… I’ll try to bring them next time.”

This hairstyle isn’t bad either.

Honestly, I don’t care.

“Oh. Give me the trash.”

He collects the empty milk carton and the plastic bag the bread came in.

Since he brought it secretly, it would be troublesome if there was trash left behind.

I wonder if this researcher is lacking in some way too.

There’s definitely a surveillance system in this room.

Everyone sees everything, everywhere.

That’s probably it.

So, there’s nothing I can do.

I don’t know if there’s a bug on his collar or if a camera is filming me.

In fact, the kindness he’s showing me could all just be an act.

Everyone here is strange.

Well, the snack was tasty, so it’s fine.

[384 hours 7 minutes]

There’s plenty of time.

That’s probably how much longer I’ll be stuck here.

I can instinctively feel that the reason my intelligence has declined is because of that.

“I’m leaving for today. I have to work tomorrow… I can come back the day after.”

It doesn’t matter either way.

He opens the door and leaves.

I’m left alone in the white prison.

[384 hours]

Seven minutes have passed.

[383 hours]

An hour has passed.

A white wall.

A closed door.

[382 hours]

Another hour.

Whirring.

The sound of the generator stops.

After a while, the lights go out.

It’s time to sleep.

I close my eyes.

I open my eyes.

[371 hours 23 minutes]

Ten hours have disappeared.

I slept a lot.

“Come out.”

Someone’s here.

I follow them out.

[522 hours 27 minutes]

Wow, the time increased.

What did I do this time?

Lying back in my room, I feel strange.

But it’s fine even if it’s strange.

There’s a certain pleasure I feel.

What was it?

They used some strange machine for a pressure test or something.

It didn’t seem like a machine made for humans.

Except for me, everyone else there was either an animal or a monster.

I have a guess about it.

I might be the only human locked up in this prison.

It’s a prison filled with monsters, like a zoo.

I think the researcher told me that last time.

“Oh dear.”

It’s the researcher who gives me snacks.

“Are you okay?”

I’m very okay.

In fact, I’m happy.

I’m joyful.

“Heh…”

I try smiling.

I heard it’s good to smile occasionally.

The researcher lifts me up and lays me down on the bed.

The floor wasn’t bad, but the bed is definitely softer.

“You can’t… eat snacks, can you?”

I can eat snacks.

Or maybe not?

My body doesn’t move well.

I used a recovery drug, so I feel a bit better, but maybe not yet.

After being thrown into this room, I haven’t been able to move.

The floor was warm after staying still, so it was fine.

“Sorry. I don’t have much power either. At least I get to enter this room under the excuse of cleaning.”

I wonder if he’s even a researcher.

Isn’t he just a janitor?

But he’s not just that, I think.

He’s probably a low-ranking employee.

I thought everyone who works here was a researcher.

Still, I should call this kind person something different.

Maybe Researcher A.

If another kind person shows up, I’ll call them B.

“…I don’t understand this place. I don’t get it…”

I can see him troubled.

He’s holding the bread he intended to give me.

“I’ll give you the snack later. Next time.”

[522 hours 20 minutes]

Time passes.

In the blink of an eye.

[504 hours 14 minutes]

Before I know it, Researcher A is gone.

I think he said something to me, but I didn’t hear it.

I was out of it.

But now my body is moving again.

Or maybe it was moving all along.

I’ve only now come to my senses.

Honestly, this is really amazing.

The fact that I’m still alive is amazing.

Anyway, I’m glad I’m in a good mood.

I’m always in a good mood.

It feels like my brain has melted.

Or maybe it’s rotten.

Anyway, it’s a good thing my body is moving.

I get down from the bed.

Thunk.

I got down.

Or should I say I fell.

My legs don’t have strength.

I used the recovery drug.

It’s strange that I haven’t recovered yet.

Something seems wrong.

Ah.

I don’t know.

Every day passes by similarly.

There’s no growth, no potential, nothing.

This is what survival is like.

Crawling at the bottom, just barely staying alive.

But even this doesn’t feel bad.

In fact, everything’s fine.

I don’t care about anything.

If my legs don’t move, I can just use more drugs.

Then I’ll recover.

If I keep recovering, I’ll stay alive.

Was it made with dragon’s blood or something?

It’s an experimental drug in development.

So, some of the drugs might be less effective.

Still, I feel good.

I’ll feel better if I eat.

There’s a button on the wall.

When I press it, food falls to the floor.

It’s usually things like chocolate bars.

It reminds me of something.

Like those automatic feeders for dogs or cats.

If you just keep pressing the button, food comes out.

Thunk.

An energy bar-like thing, without packaging, falls out.

I crawl with my arms and pick it up from the floor to eat.

Pathetic.

But there’s a unique taste to it.

Like pet food?

No, it has the taste of pleasure.

[505 hours 54 minutes]

If I keep eating, time increases.

There’s probably some drug mixed in here too.

It looks like just a snack on the outside.

But inside, there’s something that makes me feel good.

Even if I press the button again, nothing comes out.

I have to wait a bit.

Of course.

If it kept coming out, I’d overeat.

I somehow picked up and ate what was on the floor.

The button is installed low on the wall, so I can reach it.

But standing up is hard.

Someone must be watching.

Right?

They’d have installed a surveillance camera at least.

So, they’re watching.

Then please help me out a bit.

[505 hours]

I see the floor in front of me.

The slightly sunken dust is visible.

[500 hours]

Five hours have passed.

What I see hasn’t changed.

I still only see the white floor.

Why aren’t they helping me?

Come to think of it, it was the same when I got bitten by the wolf before.

They had no intention of saving me.

Actually, it’s fine if they don’t help.

I’m just bored.

Seeing the same thing over and over makes me feel strange.

Am I worthless?

Am I not even worth watching?

This feels like I’m treated as nothing more than a disposable item.

It’s nice to have, but fine if not.

But I’d still like them to keep giving me the drugs.

[499 hours 59 minutes]

Clang.

The door opened.

Researcher?

“Come out.”

Another experiment.

But, well, I feel even better when I get the drugs.

The problem is my body won’t move.

My limbs twitch slightly, but that’s all.

“Can’t move?”

If it were A, he would’ve given me snacks.

“[Come out.]”

I need to go out.

But I can’t.

An order that’s impossible to follow can’t be obeyed.

There’s no way around it.

“They must’ve given you the drug.”

He mutters something under his breath.

Are all researchers good at talking to themselves?

“Well. You’ve been here a long time.”

I’ve been trapped here for quite a while.

Does that mean I can go outside now?

But I don’t know if that’s a good thing.

Besides, why am I even here?

I’ve asked this question hundreds of times, but I don’t know the answer.

My memory is getting more tangled, my intelligence is declining.

At least I’m happy, so that’s a relief.

The researcher takes out his phone and makes a call.

“Yes, yes…”

What is he talking about?

I can’t hear it well.

“Ah, it’s not responding, even with the command.”

Just drag me out, then.

Why do I need to walk myself?

You keep telling me to stay still anyway.

Is it that bad that I can’t stand?

“Should I just dispose of it?”

Huh?

Dispose?

That sounded scary.

“Well, it’s been alive until now…”

What are you trying to dispose of?

Why are you saying that while looking at me?

“It’s strange it’s still alive… Yes, understood. Take care.”

The researcher hangs up the phone.

He messes up his hair as if annoyed.

“What do they expect me to do?”

Yeah.

What are you going to do?

“Should I put it in the incinerator?”

Incinerator?

He’s talking about burning me.

I don’t want to die after coming this far.

I don’t want to die.

I don’t want to die.

“If I follow the manual, I should kill it and then burn it.”

What kind of manual is that?

“I don’t want to do it myself.”

He grumbles.

“Why does it have to look like a person…”

I am a person.

It’s not just that I look like one.

Well, I do look like a person, but still.

I am a person.

“I have to do it.”

He drags me out of the room.

It’s a white hallway.

Last time, I left a trail of blood while being dragged.

This time, the hallway is clean.

Someone must have cleaned it.

It looks like someone wiped the floor.

It was probably Researcher A.

[499 hours 58 minutes]

My body isn’t moving at all.

It seems like things got worse after I ate that food.

Maybe there was something in it that didn’t agree with me.

Or maybe it was the experiment last time.

“What are you doing?”

It’s Researcher A’s voice.

“Oh, this? They told me to dispose of it. It’s not moving.”

He lets go of the hand gripping my neck.

“Dispose?”

“It’s convenient. You can do it. Just kill it and throw it in the incinerator, and that’s it.”

“What are you talking about…”

“You’ve disposed of other monsters before. Just take care of it. They said it’s strange that it’s still alive.”

I think “it” refers to me.

Researcher A looks at me.

It seems like there’s a snack in his pocket.

He probably brought it to give to me.

I’m grateful, but I can’t eat it.

“…Yes, understood.”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

He quickly leaves, as if he’s relieved to have dumped the task.

Once the researcher disappears from sight, the hallway becomes quiet.

I can only hear the sound of breathing.

There’s no conversation.

As if he’s suddenly come to his senses, Researcher A speaks.

“…Dispose?”

His trembling voice breaks the silence.

I want to say something too.

But I can’t seem to open my mouth.

“Incinerator?”

I can see the snack bag sticking out of Researcher A’s pocket.