I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend-Chapter 78

I tried to see what Shihu was doing.

The moment I left the house to follow him, I was caught.

It was as if he had put some sort of tracking device on me—he noticed so quickly.

And then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he appeared in front of me.

"How did you know?"

I had left the house at what should have been the perfect time for him not to notice.

Did he teleport or something?

"I told you not to come. It’s dangerous outside."

"Why?"

"Just stay home for a while. When I’m not here..."

"......"

Shihu is definitely acting strange.

Too strange.

After thinking about it, I wondered if maybe I had caught some kind of serious illness.

"Shihu, so this... is..."

"What’s wrong?"

"I’ve got amnesia, right? That’s it."

It’s a logical conclusion.

"Because suddenly I’ve grown taller, you’ve changed, the house is different, I don’t remember anything about the area around the house... And I’ve been taking all these drugs..."

My memories must have been messed up.

I must have had some kind of accident.

Shihu stays silent.

"Answer me. Are you planning to tell me the truth? Or are you just going to keep hiding things from me?"

"Later. I’ll explain later. Not now."

"Why can’t you explain now?"

He’s hiding so much from me.

I’m disappointed.

But I can understand why he might be hiding things.

"It’s a reason you can accept. Please, let me tell you later. It’s all for you."

He says as he holds my hand.

His hands are warm.

"For me?"

"Yeah."

Well, if that’s the case.

I should listen to him.

Yeah.

That’s right.

It feels nice holding his hand, but...

"Hey, Shihu?"

"Huh?"

"I’m... hot? Are you sick?"

His hand is hotter than just being warm.

It feels like cold sweat is dripping from him.

Shihu’s sick.

"No, it’s fine, don’t worry."

"No, don’t lie. You’re clearly sick."

Shihu’s been in bad shape lately.

He seems to be using a lot of drugs too.

What’s going on?

"It’s temporary. I’m just tired from training."

"Training? What training?"

"You know. The training I’m doing to protect you."

I remember.

I remember when Shihu said he’d protect me and swung his sword.

But does practicing swordsmanship give you a fever?

He just seems to be sick.

"...Hmm..."

But I can’t help but accept it.

Even though I don’t know what Shihu’s been doing, like cutting down on his sleep.

I have to listen to him.

Yeah.

"Sorry, once everything is done... I’ll be with you all the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"You promise?"

"Yeah. Promise."

Shihu always keeps his promises.

Then, I guess I can relax, right?

"But you really need to take care of your health. Don’t overdo it when you’re sick, okay?"

"Don’t worry."

It’s okay, right?

He’s not lying, right?

I tried to smile.

***

I thought I saw Shihu coming back.

I peered through the window to check the street.

It was early morning again.

What on earth could he have been doing?

It’s not just him.

There’s someone with Shihu.

It looks like they’re supporting him.

The long white hair stands out.

A woman?

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Why is someone like her with Shihu?

She’s a stranger to me.

Did something bad happen to Shihu?

She looks dangerous.

Shihu doesn’t seem to be in a good state.

He’s stumbling like he’s drunk, supported by her.

"Who?"

Who is she?

She might be dangerous.

She could be connected to Shihu’s strange behavior.

"Who is she? Who?!"

I need a weapon.

I grab the kitchen knife from the kitchen.

Then, I rush outside.

I’ve never fought before.

I’m not confident I could stab someone with a kitchen knife.

"Who is she? Who is she?!"

I run out barefoot, my feet hurting.

But I have no choice if Shihu’s in danger.

What kind of person comes back like that, saying "don’t worry"?

I see Shihu and the white-haired woman.

"Huh?"

The woman looks startled.

"Wh-what are you doing to Shihu? What have you done to him?"

I shout, holding the knife toward her.

"Ah, I-I’m his friend. Don’t worry."

"Liar. Shihu never said he was meeting a friend. I’ve never seen someone like you."

She’s lying.

She’s suspicious.

"...I’m a coworker, a colleague. Shihu collapsed from overworking, so I brought him back."

"A colleague?"

"Something like that."

"What are you doing? What were you doing with Shihu?"

Shihu has a colleague?

Why didn’t he tell me?

I can’t drop my suspicion.

I grip the knife tightly.

The tip shakes as I hold it.

"Answer me. I’ll stab you if you’re a bad person."

"I’m not a bad person. I’ll leave Shihu here. You’ll know everything if you talk to him. Here."

The white-haired woman carefully lays the unconscious Shihu on the ground.

What’s with that guilty look on her face?

That’s the same look people who’ve done wrong give.

"Shihu!"

I rush to Shihu right away.

The white-haired woman quickly disappears as if she’s running away.

The important thing is Shihu.

"Shihu."

There’s no answer.

I help him inside the house.

"Are you okay? Huh? Are you okay?"

He doesn’t look okay.

He looks worse.

His fever’s worse, and he’s breathing heavily.

What was that woman about?

Why did he meet her secretly?

And why was she helping him?

He didn’t want to be helped by me, but why her?

When will he explain everything?

Plop.

Shihu collapses onto the bed, like he’s fallen from exhaustion.

"What happened...?"

It seems like he was pretty close with that colleague.

She had white hair, and she was kind of pretty.

She gave off a strangely noble vibe.

I had thought about stabbing her if she was a bad person.

But what if she’s a good person?

She’s not his girlfriend, right?

Did he secretly get a lover?

If he did, what can I do?

I can only be annoyed about it.

"Shihu."

I still hold the kitchen knife in my hand.

For the purpose of dealing with a bad person.

But who is the bad person?

Shihu is unconscious.

"Shihu?"

I whisper right next to his ear.

You promised to protect me.

I don’t know what you’ve been doing outside, or who you’ve been involved with behind my back...

"You can’t leave me, right?"

The blade of the knife glints.

Of course, I’m not planning to stab Shihu.

"Hehe."

That’s how it is.

I told you not to leave me, so I won’t be the one who gets abandoned.

If I act too childish, you’ll hate it.

I need to help Shihu.

I don’t want to be the one clinging on to him.

Give and take.

I need to give something back to Shihu.

"When you wake up, you’re going to go out again, aren’t you?"

There’s no answer.

Shihu looks like he’s asleep.

"And you’re going to keep hiding everything from me, just telling me to wait."

I think there must be a reason for everything.

If that reason is that he went to meet a woman, I’ll be disappointed.

Just say you’re meeting her and go!

If you think I’m getting in the way, just tell me directly.

What is he doing?

I roll up Shihu’s sleeve.

I don’t know what kind of drugs he’s been using, but the injection marks have multiplied.

Do people usually use this many injections?

Why?

"He’s been using drugs... He’s really going to the hospital, right?"

There’s no answer.

I think I smell medicine on Shihu.

I also feel disgusted by the smell of that unknown woman.

"...When you wake up, you’re going to explain everything, right?"

That’s the way it should be.

"I’ll make breakfast for you."

It’s 3 a.m.

I can’t sleep at all.

The extreme thoughts just won’t leave my mind.

***

Eventually, Shihu woke up.

It took about five hours for him to wake up.

It’s morning now.

"You’re awake?"

I had stayed awake the whole time.

I put a cold cloth on his forehead since his fever was rising.

"Huh...? Hmm?"

He looks around, trying to clear his head.

"Home...?"

He’s trying to gather his thoughts.

I hope he wakes up fully soon.

He has a lot to explain to me.

"You don’t remember?"

"Ah... I came home."

What on earth was he doing that he doesn’t remember?

This is suspicious.

But he should remember being with the woman.

"You were collapsed in front of the house."

The woman left you behind.

"I see. Sorry, it must’ve been tough carrying me."

"What did you do yesterday?"

"......"

He doesn’t answer again.

"Do you do things on your own? Or are there others involved?"

"You don’t need to worry about it."

"That’s not okay."

"Sorry, I’ll explain later. Really..."

It’s the same conversation again.

No progress.

Shihu isn’t saying anything.

"Oh, it’s 8 o’clock... I have to go again. Sorry."

"Wait, eat something first. I made a quick meal."

"Uh..."

There were no ingredients, and I’m not a great cook, so it’s nothing special.

I just mixed rice with tuna and soy sauce.

I boiled some ramen to eat with it, and it’s okay enough.

Shihu sits at the table, probably unable to refuse eating.

He takes a bite of the food.

"It’s good."

"Right?"

He takes a few more bites, but then, like he’s about to give up, he says:

"Yeah, I’d like more, but... I’m sorry, I really need to go quickly."

"Doesn’t it taste bad?"

"No, I’m just busy."

Is that all?

What’s he so busy with?

"You’ll come back early today, right? Let’s hang out."

I feel like I’ll forget how to have fun.

"I’ll try my best. Once this is over, everything will be fine."

I don’t know what he means by "everything will be fine."

I don’t feel fine at all.

Is he going to suddenly not come back?

Is he going to say he’s tired of me and cut off contact?

"So... is the house clean? Did you tidy up? Good job, right?"

"Yeah."

"Am I being helpful to you?"

I ask directly.

"You don’t really need to do anything. You’re already enough help."

He says that while meeting with other women.

Without telling me anything.

I’m just someone who can’t be trusted to work with him.

I’m not trusted.

Am I less trusted than that white-haired woman?

I’m really hurt by this.

I don’t think this is right.

"You’re not lying, right?"

I ask hesitantly, holding my hands behind my back.

"No."

"I’m the most helpful to you, right?"

"Yeah."

"I’m your best friend, right? You only hang out with me, right?"

"Yeah."

"If you had to choose between me and someone else, you’d pick me, right?"

"Of course, it’s you."

Well then, I can relax.

I’m glad.

"If you’re lying..."

"I’m not lying."

"...Okay!"

I let go of my worries.

I can let him go now.

For now.

Shihu leaves the house.

I release the hands I had been holding behind my back.

I put the kitchen knife, which I had been hiding, down.