Correcting the Villainess of the Academy – Chapter 234

Chapter 234

“Heup… I’m sorry… It’s all, all my fault… I’m sorry… I… you…”

The pitiful sound of sobbing showed no signs of stopping. With a guilty heart, Seoyeon bowed her head low, letting her tears trickle down.

She couldn’t bring herself to look at the face of the man who calmly covered her faults instead of blaming her.

And what she heard next was Lee Hyun’s voice, as if gently comforting her.

“…You’ve always been late with your apologies.”

What followed was a slight weight felt on her hair. And then, the warmth of something gentle.

“Heuk… Hup…”

At this, Seoyeon slowly raised her head. Her face was still covered with tears. Seoyeon, unable to grasp the situation, stared blankly at the man.

Then, long fingers moved back and forth, gently stroking Seoyeon’s hair. It was as if he was handling a precious work of art.

“You did the same when we first met, and now it’s the same again.”

Though the movement was faint, it was more than enough to bring comfort. As if brushing aside his own scars, he focused solely on consoling her.

“I thought you’d changed a lot… but this part of you is just the same as before.”

“Heup…”

“The Yeon I know… really… hasn’t changed at all…”

Tears welled up again in her golden pupils that had been staring blankly at him. Then Seoyeon distorted her face and burst into tears.

“Heuk… I’m sorry…”

And so, sorrowful sobs filled the hospital room for hours.

***

“Hic… I’m sorry… sorry…”

Lee Hyun had already heard the same apology hundreds of times. By now, the crying had subsided, but Seoyeon, with her bloodshot eyes, kept apologizing to him.

The sight of a lady stubbornly throwing a tantrum only to finally admit her fault.

For him, it was something he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Perhaps it was because he had already unloaded a considerable amount of baggage.

Though the scars carved into him could never be reversed, he somehow felt more at ease accepting this scene.

“It’s okay now, really.”

“Hic…”

Sniffling, Seoyeon finally stopped her apologies after hearing his persuasion several times.

And as she gradually regained her composure, a faint embarrassment began to appear on her face. Her messy appearance from just moments ago was clearly mortifying to her.

The blush that stood out against her almost pale white skin was even more noticeable. Unable to meet Lee Hyun’s gaze, Seoyeon fiddled with her hair awkwardly.

Then, instead of sitting on the bed or the chair, the two squatted down on the floor and resumed their long-overdue conversation. Just like the old days when they secretly hid in the warehouse to share stories.

Though it began as an attempt to change the subject, once the conversation started flowing, it wouldn’t stop.

During this, Seoyeon shot a glance at Lee Hyun. Then, in a voice still tinged with moisture, she asked.

“About the magic… How did you end up being able to use it… Can I ask?”

“Magic?”

“Yes. I mean… that…”

Seoyeon trailed off. While curious about how Lee Hyun, once assessed as a Complete Non-Sensitive, came to wield magic, she seemed reluctant to utter the term aloud.

However, Lee Hyun opened his mouth indifferently.

“…I don’t know either.”

“You don’t know…?”

“Yeah. One day, I just suddenly became able to use it. There weren’t even any signs of blooming…”

“I see…”

Without much doubt, Seoyeon nodded her head in amazement.

“That’s amazing… Somehow, both of us ended up as mages… Back then, I never even imagined it…”

Then, looking at Lee Hyun, she smiled with relief.

“Still, it’s a good thing… right…?”

“…”

It was a fleeting moment, too brief to notice. A shadow passed over Lee Hyun’s face. Seeing him remain silent, Seoyeon tilted her head in confusion.

“Hyun?”

“…No, you’re right. It is… truly a good thing.”

“…?”

“Anyway, if it weren’t for the Unit Commander that day, I would’ve lived my whole life not knowing anything about magic.”

There was no one who could read his inner thoughts as well as Seoyeon could. Fearing they might be revealed, Lee Hyun quickly changed the subject.

Hearing about Lee Hyun’s past deeds, Seoyeon widened her eyes in surprise.

“So, Sa Jaehyuk… No, they’re the ones who saved you…?”

“Yeah.”

Sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, Lee Hyun nodded.

“If the Unit Commander and the older sisters hadn’t appeared, I probably would’ve just died there.”

“Ugh…”

Overwhelmed with guilt once more, Seoyeon couldn’t lift her head. They were Lee Hyun’s saviors, rescuing him from the brink of death. Yet she had insulted and mocked them in his presence.

“S-sorry… truly…”

“I told you, it’s fine.”

Once again, it was Lee Hyun who shook his head as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“How could you have known that?”

“Even so… to say such things to the people who saved you…”

“It’s fine. Everyone else thought the same way too. And honestly, the Unit Commander deserves to hear things like that. His track record is pretty notorious; harassment is just the tip of the iceberg, and he’s committed several cases of assault too… That’s why they call him That Rascal of Heukryeon…”

Lee Hyun continued, deliberately speaking in a joking tone to lighten the mood.

“I still don’t know how someone like him became the Student Council President. And in the unit, he was even more vicious. He wouldn’t feed us for three days; he’d make us crawl in the mud all day, and during sparring, he’d beat us senseless every time…”

“He beat you senseless…?”

“Yeah. Just thinking about it still gives me chills.”

“…”

Lee Hyun lightly shrugged his shoulders. Seoyeon’s expression, previously unsure of how to respond, instantly turned cold.

“But still… They’re precious people to me.”

Then, with a faint smile, Lee Hyun spoke as he looked at her.

“So… the next time you meet them, just say sorry. Though I doubt the Unit Commander would care much.”

“…Alright.”

Seoyeon nodded vigorously.

“I’ll make sure to apologize properly. Maybe even offer a token of atonement…”

“There’s no need for that…”

Watching Seoyeon’s enthusiastic demeanor, Lee Hyun waved his hand dismissively. Then, the insignificant chatter between the two continued for quite some time.

“By the way… Can I ask you one more thing?”

During this, Seoyeon once again twisted her hair while glancing sideways at Lee Hyun.

“What is it?”

“Honestly… Have I really… not changed at all…?”

Judging by her demeanor, she seemed to have been holding onto Lee Hyun’s earlier words the whole time.

A life spent on the Frontier, practically exiled. And then, a life in the central region as a member of the Great Prestigious Family, Paechun.

The differences between the two were so obvious that they didn’t even need to be compared.

Her natural beauty, the thorough nutrition of her growth years, and her daily meticulous care.

With such striking results, she quickly captivated everyone’s attention and secured her place on the Central Stage.

But this wasn’t for her personal satisfaction. It was all to meet the preferences of one single person.

From the tips of her hair to the ends of her toes, every inch of her body bore his essence.

Having been persistently influenced by him since childhood, Seoyeon could confidently claim to know his tastes better than anyone.

It was only after such a long and arduous journey that she had finally reached her destination.

After asking her question, Seoyeon regretted her earlier sobbing. Her disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes—she didn’t need a mirror to know she looked a mess.

And even in that state, she anxiously awaited the judgment of her master.

“…”

Seoyeon swallowed hard, the sound echoing in the quiet hospital room. Fortunately, she was too tense to notice the noise herself.

“…No.”

And then, after silently observing her, Lee Hyun shook his head.

Meeting her gaze directly, he opened his mouth and slowly spoke.

“You’ve… grown even more beautiful.”

“Uh, uh…? Really…?”

Seoyeon fumbled awkwardly, seemingly flustered. Despite being the answer she had hoped for all along, she couldn’t maintain her composure for some reason.

“Yes. It was to the point where I almost didn’t recognize you. Truly… I thought you were dazzlingly beautiful.”

“H-Hee… Stop it…”

And then, like someone entirely unaware of embarrassment, the man continued to speak. Seoyeon’s face, which had only heard a brief sentiment, was once again dyed with a faint blush.

Along with the overwhelming heat rushing through her, she naturally lowered her head deeply to the ground.

“Ha-ah, ha-ah…”

At the same time, she couldn’t hide the slight curl of her lips no matter how much she tried. She felt unbearably shy, yet that man, who remained as calm as if this was just another ordinary day, felt a little annoying.

However, more than anything, his kind words brought her immense joy.

“T-Thank you…”

Finally regaining her composure, Seoyeon lifted her head and cleared her throat once or twice.

“Y-You’ve become more handsome too…”

Then, kneeling neatly, she looked at Lee Hyun and spoke.

“You’ve grown taller… and your voice sounds more reliable…”

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she hurriedly added more words.

“O-Of course, you were good before too…! Back then, you were like an adorable puppy… But now, you have a different charm… So, um… Ha-ah…”

As if her tongue was twisting, Seoyeon mumbled with her lips. From twisting her hair repeatedly, her once neat straight hair puffed up and curled in several places.

Watching her like that, Lee Hyun wore a gentle smile on his lips.

“…Thank you.”

“Hoo…”

Unable to endure any longer, Seoyeon finally averted her gaze swiftly.

It wasn’t because she didn’t like it, but because she felt as though she wouldn’t be able to control her swelling emotions if she didn’t do so.

Though the atmosphere was filled with warmth, she struggled to calm her racing heart.

After all, the most important resolution was still ahead.

“So, um…”

Glancing nervously and stealing looks, Seoyeon finally made up her mind and resolutely opened her mouth.

“Can we… go back to how things were before…?”

And then, Seoyeon tightly closed her eyes. Her chest pounded wildly from the tension that had seeped in before she realized it.

Of course, there was a sliver of hope as well. Seeing the man who still held the same warmth as before, it was only natural for her to have expectations.

However, after a moment of silence,

The words that came back shattered Seoyeon’s hopes in one fell swoop.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Huh…?”

And Seoyeon blinked her eyes in bewilderment.

Before she knew it, the dull gray pupils staring at her held an indescribable emptiness.

Lee Hyun, showing hesitation, remained silent for a while. And finally, he opened his mouth and spoke carefully.

“There’s someone… waiting for me.”