I Became a Villain’s Hero Chapter 5: Help Me, Hero! (5)

TL/Editor: Raei

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Her crying made all traces of my smile vanish.

Truly, I now realize that Song Soo-yeon of today is much more sensitive than the Song Soo-yeon of the future.

I felt helpless, unsure of what I could do for her.

No other comfort ca to mind.

In embarrassnt, I crouched down and gently placed my hand on her shoulder as she sat wrapped in her knees, crying.

".....It's okay. You seem hungry, let's get sothing to eat. Anger is best expressed on a full stomach."

I only offered the help I knew.

To her, showing no response, I urged again.

"Co on, quickly."

".....Why should I go there?"

She asked, her head buried in her knees.

".....What?"

"Why should I go there?"

"........"

I was at a loss for words.

Her question left speechless.

".....Aren't you hungry?"

I asked carefully.

"It's not that...!"

She raised her head, her voice rising in frustration as she bit her lip.

"Why are you acting so familiar?"

"....What?"

I felt a sting of guilt.

I thought I had maintained a distance, but perhaps it was more apparent than I realized.

"Just because I ate sothing at your restaurant, do you think that ans sothing?"

"......."

"Do you think I'll feel grateful? I don't like you, mister."

".....Hmm?"

I asked back, utterly baffled.

"Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"

"I've never seen such kindness without a reason."

Her eyes were steady, as if speaking an unwavering truth.

For the first ti, I felt true pity for her.

Even when she was being bullied.

Even in her shabby clothes.

Even when she had no money and ca to my shop.

Even when she looked lonely, I didn't feel pity for her.

What experiences had she endured to be this way?

She let out a cold laugh.

"Ha, your intentions are so obvious, mister. It's obvious what you're trying to do."

If I really had such intentions, I would have felt ashad or embarrassed, but that wasn't the case, so I was just confused.

What misunderstanding was this?

"I'm not trying to do anything. What can I do to a high school student..."

"I'm pretty, and I'm being bullied, so did you think you could do sothing about it? I've encountered guys like you more than once. It's not just you who approached because of my looks. You know?"

Her experiences made her speak bluntly, unable to contain her anger.

Obviously, the bullying she suffered from the three girls earlier had contributed to this rage.

I learned a bit more about her.

It seems she had to endure many unwanted experiences due to her devastating beauty.

In a soothing tone, I gently asked her.

".......Is that so?"

She responded with a mocking tone.

"Yes, that's right. There's no hope for you, mister. I never intended to like anyone anyway. Wake up from your dream."

Though our physical ages aren't much different, our inner selves differ by more than ten years.

As an adult, I felt sorry that such a young person had to endure the touch of vile adults.

I didn't understand why I felt this way, but I genuinely felt sorry.

Even in my days as a villain, I never tolerated those who hard children.

Because of , an unspoken rule erged in the villain world that children were off-limits.

....But Song Soo-yeon, or 'Luna,' was an earlier victim.

She even looked pitiable.

"......I'm not like that,"

I said again.

"What do you an, not like that? From the mont you looked at my legs, from the mont you tried to eat what I left behind, no, from the mont your restaurant's na included 'Heart,' I knew you were a pervert.

It's disgusting, so please stop. Don't like , it's uncomfortable."

Only now do I realize that each of my actions had been hurting her.

How desperately hungry must she have been to co to for food?

How hungry must she have been to endure all that?

".....Ah...seriously."

I lifted my head.

......I felt like crying out of pity for her.

Damn it.

But I can't cry, not with my pride at stake.

I blinked rapidly to hold back the tears.

Has my sensitivity increased with age?

anwhile, Song Soo-yeon continued.

"...I get it. So please, just stop."

She stood up, pushed away, and left.

I suppressed my tears and shouted after her.

"Hey!"

She flinched again at my call.

It seems she often gets startled and jerks her body like that.

Her actions reveal a fragile interior, contrasting with her bold exterior.

I keep learning new things about her.

Song Soo-yeon turned around sharply in response to my call.

Even that seed like the struggle of a fragile person who didn't want to be hurt anymore.

"Why-"

"-It's for my own satisfaction."

I revealed my true intentions.

"What?"

"I'm doing this for my own satisfaction. There's no other motive."

"........"

".......You're hungry."

"........"

"Just eat and then go. There are no ill intentions."

"........"

"I know the bitterness of hunger, that's why. Just eat. It'll be tasty today."

Her eyes wavered for a mont.

I knew then that the main reason was, after all, hunger.

In this mont, I too convey my feelings genuinely.

Perhaps it's because I felt sorry for her earlier, or because I hoped she wouldn't go hungry.

"I won't bother you. I won't say anything. Just eat and go."

Like a parrot, I kept repeating for her to eat and then leave.

"....Just eat and go. Just eat."

---

---

I am good at distinguishing malice directed at from unrelated malice.

I know easily when malice is directed entirely at .

But with soone like Song Soo-yeon, who has personal reasons for being sensitive, I don't get as upset.

I just understand.

Song Soo-yeon and I entered the store through the back door.

Honestly, my competitive spirit was sowhat stirred.

I didn't want to give up and retreat.

If I can't overco this challenge, I won't be able to overco future ones.

Considering her past life as the villain ranked second, I sowhat expected her to have a tough personality.

That's why I was sowhat indifferent to her hurtful words.

I don't want to forcibly hold onto soone who rejects help.

Heroes choose whom to save, right?

Villains just beat them to death.

.......Except for Solace.

She saved to the end, so she's not in the sa category.

Hmm.

Anyway, just as heroes selectively save people, I didn't feel the need to help soone who pushes away assistance, but Song Soo-yeon seems like an exception.

Is it because of our past life connection?

Or because she's still young?

Or maybe because I just learned a few pitiful facts about her?

".....Ah."

Then an idea strikes .

If she beca a villain because of such a past, and if I could rehabilitate her.

Then both Song Soo-yeon and I, or and Luna, disappearing would lessen the burden on Solace, right?

The first and second-ranked villains vanishing altogether.

"......Oh.."

I marveled at this idea.

Why hadn't I thought of this before?

I had intended to continue doing good deeds for Solace anyway, but now I'm considering taking more serious action.

Another reason has erged, after all.

Of course, I still don't know why she beca a villain.

Anyway, one needs a trigger to beco a villain.

That's how everyone turns.

So, if I observe her closely and see signs of her turning into a villain, maybe I can intervene.

If left in this state, she'll surely beco one.

"Just sit anywhere and wait."

As Song Soo-yeon walked across the kitchen, she looked at the fruits of my unorganized efforts.

Dirty dishes and pots.

Pieces of various vegetables.

The scent of oil and Chunjang.

Piles of bloated noodles.

Her previously rigid expression had softened sowhat.

"....This is all..."

She paused, then looked at with a complicated expression.

Eventually, as if deflated, she let out a sigh and walked towards the dining table.

".....What even is love."

"What did you say?"

"Never mind."

Once again, she muttered words I couldn't understand.

I wondered what she ant, but soon gave up trying to understand.

It must be sothing trivial.

I washed my hands and began cooking, based on the practice I had done all day.

She watched from the table.

There was nothing else for her to do.

I wasn't sure what she was thinking, but it wasn't the hostile energy she had shown before.

Soon, the food was ready.

After serving the black bean noodles to Song Soo-yeon, I sat down at a table nearby.

"Just fill your stomach."

I refrained from saying 'enjoy your al' for fear of receiving the sa scolding as yesterday.

As expected, she must have been really hungry, as Song Soo-yeon didn't refuse the food anymore.

Having gone through similar tis myself, I understand.

It must be tough.

"......."

But what could be the reason for her starving like this?

I was an orphan, so I often went hungry.

Having to fend for myself since childhood, I starved until adulthood.

But Song Soo-yeon?

Is she an orphan like ?

Or is her family poor?

Or could there be another reason?

Curious as I was, I didn't dare ask due to her high guard.

While I was pondering, Song Soo-yeon glanced at and picked up her chopsticks.

She slowly mixed the Chunjang with the noodles.

Then, just like yesterday, she lifted a large bite of black bean noodles.

"......"

I unknowingly swallowed as I intently watched her eat.

I felt unnecessarily nervous.

After exploring other restaurants and spending the whole day making black bean noodles.

It would be slightly disappointing if she spat it out like yesterday.

Song Soo-yeon opened her mouth and then closed it again, sending a cold glance for staring at her.

"........"

Jolted back to reality, I quickly regained my composure.

"Sorry, was I staring too much? Go on, eat."

Then I turned my head away.

Still, I kept sneaking glances at her.

"....Huh."

Song Soo-yeon sighed and put the black bean noodles in her mouth, then stopped chewing.

Her eyes blinked a couple of tis.

Then she looked at , rolling only her eyes.

As her gaze turned to , I again pretended not to watch her.

"......."

Without a word, Song Soo-yeon started to chew the black bean noodles thoroughly.

She continued to eat the food without any complaints.

She ate with such haste that it almost seed frantic.

She must have been very hungry.

"....Hehehehehehehe."

I couldn't help but laugh, feeling a sense of achievent.

Just the fact that she didn't spit it out like yesterday felt like a victory.

I had won.

My act of kindness was a success.

"Hehehe... Pfft hahaha..."

But my laughter startled Song Soo-yeon, causing her to drop her chopsticks in surprise.

-Clang...

The tal chopsticks rolled on the floor, accentuating the sudden silence between us.

She looked at with wide eyes, covering her mouth in shock.

Her intense reaction also startled , and I stared back at her.

"......What did you put in this?"

She suddenly asked.

"....What?"

"Did you put sothing weird in here?"

".....Are you asking about the secret ingredient?"

"....No, not that...."

She looked at fearfully, as if seeing a monster, or rather, a real pervert.

I slowly began to grasp what she ant.

By 'sothing weird,' she seed to imply a drug-like substance, possibly a sleeping pill.

Her absurd suspicion quickly wiped the smile off my face.

......Seriously, what the.