SOS! I’m Being Forced to Be a Villain - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 10

This morning, someone came looking for Seo Jung-hoo, who had just arrived at school and was sitting on the windowsill.

“…What?”

Kwon Tae-min. A boy his age whom he only knew through the grapevine as Lee Chung-hye’s friend.

Of course, that was only when considering the social network indicators, but in reality, he knew much more information than that.

Things like how Kwon Tae-min was the young master of a fairly wealthy family, how he bribed for test papers to maintain his position as top student, or how he pretended to be a model student during the day but raced motorcycles on the roads at night.

He knew most of these were just rumors with untraceable sources. But among them, there were some facts clear enough for everyone to be certain about.

Within Seolam High School, there were three people that Yu Baek-hwa, the owner of a fierce personality, particularly disliked. Among them, this kid had the fewest conflicts with Yu Baek-hwa and even ended up in the same class as him this year.

Seo Jung-hoo skillfully concealed his reluctant expression and put on a formal smile.

“So, why? What’s the matter?”

Kwon Tae-min’s eyes twitched slightly. He stared intently at Seo Jung-hoo as if displeased, then soon opened his mouth.

“You know that Yu Baek-hwa has been screaming and avoiding us since last week, right?”

Us. Being grouped together like that felt awkward, but he didn’t point it out immediately.

When Seo Jung-hoo nodded roughly, Kwon Tae-min continued.

“That guy, can’t you feel that something’s become strange about him?”

“Strange how?”

“Everything, whether it’s his words or actions.”

Seo Jung-hoo slightly furrowed his brow and recalled the most recent time he’d seen Yu Baek-hwa, when they’d accidentally bumped into each other in the hallway more than a week ago.

‘…Certainly, he seemed different from even the day before, which made me wonder.’

As an air of agreement spread across Seo Jung-hoo’s face, Kwon Tae-min didn’t miss the chance to add.

“His cursing has gotten rougher than before, I’d say. And more frequent too.”

It seemed accurate. Even though Yu Baek-hwa had always favored profanity, he hadn’t been going around spouting it nonstop like these days. Even when he deliberately picked fights with Seo Jung-hoo, Kwon Tae-min, and that other one, he hadn’t poured out insulting criticism while attaching curses to every word.

“The way he picks fights has also… become more childish and violent.”

That was also accurate. While it was true that Yu Baek-hwa had always picked petty fights over trivial matters, he wasn’t the type to recklessly charge in while ignoring obvious right and wrong. Rather, Yu Baek-hwa had often shown a preference for avoiding conflicts with them rather than causing unnecessary trouble whenever possible.

“And how should I put it. He’s become like a dog.”

A newborn puppy that doesn’t know to fear tigers.

“No, he’s closer to a cat actually…”

“So, is that all? You didn’t come to me just to share simple observations, did you? There’s something more than that.”

Seo Jung-hoo cut off Kwon Tae-min’s pointless pondering and asked back with a grin. Then Kwon Tae-min pressed his lips tightly shut and uncharacteristically hesitated.

When Seo Jung-hoo stared at him as if urging him on, only then did Kwon Tae-min slowly open his mouth.

“There’s something I happened to see last night.”

He saw something last night?

“It seems like Yu Baek-hwa is… being abused.”

At the unfamiliar combination of words that didn’t immediately make sense, Seo Jung-hoo’s face froze blankly.

‘What? Abuse?’

That Yu Baek-hwa of all people?

Who was Yu Baek-hwa? Someone with such a willful personality that everyone in school knew about him, truly believing himself to be the only one in heaven and earth. He never left alone anyone who insulted or looked down on him, and was the owner of petty vindictiveness who would inevitably get revenge somehow. And behind Yu Baek-hwa’s behavior was even a wealthy family to support him.

Of course, that didn’t mean Yu Baek-hwa was like the commonly mentioned delinquent youth. He didn’t engage in deviant behavior that broke school rules and laws, and rather concentrated properly during every class and maintained grades in the upper-middle range, so his reputation within school wasn’t bad.

Seo Jung-hoo had merely become a target of Yu Baek-hwa’s one-sided hatred, but he himself had no particular grudge against Yu Baek-hwa. He was just appropriately playing along with what seemed like a tiny hedgehog bristling its spines every time they met, as if declaring it would keep watch. The amusement and interest he gained from it was a bonus.

But that Yu Baek-hwa was being abused? That kid who would probably throw a tantrum and overturn everything even if the king who controlled everything in this world tried to harm him?

“I came out late at night to go to a convenience store, and that’s when I saw Yu Baek-hwa on the street.”

“…”

“He was being dragged away. Carried like luggage by men in suits and thrown into a car.”

Kwon Tae-min, who had raised his hand to his forehead at some point, was darkening his expression. Without time to worry about such Kwon Tae-min, Seo Jung-hoo, deeply colored by confusion, moved his lips several times.

“…How are you so certain that was abuse.”

“Because I heard with my own two ears him screaming that he didn’t want to go home, to just leave him alone.”

That desperate struggle didn’t seem to stem from an adolescent boy’s childish rebellion. He felt deeper hatred and fear than that.

“The only ones who could treat Yu Baek-hwa so forcefully, given his background and temperament…”

“…would be his family.”

The evidence was weak, and there was no verified proof. All the two had shared was only an eyewitness account dependent on Kwon Tae-min’s memory, and Yu Baek-hwa’s behavior they’d observed so far and his recent strange changes.

Perhaps it was all nonsense. But having harbored even slight suspicion, they could no longer regard Yu Baek-hwa as just an ordinary hedgehog or kitten.

Seo Jung-hoo swallowed and slowly rolled his eyes. Then he stared at a point beyond the hallway reflected in the window.

That Yu Baek-hwa, who had acted like he only knew how to hurt others, might actually be someone carrying a heart full of wounds.

‘…Abuse.’

Seo Jung-hoo silently mulled over that word.

* * *

Just like the past week, today too Yu Baek-hwa avoided Seo Jung-hoo throughout the morning. Whenever it seemed they might meet by chance in the hallway or special classroom, he would quickly turn around and hurry away.

Unlike before, it wasn’t unpleasant that he ran away without caring even when their eyes met or when Seo Jung-hoo tried to approach and talk to him. But somehow, it was a little… unsatisfying.

During lunch break, Seo Jung-hoo skipped even lunch and headed straight to Yu Baek-hwa’s classroom. But the classroom was already empty, the students having rushed out for lunch, and Yu Baek-hwa was nowhere to be seen.

Then, not long after, by chance and with incredible luck, he encountered Yu Baek-hwa. He had temporarily stopped chasing Yu Baek-hwa and gone up to the rooftop to catch his breath while feeling the cool breeze, and there at the threshold he discovered him.

Seo Jung-hoo, who had been about to approach Yu Baek-hwa who seemed not to have heard footsteps and wasn’t moving, stopped in place.

‘…Why is he like that?’

Yu Baek-hwa was sitting on the ground with his head pressed against the closed rooftop door. Seo Jung-hoo’s eyes narrowed at the somehow precarious-looking figure from behind.

‘Is he hurt somewhere?’

As soon as he had that thought, the story he’d heard from Kwon Tae-min a few hours ago suddenly popped into his mind.

Abuse. Yesterday, he had witnessed a situation where Yu Baek-hwa seemed to be dragged home.

His body moved before his reason. Seo Jung-hoo grabbed Yu Baek-hwa’s wrist and turned him toward himself, quickly scanning the exposed face and arms.

Fortunately, there were no immediately visible wounds or bruises. But he couldn’t feel relieved, so when he reached out to examine his clothes, he felt Yu Baek-hwa, who had been shouting frantically in panic, suddenly freeze up.

‘Why…’

As if he was frightened.

Why?

He couldn’t even see Yu Baek-hwa’s hand, which had reddish scratches from where he’d clawed at it with his nails. Seo Jung-hoo slowly stopped his movements and just stared at Yu Baek-hwa.

He felt as if he had become some violent criminal or perpetrator. Seo Jung-hoo felt an inexplicable anxiety as he observed Yu Baek-hwa. Then, seeing him change his attitude, he let out a small breath that had been held.

With no trace of his frightened behavior, Yu Baek-hwa was glaring at Seo Jung-hoo with fierce blue eyes. His return to the same brave and reckless behavior as before was welcome and overly reassuring.

When Seo Jung-hoo smiled slightly and pulled his hands back, only then did Yu Baek-hwa let his puffed chest deflate as he gasped for breath.

However, Seo Jung-hoo’s relief didn’t last long.

“Just hit me.”

Because he heard clearly with his own ears Yu Baek-hwa voluntarily telling him to hit him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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