The Thug Hides the Villainess

---

062 – They Say It’s a Dream Interpretation

The boy often dreamt when he closed his eyes.

It was the most memorable day of his life.

A certain girl’s birthday party.

A party attended by all sorts of celebrities, including the president.

As the party was reaching its peak—

The girl’s father raised his glass and began a toast.

I vaguely remember it was about harmony and peace between the ruling and opposition parties, but the important part was the final statement.

“Your Excellency, how about we promise eternal harmony and alliance between our Seo Nam Group and the Freedom Party by betrothing my daughter, Gaeul, to your grandson?”

The boy was taken aback.

Seoga-eul was the object of his discreet affection, and Namsanho was his long-time friend and rival.

In the situation where he might lose his crush to a rival, anxiety welled up in the boy, but he couldn’t utter a single word.

There was no need to.

“Do-cheol, you’re a remarkable person, just like your father. A diligent worker, like your father. But, I’m sorry. Even if times have changed, a dog and its master cannot be betrothed, right?”

In an instant, the atmosphere turned frosty.

No one could smile until the party ended.

It was truly a nightmare of a time.

“Huff!”

When the boy woke up from the dream, his bed and pajamas were soaked with sweat.

“Was it a dream?”

As he pulled back the covers and got up to grab a water bottle from the refrigerator, he discovered a woman quietly sitting in the corner of the kitchen.

His fiancée.

Jin Eun-byeol.

“……”

Prince Wang Ja-hyeon couldn’t bring himself to speak to Jin Eun-byeol, who stared blankly into the darkness.

An indescribable unease and discomfort enveloped him.

What was she doing sitting there in the kitchen corner at 4 AM?

If he listened closely, it seemed like there were incomprehensible mumblings coming from her lips.

‘Am I going to have to live with that kind of woman for the rest of my life?’

To inherit the Je Wang Group—

—And further, if he wanted to someday ally with the Samjin Group to aim for the presidency, Wang Ja-hyeon had to share a bed with Jin Eun-byeol.

However, every time Wang Ja-hyeon looked at Jin Eun-byeol, a subtle fear washed over him.

And truly, he found himself questioning whether he genuinely wanted to spend his life with that terrifying woman.

“What are you doing?”

At that moment, Jin Eun-byeol asked Wang Ja-hyeon.

Her eyes appeared exceptionally dark, even in the shadows, deep enough to send shivers down his spine.

As Wang Ja-hyeon froze like a mouse before a snake, Jin Eun-byeol smirked.

“Did you have another nightmare? Was it about Namsanho knocking on your door again? With his soot-blackened self going bang, bang, bang.”

Wang Ja-hyeon recalled the nightmares he frequently had.

A dream where a missing old friend appeared before him in a horrific form.

“Oh my, our Ja-hyeon was scared. Come here, I’ll hug you.”

Swoosh—.

Jin Eun-byeol opened her arms.

Wang Ja-hyeon had no desire to be embraced but couldn’t refuse Jin Eun-byeol, who insisted, “Quickly,” so he buried his face in her chest.

Then Jin Eun-byeol stroked Wang Ja-hyeon’s head and said,

“Namsanho was mean, wasn’t he? Back then, Namsanho caught cicadas or mantises and shoved them right into your face. He teased you, calling you a coward for being scared.”

“……”

Namsanho, resembling his grandfather, had a masculine personality.

On the other hand, Wang Ja-hyeon had always been a bit sensitive and emotional since childhood, often being pulled around by Namsanho.

Swoosh, swoosh—.

Jin Eun-byeol comforted Wang Ja-hyeon, patting his head.

She whispered into the boy’s ear.

“It’s okay. Namsanho isn’t here anymore. He’s dead, you know. Horribly.”

“What?”

The grip of the hand holding Wang Ja-hyeon’s head tightened.

Feeling scared, Wang Ja-hyeon struggled but couldn’t break free.

“L-let me go!”

It was just then.

Click—.

With the sound of a switch being flipped, the kitchen lights turned on.

“Ja-hyeon, what are you doing over there?”

Turning his head, he saw Jin Eun-byeol, notable for the mole under her eye, appearing in pajamas and looking at Wang Ja-hyeon.

“……”

Wang Ja-hyeon was left speechless at the sight of Jin Eun-byeol who had just appeared in the kitchen. Then who was that ‘Jin Eun-byeol’ who had been holding his head and where had she gone?

In truth, he didn’t care.

He had no interest in knowing.

Instead, Wang Ja-hyeon cautiously asked Jin Eun-byeol.

“Eun-byeol, you said you’d help find Seoga-eul at Chairman Seo Do-cheol’s request, right?”

“Yeah. If I find Seoga-eul, your allegations will be cleared. Because that day at dawn, you met Seoga-eul and things got tangled up.”

She smiled broadly.

“Ja-hyeon, since you asked me a question, it’s only fair I ask you one too. Do you happen to know who Hanam-jin is?”

Nod—.

Wang Ja-hyeon nodded instead of responding verbally.

That was the end of the questioning.

He wasn’t sure why she was asking about Hanam-jin, but he didn’t inquire further. Jin Eun-byeol’s interest was not a good sign.

Actually, it was better this way.

Wang Ja-hyeon had disliked Hanam-jin from the start.

The guy reminded him of the missing Namsanho.

# # #

Today’s exploration of the Great Labyrinth went smoothly.

Jang Hyeon-ah and Jeon Som-i were absent, making it just me and Bbang-daengi having a study session.

It got a little dangerous when monsters popped out.

There was a cat-sized lion, and Baek-Yeoul threw chopsticks at it, causing it to run away.

The Great Labyrinth, where monsters reside.

In truth, it was the land of fairies.

Just when I was thinking how fascinating it was, Baek-Yeoul said,

“Someone from Class F said that there are still fairies living in this labyrinth. So if you look around, you might find traces of the fairies.”

“Fairies?”

“By the way, fairies are said to love sweets like monsters. If we leave candy here and hide, we might meet a fairy, right?”

Baek-Yeoul pulled out a grape-flavored candy from her bag and placed it on the floor, giggling. Then something amazing happened.

The candy placed on the floor had vanished!

“Bbang-daengi! The candy I put on the floor is gone! Look!”

“I guess a fairy took it! It’s a fairy! Hanam-jjin! There must really be a fairy that loves candy! Where did my candy go? Huh? Did you see where it went?”

“I did! Right into my mouth! Ah-.”

I opened my mouth to show the grape-flavored candy inside.

The ability to eat candy without anyone noticing.

One of my remarkable superpowers, classified as an S-rank skill according to my own standards.

“Seriously, why did you eat the candy! I thought a real fairy took it!”

Bbang-daengi was mad that I had eaten the candy.

After that, Bbang-daengi kept saying, “I will find a fairy!” running around the Great Labyrinth in a frenzy, but she couldn’t find a single monster, let alone a fairy.

I guess that’s what one can expect at the labyrinth’s entrance.

Time passed, and it was now afternoon.

Thinking it was about time to wrap up the labyrinth exploration and head to where Yu Yeoreum and Seoga-eul are, Baek-Yeoul said,

“I’m going to look for Seoga-eul too!”

“You?”

“Yeah! Because you like Seoga-eul, right? So I’ll help you find her. Even though I dislike Seoga-eul…. For Hanam-jjin!”

“Ugh, Bbang-daengi, you!”

I was touched.

Bbang-daengi offering to help find Seoga-eul for me.

That’s pure Cupid love!

“Deok-soon and I thought of a good way. There’s a really capable fortune teller; we will ask her to help find Seoga-eul.”

The problem was, I had Seoga-eul with me.

It was somewhat amusing.

Being with her was never boring.

I found myself curious about how it would have been to scavenge for scrap metal with Bbang-daengi in a destroyed world.

We would’ve made good partners.

Giving ketchup to Ying-ing!

But we weren’t able to do that.

Surviving in a ruined world carrying the “misfortune” would’ve been difficult.

# # #

When I returned to the princess’s room, Yu Yeoreum and Seoga-eul were sitting quietly.

Their expressions, looking at me, felt solemn for some reason, and Yu Yeoreum spoke.

“Hanam-jin, you kidnapped Seoga-eul because of the N Mart arson incident, right?”

“What?”

“Because of Seoga-eul and Namsanho, the N Mart fire happened, and in the end, you lost your family there. As a result, you executed the kidnapping out of vengeance against Seoga-eul, didn’t you?”

What the? My tongue stiffened in surprise.

As I was left speechless, Seoga-eul blushed with extreme embarrassment and lowered her head to me.

“I caused a lot of people to suffer. Hanam-jin, you wanted an apology from me, right? That’s why you kidnapped me, hoping I would genuinely repent.”

How did she come to that conclusion?

I was curious about what conversations Yu Yeoreum and Seoga-eul had while I was away.

I had a lot to say but couldn’t organize my thoughts well, but there was one thing I had to make clear.

“What’s Namsanho doing? What happened between him and Seoga-eul? This is the first time I’m hearing about it.”

Who on earth is Namsanho?

I don’t even know what kind of person he is.

Seoga-eul looked slightly flustered at my question.

“…What? Didn’t you already know everything?”

“No matter what you two talked about, my kidnapping of you wasn’t for such a serious reason. Do I seem like a heavy and serious boring person?”

I’m way lighter than fluff-ball Ying-ing.

The excessively serious atmosphere was making me uncomfortable instead.

“Haah!?”

“…Boring person?”

Seoga-eul and Yu Yeoreum’s expressions instantly crumpled.

“Hey! Yu Yeoreum! I didn’t kidnap because of the N Mart incident! Ugh, telling you was a mistake!”

“That can’t be…. Then why? Why did you kidnap me?”

Why did I kidnap her, you ask?

At this point, it was honestly frustrating.

“I’ve told you countless times, I need to train Seoga-eul. In that context, Gaeul, you will definitely awaken at least one concept before bed tonight. If you can’t, I’ll hit you with the ‘Love Whip.’”

Swoosh—.

I lifted the “Love Whip.”

“Shall I hit your soles today?”

At that, Seoga-eul, who adored the Love Whip, began shrieking as if going into a frenzy.

“Why do you have to train me! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why!”

A string of “why’s.”

It sounded just like the cry of a desert frog.

“What’s wrong! I don’t even know who you are or what you want to do!”

Seoga-eul was particularly hysterical today.

Her previously flushed face seemed to be getting angrier; eventually, tears started to flow.

“It’s so unfair! Why do I have to go through this!”

Has her will been completely crushed by this incomprehensible training curriculum?

Perhaps it was a problem that I had hidden too much information, wary of the “betrayers of humanity.”

“Do you want to know the truth? You might regret it.”

“Tell me!”

Feeling confident.

Alright.

I thought it might be good to tell at least some truth now.

“In the coming year. No, in less time than that, more than half of humanity will die.”

As I spit out the secret I had been holding alone, I felt relieved.

It was as if I was vomiting out the contents stuck in my solar plexus.

As for my shocking “truth,” Seoga-eul ceased her sobbing.

“What are you saying? Were you dreaming?”

Swoosh—.

I closed my eyes.

When I close my eyes like this, I often dream of that day.

The day the world ended.

Three colossal monsters that appeared, splitting the earth, sea, and sky, opened their enormous jaws wide, devouring people like a starry Cavern!!!