Bab 12: ①②

A Winner With No Name_______________

Sohee goes limp, collapsing into the sofa as if all the fight has drained out of her. "It looks like we still lost."

"Hm, I don't think so."

She stiffens, her wide purple eyes snapping toward me, disbelief etched in every line of her face. "S-Sunbae… you have a plan, don't you? You must, right?"

I smile, letting the tension hang between us for a second. "Did you record the whole conversation?"

"I… I did." Her nod is quick, almost nervous, as she pulls out her phone. The screen flashes—red button, microphone, and an hour of recorded audio.

"Perfect." I lean in, glancing at the file, then at her. "We'll give that to the school. But first…" My finger hovers over the screen, pointing to a particular spot. "We cut this part. Right here."

It's where Shizuka switched her vote.

Sohee frowns, her brows knitting together in that familiar, thoughtful way. "S-Sunbae… but this is…"

"Dirty?" I finish for her, watching the conflict flicker in her eyes. "Yeah, it is. But it's the only way. You know I'd never win if we played by the rules."

She hesitates, her hand tightening around the phone. Her gaze darts between me and the screen, uncertainty radiating from her. I grab her hand, feeling the coldness in her fingers as she looks at me, confused.

"Look, Sohee. I beg you. Go along with this. It's for their good, anyway. Right?"

"But what if they find out?" Her voice trembles, barely a whisper now. Her eyes lock on the phone, as though it holds the weight of the decision she's about to make.

"They might," I say casually, as if the thought doesn't bother me. "But not anytime soon. And when they do… maybe they'll have changed. Maybe they'll even start to accept me. By then, they won't be the same people." I lower my voice, leaning closer. "They'll be better."

Her uncertainty hangs in the air, thick like fog. I stroke her hand, a little too long, letting the silence stretch. "Sohee… who are you really? And why are you on my side?"

She blinks, flustered. "I… I'm just a volunteer. A student council assistant for the tutor assigned to this school…"

I raise an eyebrow, leaning in even closer. "Wouldn't it be nice if it was me?"

She is not even calling out how weird it is that I'm touching her like this, instead I think she enjoys it.

I know Sohee is smart. But not that smart, apparently.

Her breath catches, but she doesn't pull away. The silence shifts again. It's uncomfortable, yet she nods. Just as I thought—she bites. The deal is sealed.

"Thank you." For letting me use you. I swear I'll make this worth it.

Sohee swallows and wiggles her head, trying to shake off the tension. "I-It's okay, Sunbae. You've done… more for me."

Her gaze flickers up to meet mine. There's something in her eyes, a silent question: Do you remember?

I smile back, but it's empty. Nope.

She takes it as a yes. "It's the least I can do."

The air between us thickens again, weighted with everything left unsaid. We sit there for a moment, swallowing the reality of what's just happened. What we've done. What we're about to do.

"Sohee," I say, breaking the silence.

She tenses up again, her throat visibly tightening. "Y-Yes, Sunbae?"

I hesitate, knowing this question will kill whatever high hopes she might have for this moment. "What did Carrie mean by 'next month'?"

Sohee sighs, her shoulders sagging. "That girl... she meant the next election."

I wait for her to explain.

She continues, "We'll hold a vote. To keep you as the tutor, or… kick you out and find someone else. One month from now."

"Am I the president or something?"

She chuckles, a soft, almost pitying sound. "No. But in this school… the Negative Girls matter. Democracy is the only way to improve everyone's situation."

"How much money did they pour into this whole 'reconciliation room' thing?" I ask, as though it's just a casual thought.

Sohee raises an eyebrow. "Well… a lot. Just look at Sunbae's salary."

I blink. I don't recall seeing any payments, but if she doesn't mention the amount, it must be high. Interesting.

Sohee stands, bowing slightly. "You did amazing, Sunbae. I have to report the votes to the student council now before they close the doors. I'll… I'll make sure to use the recording."

She leaves with a final nod, disappearing through the door. It's been ten minutes since the bell rang. A new ten minutes. A new breath of air. Finally, I can lean back on the sofa and let out the weight I've been carrying.

I should go—

Fling.

Before I can even move, cold steel kisses my throat.

I jerk my head up. A knife, held steady against my skin. The blade is sharp, almost delicate, but its chill sinks deep. Goddammit. Did I mess up? Did the school reject the recording? Did Sohee's phone break on the way?

"Nope. You passed."

The knife is withdrawn, and a white-haired girl with no pupils steps into view. "You made it. The first step."

"That's a long first step," I mutter, exhaling in relief. "I've died more than anyone."

She smirks. "How many times do you think you've died?"

"Five…?" I say, unsure now.

She giggles, a sound too eerie for comfort. "Are you sure about that?"

I freeze. Have I died more than that? My mind spins, but the memories slip away like sand through fingers.

Before I can ask, she presses a finger to my lips. "Stop looking for answers from me. It's your fault you don't remember, Sunbae."

That name again...

"Come on… Sunbae again? Have some mercy. Just tell me who I am." I don't remember anything about myself. Not in this life. Not the last. Just fragments, pieces of someone I was, or maybe someone else.

I had two memory for one body.

The me who died | the me who was not—I remember pain I was stabbed with| I remember Lilly, the old user's sister—I remember how I lived, buried in debt and lust | while he, whoever he was, studied, helped people—I remember the spare key to unpaid rented house | I remember he lives in an expensive huge apartment.

Life considers me, her expression unreadable. Then she nods. "Okay."

I blink. "Really?"

"Of course." Her smile is sharp.

"Seriously? I thought you were keeping it from me on purpose."

"You got that right."

"You are? Then why..."

"Because you asked for it and I want you to have it."

I'm confused. Again.

She moves closer, lowering her voice. "I'll tell you your name. Listen closely… very carefully…"

I lean in, waiting, watching her lips, needing the answer to the question that defines existence itself.

She opens her mouth, and—

"Your name is________."

_____________________________________

No one I was no one I was put in this world to make some human right and yet I am not their hero I have no name I am merely someone who walks over life and death or something that does it.

The Negative Girl I will fix.

PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA
Little_Foxxy

'Hey, you've made it. The first part of the story. I know, it's a little bland, no one really 'died'. But this is just an introduction you know, like the first boss to show you how to fight the other. the next loop--promise--would be a creamy hemogoblins hanging on top of a cone.'

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