VILLAIN 11

He was the first person to run to Seo Kangsan upon learning of his existence, and he loved and trusted Seo Kangsan until the very end.

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No more information can be accessed as the story is not progressing.

So he loves Seo Kangsan unconditionally, even if he hates me? This is the first time I’ve ever seen Seo Kangsan smile like that.

It feels as if only the two of them are in a different world. While the grandfather and Seo Kangsan greeted each other affectionately, Lee Sera—who had been standing at a distance with an awkward smile—announced that the meal was ready and guided the two of them.

I caught a glimpse of Lee Sera’s eyes, which looked strangely uncomfortable, and as I sat in my chair, I felt the grandfather’s gaze on me. His expression was blank and his eyes were so terrifying that any child would have burst into tears upon seeing them.

Don’t you want to steal Grandfather’s love? >_< Huh? Huh? Mr. Seo Hosu doesn’t want to be hated either!

I told you, he likes Seo Kangsan even if he hates me. What does it matter if I’m hated?

I stared blankly at the food served before me, then locked eyes with Grandfather and beamed.

Oh, by the way. Seo Hosu was extremely terrified of Seo Taesan! He used to wail and cry whenever they ran into each other! ^0^

…Then me sitting here perfectly fine must look awkward? Should I start crying now?

Seo Kangsan, who had naturally sat down beside me, followed my gaze toward Grandfather and gave a faint smile. Glancing at him, I let out a small, involuntary chuckle at that smiling face. Then, as Seo Kangsan picked up a spoon with his left hand and tried to feed me, I waved my hand dismissively as a signal that I was fine and he should eat his own.

Argh! You frustration! ⊙△⊙ꐦ

Stem, they say even a dog isn’t bothered while eating.

Ah, you’re a System, so maybe you don’t know that saying?

…Pardon? I told you I’m a System…? Why do you keep ignoring me…? ⊙_⊙;;;

“That messy hair of yours is still the same as ever.”

Lee Sera’s lips were slightly stiff, as if she were nervous that Seo Kangsan might say something unnecessary.

Lee Sera wore a mask that made her look perfectly like a good person, but I could see her true intentions very clearly. If I could see it, I wondered if Grandfather knew too… but Grandfather’s eyes remained fixed on Seo Kangsan. With a soft and tender look.

Seo Kangsan, who had been glancing at Lee Sera, let out a small sigh and spoke bluntly. “Yes, it’s more comfortable this way.”

‘He should just tell on her right now.’

I didn’t know why he was hiding it. Did he not trust Grandfather? Even I, seeing him for the first time, felt he was so reliable. While watching the two of them, I made direct eye contact with Grandfather. I turned my head away, pretending not to see his mouth stiffen and his gaze turn cold and sharp the moment he saw me, and picked up my spoon.

‘Ah, if only I could speak, I’d tell him everything.’

Even if I tried to tell Grandfather everything now, my mouth wouldn’t open. Right?

I glanced at the system window, sighed, and focused on eating the rice and soup in front of me. Then, a meat side dish was plopped onto my rice bowl. Having moved the meat onto my rice with his chopsticks, Seo Kangsan looked at me irritably with a scowl, as if telling me to eat quickly.

I stopped scanning my surroundings, took a large spoonful of meat and rice, put it in my mouth, and chewed away.

Even while eating without a single word of conversation, Seo Kangsan consistently placed side dishes in my bowl.

After eating dessert and saying goodbye to Grandfather, I subtly took Lee Sera’s hand and moved to the living room. I wanted to go into the room, but felt that would be a bit rude….

It was an action done with the thought of giving the two of them some time alone.

“So, do you still have no intention of following your grandfather?”

“Yes, not particularly.”

What is this?

Grandfather told him to follow him, and he’s holding out?

Lee Sera, whose attention was focused on the kitchen just as much as mine, was unable to concentrate on me and shifted her eyes toward the kitchen with a stiff expression.

“What about school? Still no intention of going?”

“I’ll think about that more.”

School…. For someone who wants to burn all the workbooks, there’s no way Lee Sera would let him go if he stays in this house.

Seo Kangsan turned his head to look this way for a moment before looking back at Grandfather.

Whether he noticed something, Grandfather looked this way with a hardened expression.

‘Notice it, please. That Seo Kangsan can’t go to school because of Lee Sera.’

“Is someone stopping you from going to school?”

Thank goodness, Grandfather is quick on the uptake. Now it was Seo Kangsan’s turn.

Please, say yes.

I looked at Seo Kangsan with desperation, but he merely glanced at me, sighed, and shook his head.

That’s right. If Seo Kangsan goes to school, it’ll be troublesome for us too. There won’t even be time to bully him….

“I….”

“Hyung going to school, that would be cool.”

What was he going to say? Was he going to set it in stone that he wouldn’t go? I couldn’t let that happen. Who knows what Lee Sera would do to him next if he stayed home?

The moment Seo Kangsan was about to say something, I muttered as if to be heard by everyone and stared intently at him.

Seo Kangsan, who had stopped mid-sip of water, widened his eyes.

“Wow, I want to have a cool hyung who goes to school too.”

Would this work? I heard that little kids really like it when you call them cool or pretty.

Smiling brightly like a young child, I played the “I don’t know anything” card. At that, Lee Sera looked down at me with murderous eyes and grabbed my arm so hard it hurt.

It was stronger than I expected and painful, so I reflexively winced before forcing a smile.

Lee Sera looked at me with glinting eyes. Although she wore a gentle smile, they were eyes that would have laid a hand on me if we had been alone.

“…Sweetie, let’s go to the room with Mommy.”

I shook my head firmly as a signal to Seo Kangsan not to follow, and turned around. I slowly followed Lee Sera into the room.

‘Am I going to get hit too?’

Contrary to my expectation that she would be angry, Lee Sera sat me on the bed and locked eyes with me in silence for a long time. The eyes looking at me seemed a bit clearer than usual, which flustered me slightly.

…What? Why is she like this?

“Mommy?”

Ding!

The story progression has changed; ‘Lee Sera’ is synchronizing with the story.

Synchronization 21%

Synchronization 22%

“…Sweetie.”

Her voice sounded genuinely tender, so I opened my eyes wide and looked at Lee Sera. Whether she was acting subconsciously, a number rapidly rose above the head of Lee Sera, who was smoothing my hair with a gentle smile.

Synchronization 99%

Her eyes were somewhat vacant, but her gaze was still tender.

Synchronization 100%

“What do you think you’re doing right now?”

As soon as the number hit 100%, her eyes glinted like a snake’s again, and she spoke to me in a sharp, low voice. While gripping my arm hard enough to cause pain.

‘What… is this?’

They say when a person is dumbfounded, they start to laugh.

Right now, it went beyond being dumbfounded; I felt so disgusted that anger boiled up inside me.

“What’s with that look? Do you think you did something right?”

The high-pitched voice blamed me as she grabbed and shook my arm. It definitely hurt and felt disgusting, but strangely, I felt like I was going to cry.

Those eyes from earlier were clearly telling me that Lee Sera’s true nature was originally that of a soft and gentle person.

What on earth is this? Why does this person have to take on the role of a villain and be forced to torment the protagonist? Just what is so great about that damn protagonist’s painful past that they have to change a person this much? They should have just brought someone who was actually bad to begin with and put them in the villain role….

‘Fuck, this world is truly disgusting and unpleasant. This goddamn world.’

Feeling like I would cry, I bit my lip hard, then slowly pressed my hand to my forehead and sighed.

“I’m… sorry. My head is so dizzy.”

My head really was dizzy. It felt like I was getting vertigo from the extreme stress.

Lee Sera, who had been watching me in silence, reached out, grabbed my arm to pull me up, and then shoved me onto the bed. Perhaps deciding not to lay a hand on me since I was her biological son, she let out a deep “Ha,” sigh and left the room.

I felt like I’d been hit in the back of the head. My mind was numb, and a lingering sense of unpleasantness settled inside it.

‘Why, for heaven’s sake?’

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Beeeeeeeeee―