The all-knowing Player (Solo Leveling)

Friends (1)

"Who are you? What exactly are you doing here?" Jin-Ah asks, suspicious.

"I- My name is Soo Hee-Jin, I'm... erm..." I hesitate, standing up.

How should I present myself? What am I to Jin-Woo? A comrade? A colleague? Would it be presumptuous to say that I am a friend? He probably wouldn't want to be called a 'friend' by someone who tries to avoid him in order not to level up even though I am so weak.

The double dungeon is proof of my weakness. I couldn't even help the other hunters like he did. And in the end, only my friends and I survived. I am pathetically weak, unable to save anyone. I don't want to grow stronger even though I am one of the few people who can. And that, just because I only think of myself. But he is motivated. He does whatever he can to grow stronger, to help his family and in the end, he will sacrifice himself for the whole world.

The sound of a door opening interrupts my thoughts. Jin-Ah and I turn our heads in the direction of the corridor to see her brother walk towards us. He stops as he spots us, surprised.

"Jin-Ah, you're already here?" he notices.

"Yeah, my math teacher was absent so I finished early for once." she justifies. "But I need an explanation about what exactly happened here. You never told me you had a girlfriend!"

"What? No, she isn't!" he exclaims, a blush growing on his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." I say before explaining. "I really needed to sleep but I couldn't go home at the moment so Jin-Woo offered me to stay here until I am ready to leave."

"So... you really are just a friend." Jin-Ah deducts, probably not really believing it.

"Yes." I agree, too relieved to have cleared the misunderstanding to specify if I am a 'friend' or not.

Jin-Ah lets out a sigh of relief. On her brother's mouth grows a smile.

"How are you feeling, Hee-Jin?" he asks.

"I'll be fine." I reassure him, unable to hide the purple marks under my puffy eyes.

"I'm sure you will, but how are you right now?" he insists.

"I- I'm better. But I need to go." I declare, searching for my own clothes I left in the bathroom.

"Where?" He frowns, following me.

"To the association."

I pick up my t-shirt and stare at the blood stains on it. Is it really a good idea to go to the association wearing those dirty clothes? Well, it's not like I had the choice. But before I can take my trousers, too, Jin-Ah lays a hand on mine to stop me.

"You're not seriously going to wear that, are you?" she asks.

"Why would you go to the association? Jin-Ho and I already reported the incident." he wants to know.

"I know." I whisper.

I loosen my grip around the fabric without letting it go. I don't want to answer his question, but I need to. He has the right to know. The conversation I will have at the association won't be pleasant, either, but this is something I need to do while the memories are still fresh in my mind, as traumatizing as they are. I understand now why Seon-Ji and Yool didn't want to tell me about it when I asked.

"Jin-Woo, you should lend her some of your clothes. Mine will be too small." she announces.

"Yeah." he agrees and disappears in his room before coming back with a pack of clothes that he gives me. "Here you go."

"Thank you."

"So. Why do you need to go to the association?"

"I... I remembered what happened in the double dungeon." I confess, lowering my gaze.