Just Because I Have Narrow Eyes Doesn’t Make Me a Villain! - Chapter 50

“Hmm, hmm…”

Dorothy was very tense from the gaze that kept piercing her.

What’s wrong? What did she do wrong? Did she do something to offend Arte?

It was different from when we checked the raffle results.

At that time, her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me.

But not now.

That scary expression from then vanished without a trace, and an incomprehensible gaze kept flying toward me.

… What’s the problem with that, you ask? Isn’t it fine that she’s not looking with a scary expression?

It’s even scarier that it’s not!

Why? Why did she have that expression before? Why is she looking normal now?

What on earth is the problem?

“…Dorothy. You haven’t been concentrating since earlier.”

“Ah, ah! It’s fine! I-I’m alright!”

“It doesn’t seem like you’re alright though.”

Again, it’s that gaze.

The gaze that lingered the whole time she was coordinating with Siwoo.

As she turned my head, sure enough, Arte was watching.

Dorothy roughly learned the condition for her gaze.

“D, don’t come closer.”

“…Um, listen, Dorothy. I’m sorry, but that’s going to be difficult. The exam is a team battle. Even if you dislike me, that can’t be changed.”

“No! I, it’s not that I dislike you!”

Oh no, this is terrible.

No matter how she thinks about it, Arte sends her gaze when Siwoo approaches her or when they move close together.

So, she had no choice but to distance myself from him, and it seemed Siwoo thought she disliked him.

“I-in other words…”

“… I’m sorry, Dorothy.”

“Ah, aaaaah…”

‘Wh-, what do I do?! ‘

This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, this is bad!

‘It seems Siwoo really thinks I dislike him now! We-well, it is my fault…’

She distanced herself from Siwoo because she couldn’t stand Arte’s gaze.

To disperse Arte’s gaze!

She wasn’t sure if her thoughts were correct, but Arte turned to her teammate.

‘B-but is this really okay…?’

However, as she stopped feeling Arte’s gaze, Dorothy gradually thought this was unfair.

It wasn’t right.

‘What wrong have I committed that I have to tremble like this?’

She hasn’t done anything wrong. As the Teacher said, she just teamed up with Siwoo, so why did she have to receive this treatment?

‘The one in the wrong isn’t me. It’s Arte.’

Dorothy steeled her heart.

It’ll be big trouble if she lets the fear of Arte stop her from practicing and mess up the exam.

…Alright.

“…Dorothy?”

“Ah, yeah. It’s nothing.”

Slowly, slowly.

As she approached Siwoo to some degree, as expected, Arte’s gaze followed.

“Eek…”

“Dorothy. You don’t have to force yourself.”

“Huh?!”

“I know, so you don’t need to force yourself. What I said was a joke, so don’t worry too much. I know you don’t dislike me.”

Her thoughts stopped.

…He knew? That Arte was watching like that?

Then why is he so calm about it?

“I wonder what she’s staring like that for this time…”

“Si-Siwoo, you knew?”

“Hm?… Ah, you might not know. She does that often.”

“Often?!”

She was dumbfounded by what Siwoo uttered in a nonchalant tone.

Often?

Often?!

Even if she stares often… ha~. Technically, it’s not stalking, but… Anyway.

Even if he admits she does it often, what’s with this composed attitude?

“I’ll have to ask Amelia later. Sorry, Dorothy. This is all because of me.”

“Ah, ahh…?”

“She may look like that, but she’s just observing us, so don’t worry, and let’s practice.”

Her emotions were being tossed about a lot today.

She felt terror at Arte’s incomprehensible expression, persistent gaze, and confusion at Siwoo’s ridiculous reaction.

Now thinking it doesn’t matter anymore, she turned to look at Arte.

Sure enough, she was watching with an inscrutable smile.

And Siwoo knew that but was just letting it slide…?

They’re both out of their minds. Dorothy started hating the Teacher.

Just let me switch.

***

“Ah, about that. It’s love.”

“…Pardon?”

“Love. Is it that surprising? When love is too deep, people sometimes get jealous and stuff. It’s exactly that.”

“Are you crazy?”

After classes had ended for the day.

For the first time in her life, Dorothy spat out harsh words in front of someone.

“If that’s love, then a hero chasing after a villain must be desperate lovers!”

“No, that’s not it. The hero chases the villain because they have an objective.”

Dorothy was talking with Arte’s partner, Amelia.

She had heard she was the daughter of a wealthy family, but to think she was this kind of person.

They say you can’t calculate a person’s insanity?

A hollow laugh escaped as she saw the faint madness.

They say the empty cart rattles the loudest, so why do people who have gone mad all look fine on the outside like this?

“Arte is just watching Siwoo without any objective…If that’s not love, then what is it?”

“…”

“See, you have nothing to say either? Sorry, but Arte gets a bit too jealous. Please understand.”

Dorothy didn’t stay silent because she couldn’t refute it but because she was dumbfounded.

She wanted to say that’s not love, but it didn’t seem like she would listen even if she did.

A scary girl stalks a boy while having who knows what thoughts.

A boy who is so nonchalant despite being stalked as if it’s only natural.

And a girl who knows that but still spouts that it could only be love.

When the Teacher said the exam would be in pairs, I thought I’d be able to make a friend.

But rather than a friend, I’ve gotten tangled up with people I shouldn’t be involved with.

A sudden rainy season began in Dorothy’s heart.

They’re all crazy.

***

“They seem unexpectedly close?”

[I know, right? Even though she likely had a timid personality. …Well, isn’t it good if they become friends!]

How carefree.

A sigh escaped my mouth at the Author’s irresponsibility.

But as she says, there likely won’t be any particular problems.

In any case, with academy novel tropes, Amelia and Dorothy will maintain a relationship of being friends.

“Ah, Author.”

[Yes?]

“Have you decided who will win the heroine race?”

Since a new heroine appeared, I wanted to hear who on earth would end up with Siwoo.

A harem ending befitting an academy story?

Or the currently unrivaled Amelia? The newly appeared Dorothy?

[It’s a secret!]

“…What? No, you could let me know a little bit.”

[You’re also a reader! I don’t want to reveal too much!]

“Sigh…”

The Author in this state won’t listen no matter how much I persuade her.

So even if I want to know, I can’t.

There’s no meaning in hearing who will become the main heroine.

…Well, my personal thought is that it will likely be Amelia.

Because the period when there was only one heroine was too long.

These days, she even plays around with him like childhood friends who have been together since childhood.

“Well, okay. Just be careful not to get burned out.”

[Don’t worry!]

There’s no way I couldn’t.

It’s not like the incidents she’s caused alone are just one or two.

I sighed while watching the two heroines chatting on a bench.

Tomorrow is the start of final exams.

The protagonist will need to get good grades. I’m starting to worry.

***

“…What did you say?”

“I said to keep your hands off the Arachne case, Investigator Lee Ha-Yul.”

“Bu, but…! We even have a strong suspect!”

Ha-Yul was flustered. Keep my hands off it?

He and his subordinates were the only ones in charge of the Arachne case.

If he lets go, there will be no way to catch Arachne in the future.

But keep his hands off it?

“I understand your enthusiasm, but orders came down from above. They said to stop now.”

“What do you mean by that? Arachne is a criminal!”

“Yeah. A criminal… A criminal the citizens really like.”

“Urk…”

At his superior’s words, the citizens’ reactions naturally came to mind.

The citizens rejoiced, saying villains aren’t human, so the murder law doesn’t apply.

“They probably think the approval rating will fall if Arachne is caught.”

“What?!”

“That organization is disposing of troublemakers for us, so shouldn’t they just leave it alone and reap the benefits?… The higher-ups seem to have judged it that way.”

Because Arachne is treated differently from other villains.

His superior, who said that, smiled bitterly.

“They’ve been quiet recently too. Even if a big incident erupts, they judge there’s no need to mind it. So hands off.”

“Bu, but…!”

“Ah, and they said they won’t tolerate overstepping their authority. If there are signs of that, be prepared to be treated as a villain… They said that as well.”

“…”

Dammit.

‘Is it because I’ve overstepped too much until now?’

He didn’t pay much attention to being treated as a troublemaker, but today, he started hating his past self.

He should have behaved more…!

“I understand how you feel, but there’s no helping it if that’s the higher-ups’ judgment.”

“…Yes. That’s right.”

“Want a smoke?”

“I’d be grateful to have one.”

After expressing thanks to his superior, who took a cigarette from his jacket and handed it to him, Ha-Yul smoked one.

“Don’t be too discouraged… Oh my, he’s already gone.”

Only the cloud of smoke proved he was ever there.