Hwa-rin. You’re asking how I feel about you?
To , this atmosphere, this situation, this line—it’s all too familiar.
“Huh? Yun-ho, how do I think of you? We’re good friends. Close classmates. A funny older brother, haha.”
You work up the courage to ask, and they laugh it off awkwardly. A sour air lingers afterward.
The next day, their responses get slower.
ssages start taking longer.
They start avoiding etups.
One day you spot them on the street, you lock eyes—and they pretend they didn’t see you and walk away.
Even if you’re dense, by then you know.
“Ah. I got rejected.”
Hwa-rin. You don’t seem to realize what your question really ans in this context, but I do.
Maybe in your mind, you just wanted to test my feelings. Maybe you hoped I’d confess first. But let tell you—
as soone who’s been through this before—
“Hwa-rin. What you just did was a confession.”
It’s like a car revving at the start of a racing ga.
The RPM’s maxed out, the tir’s counting down 3... 2... 1... and the only thing it’s waiting on is my signal.
You’ve already made your move. One green light and it launches forward.
Hwa-rin... likes .
I an, look. Beneath this sarcasm and survival mode, I am ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ a decent guy.
Once soone sticks around long enough—like Hwa-rin has—they’ll start noticing my charm.
Knowing how Hwa-rin feels makes my shoulders square a little higher on their own.
Now the question is—how do I answer?
“I think of you as a precious friend.” That would be the worst answer.
That’s the kind of reply that gets you hit with a Poison Pellet right there on the spot.
Even if not, we’d both walk out of this room with grim faces and heavier hearts.
Pfft. What a pair of rookies we are.
A guy who blurts out “Let’s kiss” the mont it feels possible,
and a girl who confesses just to be confessed to in return.
We’re such obvious newbies.
Honestly, saying ‘Let’s kiss’ out of nowhere was the real mistake.
In this world, a kiss between a man and a woman—even if they’re lovers—isn’t sothing casual.
In modern tis, a kiss is just a stage in the dating process.
But here? It carries a much deeper aning.
For a woman to allow a kiss—it’s practically a declaration.
I accept this man. I see him as a fiancé. That level of weight.
So when I told Hwa-rin “Let’s kiss,” even if she did love romantically, of course she’d want to hear a confession first.
--------
Before I answer Hwa-rin... there’s sothing I have to ask myself.
Is Tang Hwa-rin the true heroine?
If she is, what’s the win condition?
Fully curing her?
Reaching her unique story ending?
Or maybe it’s standing beside her at the end of this world, whatever that end may be?
But what if she’s not the true heroine?
If she’s not... then how should I treat her?
Now that I know how she feels—do I just say,
“Sorry. You’re not the true heroine, so let’s be best friends instead. Just friends!”
No way. There’s no way I could do that.
Fate-Reverser and heroine.
This world gave the role of a Fate-Reverser.
I’ve already t heroines before, and I might et more.
So of them might even offer love beyond what I deserve.
So do I coldly ignore them?
Do I robotically hunt down the true heroine, clear her story, and leave this world?
That’s a joke.
One day, I might see the ending of this world.
I might get a chance to leave it.
But none of that is a reason to ignore the people who need my help.
None of that justifies turning away from soone who loves .
None of that is reason to turn away from Hwa-rin’s heart.
Now that I know how she feels—
How do I feel about Tang Hwa-rin?
Am I ready to accept her feelings?
--------
“Hwa-rin.”
I called out to her gently, as she sat there with her head bowed, waiting endlessly for my answer.
“...Yes?”
At the sound of her na, her shoulders twitched.
She looked up at with anxious eyes.
Why was she so afraid?
Her body was more alluring than any beast, but the way she trembled looked more like a drenched puppy—so small and pitiful.
“...I never said it, but these past few days were really hard.”
I sat down right beside her, pressing close, then glanced sideways at her.
“B-because of ?”
Hwa-rin asked nervously.
Why would she think that?
I shook my head firmly.
“Not that. It was hard before I t you.
You... made my life better.”
“Because of ?”
As I spoke with words that seed to affirm her worth, a bit of color returned to Hwa-rin’s pale, nervous voice.
“Because of you, I beca a bookstore manager.
I was able to write.
I beca famous.
It’s all thanks to you.
I really, truly can’t express how grateful I am.”
Start with gratitude.
Everything that gave hope in this world—everything that let keep walking forward—was thanks to Hwa-rin.
I looked into her eyes and said it with all my sincerity.
“If you’re saying this out of pity or obligation—”
I saw her sharp eyes start to narrow suspiciously, so I quickly shook my head again and cut her off.
“Hwa-rin. I risked my life to save you.”
“So what? You’re going to deflect again—”
I hadn’t even started!
Feeling wrongly accused, I calmly reached out and gently pressed a finger to her soft lips.
“You idiot. You really don’t know?”
I turned my body toward her and faced her head-on.
The distance was close.
Close enough to feel her breath.
If I leaned forward just a little, our lips would touch.
“W-what don’t I know?”
Hwa-rin’s eyes trembled.
Was she afraid of what I might say next?
In that instant, all the mories I’d shared with Hwa-rin flashed through my mind like a panorama.
Is she the true heroine?
No.
Does that even matter?
Did I risk my life for her just because she’s a friend?
Just because there’s a chance she might be a heroine I’ll need to clear?
Did I stake everything on a possibility?
If I answered yes to that, I’d be lying to myself.
If the Fate-Reverser’s sincerity can help a heroine escape her tragic fate, then denying my feelings ans denying the very power I was given.
So how do I truly feel about Hwa-rin?
I’ve already said it.
“I ca because I want to protect my woman.”
“Your woman? You’re saying you have that kind of relationship with a Poisoned One?”
“What other reason is there for a man to risk his life for a woman?”
I opened my mouth to give Hwa-rin my answer.
“Hwa-rin. When a man is willing to risk everything for a woman... It’s because, in his heart—that woman is already his.”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
********
“You...! Mmph!”
Just as Tang Hwa-rin’s expression turned vulnerable from overwhelming emotion, Kang Yun-ho’s face closed the distance and covered hers.
Though startled by the sudden ambush, Hwa-rin didn’t turn her head away, even as she reflexively tightened her lips.
In an instant, their lips t. And although her lips were so stiff it felt less like a kiss and more like skin brushing skin, it was still enough to make her eyes shoot wide open in shock.
“W-what do you think you’re doing all of a sudden?!”
Hwa-rin leaned her head back in surprise and shot at him.
“Then this ti I won’t do it suddenly. Co here.”
With a gentle look, Kang Yun-ho reached out and pulled Hwa-rin toward him.
What the hell. Why are you suddenly acting all mature? Damn it. You confessed. I accepted. Shouldn’t you be acting more touched or sothing?
Though a little annoyed, Hwa-rin had no intention of rejecting Yun-ho’s touch.
In fact, the first kiss had ended too quickly, and she was left yearning for more.
“Mmph...”
Hwa-rin puckered her lips as much as she could, like a baby bird desperately longing for affection it had never received.
Yun-ho found her unbearably cute and kissed her again—this ti with love, with sincerity—quenching her thirst.
As Kang Yun-ho gently rubbed his lips against her tense ones, the stiffness in her mouth naturally relaxed.
For the first ti in her life, Tang Hwa-rin felt what it ant to have a man of her own. She’d succeeded. She was happy. She was loved.
While Hwa-rin remained dazed, Yun-ho boldly pressed further.
“W-what are you trying to put in there?!”
Startled by the invading sensation inside her mouth, Hwa-rin jerked her head back again, blushing furiously.
“You didn’t like it?”
“L-let try it one more ti and then I’ll tell you...”
--------
The two didn’t separate until the Pavilion Head eventually ca to inform them that too much ti had passed.
If he’d arrived just a little later, they might have set up a bridal room right then and there.
“Ahem.”
It was only after the Pavilion Head’s awkward clearing of his throat that their sticky, transparent pink bridge finally pulled apart.
“Hwa-rin.”
Worried that his feelings might not have co across completely, Kang Yun-ho grasped her hand tightly and looked into her eyes.
There wasn’t much ti left for them to talk.
“Yun-ho. I’ll definitely co back.”
Tang Hwa-rin nodded while clutching his hand in return.
It was a sha they hadn’t been able to talk more, but that was fine. Sothing even deeper had been conveyed. She had co to understand his true feelings.
“Yeah. Next ti, let’s do this sowhere with no one around to interrupt.”
“Shi—... I an, okay.”
Is my man completely immune to embarrassnt? Why would you say that with the Pavilion Head standing right there?
Hwa-rin instinctively almost cursed, but in truth, she wanted that mont too. With her face glowing red, she nodded.
Kang Yun-ho chuckled at the sight, gave her one last hug, and walked out the door.
As Tang Hwa-rin kept staring toward the spot where her man had disappeared, mbers of the Tang Clan ca in and guided her toward the prepared location.
Would she be able to succeed?
As she walked, Hwa-rin touched her lips, still warm. His presence lingered thick in her mouth.
She wanted to be happy with Yun-ho.
Tang Hwa-rin looked at the Poison Pellet of the Face-Eater Lord resting in the center of the room.
That wasn’t an insurmountable wall. It was just one more step toward getting closer to Yun-ho.
“Begin your preparations.”
Yun-ho. Wait for .
********
“Are you worried?”
The Pavilion Head asked as he caught staring out the window, wondering where Hwa-rin had gone.
“Shouldn’t you be going in now?”
“Even if she manages to swallow the Poison Pellet and completely absorb it, it will still take a long ti. I just wanted to see your face once before going in.”
“Planning to offer so encouragent?”
One near-death experience and suddenly you’re a changed man? I appreciated the back-to-back kindness, but it still felt kind of awkward.
“...They say do your best and leave the rest to Heaven. You did everything you could, and Hwa-rin and the others will give it their all too. Now all that’s left is to hope Heaven smiles on us.”
The Pavilion Head encouraged despite the sarcastic note in my voice. I appreciated it, but I wasn’t worried.
“It will smile.”
I spoke with conviction as I turned to him.
“Is that confidence or just hope?”
“Confidence.”
“...Good. I hope you’re right.”
Seeing the certainty in my expression, the Pavilion Head gave a small nod and headed toward where Hwa-rin was.
Yeah.
I’m certain.
Hwa-rin will beco a complete Poisoned One.
She’ll return to fully transford.
Because—
“Hwa-rin’s skin is flawless now, not a single blemish left.”
My sincerity had gotten through.
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