Becoming the Terminally-Ill Villain Who Torments His Disciples

“…?”

Startled by Taehyuk’s sudden action, Eunwoo blinked and looked up.

Sensing the vaguely displeased expression on his face, Eunwoo carefully opened his mouth.

“Is something wrong, Director?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just… you don’t look like you’re in a good mood.”

At those words, Taehyuk’s movements stopped.

Then, as if pondering something deeply, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Are you coming home late today?”

“I do have a part-time job… Why? Should I come home early?”

“No, I was just asking.”

If he had a part-time job, he wouldn’t be going to the end-of-term gathering to drink. Besides, Eunwoo seemed more interested in studying than in hanging out with others…

He’d probably come home quietly even without being told to.

***

“Hyung!”

The moment Eunwoo entered the lecture hall, a man not far off waved his hand. As if calling him over, he even pulled out a chair for him. Eunwoo smiled and walked toward him.

“Thanks for saving me a seat. Oh, and for the latte too. How much was it? I’ll send you the money right away.”

“Come on, don’t be like that with me. No need to send anything. But why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

“Messages?”

“The end-of-term gathering. I messaged you asking if you’re going. You even read it.”

Haegun pouted as he poked Eunwoo’s arm repeatedly.

Eunwoo was sure he’d checked all the messages.

Tilting his head in confusion and checking again, he realized there were several messages from Haegun that he really hadn’t seen.

“That’s weird… I thought I’d read them all…”

“Tch. So, are you going or not?”

After reading all of Haegun’s messages, Eunwoo pulled the lecture handouts from his bag and answered.

“I’ve got work today.”

“Doesn’t that end at 8?”

“…”

“The gathering starts at 6. At most, it’ll last a couple of hours. You could just come after it ends, right? Yeah?”

When Eunwoo didn’t answer immediately, Haegun poked his arm again, pleading as if begging him to come along. At the desperate tone in his voice, Eunwoo’s lips parted slightly.

“Are you coming home late today?”

‘Could it be that… he actually wants me to come home late…?’

When Eunwoo first started living with Ji Taehyuk, the man hadn’t paid much attention to what he did. As long as Eunwoo returned home before he fell asleep, he never asked a single question.

But ever since Eunwoo started attending university, Taehyuk’s behavior had subtly shifted.

“They’re doing something like a freshman welcome party. Seems like Mr. Lee Eunwoo isn’t interested in things like that.”

On the first day of school, when Eunwoo came home early , Taehyuk had looked at him with a surprised expression.

“There must be a lot of drinking parties too. Don’t you have any friends?”

Watching Eunwoo go back and forth between school, his part-time job at the café, and home, Taehyuk had made such a comment.

Back then, Eunwoo hadn’t realized it, but…

‘Maybe… he was worried because I don’t really meet people.’

That might’ve been why he asked that question again this morning, wondering if Eunwoo was going out to socialize for once since starting university.

“Then… should I go?”

“Really?!”

“Just tell me which place you’re going after the gathering ends. I’ll head there as soon as my shift’s over.”

At Eunwoo’s words, Haegun nodded enthusiastically.

His joyfully beaming face somehow reminded Eunwoo of Oscar, the first time they met, and before he realized it, a small smile tugged at Eunwoo’s lips.

Before long, the professor entered, and class began.

Fiddling with his phone, Eunwoo subtly lowered his head and sent a message to Ji Taehyuk.

[I think I might be a little late today.]

[But I’ll be home before you go to sleep.]

He already felt grateful just for all the things Taehyuk did to make his life easier. He didn’t want to make him worry about something as trivial as his social life. He was doing fine now, adapting to this world.

However, Eunwoo didn’t yet realize…

just how much that single message would drive Ji Taehyuk mad.