I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers Chapter 81

Elderen arrived at an unbelievable speed the mont I called her. It’s safe to say she practically flew here.

Considering the distance from where she lived to where I was, I imdiately regretted calling her. It was quite a long way, but if my mory wasn’t failing , the car approaching right now was definitely Elderen’s.

It had only been about an hour since I called her. So, unless her car had wings, it ant Elderen had floored the accelerator like a madwoman.

‘Did she speed?’

In this day and age, speeding like that would land her a hefty fine. Not to ntion, the points on her license would pile up. No matter how I thought about it, there was no reason for her to go to such lengths for .

But as it turned out, my guess wasn’t far off. When Elderen stepped out of the car, she looked like a complete ss.

“Da-eun!”

She must’ve co straight from the gym. She was still wearing skin-tight workout clothes under a coat, and her hair was hastily tied up. Funny, considering she once coaxed into doing my hair nicely.

Seeing her rush over like this, just because of my sudden call, made my heart sink a little.

I thought I’d cald myself down enough by then, but I couldn’t stay still. Grabbing my crutches, I hobbled toward her. I nearly collapsed halfway through, but Elderen caught before I could fall.

The last ti we t, I rember her slling like perfu. This ti, there was a faint scent of dried sweat. For so reason, the soft feeling of her arms made my eyes sting with tears.

“Did you wait long?” she asked.

“No, it’s fine… hic, hic!” I choked out.

Oh no, this was bad. My mom always told I looked terrible when I cried. I must’ve looked like a ss right now.

There wasn’t exactly anywhere fancy we could go. Elderen wasn’t dressed to be out and about, and my eyes were red and swollen from crying. As I got into the car, I caught a glimpse of myself in the side mirror, and I looked just like a crybaby.

I had cried too much. Now, sniffling in the car, this was the only place that felt sowhat suitable for us.

Thankfully, I cald down quickly, but now I was faced with a different problem. I felt embarrassed for acting like a child. And worse, I’d have to explain what had happened.

But where should I start? How much could I even share without falling apart? I’d never been in this kind of situation before, so I had no idea what to do.

All I wanted right now was to be buried in warmth. Should I ask her to just hold for a while without asking any questions? No, that would be too selfish of a request.

It was as if Elderen could read my mind.

“I… well…” I started.

“You don’t have to rush. We’ll go sowhere nice for so fresh air, okay?” she said.

“Okay, thank you.”

“And if it’s too hard to talk about, you don’t have to say anything at all.”

On our way to wherever we were going, we stopped to get coffee. My body craved alcohol, but Elderen was driving, so that wasn’t an option.

We ended up at a quiet spot overlooking the ocean. It was a peaceful place, the kind where not many people ca and went, which sohow helped feel more at ease. The waves crashing against the shore made a steady, soothing sound.

“For sowhere we just stumbled upon, it’s pretty nice, huh? Shall we sit over there?”

We settled down in a comfortable spot, sipping our coffee. It was the sa coffee I always drank, but for so reason, it didn’t taste as bitter today. And as expected, Elderen sat right next to .

We were close enough that just a small movent would have our skin touching. Seeking warmth, I leaned into her. Her gentle hand softly patted my shoulder.

My mind still wasn’t fully sorted out, so I decided to start with a different topic.

“Why are you so kind to ?” I asked.

“Hm? Hmm, that’s a fair question,” Elderen replied.

“Honestly, we didn’t exactly have the best first encounter, did we?”

The first ti I t Elderen was when I was bleeding between my legs.

I suffer from severe nstrual cramps and heavy bleeding. My mood swings also get pretty extre, and I spent a lot of ti killing strears left and right. Elderen was one of the victims from back then.

So really, if anything, she should hate , not be kind to .

“Promise not to get mad at what I’m about to say?” she asked.

“How could I? After you ca all the way here for .”

“I had a little sister once. She was just like you—about your age, just as pretty, and just as fragile.”

The body and mind are deeply connected. When the body falls ill, the mind follows, and vice versa.

Elderen’s sister had an illness that spread from her body to her mind.

One day, her sister got so sick that she couldn’t leave the hospital anymore. At first, things were okay. There was still hope for recovery, and her sister endured it well. But as the illness worsened, her strength faded.

“I put more money in your account. If you want anything, buy it.”

“I don’t need it. I told you before, I don’t want to see your face.”

“You know I can’t just not see you. How are you feeling? Dr. Park said there’s been so improvent.”

“I’d feel much better if I didn’t have to see you.”

The treatnt was excruciating.

People’s hearts have limits, and her sister had to fill that limit with pain. So in her heart’s well, only pain flowed.

When was the last ti Elderen saw her smile? It was a faint, hazy mory. Their once close bond now felt like a distant dream. Her sister chose to inflict pain on others to lessen her own suffering.

It wasn’t right. Elderen was deeply hurt by this, and her sister lashed out at the nurses and dical staff too. Elderen had even complained when she overheard them gossiping.

But she couldn’t understand it.

She had done everything she could for her sister. Why did her sister have to be so cruel to her? Elderen hadn’t done anything wrong.

“You think I’m pathetic, don’t you? Stuck in this place…”

“Don’t say that. I’ve never thought of you that way.”

“If you don’t want to hear it, then leave! Go away. The re sight of you makes sick, so don’t co near ever again!”

“…Okay. I’m sorry. Get so rest. I’ll leave.”

Looking back, those were cries of desperation.

The kind of cries that co out when the pain is too much to bear. A plea for rcy that had turned rotten and foul from her sickened heart.

Back then, Elderen didn’t have the luxury of understanding. She was only human, after all, and her heart had limits too. She couldn’t stand the stench of her sister’s festering emotions any longer.

After working herself to the bone, she’d co ho only to be t with her sister’s bitterness. Instead of resting her tired body and mind, she beca a sponge for more of her sister’s venom. Naturally, Elderen grew weary. Perhaps she had already reached her limit.

Then one day, the doctor called her in.

“You should start preparing yourself.”

“Preparing myself?”

“Your sister won’t be with us for much longer.”

And Elderen… felt relieved.

No more scrambling to earn hospital bills. No more working herself to exhaustion through the weekends and listening to her sister’s resentnt. She could finally live for herself.

Ah, freedom.

She was finally free.

The doctor must have thought her tears were those of loss. But only Elderen knew the truth. Those tears were of joy, for the freedom she had gained.

Though she felt vile, she never showed it outwardly. Even at the very end, she stayed by her sister’s side, prepared to endure any hurtful words her sister might throw at her in her final monts.

“Sis…”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I know you didn’t want to see .”

“No… that’s not it. I’m sorry… for everything I said. Can you forget it all?”

“What?”

In her last mont, her sister apologized.

Elderen’s heart twisted in pain.

That one word, “sorry,” hurt more than any of the sharp, cutting words her sister had ever thrown at her. She didn’t even realize she had let go of her sister’s hand.

Her sister, who could barely move a finger, found the strength to hold her hand once more, leaving a faint warmth behind.

“I’m not in pain anymore, so I can say it now. I love you, sis. Thank you for staying with … I never hated you. Not once.”

Those were her sister’s final words. With them, her sister stopped breathing. And Elderen’s mind went blank.

She had never hated ?

Then what does that make —the one who felt relief at your death? The one who couldn’t even smile for you at the end?

While the dical staff ca in and took care of her sister’s body, Elderen didn’t move. She just held her sister’s hand, unmoving, until the doctor shook her shoulder a few tis. Only then did the tears start to flow. Tears of loss, sorrow, and regret.

A few years later, Elderen, now more commonly known by that na than her real one, t a girl in a ga.

"Hah… haha… hah… ha."

Unsteady breathing. A laugh that sounded both sadistic and broken. The girl clung to her, almost as if in an embrace.

Looking at the girl choking herself, Elderen felt a sense of familiarity.

Sohow, she understood.

The girl’s laughter was, in fact, a scream.