BJ Villainess

I blinked in surprise, wondering if I had really walked around without smiling that much, and Jin Wonwoo continued speaking.

“Every time I saw you in the hallway, you always had a stern expression, so I thought you had a bad personality. But now that we’re talking, you’re not like that at all.”

“Do I look like I have a bad personality?” I asked with a mock-serious expression, and Jin Wonwoo chuckled. “Why are you laughing? I’m serious.”

“Well, you only talk to Ozworld and ignore everyone else.”

“I’m also close with Hamin.”

“But you don’t seem as close to anyone as you are to Ozworld.”

“Oz has been my friend for ten years…” However, it seemed like it was just my own misunderstanding. “I’m not good at making friends.”

“Really? But you recognized me and called my name first.”

“Well… you seemed familiar.”

Hearing my answer, Jin Wonwoo looked away slightly and spoke quickly. “Anyway, I thought you would be prickly. But now that we’re talking, you’re different and seem like a nice person.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

It seemed like I could become friends with Jin Wonwoo without any issues.

Jin Wonwoo, looking a bit shy, held out his phone. “Can I have your number?”

“

, sure.” Come to think of it, we hadn’t exchanged numbers yet.

I was about to enter my number when I paused. It was because there was a phone call with Ozworld’s name on the screen. I was so startled to see his name that my heart almost stopped.

Jin Wonwoo, hearing his phone ring, looked at the screen and mumbled curiously. “

? Why is he calling me?”

When I handed back his phone, Jin Wonwoo answered the call. “Hello?

, yeah, I’m with her…” he then handed his phone to me with a somewhat reluctant expression. “He wants to talk to you.”

As I expected, the call was for me.

I hesitated before answering the phone. “It’s me. Why are you calling?”

-I heard from Bohyeon that you left home because of him. I was worried when you didn’t answer my calls.

“…

it’s not a big deal. I didn’t even realize you called because I was playing a game.”

-Really? I thought you were avoiding me on purpose.

I bit my lower lip slightly. I knew my lie wouldn’t work, but being called out so directly made my heart sink.

-How long are you planning to stay there?

Ozworld sometimes knew my location with strange accuracy without me telling him. It wasn’t always, but I often suspected he had installed a tracking app on my phone.

“Who knows. Since it’s the weekend, I’ll stay out a bit longer.”

-It’s dangerous, so come to my house. We can hang out here.

“What’s so dangerous about internet cafe?”

-Should I come over?

“

?”

-I’ll come to get you.

Then he hung up on me without waiting for my response. I was shocked and tried to call him back, but I saw 15 missed calls on the screen. I didn’t realize how persistent he had been while I was talking with Jin Wonwoo. Frowning, I handed the phone back to Jin Wonwoo.

“What did he say to make you look so upset?”

“He said he’s coming here. I don’t know why since he doesn’t even play games.”

“

. Are you two dating?”

“No, nothing like that.”

Then Jin Wonwoo handed his phone back to me. “Then it’s okay for me to contact you, right?”

, right. I was going to give him my number when Ozworld called.

“Of course, it’s fine. Just don’t contact me too often.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s a hassle.”

Jin Wonwoo laughed as if he found it ridiculous, and just as I was about to take his phone.

A man passing by bumped into my chair, causing his phone to drop on the floor.

“

, I’m sorry.”

The fall was short, but the screen shattered like it had fallen from a third floor. Both we and the man stared at the phone in shock.

The man, looking like he was about to cry, said to Jin Wonwoo. “There’s a store nearby. I’ll get it replaced with the same model right away.”

I told him to go quickly, and Jin Wonwoo sighed and stood up, then suddenly held out his hand. “Can I borrow your phone for a second?” He saved his number in my phone. It was a new addition to my contacts besides family, Ozworld, and Hamin.

After Jin Wonwoo left to replace his phone, a crowd of men suddenly filled the internet cafe. Cursing could be heard all around, and there was a faint smell of cigarettes. They kept bumping into my chair, making me very uncomfortable.

I sent a message to Ozworld.

[Don’t come looking for me. I won’t be at the Internet cafe.]

I also left a message for Jin Wonwoo, saying I’d see him at school and went to a big bookstore to read.

Before I knew it, the sun was setting outside.

It was only 6 PM.

My stepfather and mother were out on a couple’s outing and wouldn’t be back until after 10. With them around, Chae Bohyeon wouldn’t dare mess with me, so I had to stay out until then. But I was hungry.

As I walked around looking for a place to eat, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. “It’s the weekend, but how are all the places full?”

Even the convenience store was packed, and there was no place to sit and eat a cup of noodles or a triangle kimbap.

“Please pack one roll of kimbap.”

If I couldn’t eat at a restaurant, I could just sit on a bench in a nearby park.

I headed to a small park on a quiet path. As I arrived at the park with my plastic bag, I felt a sense of unease. There were sketchy-looking guys with bikes laughing and joking around the pavilion.

Whenever I had a fallout with Ozworld, my day always went badly. It was an old jinx of mine. I decided to leave the park quickly before those thugs noticed me and took my remaining money. But then, someone recognized me.

“

, Chae Jiwoo?”

I stared at the person, trying to figure out who they were. Then I noticed the tattoos and piercings and realized who it was.

“Hello…”

It was Lee Jonghyup, a senior who had confessed to me last year.

“

, what a coincidence. How have you been?”

“Who is she?”

Ignoring his friends’ questions, Lee Jonghyup approached me. “What are you doing here?”

“I was just passing by…”

At that moment, Lee Jonghyup snatched the bag from my hand and checked its contents.

“Is this your dinner?”

“…Yes.”

“Why eat this? You should eat something better.” He tossed the kimbap to his friends and put his arm around my shoulders. “I’ll buy you something expensive. Let’s go.”

“No, I want to eat kimbap.” I expressed my opinion stiffly, but his friends shouted over me.

“Hey, who is she? Your girlfriend?”

“Isn’t she the one who rejected you last year? You went crazy over her.”

“

, she’s really pretty.”

Lee Jonghyup’s friends were curious about me and crowded around.

I spoke in a small voice to the guy holding my kimbap. “That’s my kimbap. Please give it back.”

“

, even her voice is pretty. My heart’s racing.”

“Cut it out. Can’t you see she’s about to cry?”

As his friends surrounded us, Lee Jonghyup snapped. “Get lost. Stop drooling over her.”

“You got rejected. Look in the mirror. Do you think you stand a chance? How about me instead?”

I felt nauseous. Dizziness clouded my vision, and the overwhelming urge to throw up surged within me.

When Lee Jonghyup tightly pulled me into his grip with a strong arm, I seriously contemplated to kicking him in the shin and making a run for it. It made me desperately hope someone would pass by and rescue me. Maybe even call the police.

“Jiwoo.”

As I silently prayed for a miracle, a gentle voice called out to me. When I lifted my head, I saw Ozworld with his slightly disheveled bangs. For some reason, seeing him made a lump rise in my throat, and my eyes began to heat up.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Ignoring the presence of others around him, Ozworld walked straight toward me, his gaze fixed solely on me. He then took my hand. “Let’s go.”

The men, who had been starting at Ozworld in stunned silence, finally spoke up with confused and frustrated expressions.

“What’s this? You had a foreign boyfriend?”

“

, he’s ridiculously handsome.”

“Guess Lee Jonghyup had it coming.”

Lee Jonghyup, clearly feeling insulted, tried to stop Ozworld from taking me to leave. “You should greet your seniors when you see them.”

Ozworld chuckled softly and brushed off Lee Jonghyup’s hand from my shoulder with ease. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t touch Jiwoo, Senior.”

“What? What the hell did you just say to me?”

The atmosphere turned tense. Something felt off. It was a precarious moment as if a fight could break out at any second. And worse, they numbered seven. Even Ozworld wouldn’t stand a chance against a gang beating.

“Think you’re untouchable just because you’re rich,

?”

Lee Jonghyup reached out toward me, trying to grab me again.

“

!”

But before his hand could touch me, Ozworld caught it and twisted it at an unnatural angle in one swift motion.

“I just asked you not to touch Jiwoo. Why didn’t you listen to me?” Ozworld’s face darkened, his expression now devoid of the faint smile he had earlier. “This is exactly why I hate being around low-class people like you.”

“You b*stard, have you lost your mind?”

I stumbled backward, unable to even scream.

Ozworld held his ground, surprisingly unfazed by the seven men, but he wasn’t overpowering them like some movie hero either. It was clear this situation could escalate dangerously.

As panic set in, I hurriedly tried to call the police, but my phone was snatched away.

“Are you asking to die? If you report us, you’ll get beaten too—”

The man who threatened me suddenly collapsed to the ground.

I clamped my hands over my mouth, staring at Ozworld in disbelief.

Ozworld had struck the man’s head with a brick. Blood seeped from the fallen man’s head, slowly pooling on the ground.