I Became a Villainous Character with a Limited Lifespan

Episode 59

“I’m fine. It was just because the medicine I’m taking didn’t mix well with alcohol.”

―…There’s something I want to ask.

Jae-young’s voice lowered a bit. Seung-hyun seemed to know what he was going to ask. Before the question came, Seung-hyun answered.

“It’s really nothing. It’s just…like vitamins.”

―Can you tell me exactly what it is? 

But regardless of the answer, the question flew in. It seemed that he had no intention of just glossing over it.

“That’s too personal, am I obligated to tell you?”

It’s not that Seung-hyun only wants to say this, but there’s no other way to avoid questions he can’t answer.

“Mr. Ju Jae-young, you’re not a doctor, nor…are you my lover or guardian.”

―……. 

Again, there was no answer for a long time. He wanted to refute, but what Seung-hyun said was right. With the name of sex partner, he had no right to interfere too much in the other person’s privacy.

“…I just contacted you because I don’t think I properly thanked you.”

Seung-hyun broke the silence and said. No matter how good-natured a person is, if they are pushed away like this several times, they will inevitably feel bad.

Even though he knew, he hated that these situations kept happening. When there was no answer, Seung-hyun said awkwardly,

“Thank you for that day. That’s all I have to say…so I’ll hang up now.”

―If I ask, is it not allowed?

Just as he was about to take the cell phone away from his face, Jae-young’s voice caught Seung-hyun.

―…Since it’s just a physical relationship, of course I won’t care.

“……”

―If Mr. Han Seung-hyun is sick, I’ll have to go through the trouble of finding the partner I barely found again.

It was as if the sound of his heart sinking could be heard. He was the one who first said it was just a physical relationship, but hearing it from Jae-young’s mouth couldn’t be more shocking.

“…You’re right about that.”

But he couldn’t show it. Saying it’s okay for me, but not okay for the other person to say it. Even thinking about it himself, it was a conscienceless thing.

“You don’t have to worry. As long as we can have sex, isn’t that enough? It’s not serious enough that I can’t even do that.”

Contrary to what he had rationally understood, sharp words popped out of his mouth again. Even though he thought it was childish, he couldn’t help it. 

“Isn’t that what being partners means?”

―…Yes.

It was a conversation where only the loser loses. It would be better to hang up early. Seung-hyun thought so and said,

“So let’s stop talking about this.”

―…Why did you meet Seon-hu?

Then, an unexpected question flew in this time. How does Jae-young know that? Seung-hyun couldn’t answer right away and hesitated.

“How do you know that…”

―I heard from Seon-hu.

“You met him?”

―Yes. You also know what kind of relationship I have with Seon-hu, don’t you?

Outwardly, they were friends, but Seung-hyun knew that the feelings Jae-young had for Seon-hu were not something like friendship.

It may not be the case now, but it wouldn’t be easy to erase in an instant someone you’ve liked for nearly 20 years.

‘Why did they meet? The two had hardly met since Seon-hu got married, until Seung-hyun was running around. Maybe…’

Being too tired of only pushing him away, did he try to think that this is what love was like by looking at the person he really loved?

―…Anyway, since that kid is also your family, I asked if there was anything he knew.

But as if Jae-young had noticed Seung-hyun’s worries, he reassured him again. The complicated feelings calmed down as if nothing had happened with those words.

―…Why did you approach that kid?

However, this conversation was not over yet. Seung-hyun still had a situation to resolve.

“It was a coincidence. …That’s right. If Mr. Ju Jae-young’s family home is here, I should have thought that Mr. Lee Seon-hu, who was close to Mr. Ju Jae-young since childhood, would also live in this neighborhood, but I don’t know what I was thinking, I couldn’t think of it at all.”

In fact, he was aware of what he was thinking about. Seung-hyun was in a state where he couldn’t think of anything else because his eyes were stolen by Jae-young.

He couldn’t say that much, but expressing the part Seung-hyun wanted to hide in a roundabout way, he continued the story.

“As you’ve heard, we just ran into each other by chance. It happened to be a day when I wasn’t in good shape, so I got help from Mr. Lee Seon-hu…and that’s it. We parted ways like that.”

―……

“And the meeting in the park was not a planned encounter either. I just went out for a walk in the park in front of my house. The dog running up to me isn’t within the expected range, is it?”

Seung-hyun let out a small sigh at the words that grew long like an excuse. Why can’t we get out of this story? I’m a little tired.

―I don’t doubt that the meeting was a coincidence. I was the one who suggested you move here, and that kid originally likes to wander around. What I want to ask is…

That excuse wasn’t necessary for Jae-young. He didn’t think Seung-hyun’s meeting with Seon-hu was a calculated move from the start.

It was Jae-young who recommended Seung-hyun to move here and suggested the park in front of the house. Seon-hu likes to wander around so much and is not a person who moves in a planned way, so there could be as many chance encounters as possible. But…

―…I don’t think Mr. Han Seung-hyun wouldn’t have recognized Seon-hu’s face.

But it clearly felt strange that Seung-hyun didn’t recognize Seon-hu’s face and went along with his nosiness.

Let’s say Seon-hu did, but did Seung-hyun not know Seon-hu’s face? Even Jae-young, who has no interest in management rights, knows that Seung-hyun hated Tae-sung so much that he despised him.

But Seon-hu said Seung-hyun acted like he didn’t know him. So it felt familiar, but he thought it was just a feeling.

―I want to hear the reason for that.

Jae-young was curious about the reason. There’s no way Seung-hyun wouldn’t know who Seon-hu’s spouse is and who his friend is.

If there was some reason why he pretended not to know Seon-hu, he wanted to know what he was thinking. It’s not that he wanted to blame him.

Because now Jae-young is completely out of his mind for Seung-hyun. It seemed like he wouldn’t be able to let go of his hand no matter what reason he heard.

But if he knew the reason, if he knew what he wanted, wouldn’t there be something he could help with?

‘I’m really out of my mind.’

Jae-young smiled bitterly and waited for an answer. There was no answer from Seung-hyun for a long time. Was he thinking of an excuse? I wish he would answer honestly.

How long had the silence passed like that?

“Everyone talks as if they know me very well.”

Seung-hyun said with a smirk. Whoever he talks to, whatever he talks about, it always comes back to this logic in the end.

People talked as if they knew ‘Han Seung-hyun’ very well. Well, the actions of Han Seung-hyun in the novel were truly typical of a villain, so at first he thought it was nothing strange.

But the longer he lived as Han Seung-hyun, the greater the injustice grew. It was like that as he got to know him closer than anyone else, who was only portrayed as a villain.

Discrimination against the fervent alpha, contempt from family. Was there any way he could survive without developing his abilities?

The only thing he could do was to cling to it, but in the eyes of others, it only looked like a miserable and pathetic appearance, which was sad.

Because Han Seung-hyun is not the main character. He’s not the protagonist who can make people’s hearts at ease just by looking at him and can lead to people’s understanding by introducing each situation in detail, but a villain.

If Han Seung-hyun’s past had been dealt with a little more weightily, if it had been described why he wanted to solidify his position so desperately, the readers’ reaction might not have been so cold.

Seung-hyun didn’t understand ‘Han Seung-hyun’ at that time either, and had no intention of doing so. He was a character he tried not to look into deeply, but now he couldn’t. Because Han Seung-hyun is himself now.

“I don’t know myself well, but they talk as if they see right through me perfectly. Everyone does that. What kind of person am I that you think I would naturally recognize Mr. Lee Seon-hu and plot something?”

In fact, their guesses may have been justified in some ways. But the injustice piled up and piled up, so now he couldn’t even distinguish where ‘Han Seung-hyun’s life ended and where ‘Ahn Seung-hyun’s life began.

“I don’t know about company stuff. I’m not interested in Executive Director Han Tae-sung either. I’m even less interested in his spouse. Do I have to memorize the faces of people I’m not interested in?”

―……

“You can’t believe it, of course. But that’s the truth. I didn’t know Mr. Lee Seon-hu’s face. If I had known, I wouldn’t have exchanged a word with him, and even if I had to faint on the spot, I wouldn’t have received help.”

It wasn’t something to vent to Jae-young about. But maybe because he was the only one who was seeking understanding. The sorrow that had once burst out poured out without stopping.