Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

After teasing Cha Song-jin for a while, I said:

“By the way, it’s impressive that you had such thoughts while making the textbook.”

That I need to set proper standards for our organization to stand properly.

Thanks to that, it helped me organize my thoughts. I got a sense of how to set standards too. If I set proper standards, it seemed like I could reduce friction with Han Seo-hyeon as well.

The tangled thread that I didn’t know how to unravel met an unexpected breakthrough and began to unravel.

At my words, Cha Song-jin scratched his cheek and said:

“Uh, when I tried to make the textbook, I started thinking about very simple things by myself. From what morality is, to um, what should be taught first. So I ended up thinking much harder, I guess.”

Cha Song-jin who was mumbling more words said with a surprised face:

“D-did you tell us to make textbooks anticipating this?”

Cha Song-jin’s eyes sparkled excessively as he said that.

Ugh! I unconsciously turned my gaze elsewhere at the look full of admiration and respect.

Did I tell them to make textbooks anticipating that? How could that be? The reason I told the kids to make textbooks wasn’t for such a grand reason.

—Why don’t you just let him misunderstand? It’s not so bad if he thinks well of you.

Usually, I would have done that.

But how could I do that when I received such helpful advice from Cha Song-jin?

I spilled out the truth with a heavy heart:

“No, I just wanted you to kill time while I was at the casino… I thought you might cause trouble if I just told you to stay put…”

Cha Song-jin’s mouth fell open at my words.

“Actually, we could have just bought textbooks from a bookstore.”

My chest ached with guilt. Who knew they would work so hard! It was just supposed to be something to pass time!

—Is this something to say with such a heavy heart in the first place?

Ray spoke as if dumbfounded, but I who was confessing the truth and Cha Song-jin who was accepting that truth were both serious.

“I-I see.”

Cha Song-jin who heard my words closed his mouth with a complicated expression. Then he looked at me and opened his mouth with a serious face:

“It’s better not to tell Seo-hyeon about that.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t ask why, just don’t tell him.”

Cha Song-jin patted my shoulder and said:

“I’m serious.”

And I decided to accept Cha Song-jin’s sincere advice. I looked into Cha Song-jin’s eyes and nodded.

—So is this something to talk about so seriously?

* * *

After agonizing all day and creating my own standards, I called Han Seo-hyeon, Kim Jae-ho, and Cha Song-jin to gather in one place.

Unfortunately, Edward was excluded from the meeting. This was a meeting by and for Weltschmerz after all.

‘He wouldn’t understand even if we included him anyway.’

Besides, the content is a bit… Han Seo-hyeon sat down with a sullen expression. Kim Jae-ho had a sullen expression too.

“I understand Seo-hyeon, but why does Jae-ho look like that?”

“He was watching a movie with Edward.”

“A movie? Aren’t all the movies here in English?”

“It was an animated movie.”

Ah, I understood since Kim Jae-ho can’t resist cute things. No wonder he looked so displeased.

“Finish it quickly.”

“Be patient, it’s important.”

“Alright, what’s so important that you called everyone like this?”

At Han Seo-hyeon’s words, I cleared my throat. Cha Song-jin gave me an encouraging look. Han Seo-hyeon, who glanced at the space between me and Cha Song-jin, crossed his arms with a displeased face.

It was a face that didn’t like this subtle bond flowing between us two.

‘Hmm, did we show too obviously that we talked amongst ourselves?’

After everyone sat down in chairs, I slowly opened my mouth towards everyone:

“The reason I called everyone here is, uh, I decided to change the code of conduct for our Weltschmerz from now on.”

At my words, Han Seo-hyeon asked:

“Did we even have a code of conduct in the first place?”

“Uh, that’s an appropriate question! Right! Until now, we had no code of conduct at all! That was the problem!”

I hit the table with a thud and said:

“But it will be different from now on!”

“…So what is this code of conduct?”

At Han Seo-hyeon’s words, I gulped. Is this how a college student feels getting their assignment checked in front of a professor?

Can I persuade Han Seo-hyeon with these standards I worked hard to come up with? I slowly opened my mouth:

“From now on, we will only kill those we absolutely must kill. We won’t lay hands on those who have other options.”

Han Seo-hyeon’s eyes narrowed at my words. It was obvious who this code of conduct came out for.

“Until now, there were no standards at all.”

“I just thought it would be better to have proper standards for us to operate from now on.”

“Right after having that conversation with me?”

As expected, the reaction wasn’t good. But it will be different if he hears my sincerity. I slowly opened my mouth:

“We need proper standards too. Right now I may be choosing those deserving death by my standards, but who knows when my standards might blur. And if those standards blur… Well, we’d be no different from murderers who kill anyone.”

I already knew several such murderers. To them, human life has no value at all. They’ve forgotten how precious it is because they’ve wielded it at will.

At first I cursed them, but I became similar too.

Han Seo-hyeon flared up at my words:

“Do you really think I’ll become like that?”

Oh my, to take my words like that. No, wait. Could those words be taken that way? I quickly opened my mouth before Han Seo-hyeon’s misunderstanding deepened:

“No, this has nothing to do with you. To be precise, this is because of me.”

Han Seo-hyeon’s eyebrows twitched at my words.

“Look at me, Seo-hyeon. You know, when a problem arose, I thought the simplest solution was to kill someone. This, well, isn’t right, is it?”

“There are many bastards who deserve to die in the world.”

“By what standard will you decide that?”

I said to Han Seo-hyeon:

“Yes, today we might be able to decide who deserves to die by our own standards. But if we stay like this, someday we might say someone deserves to die just for ‘cutting in line in front of us’, you know?”

“…Surely it won’t come to that?”

It does come to that.

I tightly closed my eyes then opened them, thinking of Seol Rok-jin.

“Anyway, clarifying the standards is for my sake too.”

Han Seo-hyeon’s eyes wavered at my words.

“Why, do you really think you’ll become like that, Boss?”

It’s already too late for that, and because I don’t want you to become like me.

I swallowed the words that rose inside and said something else:

“Well, to run the organization well from now on, it’s better to have rules like this! That way, uh, discipline will be maintained too!”

At my words forced out with a smile, Han Seo-hyeon sighed deeply. Han Seo-hyeon shrugged his shoulders and said to me:

“Fine, so what are these great standards?”

“Well, there are many detailed conditions, but in one word, ‘someone like Assemblyman Kim Sung-deuk?'”

Assemblyman Kim Sung-deuk was the worst not only for what he did, but for trying to evade responsibility for his crimes.

He was also an evil person who couldn’t be caught by normal methods, in other words, by ‘just’ methods as commonly said.

“If we can legally punish them, it’s better to let them face the hammer of the law. But for those who try to run away from their crimes, well, we can let them know there’s such a thing as karma in this world.”

Han Seo-hyeon’s eyebrows twitched at my words.

“Are you saying you’ll cooperate with the police?”

“Uh, is it cooperation? I just mean dumping them on those guys.”

“How will you dump them? The incompetent police until now won’t suddenly come out and catch bad guys if we just leave them alone, will they?”

Han Seo-hyeon’s question was quite sharp. As if he had thought about this many times.

“…Did you eavesdrop by any chance?”

Han Seo-hyeon firmly shook his head at my words.

“No. I didn’t hear anything at all.”

“…You should have asked what I was talking about.”

Han Seo-hyeon’s face turned red at my words.

“Wh-who told you to talk like that just the two of you? I couldn’t help being curious about what you two were saying!”

Cha Song-jin confessed to eavesdropping secretly too. Why is this place full of only people who eavesdrop on others!

“You!”

“What! They say the birds hear daytime talk and mice hear nighttime talk!”

And Han Seo-hyeon had reliable rat and bird. I rubbed my face.

“…I was a bit angry that making textbooks was for that reason, but I roughly understand what you want to say. That we need rules too. I’m a bit angry that it’s right after I asked to properly step up, but…”

Han Seo-hyeon who said that sighed deeply.

“Do as you wish, Boss.”

“I-is that okay?”

“As Song-jin hyung said, you’re our organization’s standard. If that’s what you want, I’m fine with it too.”

Han Seo-hyeon who said that looked into my eyes and added:

“And I don’t think you used me. If we put it that way, I’m using you too. I came to you because I couldn’t possibly get revenge for my brother alone. So you don’t need to feel sorry for me.”

My heart fluttered at those words. I was a bit angry when I found out he eavesdropped, but how can I complain when he moves me like this?

—That’s right, if you had opened up earlier normally, he wouldn’t have secretly eavesdropped on you!

‘I think he would have eavesdropped anyway.’

—…Well, he might have if it’s him.

Han Seo-hyeon who checked on Kim Jae-ho fidgeting beside him said to me:

“And if you’re curious about our thoughts, you can just ask.”

“But…”

I bit my lip looking at Kim Jae-ho who tilted his head looking at me at Han Seo-hyeon’s words.

“It’s a hundred times better to just ask than to assume on your own.”

Han Seo-hyeon urged me:

“Should we leave if you’re a bit uncomfortable because we’re here?”

“No, there’s no need for that.”

“Or are you going to dig a hole alone again, wondering if you’re being a nuisance to us? If you’re exploiting us?”

My heart was stabbed again at Han Seo-hyeon’s words.

It seemed like our atmosphere was pretty good until just now. How did it change so suddenly?

—He must be that frustrated with your hesitation.

Han Seo-hyeon seemed to want to drive out all the guilt remaining in my heart.

“Just ask Jae-ho hyung if you’re curious about something.”

At Han Seo-hyeon’s words, Kim Jae-ho quickly raised his head.

“Do you have something you want to ask me? Ask quickly.”

There wasn’t a hint of seriousness on Kim Jae-ho’s face as he fidgeted, wanting to go watch animation. Seeing Kim Jae-ho’s sparkling eyes, my mouth wouldn’t open.

When I first met Kim Jae-ho, it was around when I had just completed my third year under Seol Rok-jin.