Saving the Villain

"I don't know if it's because I was hungry that it's delicious or it's actually pretty good." Cosette rubbed her tummy as she felt full after gobbling up the food she prepared. "What do you think, Maxen?"

Maxen glanced at her and just let out a shallow breath. "You're the one who prepared it?"

"Yes! I told you, didn't I? I practiced the entire weekend!" Cosette puffed at the doubt glimmering in his eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter if you believe me or not. But it's actually good to have lunch together."

A satisfied smile dominated her face, pleased to make food and eat with her favorite villain. That already made her feel relieved and content. She didn't need the word of thanks as she just forced him, nor did she expect him to treat her differently from now onwards.

What was important to her was she would see him eating and living well. She planned to make him gain more weight. Maxen was adorable, even with the added weight.

Cosette sat beside him and leaned her back against the wall of the side part of the entranceway, feeling her eyes grow heavier because after eating lunch. This was the first time after weeks that she ate a proper lunch and not just snacks.

"Ah... so peaceful," came out a soft voice as her eyelashes fluttered ever so slowly before closing completely.

Maxen gazed at her and watched her until she fell asleep. "Don't sleep," he said, but her breathing grew heavy.

"Tsk. Is she really this unsuspecting? Hey, I said don't sleep," he grumbled as he glared at her, but to no avail. "Whatever."

His eyes then landed on the lunch boxes stacked up near her backpack. As he stared at it, he unconsciously smiled, which he realized almost immediately.

"I'm probably losing my mind," he uttered under his breath, running his fingers through his hair. "She will be just like everyone else, Max. You shouldn't get attached to her."

Deep down, Maxen was aware that he didn't dislike Cosette. Matter of fact, she was a very likable person. Not only she was pretty, but she was also kind. But that was the main reason Maxen was trying so hard to distance himself from her.

She may be interested in him for whatever reason, but once she met more people or some other things that pique her interest, she would forget about him.

Maxen was no one, after all.

Cosette was a bright, lovely young lady. Many liked her and she would get any attention she wanted in the world. It seemed she was even pampered at home too. But Maxen was the complete opposite. Even before birth, they said his mother tried to abort him, but it 'apparently' failed. It wasn't an exaggeration if he said no one wanted him or something good had ever happened to him in his entire life — at least, not in his knowledge.

It was as if he was born with zero luck. Someone who was born just to experience all the bad things in the world. That was why he resented it: the world, his existence, and everyone.

"So, why..." came out a whisper as he gazed at the lunch box. "... why are you so persistent?"

Cosette terrified him. Every day that she would follow him on this rooftop, every time she looked at him with clear eyes, every time she smiled as a response to his harsh words, and every time she would walk meters behind him, he could feel the thick wall around his heart crack.

He was afraid that he would regret letting her in his heart because if he did and she just abandoned him, he might truly lose his mind. That was why he wanted to protect himself.

Suddenly, Maxen froze as his entire body tensed up when the side of her head fell on his shoulder. He slowly gazed at her and let out a deep sigh.

"Just stop," he whispered, but she was still deeply asleep. "Stop following me, stop trying, stop calling my name. Just stop... please."

Maxen leaned the back of his head against the wall, looking up at the blindingly bright blue sky. His eyes, however, flickered with sadness before he closed them.

"Fuck..." came out a quiet curse, reminding himself her fleeting concern wouldn't last long. "... just what will it take for you to stop?"

**

Hours went by and Cosette opened her eyes when she heard the school bell ringing. She moaned as she felt the stiffness on her neck, planting her palm on it to massage it.

"I fell asleep..." she muttered, sitting upright only to notice the person sitting beside her. When she set her eyes to Maxen, they instantly dilated, as all the expressions on his face were nowhere to be found.

'Omo! I fell asleep on his shoulder?' Cosette covered her lips with her palm, looking up when Maxen grumpily picked up his bag and stood up wordlessly. 'Was he angry because I treated him as a pillow?!'

"Maxen, wait!" she yelled, but he didn't wait for her. So, all she could do was pick up her things in a hurry and put the lunch boxes inside her bag whilst rushing outside.

"Maxen...!"

Her voice echoed in the staircase, making him look back at her. She was putting her things back in her bag without looking at the steps down. Before he could tell her to watch her steps, Cosette missed a step.

His eyes dilated, and for a second, his heart stopped beating. He didn't even think as he took three steps as fast as he could and held her shoulders to stop her from falling.

Maxen's heart raced as his breath hitched, scared out of his wits at the scenario that played in his head if he didn't catch her or he was three more steps away from her. Meanwhile, Cosette was just as scared as she thought she would die.

"Oh, gosh..." she gasped in horror, looking up at him. "I nearly died!"

"Can't you do things one at a time?!" she flinched when his voice thundered, glaring at her angrily. "What will you do if you fall and I'm not here, huh? Do you think I can pay for your hospital bill if that happened? Are you not thinking?"

Cosette frowned as he scold her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Tsk." Maxen clicked his tongue as he let her go, huffing in distress as he ran his fingers through his tousled hair. "Put your things back in your bag and watch your steps."

Maxen clicked his tongue in irritation as he turned his head back, taking heavy steps on the stairs. Meanwhile, Cosette just stared at him with a frown, a little disheartened, and almost teary. Not because she was scolded, but because it seemed all her efforts went down the drain.

"Faster!" to her surprise, Maxen stopped and looked back. "I don't have an entire day to wait for you."

pAn,Da-n0v e1,c Her face instantly brightened up as she nodded. "Hai!" Putting her things back in her bag before she followed him.

Maxen secretly sighed upon witnessing how expression changed when he told her to make haste. Unlike usual, he walked slowly this time so she wouldn't fall behind and, unlike usual, Cosette walked closer behind him.

*****

Meanwhile, in the school of elites, Darwin Academy, Asher walked out of the dean's office with an unresigned expression.

"That's strange," he whispered, looking back at the shut door behind him.

He was curious about a particular top student in the academy and why she didn't ace the previous exam. He thought it was because Cosette didn't take the exam or she just failed her classes.

This may sound like someone being nosy, but he didn't appreciate this unanswered mystery lingering in his head. That was why he decided to talk to the academy's headmaster to get it out of his head. But alas, even though his query was answered, there was another big mystery that rose in his head.

"She transferred?" he narrowed his eyes, baffled at the answer he didn't expect to hear. "Why?"

Why would a top student in the best academy transfer to another school? There was no better school in this country than this academy, and graduating here was an achievement in itself. There was not a single alumnus from this school that didn't make a name for themselves. Be it in politics, business, showbiz, and many areas.

So why?

Why would a remarkable man such as Conrad allow that? Asher couldn't understand the wisdom behind it.

As he walked away, he fished out his vibrating phone from his pocket and raised a brow at what words the other person from the other end of the line had told him.

"Yes, Father. I will come." Asher politely responded before ending the call, eyes glinting with excitement. "It seems like I will get my answers soon."