I Became a Villainous Character with a Limited Lifespan

Episode 64

“He’s here.”

“You’re here.”

At a time about 5 minutes before 6:30, the people in the room who noticed the person just entering all stood up from their seats at once.

“This is burdensome. Sit down.”

With a single gesture, Chairman Han made his family sit down. Naturally going to sit at the prepared head seat, he looked around the large room and frowned.

“There’s an empty seat.”

It was a gathering where the whole family got together, which happened only a few times a year. Although Chairman Han did not feel great affection for his family, he did not dislike the feeling of looking down on the people he had cultivated in one place.

The reason he gathered his children, whom he usually didn’t want to see, without a single absence was precisely because of that. It could be said to be a place to see the achievements of his life, so it was a day he considered quite meaningful, but for some reason, there was an empty seat today.

“Whose seat is it?”

“He, he said he left, so I got a call. Something must have happened on the way. Father. I’ll contact him right away.”

Seung-hyun’s mother said in a deliberately calm tone, flustered. Although he was a pathetic son, she thought he wouldn’t lie, so she had returned without lingering after he said he would come.

“Tsk. Really…”

Although he didn’t say much, it was enough to earn people’s ridicule. Seung-hyun’s mother lowered her flushed face and trembled her fists placed on her knees.

‘Han Seung-hyun. You, of all people…’

“What happened?”

“Let’s talk later.”

She glared at her husband, who was frowning and speaking to her from the side. After all, the people in this family were all people she disliked, without exception.

“Everyone has arrived.”

Then, the door slid open and a familiar calm voice filled the room. Chairman Han frowned deeply at the sight of him not even sitting down quietly, but standing at the door and looking down at the people sitting without coming in.

“You’re late.”

“6:29, ah. It’s exactly 30 minutes now.”

Seung-hyun said, shrugging his shoulders. As he said, if we’re being precise, he wasn’t late, but no one was unaware that Chairman Han disliked people who arrived later than him at this gathering.

‘Did he really go crazy?’

‘What the hell is he thinking…’

Seung-hyun neatly ignored the flustered people and sat in the empty seat. He liked that he didn’t have to wander because there was only one seat to sit in.

“Tsk. Enough. Sit down.”

Chairman Han clicked his tongue with a displeased look on his face. Seung-hyun just ignored his parents who were glaring at him from the next seat with an indifferent face.

“You clearly know the chairman hates being late, so what’s with this reckless behavior?”

“I wasn’t late though.”

“Are you trying to play word games with me now?”

Taehyeop, who had said a word to Seung-hyun in a low voice, hardened his expression at the indifferent answer. However, he couldn’t raise his voice at a place where Chairman Han was present, so there was nothing he could do but glare at Seung-hyun.

‘How pathetic. It doesn’t deviate from my expectations.’

Without even giving a glance to Taehyeop and his mother, Seung-hyun calmly adjusted his posture and sat down. It was quite amusing to see them rampaging when they were alone with Seung-hyun, but in front of Chairman Han, they became gentle lambs and just watched their steps.

“There are less than ten days left until the new year. I already know how you all spent this year… but since you don’t have a chance to meet each other, I have to make you see each other’s faces like this, don’t I?”

There wasn’t a single person who was comfortable in this place, but at Chairman Han’s words, applause began to come from here and there. Although it was called a family gathering in a good way, it was actually a place to cater to Chairman Han’s whims.

“I heard Executive Director Han is preparing something this time. Is there anything we can help with on our side?”

“Right. We’re family, so we have to help each other. If you need help, tell us anytime.”

People who had been strangely ignoring Tae-sung until just recently pretended to be close and talked to him. Until recently, they had been playing tug-of-war between Tae-sung and Seung-hyun, but now they thought there was no need for that and became noticeably friendly. It was a disgusting attitude for Tae-sung.

‘They don’t even have the heart to hide their intentions.’

“It’s not often we have a gathering like this, so don’t feel uncomfortable because I’m here and talk about things you couldn’t usually. It’s tiring to talk for a long time. Everyone, dig in.”

The fact that it was no different from a scene of office politics where they size each other up and step on each other’s toes, rather than a peaceful conversation, was something Chairman Han knew best.

But he had no intention of stopping it. Rather, that kind of atmosphere was what Chairman Han encouraged. As soon as Chairman Han, who was sitting at the head seat, picked up his spoon, a meal on thin ice disguised with smiling faces began.

“First time seeing you since the wedding. Your face has gotten better.”

“Ah, it’s because Tae-sung takes good care of me…”

“You must be a match made in heaven. Come to think of it, I thought you were well-suited from the moment I first heard. Congratulations. Really.”

It was clearly a different person from a little while ago, but what they said was so similar it was laughable. Seon-hu smiled awkwardly and rolled his eyes.

Talking to someone who clearly disliked him was not something Seon-hu was used to. His relationship with Tae-sung was a story between the two of them, so it wasn’t difficult to try to have a conversation and improve their relationship, but…

“About having children… Oh my. No. I asked something unnecessary. It’s not something that will happen as you wish anyway.”

A situation where he was surrounded by several people who were not just uninterested, but full of malice. It was certainly difficult to the point where he couldn’t gauge what to say.

“It’s still the newlywed phase, and children aren’t necessarily needed, so it’s okay.”

“Oh my. You don’t have to say that. I understand everything.”

“Stop saying useless things. You.”

When Tae-sung intervened, the person who had been speaking lightly shut his mouth, but the atmosphere was still hostile to Seon-hu. The atmosphere of any place was bound to follow the personality of the person who had the upper hand.

‘You know, but they’re all people who aren’t good to associate with. No matter what they say, just smile and ignore them. I’ll try to stop them as much as possible… but they’re not people who can have a sensible conversation.’

Tae-sung had said that too, so he had come prepared to some extent, but he still felt a little dizzy. Moreover, for Seon-hu, there was one more person he was concerned about, in addition to the people who spoke harsh words with smiling faces without even trying to hide their malice.

‘It’s the first time seeing him since that day…’

Seon-hu secretly glanced at Seung-hyun and hurriedly lowered his gaze in case he was caught. The atmosphere was completely different both times when he first saw him and when they met by chance. That was the same today too.

How should he put it, a feeling that he seemed bothered and languid? Tae-sung, who noticed Seon-hu sneaking glances at Seung-hyun without realizing it, gave him a light warning.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, that’s…”

“Just ignore him. I don’t know what he’s thinking… but he’s someone who manages his image perfectly in front of the chairman to the point of giving goosebumps, no matter what plan he has.”

Tae-sung spoke in a small voice and dealt with the rude words of the family on behalf of Seon-hu.

“By the way, Seon-hu is lucky. It must be worth it to have gotten married with a risk.”

But they didn’t let go of the prey they had bitten so easily. The conversation naturally returned to Seon-hu.

‘I need to get used to it too. It would be nice if I could change such people… but even if that’s difficult, I can’t leave Tae-sung alone in that gap.’

“It’s because Tae-sung treats me well. At first, I was a little worried, but now…”

“No, don’t say such obvious things. Be honest. Now that Seung-hyun has quit, there’s no one to take over the group but Tae-sung. From Seon-hu’s perspective, it’s like winning the lottery, isn’t it?”

“Don’t say that. Do you really believe he quit?”

Another cousin scolded him. Out of ten people, one or two at most would take Seung-hyun’s resignation at face value.

There are people who think he quit after feeling the limitations of being fervid, but well, most people think there’s some ulterior motive.

“Well, even if he has other thoughts, would the chairman readily accept it if he says he’ll come back? He probably knows that too.”

She said that and ostentatiously glanced at the seat where Seung-hyun was sitting. But the atmosphere where her gaze landed was unusual.

Taehyeop and his wife’s faces were a mess. It was a face that looked like they would scream at any moment, forgetting that it was in front of Chairman Han.

The gazes of people who felt that atmosphere began to gather there one by one. Finally, when even Chairman Han’s gaze turned to them, Seung-hyun’s calm voice resonated in the room.

“I told you I don’t care at all even if this damn company goes bankrupt. Was it a difficult thing to understand?”

For a moment, silence hung in the room. Even though there was no way Seung-hyun couldn’t have noticed that atmosphere, he picked up his spoon with an indifferent face.