Chapter 82: Secrets Revealed

“Are you okay?”

As expected, Do Ihyeon was certain that the girl in the hood who had entered the Gate was me.

The way he suddenly asked if I was okay out of the blue made it obvious.

Just then, I suddenly remembered the day Ban Eun-hyeol came with ice cream.

The way he meticulously examined me, checking if any ice cream had gotten on me, for some reason, kept nagging at me.

‘No way, Ban Eun-hyeol too?’

Nah, that couldn’t be.

Ever since Do Ihyeon found out, I’ve been so careful.

If Ban Eun-hyeol had figured out I’m Ranked 0, there’s no way he would’ve stayed quiet until now.

“I saw the news and got worried.”

His words sounded unusually warm, so I looked up and saw Do Ihyeon gazing down at me with concern in his eyes.

“How did you know it was me?”

“They said it was a Rank 9 Gate, but you’re the only one who’d go in there alone.”

He was right, so I nodded. But for some reason, I felt like nitpicking.

“Even if it wasn’t me, couldn’t someone reckless enough go in?”

That was something I’d been thinking all along.

Even if you’re not Ranked 0, if you’re an Awakened with a daring spirit—maybe just a bit crazy—you could try going in.

Do Ihyeon stared at me for a moment, then maybe getting a bit frustrated, he lowered his mask and spoke.

“You think I wouldn’t recognize you?”

“Was it that obvious?”

“At least to me.”

I’d pulled my hood down low and even wore a mask.

If he recognized me at a glance, he must’ve figured it out just by my build.

‘What’s with those eyes?’

Seriously, what kind of eye for detail was that?

I’d even tucked all my hair inside the hood so nothing could be seen from outside, but he was sure it was me just from my physique.

“You were cool. You went in alone because the rest of us weren’t in Seoul.”

“I was worried after seeing the news, but I knew you’d pull it off.”

“Oh… thanks.”

It wasn’t for any grand reason, but Do Ihyeon seemed convinced I’d jumped in alone before the other Awakened arrived in Seoul, driven by a great sense of justice.

In truth, I only did it to return to my original dimension. Being treated like a hero made me feel embarrassed.

“But I never expected you to be that girl in the hood back then.”

Just as I was about to bring it up, Do Ihyeon mentioned it first.

I waited anxiously for what he’d say next.

Unlike me, who was tense, Do Ihyeon’s expression was as calm as ever.

Did he not know about the rumor that the girl in the hood might be an outsider from another dimension?

Then how should I bring it up?

A thousand thoughts ran through my mind in that brief moment.

Do Ihyeon watched me rolling my eyes and finally broached the topic I’d been waiting for.

“I heard something strange.”

Thump—

Just hearing that made my heart sink.

What if the only friend who knew my true identity suddenly started treating me like a villain threatening the world?

Even before I transmigrated, people avoided me, saying my abilities were creepy, but this was different.

Back then, no matter what power I had, I still closed Gates and saved people—a hero.

Now, I was the one who’d caused Gates to open in this peaceful world.

There were people who’d been hurt or killed in the sudden Gates, so to them, I was clearly the cause of their misfortune.

“What did you hear?”

My voice trembled.

Do Ihyeon stayed silent for a moment, then slowly parted his lips.

“No matter what your identity is, it doesn’t matter to me.”

I expected questions like, ‘Are you an outsider from another dimension?’ or ‘Why were you hiding it?’

But Do Ihyeon just spoke with a truly unaffected voice, lowering his eyes languidly.

“Are you sure I’m an outsider from another dimension?”

He said it didn’t matter what my identity was, so maybe he was sure.

Should I deny it, or just give a short answer and move on?

After a fierce internal debate, I decided to play dumb for now.

“I think I know what you’re getting at, but that’s not it.”

Neither of us ever directly mentioned the words ‘outsider from another dimension.’

Still, we both knew we were talking about the same thing.

Curious how Do Ihyeon would react, I kept my eyes on him.

He pulled his mask back up and said,

“It’s not? Got it.”

I thought he’d say more.

So even after he finished speaking, I waited a few seconds.

‘Is that really it?’

That was really it.

It was such a simple answer, I wondered if we were really talking about something as huge as being outsiders from another dimension.

I couldn’t tell if he truly believed my denial, or was just pretending to.

At times like this, I wished I had a poker face skill.

“Do you believe me?”

Yeah.

I asked cautiously, and he nodded and replied briefly.

For some reason, that one word made me feel so relieved.

The heavy burden I’d been carrying on my shoulders felt a little lighter.

I felt a mix of relief that I hadn’t been found out, and anxiety that I still couldn’t fully trust him.

“So, I…”

Just then, some people walked by near us.

He must’ve sensed them before I did, because he quickly put his mask back on.

He pulled his hat down and adjusted his mask a little, then smiled and said we should go.

I still felt uneasy, but knowing Do Ihyeon believed me put me at ease.

“I can’t keep living like this, lying forever.”

As we walked toward the bus stop together, I suddenly felt anxious about the future.

Even if it’s all just an illusion, I’d chosen this place over my original dimension.

If I could never return to where I came from, I’d have to live here forever.

Could I really go on living in constant fear like this?

If I ever got found out, what would I do?

Would I have to find a way to return to my original dimension, no matter what?

“What about your friends and parents?”

Thinking I might have to leave, the first faces that came to mind were my friends and parents.

The thought of never seeing them again or living as I do now made me unbearably sad.

“The bus is here.”

Just then, Do Ihyeon, who’d been watching for the bus, spoke up.

We got on the same bus and sat side by side.

I glanced at Do Ihyeon sitting next to me and thought to myself.

Even if I’m an outsider from another dimension, you’re really kind for not caring.

If Hyuk, or my friends and parents, could be as understanding as Do Ihyeon if they ever found out the truth, that would be wonderful.

We didn’t talk much, just stared out the window.

Maybe because of that one word, it didn’t feel awkward sitting in silence with Do Ihyeon anymore.

On the way home from the large shopping mall with the aquarium.

Passersby kept their distance from Ban Eun-hyeol, who walked with a gloomy aura radiating from his entire body, glancing at him nervously.

With both hands shoved deep into his pockets and a very sullen expression, nobody dared to strike up a conversation with him.

Usually, people would come up asking for photos or autographs, but today, not a single person approached him.

“What’s wrong?”

The person who made Ban Eun-hyeol, who was walking with a stiff expression, turn around was none other than Ji Gang-han, who happened to be walking down the street.

Ji Gang-han, carrying shopping bags, immediately approached Ban Eun-hyeol when he spotted his stormy face.

They’d been friends since childhood, but seeing Ban Eun-hyeol not angry but quietly depressed like this—it was a first.

He was really curious what had happened.

“Ah, on your way back from shopping?”

“Yeah. But what’s with your face?”

“It’s nothing.”

They never hid things from each other, so for Ban Eun-hyeol not to say anything, Ji Gang-han was sure something had happened.

“Is it about Dana?”

At the direct hit of his question, Ban Eun-hyeol, who’d been kicking a pebble on the street, lifted his head.

He’d thought he’d hidden it well enough that no one around him noticed.

He thought he only let it show in front of Dana.

Maybe not?

While he was thinking that, Ji Gang-han, watching Ban Eun-hyeol’s wavering eyes, raised one corner of his mouth and said,

“These days, the only thing that could make you look like that is something to do with Dana.”

“How did you know?”

“You’re so obvious.”

Ban Eun-hyeol’s face instantly turned ashen. It seemed the idea that he’d hidden it well was just his own delusion.

“I’m probably the only one who noticed. Don’t worry.”

Ji Gang-han patted Ban Eun-hyeol’s back with the hand not holding the shopping bag, adding a word of encouragement.

Having a friend suddenly say, “You’re so obvious,” when you least expect it left Ban Eun-hyeol in a daze the whole way home.

He was already dying of curiosity about what Do Ihyeon and Dana had talked about, and now that Ji Gang-han had seen through his feelings, his mind was a complete mess.

“Welcome home.”

As soon as he arrived, the housekeeper greeted him warmly.

“I’ve prepared everything in advance so you can have a pleasant time with your friends tomorrow.”

At those words, Ban Eun-hyeol’s eyes widened as he looked around the house.

His head had been filled with thoughts of Dana all day, so he’d completely forgotten this important plan.

Tomorrow was the day his friends, including Dana, were coming over to his house.