I Picked Up the Greatest Villain in the Story

18.

“I’m going to have to decline. And please delete the post you made on the community right now.”

“O-Of course. But could you just meet our guild master once…?”

“I’m very satisfied with my current job. The truth is, I have a severe phobia of monsters.”

“What?”

“I have a condition where I faint at the sight of monsters. That’s why I’m not working as a hunter. I also have enough money to live on.”

It was an implausible excuse, but Jian said it without blinking, making it sound quite convincing. In reality, there were quite a few people who lived like ordinary citizens despite awakening as hunters due to monster phobia.

While Soochul was uncertain, Jian stood up and headed for the door. He half-opened the door and gave a stern look to Soochul, who was still sitting.

“Would you please leave now? I plan to close the cafe early today.”

In fact, he was planning to change the cafe’s operating hours to 7 PM not just today, but from now on. It was to spend quality time with Sehun.

Soochul stood up, stalling as much as possible. Knowing that just getting hit by the guild master wouldn’t be the end of it if he left like this, he gave a desperate look, but Jian coldly just jerked his chin.

As soon as the large figure crossed the threshold, the door closed coldly. Soochul, still unable to let go, lingered in front of the door for a while before leaving with trudging steps.

“Sehun, you can come out now.”

At those words, Sehun, who had been sitting quietly in the chair inside the counter, came out walking with his head lowered under the counter.

Jian bent down to meet Sehun’s eyes and patted his round head.

“Wait just a bit. I’ll quickly clean up and then we’ll go home and eat something delicious. I’ll cook dinner for you myself today.”

Sehun nodded at Jian’s words and reached out to grab the cuff of Jian’s sleeve.

“Can I go up first?”

“You want to? Then come here. I’ll take you.”

Sehun shook his head and recited the front door password he had memorized.

“0301star. I can go by myself. It’s right next door.”

That was true, but Jian felt slightly uneasy since it hadn’t been long since he chased Soochul away.

“Then I’ll just watch you go up the stairs. Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

Jian opened the cafe door and watched Sehun climb the stairs. Seeing him trying to do things on his own made Jian feel proud but also a little sad.

‘You don’t have to grow up so fast…’

Was it because he had suffered from such a young age? Looking at Sehun, it seemed like he was thinking and worrying about things that a child shouldn’t have to, with his small head, which made Jian feel sorry for him.

‘I’ll definitely make something delicious today.’

Somehow, due to lack of time, he hadn’t been able to cook a proper meal. The only food he had cooked himself was the fried egg on the first day.

Jian started cleaning up faster than usual. The problem was that no matter how quickly he worked, it took a long time because there were so many cups piled up in the sink.

Focused on his work, Jian didn’t notice that Sehun had pretended to enter the house by pressing the front door password but had actually come back down the stairs.

* * *

Sehun, standing at the building entrance, looked around. After spotting a black shoe sticking out from the adjacent alley, he walked towards the hidden person.

Making no sound like a skilled assassin, Soochul didn’t notice Sehun until he was right in front of him.

“What the-“

Soochul was reporting to the guild master on his phone when he felt a gaze and frowned deeply.

A familiar-looking kid was staring at him with an expressionless face.

He had felt it from the first time he saw him, but this kid gave him a bad feeling. His pitch-black eyes were too deep for a child.

He thought about giving the kid a knock on the head for rudely staring, but changed his mind. This was an opportunity. Hadn’t he seen how much the cafe owner doted on this kid?

Soochul quickly looked around. He could see people walking in the distance, but there was no one nearby.

His position in the guild had been declining lately. The gambling he had started for fun had now become a debt too big to ignore, pressing on his life.

He had borrowed 100 million won from the guild master, boasting that he could persuade and recruit the cafe owner, who was at least an A-rank hunter. If he returned empty-handed, he would definitely have at least one leg broken.

“Kid, you need to come with me somewhere.”

Soochul grinned and reached out towards Sehun. He planned to knock him out with a light hit to the back of the neck and take him to the guild.

He judged that since the cafe owner seemed to care for this kid immensely, he could negotiate using the child as a hostage.

It was a plan that anyone with even a little sense wouldn’t consider, but unfortunately, Soochul wasn’t very bright.

Despite the much larger adult acting threateningly, Sehun didn’t even blink. It was then that Sehun’s irises began to turn blood-red from the edges.

“Your eyes…”

Soochul muttered, feeling something strange, as his eyes lost focus. His heavy upper body swayed back and forth.

“Kneel.”

With a thud, Soochul did as he was told. Sehun’s tiny hand slapped Soochul’s cheeks, making a clear sound.

Despite the unpleasant action, Soochul just blinked, his mouth hanging open.

“Don’t come here again. Erase it from your memory. Explain it to the others yourself.”

“Yes…”

Sehun smiled with satisfaction and pushed Soochul’s forehead with his palm.

“Go.”

“Yes…”

Soochul stood up staggering and walked away like a zombie.

“Whew…”

Sehun wiped the blood drops falling below his nose with the back of his hand and let out a long sigh.

Because he had used too much power on the day he escaped from the lab, his abilities still hadn’t recovered.

It might take years to fully recover, but he had just forcibly used his power, and the aftermath immediately showed on his body.

Before leaving the alley, Sehun peeked out. Moving stealthily towards the store front, he could see Jian moving busily through the glass door.

Although his whole body felt like it was being stabbed with knives, he didn’t regret using his ability. If left alone, that guy would have continued to bother Jian and his life.

‘I need to deal with that one too…’

In fact, what bothered him more than Soochul was the guy who had visited the cafe earlier. The moment he recalled the face of the guy who had acted like he knew something, a murderous intent flashed in his pitch-black eyes.

As his ability tried to run wild on its own, Sehun closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the angelic face that Jian knew.

* * *

“Sehun, I’m back.”

Jian entered the front door, rotating his stiff shoulders. There was a bustling sound from the kitchen, and soon something like a squirrel came running out.

“Hyung, you’re home.”

Jian was at a loss for words seeing Sehun bowing with his hands together. His chubby cheeks and the corners of his mouth had some seaweed flakes and rice grains stuck to them.

So this is why people get married and have children. The fatigue that had built up from working all day melted away like snow at the sight of Sehun.

“Come here.”

Jian bent down and picked Sehun up in his arms. A savory smell came from the child’s face.

He picked off a rice grain stuck to his face and put it in his mouth. It tasted like sesame oil, so it seemed like he had been eating rice wrapped in seaweed.

“Were you eating? I was going to cook something delicious for you.”

He regretted not finishing work earlier and coming up sooner. Entering the kitchen, as Jian had expected, seasoned seaweed and instant rice were scattered on the table.

“Let’s eat together.”

Sehun pointed with his fingertip at the rice placed on a plate. The amount of rice in each seaweed wrap varied, and rice grains were sticking out here and there, but to Jian’s eyes, it looked more impressive than any elaborate feast in the world.

Thinking of the child making these with his small hands while waiting for him made Jian’s nose tingle.

“This looks really delicious.”

Jian sat on a chair with Sehun in his arms and put one seaweed rice roll in his mouth. It was a familiar taste, but it was the most delicious food he had ever eaten in his life.

He had thought he was the one taking care, but that was a misconception. The child’s affection made his heart swell. It was the first time someone had prepared food for him since his parents passed away.

The child’s feelings embedded in the food felt so precious that he almost regretted each grain of rice disappearing in his mouth.

Sehun’s eyes curved round as he watched Jian eating well. Sehun also reached out, grabbed a rice roll, and nibbled on it.

The rice soon disappeared as it was made from just one packet of instant rice. It was far from enough to fill both of their stomachs.

“This time, I’ll make something for you. Just wait a bit.”