I Became a Villainous Character with a Limited Lifespan - Episode 96

Episode 96

“This is your cousin, Han Tae-sung. You probably already know since you’ve heard, but he will be your future competitor, so observe him well.”

It was an excessively businesslike introduction for a family introduction. On the day he first met Seung-hyun, he avoided Seung-hyun’s glaring gaze and picked at his food.

“How disgraceful at the dining table.”

Chairman Han clicked his tongue, seemingly displeased with that behavior. Putting down his chopsticks as if he had lost his appetite, he said,

“Get rid of the bad habits you brought from outside as quickly as possible, and especially teach him table manners in a short time. I can’t stand seeing this unseemly sight every morning.”

“Yes, Father.”

Tae-sung’s stepmother quietly answered Chairman Han’s words. Although it would be natural for her to show dislike since she had been burdened with a bothersome task, perhaps because it was in front of Chairman Han, she answered without showing any such hint, which made Tae-sung feel a bit creeped out.

‘The people here seem to have no humanity. I don’t want to become someone like that.’

“I should get up now.”

When Chairman Han got up from his seat, the people sitting at the dining table simultaneously got up. Tae-sung, who was surprised and checking the atmosphere, awkwardly got up, and Chairman Han clicked his tongue again seeing that and left.

‘I’ve never heard anyone say I eat disgustingly anywhere.’

Tae-sung embarrassedly checked his table to see if he had spilled or ate messily. Seeing that, Seung-hyun sarcastically said,

“Not spilling or splattering is a given. The way you hold your spoon alone can show what kind of person someone is. But this is…”

“What did I do wrong?”

“Do I have to teach you that? Am I your teacher?”

It bothered him that Seung-hyun was talking down to him without even using honorifics, let alone calling him “hyung,” even though he had heard Seung-hyun was a year younger.

“This is why you can’t just pick up anyone from outside. Just…”

Just because he’s a recessive, they brought him to potentially replace me. To think the person they brought is just someone like that. Seung-hyun fiercely glared at Tae-sung.

There was a precedent with his father, so if they had brought in a really outstanding person, he might have felt anxious but his pride wouldn’t have been hurt.

But from his behavior of looking around uncomfortably at the dining table to the point of being annoying while endlessly shaking the hand holding the chopsticks, to unconsciously trembling his leg… There was nothing proper about him, yet this guy was threatening his position as a competitor.

‘If I wasn’t dominant, someone like that would be… so unremarkable that even if I passed by him on the street, I wouldn’t remember him at all.’

“It’s clear to see how he was raised. This is why home education is important. Our levels don’t match.”

At the mention of home education, Tae-sung’s head shot up. He was trying to endure as much as possible, but it was a different story if he brought up his mother.

“You don’t seem to have received such great home education either.”

“…What?”

At Tae-sung’s words, the atmosphere at the dining table suddenly changed. Taehyeop and Kyungseok had left with Chairman Han, and Seung-hyun’s mother had not come to the dining table, making the excuse of being sick, so the only people left were Tae-sung’s stepmother and her children. 

Tae-sung’s voice continued, making even their movements, who had been ignoring the two’s conversation as if it were on mute, come to a stop.

“You probably know my age, so I’m not expecting honorifics, but at least you shouldn’t be so casual with me, right? Seeing that you don’t even know such basic etiquette, it doesn’t seem like you received such great home education either?”

“…!”

Seung-hyun bit his lips tightly, unable to answer. Judging by the way he was rolling his eyes and checking the atmosphere, he thought Tae-sung would shrink without making a sound if he stepped on him, but he was flustered by the unexpected answer.

“…Why should I treat someone like you as a senior?”

“I don’t want to hear you call me “hyung” either. But isn’t it funny for you to talk about home education while being rude yourself?”

The people sitting at the dining table tried to hide their expressions at Tae-sung’s words. They also disliked Tae-sung, but their resentment towards Seung-hyun that had built up so far was greater.

They had a hard time catering to him because he was designated as the successor early on, so they were inwardly refreshed to see the annoying rolling stone who had no fear due to lack of knowledge put Seung-hyun in his place.

“Just because Chairman Han isn’t here, do you think you’ll be tolerated for anything just because you’re recessive? Do you think you can naturally sit in the successor’s seat? The chairman values not only qualities but also abilities. So…”

“I’m not interested in such a position. You can have it.”

Although his appearance of trembling and trying not to get excited looked a tiny bit pitiful, at that time, Tae-sung was also young and impulsive enough to not think about future consequences.

“I preferred living with my mom, just the two of us. It was your grandfather who forcibly brought in someone who said he would live well on his own. If I could go back even now…”

“I said I’m not interested.”

Seung-hyun looked at Tae-sung with cold eyes. As expected, he didn’t like this rolling stone from head to toe.

While someone was devoting their not-so-long life to working hard… Even if he worked that hard, he was trembling with anxiety that all his efforts so far might turn to bubble because of one innate quality that he could never change with his own strength.

While having that quality that Seung-hyun himself could never have no matter how hard he tried, just by luck. Because of that one quality, he came into this house and said he wasn’t interested in such a position while scratching Seung-hyun’s insides with his mere existence. There was a limit to making someone miserable.

“Then get out right now.”

Seung-hyun poured the bowl of side dish in front of him over Tae-sung’s head. Before the surprised Tae-sung could even grasp the situation, Seung-hyun wiped his hands and got up from his seat.

“If it’s a position you don’t even want, why are you holding on to it?”

“What are you doing?”

“That’s what I should be saying. You can have it? If you can say that so loftily, take off everything you’re wearing right now and leave. Because they’re clothes you wouldn’t even be able to imagine wearing if you lived with that great mother of yours.”

“I…!”

‘I heard your mother says she wants to live her own life.’

‘……’

‘She says she doesn’t want to get involved with this side again. I have no intention of bothering someone who says they’ll live quietly. Of course… only if you stay quiet.’

‘…!!’

Tae-sung recalled the conversation with Chairman Han. He wanted to refute that he wasn’t staying here because he wanted to, but he felt like he would be the only one becoming miserable if he did that.

“No. I’m so resentful that I can’t do that.”

“Ha.”

“I changed my mind. I’m not interested in such a position even if you just give it to me, but I’m curious what’s so great about it that you’re making such a fuss and tormenting me.”

“……”

“Since I was born with this quality, I might as well make use of it. What someone wants but can’t have…”

Slap-.

He wasn’t serious. Tae-sung originally had no interest in qualities and didn’t feel much when he found out he was a recessive alpha. Rather, through this incident, the scale of judging people based on a single quality felt even more terrible to him.

To the point where even his own quality felt disgusting.

So these words were just childish impulsiveness. He had only said what Seung-hyun would hate to hear the most in order to make him feel bad.

“How dare you say such things in front of me? You?”

It seemed those words had sunk in more strongly than Tae-sung had thought. Before Tae-sung could finish speaking, Seung-hyun slapped his cheek.

Not only his face but even his eyes had turned red, so he seemed quite angry. But Tae-sung wasn’t someone who would meekly take a beating and let it end.

Slap-.

Once again, a sharp sound resonated in the dining room. Tae-sung had returned what he had received.

“Why do I have to watch every word I say to you? I’m someone who returns as much as I receive, as much as I suffer. You came at me like that first, so do you expect me to revere you like some pushover?”

Seung-hyun bit his lips and trembled. His eyes had turned even redder than a moment ago, and for a moment, it seemed like he would shed tears at any moment.

The people who had been sitting at the dining table at some point were now looking at the two of them, forgetting to manage their expressions. It was a face mixed with surprise and refreshment.

“…You disgusting bastard. I knew it.”

No, that’s probably what he had hoped for. Tae-sung, who was about to answer like that, suddenly hesitated. Although anger was clearly felt in the trembling voice, at the same time, it seemed like a bit of wetness could be felt.

‘Could he be… crying? He’s a year younger than me, even if it’s not much… Did I take it too seriously?’

Tae-sung briefly checked Seung-hyun’s condition. After taking a short deep breath and raising his head, Seung-hyun discovered Tae-sung’s hand that had been held out to him at some point and fiercely slapped it away.

“Get your dirty hand away from me.”

Seung-hyun glared at Tae-sung with bloodshot eyes and left the dining room. Of course, it seemed his voice had trembled because he couldn’t control his temper.

“…I’ll stop eating now. This…”

“I’ll remove what’s stuck on your head, so go wash up and rest.”

A housekeeper who had been watching from behind the corridor came out and cleaned up Tae-sung’s head. It was a disastrous first meeting.