Why Is Everyone in This Dating Sim Trying to Kill Me?!

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Living Together (1)

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Clink!

The police Kang Do-hee had called put thick, heavy handcuffs on their wrists.

Awakened Hunters possessed power on a different scale than ordinary people, so their handcuffs were also different.

They were handcuffs with heavy weights attached, like shackles.

"W-we're sorry!!!"

"Kim Hye-ji, that bitch, planned and ordered all of this!!!"

"Right!! We were forced to do it—!"

Due to the weight of the handcuffs, they crawled on the floor, shouting.

However, when the Hunter dispatched by the Hunter Management Bureau pulled out an axe, they quickly shut their mouths.

"Thank you. In cases of awakened crime, it's difficult for us to intervene hastily, so we're indebted to you. Most likely, those criminals will be handled by the Hunter Management Bureau."

A female police officer bowed politely towards us.

"Yes, we'll send you additional evidence as soon as it's ready, so please take that into account."

"Understood! Y-you can count on us!!"

Shin Se-hee skillfully returned her greeting and promised to hand over additional data.

"But those guys, even in this sorry state, aren't complaining at all?"

Back where I used to live, there were many cases where you had to hold back even in self-defense, due to accusations of excessive force or whatever.

"Hmm, if the opponents were civilians, it would be absolutely not. But they're also Awakened."

It seemed that the most troublesome crimes in this era were precisely the petty offenses committed by these Hunters.

Normally, crimes committed by Hunters were handled by the Hunter Management Bureau, but they were so understaffed that they were struggling just to deal with serious crimes.

If they became demons, the jurisdiction would transfer, and the handling would be clear-cut.

However, when Hunters committed petty crimes like this, the Bureau didn't have the capacity, and the police lacked the ability, making it rather problematic.

This was Shin Se-hee's answer to how they had committed three thousand crimes and yet hadn't been caught until now.

"...So, when an Awakened commits an ambiguous petty crime, there isn't really a proper department to handle it. That's why trash like them run rampant."

"Their way of thinking is completely different from ours."

"Yes, crime is their way of life."

Shin Se-hee looked at them with a scornful expression.

Hmm.

But, Se-hee, Se-hee.

When you say things like that, you look a little? Just a tiny bit? Shameless.

Didn't you just brag to me recently about getting a wiretap that can't even be detected by mana sense?

'...Still, our Se-hee doesn't commit crimes. She only operates just barely outside the law... She's a child who respects the law.'

Right, anyway, it's fine.

As the situation came to this point, Kim Hye-ji, who had been resisting until the very end, perhaps sensing that she wouldn't be able to evade consequences,

shook off the police officer's grasp, crawled on the floor, and grabbed Lee Yu-ri's ankle.

"Yu-Yu-ri!! W-we were friends, weren't we! Please, th-think of our old times! For old times' sake!!!"

She looked at Lee Yu-ri with eyes full of desperation.

However, there was not an ounce of warmth in Lee Yu-ri's gaze as she looked down at her.

"Yeah, that's right. We've known each other for a long time."

She replied with an expressionless face.

Kim Hye-ji, perhaps taking her words literally, her face brightened considerably.

"Th-that's right!? We still went to dungeons together for y-years! And t-trained together!!"

"Yes, exactly. I won't ask for the money you took."

"...M-money?"

"How foolish must I have seemed for you to still try to manipulate me, even now, at this very moment? When I already know everything."

Memories of her past school days flashed through Lee Yu-ri's mind.

The times she had to patiently endure bullying just because she was poor.

No matter how firmly she told herself, 'This too shall pass,' it was honestly difficult when everyone looked at her with disdain and contempt.

Back then, Kim Hye-ji.

This girl also ignored her.

Only after she had taught those bullies a harsh lesson in return, did this girl approach her with a pained expression, claiming she couldn't help it either.

At the time, Yu-ri had only thought that expression was self-reproach for ignoring a bullied friend.

Now, the emotions from back then were crystal clear.

'You felt a loss, didn't you?'

Seeing her old friend, even at this very moment, darting her eyes, trying to somehow escape the situation,

A smirk.

The corners of her lips naturally curled upwards.

'Normally, saying things like this isn't my style...'

Lee Yu-ri briefly glanced at Shin Se-hee, then crouched down.

"Hye-ji. You must have had a lot of mixed feelings seeing me all this time."

"...Mixed feelings?"

"Yeah, you hated seeing a penniless beggar like me getting ahead, so you tried to ruin me, but I came back. You thought you'd crushed me again, but I came back again. And then I even got into the Velvet Hunter Academy, and then Utopia. All while you were stuck at the bottom, you know."

"Th-that's...!"

Kim Hye-ji gaped, looking bewildered.

"Your mood must have gone up and down dozens of times a day. Seeing my articles in the internet and newspapers, seeing me succeed. Did you pray every night? That I would fall someday."

Her pupils trembled uncontrollably.

"Don't worry. That won't happen anymore. From now on, the only feelings you'll experience will be regret and despair."

Lee Yu-ri flicked away the hand clutching her ankle, as if in disgust.

"May all your remaining days be grim."

"Let's go, Ms. Kim Hye-ji."

Before anyone realized, a Hunter dispatched from the Bureau appeared, grabbing her arm and restraining her.

Even as she was dragged away, Kim Hye-ji turned her head, glaring at Lee Yu-ri as if she couldn't believe it,

"Lee Yu-ri!! Lee Yu-ri! Lee Yu-riiiiiiiii!!!!"

shrieking her name as if having a fit, she was dragged away.

Phew—

Lee Yu-ri let out a long breath.

'...Hmm, it feels refreshing, but it's still not a style that suits me.'

She turned her head and looked at Jin Yu-ha.

The man she could now truly call her ally.

And she walked towards him.

More precisely, towards her two siblings who were standing awkwardly smiling behind him.

"Lee Yu-na. Lee Yu-hyeon."

"Uh, sis...?"

"B-big sis...?"

Gulp.

"Why didn't you answer your calls?"

"...Uh, m-my calls?"

Lee Yu-na fumbled in her pocket and pulled out her phone.

"Oh, w-why is this? It's, it's off?"

"...You didn't charge it?"

Lee Yu-ri smiled brightly and turned to her siblings.

"Is that so? How about we have a little chat?"

"H-h-heep—!! Sis!!!"

"B-big sis!!!"

* * *

"Our house..."

"What, what in the world...?"

Lee Yu-ri's mother and father, who had been working far away and were suddenly called back, returned home late.

They looked around the ruined house with crestfallen faces.

Shattered furniture and torn clothes.

The ceiling and floor, not a single corner was intact.

Her mother, who had a firm expression on her rather young-looking face, resembling Lee Yu-ri, closed her eyes tightly, then opened them.

Then she turned her head towards Lee Yu-ri and her siblings.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Good, then that's all that matters."

Despite the sudden misfortune that had befallen them, Lee Yu-ri's parents calmly checked solely on their children's safety.

"Mom. Th-the house repair costs, I have them for now, so..."

The moment Lee Yu-ri carefully reached for her allowance,

"One moment, ma'am."

I interjected.

"Hmm?"

"Would it be possible to speak with you?"

Lee Yu-ri's parents looked at me and widened their eyes.

"...Jin Yu-ha?"

"Ah, yes, that's right."

"...Hmm. It's nice to meet you."

Lee Yu-ri's mother shook my hand with a bewildered expression.

"Thank you so much for looking after our Yu-ri!!"

And from beside her, Lee Yu-ri's father interjected, fussing excitedly.

"Ah, you, be quiet for a moment. Mr. Jin Yu-ha. You wish to speak?"

"Yes. First, I want to say that full compensation for the house will be provided."

"Is that so...?"

"Yes, but unfortunately, it's expected to take quite some time. The crimes the culprit committed have been quite heinous... as it will be processed after compensating the other victims."

At that, a flicker of disappointment crossed her mother's eyes for a moment,

but she quickly nodded.

"Yes, that's a relief."

"So, to the main point."

"...Yes?"

"Have you heard anything about Lee Yu-ri's mid-term evaluation this time?"

"No. Yu-ri always insists that Academy matters are confidential and refuses to tell us..."

"Ah, b-but! We always follow the news, and we know Yu-ri's voice is bright every time we call! And we also know that this is all thanks to Party Leader Jin Yu-ha!"

Perhaps because it was a world where traditional gender roles were reversed, there was a significant difference in the father's and mother's demeanor.

"Not at all. Yu-ri is an essential party member to me, and if anything, I'm the one indebted to her."

I said, smiling towards the father.

Ahem—

Beside me, Lee Yu-ri cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Anyway, Cadet Lee Yu-ri took first place in this mid-term evaluation."

"...F-first place? Our, our Yu-ri? In the Academy?"

Her mother, who usually maintained a calm and collected demeanor, also had her voice tremble, seemingly completely unprepared for this news.

"Yes, and because of that, a special benefit was given to the top-ranking cadets."

"...A benefit?"

"A living space."

"J-Jin Yu-ha...?!"

Lee Yu-ri also looked back at me with a bewildered expression.

'Well, I did receive it from the Chairman... But actually, this was a collective effort.'

If I were to offer financial support or help her from behind, Yu-ri would likely refuse.

Because she's a child who doesn't want to show weakness and has strong pride.

So, while thinking of how to help, what came to mind was the house I received from the Chairman!

The house was spacious enough and divided by floors. And there was simply too much unused space for me to live in alone.

There would be no problem even if I gave up one empty floor of that house.

'If it's something Yu-ri earned herself through her own efforts, rather than out of pity or goodwill, then there's no reason for her to refuse. And she really did come in first.'

"Gukbap. Do you remember that house from earlier?"

I said, looking at Lee Yu-ri, who had a bewildered expression.

"Uh, th-that house? If you mean that house from earlier...!?"

Lee Yu-ri's jaw dropped, as if she had belatedly remembered the house they had visited earlier.

"Yes, that house was given to our Utopia party for our performance in the mid-term evaluation. I was going to tell you, but then you suddenly had something come up, so I couldn't."

"...What?"

I smirked, the corners of my lips curling up.

"So, let's move."