I Became a Villain's Hero

TL/Editor: raei

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Min-Bom, gripping the back of my neck, said, "...You're going to die here, oppa."

Slowly, the strength increased in her grip.

My head tilted forward under her force.

Min-Bom kissed me.

I jerked back in surprise, but Min-Bom didn't let go.

I had to continue kissing her for a long time, just like that.

Afterward, Min-Bom carefully detached her lips.

I could still feel her anger.

Her hands trembled; her lips were tightly sealed.

"Did you think I was just a nice girl, oppa?"

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

"But this is who I really am. Sometimes I swear, smoke, and do this forcefully...!"

She stole another kiss from me.

Once again, we continued to kiss for a long time.

"Pfft...! Even if I forcefully take your lips, I feel no guilt, you know?"

She shook her head, flipping her hair.

"You messed with the wrong person, oppa. Did you forget I'm a hero who catches villains? I won't let you off until you've fully paid for your sins."

In the completely darkened harbor, there were no witnesses.

"You said you were sorry, right? Then, from now on, don't argue back. Dice died here. That's what I'll report, so just know that."

Solace was walking the wrong path because of me.

But perhaps because of her anger, I couldn't say anything in response.

Maybe it was because there was a hint of hope inside me.

Solace presented a solution to everything once again.

She suggested faking my death.

If I just let go of my pathetic pride, a path to happiness could open up.

Seeing me unable to respond, she gritted her teeth again.

As if rushing me to choose, she said,

"Or what, you're going to leave me here and go to jail?"

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

"Abandon Song Soo-yeon and go in like that?"

At the mention of Song Soo-yeon's name, I reflexively looked up at Solace.

"Do you think Soo-yeon will be happy if you get locked up after saving her? You're such a fool, oppa."

"...Bom."

She wiped the corners of her eyes as she spoke.

"Don't sacrifice for your own satisfaction! It's annoying for those watching!!"

-Slap!

She swung her hand, striking my cheek.

The numb pain stirred my emotions.

I had never seen Solace so emotionally violent before.

But even after hitting me, she covered her mouth with her hand, as if she hadn't expected to react like that.

"...I'm..."

Still not wanting to lose her momentum, she clenched her teeth again, stuffed her apology and whispered to me,

"If you still you want to turn yourself in after this...really..."

Struggling to finish, Solace weakly ground her teeth.

"...You'll regret it.. You're going to regret it..."

A long silence followed.

For a while, we just sat there.

After a long time, Solace stood up from her spot.

Without wiping off her lips, moistened from our kiss, she pulled up her mask.

Then, with a voice more resolute than before, she said,

"I'll say it again, Dice died here. So, oppa."

I silently looked up at Solace.

"From now on, oppa, live for me."

---

---

Late at night.

-Ding.

The elevator inside the house opened, and Solace walked in.

I was blankly staring at the TV, which had finished airing its program, and then turned my head towards Solace.

She threw off her mask and let down her hair.

Then, locking eyes with me, she stood in place for a long time.

"...You saw the news."

She said.

"I told them you were dead. Told the Association I saw it myself."

"..."

"Of course, there's no evidence."

After finishing her statement, Solace slowly took off her hero costume.

"I'll go shower."

Declaring this while only in her underwear, Solace headed to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, I was still wrestling with thoughts that hadn't yet settled.

Everything had happened so suddenly... it was hard to adapt to the rapid changes.

After a while like that,

Solace came walking slowly, wearing a white robe.

Wet hair. Smooth neckline.

She found a pack of cigarettes in a nearby drawer.

With practiced ease, she took one out and lit it with her fingers.

The sight was a stark contrast to the always bright and bubbly Solace a worn-out look.

She deeply inhaled the cigarette smoke, then exhaled it along with a sigh.

"....Hah...."

Then she looked at me.

With a cigarette between her index and middle finger, she slowly walked towards me.

-Whump.

Then, she sat down next to me as if collapsing.

The smell of the cigarette grew stronger.

She leaned her wet hair on my shoulder.

The smell of shampoo mixed with the scent of the cigarette created a strange aroma.

It's not the first time I've seen her smoke.

So, it wasn't surprising.

Solace slipped an arm under mine.

Continuing to smoke, she said,

"I'm an accomplice now, too."

"........."

"Because I hid a villain like you. What would people say if they found out? That the number one hero fell in love with a villain."

"....Exactly-"

"-Shut up. You can't turn yourself in. You've decided to pay for your sins to me."

She hugged my arm tighter.

"Just stay like this for now."

"........."

I looked at her, then relaxed my body.

I leaned back on the sofa, resting my head and back.

I felt the warmth from Solace's warm body.

Solace kept talking, whining that almost felt like mourning.

"Do you even know how much I missed you?"

"..."

"I thought you were dead."

"Sorry."

"No need to apologize. Just stay by my side."

I couldn't respond.

There was still a lingering unease inside me.

Even though I know everything would be easier if I just gave in and did as Solace said.

Something deep inside was preventing me from making a clear choice.

Perhaps noticing this, Solace turned and pressed herself against me.

She rubbed her face against my neck.

"Why do you keep hesitating?"

She whispered, sounding annoyed.

Her voice and breath mixed softly.

"Why can't you just say okay and be done with it? Why...?"

I started to question myself too.

Why am I doing this?

Why does this self-loathing come up? Why does being a villain feel so revolting?

I think I somewhat understand the psychology of those who turn themselves in.

After a long time of thinking, I slowly started to speak.

"...Bom."

"..."

"...Hypothetically speaking."

"......."

"...If, without you knowing, we made a promise."

"...What?"

"...I made a promise with you. Not to become a villain. But I broke that promise and ended up like this, what would you do?"

When I think about it, it's true.

My relationship with Song Soo-yeon is similar to my relationship with Solace.

Song Soo-yeon promised not to become a villain, and she broke that promise.

I made the same promise with Solace and broke it.

The disappointment and anger I felt, I've transmitted them directly to Solace.

The disappointment in myself and the guilt I felt towards her shook me.

I didn't feel worthy to even stand in front of her.

But Solace answered without hesitation, as if she already knew the answer.

"...As long as you stay by my side, it doesn't matter."

"...What?"

"If you try to leave me...I'll be mad."

Min-Bom slowly climbed onto my lap.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and continued to smoke in that position.

Smoke billowed out again.

It's an unusual scene, but for some reason, the smell of tobacco suited her very well.

"...Are you disappointed seeing me smoke?"

Continuing the conversation, I gave an honest response.

"...A bit."

She asked again as she exhaled another puff of smoke.

"Enough to want to leave me?"

I looked at Min-Bom, who was on top of me, and shook my head side to side.

Of course, it's not to that extent.

No matter how much I may be disappointed in Min-Bom, I didn't want to leave her.

She was the one who changed my life completely.

"...I feel the same way."

Min-Bom said.

"...I don't want you to disappear either."

"......"

The corners of my eyes softened.

My heart fluttered again at her words.

"Even when we fought, you didn't attack me. You're not a merciless criminal. You did all this for Song Soo-yeon... You're still the oppa I know."

Solace's words always have such a big impact on me.

It felt like she was leaning on me... but maybe I was the one leaning on her.

"...Even so, if I had made such a promise with you."

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

"...If you had sworn not to become a villain to me, and that's why you're struggling."

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

She looked straight into my eyes and said,

"...Then I'll say it again. Leaving my side... that's a bigger crime. A bigger mistake."

For some reason, her words and the Solace I saw in Han Yoo-jung's dream before the regression overlapped.

Solace, who was smoking and crying over my corpse.

Was she feeling the same now?

It really felt like many things were similar to before the regression.

The death of Dice, Solace saving me.

She was unlocking the chains I had put on myself.

"I'm not righteous either. I've made many mistakes. So, oppa..."

The Solace I wanted to be like uttered these words.

I had resolved to live like her... but she, too, had this side to her.

I closed my eyes tightly.

She said,

"...Can't you live a little more selfishly?"

"...Hah."

"...If you dislike that, for me... no... for anyone's sake. Can't you stay by our side?"

I smirked.

Then, I looked up at Solace.

I thought of her and Song Soo-yeon.

What Song Soo-yeon said in the past wasn't wrong.

There was no bigger fool than me.

"......"

"......"

Living selfishly.

Does she know how greedy I've been?

Does she know that in the distant past, I willingly walked the path of a villain because of that greed?

I placed my hands on Solace's waist and the back of her head and pulled her towards me.

This time, I initiated the kiss with her.

"......!"

Min-Bom was taken aback for a moment, then, as if given a signal, she tightly hugged my face and neck.

She passionately intertwined her tongue with mine.

The scent of cigarettes was noticeable.

But it wasn't unpleasant.

Unexpected, yes... but it was okay.

Maybe everything doesn't have to go as planned.

"...Hah."

I pulled away from the kiss.

Then, I showed a small smile.

I had made up my mind.

---

---

-Creak...

A security guard, whose eyes had turned violet, opened the rooftop door.

Song Soo-yeon walked out to the rooftop without saying a word.

Her face was marked with tears.

The cool wind blew, scattering the tears.

The rooftop of the 20-story building was much higher than the 5-story one she had been on in the past.

Song Soo-yeon commanded,

"...Close the door and go back to your post."

The security guard did as she said and closed the rooftop door.

-Click.

The door locked.

Song Soo-yeon enjoyed the cool breeze for a moment... then slowly, she started walking.

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