Actually, It’s a Messy Melodrama Chapter 13

Just when did Cha Haeshin start disliking meeting with Jin Youngmin? As far as Taejun knew, the two had a love story for the ages. Although it ended in a horrific crime, they were the ones who, despite immense opposition from their surroundings, didn’t give up on each other and ultimately succeeded in getting married.

…Weren’t they?

But look at Cha Haeshin now. He looked like someone desperate to shake off Jin Youngmin. As if he was being stalked.

Taejun suddenly realized. The fact that everything about how Jin Youngmin and Cha Haeshin met and fell in love was revealed to the world solely through Jin Youngmin’s perspective.

A chilling sensation ran down his spine. He felt dizzy, unable to discern whether he had been mistaken from the beginning, or if there was some kind of ‘error’ in this round, or if there was a reason why this round was different, a reason he wasn’t aware of.

Cha Haeshin, who had no way of knowing Taejun’s intentions behind the question, also opened his mouth with a puzzled expression.

“Since when…sir?”

“Didn’t you like Jin Youngmin?”

“Me?”

“……Yes. You.”

“Why would… I?”

Haeshin blinked his large eyes. The expression seemed genuinely puzzled, and Taejun lost the will to question him further.

At the time of Jin Youngmin and Cha Haeshin’s marriage, Youngmin had publicly stated that he was the one who fell first and pursued Haeshin, but no one believed him. The accepted truth was that Cha Haeshin had approached Jin Youngmin with the intention of seducing him from the start.

Even those who believed they were truly in love agreed that Haeshin must have fallen first. They argued, why would someone like Jin Youngmin, who lacked nothing, fall for Cha Haeshin unless he was deliberately seduced?

“Didn’t you want to marry Youngmin?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you!”

“No, why would… I?”

The conversation kept going in circles.

So, are you saying you were forced to marry him?

Taejun barely managed to suppress the question. It wasn’t something the Cha Haeshin in front of him could answer anyway. He had come all the way here to gather some information about Cha Haeshin, but his mind had become even more complicated.

As Taejun let out a sigh unconsciously, Cha Haeshin spoke again, his face full of politeness.

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding…”

“Yes. I don’t know how such a misunderstanding arose, but I’m very aware of my place. How could someone like me dare to aspire to the Director?”

Realistically, it wasn’t wrong. Anyone would think so. However, Han Taejun knew Cha Haeshin’s end.

Frankly speaking, it was a sickening feeling to see Cha Haeshin, who had been so miserable and in pain until his last moment, who couldn’t even maintain the minimum dignity of a human being, saying that he wouldn’t dare to aspire to Jin Youngmin.

“So please, CEO.”

“…….”

“Please, please help me keep working here.”

He was speaking indirectly, but it essentially meant asking him to stop Jin Youngmin from coming here anymore.

“Please.”

The final plea sounded almost desperate. It felt sincere. It didn’t seem like he was trying to avoid the situation or had other intentions.

“I’ll help you.”

So Taejun replied. That he would help him. That he would try to change his future.

If he had to give a reason, it was to become more involved in the future of Cha Haeshin, who was already a variable for Taejun, and to see how it affected his own end. Although there were clearly inexplicable emotions beneath the surface, Taejun tried hard to ignore them.

“Really?”

Haeshin asked, so surprised that he jumped up from his seat. Taejun also slowly rose and took a step towards Haeshin.

“Yes.”

“……Why?”

Haeshin asked another bewildered question. It was understandable. Cha Haeshin probably never thought Han Taejun would actually offer to help him with something like this.

“Do I have to explain my reasons?”

“Oh, no! Of course not! I was just so surprised that you offered to help. Thank you so much. Thank you, CEO. You’ve truly saved a life.”

Taejun hesitated again. Cha Haeshin had a knack for speaking as if he knew something, despite knowing nothing.

“But keep your word. It would be best if you don’t try to coax Jin Youngmin behind my back.”

“Oh, of course. Why would you worry about something like that? CEO, never! That will never happen.”

“…….”

“I really… have no feelings for Director Jin Youngmin. Really.”

Cha Haeshin looked directly into Han Taejun’s eyes and spoke. Taejun didn’t avoid his gaze and stared back silently.

In this round, Taejun had made few choices other than coming here now. In other words, Cha Haeshin’s current state was not much different from the initial one.

Could it be that Jin Youngmin even forced the marriage? Taejun felt uneasy about the increasingly complicated situation and said,

“Alright. I’ll take your word for it.”

“Thank you!”

Haeshin bowed politely as Taejun left the room. Taejun seemed to hesitate for a moment but didn’t react further and went outside.

“Phew…”

Only then did Haeshin let out a long sigh and plop down on the sofa. The tension stemming from the unfamiliar situation had been getting to him.

Han Taejun’s presence was extraordinary. Even though they were both chaebols, he was definitely different from Jin Youngmin. Was that why Jin Youngmin went so crazy when he got involved with Han Taejun?

Just then, another man entered the room, opening the closed door. Haeshin blinked with a dazed expression. The man who had followed him into the restroom before was standing there.

“I’m Choi Jungho, CEO Han Taejun’s secretary.”

“Ah, hello…”

“Here.”

The man, who introduced himself as before, barely acknowledged Haeshin’s greeting and abruptly held something out. He was holding a business card.

“This is my card, and on the back is the CEO’s personal number.”

“The CEO’s number?”

“Yes. He told me to give it to you… in case anything happens. I’ll be going now.”

The man quickly said his piece and turned around. Haeshin, who had instinctively taken the card, quickly checked it. As the man had said, a phone number was written on the back of Secretary Choi Jungho’s business card.

“Is this right…?”

Haeshin muttered to himself. Was this really happening? Was it right for things to unfold this way? A series of incomprehensible events, even for an infinite regressor’s capacity for understanding, made him feel like his brain was malfunctioning.

Han Taejun cared for Jin Youngmin that much? Enough to give his personal number to a bar worker?

It didn’t make sense. This wasn’t something that could be explained by Han Taejun caring for Jin Youngmin. So, this looked like he was trying to protect Cha Haeshin, not Jin Youngmin, didn’t it? Of course, that couldn’t be true.

“Hey! Hey, what just happened?! Why did Han Taejun suddenly come looking for you?”

“Are you okay? Were you threatened or something?”

Before Haeshin could gather his thoughts, the owner and the manager, who had seen Taejun off, rushed into the room. It was a natural reaction, considering that Han Taejun himself had come and called in a mere employee for a private meeting.

Haeshin casually put the business card in his pocket and stood up.

“Threatened? …No, nothing like that.”

“Then? Then why did Han Taejun call you?”

“Are you sure you’re alright? You weren’t hit or anything?”

Even after seeing Haeshin’s calm reaction, the two didn’t stop fussing. The manager even went so far as to examine Haeshin’s cheeks.

“No, I’m fine, I said! He just asked me a few things about Jin Youngmin. He’s been coming here often lately.”

“Oh dear, in the end… That’s why I said I was worried about Jin Youngmin coming so often. A caterpillar should stick to pine needles, you know, Haeshin?”

The owner said with a gloomy expression. Although he was known as a tough guy to other employees, he always treated Haeshin warmly, like an uncle. He was also the one who, when Haeshin announced he was getting married to Jin Youngmin, had offered to raise his salary if he reconsidered.

If Cha Haeshin hadn’t regressed after his death, he might have volunteered to be the chief mourner at his funeral. Haeshin, looking at the owner, shook off the strange feeling and nodded vigorously.

“I know, I know. You know best that I’m a caterpillar who knows his place, sir.”

“Yes. I know that Cha Haeshin is the cleverest guy I know.”

“Oh, come on, say I’m smart instead.”

“Alright. You’re very smart. Brilliant!”

The owner playfully responded, patting Haeshin on the back, then lowered his voice and spoke seriously.

“If anything happens… you know? Don’t suffer alone.”

“Yes, I know… Thank you always.”

“Oh, come on! Don’t be so sentimental. Get back to work!”

The owner waved his hand dismissively, but with a pleased expression, he walked away.

Hoping that this time he would have a chance to repay these people, Haeshin stood there, gazing after the departing owner and manager for a long time.