The Villain Is My Sweetheart! [BL]

I never expected to be caught red-handed by Lisa. Unable to make any excuses, Eron and I stood frozen in place.

"Aryan, what are you doing here?" Lisa burst into the room, her voice sharp with fury. The intensity in her eyes made my throat go dry, words refusing to form.

Sensing my distress, Eron quickly stepped in to defend me. "I—I called him for help…"

Before he could finish, a loud slap echoed through the room.

Lisa's palm struck Eron's face with a force that made my heart lurch. "Who gave you permission to speak here? And what makes you think you can boss people around in my house?"

"Aunt…" I instinctively stepped in front of Eron, shielding him. "It's not what you think. I helped him willingly."

My defiance caught Lisa off guard. She took a deep breath, visibly trying to control her temper. "Aryan, come with me."

I hesitated.

Her patience snapped. Without waiting for my response, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me away. Her grip was tight—too tight. I winced but didn't complain.

Once inside my room, she let go. I glanced down at my wrist, now marked with red fingerprints.

Lisa's eyes widened after seeing the mark on my wrist. "What have I done? Aryan… does it hurt? Why didn't you say anything?" Her voice trembled with regret.

I could feel her genuine concern.

"It doesn't hurt much… Please don't cry." Hesitantly, I reached out and wiped her tears.

"Aryan, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that… but you need to understand, I don't like that child. I don't want you to be friends with him." She spoke gently while applying ointment to my wrist.

"Why do you hate him? Did he do something bad?" I asked, hoping to understand her resentment.

She shook her head. "No… it's not that."

"Then can't you try to like him? He's a cute boy."

She hesitated, struggling with her emotions. "I will try."

I knew one thing from reading the novel—Lisa's greatest weakness was Aryan. She would do anything for him. That was what made Aryan such a spoiled antagonist during his teenage years.

I wasn't sure if my solution would truly help Eron, but I forced myself to go against my morals, choosing to manipulate Lisa's emotions.

"I love you, Mom." Hugging her tightly, I called her the word she had longed to hear her whole life.

Lisa stiffened. "W-What did you call me? Aryan… say it again. Please, baby."

Her reaction was far more intense than I expected. Tears streamed down her face, but behind them was pure happiness.

"Mom…"

I had only intended to use the word to sway her, but as I said it, an unfamiliar ache tightened in my chest. Was I doing something truly wrong?

Lisa clung to me, making me repeat it over and over, her voice thick with emotion.

"Mom, Eron is a good boy. Don't be harsh on him."

Though reluctant, she finally nodded.

"What's going on here?"

Adam's voice cut through the moment. He had come looking for Lisa but now stood frozen, staring at the emotional scene before him.

"He called me Mom." Lisa beamed, her face still damp with tears.

"What… really?" Adam's eyes widened. Then, without missing a beat, he grinned. "Then am I the only one left behind? Aryan, call me Dad."

Both of them turned to me expectantly.

I had already called Lisa 'Mom,' so calling her husband 'Uncle' would feel awkward, right?

"D-Dad…" I forced out the word.

Adam cupped his ear dramatically. "I didn't hear that clearly. Lisa, did you?"

Lisa shook her head, playing along.

They were toying with me.

"Dad…" I repeated. But he again acted as not hearing it.

This family…

"Dad, Dad, Dad! Did you hear it now?" I huffed impatiently.

Instead of answering, Adam pulled me into a tight embrace.

"You have no idea how long we've waited to hear that," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

Lisa quickly joined in, wrapping her arms around us both. That night, I was forced to sleep in between them, trapped in their warmth.

After that day, not Much Changed, but… Lisa had softened—just a little. She didn't snap at me anymore for talking to Eron, nor did she try to stop us from playing together. But when it came to him, she still kept her distance, as if an invisible wall separated them.

The school break finally came to an end, and under Adam's influence, Eron transferred to my school.

...

First Day of School

I got ready quickly and went to Eron's room to check on him. He was already in his uniform, standing in front of the mirror, fumbling with his tie. His small fingers struggled with the knot, brows furrowed in concentration.

"Give it to me," I said, reaching out.

Relieved, he handed it over without a word. I adjusted his collar and tied the knot neatly.

"There. Looks good now."

A small smile tugged at his lips as he nodded.

We headed downstairs, where Adam sat at the dining table, flipping through the newspaper. The sound of pages turning was the only thing filling the silence. As soon as he spotted us, he set the paper aside.

"You two are ready? Eat quickly."

We sat down and scarfed down our breakfast, eager to leave. Once done, Adam kissed Lisa goodbye, and I did the same before we headed out.

The ride was peaceful. Soft music played in the background, and I gazed out the window, watching the city wake up. Before I even realized it, we had reached the school gate.

Just as I was about to step out, Adam cleared his throat loudly.

I turned, puzzled. "What?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" He arched a brow, tilting his head toward a nearby kid. The boy kissed his parents before running into school.

I rolled my eyes but leaned in anyway. "Come here."

Adam bent down slightly, and I planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "There. Happy?"

A smug grin spread across his face.

I was about to leave when I noticed Eron staring, his hands clenching his backpack straps tightly. His lips pressed together in a thin line.

Adam noticed too. He crouched down. "Aren't you going to give me a kiss?"

Eron's face lit up, and without hesitation, he leaned in and kissed Adam's cheek.

Adam chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Be good. Take care of each other, alright?"

Eron nodded enthusiastically.

With that, we walked into the school.

...

Navigating the hallway, I led Eron to his classroom. Before he stepped in, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He looked happy to get one himself, as a bright smile appear on his face.

"Study hard, make some good friends. If anyone bothers you, come to my class, and I'll—"

"I'll take care of them." A voice interrupted from behind. I turned to see Marco, standing there with a lazy grin.

"Marco?" Eron's face lit up as he ran toward him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, confused.

"Cleaning."

"Huh?"

He gestured at his uniform. "Can't you see? I'm a new student in your class. Look—same division." He pulled out his ID card like it was some grand reveal.

Then, he turned to Eron. "If anyone bullies you, hit 'em back. I'll handle the rest. And don't worry about your brother, I've got his back too." He threw an arm over my shoulder like we were war buddies.

Before I could respond, the school bell rang. Marco grabbed my arm and pulled me along.

With this idiot by my side, I had no idea what my school life would be like.