Chapter 7. No, it's not that different? (2)
Back at school, I had become... uh, well, a celebrity.
In a bad way.
I had absolutely no clue why, but rumors were swirling that I might be one of the key figures in that massive terrorist incident.
Honestly, I even doubted it myself.
Even so, wouldn't that be a bit too self-absorbed? There's no way I, someone without any particularly amazing abilities, could be the central figure of such a major incident.
Thinking logically, it was probably just that the woman was out of her mind.
"—Isn't that why she's keeping her?"
I heard those words.
"Why, with her ability being what it is, and her bloodline being what it is. She's perfect for becoming a criminal."
"And no evidence left behind?"
"Yeah. No evidence left behind."
"......."
I was walking into the classroom, heard that conversation by accident, and stopped in my tracks, startled.
I knew I shouldn't have stopped. That would just give away that I was listening.
But that short conversation sounded so plausible.
Could that woman have been a criminal before? Could she have been a Villain before?
She was even so confident, yet she was wary of 'Meteor', or rather, Yujin-ajumma.
Doesn't that mean they might have crossed paths before?
In the world I used to live in, 'Villains', or what people commonly call 'Supervillains', have their own fanbases. No, actually, famous supervillains were often much more popular than mediocre Superheroes.
They have their own reasons and philosophies, they look unique, and their existence often completes the narratives of the Superheroes.
But that popularity only exists because they don't exist in reality.
Where in the real world could someone who idolizes a serial killer be treated like a normal person?
So, even if a Villain is somewhat famous, it's rare for them to be truly known nationwide. In the world I lived in, there were plenty of somewhat famous serial killers, but the only people who could rattle off their names were horror or mystery fanatics.
It wouldn't be strange if she wasn't that famous before.
Although, she's famous now.
"......."
The kids stared at me as I stopped in my tracks.
"Why?"
"U-uh?"
"Why are you staring like that?"
"Oh, no......."
Yeah, why? Why did they stare?
Why did I stop while walking by?
Naturally, I know the kid. At first, memorizing names was a chore, but I could at least remember the names of my classmates now.
It wasn't just someone whose name I knew, either. It was one of the kids who used to greet me warmly when they saw me.
Not just because they were close to Soi, but a kid who probably thought they were somewhat close to me, too.
If it had been before that incident, they definitely would have greeted me happily if we made eye contact like this.
"Did you eavesdrop?"
They asked, sounding accusatory.
"No......."
I was at a loss for an answer.
What could I say?
It was true that I had stopped because I heard voices that sounded like they were talking about me, and it was true that I had stopped and listened to the whole thing.
"It's just......."
Should I say no? That it was just a coincidence, that I wasn't trying to spy on them, just that I happened to be at the scene of the incident.
But then what?
That woman had also talked about things from even further back. The story from when I was at the orphanage.
She said she was going to come find me.
What was that 'incident where someone came to find me'? That woman didn't come herself, but if someone came looking for me, there was only one incident.
If that story came out, it would mean I was the one who hurt Soi's father.
And to the point of being in mortal danger, at that.
In the original work, that really... is what ended up happening.
I parted my lips to say something, but the more I did, the quieter the surroundings became. Gazes that had been directed elsewhere gathered on me one by one.
The school building had been repaired neatly.
It was repaired so neatly that only the repaired parts were too clean. In a building used for decades, only the broken parts were brand new.
The faces of the few security guards who used to greet the kids happily every morning had changed. They were different people now. I hadn't heard exactly what happened.
The homeroom teacher was still unable to come to school.
Another teacher from a different class came to stand in for us during morning and afternoon homeroom.
I only heard that they were recuperating.
"......Ah, no, it's nothing."
The gazes directed at me were a mix of reproach, fear, and curiosity.
Since Soi was around, they couldn't bring themselves to bully me directly, but the kids no longer opened their mouths to me first.
If there was ever a reason to exchange words, they would look terrified, or a bit sharp, or it would be obvious they wanted to end the conversation quickly.
Even the teachers seemed to avoid me when they had to assign presentations or the like.
My shoulders slumped for no reason.
I walked slowly and made eye contact with those two girls sitting near the back, the ones I had tried to talk to before and failed.
Those kids, who had been looking at me with eyes full of curiosity, were startled and turned their gazes away.
"Witch."
I heard someone mutter quietly. Followed by the sound of quiet giggling.
Fortunately, I had braced myself a little this time, so I was able to keep from stopping.
I had seen the word 'Witch' on the news, too.
It wasn't an official title used like for Heroes. Just creating something like that could turn someone into an idol. The Association always insisted that Villains were just mere criminals.
So, that word 'Witch' was a nickname given by the media and the people.
To that woman, Seo Arin.
However, in this school.
That word was a title directed at me.
I went quietly to the very back seat, my seat, and sat down.
I quietly took out my textbook and laid it open.
And I waited for Soi, who had gone to the restroom, to return.
As quietly as possible.
*
Fortunately, Soi and Chaeyi weren't treated the same way.
The two of them were, well. They were closer to the victim side, after all.
"What's wrong, did something happen?"
Soi asked, turning to sit sideways and peering into my face as soon as I sat down.
"No, nothing happened."
I shook my head, but Soi didn't seem to believe me.
Still, she didn't pry any further.
I hoped Soi could have a proper school life.
She was already practically glued to me during breaks and lunch because she was worried about me.
Still, there were moments when we inevitably had to be apart.
Like when going to the restroom, or even if we went together, if I came out first and lingered outside, the gazes of the kids passing by were even more stinging.
"......Hmm."
She didn't believe me, but she didn't have any concrete evidence either.
The kids didn't hit me directly or scribble on my desk, after all.
Well, for one thing, Yujin-ajumma was claiming to be my mother.
Soi would also get furious. Insulting a kid who had jumped in front of a Villain for the sake of the people wasn't exactly a wise thing to do.
Soi reached out and grabbed my hand. If I tried to pull my hand away, she would yank it toward herself, making my upper body half-slump over the desk, and she would even tuck my arm right into her armpit.
Fidget, fidget.
If I knew that and didn't avoid it, next she would knead my hand with both of hers. She would press down on my palm with both thumbs, fiddle with my fingers, or even interlace her fingers with mine.
Once she interlaced them, she wouldn't let go for a long time. She would stay like that until the break or lunch time ended.
"Soi, you seem really kind."
"Hm? What?"
Soi, who had been focused as if my hand were the best toy in the world to play with, lifted her head at those words.
Usually, Soi would have just accepted it normally and affably even if kids talked to her, but perhaps because she sensed the thorn in those words, she was a bit sharp.
"O-oh, no, I mean."
She's kind for even playing with Seo Lua.
Maybe that's what I wanted to say.
"I-it's just. That's all."
"Hmm."
At her friend's words, Soi pouted her lips and nodded.
"Is that so? Well, maybe."
Soi straightened her shoulders.
Because she acted so confidently, it felt like those words were true.
No, it really was true.
Whether I had abilities or not, Soi had rushed in to save me.
"Heh, hehe."
Soi rested her elbows on my desk and propped her chin up.
Still with her fingers interlaced with mine.
Soi's cheek came to rest on the back of my hand.
Soft, squishy.
Come to think of it, even though Soi often touched my face here and there, I had never really touched Soi's face here and there. Even if I thought it would be like that, I had never felt it like this directly.
"But why? Why did that come up all of a sudden?"
"Huh? O-oh, no, just. Because you helped us back then, too."
"Chaeyi helped too—"
Glancing.
Soi's eyes turned toward me for a moment.
"Lua helped too, didn't she? Actually, I stepped in later. But only I'm kind?"
"O-oh, no......."
The homeroom teacher was a popular teacher. Always taking care of students and treating them comfortably like a friend.
That homeroom teacher was trying to protect me and now couldn't even come to school.
"Y-yeah. Lua is kind, too."
"Right?"
Only after hearing that answer did Soi rub her cheek against my hand as if satisfied.
Not knowing how to take that situation, I just hung my head low with a complicated heart.