Breaking Up with the Heroine of the Female-Oriented Game - Chapter 151

Chapter 151

Preparation for the Final Battle (3)

***

“Another night.”

Just like any other time, the oppressive darkness arrived again.

Even the faint beams of light that had once pierced the window were now consumed by the night. The surroundings were completely engulfed in darkness.

In the midst of the silent darkness, Jin Soyeon slowly closed her eyelids and thought.

I hate the night.

I really hate this bleak, shadowy darkness.

Lying alone in bed, engulfed in the night like this, she found herself trembling uncontrollably with a sense of anxiety she couldn’t quite understand.

The night belonged to beasts.

Beasts named fear, anxiety, and restlessness lay in wait, their gaping jaws wide open, tongues lashing out.

A beast that has found its prey takes one step closer, then another.

Slow, but sure, it approaches until it’s directly in front of its prey.

And Jin Soyeon trembles, powerless.

All she can do is pray like a fragile young girl, hoping that the beast might pass by without bothering her.

But the beast has no intention of letting her go.

It extends its unkempt snout and brings it to Jin Soyeon’s ear. Then, in a low voice, it whispers:

Once this night ends, you will awaken from your illusion of happiness.

What awaits you is a crumbling, old refuge and a blade soaked in the blood of villains.

The revival of Lee Jinhyuk was nothing but a foolish delusion.

You’re merely turning a blind eye to the miserable reality before you.

…And with such whispers, the beast bares its sharp fangs and bites down hard on Jin Soyeon’s neck.

“…”

Jin Soyeon bit her lower lip gently, curling herself into a ball.

Her entire body trembled in nameless anxiety and fear, and she tried hard to calm herself down, muttering inwardly.

Calm down.

Jinhyuk really came back.

It’s not just some hallucination.

When I wake up tomorrow, he’ll greet me with a smile just like always.

So stop thinking such ridiculous, foolish thoughts, Jin Soyeon.

But the trauma of losing Lee Jinhyuk once before continued to gnaw at Jin Soyeon’s mind.

A voice whispered incessantly in her ear. Whenever she found herself alone in the darkness, the anxiety would always come back to torment her.

…I want to see Jinhyuk.

I want to hear his breathing, feel his warmth, see him smile, hear his voice.

I want to stay close to him and be certain that he’s really alive.

That way, maybe, this anxiety will subside for a while.

But she knew it would only be temporary.

As soon as he was gone again, the anxiety would return.

“…Jinhyuk.”

Jin Soyeon hugged the blanket tightly, closing her eyes even more firmly. Sleep. I need to sleep. But sleep wouldn’t come. Would she spend another night with her eyes open?

Why was it so hard to fall asleep?

Am I scared that if I fall asleep, I might wake up from this dream-like situation?

Yes, that’s it. I’m afraid that when morning comes, Jinhyuk will disappear. That all of this might just be a dream. A delusion. That’s why I can’t shake off this anxiety.

Of course, I know it’s not just a delusion.

I was with Jinhyuk until this evening.

But I can’t control this fear. I can’t stand the thought of going back to that time when I lost Jinhyuk and wandered in despair.

That time, when I was alone, thrown out into the world, fighting until I was exhausted and collapsed into sleep.

I never want to return to those days again.

The days when I hugged my knees alone, shivering, drenched in the blood of villains and monsters, just trying to survive another day.

“…There’s really not much time left. Until we face Yoo Dahee.”

Jin Soyeon’s anxiety stemmed from the fear of losing Lee Jinhyuk once again.

And as the day of the Hero’s Battle drew closer, her anxiety grew more intense.

What if, during the attack from Yoo Dahee on that day, she lost Lee Jinhyuk again?

The more she thought about it, the worse her anxiety became.

“I really just want to stop him.”

She knew very well what would happen in the future if they couldn’t stop Yoo Dahee.

And she also knew how valuable Lee Jinhyuk’s strength was in dealing with Yoo Dahee.

But what if she lost him again in the process?

If Jinhyuk were to die again, Jin Soyeon might crumble mentally, to the point where she could never recover.

There wouldn’t be another way to bring him back.

Death would mean an eternal farewell.

“Should I try to stop him now…?”

She wanted more than anything to tie him up, to keep him by her side, preventing him from doing anything dangerous.

Even with all that Lee Jinhyuk had hidden, if Jin Soyeon were determined to launch a pre-emptive strike, he wouldn’t be able to defend himself properly.

And if that happened…

“You’re having strange thoughts again.”

“Huh?”

A voice echoed from the head of the bed.

It wasn’t a hallucination or an illusion whispering in her ear—it was a real voice.

How had someone approached, evading her senses so deftly, and entered her room? Startled, Jin Soyeon sat up.

At the head of her bed was a face she recognized.

“How foolish. Truly.”

It was a girl who looked exactly like Jin Soyeon, but with a colder, sharper expression. As if she had been hardened by years of wear and tear. The girl sat with her legs crossed on the bed’s edge, silently staring.

Jin Soyeon stared at herself.

And then, she thought.

This is a dream.

Did I fall asleep at some point?

Come to think of it, haven’t I had a dream like this before?

As her mind began to wander, the dream Jin Soyeon suddenly spoke in a bitter voice.

“You are always so emotional and selfish. That’s why you’re hopeless.”

“…What?”

“And on top of that, you’re so full of fear and short-sighted. You always make mistakes at critical moments. Then you don’t know what to do and end up regretting it.”

“…..”

The cold words came out harshly from the girl’s lips, causing Jin Soyeon to frown. What nonsense is she spouting?

“Hmph. You’re having another absurd dream. Why do you keep having dreams like this?”

“A dream. Yeah, this is a dream.”

The Jin Soyeon in the dream had an expressionless face, but her tone carried an oddly significant weight.

“Jin Soyeon, listen to me carefully.”

“What?”

“We don’t have much time.”

She spoke with a serious look in her eyes.

“So don’t make any stupid mistakes.”

“You?”

“Like I did.”

“What…?”

Jin Soyeon was about to ask her what she meant with a furrowed brow.

“Soyeon? Ahk!”

“Wha…?!”

Thud. Their heads collided.

Jin Soyeon rubbed her forehead and opened her eyes.

Before her, Lee Jinhyuk lay sprawled on his back, clutching his head. Huh? Huh? Why is Jinhyuk here? What’s going on?

“J-Jinhyuk? What’s happening?”

“Ugh… my head.”

Lee Jinhyuk winced as he rubbed his forehead. Apparently, their heads had collided when Jin Soyeon abruptly sat up.

Blinking in confusion, she glanced around the room, trying to get a grip on the situation.

It was morning. Quite late, actually.

Was it already morning?

The darkened room had brightened with morning light, and the sound of birds chirping loudly outside echoed through the open window.

“Phew, seriously. You took forever to wake up today, so I came in to check, and of course, you choose to wake up right at that moment.”

Lee Jinhyuk grumbled half to himself as he stood up from the bed.

“Man, what’s with that hard head of yours… huh? Soyeon, what’s with all the sweat? Did you have a nightmare or something?”

“…A little.”

Jin Soyeon gave a vague nod, her expression somewhat hazy as the memory of the dream lingered.

“Not feeling well? Do you want to rest today?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Jin Soyeon shook her head firmly.

“We don’t have much time until the Hero’s Battle.”

“You know it’s more important to take care of your body, right?”

“Don’t worry, Jinhyuk. I’m really fine.”

“Really? Well, then. I’ll be waiting outside, so get dressed and come out.”

“Okay.”

With that, Lee Jinhyuk left the room.

Jin Soyeon stared at the door for a moment.

The words from the dream circled in her mind.

– So don’t make any stupid mistakes. Like I did.

A mistake?

Though she didn’t fully understand what the girl in her dream had meant, there was one thing she knew for sure.

She would never make the mistake of losing Jinhyuk again.

Never.

***

“Today is the day we’ve been waiting for—the main event.”

February 29.

3:49 PM.

Near Gwanghwamun Square.

“Wow. This is the center of Korea, Seoul. So crowded as always.”

On the rooftop of a certain building, Yoo Dahee gazed down at Seoul’s landscape, letting out a snickering laugh.

“With it being the Hero’s Day, there sure are a lot of heroes here that you don’t normally see, huh? Even the old men from the backroom have shown up.”

Her eyes glinted with interest.

“Every time I look down from here, I can’t help but think all those people look like bugs.”

Yoo Dahee wore a dangerous smile, not even bothering to brush the wind-swept strands of hair from her face.

“Bugs that would go squish with just a pinch of my fingers. Don’t you agree?”

She turned her gaze behind her.

Several Rebellion members had gathered there.

“Today is quite the momentous occasion. Hero’s Day. How wonderful, right? It’s the day the first hero emerged, after all. Everyone was so delighted, weren’t they? Haha.”

She spread her arms wide, speaking theatrically like a clown.

“It’s the day that the monster threatening humanity was slain, and the heroes rose up in triumph—a day of significance.”

Then, she clenched her fist tightly.

“Let’s show those foolish humans who worship their ‘heroes.'”

Her lips curled into a sharp, venomous grin.

“Today isn’t the day a hero was born; it’s the day heroes die.”

And.

“They’ll learn that the only one who can save them… is themselves, and no one else.”

Yoo Dahee turned her back to the crowd.

“I know each of you has your own desires. Money? Infamy? Pleasure? Heh. Sure. Whatever you want. I’ll make it happen for you.”

She stood on the edge of the rooftop, half of her weight leaning precariously over the ledge, declaring:

“So let’s make a real mess of things today.”

How will today be remembered in history?

She didn’t know. But there was one thing Yoo Dahee could promise.

Today, Seoul would fall.

All because of her—the worst villain this country had ever seen.

End of Chapter.