I Don’t Want to be a Villainess

“Of course, I have to go.”

Ha Neul said immediately.

“…Really?”

When I asked, Ha Neul nodded and said,

“Of course! I finally get to meet my relatives.”

That was a very sensible statement.

Indeed, Ha Neul was a rational person. No matter how bizarre the situation became or how abnormal the school was, she never let go of the string of normalcy. Well, that’s how a protagonist should be, especially in a genre that leans more towards orthodox romance than a slice-of-life scenario.

Therefore, she naturally thought that she should meet her relatives… well, not blood relatives, but still.

“But is it really okay?”

However, Sua beside her raised a question.

“Most of Sara’s relatives will probably be linked to the Yujin Group. What if they approach Sara with ulterior motives at her birthday party?”

Since I’m inside Sara, I won’t be visible to anyone else. Only a few people around me know of my existence, and among them, only Sara knows my age.

When I mentioned Sara’s birthday, my friends didn’t bother to ask about mine, indicating that I was treated as ‘another Sara.’

So, I could appear to be an easy target from the perspective of the financial world.

Ugh…

And of course, Sara absolutely hated that situation.

After finally feeling free from the person who was choking her, she never imagined another chain would bind her again.

I fully understood that sentiment. Honestly, when you look at just the situation without considering the characters involved, I’m experiencing the same troubles.

“Ah… that could be the case.”

Realizing she hadn’t thought about that part, Ha Neul nodded.

“Hmm… but still, I think it would be wise to attend. The more information we have, the better. We can’t know if someone is trying to rush us without observing them, right?”

I had already told my friends as much detail as possible about Ye In-hyuk, who had come to find Sara. For now, I said I couldn’t find anything suspicious… but honestly, I was the only one who had a real conversation with him. Yang Hye-in just stood quietly beside me.

Since he didn’t show any particular awareness of Yang Hye-in, one could assume he had lived in that wealthy household from a young age.

It’s incredibly uncomfortable when someone is silently standing close by while others are talking. The fact he didn’t even glance at Yang Hye-in in that situation implies he was quite used to it.

Just like people who keep a secretary nearby when having such conversations at home or using domestic help.

…Well, this is just my speculation, though.

“We can go together anyway, right? My senior and I will stick close, so nothing major should happen, right?”

…If something big were to happen at the birthday party of the richest teenage girl in the world, then that would indeed be a problem.

Even if someone tries to charm me, it likely wouldn’t manifest in ‘major’ trouble, unless they plan to cook something up without anyone noticing.

“I’ll also be nearby, so you can be at ease.”

Yang Hye-in, who had been quietly listening to our conversation until then, said while slightly bowing her head.

Uh…

How should I put this? I feel a bit sorry saying this, but honestly, it’s kind of scary when Yang Hye-in says things like that.

If ‘major trouble’ breaks out, I feel like she would directly jab a fist into the troublemaker’s face.

Ah, of course, it’s not like that would be the wrong thing to do… but honestly speaking, it would be better for both parties to avoid difficult situations.

…Nevertheless, Yang Hye-in had worked under someone like Choi Na-kyung for years, so I don’t think there would be any big issues, right?

“Ah, but.”

While I was pondering over this, Sua clapped her hands and spoke.

“If it’s a birthday party, is there perhaps a dress code or something?”

“What?”

For a moment, I couldn’t believe my ears.

A dress code for a birthday party?

So, it’s like… “Please wear black clothes when you come to the festival~” or something like that?

No, why would there even be a dress code for a birthday party?

I must have looked baffled because Sua tilted her head and continued.

“Then it looks like there’s no specific outfit required.”

“If you need a dress, one has already been prepared.”

To Sua’s comment, Yang Hye-in replied as if giving directions.

…A dress?

“Not just Sara, but it would be better for us to dress up as much as we can. Many people from the Yujin Group will attend.”

No, it’s just a birthday party, right?

Buying a cake, lighting candles, making wishes, singing songs, and then receiving gifts… is that not what a birthday party is?

But just as I was about to refute, a memory suddenly flashed through my mind.

“So, about that day, how about we have a small celebration? You haven’t been able to meet your relatives at all because of Choi Na-kyung. How about attending and properly greeting each other that day?”

That guy had said so.

If that guy is not just a board member of the Yujin Group but someone who is really close like an uncle, then the scale of the party would be what I imagine a birthday party to be… but yes, he was indeed one of the important members of the Yujin Group.

And apparently, someone quite significant among those board members.

…If even such a person is attending, that means important relatives of the Yujin Group will also attend, along with their drivers and secretaries.

Of course, the help won’t be coming as guests at the celebration… but I think at least one or two of those ‘relatives’ would definitely show up.

Moreover, even beyond relatives, those holding significant positions in the group might come to pay their respects.

There wouldn’t be an issue with the location. This mansion could accommodate everyone without a problem.

But preparing food and drinks for all those people would inevitably make the scale of the ‘party’ enormous.

And since most people attending that party would be rich folks, it’s certain that they wouldn’t come in cheap clothes.

“If you need your friends’ outfits, I can prepare them right away.”

“…Yang Hye-in.”

“Yes?”

“Please prepare yours as well.”

“…Understood.”

Even if the help doesn’t enter the party area, Yang Hye-in must be brought in no matter what. At least her knowledge of the important figures in the group would far exceed mine or Sara’s.

Even if she claims not to know like me, Yang Hye-in could at least figure things out. She must know how to do research, considering she is a multifaceted person.

…I’m glad to have this person on my side.

“Uh… so.”

After listening to all this, Sohee said, as if organizing our conversation.

“The ‘party’ you guys are talking about is different from the birthday party we picture at home, right? You mean a party of movie or drama-scale, right?”

“It seems that way.”

When I answered, Sohee made a genuinely bored expression for what felt like the first time in ages.

“…I guess we should hold an actual birthday party separately just for us later.”

Ha Neul mumbled like that.

Indeed.

With so many people at such a scale of the party, we probably wouldn’t be able to exchange birthday gifts comfortably.

…Things just got more complicated than I thought.

I sighed heavily.

*

…And then, with only three days left until my birthday, the invitation arrived.

Ah, it doesn’t mean they want to invite me. Rather, it’s more like, “If you have close friends, hand them this invitation.”

The problem is, there are almost no friends worth handing such an invitation to.

I can barely think of two people… one is Son Ah-reum, and the other is Nam Da-un.

However, while it’s easy to invite Son Ah-reum directly, inviting Nam Da-un feels a little tricky.

Now, while it feels like his presence has faded to the point of being just the original story’s male lead, surprisingly, I still haven’t broken off the engagement.

That wasn’t easy.

In the case of marriage, it’s enough to just end the officially recognized relationship, but engagement is different. In the first place, it’s more a matter of proclaiming a promise to each other than a formal system.

The problem lies with the person who made that proclamation, who is still on the run.

Even if I decide to end it, I can’t predict how their family will react.

If anything, they might actually be delighted at my becoming single.

Perhaps this party is being held partly for such reasons.

And that’s why, it’s a bit tricky to invite a guy. Just in case I am misunderstood in a weird way.

But, yes. I can invite as many girls as I want without much issue.

“So, here…”

As we gathered around for lunch as usual, I handed a beautiful invitation to Son Ah-reum.

“What’s this?”

“My birthday invitation. It seems my relatives want to make it somewhat grand.”

“Uh, uh…”

Son Ah-reum stared blankly at the invitation she received, mouth half-opened.

…Yeah, it’s quite bizarre, isn’t it?

In elementary school, you might exchange printed invitations for fun, but who would pass a birthday party invitation like this?

…And perhaps because of that, the surroundings became unusually silent.

Everyone was glancing at the invitation.

…Ah, how embarrassing.

I should have handed it in a more private place…

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