I Became a Villain’s Hero -
Chapter 107: The True Hero (2)
TL/Editor: Raei
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At my stern expression, Han Yoo-jung quickly corrected herself.
"Ah...! That...! I, I misspoke...! Not a, a condition but rather..."
"...."
"...So, anyway..."
She fiddled with her brown hair with one hand.
Her restlessness transferred to me.
As tired and weary as I was, I urged her to continue.
"...So, what is it?"
At my urging, Han Yoo-jung finally said,
".........Just one hug."
"..."
My energy deflated.
I had only expected her to ask to be let go or to be freed from this place.
I was bracing for a more serious request.
"......."
But upon reconsidering, I somewhat understood why she hesitated so much.
It might seem like a trivial request, yet it might also be an awkward one to fulfill.
Today, of all days, it was true that I owed her one.
Without her, I wouldn’t have found Song Soo-yeon.
Had we been even slightly late, Song Soo-yeon might have received an unforgettable scar.
On the other hand, I still harbored a desire to blame Han Yoo-jung for this entire mess.
Of course, even without Han Yoo-jung, Song Soo-yeon might have chosen the path of a villain.
Han Yoo-jung was merely a catalyst, not the cause.
Maybe she just accelerated the timeline.
Still, I sometimes couldn't help but resent her.
I wanted to blame her for disrupting my peace.
"..."
"..."
We remained silent for a while.
Neither of us made the first move.
Normally, this would be the time for Han Yoo-jung to step back.
But perhaps really wanting the hug, she continued to stand there, head bowed.
Now I became curious.
What was it for that she was going to such lengths?
"...What happened between us?"
"...Huh?"
"Why are you acting like this towards me?"
"..."
Han Yoo-jung paused...then let out a powerless laugh.
Her sudden laughter puzzled me, making me frown.
Han Yoo-jung said,
"...So it really meant nothing to you...?"
"Explain so I can understand."
"..."
She slowly nodded and then looked up at me.
With a distant look in her eyes, she said,
"...You know how they say a frog dies from a stone thrown in jest."
"..."
"I guess it was the opposite for me. I was saved by the actions you took without any thought."
"......"
Han Yoo-jung smiled briefly.
"...So, Gyeom. Just one hug, please."
---
---
The very first memory of Han Yoo-jung's life took place at a funeral.
Memories from when she was not yet five years old remain in fragments.
If she were to guess, that must have been at her parents' funeral.
There were only a handful of people dressed in black milling about, and Han Yoo-jung stood among them, cluelessly alone.
For some reason, she wasn't crying.
Perhaps tears had been shed, but she didn't remember.
Back then, all she recalled was feeling the need to hold onto her sister, who was even younger than Han Yoo-jung, merely two years old at the time.
Han Yoo-jung and Han Yoo-ra entered an orphanage.
Memories from the age of eight become progressively clearer.
All memories revolved around her younger sister, ‘Han Yoo-ra.’
Without anyone telling her, Han Yoo-jung took great care of her sister.
When Yoo-ra cried, she would console her; if Yoo-ra spilled something while eating, she would wipe her mouth.
She stood up to boys who bullied her sister, often getting hit in her stead.
If Yoo-ra did something wrong, she would take the scolding from the orphanage teachers on her behalf.
Among these, what Yoo-ra loved most were... the dreams Han Yoo-jung gave her.
For her sister, who was especially scared of the dark, Han Yoo-jung created various dreams.
Dreams filled with teddy bears, entering a candy land, being loved by cute animals... and so on.
Being orphans and lacking money... things that couldn’t be achieved in reality were fulfilled in dreams, time and again.
Seeing her sister smile more often was a relief, but occasionally, Han Yoo-jung felt a pang of regret that this ability did not apply to herself.
She had many things she wanted to do and places she wanted to visit, but not once could she create a dream for herself to experience.
However, all those regrets would melt away like snow in the sun at the sight of Han Yoo-ra waking up in the morning, grinning broadly and excitedly talking about whatever dream she had.
---
---
When she turned ten, an adoption offer came for Han Yoo-jung.
It was proposed by a young couple who frequently volunteered at the orphanage and had become friendly with her.
Spending time with that couple had always been fun for Han Yoo-jung, so she happy memories with them.
“.....Excuse me?”
But soon, she found herself at a crossroads.
“...They want to adopt only you, without Yoo-ra.”
“...”
The moment had come for her to part ways with her sister.
Though it still remains a shameful scar to this day, for a moment, Han Yoo-jung hesitated.
It wasn't that she didn't love her sister; she didn't want to be separated from her.
But she hesitated momentarily.
She weighed her sister in the balance: whether to leave her and choose adoption, or to stay at the orphanage.
-Tuk..tuk..
At that moment, her sister, who was beside her, clutched the hem of her clothes.
Han Yoo-ra, who was seven at the time, knew what adoption meant.
Siblings who lost their parents had to grow up fast.
She knew that they were separating.
But at such a young age, Han Yoo-ra didn't cry.
She didn't throw a tantrum.
She quietly waited for her sister, Han Yoo-jung's decision, merely holding onto her clothes.
The guilt that Han Yoo-jung felt seeing her like that was immense.
Her sister was holding back tears for her sake, yet she was conflicted.
It was at that moment she refused the couple's offer to adopt her.
Afterward, Han Yoo-jung and her sister cried together in their room for a long time.
Only then did Yoo-ra, perhaps feeling relieved, let her pent-up tears flow endlessly.
"Unni, don't leave me... Please don't go..."
Yoo-ra, sniffling and crying, would appear in Han Yoo-jung's nightmares countless times after that.
The guilt she felt then lingered like a trauma, following Han Yoo-jung around.
---
---
Han Yoo-jung became a middle school student.
It was the moment when she and her sister would go to different schools.
Given their three-year age difference, they would never attend the same school again.
Yoo-ra was in the fourth grade of elementary school, but she cried a lot over their brief separation.
She didn't cry openly as before, but Han Yoo-jung knew that Yoo-ra would sneak away to wipe her tears in private.
Yoo-ra, whose school ended earlier, visited her sister every day.
Han Yoo-jung, too, turned down all plans to hang out with friends after school for her sister.
The more they grew, the clearer it became.
All they needed was each other.
Perhaps she acted this way because of the guilt she felt for once considering leaving Yoo-ra.
Regardless, they took even greater care of each other.
Even when people around them gossiped about the sisters always being together, Han Yoo-jung didn't care.
---
---
Han Yoo-jung became a high school student.
And Han Yoo-ra was now in middle school.
Suddenly, Yoo-ra declared,
"Unni!"
"...Yes?"
There was an unusual determination in her voice.
Before even hearing what she was about to say, Han Yoo-jung could tell it was going to be something out of the ordinary.
"I've found my dream."
Yoo-ra, now a first-year middle school student, had a clear conviction.
"A dream?"
"Yeah. I decided after watching you."
"..."
"I want to be a hero."
At the time, Han Yoo-jung laughed it off, thinking Yoo-ra was just joking.
After all, Yoo-ra was powerless.
Without any abilities, fighting against villains would obviously be a losing battle.
Seeing Yoo-jung's reaction, Yoo-ra said,
"...I'm not joking."
To appease her slightly upset sister, Han Yoo-jung softened her laughter and spoke gently.
"Yoo-ra, you need to have powers to become a hero."
"What kind of powers are you talking about?"
"To fight villains... you need combat abilities, right?"
"I heard not all heroes are combat types. There are also rescue heroes who move around and save people while the combat heroes fight."
Taken aback by her sister's specific response, Han Yoo-jung became flustered and her expression soured.
"....You were serious about this?"
"I told you I'm not joking...!"
Seeing Yoo-ra respond so firmly again, Han Yoo-jung contemplated before decisively saying,
"....No."
It was the first time she outright denied her sister.
"Why?"
"It's too dangerous. Especially if you don't have combat abilities."
"But you don't have combat abilities either."
"That's why I don't even think about being a hero-"
"-But you're a hero."
"...."
"...My hero. That's why I wanted to do it."
Surprised by her sister's sudden declaration, Han Yoo-jung smiled, then her expression faded, and she felt a surge of emotion.
However, she quickly suppressed those feelings and persuaded her sister against choosing such a dangerous path.
"...If you're grateful to me, then dream of making lots of money. Treat your unni well."
"Heroes also make a lot of-"
"Except being a hero."
"....Tch."
---
---
Han Yoo-jung had become an adult.
That day, as always, she finished her part-time job at a restaurant, exhausted.
She was diligently saving money, all for her sister Yoo-ra.
That day, Yoo-ra came to meet her.
"Unni, are you done?"
"Yeah. I'm dead tired."
Yoo-ra got up from her seat, shaking off the dust.
She had been waiting for a while.
They started walking through the bustling streets.
This was the fastest way to the orphanage.
Though Han Yoo-jung had already left the orphanage, Yoo-ra was still there.
Despite their desire to live together, it was economically more stable for Yoo-ra to stay at the orphanage, so they had no choice.
To check in, Han Yoo-jung uttered her familiar nagging.
"Are you studying well?"
"..."
Seeing her sister silent, Han Yoo-jung sighed.
"...Yoo-ra, if you want to go to college-"
"-I am."
"..."
"I ranked second in the entire school again. I could have been first if not for a mistake. But just..."
"...Just what?"
"...Whenever I think that you're sacrificing so much for me to study, I start hating studying."
Han Yoo-jung snorted.
"...Sacrifice? I'll be paid back double later."
"...I don't care about that, but you must have wanted to study too."
"...I didn't want to."
Han Yoo-jung lied, comforting her sister.
There was a time when she dreamed of becoming a psychologist using her abilities... but she was willing to give that up for her sister.
Before any other topic could arise, Han Yoo-jung changed the subject.
"So, what's happening with your dream now?"
"........"
Yoo-ra didn't answer her question.
It was somewhat inevitable for Han Yoo-jung's expression to sour when she got no response.
"...Don't tell me you're still thinking about being a hero?"
"There are already heroes without powers—"
"-How many times do I have to say no...!"
Han Yoo-jung snapped at her sister out of frustration.
Why couldn't she how dangerous that profession was?
Despite Han Yoo-jung's irritation, Yoo-ra stood her ground.
"There's only pluses. Hero training colleges don't charge tuition. They take care of food, lodging, and even give an allowance."
"....Yoo-ra."
"It would reduce your burden, and if I do well, I could earn a lot of money. Plus—"
"What if you die? Then it's all over."
"..."
"I really hate that you're making this choice because of money."
"...It's not about the money."
"..."
"...It's really my dream."
Han Yoo-jung swallowed her retort.
In the middle of the street, where their argument was attracting attention, they started walking again.
Yoo-ra quietly followed her.
Han Yoo-jung began to say harsh things to her sister.
"...How could someone as tearful and scared as you ever hope to become a hero—"
-Boom!!
Suddenly, a huge sound echoed through the streets.
Everyone instantly lowered their stance and became alert.
"...What's that...?"
At the unfamiliar sound, Han Yoo-jung's heart pounded.
Suddenly, a villain flashing like lightning zipped over their heads, crackling with energy.
People screamed.
"It's a villain!!"
The realization that a villain was flying right above them made their legs buckle.
Their minds were too confused to function properly.
They had no choice but to act on instinct.
"Yoo...Yoo-ra, this way...!"
"Unni wait...! Calm down and—"
-Boom!!
At that moment, a second boom sounded.
In the distance, a hero in a blue suit appeared.
The noise was also his power.
The villain that had been flashing like lightning above Han Yoo-jung and Han Yoo-ra dodged the hero's attack and fled the scene.
Immediately after, a massive gust of wind swept through where the villain had been.
Windows shattered, and the ground shook.
Han Yoo-jung, overwhelmed, covered her ears and collapsed to the ground.
"Unni!!"
In that moment, she heard a desperate voice through her covered ears.
At the same time, someone pushed her.
Pushed by that force, Han Yoo-jung lost her balance and was shoved far to the side.
Bang!!
And then, right where she had been, a huge signboard crashed down.
Han Yoo-jung's shock at the signboard was brief.
"........Yoo...ra...?"
A greater shock froze her heart.
Her only blood relative, her only friend.
Her sister Yoo-ra was lying beneath the signboard instead.
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