I Don’t Want to be a Villainess

The meals coming out of the mansion were always different, but there were still a few common features.

First of all, meat dishes appeared more often than fish. Maybe Ye Sara just didn’t like fish much, as the ingredients on the menu were usually pork or beef.

Also, Western cuisine was primarily served. The chances of steak, stew, or pasta making an appearance were far greater than that of Asian dishes, including Korean food. During my two months here, the dish I had eaten the most was steak. I wasn’t sure if that was a wealthy trait or just Ye Sara’s preference.

Breakfast consisted of simple items like bread or soup. For lunch and dinner, appetizers, main dishes, and desserts all came out in order.

Maybe it was because I was eating alone. I didn’t really follow table manners. It was nothing like in the movies where knives and forks were served in dozens; I just managed the utensils I needed. It wasn’t a problem to eat noisily, clashing dishes, since Yang Hye-in or the other employees didn’t say anything.

Naturally, I thought the other kids wouldn’t care either, but apparently, they had different thoughts on the matter.

Did they think they needed to maintain some sort of dining etiquette in a place like this?

Yoo Ha-neul watched me as I grabbed my fork and knife, even with the main dish in front of her. Shin So-hee glanced around carefully, then gently buttoned up her loose shirt when she sat down.

At least Lee Soo-ah was eating naturally without being overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

Honestly, if I were to say it outright, Lee Soo-ah’s skill with the knife and fork was far better than mine. But that was only natural. I was just a commoner who had been in this body for about two months, not fully having shed my lower-class mindset, while Lee Soo-ah had grown up in a prestigious family.

The other two commoners, Shin So-hee and Yoo Ha-neul, were waiting for me to start eating before they cautiously picked up their forks and knives.

Just a moment ago, they had eaten the appetizer…… Well, it was only soup, so I guess you could just scoop it up.

Watching the two of them awkwardly cutting their meat like they were mimicking me or Lee Soo-ah made me a little worried. If they got too tense, they wouldn’t even know if it was going in through their noses or mouths, no matter how delicious the food was.

But when I saw the two of them putting their first pieces of steak in their mouths, I relaxed immediately.

Both Yoo Ha-neul and Shin So-hee melted in happiness as soon as they took a bite of the steak.

Yeah, it’s amazing, isn’t it?

To be honest, I couldn’t fully trust the employees working here, and they didn’t seem particularly nice either, but they were undeniably skilled. Uh… I mean, except for the security team that couldn’t even catch me when I escaped over the wall. I was talking about the people who cooked.

Even the same food managed to taste subtly different, so you never got bored. Where did these chefs originally come from? I wouldn’t be surprised if they worked as chefs in some fancy hotels.

After their faces melted, the two of them ended up becoming quiet for another reason. You could say they were completely lost in the generously prepared steak in front of them.

I observed Shin So-hee’s expression closely among them.

Following Lee Soo-ah, who was cutting her meat into small pieces that fit her mouth, Shin So-hee gradually started to cut larger chunks of meat until she was practically shoving a big hunk into her mouth with a blissful expression. It didn’t look bad at all. In fact, it was cute to see those kids her age eating so happily.

However, she seemed quite embarrassed to show that kind of behavior.

While chewing and swallowing her steak with great effort, Shin So-hee’s eyes met mine, and she abruptly stopped the piece of meat heading towards her mouth. It was a piece twice the size of those she started with. She looked at the piece in her hand, then glanced at the piece I had in my mouth, before slowly lowering her hand and placing the piece back on her plate.

“Ahem.”

Clearing her throat softly, Shin So-hee returned to her initial composed self and cautiously cut a smaller piece of meat to put in her mouth.

Of course, her face was bright red.

……No, she didn’t need to care that much.

To be honest, I wanted to eat as happily as Shin So-hee. But if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the meal for long. I’d certainly be full before I could finish more than a few pieces. To savor this delicious food for as long as possible, the only option was to eat slowly, cutting small pieces, and chewing for a long time.

This time, I glanced over at Yoo Ha-neul. True to form, she picked things up quickly, and unlike Shin So-hee, Yoo Ha-neul wasn’t cutting her steak into large pieces. Instead, she was cutting it into bite-sized chunks like me and Lee Soo-ah.

But her pace was about twice that of either mine or Lee Soo-ah’s.

Quickly eating, swallowing, and immediately cutting the next piece. It was like she was showing extreme efficiency, as if she was solely focused on the meal. Uh… well, I guess it was charming in its own way.

It was a good thing the chefs prepared enough food. Otherwise, before I even finished half, Yoo Ha-neul and Shin So-hee would have been done eating. I felt bad bringing them here, so I didn’t want them to sit uncomfortably and leave.

Looking back over at Shin So-hee, she was eating like she hadn’t seen me before our eyes met.

……If that was the case, why was she checking me out?

*

“Ahh, that was really delicious.”

Shin So-hee, who had entered the mansion looking tense, exited with a very satisfied expression. She was even rubbing her full belly.

“Right? It was really good.”

Yoo Ha-neul had a similar sentiment.

In fact, a silence had settled during the meal. However, it wasn’t a lingering, awkward silence. Even Shin So-hee, Yoo Ha-neul, and the normally composed Lee Soo-ah enjoyed the meal time. Thanks solely to the delicious food.

That means we were so absorbed in eating that we hardly talked.

Of course, that was what I was aiming for.

I felt like Yoo Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah had become pretty friendly with each other. But it had only been less than a week since we met, to be honest. I didn’t truly know what their hobbies were. We had talked about various things, but most of it revolved around my stamina.

Moreover, Shin So-hee was someone I had just met today.

But to chat for about an hour with these kids? That would likely create an awkward atmosphere, possibly leading to the opposite effect. For someone like Shin So-hee, who was merely an occasional acquaintance, it wouldn’t be a comfortable situation.

So, I thought of the meal as a solution. Specifically, it was a meal that didn’t require conversation. If you put delicious food in someone’s mouth, discussions become irrelevant. Just the act of eating was enough to lift spirits. Especially if it was a meal on someone else’s dime, you couldn’t help but feel fonder of the person treating you.

And even without conversations, merely gathering together for a meal naturally builds a bond. This is why during lunchtime, children gathering together to eat is considered normal, while others eating alone are looked at oddly. The number of people eating together demonstrates the relationships that need to be formed or maintained.

After sharing how delicious the dinner was, we stopped in front of the open gate.

I stood inside the gate, while the other three stood just a step outside. A line on the ground marked the boundary as we faced each other.

For a moment, the atmosphere became awkward. We all knew we had to part ways here.

Lee Soo-ah broke that awkward silence.

“Sara, you really ate well today. Next time, I’ll treat you.”

In front of the open gate, she slightly bowed to me as she spoke.

“Sure, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

The security guard glanced back at me after hearing my reply, but when I shot a quick look, he immediately turned away. Yes, I boldly declared, “I’ll be eating out today.”

“Oh, then I will too!”

Yoo Ha-neul raised her hand and shouted.

“I know a lot of delicious places!”

“Great. Let’s go together next time.”

I nodded back at Yoo Ha-neul with a smile.

Then, I turned to Shin So-hee.

“Um….”

Shin So-hee seemed a little flustered as she glanced away. After all, I had brought her along because she felt sorry for me, considering she was the one who treated me.

That didn’t mean I was going to say, “Oh, you’re fine,” or something like that. I wasn’t that oblivious. Once goodwill starts to circulate, it’s like a ping-pong match. The logic or calculations behind friendly gestures between friends aren’t all that important.

So, what Shin So-hee and I needed to confirm wasn’t whether we owed each other anything.

Rather, it was about whether she had any intention of playing with us again in the future.

“……What.”

Shin So-hee scratched her slightly flushed cheeks and replied.

“Since we decided to pretend today’s afternoon never happened, and I got treated… I might buy you a meal sometime.”

Now, that was rather tsundere of her.

And it was exactly the answer I was hoping for.

“Sounds good.”

I nodded toward Shin So-hee.

Then, I responded brightly.

“I’ll be waiting.”

*

“…….”

“What are you thinking about?”

On the way home.

Shin So-hee had gone a different way, saying her direction was different, while Lee Soo-ah and Yoo Ha-neul were walking the same route for a bit. They both knew the direction their homes lay in relation to the school. After all, they had walked together for a while during their commute. Their homes nearly diverged completely afterward. Lee Soo-ah lived in an upscale neighborhood with detached houses, while Yoo Ha-neul lived in an apartment area.

“I just remembered Sara’s face when we said goodbye earlier.”

“I see….”

At Yoo Ha-neul’s response, Lee Soo-ah nodded.

Sara had been staring at them for a while as they distanced themselves, and then she turned around to head home. As she turned, the waiting security guard began to close that huge heavy gate.

Before long, the massive iron gate completely cut off the only path connecting Sara and the world outside.

“….”

“….”

Neither of them said anything more. However, they could somewhat understand what the other was thinking.

They wished Sara could get out and experience freedom.

……Most likely, both were thinking that.

Even though they hadn’t known each other perfectly yet, and they hadn’t spent enough time together to genuinely call themselves friends, they now shared a common topic of interest — ‘Ye Sara.’

Yet, it wasn’t concrete enough for them to speak openly about it. They had only just witnessed Sara’s situation firsthand. There were too few clues for two teenage girls to act on.

Thus, they walked together in silence, lost in their own thoughts until they reached the parting of their ways.

*

The moment Shin So-hee got home, she leaped onto her bed.

“I’m going crazy, going crazy, going crazy, going crazy, going crazy, going crazy!”

Then, face down in her bed, she flailed and shouted.

What kind of confidence was that?

What kind of confidence did she have to think, “Sure, I can treat her to a meal at least once!” after eating such high-quality meat?

That steak she had today was likely something she could only buy with a whole day’s worth of part-time job earnings. If anything, considering it was a full course, it could’ve been even more. It might as well break her savings from a few days of work.

But after having eaten like that, she was casually saying, “Maybe I can treat you to something,” what exactly did she think she could treat her with?

Even if she took Sara on a tour of delicious local restaurants, it wouldn’t be surprising if it turned out to be a loss for Sara.

“….”

Shin So-hee paused her flailing and recalled what Sara had said.

“I’ll be waiting.”

……That was unfair.

It was downright unfair to show such a pretty face, illuminated softly in the dark while displaying the bright smile she had just seen for the first time today.

“Haah… damn it.”

Shin So-hee let out a deep sigh.

Then, she roughly pulled out her smartphone and began searching for local eateries.

“Yeah, that’s how it’s going to be, huh? Then, I’ll introduce you to all kinds of unhealthy and addictive foods that I could never afford to buy.”

Soon enough, she was going to become the kind of person who couldn’t resist snacking around town.

She was just a caged young lady. If she showed her something experience that couldn’t be bought with money, she’d surely be satisfied in some way.

…Mainly the kind of thing seen in romance comics or dramas, but anyway, that’s how the theory went.

As Shin So-hee continued to look for tasty treats around town, she suddenly realized, an hour later, that she didn’t even have Sara’s phone number and slapped her forehead.

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