The System told me to save the villain. The original plan was a classic childhood-friends-to-lovers arc, but I messed up. I picked the wrong age. I chose twenty instead of ten. The System shrieked in my head, a burst of digital static. [MY GOD, HOW CAN ONE PERSON CAUSE SO MUCH DAMAGE?!] I stood calmly in front of the villain’s apartment, faced with a wary-looking little boy, and broke into a wide, delighted smile. “Well, look at you! All grown up! Your Auntie Ava used to hold you when you were just a baby!” The System: [?] The Villain: “?” 1 As I stood on the worn-out welcome mat in front of Leo Blackwood’s door, the System was still having a meltdown in my consciousness. [Oh my god, I look away for one second and the entire world collapses!] [How can you be so reckless?! Host, your job was to redeem the villain with love! Now you’re old enough to be his mother!] […] It went on and on, a frantic, buzzing commentary. I remained as steady as a rock. Just a short while ago, I’d been hit by a car. As I lay dying, the System bonded with me, telling me that if I could successfully redeem the story’s villain, I would be rewarded with a new life in this world. It painted a beautiful picture. I promised without hesitation, “Don’t worry. You can count on me. I’ve got this.” Then, with a slip of my finger, I selected the wrong age. The original setup was for me to be his childhood friend. I was supposed to help him in school, protect him from bullies, heal his wounds, and become the one pure, unforgettable love of his life. But now, I was just some “older woman.” It didn’t matter. There are a million ways to change a person’s life. Who says being his first love was the only path that would work? Ignoring the System’s frantic sputtering, I stepped forward and knocked on the door. After a few moments, the door creaked open a few inches, revealing a small, sallow face. The boy was maybe seven or eight years old, rail-thin with messy black hair. A fresh bruise colored the corner of his mouth. His eyes, fixed on me, were full of undisguised suspicion. His voice was childish and soft as he asked, “Who are you?” The moment I saw him, my expression shifted, moving from assessment to surprise, and finally to pure joy. My voice rose with feigned delight. “You must be Leo, right?” “Honey, you’ve gotten so big! Your Auntie Ava used to hold you when you were just a baby!” The System: [?] Leo Blackwood: “?” 2 Hearing my words, the little boy, who had been on high alert, just stared, his eyes clouded with confusion. “Auntie?” The System’s digital CPU was about to fry. [Host, what kind of aunt are you supposed to be?] Without missing a beat, I spun the tale. “That’s right. I’m Ava Rose, your mother Eleanor’s long-lost sister. We found each other right after you were born. I’ve been living abroad all these years… I had no idea that she…” At this, I dug my nails hard into my thigh. The sharp pain brought a faint redness to my eyes. I knelt to his eye level, forcing a pained but gentle smile. “But my sister’s child is my child. From now on, Auntie Ava will take care of you.” I delivered the lines with heartfelt sincerity. Leo was stunned, listening with wide eyes. After a long moment, he murmured, “But… Mom never said she had a sister.” “She passed so suddenly, honey. And you were so little back then. It’s perfectly normal that you don’t remember me.” I seamlessly picked up his thread of doubt. Out in the world, you are who you say you are. In the original story, the villain didn’t come from a traditionally loveless home. On the contrary, his mother, Eleanor, had adored him. But when Leo was five, she got sick and needed money for treatment. She went to his wealthy biological father, who threw them out. In the end, Leo could only watch as his mother passed away in a hospital bed, her eyes full of tears. After that, young Leo survived by collecting scrap metal and bottles, enduring constant scorn and bullying. He grew up, fell in love with a girl he could never have, and spiraled into villainy, only to meet a tragic end. Afraid he still didn’t believe me, I started sharing stories about his mother—intimate little details that no stranger could possibly know. By the time I finished, the little boy’s gaze was shimmering, the corners of his eyes turning red. Dusk was settling, and it was getting close to dinnertime. I stood up and said warmly, “Alright, I’m going to go get some groceries. You be a good boy and wait here for me, okay?” He pressed his lips together, his dark eyes locked on me. Finally, he gave a slow, deliberate nod. “Okay.” I could see the suspicion and caution hadn’t completely vanished from his eyes, but I wasn’t bothered. A kid on his own needs to be careful. An hour later, I returned with bags of groceries. Before I even reached the stairs to his apartment, I felt a pair of eyes on me. But when I looked up, I saw nothing. It wasn’t until I was back at his door that I saw him standing in the exact same spot, his gaze flicking to the grocery bags in my hands. I saw his throat work as he swallowed. After a long pause, he stepped aside, a little stiffly, to let me in. “Come in.” His voice hadn’t changed yet; it was soft and high-pitched, sounding incredibly well-behaved. But I saw it. The hand hidden behind his back was gripping a wooden stick. I sighed internally. Okay. He believed me, but not that much. The System’s voice dripped with sarcasm in my mind. [Right. Because that story was so convincing.] I just shook my head. [No, you don’t get it. The fact that he let me inside is a sign of trust.] The System: […] 3 Thankfully, I’d lived alone for years and had become a decent cook. I made roasted chicken, creamy macaroni and cheese, a pot of corn chowder, and sautéed green beans. A proper meal. When I set the food on the table, Leo didn’t move at first. He just watched me cautiously from under his lashes. I calmly started eating, then gestured to him naturally. “Dinner’s ready.” Only after he saw me take a bite of every single dish did he finally start to eat. Even then, he only picked at the food around the very edge of the serving plates. I couldn’t stand to see it. I picked up the serving spoons and piled his plate high with food. Once his plate was overflowing, I went back to eating my own meal. In my peripheral vision, I saw the little boy stare silently at the mountain of food on his plate. His grip on his fork tightened, and he ducked his head so low his face was nearly buried in his plate as he ate. When we were finished, before I could even start clearing the table, a small hand reached out and took my empty plate. “I’ll… I’ll wash them!” With that, his small, thin figure rushed into the tiny kitchen, and there was no stopping him. I raised an eyebrow. Heh. A proud little guy, aren’t we? 4 The living room and kitchen were separated only by a single old, yellowed sliding door. His small frame was just a head taller than the kitchen counter. He stood on a little stool, washing the dishes with practiced efficiency. Over the sound of running water, I noticed his ears twitch slightly. Perhaps because he didn’t hear any movement from me, he couldn’t resist a slight turn of his head. He looked over his shoulder and met my smiling gaze directly. Caught in the act of peeking, the little boy froze. A second later, he whipped his head back around, a flustered look on his face. I chuckled to myself. The kid was actually pretty cute. I decided not to tease him anymore and stood up. “Leo.” He paused his washing, his hands still in the soapy water, and turned back to look at me, his dark eyes waiting for me to continue. I grabbed my purse and gave him a little wave. “It’s getting late. I should head home now.” With that, I turned and walked toward the door. Silence from behind me. I was almost at the threshold when a small, urgent voice called out. “Are… are you coming back?” I stopped, turning my head slightly. Leo was still standing by the sink, his hands covered in soap suds he hadn’t bothered to rinse off. He was staring at me, his small face tense, his eyes hiding a yearning he couldn’t quite conceal. He was still just a kid, not yet skilled at hiding his feelings, not yet the dark, brooding man he was supposed to become. I blinked, feigning a casual, adult tone as I put on my shoes. “What’s this, kid? Don’t you want me to come back? If I don’t, who’s going to cook for you? Don’t see me out, now! I live just around the corner!” Hearing this, Leo’s tense expression visibly relaxed. He turned his back to me and muttered a soft, “Oh.” But I could see it clearly. The tips of his small ears were slowly turning pink. Ha. Just you wait, kid. Get ready to be smothered by the heavy love of an elder. 5 With the System’s help, I’d moved into a building directly across the street from Leo’s a couple of days ago. As I left his apartment, the System’s snide voice returned. [He wasn’t going to see you out, you know.] I pulled his door closed, catching a final glimpse through the closing gap. Leo had already turned back to the sink, focused on washing the dishes. I let the door click shut, completely unbothered. [You don’t understand. That’s just something adults say. No kid actually takes it literally.] The System: […Whatever.] But just as I got back to my own apartment, before I could even sit down, the System let out a small gasp. [Huh?] [What is it?] I asked. There was a pause, then its tone turned strange. [Go look out your window.] Confused, I did as it said and walked to the window. Across the way, a window slid open. The room inside was dark, no lights on. At first glance, it was just a black square, but then I could clearly make out a small, thin silhouette. This part of town was full of old, run-down buildings. Families that had made some money had long since moved away, leaving the neighborhood feeling even more desolate at night. A single, dim yellow streetlight illuminated the narrow road below. I watched as Leo stood at his window, his gaze fixed on the end of the street, as if searching for something. The small figure stared at the empty road for a long, long time before finally closing the window. Realizing what he had been looking for, a warmth spread through my chest, and I couldn’t help but smile. That silly kid. I was long gone by the time he thought to see me off, wasn’t he? 6 Leo had school in the mornings. Usually, he would just buy a plain bun from a corner store for breakfast. But he didn’t expect that the next morning, as soon as he opened his door, he’d find me standing there with a bag of breakfast. He froze. The morning light fell on his face. Besides his large, dark eyes, his little face was thin from malnutrition. It took him a long moment to process. “You… you’re here,” he stammered. Well, at least he wasn’t carrying a stick today. Progress. I smiled and gently squeezed his cheek, placing the warm bag in his hands. “Yep. Eat up. When you’re done, Auntie Ava will take you to school.” The school was a long way from his apartment. In the original story, Leo ran the entire distance every day. Because it was so far, he was often late and punished by his teachers. The warmth of the breakfast seeped through the bag into his hands. Leo’s fingers twitched, and he glanced down. Inside the bag were breakfast sandwiches, a carton of milk, and a hard-boiled egg. He looked up at me, his expression gentle, his lips pressed into a tight line. Just as I thought he might thank me or get shy, he said, “You don’t have to. I can go by myself,” clutched the bag, and bolted. I watched, stunned, as Leo’s figure disappeared down the street, a question mark slowly forming over my head. “?” Wait. He just… ran? 7 I was utterly baffled. The next second, I broke into a dead sprint after him. Perhaps not expecting me to follow, Leo glanced back, did a double-take, and faltered for a second. I chased him for over a mile, panting, finally catching up to him. I bent over, hands on my knees, gasping for air like I’d just run a marathon. I looked up and saw him, not even flushed or out of breath. I fell silent. Kids these days are built different. Leo stared at me, his expression unreadable but complex. His tone was still flat. “Did you need something else? I’m going to be late for school.” I took a deep breath, fumbled in my pocket, and pulled out four dollars, pressing the coins into his hand. “Take the bus.” It was a four-mile trip. Running would take him over an hour. It was too much. The boy who had led me on a wild chase stared down at the coins in his palm, his pupils contracting slightly. “…” Just then, I saw a city bus approaching in the distance. I quickly asked the System for confirmation that it went to his school, and when it confirmed, I clapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, there’s your bus! Quick, get on! I’ll watch you go.” Leo didn’t say a word as I gently pushed him toward the bus. Just as the doors hissed shut, he suddenly turned back. His eyes met mine, and his lips moved, as if he was trying to say something. But the bus engine rumbled to life, and I couldn’t hear him. I didn’t think much of it and turned to walk home. I didn’t know. The moment I turned away, the boy who had just found a seat scrambled to the window, his eyes staying on me until I was completely out of sight. 8 In the weeks that followed, I brought Leo breakfast every morning, rain or shine. He didn’t come home for lunch, so I called his homeroom teacher, paid for his school lunches for the rest of the semester, and made dinner for us every night. At first, Leo was still cautious and barely spoke. As time went on, he… still barely spoke. I sighed. The System couldn’t resist a jab. [Host, what is a kid supposed to talk about with an adult like you? If you were his age, growing up together, you could have had a perfect romance.] I scoffed, dismissing the idea. Who said redemption had to be about romance? Just as I was about to argue, my phone rang. I pulled it out, saw the caller ID, and answered. “Hello, Mr. Davison?” A polite voice came from the other end. “Hello, you’re Leo Blackwood’s aunt, correct? The school is holding parent-teacher conferences today. If you have time, we’d appreciate it if you could come.” Parent-teacher conferences? I frowned slightly. Leo hadn’t mentioned it. After a moment’s thought, I replied, “Of course. I’m on my way.” Every other kid would have a parent there. He would too. 9 Leo was in the fourth grade. Though he looked more like he was seven or eight, the System’s file said he was ten. I found Mr. Davison’s classroom, arriving just as the meeting was about to start. The room was packed with parents. I scanned the crowd and finally spotted Leo in a seat shoved into the corner, right next to the trash can. He was slumped over his desk, his face turned away, a look of pure boredom etched on his features. The other students were gathered around their parents, chattering excitedly. Someone noticed Leo. “Is Leo Blackwood’s family a no-show again?” “Didn’t you hear? His dad doesn’t want him. I overheard Mr. Davison on the phone with him once. His dad said he couldn’t make it and told the teacher to just unenroll Leo and send him to an orphanage.” “Leo’s so weird. I guess it makes sense nobody wants him…” The whispers reached my ears. Leo’s expression slowly darkened, and his hands, hanging by his sides, clenched into tight fists. But he didn’t say a word. Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder. Leo looked up, annoyed. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened. He shot up from his seat, grabbed my sleeve, and started pulling me toward the door. His voice was uncharacteristically stubborn. “Why are you here? This stupid meeting is a waste of time.” “My grades are crap anyway!” I gently took hold of his arm, stopping him. He looked away, refusing to meet my eyes. I glanced around the room, meeting the curious stares of the other parents. I placed a hand on Leo’s shoulder and introduced myself loud and clear. “Hi everyone. I’m Leo’s aunt. I’m here for the conference.” With that, I calmly sat down in his seat. It was so close to the trash can I could smell something sour. The room fell silent for a moment. Then, a low voice, laced with a barely concealed tremor, reached my ear. “Don’t sit there. It’s dirty.”
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