The Law of Webnovels

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“… You… are… Eun Jiho…”

Unlike when she named the other two boys, Yeo Ryung paused between her words, calling Eun Jiho. Her brows even met in the middle as if something didn’t please her.

While the Four Heavenly Kings looked at her nervously, I, sitting beside her, suddenly realized something.

‘Oh, my god! Is she…?’

Right, the author of this novel was such an old-fashioned dude! That’s why he or she would have considered adding the ‘memory loss’ plot, which had been out of trend for more than a decade, in this timing–right after the Ranking Battle episode.

I had this question in mind for the last four years–Where on earth did Ban Yeo Ryung’s romance disappear, and why doesn’t it show up?

Then I turned my head toward Eun Jiho. His gorgeous appearance came into view. His platinum blond hair dazzling like the fur of an arctic fox, beautifully chiseled facial features in the sunlight which seemed like an artist’s masterpiece, long slim limbs, and his gifted, toned-up body that’s worth his growth…

Eun Jiho was the perfect male MC for a web novel, then as now.

Despite his brilliant appearance, Eun Jiho always fought, quarreled, and played stupid jokes with Ban Yeo Ryung every day. He even boasted off how great he was, which distressed us all. Although these two were very close, I couldn’t detect any signs of romance taking place between the two.

I rubbed my chin with a serious expression on my face. Then the reason that Ban Yeo Ryung lost her memories out of the blue could stem from Eun Jiho, no?

Since they couldn’t develop any romantic chemistry this way, the author might have decided to draw a bigger picture by pressing the reset button in order to re-start their relationship all over again.

I murmured in a low voice, “But is it that much necessary to press the reset button…?”

Human memories weren’t like computer data. Removing someone’s seventeen years of memories just to create a romance between two people was too harsh.

I stared at Ban Yeo Ryung and Eun Jiho with subdues eyes. The tense air between the two seemed visible.

Meanwhile, Eun Jiho raised his finger and pointed at himself. Looking confused, he asked, “Me, what?”

“You…”

That was the only word Yeo Ryung blurted out. Once again, she kept her mouth shut with a frown.

I waited for her next words anxiously. Wouldn’t it be something like,

‘Why does my heart pound whenever I see you?’

‘Are you the one I’ve been waiting for?’

‘What’s going on between us?’

Then I exclaimed again, thinking, ‘Indeed, I’d be better in writing novels than this author, right?’ Even now, if this person tossed me his or her pen and note, I could write a much normal… I mean a much happier story than this one.

That moment, Yeo Ryung uttered with a grimace, “You… were you really my friend?”

It would be followed by something like this then, ‘Not a boyfriend?’ I was still filled with anticipation, waiting for Yeo Ryung to finish her words. However, what she blurted out next while clinging herself to my arm broke my expectation into pieces.

“Donnie, I hate him.”

“What?” asked Eun Jiho in bewilderment.

Meanwhile, Yeo Ryung shook her head and said, “When I see you, my mind comes across some special…”

Some special feelings? Like love?

“… Some special anger…” uttered Yeo Ryung.

“Hey, Ban Yeo Ryung!” shouted Eun Jiho as if he forgot that he was in front of a patient. He continued, “Please keep a two-meter distance from me! But it’s true that you and I were friends!”

Eun Jiho fell into a rage, shouting, ‘Geez, what did I do wrong?!’

Listening to their conversations, I recalled the history between the two.

‘Um, Eun Jiho, you did many things wrong…’ I said to myself. However, I never imagined that Yeo Ryung, who lost her memories, would instinctively dislike him that way.

I looked at Ban Yeo Ryung, who was sticking close to me, in surprise. In my view, the reason behind Eun Jiho and Ban Yeo Ryung having a cat-dog relationship seemed to be the two being the same type of people–beautiful, brilliant, and perfect. I thought they were pretending to have antagonistic interactions, like on purpose. However, that wasn’t? What a surprise!

That was when someone stretched out his hand to Yeo Ryung. Turning my head in that direction, I was quite struck dumb.

I thought it’d be someone in our school, who didn’t know about our situation, but surprisingly, it was Eun Hyung. Considering his always cautious attitude, Eun Hyung was behaving quite unusually since he tried to touch Yeo Ryung while being aware that she was suffering memory loss.

As if he also did it out of his mind, Eun Hyung touched her shoulder then quickly took his hand off with a flinch. He spoke with a perplexed look on his face.

“Ah, sorry, Yeo Ryung. I should’ve remembered that I’m a stranger to you.”

“… No, it’s fine.”

Staring at Eun Hyung enigmatically, Yeo Ryung soon shook her head from side to side. She also loosened up the strained atmosphere on her face. Perhaps she recovered relief from feelings of displease.

Watching that sight, I came up with something in my head. Ever since she was born, Yeo Ryung had to deal with so many people who were having secret intentions, and at the same time, she was a straightforward person. That was why she felt difficult to cope with people straightforward like her. Even now, when she lost her memories, that character was still inside her.

And that was why Jooin chose standard tactics and Eun Hyung apologized to her immediately. Well, even if I were wrong, Eun Hyung and Yeo Ryung used to get along together very well.

While I watched them with my chin on my palm, Eun Hyung asked her a question hesitatingly.

“Um, I’m afraid you if I’m also making you uncomfortable. If I do, I should keep some distance from you.”

Staring at Eun Hyung, Yeo Ryung replied, “You… are fine…”

“Alright,” said Eun Hyung, showing a smile as refreshing as the sunlight outside. It looked surprisingly fresh and cheerful in this situation.

A few minutes later, the nurse called Ban Yeo Ryung’s name. I didn’t want to send her alone and also felt the need to know what was exactly going on with her, so I followed her to check the test results.

Yeo Ryung was diagnosed with amnesia. Clear and simple, just as we thought.

Geez, I heard this disease only in TV dramas or films. Covering my forehead, I groaned.

“Anyway, Miss Ban can feel very unstable right now.”

Pointing at the chart, the doctor explained that way. He then suddenly raised his head and asked me, “But may I ask your relationship with the patient? Sister?”

“No!” I shouted, shaking my head. How could we look like sisters? I didn’t have to, but I spoke with a fervor that we were just friends.

For some reason, Yeo Ryung stared at me in sorrow. That was when I realized that I might be too overreacting. In Yeo Ryung’s eyes, I could look like a person who didn’t want to get involved with her.

“Ah, no… please don’t get me wrong…” Stretching out my hand to her, I quickly uttered, but how could she understand this situation correctly in the first place?

The doctor looked back and forth between us nonchalantly as if he was watching a bad skit. He continued, “Even though she’s having a memory loss, Miss Ban is surprisingly in a stable condition, so I thought you’re a family member. In that case, some patients tend to feel relieved by instinct.”

“Oh, I see,” I replied bitterly, but at the same time, I threw a glance at Ban Yeo Ryung to observe her facial expression. Still looking depressed, she was casting her eyes down on the floor.

Watching her for a second, I replied, “It’s true that we’re as close as a family since we’ve been living next door for a very long time ago.”

Yeo Ryung then lifted her head back. The lightbulb in her eyes shone.

On the other hand, the doctor nodded indifferently as if he knew that and tapped the chart.

“As of now, try to stay beside her as long as possible. We aren’t sure how long this will last.” He added, “You said you aren’t a family member, so let her parents know…”

“… Ah, I will…”

Earlier, I hesitated to do so, but since she had the MRI scan, and we both heard the professional’s opinion, there was no reason to hold telling her parents this situation till next time.

That was when I tried to come forward while thinking that it was better late than never.