Actually, It’s a Messy Melodrama Chapter 104

“Is no one there?”

“No, sir. The landlord said a mother and son live there, and when we looked inside, the furniture and things were set up like a lived-in house, but they said no one came home all night.”

“That’s strange…”

At his secretary’s report, Jin Youngmin looked puzzled and fell into thought. It wasn’t unusual for Cha Haeshin to stay out all night, since he sometimes worked through the night, but his mother, who wasn’t in good health, was a different story.

No, Cha Haeshin was strange too. He had gotten so cocky that he quit the bar that paid him more than other places, so to say he worked all night somewhere else didn’t add up.

After losing contact with Cha Haeshin, he had looked around here and there trying to find a reason, but the more he did, the more it felt like he was falling deeper into a labyrinth.

After being lost in thought for a while, Youngmin opened his mouth.

“You know the convenience store Cha Haeshin works at.”

“Yes, Department Head.”

“Go and bring him here.”

“What should I do if he refuses?”

The secretary’s question was reasonable. Until now, Youngmin had instructed him to treat Cha Haeshin politely, to never ignore or look down on him no matter what. The secretary needed to know which order he should prioritize. Jin Youngmin answered.

“Refuse or not, just drag him here. By any means necessary.”

“Yes, I understand.”

By any means necessary. The secretary withdrew without further questioning the meaning of that answer. Youngmin’s eyes, staring at the door the secretary had exited through, glinted coldly.

There was no longer any reason to ponder and try to understand on his own. He had already offered enough carrots. Now, it was time to mete out proper punishment to the ungrateful bastard.

☂️

“Thank you so much for everything. Boss! There will never be another boss like you, really.”

Haeshin offered his farewell to the convenience store owner, who had specifically come to see him off at the end of his shift since it was his last day. However, the middle-aged owner who received the farewell just scowled and grumbled.

“Why are you saying goodbye like you’ll never see me again? You’re making me sad.”

“Hey, when have I ever done that? I was just being polite.”

“If you ever need a job again later, make sure you call me first. Got it?”

“Oh, of course. You should call me too if you need anything urgent, Boss.”

“You bet.”

“I’ll be going now!”

Haeshin bowed deeply one more time toward the owner, who looked visibly disappointed, then opened the convenience store door and stepped outside.

A rush of hot midsummer air hit him. Liking the heat that he could feel vividly on his skin, Haeshin deliberately took a deep breath of the sweltering air.

“Mr. Cha Haeshin.”

It was then. A dark figure that had appeared from somewhere blocked Haeshin’s path. Haeshin, who lifted his head to check the person’s face, turned pale in an instant. The person before him was Jin Youngmin’s secretary.

“Why are you here… What is it?”

Haeshin tried his best to act nonchalant as he reflexively looked around. He couldn’t see Jin Youngmin, but he couldn’t let his guard down.

“The Department Head has ordered me to bring you to him, Mr. Cha Haeshin.”

The secretary used honorifics, just as before. However, Haeshin could feel that the emotion contained in his tone had subtly changed.

The man before him was someone he had seen for as long as he had known Jin Youngmin throughout his repeating lives. Haeshin knew all too well what his tone was like and what kind of aura he exuded when he was hostile.

“Me? I… have nothing to say to the Department Head.”

Haeshin answered defensively, taking a step back from the man. The owner was still inside the convenience store, so he planned to run back inside.

But as if he had already noticed Haeshin’s thoughts, before Haeshin could even move his body, which had frozen with tension, the man snatched his wrist.

“What are you doing!”

“You shouldn’t be doing this to our Department Head, Mr. Cha Haeshin. He just wants to have a conversation, so get in the car while I’m asking nicely.”

“I told you, I have nothing to say!”

Haeshin deliberately raised his voice as if shouting. It was to draw anyone’s attention. He could feel instinctively that he absolutely must not be dragged away by this man’s hands.

“Let’s go.”

The man was adamant. As if there was no need for further explanation or persuasion, he began to pull Haeshin without another word.

“Let go! I said, let go! Help!!”

Haeshin struggled desperately and screamed. The important thing was to not get dragged away from this spot, no matter what.

But no matter how fiercely he resisted, he couldn’t overcome the strength of the man who was determined to drag him away. Just as Haeshin’s body, which was being practically grabbed by the collar, was getting closer and closer to the car parked on the road, someone suddenly cut in between the two of them.

“Ugh…!”

Simultaneously, with a short scream, the hand holding Haeshin was pulled away. It was because the person who had cut in, shielding Haeshin, had slightly twisted and pried off Jin Youngmin’s secretary’s wrist.

“Ah…!”

Confirming who was protecting him, Haeshin let out a sigh of relief. Only then did he remember that Ingyu was protecting him on Taejun’s behalf.

Haeshin was still not used to the presence of a bodyguard, and flustered by the sudden situation, he hadn’t thought of him. The emotions that were escalating into a panic finally subsided.

In the meantime, Ingyu, who had given a slight nod in greeting, hid Haeshin behind his back and opened his mouth with a sharp intensity toward Jin Youngmin’s secretary.

“What is this?”

“What about you? Mind your own business and get out of the way.”

Jin Youngmin’s secretary replied curtly in informal speech. It wasn’t a surprising attitude to Haeshin. Jin Youngmin’s secretary was a classic example of someone who basked in borrowed glory.

“Are you attempting a kidnapping on the street in broad daylight?”

Ingyu responded, his voice unwavering.

“Kidnapping? Do you even know whose man this is… Just go on your way while I’m asking nicely. Mr. Cha Haeshin, you know you shouldn’t do this to our Department Head, right?”

The secretary, his brow furrowed in annoyance at the situation getting twisted by Ingyu’s intervention, reached out for Haeshin.

“He just wants to meet and talk for a bit, so hurry up and let’s go… Ack!”

And before the secretary could even finish his sentence, he let out another single-syllable scream. It was because Ingyu had snatched the secretary’s hand and twisted it behind his back.

“This bastard, really…! Hey! Let go of this! Do you really want to die!”

The properly restrained secretary struggled unsightly and yelled. The arrogance he had when he stood before Haeshin was nowhere to be seen. But that pathetic sight made Haeshin feel a little gratified.

“Whoever your department head is, you can’t just forcibly drag someone away. If you don’t understand this, shall we call the police and check?”

“…Let go. I get it, so let go.”

The secretary flinched as soon as the police were mentioned and spoke in a much softer tone. Ingyu turned his gaze to Haeshin. His eyes seemed to be asking for permission. When Haeshin nodded, Ingyu roughly let go of the secretary’s hand.

The secretary, who staggered, unable to handle the force, looked at Haeshin with a face full of wounded pride and said.

“Mr. Cha Haeshin, you’re really not going to come with me?”

“No. Please tell the Department Head as well. Behaving this way… is scary and burdensome. I would appreciate it if you didn’t contact me from now on.”

Haeshin still didn’t know the full details of what Taejun was planning to get rid of Jin Youngmin. But Taejun had told Haeshin that he no longer needed to hide his feelings and act in front of Jin Youngmin. Haeshin trusted only those words and laid his feelings bare to Jin Youngmin.

The mere fact that he didn’t have to pretend to trust and rely on Jin Youngmin while suppressing the nausea that welled up inside him filled his entire body with a thrilling sense of satisfaction.

“For you to really act like that…!”

“He said he doesn’t want to. Shouldn’t you be going now?”

The secretary seemed to dislike Haeshin’s answer and tried to retort, but Ingyu stopped him. Pushed back by Ingyu’s intimidating aura as he approached, the secretary took a step back without realizing it, then turned around and left the scene as if fleeing.

Only after confirming that the car the secretary got into had disappeared did Ingyu turn back to check on Haeshin.

“Are you all right?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. Yes, I’m fine.”

“I’m sorry for not stopping him sooner. I was trying to secure evidence…”

“Evidence?”

“Yes. I thought it would be helpful to have evidence that Department Head Jin was trying to forcibly take you, Mr. Cha Haeshin.”

“Ah…”

The word ‘evidence’ stuck in Haeshin’s ear. Taejun’s words that he would make it so Jin Youngmin couldn’t approach him came to mind, and his heart fluttered, unbefitting the situation.

“Please get in the car for now. I will take you to Mr. President.”

“It’s okay! Mr. President must be working right now… I’ll tell him later when he gets off work.”

“Mr. President’s orders were to contact him immediately if anything happened and to bring you, Mr. Haeshin. I am someone who must prioritize Mr. President’s orders… I’m sorry.”

“No, you don’t have to be sorry…”

Haeshin replied awkwardly and got into the car as Ingyu said. As soon as he sat in the back seat, all the strength drained from his body, and he felt weary. It was because the tension had finally completely subsided.

He had told Ingyu maturely that he could just wait at home, but honestly, Haeshin also wanted to see Taejun right away. He felt like only then could he shake off all the last remaining bits of anxiety.

Haeshin rubbed the wrist that had been grabbed by the secretary. He hadn’t realized it hurt earlier because he was so startled, but seeing the faint red mark, it seemed he had been grabbed quite hard.

He had a premonition that a huge storm was approaching. It was a fight he had to face someday, but the thought that this happy daily life could crumble made his heart clench tightly.

Han Taejun and Cha Haeshin, we, will we be able to weather this storm safely? And thus, move on to a life with no more death, no more regression?

Haeshin’s eyes, not yet free of anxiety, captured the scenery rushing past the window. More than anything, he desperately wanted to see Han Taejun.