I Don’t Want to be a Villainess

Is it because she’s the main character?

Yoo Ha-neul walks with confidence no matter what she’s doing. No matter how you look at it, she’s wandered into a place she really shouldn’t be and brought someone along who definitely shouldn’t be with her. Of course, that’s not to say her actions are wrong. However, there are many instances in the world where people think something is wrong but can’t say it out loud.

Especially when the other party looks like someone who can just throw money at anything.

But Yoo Ha-neul, whether she’s fearless or just has an overflowing sense of justice, carries on with no hesitation at all.

Well, she acted like this in the original game too.

Even when being bullied and feeling dejected, she talks lively despite people around her pretending not to notice. Even when it escalates to outright bullying, she never backs down. Because she has done nothing wrong. It’s not just mental victory for her. In the actual log route, her being bullied stems from Ye Sara disliking her, or from other kids thinking of her as nothing special.

And ultimately, at the end of the story, Yoo Ha-neul proves she was right.

No matter what the other party thinks, she walks even if she has to make her own path.

“Alright, we’re almost there! What do you think, isn’t it close?”

“…Yeah… uh… it’s really… right in front of us…”

She didn’t even consider if there was a path or not, which could be a bit of an issue, but whatever.

Running 500 meters is definitely too strenuous for my stamina. Of course, I didn’t actually run the whole 500 meters. I ended up walking for a while when my stamina tanked, and when I finally caught my breath a bit, Yoo Ha-neul pushed my back to run a little more, then we walked again… Anyway, we repeated this process several times.

Hmm, there’s another issue arising from Yoo Ha-neul’s blatant protagonist personality.

She completely ignores the gazes of those around her.

As Yoo Ha-neul said earlier, the shopping mall is located right in the middle of a ‘naturally’ bustling area where ‘many’ people walk around. And this bustling area has a ton of foreigners too. No, in fact, it feels like there are more foreigners than Koreans here. It was still early enough to be considered morning, so there were definitely fewer people than during the daytime, but it was never at the level of being empty.

So here we are, in the middle of a busy street where it’s already hard to run due to the crowd.

Yup, in reality, calling it ‘crossing’ was generous since we were moving extremely slowly. I was completely drained, and without Yoo Ha-neul pushing me from behind, I wouldn’t have made it this far.

That’s right. I was sweating profusely, panting heavily, while Yoo Ha-neul had me gripped as we walked right in the middle of the bustling area.

The gazes of those around were an added bonus.

Thankfully, it didn’t seem anyone thought we were being bullied just by looking at our expressions. After all, I was grumbling a lot toward Yoo Ha-neul the entire time, so it likely didn’t look like one-sided bullying.

“…”

“Uh…”

And only when we got here did we realize one thing.

“…Open, 10 AM.”

With my bangs sticking to my forehead due to the sweat, I read the announcement posted in front of the shopping mall, and Yoo Ha-neul glanced over.

“Then, could we at least go into the café next door? I’ll pay!”

Yoo Ha-neul said this as if trying to soothe me, but I raised my hand to stop her and plopped down on the shopping mall entrance steps.

“Go into the café looking like this? Soaked in sweat? I guarantee I’ll start smelling like a gym bag in no time.”

When I said that, Yoo Ha-neul seemed to be at a loss for words.

Yoo Ha-neul, who usually has quite a lot of stamina, wasn’t dripping with sweat, but I looked like I had been caught in a downpour… Honestly, I’d rather buy new underwear and change before going. My wallet is pretty full anyway.

“…Here.”

Yoo Ha-neul rummaged through her hoodie pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. It was sky blue.

Wordlessly receiving the handkerchief, I wiped my face. My wet body still felt sticky, but hey, at least I could clean my face.

Yoo Ha-neul sat beside me. It wasn’t exactly a snug fit, yet it was close enough to feel her warmth.

“It’s definitely chilly for March.”

“If you don’t sweat, it won’t feel like exercise.”

I’m not trying to lose weight; if anything, I’m trying to gain some… Never mind, let’s not say anything.

“So?”

“‘So?’ you ask?”

When I blurted out the question, Yoo Ha-neul’s eyes widened as she stared at me.

“No, we’ve been out since morning, so we’ve come all this way for the first thing to do together. We’re planning to go shopping in a bit. What next?”

“Uh…”

Yoo Ha-neul seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, her mouth hanging open.

“Is there something you want to do?”

After pondering for a long time, Yoo Ha-neul threw that question at me. She turned her head sharply, and for a moment, I was blinded by the light. While I had been gradually getting used to it, staring into the sun this close was dazzling.

I squinted and turned my gaze back to the front. The street was getting busier. The voices were blending into a greater variety. Korean was mixed with a lot of foreign languages. Everyone’s expressions were fairly bright. Well, most people on a weekend in this area were having fun after all.

I sat with my chin resting on my hand and blankly answered.

“Hmm…”

What do kids do to have fun these days?

When I was little, it was either the PC room or the karaoke room—or drinking, which was during college. I couldn’t drink during my teenage years. Occasionally, I’d go to the movies with friends. We used to flock together to see those big blockbuster films.

…So, what do we do now?

But I definitely couldn’t suggest a PC room to Yoo Ha-neul. If we went to a karaoke room, I wouldn’t know any of the songs high school girls usually sing. Just the two of us going could also feel a bit odd. As for movies… I couldn’t think of anything in particular.

“Uh, ah…”

As I was lost in thought, suddenly Yoo Ha-neul seemed to have realized something.

For some reason, her face looked a bit pale. Did she forget to turn off the gas?

“L-Let’s think about it while shopping first! I’m sure something will come to mind while picking out clothes!”

“Uh, okay…”

Overwhelmed by her sudden enthusiastic response, I found myself nodding unconsciously.

*

That was a mistake.

“Is there something you want to do?”

That was clearly a mistake.

Of course, I couldn’t say that it was entirely Yoo Ha-neul’s fault. It’s often the case to ask friends thoughtless questions. Usually, you don’t get much of a reply in return. The other person typically just says, “Hmm?” or suggests thinking while doing something else like going to a café or grabbing a meal.

But the girl sitting next to Yoo Ha-neul is not an ordinary girl.

How could someone like Sara, who hadn’t even properly set foot outside the mansion like a bird in a cage, respond to such a question?

Sara glanced away, her narrowed eyes looking at the street. Many people were hustling around with cheerful expressions. Everyone there was living their own lives, enjoying time with close friends or lovers after a busy weekday.

Sara had never really enjoyed something like that.

“Hmm…”

Sara replied as if she truly didn’t know. It was very different from the usual vague “I don’t know” response you get back when asking friends.

Genuinely not knowing, her response was that of confusion about what to do.

It’s not like Sara had asked Yoo Ha-neul something like that before. So she was genuinely wondering, “What do we do from now?”

And for someone who had never experienced being outside, that was a perfectly valid question. She truly was asking because she didn’t know.

…What’s funny is, it was Yoo Ha-neul who had dragged Sara out and made her run all the way here.

“Uh, ah…”

Upon realizing this fact a bit late, Yoo Ha-neul’s face turned pale.

“W-What to do!”

What should I do to make Sara happy? Will she enjoy running away from the mansion today?

But being flustered made her head go blank. So as she awkwardly turned to look at Sara, Yoo Ha-neul shouted.

“Let’s think about it while we shop! I’m sure something will come to mind while picking out clothes!”

“Uh, okay…”

Sara, seemingly flustered, replied after hearing those words.

*

“Try it on? All of these?”

Sara asked, taken aback as she clutched a handful of clothes. Her face was obviously in shock.

“How many outfits do you have for going out?”

Yoo Ha-neul’s question left Sara speechless.

“Not many, right?”

Sara nodded her head.

“Then it’s better to buy a few more while we’re at it. You can’t go around with just one outfit. And if you don’t like any of these, then just don’t buy them.”

“Is that so…?”

Sara responded back with a somewhat unsure voice.

“Exactly. If it’s too heavy, I’ll carry it for you.”

“No, that’s not what I’m worried about…”

After thinking for a moment, Sara sighed softly. It seemed she finally waved the white flag to Yoo Ha-neul’s intense gaze.

“Okay, I’ll try it on then.”

Sara answered that and went into the fitting room.

And immediately, Yoo Ha-neul pulled out her smartphone. She quickly opened an internet browser.

“Seoul… attractions…”

Yes, the reason she handed a bunch of clothes to Sara was to buy time to search. This was Sara’s first outing. Of course, she had jumped over fences and done various things the last two days, but strictly speaking, that was after school, not an outing. This was the first time Sara had come outside on her own volition.

And likely, most of the events happening today would be things Sara experienced for the first time, including this shopping.

Then, it would be a shame if it just ended with hanging out like she usually does with her friends.

Since this was her first outing, Yoo Ha-neul wanted to give Sara unforgettable memories. And she hoped to hear “I want to try this next time” from her.

So, Yoo Ha-neul was securing time and focusing on her search.

However, Seoul is vast.

There are so many places to go and so many things to do.

Of course, when you type in ‘Seoul attractions,’ a flurry of options bursts forth all at once.

“What do I do…?”

There are just too many options. If anything, it’s hard to decide what to pick.

As she was momentarily lost in thought, something caught Yoo Ha-neul’s eye.

‘Seoul Date Course’

“…”

It wasn’t just a simple list of various places; it even showed how to get there. Places to eat, good spots for a walk, and great spots for taking pictures together.

Perfectly, it was just for Yoo Ha-neul and Sara, two people.

…This might be all right, right?

Even though it’s called a date course, it was a very wholesome route. It wouldn’t be a big deal for just two same-gender friends to enjoy it together.

…It should be fine, right?

Just as she was feeling a bit of inner conflict, the fitting room curtain was abruptly pulled apart with a swish.

“How does it look?”

Sara stepped out wearing a tightly-fitting pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, and a khaki jacket.

The outfit was simple, but her pretty face made it come alive.

With her hair tied back, she’d look fantastic with a hat on.

…It should be fine!

After seeing that look, Yoo Ha-neul concluded this in her mind.

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