I Don’t Want to be a Villainess

“Daughter, come here.”

Choi Na-kyung’s outstretched arms felt like they were moving in slow motion. Or perhaps she was genuinely raising her arms slowly?

Maybe it was because Ye Sara’s body was focused on Choi Na-kyung more than ever before.

In Ye Sara’s life, Choi Na-kyung was the only person who had shown her a ‘human’ affection since her father passed away. And Ye Sara, having given up everything in her very young childhood, clung only to Choi Na-kyung.

The emotions twisted and churned deep in her heart, spilling out uncontrollably.

One step closer to Choi Na-kyung.

What she felt was joy—a sense of relief at finally meeting her beloved family after a long wait.

And an endless hatred—a disillusionment with the stepmother who had ruined her life.

The reason she had managed to conceal those feelings last time was that she hadn’t released Ye Sara’s body. Fearing that letting the dangerous sensations inside her take control could lead to disaster.

Or perhaps it was the fear of losing herself taken by the current of those emotions.

But—

But this time, there was nowhere to retreat.

This body was not even hers to begin with. It still belonged to a little child who was yet to fully blossom. There was no way she could just occupy that body and claim it as her own for life.

And, well, wasn’t she technically the deceased?

No one had ever invited her into this world. Somehow, she had invaded this body without Ye Sara’s consent.

And in a way, she was the one most adamantly interfering with Ye Sara’s plans.

Making friends under Ye Sara’s name, breaking the rules in school, all while freely using things that weren’t hers.

In fact, she hadn’t thought of Ye Sara from the start. Initially, she only wanted to avoid the destruction that would come to the body’s owner somehow.

If she hadn’t thought to look for that will and changed her mind, she might still be thinking that way.

…No matter what kind of life she lived, living with this body would ultimately be Ye Sara’s life.

If there is a rightful owner, it’s only correct to return it. At least, that’s what she had learned since childhood.

Since a dead person living someone else’s life would just be clinging to regrets and obsessions.

She turned her head back. The three closest friends in this world looked at her with worried expressions.

She had warned those three to stay clear of anything that might happen.

If they stopped like last time, there was a great possibility Ye Sara’s memories wouldn’t return.

…Well, she wasn’t too worried.

She thought those three would treat the real Ye Sara as well as they did before.

Looking at her three friends, her gaze lingered the longest on Ha Neul’s face.

Ha Neul looked like she was about to cry.

Ah, did I overdo it last time?

It wasn’t something to take so seriously. Nobody knew if her actions would succeed or fail this time around.

“It’s okay.”

Just in case Choi Na-kyung might hear, she mouthed the words and then turned her head back.

Seeing her turn back, Choi Na-kyung’s expression, which had darkened for a moment, brightened with a smile at their eye contact.

It was an expression that anyone could tell was from a mother utterly unable to bear how lovely her daughter was.

Or maybe one overflowing with thick desire.

…If she cherished her foster daughter that much, it would have been better if she had simply been a normal mother from the beginning.

Feeling the hatred flowing in her chest, she thought.

One step back, she couldn’t stop herself.

And another step, and then another one.

With each step closer, her emotions deepened and grew stronger.

And when the current of those emotions slowly drenched her from below, she surrendered herself to the feeling.

*

Seeing Sara staggering towards her like last time, Choi Na-kyung felt a brief anxiety.

When Sara had said “I really want to see you,” she had genuinely thought she was being earnest. But the Sara that came back was not vastly different from before.

One step after another, it was like Sara was forcing herself to walk towards Choi Na-kyung.

She even stopped midway, staring at her acquaintances from afar, making Choi Na-kyung’s stomach churn.

Last time, she had gotten upset and left, but she had regretted it many times since.

However, fortunately this time, Sara didn’t fall over.

Turning her head back, Sara, who met Choi Na-kyung’s gaze, dashed towards her immediately.

Just like back in her childhood.

With an innocent face, clinging around her waist, looking up and calling her “Mommy” just like those days.

A bit roughly, Sara hugged her tight.

Sara was much taller now than back then. It was different from those days when she would cling to her waist and look up. Now, Sara’s height reached just below Choi Na-kyung’s eyes. Her beautifully flowing hair had grown long enough to touch her back.

Holding her small back, Choi Na-kyung could feel the vitality of that growth through touch.

Still youthful, but Sara was slowly becoming a woman. While she looked somewhat slender, her waist and backside were evidently shaped enough to feel the difference.

…As if she were seeing her from that time.

Of course, it would take several more years for her to become exactly like that, but Sara was growing similar enough to not worry about that mixed gene.

Sara, who had buried her face in Choi Na-kyung’s shoulder, slowly lifted her head. Since she was clearly shorter than Choi Na-kyung, to meet her eyes, she had to look up.

But the distance was definitely not short.

“……”

It wasn’t far enough to prevent them from silently gazing at each other’s faces.

Still, it wasn’t quite enough yet.

She was too young compared to how she looked at that time.

But just a little bit more… just a little longer.

Choi Na-kyung slowly raised her hand and brought it to Sara’s face.

She caressed her soft cheek with her hand.

Just like back then, Sara closed her eyes and leaned into that hand.

As Choi Na-kyung’s hand softly roamed over her cheek, under her chin, and touched her lips, it grew bigger with each passing moment.

Those lips were as soft as if they’d never been cracked.

From the gap of those lovely lips, Sara’s breath escaped.

Feeling that hot breath at her fingertips, she saw Sara’s lips moving.

Those pretty lips slowly parted—

And between them—

“Mommy.”

A voice slipped out.

“……”

Choi Na-kyung’s hand, which had been caressing Sara’s face, stopped.

Sara, as if she hadn’t realized it,

“Mommy…”

She repeated it again.

“……”

Why?

Why did the title suddenly change?

Choi Na-kyung didn’t want to remain just “Mommy” to Sara. That was why she had deliberately kept her distance and was carefully building their relationship.

She had worked hard to slowly help her step into that place, finally allowing her to say that…

“Mommy?”

Sara opened her previously closed eyes and looked up at Choi Na-kyung. Those round eyes seemed as if she didn’t know what she had just said.

“……”

Choi Na-kyung slowly loosened her hands that had wrapped around Sara’s waist. Then she stepped back a pace.

Just moments ago, her fuzzy head started to clear up slowly.

Right, the plan wasn’t finished yet. Sara was still ‘Sara,’ not her.

And both her firsts, and ‘her’ firsts, could not be wasted at any time.

“Today, I’ll have to go.”

At those words, Sara’s shoulders drooped. It was an old reaction, different from just a moment ago, reminiscent of a time when they were little.

She had seen that unique gesture of Sara’s countless times since childhood.

Surely, she had tried to do too much all at once. She should have taken more time to be sure and proceed properly.

“……”

Choi Na-kyung turned her gaze to look at the three children who followed Sara.

A bold-looking girl who had tied her hair back into a single bun. She seemed quite ordinary. Without any background, and aside from being a scholarship student, nothing stood out.

Another girl with blonde hair and two braids that clearly indicated mixed heritage. …Wasn’t she the daughter of the Lee family?

It seemed necessary to set a proper meeting with the people in that family sometime soon.

And lastly—

Yang Hye-in and that ‘successor’ of hers.

Choi Na-kyung had only just heard about what happened at the mansion after coming this far. And even then, the story was only short and vague, as she was waiting for Sara to come down.

…Sara was regaining her agency.

As she turned her gaze back, Sara was looking down at her hands, squirming as if she couldn’t believe they were moving.

However, there were often moments when Sara displayed behavior that she couldn’t understand.

“……I’ll come again on the set date.”

At that, Sara raised her head with a “Huh…?” The gaze in her eyes shook violently.

…She must be confused because of her feelings for her friends.

This matter must be, absolutely, absolutely dealt with.

With time, and surely.

*

Choi Na-kyung left in that manner, but Sara remained right there.

Yoo Ha-neul, Lee Soo-ah, and Shin So-hee quickly ran to the still-standing Sara.

And upon seeing Sara’s condition, they all momentarily froze.

…Getting closer, it was a bit strange.

It was as if she had just woken up from a long sleep, staring down at her hands as she slowly opened and closed them, captivated by how they moved.

Her eyes were unfocused and shook heavily.

“……Sara?”

Yoo Ha-neul, who was the first to rush to Sara’s side, spoke cautiously.

Sara looked up at Yoo Ha-neul. Her eyes were still shaking violently.

Not just her eyes.

Her hands and shoulders were also trembling.

As if she had seen something immensely frightening, her whole body was quaking like a leaf.

“I, I…”

“Sara…”

Yoo Ha-neul took a step closer to Sara.

“What on earth…?”

At that question, she stopped in her tracks.

Ah.

I see now.

It makes sense.

In that brief moment, she felt as if her world was crumbling.

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