Breaking Up with the Heroine of the Female-Oriented Game - Chapter 165

Chapter 165

After Everything is Over (2)

***

Lee Jinhyuk felt utterly perplexed.

He couldn’t understand what Jin Soyeon was suddenly trying to say.

Stealing a glance at her face, he noticed her cheeks softly flushed, and she seemed hesitant, almost fidgety.

It reminded him of a high school girl waiting for a response after a confession.

Judging by Jin Soyeon’s reaction, something about this situation felt far more serious than he had expected.

‘Oh, no. I really have no idea what she’s talking about.’

Scratching the back of his neck, Lee Jinhyuk pondered for a moment, but nothing came to mind.

It felt like he was almost about to remember something, but in the end, nothing surfaced.

In a situation like this, if he were to say, “Haha, sorry. I forgot. What exactly did I promise you?” he could already foresee how she would react, and he gulped nervously.

“Ah, haha… I guess that might not go well…?”

As Lee Jinhyuk hesitated for a moment, Jin Soyeon, who had been watching him closely, scratched her cheek and gave a wry smile.

She had caught on that he felt awkward.

So, she decided to take a step back.

“Well, back then… you did say you liked someone else… and turned down my confession…”

“…Ah, well, yeah, I did.”

Confession?

Right, now he remembered.

It had been so long ago that he had completely forgotten.

Looking back, he had rejected Jin Soyeon’s confession by lying that he liked someone else, hadn’t he?

Jin Soyeon had stubbornly insisted she would continue to like him anyway.

It seemed she was now asking if he was still rejecting her because of that other girl.

But Lee Jinhyuk didn’t have anyone he liked.

Back then, it had only been an excuse.

“Yeah… that was it… the girl you liked…”

Jin Soyeon trailed off and muttered to herself in a small voice as she lowered her head slightly.

“A girl… a girl, huh…”

The atmosphere felt a little darker all of a sudden.

“Who is she? Are you still in love with her?”

The expression that had been shy just moments ago began to sink like it was submerged under water.

The sudden shift in her demeanor was almost eerie.

“Who could it have been…?”

Snap! Her head jerked up.

Her silky hair swayed gently.

Lee Jinhyuk met Jin Soyeon’s eyes.

“Come to think of it, there weren’t many girls you seemed to have a strong interest in, Jinhyuk…”

Jin Soyeon smiled brightly as she spoke in an even voice, but her eyes were getting darker and darker.

Wait, don’t tell me the switch has flipped again?

Her pupils were losing their light.

Seriously, could you stop dimming your eyes like that? It’s getting kind of creepy.

“Yoo Seolhyun? Roxanne? Baek Yoorin? Or maybe Sunari? Or is it someone I don’t know?”

She slowly listed the names of the girls that stayed close to him, all while smiling faintly.

“By now, shouldn’t you at least tell me who it is, Jinhyuk?”

“I said it was a secret.”

Her lips curved into a smile, but her eyes did not follow suit.

Honestly, how could anyone possibly say anything with a face like that staring at them?

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little afraid she might do something out of spite.

She wasn’t always like this. At least, not before my death a year ago.

Ever since then, she had shown a growing tendency to fixate on things, and it made Lee Jinhyuk a little uneasy.

“To be fair, whatever girl you like is your freedom, Jinhyuk. I know that. And after everything I put you through, I don’t really have the right to say stuff like this, but…”

Jin Soyeon edged a little closer, leaning in toward Lee Jinhyuk.

Her dull golden eyes stared directly at him.

It was starting to feel a bit overwhelming.

“But you know, Jinhyuk.”

His face reflected in her eyes.

“I can’t live without you.”

“That’s… quite the straightforward declaration.”

It was a bold statement that would normally make someone blush just saying it out loud. But Jin Soyeon looked at him with a calm expression, unlike before.

“I don’t want to regret losing you again.”

“…”

It seemed her trauma from watching him die had taken deep root.

“Jinhyuk.”

“…Yeah?”

“I really thought I could congratulate you, even if you ended up with someone else. I wanted to be the bigger person, but…”

Jin Soyeon gently clutched her chest.

“…When I imagine you happily settling down with another girl… it just doesn’t sit right with me, you know?”

He wondered what exactly she found so unbearable.

The curiosity was there, but it didn’t seem wise to dig into it right now.

Sometimes it was better to play dumb and let things slide for your own good.

“…Especially if it’s Yoo Seolhyun, I don’t think I could stand it.”

“Why are you bringing Yoo Seolhyun up out of nowhere?”

Lee Jinhyuk scratched his temple.

Could she really still believe that Yoo Seolhyun liked him after all this time?

Sure, there might’ve been some degree of affection, but not to the extent that Jin Soyeon should feel so wary of her.

“No reason, I guess. Just slipped out.”

Jin Soyeon coughed awkwardly as if trying to save face, but it didn’t seem like an accidental slip of the tongue.

There was clearly something Lee Jinhyuk didn’t know about.

“Anyway, Jinhyuk, I can wait as long as it takes, so…”

She sneaked a glance at him before continuing.

“…You get the idea, right?”

“Is it just me, or does that sound like a threat?”

“Oh, haha. Jinhyuk, you’re funny. What are you even talking about? It’s just your imagination, imagination.”

Don’t laugh it off like it’s a joke.

As he secretly sighed, Lee Jinhyuk shook his head.

“Overly persistent girls tend not to be popular, you know.”

“…So, do you dislike me?”

“Well, not really. I mean, I don’t dislike you.”

To be honest, Jin Soyeon wasn’t someone he disliked.

Far from that—he cherished her dearly as a childhood friend.

But how about seeing her as a romantic partner?

There had been times when he consciously stopped himself from seeing her in a romantic light, but such efforts now felt unnecessary.

There was even a time when he did harbor some romantic interest in her.

However, fully accepting her confession was something else entirely—slightly complicated.

If it was entirely a matter of yes or no, of course, he leaned toward liking her.

But… how could he say—there was an ambiguous feeling there.

Ah, please don’t call him indecisive.

It was just that, once he dated Jin Soyeon, it would probably be irreversible. And if her possessiveness grew even more intense once they were together, what then?

Someone once said that both marriage and death are things best delayed as much as possible.

That saying might not apply directly to this situation, but still…

“If I’m being honest, the way you’re talking, it sounds like you’d really make a scene if I started dating another girl.”

“…That would never happen.”

The words were followed by an awkward laugh from Jin Soyeon, but she seemed unsure of herself as she added a soft, “Probably.”

Seeing this, Lee Jinhyuk couldn’t shake the mild sense of unease.

Half-jokingly, he wondered what would happen if Jin Soyeon, consumed by jealousy, turned to villainy.

He remembered when the future version of Jin Soyeon had possessed her body and effortlessly cut down the Crawling Fear monster.

She truly embodied the majesty of the world’s most powerful being.

But imagine such a Jin Soyeon as a villain… hmm.

That’s how you meet a real calamity.

“Phew. Yandere traits are frightening, aren’t they?”

Lee Jinhyuk chuckled bitterly and gave a slight shrug, trying to brush the tension aside.

“Anyway, don’t worry too much. I still haven’t developed the urge to date anyone for the time being.”

He thought about telling her outright that there was no one he liked. But then, if Jin Soyeon became even more proactive, wouldn’t that cause bigger problems?

In the end, Lee Jinhyuk decided to leave it unsaid.

“You won’t suddenly sneak off and get a secret girlfriend, right?”

“Well, that’s…”

Isn’t that something he’d have to wait and see?

After all, no one can predict the future.

As Jin Soyeon said, he could unexpectedly fall head over heels for someone else one day.

“But, I’ll make one promise.”

Slowly, Lee Jinhyuk began to speak.

“I won’t leave you alone, push you away, or ever give up on you again.”

Just as future Jin Soyeon had asked him to.

No matter what came in the future, he wouldn’t abandon her.

“So, let’s keep counting on each other, Soyeon.”

He extended his hand toward her as if inviting a handshake.

“Who knows what the future holds, right?”

This was a future even he couldn’t foresee.

But he planned to face it with Jin Soyeon by his side.

“Yeah, I know, Jinhyuk.”

Jin Soyeon nodded slightly, reaching out to clasp his hand.

Their warm hands gently embraced one another.

So warm. I won’t lose this warmth, ever again. Never.

Jin Soyeon recalled the chilling moment Lee Jinhyuk had died and made a firm vow within her heart.

To her, Lee Jinhyuk was not only a source of warmth but also a guiding light for her life.

In order to prevent herself from wandering aimlessly again and to step forward into a brighter tomorrow, she wanted to walk that path together with him.

‘Phew. So, this really is the end now, huh.’

Lee Jinhyuk quietly mused to himself.

After a year’s worth of struggle, he had finally secured the ending he had strived for.

Yoo Dahee was dead. Rebellion had been destroyed. And Jin Soyeon and his other companions had returned to their daily lives.

Of course, the world was still in chaos.

Beasts and villains continued to wreak havoc, threatening people’s lives.

But that was okay.

Because they had Jin Soyeon—the one who would rise as the strongest hero and beacon of hope.

As long as she was around, people would always have a glimmer of hope, even amidst the dangers of villains and monsters.

Jin Soyeon was the protagonist of this world… no, more than that, she was the singular heroine that Lee Jinhyuk had chosen.

Without a doubt, she would continue to stand firm against villains and keep protecting humanity.

So, for now, maybe it’s time to rest for a bit.

Just until Jin Soyeon fully grows into her role as the hero of humanity.

Yeah. Let’s try to live a normal school life for once.

Free from the fear of villains or monsters trying to take their lives, they might finally enjoy a peaceful time at the academy.

Perhaps something like a sweet and slightly bitter romantic academy life.

End of Chapter