SOS! I’m Being Forced to Be a Villain - Chapter 22

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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 22

Like hell it’s good!

I dug my nails in and frantically scratched at Seo Jung-hoo’s hands and wrists. My neatly trimmed short nails left faint marks on his fair skin.

Whether it was because I lacked strength, or my nails were too short to actually wound anything, or maybe Seo Jung-hoo’s damn skin was just made of steel.

Those scratches without a single drop of blood only fueled my temper. Of course, I hadn’t really wanted to draw blood, but seeing him completely unaffected made my anger boil over.

“Pfft, hup.”

The sound of hastily swallowed laughter drifted down from above my head. When I snapped my head up, Seo Jung-hoo had already composed his expression and smiled innocently as if asking what was wrong.

“Hm? What is it, Baek-hwa.”

It’s because of you. All because of you!

“You said Western food is good? Alright then, let’s go eat pasta.”

Seo Jung-hoo, who had arbitrarily concluded our Q&A session, slowly relaxed his grip. Having barely regained my freedom, I parted my lips and let out the breath I’d been holding. At that moment, Seo Jung-hoo’s hand moved behind me.

My bag, which had slipped halfway down my shoulder from all the struggling, completely fell away. As if it had been his from the start, Seo Jung-hoo naturally snatched it and slung it over his own bag.

“Unfortunately, let’s just go together. He doesn’t seem like he’s coming.”

I glared at Seo Jung-hoo, whose voice held no regret whatsoever.

“Give me back my bag, you fucking bastard! This is, what? Bullying! Don’t you know what theft is?”

“Do you have any other allergies besides apricots? Even just personal food preferences are fine.”

Seo Jung-hoo’s large hand traveled up my back and gripped my shoulder. Having firmly embraced me, he soon began walking.

With a fierce scowl, I tensed my legs and reached out to grab Seo Jung-hoo’s ear as if to tear it off.

“What are you doing with two ears you don’t even use, you crazy bastard. Give it back. I’m going to rip them off and donate them.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if you kept them? Then I could hear and know everything that happens around you.”

“I don’t need that! That’s fucking scary, get lost!”

“I’m scared too. My mood’s been so shitty lately…”

Seo Jung-hoo’s face suddenly turned cold without warning, catching the edge of my vision. When I unconsciously stiffened in surprise, he quickly noticed and bloomed into a smile again.

“Our Baek-hwa swears more than anyone, yet she’s afraid of being sworn at.”

My hand that had been clinging to Seo Jung-hoo’s ear slowly fell away. Belatedly clenching that hand into a fist as it floated aimlessly in the air, I raised my voice.

“Do you think I’d be scared of something like that? Don’t make assumptions when you don’t know anything.”

“Don’t worry. I wasn’t swearing at you.”

Listen when someone’s talking to you!

The words about to burst out were swallowed back down my throat, startled by a sudden presence. When I creaked my head to the side, Kwon Tae-min had silently approached and was walking alongside us, matching our pace.

I heard Seo Jung-hoo click his tongue softly from the other side. He deliberately put strength into his grip on my shoulder, then released it.

“Can’t you see the kid doesn’t like it…”

What shameless audacity. In this shitty situation, Seo Jung-hoo seemed to be the only one who didn’t realize he was the main culprit behind my foul mood.

Just as I was about to voice the complaints boiling inside me, half sincere and half forced, my arm was suddenly grabbed and my body was carefully pulled.

“Who’s got room to talk to whom.”

Kwon Tae-min murmured quietly as he switched positions with me. Unlike just moments ago when I had been caught between Seo Jung-hoo and Kwon Tae-min, now Kwon Tae-min stood in the center between us.

It looked like he was blocking me, protecting me from Seo Jung-hoo.

Not knowing whether I should be happy or resigned about this, I just stared blankly at Kwon Tae-min’s broad back. Then I spotted Seo Jung-hoo’s twisted smile over Kwon Tae-min’s shoulder.

Before I could even attempt to run away from this instinctive unease, Seo Jung-hoo had already pushed past Kwon Tae-min and claimed the spot next to me in one swift move.

Seo Jung-hoo let out an audible, bitter laugh. Watching him, Kwon Tae-min’s eyes twitched before he pulled me toward him again. Despite his consistently gentle and careful touch, my paper-thin body couldn’t resist at all.

‘…Shit, what the hell is this supposed to be.’

I glared at both of them with a completely distorted face. Being pulled back and forth until we were practically going in circles like we were playing ring-around-the-rosie, we couldn’t possibly look normal to others.

Since these two already had high recognition at school and were doing this right in front of the school gate, and with me of all people, it was impossible not to draw attention. There was no way I could explain this situation to all the students who were glancing over and whispering.

Eventually, I cursed under my breath again and just started walking. I could feel the two who had been engaged in their battle of nerves belatedly following after me.

Despite having just pulled such ridiculous stunts, they now naturally guided me as if we were people with an agreed-upon destination.

It seemed impossible to go home at this point. I dragged my feet along the ground and trudged forward reluctantly.

How long had we walked? While I desperately reacted to the bullshit Kwon Tae-min and Seo Jung-hoo were spouting, we had somehow arrived in front of a store.

I stared blankly at the unfamiliar exterior of a store I’d never been to before. Unlike me, the other two seemed to have visited this place several times, as they opened the door and pushed my back without hesitation.

The bell hanging on the glass door chimed cheerfully, announcing the arrival of customers. Soon a staff member approached and guided us to a corner table.

Unable to withstand the gazes of the two men, I went to the innermost seat and plopped down heavily. As I sat there with my arms crossed in displeasure, I suddenly remembered what happened at the cafe I’d gone to with Seo Jung-hoo.

‘…I wonder if Seo Jung-hoo took care of and paid for the cup I broke.’

Of course he must have. If Seo Jung-hoo had just left without caring, I would have already been contacted or reported by now.

Of course, I wasn’t sorry at all – not even a tiny bit, not even half of half of half of a fingernail’s worth! Why would I feel guilty toward someone who drags me around like I’m some kind of comfort doll?

I had simply rebelled justly and reasonably. So…

“Yu Baek-hwa.”

I turned my head in surprise.

Kwon Tae-min sat to my right with his back straight. His gray eyes that met mine seemed ready to devour me as they settled heavily. Soon his gaze slowly slid downward. His pupils passed indifferently over my eyes, then my nose, and stopped at my chin.

“It would be better to fix it.”

Kwon Tae-min raised his eyes again and faced me as I wavered in confusion.

“That habit of constantly trying to chew and gnaw on something. Whether it’s your lips or fingers, you get hurt and bleed, and it’s hard on your teeth too.”

Only then did I realize I had been chewing on my lower lip until just now. The tension left my clenched jaw, and the plump flesh that had been rolled inside my upper teeth returned to its original position.

Even without seeing it, I could tell. My lower lip was swollen red and glistening, messily stained with blood and saliva.

I’d been chewing on it so much these past few days that it bled frequently, and even when the wound barely healed, I’d repeatedly sink my teeth into the tender flesh again. So now it seemed to tear easily with just a little pressure.

“Fucking hell…”

I irritably raised the back of my hand to roughly wipe my lips. But just before I could, a hand reached out and gently stopped me.

“Don’t do that. It’ll get infected.”

Even though my tongue hadn’t touched it yet, I could taste the metallic flavor spreading in my mouth.

“I’ll clean it for you. Just wait a moment.”

Kwon Tae-min, who had asked me to wait, still didn’t let go of my hand as he opened a drawer attached to the side of the table. He quickly found wet wipes, tore open the package, and turned toward me.

But before anything could happen, a black menu suddenly appeared and blocked the space between Kwon Tae-min and me.

“I’ll do it for you later, Baek-hwa. So how about we order our food first?”

A silent quiet settled over us. When Seo Jung-hoo lightly shook the menu, Kwon Tae-min’s touch that had been surrounding me slowly fell away.

Only then did Seo Jung-hoo withdraw the menu and place it on the table. He opened to a page filled with various food photos and names and pushed it toward me.

“What do you want to eat? Just pick anything you like, I’m paying anyway.”

I had been frozen in a daze until then, but suddenly scowled fiercely.

“Why do you keep treating me like I’m poor? I have money too. More than you.”

“Wow, our Baek-hwa is so cool. So what do you want to eat?”

“You really…!”

I was about to raise my voice out of habit but swallowed my breath with a shudder.

This was a restaurant, a public place – not outdoors or a private space. Of course, the street could also be considered a public place, but yelling in an open area versus yelling in an enclosed space were completely different matters.

I clenched my right hand into a tight fist and pounded it on the table.

“I’m not eating.”

“Since we came all this way, let’s eat together. Hm? You didn’t eat lunch either, Baek-hwa.”

“Yu Baek-hwa, you didn’t eat lunch today either?”

Even Kwon Tae-min joined in, trying to create an atmosphere of interrogating me. Annoyed by this, I furrowed my brow and jabbed my finger at the first menu item.

“This. This! Are you satisfied now? Are you, you bastards.”

“Baek-hwa likes seafood pasta. It looks delicious.”

“Now stop fucking around and order quickly.”

“You’re sure you don’t have any seafood allergies, right?”

Only after I shook my head vigorously enough to make it ring did Seo Jung-hoo say he understood and take away the menu. Then he seemed to exchange questions and answers with Kwon Tae-min through eye contact alone before calling over a staff member.

I deliberately looked away from that scene, and Kwon Tae-min poured cool water and carefully placed it in front of me. I roughly grabbed it and drank the water in one gulp.

The taste of blood mixed with water made my whole body feel cold, but the heat rising from within showed no signs of subsiding.

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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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