“Let’s head out for now.”
“Are you sure it’s really okay to be wandering around while hospitalized?”
“….”
Shin Yoon-seong and Arna left, and all Choi Soo-eun could do was watch from afar. She couldn’t even chase after them and hold them back.
And just like that, she had lost Shin Yoon-seong. And it happened right here in the hospital, the place that could be called her sanctuary.
“Here is… my territory…”
To Choi Soo-eun, this hospital was the only place where she could have Shin Yoon-seong all to herself. This hospital was her domain, a place no one else could intrude upon.
But now…
She had ended up giving even this hospital to Arna, handing over this sole connection to Shin Yoon-seong to her rival.
“Ugh…”
A surge of jealousy began to rise. Her eyes started to well up with tears—this feeling was something she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Jealousy truly was a painful emotion.
“Hey, Senior! Are you okay? You don’t look well!”
A junior who had returned to the station noticed her condition and spoke in surprise. But to Choi Soo-eun, none of their words registered.
She was in a state where she couldn’t hear anyone’s voice.
Choi Soo-eun was completely out of it.
“Hiiiing…”
Eventually, Choi Soo-eun buried her face in her arms on the desk, clutching her head.
“Ah! Senior! Did you just make that noise? I’ve never heard you make a sound like that before!”
“…”
“Could you repeat that? I want to record it! Come on!”
Choi Soo-eun kept her face on the desk, motionless, as the tears slowly faded.
I took Arna outside the hospital for a bit, exiting through the main entrance.
Around the entrance, there were many people coming and going. Some were there for consultations, while others were patients taking a stroll nearby.
Arna and I sat on a nearby bench.
“How’s your body holding up?”
This was the first time I had seen Arna face-to-face since the Break. Honestly, I hadn’t expected her to visit at all, so it was a bit surprising.
“I’ve gotten much better. As you can see, I can walk without any issues now.”
“Oh, that’s good…”
With that, Arna fell silent. She didn’t know what else to say and remained quiet. She, too, seemed uncomfortable about what to say next.
“…”
“…”
There was an awkward moment of tension between us.
It was understandable. We had always clashed whenever we saw each other, and now we were suddenly exchanging pleasantries. Arna was clearly uneasy, shifting her eyes around restlessly.
There was nothing else to do—this awkward atmosphere couldn’t continue. With some reluctance, I decided to break the silence.
“Did you come all the way to the hospital just to say this?”
“Ugh! Is that how you speak to someone who went out of their way to visit you…?”
“I didn’t exactly ask you to come.”
“…”
I teased Arna as I usually would. She reacted instinctively, narrowing her eyes and glaring fiercely at me.
“Ugh…”
But it didn’t last long. Arna let out a big sigh, as if conceding.
“To someone who’s sick, I can’t really lash out… so, fine, it’s all my fault…”
Arna then started rummaging through the bag she had brought. A notebook appeared.
“Here, take it.”
She handed me the notebook out of nowhere. It was a spring-bound notebook with a pink hardcover. I tilted my head in confusion.
“What’s this for?”
“It’s study notes. There’s going to be a pop quiz soon, you know.”
Not long after the midterms and physical assessments and here comes another test… truly, it never ends.
Moreover, if we finish this pop quiz, we’ll soon be entering the final exam period. I couldn’t help but grimace at the thought.
“I might just drop out.”
“A pop quiz and you’re already talking about dropping out? Stop whining and take it!”
Arna shoved the notebook into my chest. Forced to, I took it.
“…”
Opening it, I could see Arna’s beautiful handwriting. Honestly, the Korean in me was impressed; she had better penmanship than I did. Women really do excel in handwriting.
“But why are you giving this to me?”
“Oh, that…!”
Upon reflection, it was odd. Why would she prepare such a notebook just for me? She had no obligation to help me.
“It’s because the teacher asked me to, okay…!”
“The teacher?”
“Yeah…! You’ve been stuck in the hospital and couldn’t attend classes, right? So they asked if anyone could relay the lessons… and I had no choice but to do it!”
Was the teacher really so kind as to care about someone like me? Frankly, they probably didn’t even know my name.
But if Arna said so, that’s how it is. It wasn’t a major issue, so I decided not to press further.
“In any case, thank you.”
“Hmph! I didn’t do it just to hear your thanks! So don’t get the wrong idea!”
Despite her words, Arna’s slightly twitching lips betrayed her quiet pride at hearing my gratitude.
But her joy wouldn’t last long. Once my spoon is restored, I’ll torment her far more cruelly than before. I’ll erase that smile from her face.
You’d better enjoy yourself while you can, you little monster.
“Since I’ve given you the notebook, I’ll head out now.”
“Hm? Already?”
Arna had come to the hospital solely to deliver the notebook. With that done, there was no more business to attend to.
It was naturally time to part ways.
“Um… have you eaten?”
But Arna stopped me, seemingly unwilling to part just yet. Out of the blue, she asked if I’d eaten anything.
Shaking my head in response.
“Not yet.”
“In that case… would you like to have dinner together while we’re here? It’s a bit early, but…”
Why was she acting like this today? After the notebook, she’s now inviting me to dinner.
Never in my life had Arna ever suggested going to dinner with me. We weren’t close enough for that.
“I’m sorry, but I have other plans tonight, so I can’t.”
“Ah, I see…”
I lightly declined her invitation.
It wasn’t that I disliked Arna and deliberately refused. I really did have prior plans. Had there not been another appointment, I might’ve gone out to eat with her.
“Since there’s another plan… there’s nothing that can be done…”
After those words, Arna’s gaze dimmed slightly. At the same time, she began idly kicking at the ground with her toes.
She must be a little disappointed.
After seeing Arna off, I returned to the hospital.
Just as I was about to head back to the room…
“Hmm?”
As I passed by the station, I noticed Choi Soo-eun, her head buried on the desk from afar.
“…”
What on earth was she doing over there? She didn’t seem to be sleeping, and could she possibly be hurt somewhere?
I decided to approach and ask.
“Is something wrong?”
“Eh?”
At the sound of my voice, Choi Soo-eun abruptly lifted her head.
Clang!
But in the process of standing up, she accidentally bumped her knee against the desk.
“Ouch…”
With tears in her eyes, Choi Soo-eun clutched her injured knee. In that state, she hesitantly looked up at me, as if she had seen a ghost.
“Why are you back so soon?”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you have plans to go somewhere with Arna?”
“Arna?”
It seemed Choi Soo-eun thought I had gone far away with Arna. But the only place I went was the entrance right in front of the hospital.
“I didn’t go anywhere. We just briefly talked outside and I came back.”
“Just talked…?”
“Yeah.”
“Phew… I see…”
Suddenly, happiness lit up Choi Soo-eun’s face. The sorrowful expression from moments ago vanished, replaced by a sigh of relief.
For what reason had she been unnecessarily worried and upset?
Women’s hearts were truly incomprehensible.
“Anyway, after going out, I’m starving.”
More importantly, I was extremely hungry right now. After wandering here and there since this morning, my energy was depleted.
It was time to replenish my strength.
“Could you possibly make dinner a bit earlier today?”
During my hospital stay, Choi Soo-eun had somehow taken on the responsibility of making my dinner. Without me even asking, she voluntarily offered to cook for me.
For that reason, I couldn’t help but refuse Arna’s dinner invitation. In a way, this was an appointment with Choi Soo-eun.
“Then, should I make it right now?”
“Now? But aren’t you still on duty? Is that okay?”
“It’s perfectly fine! I finished my shift quite a while ago!”
Choi Soo-eun hurriedly left the station. At the same time, she boldly removed the red cross armband she had been wearing on her right arm.
The moment she transformed from a Medical Division student to just Choi Soo-eun.
“Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“Something I’d like to eat…?”
I thought for a moment about the food my stomach was craving.
“I’m in the mood for bibimbap today. Crispy vegetables, spicy gochujang, and the fragrant sesame oil.”
It was finally time to try the sesame oil she had gifted me earlier. It’s an expensive brand that far surpasses anything you’d find in stores. Moreover, imagine it being prepared by the skilled hands of Choi Soo-eun.
I couldn’t help but salivate.
“Bibimbap? Got it. I’ll bring it to your room right away.”
Choi Soo-eun smiled brightly at me once, then quickly hurried off in the direction of the pantry. Her steps seemed unusually light.
I’d never seen Choi Soo-eun so cheerful before.
“…”
But wasn’t she the one sulking earlier?
What had made her so elated now?
She was really hard to understand.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=151,215 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
