Saving the Villain

"I hope you all be kind and considerate with Miss Blac, you understand?" The teacher tapped the table in the front with his thin notebook while gazing at everyone. "Miss Blac, take any empty seat."

"Thank you." Cosette nodded as her eyes gloss over the room. The side of her lips stretched when she caught the empty seat next to Maxen. She didn't idle as she sauntered to the empty chair beside Maxen, ignoring the gazes from her new classmates, and offered him a smile.

"Can I sit here?" she asked, but Maxen just glanced up at her and looked away. Of course, he would ignore her. What did she expect?

"I'll sit then."

Cosette shrugged her shoulders as she took a seat. She could feel a lot of eyes from her classmates on her, but she continued to ignore them as she gazed at Maxen.

He was cupping his jaw, eyes on the window. It had been days since he was hospitalized after getting beaten up pretty badly, but it seemed Maxen didn't take enough rest. There were still evident bruises on the side of his face and his hands were still bandaged.

'Of course, he is not the person who has the leisure to rest,' she thought as the class started, glancing at Maxen from time to time. 'At least his face was less swollen.'

Days ago, Maxen was barely recognizable. With a swollen face, red sclera with a black eye, and bruises all over him, Cosette didn't actually see Maxen's devious beauty, just like what the novel described him, even with his extra weight.

In his school ID, Maxen also had a bruise on his lips and the bag under his eyes was too dark.

'I wonder if he recognizes me? In the novel, Maxen was said that he only remembers a few people who deserve his attention. He probably sees me as a compassionate stranger who shouldn't be remembered,' she thought, taking a notebook and pen as she started doodling.

One thing that she found out was, she couldn't recall Cosette's previous memories before taking over her body, but she gained her abilities.

For example, Cosette was a fast learner. Hence, even if she barely paid attention to the class, she understood the topic.

'Didn't he really remember me?' she wondered while doodling, mind drifting away without noticing the passing time.

Time had passed in a blink of an eye, and it was time for lunch. As soon as their history teacher left the classroom, multiple students flocked around Cosette's seat.

"Hello. Do you want to eat lunch with us?" asked a female student kindly.

"Hey, do you have a boyfriend?" A male student inquired as he dragged his chair near her desk, sitting with the back of the chair in the front.

A few more enthusiastic classmates, who were intrigued by the transferee, raised different types of questions. Who wouldn't? Aside from that it was already in the middle of the school year, Cosette was a catch.

Cosette smiled politely and glanced at Maxen, who suddenly got up from his seat and left without a word. He didn't cast her a look as he walked away, just like that.

"Tch. What an arrogant guy," said a male student as he clicked his tongue. It was obvious he disliked Maxen and saw him as weird.

"Don't mind them. You can join us for lunch if you want?"

She smiled at the group of female students, as it was better to get to know them too. "Alright. I'll join you for lunch."

It was not like she was in a hurry to be friends with Maxen. Knowing the villain of the story, forcing herself into his life, would surely have the opposite effect. She needed to take it slow and steady.

****

The school cafeteria of Winter Highschool was just like the cafeteria in her previous life. Students from all year formed by group, some were already eating while others were still lining up for their turn. Cosette, along with her three female classmates, finally found a spot in the corner where they could eat.

"It's a late introduction, but my name is Sarah." The young lady introduced herself with a friendly smile.

"I'm Amie," said the second girl with glasses and short hair.

"And I'm Fay."

Cosette smiled as she scanned the faces of the three. Sarah was pretty, with a long, black hair that was clipped to the side. She was the perfect representation of a good girl, with her amiable demeanor. Amie, on the other hand, looked smart and cute with her short, bob hair that suit her small face. Meanwhile, Fay had her long curly hair tied into a ponytail — she looked boyish, but somehow, she looked beautiful despite the lack of powder on her face and lack of accessories.

"You can call me Cozie. Thank you for inviting me for lunch." Her friendly smile remained while the other three girls smiled back. Now, this felt like normal. When she arrived in this world, Cosette always thought her life wasn't normal.

"It's nothing.." Sarah grinned as she waved. "It's already a shock that a student transferred to this school in the middle of the school year."

"If you don't mind me asking, which school are you from? Did you get in trouble with your previous school? That's why you transferred here?" Fay inquired in interest, sizing up Cosette. "Although... I don't think you are the type to get in trouble."

'She's sharp,' Cosette thought, clearing her throat. "It's because… my family moved. So I had no option but to switch school in the middle of the school year."

She didn't mean to lie, but she didn't want to tell them she actually came from the best of the best school in the country. Also, it was best for them to think that she was just like them and not some heiress of a business mogul.

"Ohh… that's why." The three of them nodded in understanding and they all moved on from the topic.

*****

"How was your first day in your new school?" Conrad inquired as he glanced at Cosette. Today was her first day in her new school, so he was a bit worried. The school she chose had a terrible reputation, that was why. But since his daughter named that school, he didn't want to stop her, since it would warrant another argument.

Cosette smiled as she raised her head to him. "I gained new friends. Their name is Sarah, Amie, and Fay. They were my classmates. We ate lunch together and walked home."

Conrad's eyes softened as Cosette seemed please as she talked about her first day. He nodded, listening to his daughter's soft voice as if it was music to his ears. Although Cosette was still acting almost the same, she was speaking more every dinner. He just hoped that he wouldn't regret letting his daughter in a school full of delinquents.

"That's good, then." He mused with a nod.

"Yes." Cosette gazed down with a subtle smile on her face, recalling that after lunchtime, Maxen skipped school again. She then raised her eyes at Conrad and lifted her fist up.

"Papa, I shouldn't give up, right?" Conrad's brows arched as he studied her determined face.

His eyes softened, as she had been calling him 'Papa' ever since that night. "You can do it. You are my daughter, after all."

"That's right." Cosette's eyes lit up, thinking that she wouldn't let Maxen off next time. "I'm the daughter of the most handsome daddy in this world, so I absolutely can do it."

What did she just say? Conrad knitted his brow, looking at his daughter, who was suddenly on fire about something. In the end, he subtly smiled and kept his thought to himself.

As their dinner continued, the maids who were witnessing and hearing the conversation between the father and daughter appalled them. It had been many years since the two of them talked like they were family, and this… warmed up their heart.

It seemed peace was finally coming to this household with the young miss opening up to her father, and the master initiating conversations. They all hoped that the master and the young miss would finally treat each other as family and not strangers or colleagues living under the same roof.