I Became a Villainous Character with a Limited Lifespan - Episode 123

Episode 123

“…I’m fine.”

“Would Han Seung-hyun be able to believe those words?”

“…You’re right. It’s not that I’m fine. But… it’s not serious enough to have such a world-ending face.”

Seung-hyun, who had been staring into those eyes for a long time, lied as if possessed by something. The time he had left was not much, and Jae-young would surely not leave Seung-hyun’s side.

In a state where he was already hurt as much as possible, a complete mess. If he couldn’t leave anyway, wouldn’t this be better?

“…If you wait just 3 months, I’ll be able to have surgery. It’s just that… my condition isn’t good right now, so I’m recuperating for the time being.”

“!!”

Once he started lying, the words came out so easily it was ridiculous. He himself didn’t understand with what mindset he said such things, to the point it was an absurd lie.

However, it seemed like the current Jae-young would believe those words. Perhaps, with the thought of wanting to believe, his judgment would be clouded and he would believe it without questioning it back and forth.

That prediction was exactly right, and a slightly hopeful look returned to Jae-young’s face.

“…I didn’t want to show this side of myself. So…”

So he just hid, he said. Even to himself, it wasn’t a very credible statement, but it was good enough if he could buy time with this lie even for a moment.

He didn’t want Jae-young to stay by his side out of sympathy or to spend each day out of a sense of duty.

Even if he had to deceive himself and each other, he wanted to spend the remaining time without being sad. It wouldn’t last long, but he wanted to pretend like nothing was happening even for just a few days.

“Why are you having such foolish thoughts?”

Jae-young’s voice was trembling a little. As expected, it seemed he had sensed Seung-hyun’s situation in one corner of his heart.

“Such strange thoughts…”

Surely this lie wouldn’t last long, but it was enough if he could buy time even for a moment. Seung-hyun hesitated and continued,

“Secretary Lee must have thought he should take over my work while I rest. Since I hadn’t contacted him after quitting work, he thought that was my intention…”

“I’m glad.”

Before he could even finish speaking, Jae-young hugged Seung-hyun. Even though he couldn’t see his face, he could feel how tense and relieved he was.

The sound of his rapidly beating heart rang loudly in his ears. Seung-hyun quietly listened to that heartbeat for a moment.

That lie, which wouldn’t last long, brought a brief peace.

***

That day, the two returned to Seung-hyun’s familiar house. Although the house he had been staying in wasn’t bad for recuperation, Seung-hyun disliked that house.

‘Is it because I don’t have any good memories while staying here?’

Was it because all the memories while staying in this house were only dark ones? The refreshing scenery outside the window felt suffocating, and he didn’t want to stay here for long.

If he returned to this house that was already known, some bothersome guests might visit, but he didn’t care.

‘They’re not tactless or stupid, so they’ll notice before long.’

On the way back, Jae-young might have also realized something was strange. He too would unconsciously try to bury it, pretending not to know.

He knew it was a peace with limits. So he wanted to spend this time as meaningfully as possible even a little.

“Do you not have to go back?”

“I don’t have anything to do anyway. I’m half unemployed, aren’t I? I won’t have to show my face at home for a while.”

Jae-young said lightly. But those words weren’t true.

It was because Madam Ju had noticed Jae-young’s strange behavior. She, who found out that he, who had lived his whole life without wanting or longing for anything, was moving busily as if being chased by something, contacted Jae-young several times.

It was even more so because he didn’t have the leisure to even pretend to avoid her. He would have to see her soon since he couldn’t avoid it forever, but Jae-young looked at Seung-hyun, pretending nothing was going on.

“Don’t worry…”

“How have you been… all this time?”

Seung-hyun asked, hesitating a bit. Even without asking, it was clear from his slightly thinned face and overly calm demeanor that it hadn’t been a good time. But Seung-hyun, who changed the subject because he felt like this peace, which was already difficult to last long, would quickly shatter if he talked about himself.

“…I can’t say I’ve been well.”

Jae-young said, shrugging his shoulders. It was a light tone, but a biting remark. Seung-hyun fiddled with his phone that he hadn’t turned on yet and said,

“You should have just lived as if nothing had happened. There must be many people you can meet and want to meet.”

“I tried, but it didn’t work out well.”

If he could have done that, why wouldn’t he have? Jae-young recalled how he had been after his conversation with Seung-hyun had ended in a mess.

He thought he had been busy trying to erase thoughts of Seung-hyun by doing something, but the days were so meaningless that he could hardly remember how he had spent them. He had just been meeting people and drinking out of obligation. He had been wasting time just to avoid thinking about anything.

“If I could have done that, I would have done it a long time ago.”

“…You should have just done that.”

Seung-hyun muttered softly. Although he was glad Jae-young had finally come looking for him, and had decided to spend the remaining time together even if it was just a little, his wicked greed kept raising its head, contrary to being content with that.

‘When in fact, I would be just as miserable if he did that.’

Seung-hyun had a self-deprecating thought and lowered his head. To think the only things he could say were like this. It was foolish.

“…You must be hungry. Is there anything you want to eat? Since the house has been empty for a long time, there won’t be any ingredients either.”

Jae-young didn’t answer and changed the subject. He opened the refrigerator, checked the empty inside as expected, and closed the refrigerator door.

“I’ll go out for a bit and come back. Can you stay alone?”

“I’m not a child either.”

“It’s because I’m anxious to leave a sick person alone.”

“…It won’t take long anyway, so that much is fine.”

Seung-hyun nodded. He didn’t dislike Jae-young’s attitude of treating him like a child. As he connected his phone to the charger, Jae-young glanced at the powered-off phone.

“Then I’ll be back in a bit. The phone… will you turn it on now?”

Seung-hyun fiddled with his phone that hadn’t turned on yet for no reason and nodded. When he briefly turned on his phone, he had checked most of the accumulated contacts, but he hadn’t checked how many contacts had come since the calls started coming in.

“I’ll be right back.”

He also felt like he had hurriedly left, unable to overcome the awkward atmosphere. But since it was the same for Seung-hyun, who was not yet used to this situation, he didn’t deliberately show it and just waited for his phone to charge.

Before long, enough battery was charged for the power to come on. Seung-hyun long-pressed the power button on his phone.

As soon as the power came on, what he saw was a frighteningly accumulated number of missed calls. It seemed he had kept calling until the power went off.

He couldn’t even fathom how long the soundless and vibration-off phone had been glowing inside the drawer, how Jae-young’s heart had felt during that long time he had been holding the phone.

‘Why did he have to meet someone like me?’

It would have been nice if he had met someone he could spend a long time with, someone a bit better and kinder than himself, who would suit Jae-young well.

‘That’s right. Certainly, it might have been better if we hadn’t met.’

It was a fact he had always thought about, but hearing it from Jae-young’s mouth made it feel a bit more real. Naturally, he too would be hurt and get angry, but he had been thinking only of his own pain and hadn’t been able to think about it.

‘And yet, he can’t leave my side, he’s become similar even in the foolish parts.’

If they couldn’t leave each other anyway, he wanted to make at least a few good memories in the remaining time, but that didn’t seem as simple as he thought either.

Despite the surprisingly accumulated missed calls, not a single message had come. It was in contrast to when he had turned on his phone before and had received various messages.

Somehow, he could see Jae-young staring at the message window, constantly agonizing over what to say, writing and erasing words over and over again.

‘If you’ve vowed to stay by my side, at least say something nice. You can’t even do that.’

Seung-hyun, who had been looking back at his own appearance a little while ago, let out a deep sigh again. He thought he had become more sensitive since his physical condition had worsened, but he didn’t know he was this pathetic because he had no one to talk to.

‘When he comes back, let’s not be picky this time. I’ll have to tell him properly about the illness someday, but… even if it’s just a week, no. Even if it’s just a few days…’

Seung-hyun turned off his phone screen with that resolution. However, contrary to that resolution, the subtle cohabitation of the two continued to creak just like the beginning.