How to Redeem a Trashy Side Villain

Chapter 130: Wrap It Up

The day came faster than I thought.

After a long week of training with Quentin, a part of me just wanted to rest at home, but as I promised the two of them, I was up early getting dressed.

"Both of them?" Mother asked, standing by the door as I applied cologne to my wrists.

"...Yes," I muttered.

She chuckled and said, "That's your fault for being born with your mother's face and your father's eyes."

"...Why couldn't you two have been a little uglier?" I asked as I grabbed a leather sling bag. I had potions and random things here and there that I would need in case of danger.

Why was I expecting danger?

I wasn't. But this is the world based on a novel. It's better to be safe than sorry.

"Just make sure to wrap up," she told me.

"Mom…" I was flabbergasted.

"What?" she asked, shrugging. "I'm not ready to have grandchildren yet. I'm still taking care of your two little sisters. Maybe ten years from now when they can take care of themselves, I'll be ready to take care of your children as well."

"Mom…" I repeated. "Please."

"Fine. Fine. You can do it without the rubber. Just make sure to pull—"

"Mom!" I yelled and she slammed the door. I could hear her running down the hallway.

Burying my face into both palms, I sighed so hard that it was basically a scream.

When I came downstairs, Father looked dressed up as well.

"Taking Mom out for Valentine's?" I asked.

He nodded and said, "I was able to clear my schedule for the day. The two girls will be watched by the head butler, so it'll be just us two for the whole day. Hopefully, they won't miss us too much and cry."

"Where are you taking Mom?"

He came over to me and created a mana bubble around us. "Don't tell her, but I'm going to carry her up to the top of the mountain where we had our first date."

For a second, I forgot that both of my parents were superhumans and was confused how he was going to carry her all the way up there without getting tired.

"And I overheard what your mother said. I agree with her. Either wrap it up or—"

"Dad!" I yelled as I gave him a punch which he easily caught.

"Just kidding. Have a good time, kid. Try not to favor one girl too much today. If you show signs of favoritism, it might just come to bite you in the back."

Before he and Mother could give me any more advice that would scar me for life, I quickly left.

Getting into the car, I drove off to the destination. Although I offered to pick them up, it seems like they both wanted as much time as they needed to prepare because they both declined and told me they would meet me there.

When I stepped outside, the city was already alive.

It had been red and pink for a few days, but now, it was amplified by a hundred.

Decorations hung from street lamps, ribbons fluttering in the air, and there were more love hearts than there were stars in the sky.

There were so many couples outside. Some were painfully oblivious about their PDA while others seemed more shy, as if it was their first date.

In Valdonia, Valentine's Day was more of an aggressive festival than it was just spending time together with your significant other.

Though neither of them was mutually exclusive.

Getting there an hour earlier than the agreed time, I was only there at this time because I had a feeling that someone else would be arriving early.

And just as I thought, not even five minutes later, Ichiko had arrived.

She was wearing a black dress that sparkled so bright as she stepped that she might as well have been a disco ball. Her entire dress was decorated with small diamonds.

She didn't usually wear makeup as he natural beauty was already stunning, but she had on makeup today and it was getting a few men in trouble with their ladies.

Everyone had their heads turned toward her and the only reason why she wasn't approached was that they followed her line of sight and saw that her partner was also leagues above them.

It would only be embarrassing if they chose to catcall her.

Ichiko's lips curved upward as she walked towards me with a purse in her hand. She looped her arm around mine as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"You're here early," she said as she looked up at me with heart-eyes. "I thought that I was going to be the first to arrive."

"I had a feeling that you would be coming early," I replied. "What kind of gentleman would have their lady wait for them?"

"T-Their lady?" she muttered as she turned her face away from me.

Diana arrived not even half a minute later.

She appeared out of thin air and emerged from the crowd.

Did she fly here as a bat?

She stood there in a simple outfit. Nothing fancy. Nothing over the top and would cost an arm and a leg to afford. She had on a blue baseball cap with a cropped top that was a button-down shirt with short sleeves.

A pair of sunglasses was tucked into the neckline of the shirt and she had on these baggy light-wash denim jeans that were secured with a silver-studded black belt.

Somehow, she outshone ninety percent of the couples that walked past her who were dressed in far "better" clothes than she was.

Her eyes met mine and she ran over to me, grabbing my other arm.

I could see the glares of all the men in my vicinity.

"It should've been me!" some screamed.

"I thought I would be the first to arrive," she said.

Due to our connection, I could tell that she had only started leaving her home in a hurry once she realized that I was leaving early.

And just like that, our day began.

Because each girl wanted to do different things, in order to get everything done within the timeframe that we had, we had to move fast.

First, we stopped at a cafe. Ichilo insisted that we sit inside and enjoy the music that was being played by a live audience, but Diana claimed that the outdoor seats were better because of the fresh air.

We compromised by sitting near the windows by the open doors, which somehow annoyed both of them equally because we were inside but too far from the band playing music.

They ordered their food and when they tried to feed me at the same time, before they could argue, I grabbed both of their wrists and shoved both spoons in my mouth at the same time.

And as I ate my own dessert silently, I couldn't help but notice that the two of them had sucked their spoons clean.

'...These two girls are very strange,' Liona commented.

Next, we stopped to watch a street performance. A magician was doing magic tricks with the help of some illusion magic to entertain kids and couples alike.

Because of how slow he moved in my perspective, I noticed all the tricks he used, but I enjoyed it all the same.

As he made someone from the crowd float into the air, Diana leaned in against my arm and the fragrance of her perfume wafted up my nose.

Ichiko did the same and my nose caught her scent.

The two scents were both wonderful, but they clashed.

Then once the performance was over, we walked some more.

We checked out markets, shops, and random stalls that were selling charms that promised eternal love or at least a successful confession.

Diana picked one up and held it out to me with a teasing smile.

"Buy it for me?" she asked.

From the other side, Ichiko had already purchased two. She hooked one into a hoop that was on her purse, and before I could say anything, she attached the other one to my bag.

Diana's brows furrowed before she grabbed two keychains. One was a blue bear and the other was a blue bear.

She purchased them and mimicked what Ichiko had done.

"I don't need those charms anymore. Those are just scams," Diana scoffed.

"Bears? Isn't that a little tacky?" Ichiko asked.

As they were arguing, I went and bought us ice cream. Handing one to each of them, I said, "Let's stop arguing and continue our walk."

They stared at each other, then at me and the three of us resumed walking ahead, shoulder to shoulder, neither willing to fall behind my pace.

After some time, the day stopped feeling so tense as the arguments became less frequent. They still clashed heads now and then, but the hostility was decreasing.

It was just the occasional petty arguments that didn't really matter.

Ichiko teasing Diana about her lack of etiquette.

Diana poking back about Ichiko being short.

Both of them would flirt with me but it never quite properly landed because the other girl would interrupt just before the mood was allowed to grow.

I found myself laughing at one point. Like — actually laughing.

Not the fake laugh that no one could tell was fake, but a genuine laugh that made my ribs hurt a little bit.

For a while, it was easy to forget everything else. All the issues that I had to deal with. All the danger that was over the horizon. The expectations that I had placed on myself. The feeling of embarrassment that would wash over me if I failed to make the shitty god eat his words.

The only thing on my mind was walking around the city, bickering here and there, eating good food, riding the attractions, buying things for the girls, etc.

I felt… light. Almost like a kid again.

"How about we—" Then, as I was speaking, something flashed before me in the crowd. A woman's face. One that wasn't clear or complete, and it lasted less than a single impression.

Her long hair flowed down her back. The familiar presence and warmth that hurt more than it soothed me.

The lightness in my chest vanished as quickly as it came as the figure disappeared.

The laughter waiting in my throat died off.

Something slid back into place. My usual mask.

"Bell?" Ichiko called my name.

"...Where was I? I lost my train of thought there for a second," I laughed.

"You okay?" Diana asked quietly. She must've felt something from our connection and I could tell that she was concerned for me.

"Yeah. I'm fine. As I was saying, how about we head into the city center? I hear that a special guest will be there very soon."