SOS! I’m Being Forced to Be a Villain - Chapter 9

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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 9

“Hmm, what are you doing?”

“Getting ready to be hit.”

“…What?”

I frowned deeply and opened my eyes at Seo Jung-hoo, who kept asking questions.

“Can’t you tell just by looking? Is that stupid head of yours filled with nothing but udon noodles as disgusting as your face?”

Of course, Seo Jung-hoo’s face wasn’t disgusting, and his academic performance was higher than mine.

Ignoring my own ridiculous nonsense that wasn’t even funny anymore, I barely managed to continue my explanation.

“If you hit me, we’ll be even in many ways. So just hit me once and end it, you clueless bastard.”

The smile that had been lingering on Seo Jung-hoo’s lips completely disappeared.

“Yu Baek-hwa.”

“Fuck, you’re going to wear out my name. Stop calling it and just hit me.”

Having my brother annoy me all day with ‘Baek-hwa this, Baek-hwa that’ was enough. If that number increased, my eardrums might wear out and fall off before my name did.

While I was frowning at this horrifying thought, Seo Jung-hoo, who had been silently staring at me, slowly opened his mouth.

“Are you… used to being hit?”

What kind of damn question is that?

“Or do you like being hit?”

…What?

“That mouth, shut that mouth!”

How does he manage to scratch at my nerves without fail every single time he speaks? Could that even be called a talent if it’s an innate skill?

‘What talent!’

Is he going to write it on a job application?

My strength: Making Yu Baek-hwa go crazy with irritation.

Something like that?

The more I thought about it, the more furious I became, and I couldn’t stand it anymore. Finally, I snapped my eyes open and was about to lash out irritably, but a beat too late, I met Seo Jung-hoo’s face and awkwardly closed my mouth in confusion.

‘Why… why are you looking at me with those eyes.’

Weren’t we supposed to be bitter enemies coexisting because we couldn’t kill each other?

“Yu Baek-hwa.”

Unlike before, his voice was low, deep, and heavy… Anyway, it was incredibly creepy, making my whole body freeze involuntarily. As I stood there awkwardly frozen, only my lips trembling, Seo Jung-hoo curved the corners of his eyes with a smile.

“I want to ask you something. Where were you and what were you doing after school yesterday?”

“You, you’re invading my privacy. Why should I answer to a bastard like you…”

“I heard a strange story this morning. I want to verify its truth.”

He heard a strange story?

‘What is it. What story did he hear.’

Could it be that he saw me yesterday evening, or more precisely, the scene of me being dragged away?

No, Seo Jung-hoo said he ‘heard’ it, not ‘saw’ it. That would mean there’s someone else who directly witnessed me.

‘…It doesn’t matter if I’m found out.’

The one who should be worried about such an unrealistic and illegal situation being exposed wasn’t me, but that unknown entity that was still forcing my mouth shut. Rather, if the main character Seo Jung-hoo, who seemed to know nothing yet, learned about this ‘novel,’ we might be able to work together to break through this situation.

But.

‘I’m the villain.’

Moreover, my relationship with Seo Jung-hoo had been bad even before I knew about this novel business.

Even though I had no talent for physical fights and always avoided them, it wasn’t like there had been no violent clashes between us. That’s probably why deadly titles like bitter enemies or mortal foes spread and became our public labels and relationship chart.

In such a situation, even if Seo Jung-hoo learned about something else, would he sincerely step forward to help me?

‘Unlike me, who can barely protect my own future, Seo Jung-hoo is…’

The main character.

“Yu Baek-hwa, are you listening to me?”

Would you like to check the profile information of ‘Main Character Seo Jung-hoo’?

Gulp, I swallowed dry saliva.

‘I’m just… checking how shitty Seo Jung-hoo’s mood is right now.’

“Yu Baek-hwa. Baek-hwa.”

Opening profile information for ‘Main Character Seo Jung-hoo’.

Soon I rolled my eyes following the letters stretching long in the system window.

Name: Seo Jung-hoo

Age: 18 years old (Seolam High School, 2nd year, Class 3)

Role: One of the main characters in the novel 『Only Two』

Background: This character grew up in a wealthy and harmonious family, developing a gentle and considerate nature… (More)

Current emotional state: Suspicion, distrust, curiosity, slight worry

Inner thoughts: The relationship is not intimate enough to read the subject’s inner thoughts.

Among the familiar parade of content, one part particularly caught my attention.

Current emotional state: Suspicion, distrust, curiosity, slight worry

Suspicion and distrust toward me would be no different from daily routine, and I could accept curiosity with a hundred concessions.

…Worry? Who worrying about whom, Seo Jung-hoo about me?

For now, I should be relieved that Seo Jung-hoo had no intention of hitting me, or in extreme terms, disposing of or killing me. But this was also hard to believe in its own way, making me more concerned instead.

My heart started pounding on its own. A distant fear crept up from my toes, tearing at my skin.

It had always been like this. Just when I thought I could handle mental stress well, when I could no longer endure and burst, the first thing to signal a warning was none other than my body.

“Ugh.”

Nausea surged up. It seemed that what I had been ignoring and pretending was okay had finally reached its limit.

I hastily moved my palm to cover my mouth. Since I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday evening, only bitter stomach acid was rising up my esophagus.

“Urgh, ugh.”

Worried I might really cause trouble if I stayed like this, I pushed Seo Jung-hoo away and straightened my back. Seo Jung-hoo, who had been blinking in confusion, seemed to grasp the situation belatedly and stood up following me.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Ugh… Get those useless eyes replaced, bastard. It’s obvious I’m not okay, so why are you asking.”

Ah, I’m dying.

That’s not just a figure of speech. I’m really dying.

“…Where are you going?”

“Fuck, get that useless head replaced too! A sick person goes to the infirmary. Would I run out to the schoolyard?”

I barely managed to put strength into my legs that were shaking like those of a newborn calf. As I staggered and gripped the staircase railing, a chilling coldness seeped under my palm, stimulating even my insides.

Wouldn’t it be a hundred times better to curl up my body and roll down the stairs?

Seriously caught up in such an impulse, I barely held onto my sanity and stepped forward. I swayed for a moment, barely regained my balance, and urged my slow feet to step down the stairs.

However, a voice from behind stopped my steps again.

“This won’t do. What if you fall and tumble down like that? I’ll carry you on my back…”

“Stop it, Seo Jung-hoo!”

My head was ringing.

I wasn’t originally a patient and broad-minded gentleman. I was someone who only knew how to express immediate anger and irritation as roughly as my mouth, in other words, an immature and lacking bastard.

I never disliked that about myself, but because of that, I was someone who had become too accustomed to making enemies unnecessarily.

Since no one would expect anything from me anyway.

“Did you already forget what I said before? That you’re disgusting. That you’re dirty!”

“…”

“Please, let’s never cross paths again. Until graduation, let’s live not knowing whether the other is alive or dead. Living as if the other doesn’t exist forever isn’t such a difficult thing.”

So to me, who only knew how to sharpen my edges, the entity beyond the system window even went so far as to put a well-honed blade in my hand.

Let’s not associate with each other. Let’s not even brush past each other by chance. You go ahead and date as you please, Seo Jung-hoo. I’ll cheer you on plenty from afar!

“Just… leave me alone.”

With those final words, enduring the rising nausea again, I headed downstairs almost at a run.

* * *

I flung open the infirmary door.

“Who is it? You should knock first before entering, didn’t you see the sign… Oh my, are you okay?”

The school nurse, who had been scolding sternly, hurriedly got up. My complexion must have been pale enough to tell without looking closely.

“Yes, I’m fine…”

I’m fine. I’m okay, but I feel like throwing up. I’m not really sick, but I’m dizzy. But this isn’t because I’m ill, it’s just my constitution.

If I rambled on with such disorganized words, it seemed like I might end up vomiting here in the infirmary. On the way to the infirmary, I had already stopped by the bathroom once to throw up stomach acid, but my insides were still ominously churning.

I cleared my throat, which was throbbing with bitter pain, and moved with a limp.

“Could I… lie down and rest for a bit before going, teacher…?”

“Of course you can. Come here quickly.”

The school nurse pulled back one of several curtains and patted the mattress of an empty bed. I limped over and collapsed onto it as if falling.

The school nurse looked at me with pity, then quietly rustled around before placing a paper cup filled with warm water on the bedside table.

“Where exactly does it hurt? Do you need any medicine?”

“No… I’ll be fine if I just lie down for a while…”

After dutifully answering his questions about my student number and name, I heard the sound of him drawing the curtain while telling me to rest comfortably, then buried my face in the pillow. My rough, labored breathing felt stifled against the soft surface.

Lying like this, even my constantly throbbing head seemed to relax drowsily. So my stalled rationality began working again, and the events from the rooftop threshold earlier came back vividly…

‘Are you… used to getting hit?’

A bitter, hollow laugh escaped at the question Seo Jung-hoo had thrown at me.

Where in this world would there be someone used to getting hit? Even when you’re not used to it, you endure it, bear it, and even while writhing in pain, you desperately try not to let the flame of life go out.

Of course, I knew Seo Jung-hoo hadn’t asked me that seriously. It was a kind of protest to express his confusion about the situation, and a somewhat exaggerated joke.

But of all things, he had to specifically ask if I was ‘used to’ getting hit.

‘How annoying.’

Maybe the words about not acting pitiful should have been directed at me, not Seo Jung-hoo.

‘Fuck. They’re all dead and gone already, what does it matter now.’

I am a strong person. Someone who can protect and defend myself without anyone’s help.

I wanted to become that kind of person, had to become one, and so I finally achieved it.

“…Fucking hell.”

I briefly lifted my head, then buried it back into the pillow as if throwing it down. Even though my nose and mouth were blocked and I was short of breath, I didn’t care.

Even like this, I didn’t want to think about anything.

‘When you can’t breathe.’

My drowsy mind would find the easiest and most convenient escape, falling into sleep.

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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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