My Childhood Friend’s Stock Will Never Fail Chapter 17

A sharp crack echoed as Seo Hyunho ground his teeth together.

 

After helping Yoohee onto a bench, he strode toward Gayoung and Seokhoon.

 

“Do Gayoung.”

 

His voice was so cold it sent chills down anyone’s spine.

 

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

 

Seo Hyunho’s eyes settled on Seokhoon’s hand, which was still supporting Gayoung.

 

When Gayoung didn’t answer, he reached out and pulled her toward him.

 

The utter lack of consideration in his actions made Seokhoon’s eyes widen.

 

“Can’t you see she’s hurt?”

 

“That’s none of your concern.”

 

Ah… that attitude.

 

What do I do?

 

Watching everything unfold from behind, Yoohee felt her mouth go dry.

 

Yes, Seo Hyunho had developed feelings for her…

 

…but they amounted to only 3%.

 

Gayoung still occupied far more of his heart.

 

How much is he going to regret acting like this later?

 

[Several Constellations are eagerly waiting for you to act.]

 

[The Constellation, “Dark Archmage,” furiously clacks away at a keyboard while preparing a train-wreck scenario.]

 

The Constellations’ reactions made goosebumps crawl over her skin.

 

Now was not the time to sit back and watch.

 

If she didn’t step in now, she was going to end up saddled with another disaster of a scenario.

 

‘Damn it…’

 

Swallowing nervously, Yoohee rose from the bench.

 

Is this what a moth feels like when it flies into a flame?

 

“Senior.”

 

At the sound of her voice, all three of them turned to look at her.

 

The atmosphere was downright murderous, but Yoohee forced on a shameless smile and spoke in the most overly concerned voice she could manage.

 

“G-Gayoung Senior looks like she’s hurt! What should we do? Shouldn’t she go to the infirmary right away?”

 

Even though no one responded, she stubbornly kept talking.

 

“Gayoung Senior always gets hurt protecting other people, doesn’t she? I’m sure that’s what happened this time too. You’re just… too kind for your own good, Senior.”

 

She stole a glance at Seo Hyunho.

 

What if he ignores everything I’m saying?

 

Fortunately…

 

The sharp hostility in his eyes softened ever so slightly.

 

Then, slowly, he released his grip on Gayoung.

 

“Go.”

 

Seo Hyunho spoke curtly.

 

“Go to the infirmary.”

 

His willingness to back down caught not only Yoohee, but Gayoung and Seokhoon off guard as well.

 

When Gayoung remained frozen in place, Seokhoon moved first and gently supported her.

 

“Come on. Let’s get you treated.”

 

“…Okay.”

 

Together, Gayoung and Seokhoon walked away.

 

Seeing the confrontation end without Seo Hyunho hurting Gayoung any further—as he had in the original story—Yoohee quietly let out a breath of relief.

 

But an even heavier sigh came from beside her.

 

“Haa…”

 

Seo Hyunho exhaled deeply, his thoughts seemingly in turmoil, before sitting back down on the bench.

 

Only moments ago he’d looked surprisingly at ease.

 

Now he seemed as tense as a drawn blade.

 

“…”

 

Carefully reading his mood, Yoohee quietly sat beside him.

 

Then his weary voice drifted into her ears.

 

“It’s always like this.”

 

Seo Hyunho ran a hand through his black hair.

 

“We can never untangle this.”

 

“…”

 

“You wouldn’t understand.”

 

His Adam’s apple bobbed heavily.

 

Yoohee’s expression darkened.

 

He hadn’t told her everything…

 

But she already knew his story from the original novel.

 

She knew he wanted revenge against Gayoung’s family.

 

She also knew he desperately wanted to deny the feelings that kept resurfacing whenever it came to Gayoung.

 

As time passed, those emotions would become more and more hopelessly tangled together, like garbage tossed into the same bin.

 

What was right?

 

What did he truly want?

 

Unable to distinguish his own feelings, he would spend his life chasing nothing but revenge…

 

Only to finally discover, at the very end, the truth he’d buried inside himself—and suffer because of it.

 

“I don’t know…”

 

“I think you and Gayoung Senior make a really good match.”

 

How strange.

 

When she’d read the novel, he’d been someone she’d cursed at without hesitation.

 

Yet now that he was sitting beside her…

 

…all she could feel was pity.

 

“I read something in a book once.”

 

“They said that destiny always comes full circle… and eventually returns to where it belongs.”

 

Seo Hyunho frowned as though he couldn’t make sense of what she meant.

 

“So…”

 

“It means it was fate from the very beginning.”

 

“I don’t believe in that.”

 

“But… what if?”

 

Bracing one hand against the bench, Yoohee looked up at him.

 

“What if… the person who hurt you was also the person you were destined to be with?”

 

“Wouldn’t that be… kind of sad?”

 

A gentle spring breeze drifted between them.

 

Seo Hyunho’s expression didn’t change.

 

He simply looked at Yoohee in silence for a long moment.

 

Then, slowly, he opened his mouth.

 

“There’s no such thing.”

 

It was exactly the kind of firm conviction one would expect from Seo Hyunho.

 

A stubborn resolve flickered in his eyes as he looked down at Yoohee.

 

“You make your own destiny.”

 

Just then, something landed lightly on top of Yoohee’s head.

 

Thinking it was a leaf, she raised a hand to brush it away—

 

But Seo Hyunho’s hand reached her first.

 

“No one knows the future.”

 

Standing close enough that he was right in front of her, Seo Hyunho curled one corner of his lips into a faint, crooked smile.

 

“Th-That’s true, I guess. I just read it in a book…”

 

Yoohee hurriedly agreed with him.

 

Otherwise…

 

She had no idea what Seo Hyunho might do next.

 

“…So you’re that type.”

 

After plucking the leaf from her hair, Seo Hyunho stared at her intently.

 

“The kind who learns about love from books.”

 

“Ah.”

 

He wasn’t exactly wrong…

 

“S-So what if I am? I still know plenty.”

 

“Cute.”

 

The moment Seo Hyunho let out a quiet chuckle, Yoohee’s jaw dropped.

 

At the same time, a status window appeared before her widened eyes.

 

[Male Lead Candidate ‘Seo Hyunho’s Affection has increased.]

 

[Because this character is emotionally bonded to another person, affection gain is fixed at 1%.]

 

[Seo Hyunho (Affection: 1% → 2%)]

 

It was still only a single-digit number.

 

Practically nothing.

 

But why did it go up in the first place?

 

As Yoohee stood there blankly, Seo Hyunho turned around and sat back down on the bench.

 

The gentle breeze stirred his black hair.

 

[The Constellation, “Dark Archmage,” enjoys love triangles.]

 

[The Constellation, “Dark Archmage,” says they would like to sponsor you.]

 

The very Constellation that had been preparing another train-wreck scenario moments ago suddenly wanted to sponsor Yoohee instead.

 

…Should I be happy about this?

 

[The Constellation, “Dark Archmage,” has sponsored you with “Gargoyle Fang Shield (Durability Rank D).”]

 

[“Gargoyle Fang Shield (Durability Rank D)” has been placed in your Inventory.]

 

[Say “Inventory” to view the items stored inside.]

 

Along with the introduction of a brand-new feature called the Inventory, Yoohee received the Gargoyle Fang Shield.

 

Maybe she couldn’t use it immediately…

 

But surely it would come in handy someday.

 

Thinking that, she quietly sat down beside Seo Hyunho.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After class ended, Yoohee headed for the library.

 

There was still no news regarding Juhun’s retrial in Block F.

 

Even so…

 

She wanted to improve her Guiding ability ahead of time.

 

“Hup.”

 

She took her usual seat and opened a textbook on Guiding Theory.

 

She had only turned a couple of pages when the previously quiet library began growing noticeably noisier.

 

“—I’m telling you, it’s true.”

 

“Seriously, this is so annoying.”

 

The low grumbling voices of several girls.

 

The sharp click-clack of high heels.

 

‘Who talks this loudly in a library?’

 

Yoohee clicked her tongue inwardly.

 

The footsteps drew closer…

 

Then a shadow fell across her desk.

 

“Look at us for a second.”

 

When Yoohee looked up, she found the source of the disturbance.

 

Three girls stood there with their arms crossed.

 

They looked exactly like the stereotypical queen bee clique from a teen movie.

 

At the center stood the leader with dazzling blonde hair, flanked by one girl with bright orange hair and another with vivid red hair.

 

Judging from the color of their name tags…

 

They were second-years.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Since she’d never met them before, Yoohee adjusted her glasses.

 

The orange-haired girl—the blonde’s left-hand woman—immediately narrowed her eyes.

 

“You seriously don’t know who we are?”

 

“…No.”

 

Were these extras even in the original novel?

 

As Yoohee studied the name tags thoughtfully—

 

“You’ve got a lot of nerve disrespecting your seniors.”

 

The red-haired girl, standing on the blonde’s right, lifted her chin arrogantly as she continued.

 

“You’re saying you’ve never heard of Aram, the legendary S-rank Guide from the second years?”

 

The legendary S-rank Guide of the second years.

 

Despite the embarrassingly grandiose title, none of the three girls looked the least bit self-conscious.

 

Instead, they simply stared at Yoohee as if asking, How could you possibly not know?

 

‘S-rank Guide Choi Aram… Ah, that Choi Aram?’

 

Oh…

 

Now she remembered.

 

Recognition brightened Yoohee’s face.

 

Seeing that reaction, Choi Aram herself finally opened her mouth.