I Became a Villain’s Hero

Chapter 112: The Link (1)

TL/Editor: raei

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-Ding-ding-ding-ding...

Min-Bom woke up to the sound of an alarm.

It felt like only a few minutes had passed since she had laid down on the sofa in her private office... but three hours had already gone by.

For a moment, she felt tired and exhausted.

But when Jung-gyeom's face crossed her mind, she got up from her spot.

She had gone to bed at 3 a.m. and was now waking up at 6 a.m.

It was still a time when everyone else was asleep, but Min-Bom had no leisure to rest.

She had to get up again for training.

She had to run with all her might to surpass Dice.

After washing up in the shower room of the association building, she got an electrolyte drink from the vending machine on the second floor.

As she was quenching her thirst, someone called her from behind.

"Solace."

Turning around, Shake was standing there.

Solace nodded her head in greeting.

"...Hello."

...

Min-Bom hadn't been hiding her feelings lately.

She couldn't afford to.

After a brief greeting to Shake, Min-Bom took a gulp of her drink.

She was planning to rehydrate and start training again.

"...Solace, spare me a moment."

But Shake's words crumbled her plans.

Min-Bom felt uncomfortable as she drank her drink.

She wasn't going through all this trouble of cutting sleep to have conversations with people.

She was training to catch Dice.

Thus, without even looking at Shake, Solace disposed of her drink and said,

"...Sorry. I'm a bit busy right now."

"...Leave Dice alone."

However, Shake's words made Solace freeze.

She didn't turn to face Shake.

Turning around would mean showing her distorted face filled with anger.

Choosing silence over likely harsh words, Shake said to Solace.

"Your current state isn't normal."

...

"You can't keep going like this."

Shake didn't come any closer.

He just kept a certain distance and offered advice.

"As the number one hero, you need to have self-awareness. A top hero should reassure the citizens and suppress villains. Not obsessively dedicate themselves to training."

"...Thanks for the advice. I'll be going now."

Not wanting to hear any more, Solace left the spot.

But Shake didn't let her go.

"Wait until Dice turns himself in...!"

He said with frustration.

Only then did Min-Bom slightly release the anger she had been holding back.

"He might not turn himself in-"

"-If he doesn't, it's not too late to try then."

"...Shake."

"We're not lifting a finger yet Dice is actively taking down the villain alliance. There's nothing to lose by waiting, so why are you so desperate to chase after Dice?

Letting Luna go in exchange for capturing the rest is a profitable deal. We get to take over the most powerful villains of our time without any loss. The Villain Alliance could have lasted for decades. Don't you see that ending it this way is for the better?"

"..."

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"We still haven't caught Liquid, Riem, Tryno, and one unidentified member of the alliance. It's better to let Dice run wild for now. So stop it, Solace. Just stop and reassure the citizens. Because of you, the association's staff are having to deal with the citizens' anger."

Min-Bom silently listened to Shake's words, then deeply sighed.

She didn't want to argue with him anymore.

It was clear that their differing opinions would only lead to more fights.

Regardless of what he said, Solace's actions were already decided.

She didn't even say goodbye to Shake and headed for the training ground.

---

---

-Thud.

Entering the training ground, Min-Bom closed the iron door behind her.

-Click.

Alone in the early morning, she turned on the lights that she had previously turned off.

The lights flickered on, and Solace stared silently at the machines she had wrestled with the day before.

"......."

Alone in this space, Min-Bom slowly slid down.

Leaning against the iron door, she let her strength fade away.

Normally, with all this stress, she would immediately call Jung-gyeom.

She would have vented about her troubles or taken a brief rest while listening to his stories.

But not now.

Jung-gyeom had disappeared.

She couldn't rest for even a moment. Nothing felt like a break.

So, all she could do was murmur to herself.

"...Don't worry, oppa."

She said.

"...I'll never give up on you, oppa."

---

---

As I opened the door, a comforting scent wafted towards me.

-Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.

The pleasant sound of a knife chopping on a cutting board could be heard.

I knew who was creating these smells and sounds.

Slowly heading to the kitchen, I saw Han Yoo-jung.

She was silently preparing my meal.

In her silhouette, I could see myself.

I used to prepare food like that for Song Soo-yeon.

"..."

Clearly, last night's dream had a significant impact.

It helped me understand her actions and feelings.

Though I wasn't in a position to pity anyone, I couldn't help but feel sympathy.

With mixed feelings, I let out a short sigh.

"...Huh?"

At that sound, Han Yoo-jung quickly turned towards me.

-Click!

"Ah!"

And with an unusual sound, Han Yoo-jung grimaced and dropped the knife.

She clasped her hands together tightly, visibly agitated.

Without realizing, I quickly moved towards her.

"...Did you cut yourself?"

"...Ah, no, it's... it's okay."

"..."

I couldn't help but be concerned about her injury.

No, this too must be because of the dream.

If it had been like before, I probably wouldn't have cared.

-Tap...tap...

But despite her words, blood dripped drop by drop from between her tightly clenched hands.

The fact that it was flowing to this extent meant the injury was not minor, anyone could see that.

Panicked, she avoided my gaze and hastily turned on the kitchen faucet to rinse her hand, as if trying to hide the bleeding with water.

"..."

I grabbed her arm and pulled it away from the water.

"Ow..."

I sat Han Yoo-jung down and said.

"...Sit here."

I headed to the bathroom, brought back a clean towel, and a first aid kit from inside.

Then, I wrapped her hand with the towel to clean the blood and slowly examined the wound.

"..."

During this time, Han Yoo-jung was silent,her face gradually turning red as she blinked.

I frowned upon seeing her wound.

It wasn't deep, but it wasn't something that could be fixed with just a band-aid either.

It needed to be disinfected and probably bandaged with gauze.

After wrapping the wound again with the towel, I told her.

"...Hold it tight."

Han Yoo-jung nodded. Her brown hair slid off her shoulders.

-Sssss...

At the same time, something Han Yoo-jung was boiling overflowed and made contact with the flame on the stove.

She hurriedly tried to stand up, but I pressed her shoulder down and said,

"I told you to keep pressing on the wound."

"..."

I went to the kitchen in her stead.

I turned down the heat to reduce the bubbling and blew on it.

After cleaning her blood off the chopping board, I took over the knife.

"Gye...Gyeom."

Han Yoo-jung, having her kitchen duties taken over, said in a voice that was almost crying, but I ignored it.

She had been preparing bibimbap and kimchi stew.

I continued cooking from where she left off.

After 10 minutes, I put down the knife.

Turning around, Han Yoo-jung was staring at me.

I sat down in front of her again and checked the wound.

Unlike before, it wasn't bleeding.

"...This might hurt a bit."

I took out the disinfectant, soaked a cotton pad in it, and cleaned her wound.

Han Yoo-jung didn't even moan, enduring the pain. She didn't take her eyes off me.

"...Stop staring at me."

Eventually feeling pressured, I spoke, but Han Yoo-jung ignored my words.

This would be the first time she resisted me like this.

After disinfecting, I applied a gauze pad, then cleaned up the bloodied towel and the first aid kit.

Seeing me go to grab the knife again, Han Yoo-jung hurriedly got up and grabbed my clothes.

"Gye...Gyeom, let me do it."

"With that hand? Sit down."

"...But...still..."

"Sit down, I said."

After firmly stating it a couple of times, Han Yoo-jung finally sat down.

Even I found it hard to understand why I was acting this way.

She was neither Song Soo-yeon nor Min-Bom.

Naturally, we weren't in a relationship where I would be making food for her.

So why was I doing this?

The reason that I was cooking because she was injured...didn' convince even me.

...Maybe, it's because I have to hand her over to the association.

After learning everything about her, that part became slightly uncomfortable.

Despite it being obvious that I had to turn her in, a vague sense of discomfort was holding me back.

-Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.

"..."

I let out a small sigh through my nose.

As I continued to chop, I cleared my mind of thoughts.

---

---

"...It's really delicious."

"..."

"Really, it's delicious, Gyeom."

"...How many times have you said that?"

"But... it's true."

Han Yoo-jung showered me with compliments as she ate her meal.

With every spoonful, she praised the food.

Though I didn't respond to every comment... somehow, I also felt a sense of ease.

Selfishly, I might have been alleviating some guilt.

...If I hand her over.

She would probably spend the rest of her life in prison.

Surrounded by numerous villains, that's how she would live her life.

If she had been as powerful as other villains, I would have been less worried.

But the current her was not like that.

She was just another person, struggling with loneliness after losing her family, her sister... and me.

"........"

Did she notice this change in me?

Han Yoo-jung spoke first.

"...It's okay, Gyeom."

My spoon stopped.

"There's no need to feel guilty. Because I... ruined your happiness."

"............"

"...Hand me over to the association whenever you want. I never once thought of running away."

After blinking blankly for a moment... I continued to eat as if nothing had happened.

Han Yoo-jung also put food into her mouth, then glanced at me again and hunched her shoulders as if she had something to say.

"...Why."

...

She couldn't speak for a while, as if ashamed by my question.

"Speak."

Only after I pressed did she struggle to open her mouth.

"...I'm sorry to ask this again..."

"..."

Han Yoo-jung raised her head.

She looked at me straight, as if she wanted me to hear this more than anything.

"...If I go to prison, could you take care of my sister for me?"

"...What?"

"...Just once a year... Could you visit the columbarium where my sister's ashes are? Go there... tell her some fun stories... and say that I'm doing well..."

"..."

I couldn't speak for a while.

Han Yoo-jung's desperation made it even more difficult.

When I didn't answer, Han Yoo-jung slowly reached out and held my hand.

"...Gyeom. I know it's really shameless of me. But... I can't bear to leave my sister alone... Is there really no way...?"

I carefully pulled my hand away and said,

"...Sorry."

It was something I couldn't do either.

As despair began to fill Han Yoo-jung's expression, I had no choice but to explain.

"...Even if I wanted to, I can't."

"...Why?"

Only then did confusion appear on Han Yoo-jung's face.

I continued,

"...After handing over the Villain Alliance to the association, I'm going to turn myself in."

"..."

The anxiety in Han Yoo-jung's eyes wavered as she asked,

"...Why?"

I revealed,

"...So that Soo-yeon can live."