Breaking Up with the Heroine of the Female-Oriented Game - Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Bloodthirster and Jin Soyeon (3)

***

Lee Jinhyuk.

The childhood friend who had already died.

A few months ago, this very childhood friend had died in place of Jin Soyeon. But now, he stood right in front of her, completely unscathed, as if nothing had ever happened.

Not a single wound, as pristine as ever.

“…You all.”

It was a sight that defied all common sense.

Because of it, Jin Soyeon bit down so hard on her lips that blood beaded from the pressure. The metallic tang of blood seeped through the cracks of her lips.

“…You all.”

Even now, the image of his death remained as vivid as if it had happened just last night.

That face, wounded in the stomach, intestines and blood splattering mercilessly as he died—and the slow, deliberate stilling of his breath—was still painfully clear in her memory.

And now, he suddenly appears looking perfectly fine?

This openly?

There’s a limit to shamelessness.

“…You all, truly.”

Though she was witnessing the very friend she’d longed for standing right before her alive and well, Jin Soyeon’s expression only darkened.

Her face contorted as if crumpled like a piece of paper, her eyes sharpening into keen blades, and her gaze became dangerously fierce.

It was a justifiable reaction.

Because Lee Jinhyuk was someone who had already died.

It was more realistic to think that someone was impersonating him rather than believe the absurd lie that he’d been resurrected through some relic.

“…You have no limits.”

Thus, Jin Soyeon couldn’t help but grow angry.

At the absurd atrocity these people were committing.

Imitating Lee Jinhyuk’s appearance was the same as mocking both him and her.

“How dare you imitate even Jinhyuk’s face now? Do you really want to die by my hand?”

“Soyeon, that’s not—”

“You!”

The moment Lee Jinhyuk attempted to speak, Jin Soyeon sharply cut him off, her voice rough.

“Don’t call my name with that face!”

Her voice erupted like an explosion, emotions that had been boiling over finally reaching their peak. She unleashed a terrifying killing intent towards the man mimicking Lee Jinhyuk.

Yet, despite being exposed to such intense murderous energy, the man before her remained completely unharmed.

It was strong enough to cause even High Rankers to tense up a little.

But why was this man looking perfectly fine despite all that?

“Soyeon.”

“I told you not to call me!”

Swish!

In an automatic response, Jin Soyeon swung her sword.

The energy of the blade shot forth like an arrow, barely grazing the edge of the man’s clothing.

If that Sword Qi had hit him directly, the result would have been far more than just a painful wound.

Nonetheless, Lee Jinhyuk merely took a step forward, calmly observing Jin Soyeon without batting an eye.

“Lee Jinhyuk!”

“Jinhyuk!”

Yoo Seolhyun and Roxanne, who had been quietly watching from the background, looked shocked and hurriedly tried to approach Lee Jinhyuk.

But he quickly stretched out a hand, warning them to stay back.

“It’s fine! I’m alright. Just stay still.”

“But… how can you…”

“I know I can convince her. So leave it to me for now.”

“You…”

Yoo Seolhyun and Roxanne hesitated for a moment.

Was he really alright?

Leaving someone as agitated and unstable as Jin Soyeon in his hands seemed dangerous, but both women decided to watch a little longer.

After all, if it was him—if it was Lee Jinhyuk—they believed he could certainly persuade her.

“…What? You think I’m a fake?”

“Hah.”

At his brazenness, Jin Soyeon twisted her lips in a derisive sneer.

“You think this is the first time I’ve fallen for something like this?”

There had been quite a number of villains who had tried to deceive her by imitating Lee Jinhyuk’s face, voice, and mannerisms.

So it was nothing new.

Although, the Lee Jinhyuk standing before her now looked far more convincing than any of them.

“I’m really so sick of this.”

“Is that so? But I—”

“Shut up.”

“Soyeon…”

“Shut up! Don’t you dare speak with that face. Don’t utter a word with that voice!”

Though it seemed as though she might immediately swing her sword at him, Jin Soyeon didn’t stop the man from taking another step forward.

He continued to move towards her, one slow step at a time.

It was a situation that could explode any moment.

Lee Jinhyuk stared straight into Jin Soyeon’s eyes, his deep gaze meeting hers.

Their gazes interlocked, like the sun that once shone more brilliantly than anyone else in the sky but had now turned into a dark void.

Lee Jinhyuk, with a slightly complicated expression, slowly parted his lips.

“The notebook.”

“…What?”

“You went through a lot of trouble on your own reading the notebook I wrote, didn’t you?”

“…How do you…”

Jin Soyeon bit her lower lip slightly.

How did this man know about the notebook, filled with information about the future, that belonged to Lee Jinhyuk?

Only she and Lee Jinhyuk should know about that notebook.

“Though my handwriting was messy, you somehow managed to figure out parts of the Survival Guide, right?”

“…”

“I had planned to handle the cult later in the second year, but you’ve already come this far in just a few months.”

“…”

He took another step closer to Jin Soyeon.

“You must’ve been running nonstop every day to make this possible.”

“…Who are you?”

“You really worked hard, Soyeon.”

“Who are you? How do you know that?”

“You know.”

Another step.

“You know who I am.”

The firm and clear tone struck her like a hammer.

Fear, something unknown and terrifying, crept up on Jin Soyeon, and she clenched her teeth as she screamed.

“Stop messing with me! Jinhyuk… Jinhyuk… is already dead…”

“…But I’ve been resurrected, through a relic.”

Another step forward.

“Did you think I’d have no countermeasures? Well, to be honest, I didn’t expect the resurrection to take this long.”

In the game, it hadn’t taken long at all.

“Didn’t I write in the notebook about the resurrection relic? Or did you miss that part?”

“That… that can’t be.”

“Ah, Soyeon, honestly, it’s disappointing. I thought you’d figure it out quickly. Ten years of being childhood friends, but I guess it’s not as special as I thought.”

“…You.”

His nonchalant tone, the sly expression—everything was just like Lee Jinhyuk.

His gestures, speech, and his voice.

So much like the Lee Jinhyuk she remembered.

And that’s why she couldn’t believe it.

No, she didn’t want to believe it.

If he wasn’t truly alive and instead was simply deceiving her with lies, trying to fool her…

The shock would be unbearable.

So in an attempt to protect herself, she tried to convince herself that the man before her couldn’t possibly be the resurrected Lee Jinhyuk.

“What do I have to say to make you believe me? Hmm. Should I talk about the time you were almost kidnapped? Or maybe, how you confessed while drunk only to get rejected?”

“…Are you reading my mind right now? Using telepathy or something?”

“Wow, you sound just like Yoo Seolhyun.”

Lee Jinhyuk smirked in amusement.

“Besides, you know your ability doesn’t really get affected by most mental powers, right?”

“…”

He was right.

Jin Soyeon had the power to weaken the abilities of others.

If he’d been trying to read her mind with some kind of psychic ability, she definitely would’ve detected it and countered it.

But now, this man…

“Well, fine.”

Lee Jinhyuk let out a short sigh and lifted his head to meet her gaze once again.

Jin Soyeon, despite herself, swallowed dryly and shuddered a little.

It somehow felt as though she really was talking to him.

“From your perspective, it’d be hard to believe someone suddenly resurrecting after all this time.”

He took one more step, finally standing right in front of her, so close now that he almost touched her.

“It’s also not like more words will convince you either.”

Another step, and now they were within arm’s reach.

“So why not ask yourself?”

“N-No… don’t…”

“Do I seem fake, or do I seem real?”

“N-No, don’t come any closer…”

As he moved to take yet another step, she raised her sword in panic, as if wielding it would ward him off.

The blade was still covered in dried blood.

It was a menacing sight, but the way her arm trembled uncontrollably was all too clear.

“If you come any closer, I’ll… I’ll…”

“And then?”

When he took another step, Jin Soyeon reflexively stepped back, clearly flustered and on edge.

Clenching her teeth, she raised the sword even higher.

She looked like a frightened animal, fur bristling, much like a hedgehog sticking out its spines.

Trying to protect herself—trying to ward off any danger or pain, just like a fragile hedgehog.

“If you come any closer, I’ll…!”

“And then what?”

Ignoring her warning, Lee Jinhyuk continued to step forward.

“You think you’ll stab me with that sword?”

“…!”

And then, he was in front of her, right in her face.

Jin Soyeon, panicked and cornered, reacted without thinking.

“Soyeon, let’s stop with the dangerous stuff and put the sword down.”

“N-No! You think I won’t stab you?! You think I can’t?! I’ve told you over and over not to come closer, but…!”

Thud.

“…Huh?”

Before she realized it, her sword had stabbed him.

The blade had sunk deep into Lee Jinhyuk’s left abdomen.

The sharp edge had pierced cleanly through his side.

“…Huh? No, wait. I-I didn’t mean to stab you…”

“L-Look, it’s okay.”

Despite the throbbing pain in his abdomen, Lee Jinhyuk softly wrapped his arms around the trembling Jin Soyeon, whose face had turned pale.

The pain was intense, but it wasn’t fatal.

Y-Yeah, this much… I can bear it.

…No, honestly, I want to scream right now because it hurts like hell. But I can’t do that in this situation, right? So let’s just hold it in. Let’s endure.

I can fix this with some healing water, after all.

Probably.

“Ugh, it’s okay, Soyeon…”

“Ah.”

“It’s not your fault… Urgh… So don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“W-Wait.”

Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind—Jinhyuk’s last words before his death.

“It’s… not your fault… It’s… okay… Ugh…”

“Jinhyuk?”

And then, his body began to collapse, strength draining away.

End of Chapter