THE VILAIN
: Strange Villains
W. Gpeum
- WARNING!The author thinks of and portrays the protagonist as a rather immoral person.
The female protagonist's eyes widened at Jeongguk's words. Seokjin seemed quite surprised as well. The Center doesn't reassign escaped espers. Most captured fugitives end up in one of the Center's affiliated guilds, wandering the battlefield. Unless they possessed the gift of special powers, they'd be relegated to the Center's menial tasks. While the captured fugitives had options—surviving the battlefield or escaping again—rejoining the Center wasn't one of them. Therefore, Jeongguk's offer was a lifeline to the captured fugitives. No one would want to die a meaningless death on the battlefield or live a life of slave labor.
"I know the center is rotten. An organization that exploits espers by making cheap threats against their lives can't even be called a good place. It's even less of a place for espers."
"……."
"I want an institution where espers can be protected. I want them to come to the center of their own accord, seeking protection, rather than running away from it. To do that, I'll use everything I have. And to do that—"
"……."
"Han Yeo-ju, I need your help. You probably know more about the ecology of Espertle and the true nature of the Center than I do."
"……."
"I don't want any more victims like you to appear."
I don't know what's right and what's wrong. Not only has there never been a clear standard, but since the emergence of espers, that standard has become even more ambiguous. In a world where people kill others with their supernatural powers and force them to their knees, justice and goodness no longer hold value. However, even in the midst of war, Jeongguk seeks to find goodness and justice. At the very least, he believes the exploitation of espers is wrong and seeks to change it. He seeks to do what he believes is "right."
"You don't like it?"
You still don't know anything, young master.
"…what?"
"I told you I don't want to? I have no intention of going to the center."
They judge only by a fragmentary appearance, let alone a human. While it's commendable that a child who only knew how to look straight ahead has learned to turn their head, it's disappointing that their vision remains narrow. That's exactly what happened when they said they'd create a center "for" espers. Do you know what they want? The center's exploitation of espers didn't happen overnight. Will they still feel good about the center just because that decades-long evil habit is gone?
Those who haven't experienced it don't know. Yeoju, who had lived as a fugitive for years, wanted to mock the ideals of the political situation. If the Center had wanted what she wanted, she would have long since ceased to exist. To get what she wanted, she would have willingly put the leash the Center offered around her neck, moved as they desired, and died on the battlefield. She wouldn't have escaped the Center. Why would she risk her life and escape when what she wanted was there? But Yeoju ran. At the young age of fourteen, she risked her life to escape the Center. There were many reasons, but the most important was that the Center couldn't give her what she wanted.
"As you said, I know more about the Esper ecology than you. For the sake of old times, I'll say this: that arrogant notion that the Espers would want something from the Center is a complete rip-off. Why do you think the runaways came into existence? Do you think they simply ran away because they couldn't stand exploitation?"
"……."
"Of course, there are some like that, but most don't. The reason they ran away is because they didn't want anything from the center. The center's protection? If they needed protection, they would have stayed, even if they were exploited. It would be much safer than being chased by the center. Do you think the victims would welcome the perpetrator's offer to side with them now?"
"……."
"More than anything, the very attitude with which you're proposing is flawed. If you're going to negotiate, do it properly. I'm not interested in your ideals or values. Bring me something of value that's worth enough to warrant my acceptance. That's what you need to bring to the negotiating table. Only then will I at least pretend to be tempted."
"You're a fool," the heroine said, clicking her tongue. "My judgment was poor." Leaning against the prison wall, she closed her eyes and thought.
"…haha!"
The female protagonist's eyes widened at Jungkook's sudden, hearty laughter. "What the hell are you laughing at when you've already been exposed?" She stared at Jungkook as if he were crazy, but Jungkook, still smiling, opened his mouth again.
"Okay, I'll offer you another suggestion. Leave the things that don't matter to you off the negotiating table."
"…what?"
"You will work for me as a member of the Center for at least two years, and at most five years. You will not have to listen to any orders from anyone else in the Center."
"……."
"The conditions are to do your best to win the war, and not to touch the center during the contracted period."
"What do I get?"
Jungkook said with a smiling voice.
"Anything you want. Anything I can do."
"If you want, I'll give you the center," Jeong-guk said with a bashful smile, causing the female lead to chuckle. "This guy is completely crazy." He showed his tired face, but couldn't hide the corners of his mouth that were slowly turning up.
"Okay, let's make a deal. I'll put what you want in your hands."
"okay."
"Instead, you too must be prepared to give me what I want."
"okay."
The bars opened. Jeongguk, who had stepped into the prison without hesitation, stood before Yeoju. He extended his firm hand to Yeoju and smiled faintly.
"Please take good care of me, Han Yeo-ju."
"It's me."
The heroine, who gladly took the outstretched hand, got up.
⚒
"Don't talk nonsense."
Everyone avoided the gaze of the female protagonist who was speaking with fierce eyes.
"I'm the one who signed the contract with Jeon Jungkook. But why are you all saying such ridiculous things about staying at the center? You even made it a condition that you give up on tracking him."
"……."
"Do you think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? If I miss it this time, I'll lose everything. Everyone knows this, so why are you acting like this?"
"……."
“Especially Kim Seok-jin, you…. How can you say that you would endure something like that at the center?”
She voluntarily decided to remain at the center, and that was her choice. It was a decision Yeo-ju couldn't understand at first. Especially since they had been with her ever since she escaped from the center. The feelings the runaways held for the center were by no means light. So, for them to voluntarily put on a leash and walk into the center with just a few words was absolutely unacceptable, and it couldn't have happened in the first place. That's why, in her contract with Jeon Jung-kook, there was only one person: Yeo-ju. Yet, Yeo-ju couldn't understand her colleagues' willingness to pretend to put chains around their necks.
Taehyung, who came in not long after Jungkook left the cell saying he would get permission to form a team, had been sticking right next to Yeoju since then, showing off all his cuteness, and when Yeoju firmly told him to quietly get out of the center, he didn't hide his expression saying, "I'm not satisfied." Even though Jungkook had kindly left the cell door open, saying, "If you're going to go out, get out now," Namjoon and Seokjin also didn't leave and just sat on the cell floor with their butts pressed together.
"What are you doing leaving the center without your sister? If that was going to happen, we should have run away by ourselves a long time ago."
"Is the situation the same now as it was then?"
"That's not important. What's important is whether or not you're on our team. How can you say you're going to abandon us and join a new team?"
"I really don't understand."
"Anyway, I'm not going without you! If it was okay without you, I wouldn't have been caught in the first place."
"I'll stay," Taehyung said, clinging tightly to Yeoju. "My back hurts. What should I do with these people who kick away every opportunity I give them?" Yeoju relaxed her stiff back at Seokjin and Namjoon, who seemed to agree with Taehyung's words even though he hadn't said a word. Taehyung, accustomed to sagging body, made her lean against him. "Oh, I don't know-"
"Just do what you want."
"What can I say to dissuade them?" Yeoju grumbled. She was the team leader, but that was it. Being a leader didn't give her the power to dictate individual choices. She could at least persuade them, but she knew full well that if they had listened to her in the first place, they would have escaped this cell long ago. Just look at those grinning faces, reluctantly accepting her words. Yeoju, losing her will to fight, squeezed her eyes shut.
"The mere fact that you're at the center is reason enough for us to stay."
Yeoju bristled at Seokjin's words, but Namjoon and Taehyung nodded as if they were right. They laughed as they watched Yeoju shiver, as if she was getting goosebumps. And so, Seokjin, Namjoon, and Taehyung were confirmed to be the center of the team.
"I thought so."
Jungkook, who had heard of their joining unilaterally from Yeoju, answered in a remarkably calm voice. He said there were originally four sheets of paper prepared, and handed them each a stack of papers he had pulled from his bosom. Personal information, abilities, and other documents were mandatory for anyone assigned to the center. Seokjin and Yeoju frowned. Before they became fugitives, the two had previously been assigned to the center. Therefore, they must have already known how effectively the center could keep espers at bay with just this little bit of information. Namjoon and Taehyung, noticing Seokjin and Yeoju's displeased expressions, naturally glanced at them. The only sound they heard was the click of a pen. Jungkook, who had been quietly observing them, sighed and spoke again.
“…Since this isn’t for reporting to superiors but for team management purposes, it’s okay to just write down personal information and special abilities. If there are any special details the team needs to know, that’s fine too.”
In any case, the team Han Yeo-ju was part of would not be under the Esper Management Bureau, but under the director candidate Jeon Jung-kook. So, it was okay. Relief spread across both their faces at Jung-kook's words. Unlike before, there was no hesitation in the hands that accepted the documents. And then, Jung-kook began to speak.
"Four Espers, including me, are scheduled to join."
“…You too, Master? Why you?”
"First of all, I'm an Esper with a developed ability, so there's no particular problem with team activities, and there's no reason why I can't join."
"……."
"And even though it's a team under my command, to others it's no different than a team under the center. To minimize the center's influence, it's much cleaner if I'm part of the team."
"There's no need to tackle him for no reason." Yeo-ju nodded at Jeong-guk's words. It wasn't that she couldn't understand. She was dissatisfied, though.
“I’m planning on joining you at the accommodation tomorrow…”
"You're not even giving me a dormitory, you're even giving me a place to stay? My lord, you've really grown up a lot, haven't you?"
"…Official team activities will begin in a week. And, the team name is..."
"We already have a team name."
The female protagonist, having filled in the blanks, tossed the paper into Jeongguk's arms. Jeongguk instinctively picked up the paper and looked at her. Looking straight into Jeongguk's eyes, the female protagonist spoke.
"BTS, we don't accept anything else."
⚒