Stealing the Heroine Event
The common element found in both love comedies and dating sims is the existence of a decisive event that causes the heroine to fall for the protagonist. In Jeong Sua’s case, it was when I rescued her from that bar she’d wandered into without knowing anything. That led to dates, kisses, and eventually sex. With Cha Yeri, imprinting my existence through that kiss had been effective. Thanks to it, I’d injected myself—the villain—into her boring life. While it raised her wariness toward me, it also seemed to have diversified her emotional expressions.
But whether Cha Yeri had actually fallen in love with me was an entirely different matter. To her, I was still just an annoying underclassman. If I stayed still, I might lose her to Kang Suho, who could draw the heroines’ attention just by existing. ‘In my case, I have to use every trick in the book just to run into a heroine.’
“Hyung, I’m heading out.”
“Yeah.”
…Has he left? After confirming that the appetite-killing bastard was gone, I quickly changed into the clothes I’d prepared and began tailing him.
Jeong Sua, the so-called childhood friend heroine, fits the role of the protagonist’s first love. She’s the type the protagonist has likely harbored a one-sided crush on for a long time. However, childhood friend heroines often end up as defeated heroines. The royal road of love comedies is for the protagonist to meet a new heroine instead of the girl he’s liked since childhood and gradually fall for her. The position of that main heroine belongs to Cha Yeri, whom he first meets upon enrolling at Gangan High.
Therefore, I had no intention of being satisfied just because I’d claimed Jeong Sua. Whether defeated heroine or main heroine, I would take them all and become the true protagonist.
The place I was currently standing was a plaza right in the center of the bustling downtown area. There was a fountain, plenty of benches nearby, families resting, and many couples. From a spot slightly removed from the heavy foot traffic, I watched Kang Suho standing in front of the fountain.
Kang Suho kept checking his phone with an anxious expression, clearly waiting for someone. ‘He must be waiting for Cha Yeri.’
That explained why, unlike his usual self, he had styled his hair and fixed it with spray. Instead of the tacky striped t-shirt he normally wore, he had on a neat plain t-shirt and denim jeans. It was obvious he’d dressed up to look good. But to my eyes, it was painfully sloppy. He must have been using hair spray for the first time; his hair looked flattened and clumped. His clothes were oversized, as if he’d ordered the wrong size, making him look like a kid wearing his dad’s outfit. It was incredibly awkward.
Yet even with the protagonist dressed like that, the heroine would probably smile and say it was cute.
“Kang Suho, junior.”
From afar, Cha Yeri spotted him and approached with a gentle smile, walking slowly. She wore a silk skirt that clung tightly from her hips down to below her knees. Holding her handbag with both hands in front of her, she moved without a single strand of hair out of place, only the tips swaying elegantly. It was truly graceful.
Especially that hip line visible above the skirt—it was incredibly sexy. ‘I never noticed because our president always wears those loose, flowing skirts, but she’s more of a lower-body girl than I thought?’
Despite her small frame, those rich, voluptuous curves. If I grabbed and kneaded them with my hands, they’d probably feel incredibly soft. Just imagining it sent blood rushing straight to my lower half.
Unfortunately for Kang Suho, he would never get to touch that ass. Why? Because that ass was going to be mine, no matter what.
This was the perfect situation for some kind of event to occur between Cha Yeri and Kang Suho. I’d watch secretly, and the moment the event triggered, I would step in and steal it right out from under him.
Cha Yeri entered a nearby restaurant together with Kang Suho. The reason she had called him was simple. As his senior, she wanted to treat a well-behaved, obedient junior who had joined the student council to a meal.
Of course, Kang Suho wasn’t the only junior who had joined the student council. There were Kang Suho, Jeong Sua, Lee Yena… and Kang Ijin. Kang Ijin counted as a junior too. But Lee Yena was her personal maid. As for Jeong Sua, after talking with her, Cha Yeri had learned the girl possessed an incredibly kind and upright character. However, because Kang Ijin had declared himself her guardian and wouldn’t let anyone near her, Cha Yeri had no choice but to arrange a separate meeting with only Kang Suho.
“Whoa… Are we really allowed to come to a place like this?”
Kang Suho reacted like a child seeing a fancy restaurant for the first time. When he looked at the menu and was shocked a second time, Cha Yeri gave him a gentle smile.
“Don’t worry about the price. Order whatever you want to eat. It’s my treat.”
“But this is way too expensive…”
“I have enough wealth to buy this entire restaurant. Or would you prefer the restaurant itself instead of the food?”
“N-no, that’s fine. Let me see what to order…”
At her terrifying words, Kang Suho hurriedly began choosing from the menu. She truly did have the ability to purchase the whole place. But she wasn’t so vain as to buy a restaurant she had no use for. It had been a joke meant to ease the mood and hurry him along in picking something.
‘I’ve been making jokes like this quite often lately.’
It had started recently. She, who had never once joked with anyone before, had begun doing so. She had already figured out exactly who was responsible. It wasn’t the Kang Suho sitting in front of her, but his older brother—Kang Ijin. Whenever she saw that frivolous man who joked around without regard for time or place, she often felt the urge to fluster him. Those thoughts had led to light jokes, and now they had become a habit.
“Your ordered steak has arrived.”
The steak was a moderate size, not too heavy for lunch. As she skillfully cut the meat with her fork and knife, she felt Kang Suho’s gaze on her.
“Wow…”
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s just that you’re so elegant, President.”
“Thank you for the compliment. You should eat quickly too, Kang Suho. It would be a shame if the delicious food gets cold.”
“Yes ma’am!”
She smiled at his honest impression, but the word “elegant” brought her no particular feeling. She had received rigorous training from a young age to appear elegant for her family. Her entire life had been lived to become someone’s elegant wife. She had heard the word “elegant” filled with respect so often that her ears were practically calloused from it. She was sick of it.
But there was exactly one man for whom the same words felt completely different. Even when he called her elegant, she could sense some ulterior motive behind it that made her think twice. And as if that wasn’t enough, he casually called her cute without hesitation. The kind of man who teased her to make her flustered, yet whose unexpected sides never failed to surprise her whenever she watched him.
“Kang Suho, junior.”
“Yes! President!”
Kang Suho, who had been awkwardly cutting his meat because he didn’t know how to use the knife properly, answered in a voice stiff with tension. It was fascinating how different their personalities could be despite being brothers.
“That Kang Ijin… I mean, the vice president. Has he said anything about me separately?”
“My brother?”
“Yes. Anything at all is fine. It’s not that I’m investigating him or particularly interested in the vice president. It’s just… a normal conversation topic while eating, so please speak comfortably.”
Fearing he might misunderstand, Cha Yeri added several extra explanations. ‘Phew, with this much, he won’t misunderstand, right?’
She absolutely did not have any interest in Kang Ijin. She could never allow such a misunderstanding. ‘It’s just that Kang Ijin is the vice president… and he even openly declared that he’s targeting me…’
When someone sent such a passionately heated gaze that it was impossible not to notice, wasn’t it natural to take a slight interest and ask? Of course, even if Kang Suho didn’t say anything, it wouldn’t matter to her at all. Knowing about someone like Kang Ijin or not knowing made no difference.
…Though it would be nice to know…
“Um… Oh, that’s right! Last time when I was on the phone with you, President, my brother overheard and got really jealous.”
“Jealous? In what way exactly?!”
“Ah, well… He said he’s never once gotten a call from you.”
At Cha Yeri’s intense aura, Kang Suho flinched in surprise, but she paid his reaction no mind at all. ‘Hmm… So Kang Ijin said something like that?’
The corners of her mouth rose on their own once she confirmed that Kang Ijin definitely liked her. He had shown jealousy toward Kang Suho just because the boy had talked to her on the phone? He was clearly completely infatuated with her. Upon confirming his obsession, she felt secretly delighted… no, it felt incredibly satisfying.
Maybe she could use this to tease Kang Ijin. Or perhaps she could use herself as bait to manipulate him however she wanted.
“President?”
“Yes, what is it, Kang Suho, junior?”
“Did something good happen? You keep smiling.”
Had her emotions shown so clearly on her face even though she thought she was hiding them? To think she had made such a mistake.
“It’s nothing. Anyway, eat quickly. If you’re still hungry after, just tell me and I’ll order more.”
“Yes, thank you!”
Fortunately, he passed over it without any suspicion. Cha Yeri inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and put a piece of steak in her mouth. Classical music that calmed the mind flowed through the restaurant. Then, suddenly, a commotion began to rise. The sound of shattering glass rang out, and the air inside the restaurant grew heavy.