Being a Villain is My True Calling

“Ouch, young owner. You’re open today.”

“Haha, yes sir. I’ve been quite busy for a while.”

A few weeks had passed since my meeting with the Chairwoman.

“You should open more often. I’ve tried coffee all over but nowhere makes it as good as here.”

“Haha. Thank you, sir.”

After initially recruiting Ga-yeon as a member here, I would open the cafe on my free days to serve customers.

“Our little employee is doing well too.”

“Yeah, she is.”

Ga-yeon would also come help with serving after her training sessions.
Now that I’ve recruited the hacker Narin as well, apart from the occasional minor mission, I enjoyed the cafe work.

“Hey bro! You had the cafe open today?”

“A lot of customers have been asking me that today.”

As a result, customers perceived me as an eccentric young owner who made decent coffee but only opened the cafe when he felt like it, with a young employee assisting.

“So you should open more often. Don’t you know your coffee is famous for being delicious?”

“Overstatement, this cafe only opened three months ago, how could it be that famous?”

This guy spouting such nonsense is one of those customers.
Han-mir.

He seemed to live nearby, showing up without fail whenever I opened the cafe.

“It must be that good, then. Oh, hi Ga-yeon!”

“Hello, Nari bro.”

“It’s not Nari.”

Han-mir stroked his dyed yellow hair in response to Ga-yeon’s remark.
I chuckled and chided him.

“If you dyed it, then it is Nari, isn’t it? Besides, shouldn’t you be at school right now?”

“Nari bro skipped school again.”

“Ey, why are you siding with him? Ya! And I didn’t skip!”

Han-mir defiantly produced a piece of paper from his bag.

“Apparently a villain appeared near my high school, so we got out early.”

Ahem! He laughed proudly.

“Well, if that’s the case, you should be going home then.”

“True.”

“Eeek…”

Han-mir grimaced at my remark.

“Heh, heh. Of course I came here risking danger for you and Ga-yeon…”

“So you’re not ordering anything?”

“One iced Americana and one hot chocolate, please!”

At my words, Han-mir raised his arm with a sheepish grin.

‘This kid…’

Chuckling, I prepared to grind the coffee beans.

“But bro, I really did come because I was worried about you and Ga-yeon.”

“Sure you did.”

“Ey! My high school is close to here. I just wanted to let you know in case you were affected.”

“I see.”

‘No real need to worry though.’

While it was somewhat amusing to be fretted over as a villainous executive, I didn’t make a fuss about it.

“Here’s your coffee.”

“Thank you, bro!”

After Han-mir left following his long-winded rambling, a few more customers visited.

“Hmm…supplies are running low.”

I had enough coffee beans, but the milk and syrups were dwindling.
Might as well restock some groceries while I’m out.

“Ga-yeon, I’m heading to the mart for a bit.”

“Want me to teleport you there?”

“Best not use spatial translocation carelessly, or the police might investigate. It’s close enough anyway.”

It was only a 10-minute walk from the cafe to the mart.
No need for teleportation in this situation.

Removing my apron, I grabbed a navy blue cardigan.

“Keep an eye on the cafe while I’m gone, okay?”

“Got it, leave it to me.”

“Anything you want me to pick up from the mart?”

“Make omurice.”

“Understood.”

After confirming her request, I took my wallet and headed for the mart.

“Phew…”

‘Bought a bit more than expected.’

My hands were filled with groceries.
I ended up getting a few extra items while I was at it, resulting in these large quantities.

“Feels like I bought enough for a whole week…”

It was concerning whether I could actually use it all up, but oh well…

‘I’ve got plenty of money.’

With that thought, I exited the mart.

Wheeeeeeee-

A chilly gust of wind hit me as soon as the mart doors opened.

‘Ugh…still a bit nippy out. Should’ve worn a coat.’

It seemed warm enough today, so I had dressed lightly, but now I was regretting it.

Deciding to hurry back, I quickened my pace. And at that moment.

“Hic. Hic…hic….”

I noticed a woman crying.

With a medium-length brown bob and petite frame.
Her appearance resembled that of a young girl more than a grown woman.

‘…Why is she here?’

I couldn’t help but be perplexed at her presence.

Inside Kang Ian’s cafe.

Chomp chomp chomp…!

The petite woman was heartily devouring the omurice he had made.
While Kang Ian smiled wryly as he observed her.

“Is it tasty?”

“Hup!”

Seemingly startled by his sudden remark, she choked momentarily.
Kang Ian offered her some water.

Glug glug.

“Phew…it’s, it’s passable I suppose!”

Perhaps embarrassed by her earlier ravenous eating, she averted her gaze and responded curtly.

“You seemed to have eaten quite a lot for it to be just ‘passable’…”

“…I didn’t bring any food with me…”

“Eeek! You two are so noisy! So what if I ate a lot…!”

Flustered by Kang Ian’s playful tone and Ga-yeon’s somewhat solemn remark, the woman lashed out at them.

“Haha, I was just teasing since you looked like you were really enjoying it.”

“Hmph…”

And Kang Ian responded with a smile.

‘She’s quite candid, isn’t she?’

He was already well-acquainted with the woman.
Very well, in fact.

“Anyway, you mentioned you’re from Japan? Your name is…?”

“…Tsukino Chise.”

Tsukino Chise.
She was one of the original heroines.

“You’re Japanese, but your Korean is quite good.”

“Fufufu! I studied hard in preparation for situations like this!”

‘It would be better not to create such situations in the first place.’

Kang Ian briefly had that thought but didn’t voice it aloud.

“By the way, it must have been quite an ordeal coming to Korea for sightseeing and getting separated from your group.”

“Well, I, I suppose so…”

Concealing her hero identity, Chise recounted her current predicament.

‘…How embarrassing!’

Her phone had run out of battery, causing her to get lost and separated from her group, essentially becoming a lost child.
Just the thought of how foolish she must seem filled her with shame, reddening her cheeks.

“Have you finished eating at least?”

“Huh? Y,yes…”

“Then how about some dessert?”

Looking at her bowed head, Kang Ian spoke in a gentle tone.
His demeanor conveyed a considerate disinclination to dwell on her embarrassing situation.

‘So, so kind…’

Despite her fidgety behavior, he showed no signs of disdain.
Moreover, upon finding her crying on the street as a complete stranger, he had even brought her to his cafe.

‘Are all Koreans this nice…?’

Though she didn’t voice it out of pride, Chise felt quite touched by Kang Ian’s kindness.

“Bro, I’ll have ice cream.”

“No more today. You already had one this morning.”

However, his kindness seemed almost excessively so, stirring some suspicion.

‘Why is he being so nice to a stranger…?’

Suddenly recalling the words of her friend Suzuki:

‘Chise, when you’re alone in another country, be careful not to trust the locals too much!’

She had warned that the language barrier made it easier to fall for scams or become a crime victim.

Could her current situation be an example of that?

‘Oh no, what do I do…?’

If this supposed kindness of cooking for her, treating her gently, and now offering dessert was actually a ploy to extract money, she would be in big trouble!

‘But I don’t have any money!’

Yet she couldn’t just run off after eating the delicious omurice either.
Should she refuse the dessert? That way, she might owe less money.

‘…Alright, I’ll say I don’t want dessert…’

“Um, excuse me, sir…”

Just as Chise steeled herself to refuse, at that very moment:

“Sorry for the wait.”

Clack.

Kang Ian had prepared an appetizing parfait and placed it before her.

‘Oh no…’

The sight sent Chise into a panic.
It looked like it would easily cost over 700 yen.

“…? Miss Tsukino? Is something wrong?”

Perhaps perplexed by her simply staring at the parfait instead of eating it.
Kang Ian looked at Chise with a concerned expression.

‘…Alright, I’ll just tell him.’

Struck by a sense of guilt at his kindness, she decided to come clean.

“Actually…I, I don’t have any money!! So…can’t pay the bill? I’m sorry!”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she apologized.
Kang Ian found her reaction rather puzzling.

“…Setting aside why you’re apologizing, I don’t understand why you’re worried about money.”

“…Huh?”

His words prompted her to open her eyes in confusion.
Was this not some scam after all?

“Were you concerned I might be trying to rip you off?”

“……”

Her expression betrayed that he had struck a nerve, causing Kang Ian to chuckle.

“I never intended to ask you to pay from the start. Please, eat without worry.”

“Huh? But…”

Chise stared back and forth between Kang Ian and the parfait, utterly perplexed by his words.

‘Like I wouldn’t notice you have no money.’

“If you’re still uneasy, you can pay me back another time. Understand?”

“…R,really? It’s okay…?”

“I have no intention of mistreating someone I found lost and crying on the street.”

Kang Ian smiled brightly.

‘Getting your goodwill is far more profitable than taking your money, after all.’

While harboring sinister intentions beneath that pure smile, Chise remained completely oblivious.

‘So, so kind…’

She could only gaze at Kang Ian in silent awe, deeply moved by his kindness.

After finishing her meal.

“So, what are your plans now?”

“Hmm…for now, I’ll keep searching. Got my battery charged too.”

She confidently waved her old mobile phone.

‘Still seems a bit uneasy, but she’ll manage somehow.’

I nodded at her assurance.

“I see. Then…”

Just as I was about to bid her farewell,

KOOOOOOONG!!!

A tremendous booming sound accompanied by a powerful gust of wind burst through the open doors.

“KRAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!!!!”

“KYAAAAAHH!!…”

“RUN AWAY!!!…”

An indistinguishable roar followed by distant screams of terror.

Tsukino Chise stared at Ga-yeon and me with wide, bewildered eyes.