Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

The hotel Norman guided us to was located on the outskirts of Las Vegas.

The hotel that looked old as if built a long time ago smelled musty.

Still, this was quite decent.

Norman who returned to us delivered not-so-welcome news.

[Unfortunately, only two rooms are left since mercenary companies flocked here all at once.]

Hmm, it seems I wasn’t the only one who heard there were many jobs in Utah recently.

[Two is enough.]

[Well, two of you will have to sleep in the same bed.]

Oh, this isn’t welcome news at all. But there are only these rooms available, so what can we do? We could insist on getting different accommodations, but I didn’t want to cause conflict with the agency from the first day.

Norman who handed me the hotel key card said:

[You must contact us before going outside the designated accommodations. I’d appreciate it if you stay in the hotel as much as possible.]

It meant don’t cause trouble.

I nodded briefly.

As Norman said, there were two rooms in total.

One small room with a queen-sized bed and one medium-sized room with two single beds. The room with the queen-sized bed didn’t even have a separate sofa, so we had no choice but to sleep close together.

If it were home, I’d just say sleep on the floor, but people here even wear shoes indoors. It’s a bit much to say sleep on the dirty carpet.

So two people have to sleep in the same bed, and the problem is how to decide those two people.

Before I could say anything, Han Seo-hyeon said with a shudder:

“I absolutely hate it.”

How prickly. I wouldn’t live to see tomorrow if I chose Han Seo-hyeon.

I glanced at Kim Jae-ho. Kim Jae-ho seemed to have no thoughts, but knowing Kim Jae-ho’s rough sleeping habits, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to sleep together.

But telling Cha Song-jin to go, the pitiful face I saw last time weighed on my mind.

Is this the kind of tremendous decision the leader of an organization has to take on?

Responsibility weighed heavily on my shoulders.

—Are you not thinking of going yourself?

‘Shouldn’t someone at the boss level not have to make such sacrifices?’

I deliberately ignored Ray’s words.

Yeah, I’ve decided. I guess you can only be called a proper leader if you make such important decisions.

“Hmm, let’s draw lots.”

—I thought you’d come up with a plausible solution since you were saying something grand. What leader’s responsibility?

‘But isn’t this the fairest method!’

Rather than being resented no matter who I put together, I’ll direct that resentment to the lots. I don’t care how the results turn out, it’s a strategy.

And those results were…

“…”

“Th-the results seem strange…”

I closed my eyes tightly seeing Han Seo-hyeon’s fierce gaze and Cha Song-jin’s dying expression.

To think they’d end up together like this.

But if I overturned the results, I could be cursed by the fair lot god.

“It can’t be helped, since the results came out like this.”

I pulled Han Seo-hyeon close and whispered softly:

“Don’t torment him too much. See you tomorrow.”

Since Han Seo-hyeon who heard my words now started to look at me like he wanted to kill me, I decided to run away quickly.

“Jae-ho hyung!”

“Whoa, I told you. It’s a result decided fairly. We’re going!”

I led Kim Jae-ho and quickly came over to our room. As soon as we entered the room, Ray’s nagging started pouring out.

—You put them together knowing their relationship is the worst! Why didn’t you just change it properly?

‘Then their relationship would be a mess forever. Won’t their relationship improve if they clash through an opportunity like this?’

—So how many friends do you have?

‘…I should sleep early today for tomorrow.’

How petty to attack with facts.

* * *

Han Seo-hyeon sighed and glared at the queen-sized bed.

Damn lot drawing. That damn boss! To think he didn’t change it even though he clearly knew we don’t get along!

No matter how many times he cursed internally, the result didn’t change.

“C-can I come in?”

Han Seo-hyeon sighed looking at Cha Song-jin hesitating behind him. Han Seo-hyeon, who made way, took clothes out of his backpack and spread them on the carpet floor. Cha Song-jin who saw that carefully spoke up:

“Wh-what are you doing?”

Han Seo-hyeon frowned and glared at Cha Song-jin looking at him with a terrified face. He really didn’t like how he shrank even more than usual and looked at him just because they were alone.

Moreover, what’s with that awkward formal speech? Han Seo-hyeon whose pride was hurt decided to speak formally too.

“You sleep on the bed. I’ll sleep here.”

“Uh, that can’t be.”

At Cha Song-jin’s words, Han Seo-hyeon scrunched his face.

“Then what, are you saying we should sleep together on that bed?”

At Han Seo-hyeon’s disgusted expression, Cha Song-jin got upset too.

“I don’t want to sleep together either! But that doesn’t mean I want you to sleep on the floor like that. And so unilaterally!”

It was better than saying I’ll sleep on the bed so you lie on the floor, but he didn’t want him to just suddenly lie on the floor without any conversation like this.

Shouldn’t we at least talk?

“I can just sleep…”

At Cha Song-jin’s words, Han Seo-hyeon immediately said:

“Then what would Boss think of me? He’d think I threatened you and took the bed for myself.”

“What?”

“I won’t say anything so just sleep there.”

At those words, Cha Song-jin felt wronged.

‘Do you know how much your boss adores you! He wouldn’t think that!’

“I’ll sleep so don’t talk to me.”

How prettily he speaks! Cha Song-jin really wanted to ignore him, but still, that kid was only eighteen this year.

“Then at least take the blanket.”

Han Seo-hyeon ignored those words and lay down on the floor. Cha Song-jin sighed and just fiddled with the blanket. He thought about throwing the blanket over him, but gave up fearing what she’d say.

‘Why does he hate me so much? To the point of not even wanting to talk…’

Sleep didn’t come easily. How many times did he toss and turn on the bed like that? Soon Han Seo-hyeon’s grumbling flew in.

“Could you be quiet?”

“…Sorry.”

There was no answer to Cha Song-jin’s apology. Cha Song-jin swallowed his breath. He couldn’t even toss and turn freely fearing curses would fly if he moved his body once more.

‘It’s so uncomfortable!’

He suddenly felt resentful towards Kang Yi-sin. To make him share a room with this most uncomfortable person!

How long had he been groaning like that? A strange sound came from the floor.

“Urgh, urgh…”

The sound of someone groaning. It was Han Seo-hyeon. Cha Song-jin slightly opened his eyes and looked at Han Seo-hyeon. Han Seo-hyeon lying on his side was groaning with both fists clenched.

‘Is he having a nightmare?’

If it were someone else, he would have shaken them awake or done something, but Han Seo-hyeon was an exception.

‘What would I hear again.’

Han Seo-hyeon didn’t hide that he disliked Cha Song-jin. No, rather he was impatient because he couldn’t show it enough. Even today.

‘Let’s pretend not to know. Whatever I say, he’ll dislike it…’

If that kid gets angry, he doesn’t have confidence to win either.

He had seen Han Seo-hyeon’s ability very well until now. Not only could he freely handle the dead, but he could even control sand using black magic power.

So let’s just stay still.

I don’t need to wake her up whether she has a nightmare or not.

“Hyung…”

Hyung? Cha Song-jin searched his memories.

Ah, come to think of it, he had read such an article.

Cha Song-jin belatedly looked into Weltschmerz with the tablet PC he borrowed by giving Kim Jae-ho snacks.

Most things about Weltschmerz were rumors, but it was different for Han Seo-hyeon. All kinds of information was uploaded because he was the only one whose identity was properly revealed among Weltschmerz.

‘Come to think of it, that kid’s brother died quite miserably.’

He saw that he was found murdered as a victim of an illegal Gate incident. Though Kang Yi-sin was pointed out as a suspect in that murder case… Seeing how he’s living well here, that must have been a false accusation too.

The reason he can’t completely hate him even though he’s a bad guy might be because he came to know those circumstances roughly.

“Sob… S-sorry, hyung…”

It felt wrong to just leave a kid crying while constantly calling his brother, so Cha Song-jin opened his eyes. He was thinking of slightly shaking his body to wake him up rather than letting him have a nightmare.

But Cha Song-jin who opened his eyes was startled at the scene before him.

“Hup!”

White bones. White bones were standing right next to Han Seo-hyeon.

So what I saw that day wasn’t wrong.

Cha Song-jin immediately turned his head and put his body into the blanket.

But it didn’t get better just because he closed his eyes. Rather, because he closed his eyes, the sound of bones clattering was heard too well and gave him goosebumps.

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

‘Wh-what on earth is that!’

It was terrifyingly scary.

Of course, he couldn’t sleep a wink that night.

* * *

“Didn’t I tell you to sleep well yesterday?”

Unlike Han Seo-hyeon who looked well-rested to anyone, Cha Song-jin’s face was extremely gloomy.

“Don’t tell me you were bullied yesterday?”

“I didn’t! Really! I didn’t bully him at all!”

At my words, Han Seo-hyeon shouted as if wronged.

While glaring at Cha Song-jin, it was a gaze where you could immediately understand what it means that you can kill someone with your eyes.

It was a joke… It wasn’t the atmosphere for jokes.

I hoped their relationship would get a little better, but it seems their relationship got even worse.

—Isn’t it a thief’s mindset to just put kids who don’t get along together and hope their relationship improves?

‘Well, the balance doesn’t grow on its own just because you put money in the bank account.’

It means nothing is achieved without effort.

—That’s right, you fool!

‘I should talk to them soon.’

—I’m not sure if anything will happen just because you step in.

‘Isn’t it better than just leaving them like this?’

Though Cha Song-jin looked tired like he’d collapse any moment, we couldn’t postpone the schedule.

At my contact, Norman immediately came with a van. Today we’re heading to Utah.

“It takes about five hours to Utah, so get some sleep in the car at least.”

“Okay.”

Cha Song-jin who sat in the chair immediately fell asleep. Han Seo-hyeon clicked his tongue as if very displeased seeing that sight. I poked Han Seo-hyeon’s side.

“Seo-hyeon.”

“I even gave up my spot yesterday so he could sleep comfortably, I really don’t know why he’s like that. I really didn’t bully him at all.”

It seems he’s really bothered by the joke I made earlier.

“We can’t just leave him here.”

“If we just put him in the room and lock him up…”

“Han Seo-hyeon.”

“I got it.”

He finally closed his mouth after I repeatedly gave him looks.

‘How on earth should I resolve the relationship between the two?’

As Ray said, my side was also a mess when it came to human relationships, so I had no idea how to resolve this kind of situation now.

I want to roughly say something like, um, hold hands and make up! But that wouldn’t work at all.

Well, if I leave them like this, it feels like their relationship will just get worse and worse.

I don’t know! For now, should I think about how to conquer Gates after going to Utah?

—Forget resolving, you’re just running away!

‘Don’t you know that sometimes running away can be the answer?’

—Yeah, it’s an answer. The problem is that it’s the wrong answer!