Chapter 39

Finally, the weekend came to an end. During the evening, I had run some errands at the supermarket and indulged in some games available only here, while also delving deep into the norms of this world. However, as this meaningful time came to an end, the morning sunlight greeted me instead.

On the bed, I attempted to gather the hazy remnants of my mind and deeply contemplate this reality, but the moment was lost as Inna somehow appeared and washed me, served breakfast, and gave me no time to reflect before dragging me out to school.

“So, what did you do over the weekend?”

Why would she ask when she clearly saw me yesterday? It was a question that didn’t deserve an answer, so I ignored it. But Inna possessed this irresistible force, grabbing my arm and pulling it against her chest.

“You’re not going to tell me, huh? Seriously?”

Despite this, Inna’s cheerful facade didn’t falter, as she greeted everyone around us. The reason was simple—I’d already given a cursory explanation earlier that morning.

After grocery shopping, I played around and fell asleep; she already knew this but asked anyway. This was also easily understood if you paid attention to the faint sounds from around us.

“…Inna’s going to talk to him again. How long does she plan to keep tolerating this?”

“She’s his childhood friend, after all. Perhaps there’s some hidden camaraderie between them we don’t understand? Maybe there’s some charm in him we just can’t see yet.”

“Camaraderie? What camaraderie? If there had been any, would Inna’s words have been chewed up and spit out this morning? And if there were charm, could he endure that lack of manners? Honestly, if it were me, I’d hit him regardless of charm.”

“You tried that before and got scolded by Inna, didn’t you? And when you secretly tried to hit him again, you ended up injuring your own wrist while crying about it.”

“Hey, how was I supposed to know she always has a shield protecting her?”

These were the murmurs from her friends nearby. Likely, part of Yoo Inna’s plan to plant unflattering impressions of me into this crowd.

At first, it was a bit perplexing, but having understood the typical strategies to approach Yoo Inna before arriving here, I had a clearer grasp on why this was happening.

If I were to ignore Inna, who is one of the few people willing to even acknowledge me while the student council president is busy with work, my chances of becoming isolated in a class where many like her would grow exponentially.

Since I couldn’t remember the characteristics of these extras beyond their dark outlines, I decided from the onset to follow her intentions without resistance, despite knowing what they were.

Though if it’s the image Erica had already established, this minimal cooperation might be enough to keep others at bay.

“Really? You seem unusually approachable lately. It’s strange. You’ve become so much like Inna, albeit with a slightly different vibe. Hmm… Excuse me for a moment, I’ll be right back.”

“Hey! Don’t come back just to get insulted like last time!”

Nevertheless, someone other than Inna or me decided to make an appearance. A girl walking slightly to the side turned toward me, her face close.

“Hi. Any chance you know my name? I’ve been hanging out with Inna often, and we’ve been in the same class since our first year. Hmm… And I think I even greeted you a few times, remember?”

Obscured in a dark outline, I couldn’t clearly identify this girl, but as her face came closer, her name, role, and abilities became apparent to me.

“Inna mentioned it. Your name’s Kim So-ra, right?”

[Kim So-ra]

[Extra – Friend of the sub heroine]

[Ability : Unknown]

Aside from being the friend of the Sub Heroine, Inna, she’s an ordinary girl with no special abilities.

Even though her nametag had faded into the darkness, making it unreadable, I decided to simply repeat what I saw through my vision, ignoring the mystery of how I’d remember someone I’d supposedly forgotten.

“Exactly! Finally, you’ve opened up to us! Oh my gosh!”

Her shriek of joy was almost suffocating as she buried my face in her chest. I tightened my grip on my right hand, sending what I hoped was an SOS signal toward Inna, who was standing nearby.

She responded subtly by gently squeezing my hand, as if to say, “Why do you remember this girl’s name? Didn’t you say you’d forgotten?”

I hadn’t expected such skepticism from someone who’d normally accept the idea of lost memories.

In that brief moment of betrayal from Inna, I felt my breath constrict, thinking I might even d*e like this, as blackness began to creep into my vision.

“Seriously, stop it!”

A loud voice sounded, and the bosomy girl who had grabbed me was suddenly shoved away.

Her height towered over the average man, though I couldn’t see her distinct features, I sensed her glaring eyes fixed on me.

“What, are you trying to get hit again?”

“Even if that were the case, wouldn’t it have happened already? Right? Right?”

Despite being pulled back by this tall woman, her arms still stretched toward me as if ready to embrace me again. At that moment, I released Inna’s hand and took refuge behind her.

A so-called ‘Inna Shield’ strategy, which seemed to have worked, as the heat radiating from the tall woman and the girl’s initial eagerness to approach subsided.

“Keep away from this guy!”

Although treated as a shield, Inna’s mood seemed to improve. Her delighted tone commanded her friends to stay distant, making me somewhat puzzled.

Haven’t they been spreading rumors about me to isolate me? I had anticipated her trying to prevent me from fitting in.

Instead, I found myself appreciating Inna’s smiling face as we walked to school, distinctly and pleasantly visible, unlike her companions obscured in the dark.

“Last time, you said it was okay to come close… this is unfair!”

“Calm down. He might bite.”

“Erica’s not a dog… to you!”

Interrupting them, I managed to pipe up, avoiding the risk of being misunderstood as Inna’s pet.

“Not a dog.”

“Yes, she’s more like a cute little puppy! She’d be adorable even if she bites.”

“Of course! Erica will always be adorable, even if she bites.”

Their voices defending me, albeit strangely, left me momentarily speechless, a reasonable suspicion creeping in: Could it be that these two have never seen Erica as human in the first place?

“Erica, bite!”

“What ridiculous nonsense…”

Surely, they were just joking around. While exchanging words, we all continued walking briskly toward school. It seemed better to prioritize covering more ground than engaging in absurd conversations.