Villain Eaten By The Hero - Chapter 65
CHAPTER 65
“That’s just because I have high standards! I mean, someone like me deserves the best!”
“Your confidence is impressive!”
Seo said with a tone suggesting he was impressed. Her attitude, confidently claiming that having high standards is natural for someone like her, was astonishing, leaving him perplexed.
While setting aside objective or subjective evaluations, it was astonishing to see a villain who lived with the hatred of people, exuding abundant self-confidence. And hearing her scoff a bit at the nuance of liking someone irked him.
“Of course! Well, now that I think about it, I probably haven’t encountered many because of my high standards.”
“For some reason, it’s annoying…”
Seo grumbled discontentedly.
Since his explosive statement at the press conference, he had been harboring thoughts about Belze in a corner of his mind. Whether she would react positively or negatively to his confession, Seo was curious and anxious at the same time.
It was an optimistic hope that she would be embarrassed by his confession. Imagining that she would be offended, and would freak out is overly pessimistic.
Seo predicts that Belze’s actual behavior will be somewhere in between: he’s no fool, and he knows that Belze has feelings for him.
The problem was whether it was a serious affection, a monopolistic inclination toward someone with good compatibility, or just a small fondness similar to what a cat shows.
It bothered him, and the fact that Belze, while slightly teasing and fluttering as if she had the upper hand, was causing dissatisfaction.
It wasn’t that he was seriously angry, but rather, it was subtly disheartening and unsettling that the other person didn’t seem to take it seriously.
Because, to him, even the irritatingly boastful attitude seemed more adorable than hateful.
“Anyway, why are you wearing what that brat gave you?”
But this is not a matter that can be ignored. Seo growled, pointing a finger at the airy dress, and Belze didn’t flinch, instead, snarling back.
“Watch your words. What do you mean by ‘that brat’? The boss is fifteen years older than you.”
“Judging by your evasive answer, you haven’t worn my gift, have you? And you, of all people, said it well. Accepting clothes from a middle-aged man who is fifteen years older than you?”
“What does being fifteen years older have to do with anything?”
“It looks suspicious!”
“What does?”
“Why would a perfectly fine superior give such pretty clothes to a subordinate!”
“Because he cares about me, loves me, and adores me!”
“Well, obviously because he values, loves, and cherishes me!”
It was a reasonable answer, but that was precisely the problem.
With each word, Seo’s expression twisted. Belze, thinking there was nothing more to say, confidently moved ahead without hesitation. Bringing up the boss made her realize that she needed to leave quickly.
It wasn’t a big place, so it didn’t take long to get to the next iron door. People waiting for their turn to pass through the door quickly moved out of the way when they saw Seo.
Though an elderly man questioned why that brat was there and waved his cane, Seo, as he often did, skillfully avoided the old man and continued walking.
As he stood in front of the door, a cheerful notification sound rang out.
<You’ve made it through more than five gates with the same partner. Have you gotten to know each other well? From here on, it’s a unique gate. I’ll give you a chance to get a straight answer from your partner.>
“What’s this now?”
<Shout ‘Question!’ and then ask. Similarly, shout ‘Answer!’ and then respond.>
Belze chuckled at Lotte’s intention. It sounded so easy, but it wasn’t.
Passing about five gates together meant they had known each other’s deep secrets. In other words, they had exchanged embarrassing questions that could share shame and ruin their social standing.
If given the right to ask questions freely, the situation might not turn out smoothly. The one who had experienced more embarrassment might throw merciless questions at the other.
It was similar to the awkward questions that arise in a truth game as the atmosphere becomes more tense.
But well, looking at it the other way, it was a good opportunity. Just as Belze was about to call out a question while keeping an eye on the mood, Seo suddenly gripped her arm.
“Before asking that, be honest with me.”
“Huh?”
It wasn’t her fault that his body made her heart pound at the touch. Belze braced herself and waited for Seo to speak.
“Do you have any issues with that brat? Maybe he forces unpleasant things on you, or makes you do uncomfortable tasks, or presses you down through hierarchy… it’s possible. Like, insisting you wear the clothes he bought, for example.”
However, Seo’s words were filled with things that Belze found difficult to understand, and his expression was so serious that it was hard to figure out why he was doing this.
Belze, trying to recover from the bewildering emotions, murmured.
“You were the one who forced me.”
“You could think that way. But coercion through hierarchy and power is more subtle, sophisticated, and hellish, you know?”
“The boss really adores me.”
“That’s the thing! It’s weird that you’re saying that when you’re in a boss-subordinate relationship, like you’ve been tricked into thinking it’s normal because you’ve been fed mindless words!”
Seo’s hand that had been gripping her wrist moved to gently envelop Belze’s hand. It was the first time Seo had ever held her hand so gently.
“…If something happened, let me know.”
They both swallowed hard at the tension, and Seo pulled her hand closer to his chest.
“I can kill so efficiently that I won’t even leave bones to deduce.”
His face went from nervously twitchy to fierce in an instant.
Indeed, when he wanted to intimidate someone, he exuded the utmost confidence. Beyond mere resolution, his confident demeanor made Belze shudder as if stepping into a foreboding ruin.
If someone else said it, it might sound like a joke, but Seo was different. He had a relentless determination to kill the opponent, even if it took years to forge the blade.
But…
“…Have you read too much fan fiction?”
Something was off.
By now, Belze seemed to understand what Seo was talking about. In the fanfic introduced by Wonha, the boss’s role was mainly that of a villain who mocked and toyed with Belze, and the outside perception wasn’t much different.
Usually, when talking about a villain’s boss, it was easy to imagine a villainous character who used subordinates like tools, all while reveling in their evil deeds.
Moreover, the boss had a tendency to be overprotective of Belze, so it wasn’t unreasonable for Seo to have some misconceptions.
“He said he adores you, cherishes you, and spends enjoyable time with you!”
“Our boss has a way with words!”
“To that extent?!”
“He’s been chased by government agencies since his teenage years for decades. It’s inevitable. How can you think of such unsightly things when the boss cherishes me so purely?! Such! Provocative! Provocative! And… provocative things!”
Unable to find the right words, Belze repeated the same thing three times before taking a deep breath. The words that came out afterward quietly deflated like a balloon losing air.
“…It’s with you. With you. So, what I mean is…”
Once the words were out, it seemed like she had said something unnecessary. Belze’s face quickly tinged with a faint pink.
It was already the eighth time today. With this much, she should either stay flushed or not respond to embarrassing emotions, but her face alternately flushed and paled.
“I mean, yeah, you’ve got a big d*ck, you’ve got good technique, you’re right my age, we’ve done it a few times, you know me well, but Question! How many times has Oh Hyena pulled you in that direction since we slept together?”
Stumbling over a clumsy excuse, Belze, in an attempt to escape the predicament, finally opened her mouth.
“Be polite to Oh Hyena.”
It was clear that when she mentioned ‘that direction,’ she meant something.
For some reason, Seo often spoke definitively about matters unrelated to Belze. However, as a villain, Belze, was none the wiser.
“You didn’t tell me she was hitting on you. Initially, you wanted to pick her. So don’t change the subject and just answer me!”
Though she didn’t want to probe into it, once things reached this point, she couldn’t resist her curiosity. During the conversation or when their bodies clashed, the forgotten anxiety revived with Seo’s absurd misconception.
Even if she had to hear an uncomfortable truth, she couldn’t stop. Moving forward, despite hearing regretful words, was Belze’s habit.
More precisely, it was a bad habit of not properly thinking about the consequences.
“Why did you pinpoint her? She’s nothing like me.”
Hyena bore little resemblance to Belze. Not in character, appearance, or even impressions; they were distinctly different.
Of course, there were colleagues at work who had more in common with Belze, and even Lotte, who was somewhat similar to Belze. However, at this moment, what bothered Belze the most was Hyena.
She pursed her lips and grumbled.
“I felt something for you… With time.”
“With time?”
“After spending time together a few times, our temperaments matched, and we got along well. So, I started liking you.”
As if saying, ‘Why are you making a fuss?’ Belze raised an eyebrow and glanced at Seo.
She didn’t need to say it, but he knew what was coming next. It was a famous story even among heroes that Oh Hyena was so remarkable that she could draw people she slept with to her side.
So, if he was drawn to Hyena, Belze worried that he might easily switch over to her. That’s what Belze was confessing.
Seo, with an indifferent (though not quite displeased) expression, looked down at Belze. It was times like these that Belze became impatient and anxious to know what he was thinking.
Seo lifted his braceleted wrist and spoke.
“Answer! Never happened.”
Ding-dong. A cheerful sound rang out.
In an instant, Belze’s face lit up. Like bath salts coloring the water in a bathtub, it happened in the blink of an eye.
Although it wasn’t an entirely happy expectation, since Hyena had hit on him, Belze at least thought that she might have drawn him once. It’s not uncommon for people to be strongly attracted to celebrities on TV or to harbor lustful feelings for people around them. They either accept that momentary impulse or conceal it well and go on with their lives.