I Don’t Want to be a Villainess

Was Sohee’s presence in our class the catalyst for Ha Neul’s much bolder behavior?

It felt like the physical contact had actually decreased a bit, but apart from that, the vibe of “not caring about those around” had escalated to the level of “totally ignoring everyone.”

For instance, while Sohee would tap and shake her desk to get the attention of the kids around her, Ha Neul showed no hesitation in stealing seats right in front of me, no matter who was sitting there. She would wedge herself between the desk and the chair, making a kid sit there grumble in annoyance, or she’d smoothly snatch away a seat that was unoccupied.

Of course, the prideful students of Hwayoung High School wouldn’t resist completely.

Sohee, being treated like an invisible person after our relationship was exposed, was understandable, but for Ha Neul, it was more like “I’m just super close to this person,” so she didn’t feel the need to regard others at all, not that she was treated like a non-person.

So, naturally—

“Hey.”

Seeing Ha Neul confidently occupying her chair,

“This is my seat.”

I might say that with irritation.

The problem was, Ha Neul also seemed to be extremely annoyed for reasons I couldn’t fathom.

“So?”

Looking up at the kid who retorted like that, Ha Neul’s eyes lacked any sparkle.

…Uh, no, it was closer to her being just plain angry.

…Could it be that she was genuinely mad about the fact that I wasn’t studying?

“What, what?”

The original owner of the seat seemed flustered by Ha Neul’s icy response, as did the kids sitting nearby.

In this school, everything is governed by money. While not explicitly stated, it was a kind of unspoken rule. Kids with less money couldn’t talk back to those with more. Once you got a bad reputation in school, it stuck with you long after graduation.

When you became an adult and started working, the rich could easily cut out the poor, and they wouldn’t feel any regret about it. After all, even if they lost a few people, many more were already lined up under them.

This school, in that sense, was both a place of opportunity and a filter. You could get ahead by positioning yourself or creating a good image beforehand, but a small mistake could cause relationships to fall apart swiftly.

In that context, Ha Neul was at the bottom of the food chain. No matter how good her grades were, without money, she’d just end up being employed as a mere worker. Like Yoon Da-ho told Ha Neul last time, ideally, she should become close with the local kids, graduate with great grades, get into a good university, and then land a job through connections made here.

…If it weren’t for me, that is.

Well, as the protagonist of a dating sim, once she starts dating someone like Yoon Da-ho, nobody would dare to look down on her.

But given the current situation, that seemed very unlikely, so I shouldn’t mull over it too much. Just the thought of Ha Neul dating that guy made me feel sick to my stomach.

“I’m going to chat with Sara for a bit. Can you let me have my seat for a moment? If you really want to sit, you can sit in my spot.”

She boldly used my name. Then the response that was left for her was just one—acting as if nobody was around her and asking what on earth she was talking about.

However, that was a surprisingly difficult task.

Because that “nonexistent being” was looking directly up at her with red eyes. A chaebol who raked in money in the billions a year and spent hundreds of millions like it was nothing, someone who threw around tens of millions to maids.

And sitting beside her was a maid who was clearly eye-catching. Although she wasn’t dressed in a maid outfit right now.

Tall, sharp features, giving off a vibe that warned you not to mess with her, a maid who received millions a year from me.

Even that maid was looking up at that kid with the same gaze.

…It was obvious intimidation.

“…What?”

Ultimately, that kid’s eyes twitched, and she fled to the opposite side of the classroom, next to her friend… or at least I hoped she was a friend.

“Isn’t that a bit too much?”

Well, I knew Ye Sara had it coming, but the atmosphere was strangely like that. It felt like everyone in the classroom was whispering and glancing at us.

You shouldn’t speak carelessly, and if you dared to interrupt, you’d never know what might happen… it seemed that our trio’s situation had solidified because of what happened in the morning.

I’d totally turned into the villainous noblewoman.

At first, I had thought I would avoid becoming a villainess at all costs.

“Who’s saying that to whom? Considering everything that’s happened up to now, this is nothing.”

Ha Neul calmly stated. Hearing that, the kids sitting near us flinched.

Did they think I was gonna seek revenge?

Of course, I would if necessary.

But at this moment, dealing with every single person was not on my agenda. I already had way too much to worry about; if I added that to the mix, I’d just tire myself out too much.

…Though if the original Ye Sara returned and wanted to lash out, I might help her.

But would I even be there then?

I gazed at Ha Neul, sitting across from me.

If the real Ye Sara truly returned, what would happen to my relationship with these kids? Would I revert back to that sinister villainess of the original story?

Would it even be possible for Ye Sara to experience a normal, happy week?

…Well, I guess I’d find out when the time came.

“Then, let’s start studying.”

Ha Neul said, as if she thought the surrounding situation had settled.

I took a long, deep breath.

…Do I really have to study at this age and time?

*

“….”

Even after class started, Yoo Ha-neul couldn’t concentrate on math class.

Just a moment ago, I had said focus on the lesson and review repeatedly, but the reason Yoo Ha-neul couldn’t focus was that she had just seen Sara’s notebook.

It wasn’t about what was written in the notebook. Well, to be precise, it was because of what it contained. After all, seeing what Sara wrote started gnawing at her thoughts.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t understand what was being said or that she was half-heartedly studying. She had anticipated that part.

The real reason Yoo Ha-neul was distracted was—

The handwriting that Ye Sara had used in that notebook.

Yes, ‘the handwriting itself.’

It was sharp and messy, looking like it was written in great haste, and it looked completely different from the ‘Sara’ that Yoo Ha-neul remembered.

Indeed, it appeared much different from the style used in the will that Yang Hye-in had shown.

…Could it really be possible for the atmosphere to vary so much, even if someone was writing messily?

Or perhaps…

Yoo Ha-neul gripped her hands tightly.

She still didn’t know the reason. It was too early to jump to conclusions.

However, if someone else wrote that will instead of Sara, and if they thought to show it to her friends Yoo Ha-neul, Lee Soo-ah, and Shin So-hee…

…She decided she needed to double-check that will as quickly as possible.

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