“I swear, I haven’t used the medicine yet.”

[21 minutes]

I’m getting anxious.

“So just give it to me.”

On the floor are the syringes that fell and the one I was about to use.
In the circumstances, it’s understandable to think I’ve used the medicine more than once.
But I’m saying no, I don’t use it so recklessly.

[19 minutes]

“I promise it’s true. I was about to use it, but I haven’t yet.”

I’ve never broken a promise before.
It looks like I was definitely abusing drugs, but that’s not the case.

“…I’m sorry. No.”

“Why?”

“For you.”

That’s not for me.
Han Si-hu doesn’t believe me.
What do I need to do to make him believe me?
My heart starts racing.

“Anyway, you’re treating me like a monster. Doesn’t it matter whether I use a little or a lot of medicine?”

I think I’ve made a mistake.
In my urgent state, I said something wrong.
Han Si-hu’s expression hardens slightly.

“No, it’s not like that. …You’re my friend.”

He’s managing to say that.
If you’re a friend, you should give me the medicine when I ask for it.

“…I really haven’t used it.”

[17 minutes]

I can’t control my emotions.
My wrist starts to throb.
I can feel the effects of the medicine wearing off.

“Ah, we can just wait. How about this: I can wait about 5 minutes.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Even if you say I’ve already used it, it would be fine just once. Please, okay?”

Let’s say I’ve used a lot of it.
Even so, it should be fine just once.
There shouldn’t be any problem.
When a friend asks like this, I think it’s right to oblige.

“Let me use the medicine.”

You have it, don’t you?
You said you’d give it to me when I need it.

“I’m sorry.”

“Just once.”

[17 minutes]

Suddenly, the doctor’s words about the medicine being more addictive than the previous one come to mind.
Right, it means the medicine was addictive.

“Just calm down for now.”

How about giving me a sedative instead?
There’s no time.

“Ah, haha.”

I’m trying to calm down somehow, but it’s not working.
My heart is racing uncontrollably.

[10 minutes]

Before I know it, only 10 minutes are left.
Why is time disappearing so quickly?

“It hurts, this really hurts. I need the medicine.”

In desperation, I grab Han Si-hu’s collar.
His eyes tremble.
It’s truly dangerous now.
I need the medicine.
I reach out for the medicine Han Si-hu is holding.

—Thud!

My fingers graze the medicine bottle, but I can’t grab it.
The bottle falls from Han Si-hu’s hand.

The bottle drops.

Downward.

Downward.

To the floor.

Thud.

There’s a dull sound as it hits the ground.
The glass shatters.
The liquid inside spills onto the floor.
My happiness flows away.

My mind goes blank.

“Ah.”

This isn’t what I intended to do.

The blue liquid pours out onto the floor.
I can’t process the information coming into my view.

[7 minutes]

Broken glass shards scatter everywhere.
The blue medicine is on the floor.
Why is it on the floor?

My mind is blank.
I stand frozen in place for a moment.

“W-Wait. I’ll get something to clean it up.”

Han Si-hu says that and heads toward the entrance.
He looks very flustered.

[2 minutes]

Five minutes have vanished?
It hasn’t even been a minute.
Time has evaporated at an astonishing rate.

I need the medicine.
I have the syringes.
The medicine is on the floor.
Let’s say I somehow managed to put the medicine in the syringe.
With my trembling hands, I can hardly get the injection right.

I see the blue medicine pooling on the floor.

Would it still be effective if I just drank it?
I’ve never tasted this medicine before, but I think it would still have an effect.

I kneel down to pick up the glass shards.
There’s a little bit of medicine pooled there.
I drink it.

Gulp.
The medicine brushes against my tongue and slides down my throat.

It has a slightly sour taste.
Is it vinegar?
It feels like my throat is burning.

[1 minute]

Time keeps shrinking.

Why?

Was the amount insufficient?
Should I really bring the syringe?
No, even if I have the syringe, it would still be difficult.

What should I do?
If Han Si-hu comes out of the room, he’ll prevent me from taking the medicine.

How should I use the medicine?
It’s all pooled on the floor.

I tried to scoop it up with my hands, but it doesn’t work.
That’s only natural.
It’s not enough with just what’s stuck to my fingers.

There’s only one way left.

I leaned my body down.

I licked the medicine pooled on the floor.
It’s hard to lick up.

It feels like the shards of glass and dust are mixed in.
I still don’t feel good.
I feel like a dog.

[1 minute]

At least time hasn’t dropped any further.
That’s a relief.
That was close.

“Yoo Seo-ah!”

Han Si-hu grabs me and pulls me upright.

The glass shards fall from my arm.
Blood seeps from my palm.

I had been crouched on the floor, and something was sticking to my arm.
I was pricked by the glass shards.

[3 minutes]

I think Han Si-hu is saying something next to me.

It still feels like something is lacking.
But I’ll endure.
I’m someone who can practice restraint.

It’s not an addiction.
I just tried the medicine because I had no choice.

Han Si-hu takes me somewhere.

Anyway, I had no intention of drinking more medicine.
If I use a large dose at once, I’ll die.

The doctor said that even water can have a lethal dose.
Let alone medicine.
In a situation where I can’t measure the amount like now, I especially need to be careful.

I’m not an idiot.
I can’t just gulp down all the medicine blindly, knowing it might be lethal.
I don’t want to swallow glass shards either.

I spit out the small glass shard that was in my mouth.
Something thick and salty is stuck on my tongue.
The taste of metal.
Is it blood?

Anyway, I didn’t swallow the glass.
Probably.

[15 minutes]

Time has risen a bit.
I can think rationally again.
Is the effect of the medicine slowly coming?

I feel strange.

I don’t know what happened before.
There was the blue medicine.

“Uh.”

There’s blood on my hands.
Since it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t seem to be my blood.
It must be someone else’s blood.
Who was around?

Han Si-hu.
Did Han Si-hu get hurt?

“I’m sorry.”

I tried to apologize with a smile.
There’s a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face.

But the reaction is strange.
It doesn’t seem to be my fault if Han Si-hu got hurt.

I look down at my hands.
It’s still dripping.

I was the one who got hurt.
I can’t even remember what I just did.

Where are the bandages?

If blood flows, the effects of the medicine wear off faster.
I know this because I’ve experimented with it before.

[13 minutes]

Ah, damn it.
I think I need to take a little more medicine.
Time is running out faster than it’s rising.

Where’s the medicine?
There’s still some of the spilled medicine on the floor.
I need to go back.

“Let go of me.”

Han Si-hu grabbed me.

“Hey, I need to take the medicine.”

Fear.
I can’t understand the will to prevent me from using the medicine.
If I don’t take it now, I really might want to die.

“I want to use the medicine.”

“I’ll give it to you, so wait.”

“Okay.”

I begged earnestly, and it worked.
After all, he’s the protagonist.
He shows a semblance of mercy at the very least.

[11 minutes]

I’ve calmed down a bit.

[10 minutes]

I can’t calm down.
My heart is racing.
I force myself to settle down.
But that’s unlikely.

If I take the medicine, I’ll feel happy.
In the first place, I should have been happy without taking the medicine.
Why am I in this kind of situation?

Because Han Si-hu isn’t giving me the medicine?
In the end, the blue medicine spilled on the floor.
If I could have put all that into the syringe, how happy would that have been?
The medicine bottle broke.
My happy days vanished.

I believed.
I thought he would give me the medicine.
It’s just that Han Si-hu doesn’t believe me.
He doesn’t think of me as a friend.
At most, I’m just an object to be managed.
In a situation where it’s likely to misunderstand that I’m abusing the medicine, but still.

“Here.”

Gulp.

Han Si-hu hands me the pills.

[43 minutes]

The medicine is replenished again.

“Thank you.”

I express my gratitude.
Even though I’m not really a friend, he’s looking out for me, which is because he’s a good person.
That’s all I can say.

As time passes, everything around feels softer than usual.
I feel happy again.
It seems like I can see a clear sky.

“…Ah he he.”

There’s a rose in my hand.
Isn’t that something magical?
It’s red.

It looks like a bouquet I could give as a gift.
It would be nice to tie it up with a ribbon and give it.
I just received one.
The one Han Si-hu gave me.

It was in my pocket.
When I place it on my hand, it really looks like a bouquet.
The ribbon is stained with red petals.

“Where did the flower go?”

Only blood-stained hands and a blood-stained ribbon remain.
I’m not in my right mind.
I’m becoming more of a mess.

[41 minutes]

Han Si-hu is inspecting the syringe with the medicine while talking to someone.

He looks quite urgent.
Is he going to give me more medicine?
41 minutes is a little risky.

Now the ribbon slips from my hand.
I can’t tell if it melted or fell to the ground.
It’s hard to distinguish.

Is it because I drank the medicine?
It’s not for drinking anyway.
Blood flows from my mouth as well.

“Ah ha…”

It feels like I’m becoming happier.
But my head hurts.
I pick up the syringe that was on the ground.
Even though I failed to put in the medicine, a little bit is still inside.
Even if the needle is damaged, I just stab it in.

Thud.

[1 hour 18 minutes]

Even if I say I haven’t used it, he wouldn’t believe me.
So let’s just say I did.
I don’t have the confidence to persuade him anymore.
If I were Han Si-hu, I wouldn’t believe me either.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

I just keep stabbing.
It’s fun.
Even if the time doesn’t extend further.
The syringe is originally meant to be used once.
Reusing it is dangerous.

Thud. Crack.

While stabbing, the syringe broke.
It’s weaker than I expected.

Now my head really hurts.
Han Si-hu finishes his call and rushes toward me.

Thud.

With a slight dull sound, I fall sideways.
Get up.
I’m not weak, so I can stand up.

Thud.

I try to get up again but fail.
Han Si-hu happened to catch my head, so there was no thud sound.

[1 hour 9 minutes]

Han Si-hu is next to me.
He seems to be asking if I’m okay.

—Thud.

Is it the medicine?

[11 hours 12 minutes]

This is a sedative.
My consciousness is hazy.

I wonder how Han Si-hu sees me.
Why isn’t he giving me the medicine?
If I think about it, the answer will come to me.
I visualize my objective self.

Syringes scattered on the floor.
A broken medicine bottle.
Unraveled bandages.
Liquid spilling from the syringes.

What’s that?
I’m a serious addict.