I Became a Villainous Character with a Limited Lifespan

Episode 35

There was no need to go this far. It was somewhat burdensome help, but Seung-hyun had missed the timing to flatly refuse.

“Ah, but will you be able to drive and go?”

“I’m really fine. You don’t need to help me to this extent.”

Seung-hyun said with an embarrassed face. The man’s employee had already loaded all the luggage. This alone was more than enough help, but the man still had a face full of worry.

“But your face is still pale. What if you get into an accident.”

They were only at the level of bumping into each other and exchanging apologies, but he was a person overflowing with warmth. However, it was slowly becoming burdensome now.

The kindness one could receive from someone they would meet once and never see again was just right up to now. No, it was a bit excessive even now.

“I’m really fine. The medicine makes me okay quickly. And I don’t like leaving my car to others.”

“Ah, I see. That could be the case.”

The man finally nodded his head. Perhaps he also thought it was a bit much, as the man said with a belated embarrassed face,

“I’m sorry. I must have been quite startled too. It’s not even my business, but I was unnecessarily worried.”

“No, it’s understandable to be surprised if that happens in front of you. Thank you for your kindness.” 

When he politely refused, the man nodded his head with a regretful expression. Seung-hyun barely held back a sigh that almost escaped and started the engine. He was a bit tired, but it wasn’t to an unbearable degree.

It was a distance that took 5 minutes at most anyway. If it really didn’t seem possible, it would be more comfortable to call a substitute driver rather than receiving that much help from a stranger.

“You said you’re okay, but… make sure to go to the hospital.”

The man added one more word, worrying about Seung-hyun until the end. Although it was a bit burdensome, he thought the man was a good person.

***

“Haa.”

A little later, Seung-hyun, who had returned home, immediately threw himself on the sofa. He was tired. It seemed he really needed to put sedatives in his pocket from now on.

Not knowing when and where the pain would come was more unsettling than he had thought. It was more so the second time.

“It was just one time I forgot because of the move, but it’s uncanny.”

The prescribed medicine that he had to take every day, not the sedatives he received for emergency use, had run out. He realized that two days’ worth was missing only after arriving at the new house, perhaps having dropped it somewhere while packing.

He thought it would be fine since he was going to the hospital again the day after tomorrow anyway, but thanks to this, he had made up his mind to never have such a complacent thought again.

Last time, fortunately, the medicine was nearby, and today, there were many people around, but he couldn’t guarantee that such luck would continue forever.

“Still, it was fortunate that the person next to me was a good person.”

Although he was a good person to the point of being a bit burdensome.

“Ah, I should have asked for his number. I sent him away without even repaying him for his help.”

It would have been good to repay him somehow, but he was so out of it that he sent the man away without asking for his name or contact information. Even when sending him off, Seung-hyun’s desire to return quickly was so great that he felt uncomfortable for treating the person who helped him coldly.

But it was already over. Since he said his family home was nearby, maybe they would run into each other by chance someday. Thinking that way, Seung-hyun got up from his seat. His condition had improved enough to get up now.

Tomorrow was the day Jae-young had made a big fuss, saying he would come to the new house. Saying that of course there should be a housewarming party since they were friends, he had arbitrarily set the schedule on his own, and the reason it wasn’t particularly annoying was probably because humans are creatures of adaptation.

“With a guest coming, I can’t be slouching like this.”

Seung-hyun abruptly got up from his seat and started moving his body. When staying still, only unnecessary thoughts came to mind. At times like this, he had to do something.

Seung-hyun started walking around the still unfamiliar house. Since only the visible areas had been filled so far, there were quite a few empty spaces.

How to fill here, and how to make there. Doing simulations as if playing a game was quite fun.

In reality, it wasn’t possible for furniture to appear with a poof and fill a room in a day, but since he had funds that seemed unreal even for game money, the product list on the shopping app looked like an inventory list.

Pondering over the interior of a room he wouldn’t even use and thinking about this and that, time passed quickly. Before he knew it, the sun had completely set and it was dark outside. It was the first night staying in this house.

It was quite an eventful first day. He realized once again that life had to be lived with tension, and he also met someone who made him quite envious.

Someone who seemed to have only been loved while growing up. Someone who could pass on the kindness they received to others. The reason the nameless man came to Seung-hyun’s mind again was probably because the first night in a new place evoked quite a bit of emotion.

The reason he kept coming to mind, envious of someone who could live like that until now and in the future.

“Ah, right. The hospital… I think I need to go right away tomorrow. What should I say?”

Seung-hyun, who had been thinking meaningless thoughts for a moment, recalled an important matter and held his forehead. He had to think about his own tomorrow first, not someone else’s life.

Living the life of a wealthy unemployed person, which is everyone’s dream, unexpected schedules only came up on days when he had plans. Since Professor Kim would see him even after work hours if he contacted her, moving up the hospital appointment was easy, but the promise with Jae-young was the problem.

It seemed the time would be awkward if he went and came back, and he would surely ask what the matter was, so what should he answer? Seung-hyun became immersed in worry, thinking of a few plausible excuses.

Using family as an excuse wouldn’t work since he already knew Seung-hyun had cut ties and left, and if he vaguely said it was a health issue, it was obvious he would ask exactly what part was sick.

If he gave a trivial excuse, he would pout his lips childishly, asking if it was because Seung-hyun didn’t really want to meet. He would surely pretend to cry, saying he was disappointed.

“No. Why am I worrying about that?”

Seung-hyun, who had been worrying for a while, suddenly wondered why he was worrying about that. Of course, postponing an appointment the day before wasn’t good manners, but if he said he had an urgent situation, shouldn’t a friend understand at least once?

No matter how much his lips protruded or how disappointed he was, there was no obligation to explain in detail exactly what part was sick in order to appease him.

What kind of great relationship were they anyway? Seung-hyun shook his head to come to his senses. He must have been too immersed in sentimentality.

Although he was a fun person, he was someone Seung-hyun shouldn’t think of as more than that. No, it applied to anyone, not just Jae-young.

It was excessively selfish for someone who might not even be able to see a season pass to form deep human relationships. At least that’s what Seung-hyun thought.

Just moderately, to the extent that even after disappearing, they could be sad for only a few days and return to reality. That degree of selfishness was enough.

Seung-hyun picked up his cell phone and sent a text message to Professor Kim asking if it was possible to change the appointment. When he said he had lost the medicine, she replied without a long explanation, asking if he could visit around 4:30 tomorrow.

4:30 was quite an awkward time. Between lunch and dinner. Since Jae-young said he would come around lunchtime to show him around the neighborhood, he would probably arrive earlier than that time even at the latest.

Seung-hyun sent a reply to Professor Kim saying he understood and opened the messenger window with Jae-young. What should he say to start? It would be better to just say the main point right away.

[I’m sorry to say this suddenly, but I don’t think I’ll be home tomorrow.] 8:48 PM

Was that too direct? Seung-hyun pondered for a moment and added a word.

[Something came up that I have to go to. I’m sorry.] 8:50 PM

The moment he put up a new speech bubble, the 1 disappeared. Seung-hyun, who somehow felt awkward to check the reply right away, quickly exited the chat window and pulled down the top bar.

1 minute felt like 10 minutes. He clearly saw that it was read, so why wasn’t the reply coming right away? Did a reply require that much consideration? Seung-hyun raised and lowered the unchanging top bar, waiting for a reply.

It took exactly 3 minutes for the reply to come. He didn’t know what Jae-young was thinking during that short time, but Seung-hyun felt an unknown heart-pounding and raised and lowered the top bar dozens of times.

However, after the long-awaited reply came, Seung-hyun became truly curious about what Jae-young had been thinking during those 3 minutes.

He thought he would pretend to be upset or persistently ask what the matter was. Or maybe he was really annoyed and deliberately replied slowly.

But the meaning of the reply that came after that ambiguous 3 minutes was quite clear, making it even more questionable.

[Ju Jae-young: Are you sick somewhere?] 8:53 PM