A case of Transmigrating as a Sick Villain chapter 108

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Jingyeom was taken aback by Soohyuk’s sudden words and tightly shut his mouth.

Soohyuk’s gaze was incredibly warm.

Even though it was autumn and the sea breeze was chilly, his eyes felt like spring.

“You seem so shocked that I almost want to say I was joking…”

Soohyuk’s hand, which had briefly touched the back of Jingyeom’s hand, unfolded and wrapped around his cold, reddened fingers.

“I’m serious. I want to go with you.”

“….”

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“What if I say you are?”

Soohyuk read the emotions reflected in Jingyeom’s light brown eyes and smiled bitterly. It was clear that Jingyeom was feeling burdened.

Soohyuk could see it plainly.

“Sometimes it’s better to feel a bit of a burden than to be completely oblivious, but honestly, I hope you don’t feel that way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just wish you’d accept everything I offer without hesitation… and maybe even accept my heart along with it.”

“….”

Jingyeom’s eyes widened in shock at Soohyuk’s sudden confession.

His mind went completely blank, as if all his thoughts had come to a halt.

He wished for this moment to pass without escalating further.

Soohyuk carefully observed Jingyeom’s rapidly changing expressions.

It was clear that he wasn’t ready to accept Soohyuk yet.

Confusion, embarrassment, and discomfort were all written on Jingyeom’s face.

“Try controlling your expression a bit.”

“I…”

“Don’t decide too quickly. Take your time… think about it carefully, and then give me an answer.”

Jingyeom had no idea how to respond.

He hadn’t expected a confession and felt incredibly flustered.

He tried to laugh it off, but the sincerity in Soohyuk’s gaze made it impossible.

As Jingyeom remained visibly uncomfortable, Soohyuk smiled lightly.

“Do you know how red your face is right now?”

Soohyuk placed his hand on Jingyeom’s flushed cheek, exhaling softly in amusement.

“I thought you were blushing because of what I said, but I guess it’s just the cold. I was wondering why your watch was so quiet.”

Soohyuk regretted his impulsive confession.

He hadn’t taken the time to fully understand where Jingyeom’s heart was before blurting it out.

He had met many people in the past, but Jingyeom was special.

His sudden change had piqued Soohyuk’s interest, but it could have stopped there.

Yet, Jingyeom’s simple and bright demeanor kept drawing Soohyuk in, sparking both wonder and curiosity.

Was it because he was a new type of person? Or was it simply because he was Jingyeom?

At some point, everything about Jingyeom—his smile, his moments of confusion, and the way he seemed to relax only around Soohyuk—started to leave an impression.

Soohyuk wasn’t sure when it started, but his attention naturally gravitated toward Jingyeom.

It was fascinating to him that he was now so focused on every subtle change in Jingyeom’s expression.

Soohyuk had never been the type to care about others’ feelings or reactions, and this new self-awareness felt strange.

The regret over his hasty confession was brief.

The thought that he would soon occupy Jingyeom’s mind made Soohyuk feel happy again.

The future, whatever it held, was something he could shape as long as he paved the way forward.

“I was going to suggest we stay over tonight, but I guess that’s not going to work.”

Jingyeom, who had never considered staying the night, looked startled.

“What?”

“Hahaha!”

Suheok laughed heartily at Jingyeom’s shocked reaction, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

“Don’t worry, if you’re uncomfortable, I won’t do anything. No need to be so surprised.”

Soohyuk chuckled as he watched Jingyeom, who had relaxed a little, showing a faint smile.

Even though he was satisfied with Jingyeom’s heightened awareness of him, the desire for more kept growing.

But Soohyuk had no intention of pushing Jingyeom, who was already on edge.

“Shall we walk a bit more?”

Soohyuk extended his hand, and after a brief hesitation, Jingyeom took it and stood up.

As they walked, Soohyuk swung their joined arms playfully, seeming to enjoy himself.

‘He’s like a kid.’

Jingyeom found this childlike side of Soohyuk strangely endearing.

It felt awkward because the Soohyuk he knew wasn’t like this.

Soohyuk had always been carefree and sought amusement, but now he seemed like a different person.

And that difference was intriguing.

When their eyes met, Jingyeom briefly forgot how to breathe.

Soohyuk looked so genuinely happy, and that expression suited him better than anything else Jingyeom had ever seen.

‘Is it okay to let this go? Will this really be alright?’

For someone who had just confessed, Soohyuk appeared surprisingly calm.

The potentially awkward atmosphere had quickly returned to normal, which Jingyeom found remarkable.

He had never felt uncomfortable around Soohyuk before, and now he understood why.

Soohyuk’s efforts seemed to have worked, as the previously tense mood relaxed, and Jingyeom found himself naturally easing into it.

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As Soohyuk drove, he occasionally glanced over at Jingyeom, who had grown silent.

His eyes, once alert, were now drooping shut.

‘He must be tired.’

Judging by his complexion, Jingyeom was simply exhausted from their long drive.

Soohyuk smiled softly as he looked at the sleeping Jingyeom.

They had planned to stop for dinner near Eulwang-ri, but Jingyeom insisted they eat at home, so they were heading back to Seoul.

Soohyuk pulled over to the side of the road. If they continued, they would hit rush hour traffic, so he adjusted the passenger seat so Jingyeom could rest comfortably during the drive.

After fiddling with the unfamiliar seat controls, Soohyuk managed to recline it without waking Jingyeom.

‘Sleep well. Dream of me.’

He mouthed the words without making a sound.

Lowering the volume of the navigation system, Soohyuk started the car again.

As the vehicle moved, Jingyeom let out an unsteady breath.

He was nervous, afraid Soohyuk would realize he was only pretending to be asleep. His heart raced, making his smartwatch blink briefly.

In truth, Jingyeom wasn’t tired, but he closed his eyes, faking sleep.

When the seat moved, he almost opened his eyes in surprise.

He knew Soohyuk wouldn’t do anything inappropriate, but Soohyuk’s habit of casual physical affection made Jingyeom instinctively tense, especially after that recent confession.

‘What do I do now?’

At the beach, Soohyuk had skillfully diffused the tension, but it wasn’t something Jingyeom could easily dismiss.

Soohyuk had told him to take his time and think about it, so sooner or later, he would need to respond.

Meanwhile, Wonbeom hadn’t confessed directly yet.

He had only hinted at his feelings, but it was clear that something was there.

It wasn’t a situation that Jingyeom could ignore.

It was unsettling that both Soohyuk and Wonbeom had shown interest around the same time.

More than that, Jingyeom didn’t know how long he would stay in this situation, which made it impossible to accept either of their feelings.

But the biggest concern was when Baek Jingyeom would return.

If the real Baek Jingyeom came back, Soohyuk and Wonbeom’s feelings for him would become irrelevant.

Wonbeom might even return to the person he had longed for, leaving Jingyeom (or rather, Jinwoo) free to live the life he had always wanted.

‘But… didn’t I once wish he would just die? I’m not going to let it go that easily.’

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If he hadn’t heard from Jeong Sanho, he wouldn’t have known.

Even with Baek Jingyeom having obtained Wonbeom, he might still torment Jinwoo.

No matter how much he thinks about it, he can’t figure out what he did to make the two of them act this way.

‘……If only I could stay here.’

Would he have accepted their confessions if he had stayed?

At first, Wonbeom, who used to dislike him, suddenly became kind.

Even though he still looks expressionless or intimidating when he frowns, Jingyeom doesn’t think he would harm him.

Moreover, he’s getting used to Wonbeom’s subtly attentive care.

The same goes for Soohyuk.

Initially, he was so unpredictable it was almost hard to believe, but he never crossed the line thanks to his underlying manners.

‘Is this just because I’ve met a lot of people?’

Both of them had a pretty glamorous social life before Jinwoo showed up, though they’ve kept their distance from others since.

Or rather, many people used to cling to Wonbeom and Soohyuk.

Wonbeom didn’t turn them away just to satisfy his desires, while Soohyuk welcomed them for his own amusement.

As a result, more people attached themselves to Soohyuk.

Jingyeom’s brows furrowed slightly as his mood soured.

‘Why should I care?’

Jingyeom stifled a sigh and clasped his hands together.

No matter whom they met or what happened in the past, it didn’t concern him, but he still felt inexplicably upset.

‘As long as I do well, it’s fine.’

Just because he received confessions didn’t mean he had to start a relationship.

He concluded that as long as he stayed focused, it would be okay.

He was also scared that if he thought too much, he might end up being dragged along without resolving anything.

Trying to clear his mind, Jingyeom had intended to pretend to sleep, but at some point, he really fell asleep.

Not long after, the familiar ringing of his cellphone caused his eyelids to flutter open.

Blinking slowly, Jingyeom fumbled for his phone and answered.

It was Jinwoo. He suddenly remembered he had forgotten to send a message earlier.

Clearing his hoarse voice, Jingyeom answered the call.

“Yeah, Jinwoo.”

When Jingyeom answered, Soohyuk lowered the already quiet navigation sound even more.

A silly smile spread across his face as he watched Jingyeom struggle to keep his eyes open during the call.

— I’m leaving early today. Let’s have dinner together.

“Really? Okay. But I’m out right now too, so I’ll probably get home around the same time as you.”

— You’re still out? You must be studying hard. Don’t overdo it and go home soon. It’ll be cold once the sun sets.

“Yeah, I’m heading back now. See you later.”

After the call ended, Jingyeom let his arms drop and stared blankly out the window.

The sun, which had been high earlier, was now tilting to the side.

“Secretary Baek?”

“……Yes. He’s leaving work early today.”

“Oh? That’s good.”

Soohyuk glanced at Jingyeom with a faint smile and asked in a soft voice.

“By the way, why didn’t you mention you were with me?”

“……Just because.”

Soohyuk’s eyes narrowed at Jingyeom’s slightly reduced voice.

In the past, Jingyeom would have detailed their whereabouts, but now, as he hung up without saying much, Soohyuk’s lips curled up in a grin.

“Can I interpret it my way?”

“What do you mean?”

“Just as I like.”

Soohyuk’s grin looked so genuinely happy that Jingyeom couldn’t bring himself to say anything more.

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