I Became a Villain’s Hero

Chapter 122: The Unchanging Hero (3)

TL/Editor: raei

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When I came to my senses, I was cooking in my restaurant.

It didn't feel strange.

"Soo-yeon, turn off the stove for me."

"Okay."

"Bom, could you get the dishes ready?"

"Got it, oppa."

Just an ordinary day with nothing special.

But this mundane day, flowing without issues, was more special to me than any other.

The warmth and fullness I felt in my heart melted me.

A smile formed on my face for no reason, and I naturally started humming.

After turning off the boiling stew, Song Soo-yeon approached me from behind.

I stopped chopping for a moment and warned her.

"Soo-yeon, it's dangerous-"

Song Soo-yeon gently hugged me from behind.

"...Soo-yeon?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she peeked her face to my side and hummed cutely.

Ignoring all my questions, as if nothing had happened, she gestured towards the cutting board with her head.

"...Keep doing what you were doing, Mister."

Briefly taken aback, I soon found myself enveloped in happiness, smiled, and continued to chop carefully.

I hummed along to Song Soo-yeon's tune.

Laughter burst out from time to time.

Although Song Soo-yeon kept a pouty face, she eventually couldn't hide her laughter.

Min-Bom walked into the kitchen.

"Oppa, I've set the table."

"Thanks, Bom."

Then she stood next to me, watched me closely, and picked up a knife.

"Should I cut this?"

"No, I'll do it."

"This needs cutting, right?"

Min-Bom started to help by cutting the prepared ingredients beside me.

Song Soo-yeon offered her light praise.

"...You're surprisingly good with the knife."

"Yeah? I cook a lot at home."

Laughter bloomed on their faces again.

Mine as well.

I realized anew that being with them was my greatest happiness.

-Thud!

And then, I suddenly stopped chopping.

I already knew.

That this was a dream.

I was just pretending not to know.

The dream was so sweet, I pretended not to notice.

Normally, I would have enjoyed this dream.

Drunk on a happiness that won't return, I wanted to be trapped in this dream forever.

But I remembered the situation before entering the dream.

Everything was over after capturing Tryno.

Then, Han Yoo-jung suggested we drink... and now, I was seeing this kind of dream.

She clearly had something planned.

"Mister, why are you like this?"

Song Soo-yeon, hugging me, asked lightly.

"....."

I couldn't answer.

No matter how much it was just a dream, saying goodbye to her again was too hard.

This would be the last time I would see her.

We wouldn't meet again.

I put down the knife and tightly held the hand of Song Soo-yeon, who was hugging me.

"Mister?"

Every time I heard her voice, my heart fluttered.

Regardless of Han Yoo-jung's plans, I wanted to stay here.

But I couldn't. I couldn't be trapped in an illusion.

I took a breath and turned around.

Facing Song Soo-yeon and Min-Bom, who were looking at me strangely.

"...Oppa?"

I asked them for something I knew I wouldn't see again.

"...Guys, can you smile for me?"

Song Soo-yeon and Min-Bom exchanged awkward glances, then shyly smiled.

Even though it was a dream, it was a moment I would remember for a lifetime.

I nodded and closed my eyes.

Then, I woke up from the dream.

---

---

From the moment I saw Han Yoo-jung's letter, something changed inside me.

Maybe because I faintly wanted this, I had been ignoring Han Yoo-jung's comments about when I would turn myself in to the Hero Association.

Thinking about it, it wasn't so much a change of heart as it was finally making a decision.

"Bom... Let her go..."

Out of empathy and sympathy, I couldn't bring myself to hand Han Yoo-jung over.

It would have been easier if she had been evil.

Like other villains, loyal only to their greed and selfishness.

But since she wasn't like that... it was hard to just leave her be.

It was too pitiful for her to end up in prison.

It's still unbelievable the lengths she went for me.

What was she thinking, trying to solve everything on her own after putting me to sleep?

As much as she did for me, shouldn't I do something for her too?

"...........Huh?"

But at the same time, I had to face a moment I didn't want to.

Solace was staring blankly at my mouth.

Leaving her aside for a moment, I looked at Han Yoo-jung.

"..........Go."

"......No...I-"

"-Go. Before I change my mind."

"........."

I grabbed Han Yoo-jung's wrist and turned her around.

I stood between her and Solace.

Looking at Han Yoo-jung, who was still hesitating, I said,

"....You have to take care of your sister. I've already shown myself. Your plan failed."

"...Gyeom."

Confusion filled Solace's eyes.

"......Gyeom?"

I didn't meet Solace's eyes.

Han Yoo-jung was my priority now.

"........Han Yoo-jung."

I spoke earnestly.

"....Please, go."

For the first time, I even pleaded with her.

"Now, live your life."

But Han Yoo-jung still didn't leave.

She just looked up at me, holding onto my sleeve, her eyes dripping with reluctance.

I removed her hand from mine and pushed her shoulder.

Then, with insistence, I looked at her intently, hoping she would understand my feelings.

Perhaps my pleading had changed her mind.

Her expression filled with pain.

She looked into my eyes and suddenly buried herself in my embrace.

She started crying and whispered.

"...I love you... I'm sorry..."

"...Go, please."

Han Yoo-jung stayed in my arms for a while, then separated from me.

I gestured to her, and slowly, she turned around and left.

I was left alone with Solace.

She looked at me with eyes full of distrust.

The moment had finally arrived.

I had to face it someday... but at the same time, it was the moment I feared the most.

"......"

Without a word, I removed the voice changer from my mouth.

-Thud.

Then, I grasped the upper part of my mask.

Slowly, I peeled it off my face.

-Whish.

The cool sea breeze brushed against my face.

Solace collapsed, her legs giving out.

I slowly looked at her and said.

"......I'm sorry."

There was nothing else I could say.

".......Oppa?"

"....I'm sorry, Bom."

---

---

It was the first time Min-Bom's legs gave out in front of a villain.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

She had never thought she would see Jung-gyeom like this.

Could she have ever guessed?

Jung-gyeom, who had always been a haven with his kind words and understanding heart, was an ability user who had the power to cripple the three strongest villains in the country at the same time.

Despite having such power, he went around doing volunteer work.

He was never arrogant.

How could she have thought that he was Dice?

".....Oppa was... Dice?"

But the reality unfolded before her, and the fact that she had to accept didn't change.

At the same time, things started to make sense.

Why Dice was so merciless to villains but avoided fighting her.

The reason Jung-gyeom disappeared with Dice's appearance.

Why he said Jung-gyeom was safe.

".........I'm sorry, Bom."

Jung-gyeom knelt on one knee, getting closer to the fallen Solace.

The face of Jung-gyeom she had longed for was right in front of her.

Min-Bom weakly asked.

"....How could you be... Dice?"

"........"

As soon as he removed his mask, the oppressive aura surrounding him disappeared.

Even though she knew he had overwhelming force as Dice, to Min-Bom, Jung-gyeom's presence was far more significant than Dice's.

She didn't think Jung-gyeom's past behavior was a pretense.

She didn't think it was all an act.

Just by the fact he hadn't attacked her.

The way he was apologizing now proved it.

His haggard face, as if he had been through the most shocking ordeal, confirmed it.

So she asked with confusion in her voice.

She wasn't afraid of him.

"...Why did you do it?"

"....."

"Oppa... why?"

Min-Bom looked at Jung-gyeom, who couldn't answer, and slowly reached out her hand.

Her warm fingers touched his cheek.

Jung-gyeom flinched and trembled in surprise, but Min-Bom didn't remove her hand.

She was only trying to understand his heart.

"...Was it because the Villain Alliance destroyed your restaurant?"

Jung-gyeom shook his head.

"Then... was it because I was badly hurt by them?"

Jung-gyeom shook his head again.

She didn't know the reason, but she felt it wouldn't be something trivial.

Min-Bom waited for Jung-gyeom's explanation and asked again.

"...Then..."

"-Luna."

Jung-gyeom said.

Min-Bom then remembered the target of the villain Dice.

As soon as she heard that name, everything clicked.

Jung-gyeom, who had been a loner, didn't care for many people.

So, it wasn't hard to deduce who the female villain was.

Jung-gyeom weakly told Min-Bom.

"...Soo-yeon is Luna."

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

"...It had to be done this way."

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

"...I'm sorry, Bom. I didn't want to hurt you."

Song Soo-yeon was Luna.

An unbelievable truth was revealed.

But knowing Jung-gyeom, he wouldn't lie in such a situation, and if his words were true... she could understand his actions.

".........Haha."

Min-Bom let out a bitter laugh.

Regardless of the right or wrong of his choice, if his words were true, she could understand.

Jung-gyeom had always been this kind of person.

He was endlessly generous to his own people.

"...Just a moment..."

"......."

"...Just a moment, Oppa."

Min-Bom continued to laugh bitterly.

The reality she faced was just one problem.

The bigger issue was... what would happen next.

Jung-gyeom had to turn himself in.

Because Min-Bom herself had insisted on it.

When Shake and her hero colleagues told her to give up on Dice, she alone persisted in chasing him.

Even the moment Dice appeared, she was the first to report him to the association.

There was no escape for him.

After laughing for a while, Min-Bom looked up at Jung-gyeom.

Anger began to smolder within her.

"...Oppa, how could you do this to me?"

".....I'm sorry."

".......How can you not say even a word to me?"

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

"You...! Because I didn't know...! The one I've been chasing...! Are you saying... I have to arrest you with my own hands...?"

"........."

"Are you saying you're going to disappear from my side again?! How could you do this, how?!"

Min-Bom threw off her mask.

She set aside her identity as Solace.

Tears started to fill her eyes.

"You're the only one who sees me as Min-Bom."

"...."

"Other people...! They only expect and demand perfection from me...! I can't show weakness anywhere, can't even speak my true feelings. Can't even smoke a single cigarette freely...!"

".....Bom."

"You were the only refuge for me. You were the only one who accepted me even when I showed weakness. But now you're saying you'll disappear? And that I have to be the one to take you down? Does this make any sense at all!!"

Min-Bom stretched out her hands and grabbed Jung-gyeom's clothes.

Jung-gyeom remained silent.

She completely revealed to Jung-gyeom the side of herself she usually tried to hide.

She said to him, sharply.

".....Don't give me that bullsh*t. I won't just sit back after being betrayed like this. Is it enough for you to go to jail and pay for your crimes? It's all over and you're the only one at ease?"

Then, a sound came from Min-Bom's radio.

"....Did you catch Dice?"

At the same time, Min-Bom's hair and eyes began to shine even brighter.

-Boom!

A huge shockwave occurred.

The radio crackled and burst, and the few streetlights that were on went out. A complete blackout occurred around Min-Bom.

The harbor quickly became silent.

Only the sound of the waves disturbed the silence.

In it, Min-Bom glared at Jung-gyeom.

Her eyes blazing, her mouth tightly shut.

Solace wrapped her hands tightly around Jung-gyeom's neck.

With an expression full of rage, she whispered,

"....I'll be the one to punish you."

Her hands tightened.

"...You're going to die here, oppa."

---

---

Song Soo-yeon was biting her nails, refreshing internet articles.

Calling Stella, she only got a hollow voice message that the connection couldn't be made.

She had never felt as anxious as she did now.

Jung-gyeom, who said he would turn himself in instead of her.

Hours passed, and then a breaking news announcement declared Luna's name had disappeared from the villain rankings.

There was only one thing this could mean.

Jung-gyeom's plan had succeeded.

-Tick...Tick...Tick...

Song Soo-yeon bit her nails, trying hard to understand the situation.

For now, all she could do was search for articles.

She had called Stella dozens of times, but the same cold voice kept repeating.

Then, it was 2 a.m.

The Hero Association announced breaking news.

During this live broadcast, a familiar face appeared.

It was Solace.

Her eyes, worn out, she stared blankly at the camera.

Song Soo-yeon felt anxious seeing her like this.

Surely, she had met with Dice.

Surely, she had discovered Dice's identity.

She began the announcement.

"...The Villain Alliance has been disbanded. Stingshot, Liquid, Riem, and Tryno have been arrested."

Despite the late hour, the shocking news had seas of journalists, flashing their cameras.

Solace weakly responded to the lights.

Her behavior only increased Song Soo-yeon's anxiety.

"No...please..."

The one thing that couldn't happen was hearing that Jung-gyeom had been arrested.

That was the one thing she prayed wouldn't happen.

Solace continued the announcement.

"...The last members of the alliance and... Luna have..."

The journalists held their breath.

Solace turned her eyes away and quietly said.

"....died in combat."

For Song Soo-yeon, it should have been good news, but she wasn't happy at the moment.

She knew too well that this was due to Jung-gyeom.

She knew too well it was the result of the contract he had with the Hero Association.

".....Lastly."

Ignoring the numerous questions from journalists, Solace spoke firmly.

Song Soo-yeon felt the news she had been waiting for was approaching.

Solace opened her mouth again.

"During this process, we encountered Dice. He......"

Song Soo-yeon inhaled sharply.

Solace said.

"...died during the engagement."

The cameras burst into action again.

But Song Soo-yeon froze, silently staring at the TV.