I Picked Up the Greatest Villain in the Story – Side Story 2

? Views,

Side Story 1: Merry Christmas, Happy Day! (2)

Although Sehun sponsored Dojin, it was difficult to see him every day. His schedule was so packed that making time twice a month was already quite a strain.

The other children often showed signs of feeling neglected. Especially Semi, who was emotionally expressive and would run into Jian’s arms crying whenever he visited the orphanage.

Even when all the children were in tears, Dojin, unusually composed for a child, would just carefully hold Sehun’s pinky finger.

This behavior constantly reminded Jian of Sehun’s childhood. Though Dojin resembled Jian in appearance as others said, his behavior was exactly like ten-year-old Han Sehun.

He could sense a maturity in the child beyond his years. Whenever he saw how Dojin couldn’t act spoiled as children his age should and how he took care of the other children, Jian’s steps felt particularly heavy when leaving the orphanage.

It seemed like Dojin was slowly opening his heart only to Sehun and himself, which made Jian want to visit the orphanage more often, but it wasn’t easy.

Besides running the café, Jian occasionally had to go on dungeon raids with Sehun, and somehow he had ended up becoming the manager of the Tower’s 45th floor, which meant a considerable amount of paperwork to process every week.

They were earning plenty of money, but at the cost of their free time.

Even today, Jian and Sehun had not decided what gift to give Dojin. Jian kept sighing deeply as he hugged a sack full of dolls that Semi had wanted. His heart felt heavy because this all started with Dojin’s drawing, yet they hadn’t brought a gift for him.

“I think I know what Dojin really wants.”

“Really?”

Jian brightened at Sehun’s words as he stroked his own cheek not covered by the beard.

“He wants to live with you and me. Together with Semi in one house.”

Sehun was drawn to Dojin not only because he looked like a miniature version of Jian, but also because the longing in the child’s unusually mature eyes reminded him of the past.

When Sehun had been living on the streets, he unconsciously yearned for a warm home. Looking back now, he had been wandering in search of someone who would protect him until he regained his strength.

Fortunately, he met Jian and experienced warmth for the first time. Those days when he looked forward to tomorrow still felt happy even now.

“Ah…”

Jian sighed at the realization that what Dojin truly wanted was a family. His mind became complicated. Sehun was currently registered as Jian’s son on the family registry.

If they adopted Dojin and Semi, the three would become siblings. Was that really right? Moreover, Jian and Sehun were often away from home.

The orphanage, with other children and teachers, would probably be a better place for the children to stay. On top of that, whenever Jian and Sehun spent nights together, they joined bodies so intensely the bed nearly broke.

Jian’s face turned pale at the thought that children living in the same house might hear those sounds.

“What were you thinking about?”

Sehun smiled softly as he stroked Jian’s cheek with his thumb. Sometimes he could see straight through Jian’s thoughts. Just like now.

“I have many thoughts. I want to grant his wish, but I’m confused whether it’s really good for the children, and above all, you and I… I don’t think it would be good for the children’s emotional development.”

Sehun couldn’t resist any longer when he saw Jian’s reddened cheeks, so he leaned down. He found Jian’s lips hidden beneath the beard and kissed them with an audible smack.

“There are ways to deal with all that.”

Even if they adopted the children, Sehun had no intention whatsoever of reducing his time with Jian. There were many good artifacts in the world.

Now Sehun could easily obtain artifacts that were only available in the black market if he wanted to. Getting a sound-blocking artifact was as simple as making one phone call to Soochul.

“They’ll become our siblings. Are you okay with that?”

“What are you talking about?”

Sehun’s brows furrowed. Then he realized Jian was thinking of registering the children under his own family registry if they adopted them.

“I’m enough as your only son. If we adopt them, they’ll be registered as my children.”

He couldn’t yield on this point. In truth, Sehun only had the same level of interest in Semi as he did for the other children.

He felt appropriate sympathy, but no desire to keep her close and watch her grow up.

But Dojin was different. Sehun became covetous because the boy looked so exactly like a young Jian that he seriously suspected they might actually be blood-related. Even Yoonjae had acknowledged this fact.

“It’s like Jian has been reborn,” were Yoonjae’s words when he first saw Dojin. After hearing that, Sehun couldn’t bear his curiosity about Jian’s childhood, which he had never seen.

He thought it would be nice to be able to picture Jian’s childhood by watching Dojin grow day by day.

Of course, this wasn’t the only reason he decided to adopt Dojin.

It was also to keep Jian tied to the house. While Sehun coldly rejected those who approached out of curiosity, Jian’s phone kept accumulating new contacts.

It was too troublesome to keep secretly accessing Jian’s phone to block contacts.

Recently, a call came to Jian’s phone when he had fallen asleep exhausted. It was in the early dawn when most people would be asleep.

The name “Kim Minho” that appeared on the screen was unfamiliar. Wondering who would call at such an hour, Sehun pressed the answer button.

The guy, who introduced himself as the guild master of the Jindotgae Guild, was drunk and slurring his words as he disgraced himself by asking Jian to have a drink together soon.

A vein silently throbbed at Sehun’s temple. He naturally blocked the number and made sure to memorize the guy’s name.

However, it was giving him a headache that fearless guys kept clinging to Jian after his good deeds became known.

Jian, already soft-hearted, had been accepting one or two people, and lately Sehun’s digestion had been poor from worrying that Jian’s circle of close friends would continue to grow.

If they adopted the children, it was obvious that Jian would want to stay home. He might even gradually hand over the café work to someone else.

Although Sehun had actively overseen even the café interior construction because Jian wanted it, he had been feeling increasingly uncomfortable as more people came to the café to see Jian.

“I would like the children to live with us. Of course, if you object, we’ll continue as we are now.”

Unaware of Sehun’s dark intentions, Jian was moved to tears. He had only secretly imagined that a day would come when Sehun would behave like this.

Perhaps memories of his childhood had been revived while looking at the children? Jian’s chest felt heavy as he sensed that Sehun wanted to make the children happy, just as Jian had done for him.

“I’d like that too.”

How could he refuse? This was the first time Sehun had made such a humane decision.

Jian had also been troubled each time he visited the orphanage and saw Semi crying sadly. Since Dojin and Semi were as close as siblings, if they were to be adopted, both children should naturally come together.

“Dojin will be so happy. Semi too.”

Sehun gently stroked Jian’s hair as he smiled broadly. Though the cunning Dojin had pulled a cute trick after figuring out his and Jian’s personalities, Sehun wasn’t upset.

A little kid who looked like Jian on the outside but was like himself on the inside—what an interesting subject to keep close and observe.

Though it wasn’t particularly pleasing to Sehun that the two children would become closer to Jian, one couldn’t have everything in life.

And it was better for Jian to be with the children than to mingle with other dark-hearted men.

“What are you two doing?”

Hyunsu approached the pair, who had been whispering in a corner. But when he noticed the smile on Sehun’s lips, his expression became serious.

“You’re not planning to cause trouble, are you?”

Numerous incidents that had occurred whenever Sehun wore such a smile flashed through Hyunsu’s mind like a panorama.

“I’m just planning to become a real Santa Claus.”

With an enigmatic smile, Sehun took Jian’s hand and brushed past Hyunsu. Following behind them, Hyunsu narrowed his eyes.

He felt a bit uneasy, though he couldn’t pinpoint why. Still, it was a relief to see Jian looking cheerful.

If Sehun were really up to something strange, Jian’s expression couldn’t possibly be so bright.

“Sigh, I should mind my own business.”