Fated to Die in an Academy Novel – Chapter 126

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: JayM
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“Ha-neul oppa!”

I was sleeping when my flying younger sister body-slammed me.

“Oof…!”

I had gotten the hang of working and my stamina had improved, but it wasn’t enough to withstand the increasingly powerful flying tackles of the little kids.

And cruelly, the other kids, intrigued by the sight, started copying her.

The flying sibling squad tackled me relentlessly, regardless of gender.

“Hey, guys… This is my first day off in two weeks, give me a break… I think I’m dying.”

…Even I thought I had become too soft.

Did this make sense? If you lived a life like mine, you would grow up violent and irritable.

How could I become softer over time?

“I drew Ha-neul oppa yesterday!”

“Oh, really? It looks like me.”

Specifically, the parts that resembled me were the black eyes and… something that was probably supposed to be hair.

“But I didn’t have a red crayon, so the inside of the mouth is black…”

…Ah, that was the mouth. Good thing I didn’t comment on it.

She would have been really upset if I was wrong.

“That’s me next to him! I’m going to marry oppa!”

“Huh…!? That’s crossing the line! Ha-neul hyung is going to marry me!”

“Silly! Two boys can’t get married…!”

“That’s only in our country, idiot!”

…That was a bit of a sensitive topic.

Well, it didn’t matter. They were just kids.

“Hmm, I think you’ll be telling me to stay away from you in five years.”

“…Do our feelings seem that fickle to you!?”

“Yes! They do!”

I laughed exaggeratedly, and the kids got angry. It was sad that I was already experiencing the feelings of a father raising children.

With the violent director changing and me replacing Ms. Cathy, the atmosphere in the orphanage brightened considerably.

It was much better than when I was their age.

These ungrateful brats would probably start giving me attitude when they grew up.

“Don’t grow up, little ones. Just stay as babies!”

I suddenly felt sentimental and started tickling them playfully, and the kids burst into laughter.

Well, I wasn’t getting any rest today. Since I was already awake, it would be better to shower than to continue struggling.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to shower and then play with you. I have to wash up.”

“Hmm? Now?”

“Why? Is someone inside?”

Our little devils grinned mischievously.

“No? No one’s inside.”

“…Did you break the water heater again while playing? I’ll forgive you if you’re honest.”

“We didn’t~”

…Then what the hell?

I headed towards the bathroom without thinking and then realized what the little kids were up to.

Someone was already showering inside.

I knew who it was.

So what? I could just wait outside.

I enjoyed a light breakfast, made some coffee, and was humming to myself while waiting for her to finish when she came out wrapped in a towel and started talking nonsense.

“Ah, why aren’t you coming in! You should be peeking!”

“…Are you crazy?”

“What, why? Didn’t we shower together when we were kids?”

“You’re seventeen now. Are you crazy?”

“…Tsk, I want coffee too.”

“Yeah, I’m making some. Go get dressed~”

She had started playing these strange pranks lately.

How could a virgin act like that? She must have picked up some strange habits after going to a co-ed school.

“Ah, so… I wanted to try it since it’s something I can use in my novel. You know, like ‘Kyaa!? What are you doing!’ and then throw things when you come in?”

“I’ve seen that a lot in light novels and web novels thanks to you, but I don’t think any author would actually try it themselves. You’re crazy.”

“We’re friends, so what’s the problem? I wouldn’t do this if it were anyone else.”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Hey, what’s with that attitude? Want to spar?”

“Bullshit. Do you think you can still beat me? Can’t you see these muscles honed by labor?”

“…You’re still a scrawny runt, so I think I can win.”

“Okay, come out. You’re dead.”

As the summer of our seventeenth year approached, we were still friends.

She attended school, and she still wrote while occasionally showing me her prototypes.

I worked as much as I could while minimizing my breaks, and spent my free time with the kids.

Even I wanted to rest sometimes and felt frustrated from time to time, but I was already somewhat broken in that regard, so I just said I was busy with work and relaxed at places like jjimjilbangs* until I felt better.

And then I would miss the kids and want to read web novels.

That routine was broken during the summer of our seventeenth year, shortly after she had her first summer vacation.

Her family found her.

She seemed to have known it was coming.

So that was why she asked me if we were friends no matter what that day.

Well, there were different types of orphans.

Not everyone was abandoned like me.

If they were lost, not abandoned, they could be found through missing person reports or DNA registration.

But I felt strangely betrayed.

‘I’m sorry you had to live in a place like this.’

‘It’s okay now. Let’s go home together.’

Ah, I see.

I was mistaken.

I thought she was different from the others, the ones I barely saw after graduating middle school, that we would always be friends no matter how much time passed because she was like me.

I was leaning on her while foolishly thinking she would always stay by my side.

But she wasn’t like me.

To her family, this place, which had become so precious to me, was just ‘a place like this,’ and this place, where I thought we belonged, was just a temporary stop for her.

What expression did I make?

Ah, right. With the expression so familiar to me, the expression that had become my own.

I imitated a smile and congratulated her.

“…Hey, you.”

“Why? It’s a good thing your family found you. Congratulations. You won’t earn much as an author until you become famous, right? You’ll be fine now.”

“Hey, we’re friends, right?”

“Of course.”

We were still friends. But not everything had to be the same just because we were friends. We didn’t have to be in the same place.

Understanding that made me even sadder.

Because even though we were friends now, I knew we wouldn’t be in the future.

She knew it too.

How non-orphans viewed orphans…

They expressed their gratitude with words, thanked me for supporting their daughter even though I gave up on my education.

But there was undeniable disgust in their eyes.

It was a terribly familiar gaze. A gaze both of us received countless times as children.

You would soon become the one giving that gaze, not receiving it.

They wouldn’t like an orphan being close to their precious daughter. I understood. They would probably tell me to stay away from her once they got used to her being back.

But you know, I was actually okay with that.

They could do more for her than I could.

Parents were better than a middle school dropout orphan doing odd jobs.

This was better. For both of us.

“Hey, go have dinner with your family. You’ll be living with them from now on.”

“No, hey… That’s…”

“What do you mean, ‘That’s’? He’s right.”

“Yes, I understand you’re flustered because this is sudden, but what’s so good about living in a place like this?”

Could they please shut up? I felt like shit after a long time.

I thought I had gotten used to losing things, but I was incredibly shaken by the thought of losing just one person.

My expression was about to crumble. The mask I had become so accustomed to wearing that I mistook it for my own skin started to crack.

That was why I couldn’t look at her.

There was more money than I expected in the bank account I had been secretly saving.

And I was planning to save even more…

So that we could live together when I was old enough to leave the orphanage.

So that I could support you until you became a famous author.

I didn’t have any dreams, so I thought it would be nice to share yours.

That was what I thought. Because we were friends. Right?

But there was no need for that now.

This meager amount of money…

The foolish child’s goal crumbled easily.

…So please stop looking at me like that.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Don’t feel sorry, and don’t feel betrayed.

Or I might break down.

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She left the orphanage soon after.

It was strange for a non-orphan to stay here anyway.

I thought I would be devastated after she left, but I was surprisingly fine.

Food didn’t taste like sand, and working wasn’t difficult even though my goal was gone.

I could still smile in front of the kids, and I still had the energy to snap at the director when he asked if I was okay.

Nothing changed.

Just… sometimes…

Very rarely…

When I looked at her empty room and wondered where she went, or when I instinctively turned to look for her while expecting her to be by my side…

Besides the slight discomfort from that emptiness…

Nothing changed.

As time passed, I got used to the emptiness.

I reduced my part-time work hours since there was no need to desperately save money anymore.

I regained my health after getting enough sleep.

But I couldn’t stop saving money, even if it was just a little.

I tried to spend it all, but my hand wouldn’t move.

“Hey!”

A month after living like that, you appeared.

“…Huh?”

Was it a hallucination?

“Sorry, my family wanted me to focus on them for a while, so I couldn’t come. You didn’t forget me, did you?”

Forget you? It had only been a month.

“Who are you?”

“Wow, you bastard, you’re acting like this…? Did you really forget about me? Want to have a dark past battle?”

Please, don’t. I feel like I’ll cry.

“Actually, I snuck out, but it’s good to see you after a long time.”

“You didn’t forget me either, did you? You look different.”

“Ah, stop it. Seriously. It’s still awkward.”

“…It’ll get better with time.”

“Tell me honestly if you feel betrayed.”

“Surprisingly, I don’t.”

Why would I feel betrayed?

I felt like crying just from seeing your face again after all this time. How could I feel betrayed?

“This is my smartphone number.”

“…Smartphone?”

“You should get a cheap one too. It’s not like we’re parting forever. We can still see each other. If you don’t have enough money, I’ll…”

“I have money to buy a smartphone. I didn’t get one because I didn’t need it.”

That was a lie. I didn’t get one because I thought it was a waste of money.

I couldn’t afford to buy them for all the kids, so I didn’t get one for myself.

But this much should be okay, right?

Right?

“Yeah, contact me as soon as you get one. I actually want to go inside, but…”

“It won’t work today. You have to be careful of your parents. Just go, and don’t get caught.”

“…Can I come again?”

“…Why are you acting so weak? Do you need my permission to come here?”

Seriously, why…

Just from exchanging a few words…

Knowing you still considered me your friend…

I felt so embarrassed that I wanted to cry.

“…Thank you.”

What are you thanking me for?

I should be the one thanking you.

I was so scared that you would treat me like a ‘past you wanted to forget,’ that you would see me as an ‘orphan’ when we met again.

This was enough for now.

Even with this strange distance, as long as we were still friends, I could endure.

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Time passed, we grew older, you became a university student under your parents’ pressure, and I became the chosen one of the cafe and convenience store owners, earning decent money for a part-timer.

“Ha-neul…! Please! Please don’t quit…! Should I raise your meal allowance? Your hourly wage? No, in the worst case, please, just don’t go to the convenience store across the street…!”

“We’re in this together until the end, right, Ha-neul!? You don’t even have to make coffee, just stay here…! I was wrong! I’ll double, double your hourly wage!”

…What was wrong with these people?

They used to try and exploit me as much as possible, but their attitude changed after I became an adult, got a haircut, and started exercising.

The cafe suddenly became successful, and the convenience store was flooded with customers, so they begged me not to quit.

…Could people suddenly change?

And you, when we met after a long time, freaked out while asking me who allowed me to cut my hair. I barely managed to calm you down.

“You! You have to ask for my permission before buying clothes! I waited for years for this…! Ah, shit!”

“…I cut it because I was embarrassed to be seen with you. Why are you freaking out?”

You calmed down instantly after hearing those words. It was so funny that I burst out laughing.

“Don’t laugh!”

“Ahahahaha!!!”

I really couldn’t help it.

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T/N – So guys, I have another mass release for this coming Saturday. It’s mainly because this novel’s current arc has been going on for waaaaay too long already despite the last mass release and I just want to end it so we can all finally move on with the story. So I’ll be releasing 5 chapters on Saturday, and unlike the last one, this time I’ll also be unlocking the same number of chapters. So keep an eye out for them. (6/14/25)

Oh wow. What a bittersweet chapter. Why are you doing this, author? I already hated the MC’s author friend to the bone before because of what the MC had gone through, but you suddenly make her such a likable character. Well, at least that clears up the reason why the MC never blames his author friend despite all the shit he went through. This also explains why the Authority seems to like the MC so much.

Still not clear on whether the Creator and this author friend are the same person, but with this chapter, I am leaning more on the theory that they are different people. In fact, I’d even go as far as to say that the MC’s author friend was probably the reason he got a do-over from his disastrous previous attempt where he went the villain route. I kinda feel bad for lumping this author friend together with the Creator in my theory in a previous chapter now. I still think this Creator person is a dick, though.

If you find any mistakes, feel free to point them out in the comments.

*찜질방 (jjimjilbang) are bathhouses in South Korea, though it is more of a spa resort rather than a mere bathhouse. Google it if you want to know more!