A case of Transmigrating as a Sick Villain chapter 105

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“…Hyung?”

Jingyeom blinked rapidly, wondering if he had seen wrong.

But the figure that had drawn everyone’s attention wasn’t disappearing. In fact, it was getting closer.

Just last night during their video call, Soohyuk had been overseas.

The sight of him standing here now felt surreal.

Soohyuk approached with his usual smile, but his heavy steps and the slight twist at the corner of his lips betrayed his bad mood.

However, only Cheongoh seemed to notice.

“I told you not to cheat on me… and now you’re seeing another guy already?”

Despite the smile on his face, Soohyuk’s voice was sharp, like a thorn.

As soon as he arrived in Korea, he had checked Jingyeom’s location.

He had wanted to surprise him, but when he contacted Cheongoh, he heard that Jingyeom was at a café with some random guy, so he rushed over.

It was already annoying enough seeing Jingyeom sitting with Cheongoh, but now witnessing this made it impossible for him to hide his emotions, and he forced a smile.

Jingyeom, who had been staring blankly at Soohyuk, suddenly stood up.

His body moved before he could process anything out of excitement.

“Hyung… why are you here?”

That was the first thing out of Jingyeom’s mouth?

Soohyuk, who had expected a warmer reaction, felt like an intruder in the middle of something between them.

He shot a glance at Sanho.

Sanho, too, was staring at Soohyuk since the moment he had entered, having already scanned everything he was wearing.

‘Everything he’s wearing is designer. He must know Jingyeom.’

A smirk crept across Sanho’s lips.

‘The last guy was no pushover either…’

Sanho thought Jingyeom was weighing his options between two men.

Jingyeom had never been in a deep relationship, so he wasn’t skilled at dealing with people.

Even when he acted strangely, most people, entranced by his looks, would give in to his demands.

He had never learned how to properly consider others. And Jinwoo had a significant role in shaping that attitude.

At first, Jinwoo had tried to correct Jingyeom’s self-centered, temperamental nature, but after collapsing under the stress, he stopped trying.

Instead, he began to indulge Jingyeom’s whims without limit.

As a result, Jingyeom grew accustomed to treating people however he wanted, making it impossible for him to form healthy relationships.

Moreover, his poor financial situation had left him with a strong fixation on money.

Knowing Jingyeom’s character, Sanho’s thoughts inevitably veered in that direction.

‘Looks like he found a rich one this time. Even if he can’t remember, his nature sure hasn’t changed. I’ll have to ask who this new sucker is later.’

Sanho managed to suppress the grin trying to spread across his face as he cast a greedy look at Soohyuk.

Soohyuk, sensing the gaze, snorted.

A guy like this, full of vanity, wasn’t even in the same league as him.

When Soohyuk’s eyes returned to Jingyeom, the anger that had surged within him dissolved, leaving behind only a weary smile.

‘I didn’t think I’d be this easy to rattle.’

Even though it was his own heart, it seemed to have escaped his control.

“Why? Should I leave if you don’t want me here?”

“Who said that? It’s just… I’m surprised to see you here since you were abroad until yesterday.”

“Just surprised? You’re not happy?”

At Soohyuk’s teasing question, Jingyeom smiled sheepishly.

“Of course I’m happy!”

“Me too.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Soohyuk opened his arms and hugged Jingyeom.

Startled by the sudden embrace, Jingyeom flinched, and Soohyuk let out a soft laugh as he released him.

Truthfully, he wanted to mark Jingyeom as his in front of everyone, leaving no room for doubt.

“When did you get back? Weren’t you supposed to come next week?”

“Today. I was supposed to come next week, but I wrapped things up quickly. I was feeling anxious because it seemed like all sorts of things were sticking to you while I was gone.”

As Soohyuk said “all sorts of things,” he briefly glanced at Sanho before scrunching his nose playfully.

Jingyeom, clueless about what Soohyuk meant, tilted his head in confusion.

Soohyuk gently patted his head before guiding him inside, sitting next to him afterward.

Before sitting down, he made eye contact with Cheongoh at another table, exchanging a brief greeting.

When Soohyuk smiled at him, Sanho nodded slightly in return.

Jingyeom, more interested in asking Soohyuk questions than in introducing the two properly, turned toward him eagerly.

“Are you back for good?”

“Yeah. Every time I leave, something happens, so I’m not leaving again.”

Soohyuk scrutinized Jingyeom’s face closely, something he couldn’t do properly over a video call.

He looked much better in person.

“Your face looks thinner.”

Soohyuk grabbed Jingyeom’s chin and turned his head from side to side.

His jawline was sharper now compared to when he had been in the hospital.

Although it was just the swelling that had gone down, it looked to Soohyuk as if he had lost weight.

From the photos, it had seemed like Jingyeom had gained weight, but apparently, the photos hadn’t done him justice.

Despite being thin already, Soohyuk now felt that Jingyeom needed to gain a bit more weight.

As Soohyuk continued his inspection, Jingyeom, feeling awkward, gently took Soohyuk’s hand and removed it.

“I’m the same as before. If anything, I’ve gained weight.”

“You need to gain more, though. I want you nice and chubby.”

Soohyuk lightly tapped Jingyeom’s cheek, causing him to smile sheepishly.

“What’s making you smile like that? Let me in on the joke.”

“I don’t know… I just can’t stop smiling when I see you. Maybe it’s because it’s been so long?”

Hearing this, Soohyuk beamed.

As he traced circles on Jingyeom’s cheek with his fingertip, Jingyeom giggled and squirmed, feeling ticklish.

The two seemed oblivious to the stares from Sanho and others around them.

“So, why did you cheat on me?”

“I didn’t cheat! He’s just a friend.”

“A friend?”

“My high school friend, the one I mentioned before.”

Since they’d been talking more often, Jingyeom had developed the habit of sharing even the smallest details with Soohyuk, including the fact that he’d reconnected with an old high school friend.

Soohyuk nodded slightly, remembering the conversation.

“Oh… I misunderstood. My bad.”

After exchanging brief glances earlier, he casually struck up a conversation as if he had only just noticed him.

“I’m Jingyeom’s… ugh!”

“Not a lover, just a friend!”

Soohyuk playfully jabbed Jingyeom’s side, causing an exaggerated flinch.

It wasn’t out of pain but rather a reflexive reaction to Jingyeom’s touch.

Even though Soohyuk didn’t particularly like Jingyeom referring to him as a friend, he didn’t argue.

After all, even though they were just acquaintances now, that could change.

Sanho, observing the friendly interaction between the two, felt a strange unease.

He had noticed that Baek Jingyeom had changed a lot over the years.

They had known each other for seven years now, but he could count on one hand how many times he had seen Jingyeom smile so openly.

Yet, the fact that this smile was directed at a man who had just introduced himself as Jingyeom’s lover left Sanho wondering—what did this mean?

Narrowing his eyes, Sanho glanced at Jingyeom, suspicious.

‘Was he just pretending to have lost his memory? No, there’s no reason for that.’

Baek Jingyeom had always known how to use his looks to his advantage—he knew exactly which angle was most flattering and how to look melancholic.

He also knew the right expressions to open people’s wallets. This was partly instinctual, partly learned.

But now, seeing Jingyeom behave this way while claiming to have memory loss, Sanho found it odd.

For a moment, he questioned whether Jingyeom’s amnesia was real. Either way, it didn’t matter. As long as he got his fair share, Sanho was content.

If he could get Jingyeom along the way, that would be a bonus.

Sitting up straight and placing his arms on the table, Sanho prepared to join the conversation properly.

“I didn’t know Jingyeom had any friends I wasn’t aware of.”

‘Oh, really now?’

Soohyuk glanced at Sanho, unimpressed, as if finding his presumptuousness amusing.

Soohyuk had already gathered plenty of information about Jeong Sanho, including secrets he was hiding.

A detailed report had landed in his hands just a few days ago.

What piqued Soohyuk’s interest the most was Sanho’s connection with Baek Jingyeom’s biological father.

Normally, Soohyuk would’ve just watched out of curiosity, but now, having Sanho near Jingyeom was highly irritating.

Sanho was trying to flaunt his closeness, but Soohyuk had no intention of indulging him.

Time spent looking at anyone other than Jingyeom felt like a waste.

‘Should I just get rid of him?’

Suppressing the sudden urge, Soohyuk asked the question that had been on his mind.

“Me too. I didn’t know our Jingyeom had other friends. I thought I was the only one. Are you two close?”

Smiling, Sanho raised an eyebrow and replied with a sly grin, “We’re closer than brothers.”

“Baek’s secretary might feel a bit left out hearing that.”

At that, Jingyeom, who had been silently rolling his eyes, nodded as if agreeing.

The Jingyeom of now wasn’t the same as the one who had been closer to Sanho in the past.

Soohyuk, apparently finding everything Jingyeom did adorable, couldn’t help but keep smiling.

Watching this, Sanho chuckled dryly in disbelief.

‘He’s completely smitten, isn’t he? Baek Jingyeom, you really are something.’

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