I Became a Villain's Hero

TL/Editor: Raei

Schedule: 5/week, Mon-Fri

Illustrations: Here

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I've never killed anyone before, but now, I think I could do it.

As soon as I saw Song Soo-yeon, struggling against this woman with her top torn, my rationality snapped.

Appearing from behind the villain called Riem, I grabbed her neck and lifted her up.

I wanted to snap it right there, but then Riem wouldn't even know how she had died.

I wanted her to tremble in fear a bit more, to die in more agony.

I slammed her into the ground.

I could see the panic in Riem's eyes.

When I didn't let go of her neck, fear gradually started to fill those eyes.

This would be my first kill. But there was no hesitation.

I pinned down Riem as she gritted her teeth and flailed.

She tried to scratch and tear at my arm that was pressing on her neck.

Using my other hand, I froze both her hands that were touching my forearm.

Looking more panicked, she glanced at her hands and then back at me.

Her eyes began to blur.

Soon, they rolled back.

"...Assh...ole...!"

I watched her end.

I don't know how I'll regret this murder later.

But that, I'll leave to the future me.

I couldn't forgive her now.

"Mister!!"

And then, someone hugged me from the side.

My mind cleared, and my vision widened.

The strength in my grip loosened.

Riem was unconscious, motionless.

"Stop...please stop..."

Shivering, something in my arms spoke.

Her familiar scent wafted over.

The feeling of her bobbed hair and the strength in her arms.

How long had it been?

Feeling her embrace, it felt like my frozen heart was melting.

Song Soo-yeon held me tight and said,

"I...I don't want you to become a murderer because of me...please..."

Her feelings reached me in an instant, and I lost my strength.

I let go of Riem and slumped to the side, as Song Soo-yeon adjusted her posture and hugged me again.

Holding me tightly around the waist, she cried.

"....Sob...sob..."

At the sound of her tears, I quickly detached her from me.

Then, I checked her body.

"Soo-yeon...! Are you hurt anywhere......"

And as I spoke, I stopped myself.

I almost naturally treated her like before.

Song Soo-yeon nodded.

Her top was torn, revealing her bra, but she wiped her tears with her forearm, not caring about that.

"I'm okay...nothing happened..."

"...."

She cautiously reached out her hand towards my mask.

Without realizing it, I lightly brushed her hand away.

"........."

She frowned like a child and cried before reaching out her arms to me.

She was asking for a hug.

As if she was confirming my affection for her.

"...Sob...sniff..."

Seeing her cry like that, I felt like I might start crying too.

It felt like our hearts were synchronizing.

I almost lost the strength in my arms at that look.

Her body, which I was pushing away, almost leaned back into me.

But considering our current relationship, I pushed her away.

It was difficult.

"...."

Then, without a word, I took handcuffs from my back pocket and put them on the frozen wrists of Riem.

Song Soo-yeon, in her miserable state, reached out her arms towards me again.

She turned her body to look at me.

She said, sadly,

"Hug me... I mean it, hug me..."

"...."

I clenched my teeth.

I had decided to turn myself in.

Our separation was predetermined.

That's why I told her to live on her own.

That's why I didn't go back even after a certain level of anger had subsided.

After tying up Riem, I took off my coat and silently covered Song Soo-yeon with it.

Persistently pushing her away as she kept trying to hug me, I slowly dressed her.

-Zip.

I zipped up the coat to cover her underwear.

Song Soo-yeon's eyes never left mine.

Maybe because my eyes were the only part of my face that could be seen.

"......Take off...your mask... I want to see your face..."

She pleaded with a sob.

I pretended not to hear that too.

Even though we already know everything about each other, something as insignificant as showing my face...

But I intended to keep treating her coldly.

Only then might she be able to move on.

-Click..click...

I heard a noise from the radio hanging on my upper body.

Soon, Han Yoo-jung spoke.

-...Gyeom, did you find her?

At that, Song Soo-yeon stiffened.

I took out the radio.

After lowering the mask that altered my voice, I spoke.

"...Found her."

A long silence.

Like me, she must have been relieved because she spoke in a gentle tone.

-......That's good... I'm really relieved.

Her words didn't feel like a lie.

Throughout the search for Song Soo-yeon, she was the one who pinpointed locations and shared her opinions with me.

Honestly, she was a lot of help.

Without her, I wouldn't have found Song Soo-yeon.

Then, Song Soo-yeon quietly burst into laughter beside me.

"...?"

Wondering why she suddenly started laughing after crying, I looked at her to find she had put down the arm she had stretched towards me and was muttering to herself.

"Why is it only me who can't..."

"...."

"... F*ck... I know I did something wrong... but Stella is a villain too... Why is it okay for her, but not for me..."

"..."

I turned my head and sighed.

And pretended not to hear her words.

Looking at the unconscious Riem, I gestured to Song Soo-yeon.

"...........Come here."

"......Yes...?"

I turned my back to her.

"...Climb on. We need to go back."

Song Soo-yeon looked at me, nodding repeatedly, then staggered to her feet.

"...Ah...!"

But whether it was due to the release of tension, lack of strength, or numb legs, she staggered and fell again.

Despite this, wanting to be carried, she tried to get up desperately but kept ending up sitting back down on the ground.

Seeing her pitiful state, I started to rationalize.

I have to take her across the sea, no matter what.

It seemed better to just carry her in my arms.

I approached the fallen Song Soo-yeon.

As I did, like an animal caught in bright lights, she froze in place.

I slipped my arms under her stiffened back and hamstrings.

Song Soo-yeon clenched her eyes shut and grabbed her chest with both hands, closing her eyes as tightly as she held her chest.

To her, I said,

"...Hold on tight to me."

She started to wrap her arms around my neck, then slowly shook her head.

Behind the mask, I frowned and said,

"You might fall, Soo-yeon..."

"...."

"...Hold on tight."

But her stubbornness didn't wane.

Handing over an obvious lie that even a fool could see, she said,

"...I don't have any strength in my arms."

"Don't lie-"

"-You hold me tight."

"...."

".........Please."

I couldn't understand my own feelings.

I wanted to be harsh...but then thought, maybe this much is okay.

Maybe I could accommodate her request to this extent.

What to refuse and what to accept.

Without a clear-cut standard, things become ambiguous.

Song Soo-yeon, still in my arms, kept her eyes tightly shut.

Like a small animal, she tensed up, waiting for what came next.

It was hard to keep treating her so coldly.

After sighing, I instead hugged her.

I held onto her tightly.

Her slender forearms and legs.

I, too, secretly indulged in my own desires.

The pain of parting is not something experienced by one side alone.

I, undeniably, also liked being by her side.

Slowly ascending, I began to fly to leave the island.

Given it was an island, I wasn't worried about Riem disappearing.

---

---

We crossed the sea in silence.

It was partly the atmosphere... but it was also due to the beauty of the night sea.

The high moon boasted its light against the pitch-black waves, and countless stars twinkled each in their own way.

Above and below.

Only the brilliant lights were visible.

Song Soo-yeon also silently gazed at the scene.

Curling up, she quietly recorded another memory.

...

A cool sea breeze passed us by.

Song Soo-yeon burrowed deeper into my embrace.

In that process, she said,

...Hold me tighter.

I did not respond.

Then she said,

...I feel like I might fall. Hold me tighter.

Then wrap your arms around me.

Song Soo-yeon shook her head slightly.

...

At her stubbornness, I eventually pulled her in tighter.

Feeling that strength, Song Soo-yeon made an even more sorrowful face.

I didn't react as I paid attention to her expression.

She then said,

...Youll stay by my side now, wont you?

......

...Mister, I'm sorry. I wont do it again... never again...

...Thats obvious.

...

She lost her words and fell silent for a moment.

Her eyes began to roam anxiously.

Like she was searching for the words to convince me.

I didnt think I could withstand her pleading to the end.

So I spoke first.

"No matter what you say...it's over between us."

............

...Give it up. This is our last time.

I, too, felt a piercing pain in my heart as I bid her farewell.

Instantly, all the times we had spent together flashed before me.

Fearing that tears might come, I shook my head and buried those thoughts deep in my heart.

.....I dont want to..

She said.

And then she looked up at me.

Her eyes, too, reflected the myriad of lights, like the sea reflecting the stars in the night sky.

...Mister...

Like a child throwing a tantrum, she clung to my chest and shook me.

Song Soo-yeon kept swallowing her saliva, holding back her tears.

...Ill give you my all....please....I'd do anything...you know...? I love you... Im telling you I love you... Youre the first person Ive ever loved like this...

Biting my lip, I spoke with difficulty.

My words came out as a whisper, as strained as they were.

"...I have someone I like."

It wasn't a statement meant to be believed.

Even to me, it sounded like nothing more than a lie to diffuse the situation.

She must have known it too.

But even if it was an empty statement, it was painful... she clenched tightly, nails digging in.

"...Lies."

She whispered.

I looked at Song Soo-yeon and said,

"...Didnt you say before? You told me... Not to fall for you, wasnt that you that said?"

"Why do you take that so seriously... but not my pleas for you to come back...?"

"........."

"...Mister. I wish you could see into my heart."

"...What?"

"...Ive always been scared of someone seeing my true feelings... but I wish you could see into mine."

She slowly placed her hand on my cheek.

"There might be some dirty and disgusting thoughts... but my love is real. Its hard loving you this much... and you not knowing it..."

Her second hand grasped my other cheek.

Slowly, she applied pressure, turning my head so I faced her.

Our eyes met.

She called out to me.

"...Mister."

I came to a slow stop.

The cool breeze that had been brushing our ears subsided.

Only the sound of gentle waves reached us now.

In this space where only we existed, our voices echoed louder than ever.

"...Do you hate me?"

"..........."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Hate.

Hate. I had hated.

"......."

...But more than that, my affection for her was greater.

Looking at her, I felt like I might cry.

Because, likewise, she was someone who had saved me.

Her hand snaked under my mask.

And then slowly, she peeled it away.

My bare face was revealed.

Seeing my face, tears welled up in her eyes.

Song Soo-yeon turned her head to look down at the sea below.

Then she said,

"...If you really hate me... you can let go."

"..."

"....I told you."

She grasped my cheeks and pulled me towards her.

Slowly, she moved closer to me.

Then, our lips met.

Soft, and slightly cold to the touch.

Song Soo-yeon closed her eyes.

As she did, her tears, which had spilled over, wet my cheeks.

It was a clumsy kiss, but her heart was bigger than anyone else's, even if she didnt know how to show it properly.

Her tongue slowly made its way between my lips.

I couldn't resist her.

Another hot tear wet my cheek.

And with that tear, all the remaining strength drained away.

......Eventually, I too closed my eyes.