I’m Not That Villain - Chapter 58



57 – Spa Land (2)

I finally gave up on trying to catch her. If she wanted to keep her distance, there was nothing I could do. Still, just in case, I asked from afar if she wasn’t feeling well…

All I got back was a whisper, saying she was fine.

Well, if she says she’s fine, I guess she’s fine.

I decided to just think it was because things were a little awkward – she was always a shy kid anyway.

I introduced her to the group.

“This is Seol Yewon… no, come a little closer. I have to introduce you.”

“Y-yes, heheh…”

Seol Yewon, shuffling hesitantly closer, bowed her head earnestly to the others.

“I’m, uh, Seol Yewon… please take care of me…”

“I’m Lillie.”

“I’m Renata!”

Scarlett, from within the device that looked like a wristwatch, didn’t make a sound. She just ignored her as if it were natural.

Seeing how she usually treated Renata, it was only to be expected. The only person she treated warmly was me; she’d always been unfriendly to others.

For now, I took the subway. I could have pulled out the modified truck, but…

I didn’t want to get singled out for no reason. And I wasn’t exactly in a position to churn out a new car right now either.

Money, you know, it’s like…

Even though my earnings have definitely increased, it’s like…

Buying materials for facility installations, expanding the underground area, upgrading Scarlett, and including the research costs for my artificial psionic factor…

The money just vanished as if poured down the drain.

A car can wait. It’s a lower priority. The fact that we were even spending time together like this was rare as it was.

We took the subway. But what can you do? With the way we looked, it was unavoidable to draw attention.

Right now, I mean. Even Renata is just openly beautiful. Yeah. That’s it, openly beautiful. That goofy, giggling smile she always has. And that ridiculously voluptuous body, it’s no less than that weird woman I saw before.

What about Lily over there? Ah. Cute. Murderously cute, even. Pretty, of course, and for someone with a specific taste, she’d be breathtaking, impossible to look away from. She seems to know it too, wearing a mask, but there’s no way you can hide that beauty with just a piece of cloth.

And to make matters worse, Seol Yewon joined this already solid duo. She was desperately trying to avoid my gaze but…

That clingy, revealing outfit.

Her chest about to burst and that slim waist.

Even that slightly pressed thigh peeking through the thigh-high socks.

Her eyes, peeking over here from behind her light blue hair, she was so beautiful it made me think—why are you wasting that beauty?

So, in conclusion. There are three beauties. And I’m right in the center.

Tsk… what should I say…

It’s not like I’m feeling any kind of superiority. To begin with, two of them are business associates, and the last one is just a regular customer, right?

Looking at it in terms of relationships, they’re just acquaintances. That’s all. It’s not like I have a relationship where I could feel superior…

Rather, I’d say,

It’s more like, because our faces don’t match, I’m losing a bit of confidence.

…But!

Right now, wouldn’t you say my appearance is not too shabby?! Huh?! Looking as good as I do right now, I don’t have to feel all that intimidated…

…Or am I going too far?

I looked at myself faintly reflected in the subway window. Even with the mask, I look pretty decent.

But, you know.

Men can’t objectively see their own appearance. The moment they think they’re handsome…

They might just turn into that kind of womanizing jerk.

Lee Min-ho. What if I became like that guy, with his greasy looks and that expression like he could charm every woman in the world?

…Ugh. I don’t want that. Let’s just think I’m ugly myself. That’s just right.

Renata suddenly grabbed my collar. She gestured at an empty seat after a passenger got off.

“Seo Jun-ssi. Sit.”

“It’s okay. Standing is exercise.”

“Then I’ll sit. Hehehe.”

She’s so cheerful. So damn cheerful.

The subway was slowly filling up. Guess it’s because it’s the weekend. Feels like everyone’s going somewhere to have fun.

“Ah.”

I got jostled and pushed, separated a bit from Lily and Renata. Well, it’s not like there’ll be any issue getting off, they both know where we’re going anyway…

“…Ah…”

Cornered in the side, Seol Ye-won was suddenly pressed right into my chest.

She, who was slowly keeping her distance, widened her eyes. She seemed to be trying to quickly get away, all flustered, but what can she do?

There are no seats. No seats. I whispered to her, enduring the pressure of the people pushing against my back.

“Just hang in there a little.”

“Y-yes… y-yesheee…”

For some reason, I clearly heard the sound of her gulping. Seol Ye-won, who was desperately avoiding my gaze, was also trembling.

Even if it’s too close, she seems more panicked than necessary… Could it be…

Ah!

From noble mtl dot com

Social phobia! Is it still because of that?!

Looking back, you know? Even if Seol Yewon says she’s better, trauma ain’t something that’s easily fixed.

So, a place this crowded is probably suffocating for her. I leaned in, trying my best to shield her from the worst of the crowd.

“Seol Yewon.”

“Y-yes, y-yeshee…?”

“Just look at me.”

If she just looks at me, maybe the chills from her social anxiety will lessen a bit.

It’s gotta be better than looking directly at people, right? It’s my own kind of solution. Next time, I should just…

Build a car or something and drive her around. Get a license too. Quick.

. . .

In a room, you know? If you just hole yourself up, quietly,

You end up looking at your phone without even realizing it.

And then, you absorb all sorts of knowledge about the world. Like, say, anime or manga.

Things that are easy to consume, you can watch them even without money. It’s one of Seol Yewon’s little hobbies, and watching manga was pretty much the only leisure activity she had left.

But.

But.

I’ve definitely seen this scene before. In manga, the female lead experiences this at least once: two people pressed together in a suffocating subway hell.

“……..”

People keep crowding in. And naturally, they push us into a corner.

But even so, it’s not suffocating. Thanks to one person acting as a wall, the space actually feels pretty wide.

Because he’s so much taller than me…

A man you had to look up to see his face.

Seol Yewon glanced at the older man in front of her. Every time their eyes occasionally met, she didn’t know what to do and hastily looked away.

But.

But.

She wanted to steal more glances. She kept wanting to see that face.

Of course, he was wearing a mask. But she knew what his face looked like underneath…

She wanted to rip it off– and check again.

That faint smile. Even the way he looked down at her.

“……..”

The subway was filled with a mix of smells. But Seol Yewon couldn’t escape one smell right now.

Her chest, pressed firmly against his. Her body, half-crushed, was getting closer as more people packed in.

Something…something…was strange…

Her body kept…heating up…

No, hold it in, Seol Yewon. Hold it in. No. Don’t.

Don’t have those weird thoughts. Absolutely not. Oh, he would definitely be embarrassed, wouldn’t he?

So… so… somehow, just hold it in…

“Seol Yewon.”

“Y-yes, yeheh…?”

A pleasant voice scratched at her ear.

“Just look at me.”

“……?!!!!!!”

His tone is somewhat forceful. It feels like a command from the start.

But the person giving that command is *ajusshi*. The *ajusshi* who looked after me, who showed me the way.

…So…so…

Sooo…

“Y-yes…yes…”

Okay.

Okay.

Okaaay…♡

Without realizing it, I reach out. I want to hug him, but I can’t bring myself to, so I just lightly grasp his sleeve.

It’s not like it’s my first time on the subway. And it’s definitely not my favorite place. I don’t have a single happy memory associated with it.

But right now, it’s different. Somehow… I, I just keep wishing this moment would never end…

…Should I kidnap the station worker? Heh, should I just text and ask if they can just let it keep going without stopping?

Ah, no, that won’t work, right? Something…my brain isn’t working straight.

“A-ajusshiii…”

“Hm?”

Seol Ye-won mustered her courage.

The greatest courage of her life.

And with that courage…

She tightly gripped the sleeve of the *ajusshi* she had come to adore.

“You, you look like you’re gonna…fall…”

Of course, there’s a handrail right there. But this is just, well.

A sly little fox move, loaded with her own selfish desires. That’s what this is for Seol Yewon.

She checks his expression first, worried he might be upset. The more she learns about this man, the smaller she feels.

But he’s not upset at all. If anything, he tilts his head a little more.

“Hold on tight.”

“……!”

Wha, where am I supposed to hold?! D-do I really just grab anywhere?!

M-maybe I could just, like, hug him?! I, maybe this is my chance.

Seol Yewon.

Get a grip. Make a decision.

This, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…!

“Ah. We’re here.”

“……..”

Seol Yewon’s world crumbled.

. . .

Spa Land.

Finally, they arrived at the facility, far from Jung-gu, and it was pretty crowded.

After showing the tickets she had pre-booked, they immediately split up.

Me, being a man, and the three women. Scarlet, still tucked inside her waterproof watch, went with Renata.

I whispered to Renate before completely separating from them.

“Renata.”

“Yes?”

For some reason, I pointed towards the wilting Seol Yewon.

I had asked Lily separately too, but in this kind of thing, her more affable nature would be a better fit.

“Please look after Seol Yewon. I’d be grateful if you could make sure she doesn’t feel left out.”

“Ah! Yes! Leave it to me!”

I immediately headed towards the bath. First thing was to wash up before getting into a proper rest.

After a quick shower, straight into the bath. I sank into the massive tub where I could move freely, something I hadn’t done in ages.

“…Huuuh…”

Good.

Good.

Good…!

Of course, there’s a bathtub at home too. But, you know. It just doesn’t feel the same. The size difference is huge, so the feeling is completely different.

I just slumped there. After enjoying the bath to my heart’s content, I went to the meeting plaza.

A crowded place, filled with people waiting for their groups. Since they’re all women, it’d take them a while, so I looked for a place to rest.

I took a suitable spot and waited for my group to come out.

And then.

“…Hmm.”

I noticed a man with a troubled expression in front of a vending machine.

Like, how should I put it? A face that screams trouble, just by looking at it. And the face itself, it’s… what do you even call it…

Menacing? No. More like… a total punk? Yeah, that fits better. Anyway, this guy looks like some kind of delinquent and he’s scowling too, so the vibe is intense.

The thing is, he’s just staring at the vending machine. Is it because the atmosphere is so hostile? Other people seem to be using the vending machines *except* the one he’s standing in front of.

Did something go wrong? Or did he have a beef with the machine itself?

Ah.

Or, maybe it’s this.

The vending machine itself might be a bit unfamiliar.

Usually, in other regions, you can use these kinds of things with just a card. But in Seoul, a lot of places prefer cash to cards.

This place is like that too. Most of the available facilities run on cash, so you always have to carry your wallet around in here.

Hmm.

If the guy’s a newbie who just arrived in Seoul, that could be it. It’s a totally awkward situation, the kind you’d find yourself in if you didn’t do your research beforehand, like I did. That machine even sells all kinds of handy stuff.

“……”

Okay. I remember when I first got to Seoul…

As a senior, I guess I can do a small good deed.

“Is there a problem?”

The guy turned to look at me.

He made an awkward smile when our eyes met.

Honestly, I don’t know…

It was a brutal smile. Wow. I think he was trying to smile awkwardly, but maybe it’s his face or something. It’s really brutal.

He opened his mouth.