Actually, It’s a Messy Melodrama Chapter 59

“Department Head…?”

“Get Cha Haeshin. Don’t you know what I mean?”

“I’m sorry, Department Head. How can I call someone who has already quit? Instead, we can get you a smart one… Ack!”

This time, Inchan’s body was sent sprawling onto the restaurant floor. Blood trickled from his split lip. Jin Youngmin, with a blank expression, looked down at Inchan and spoke again.

“You bastard, do I look like a pushover just because I came here and treated you lot like human beings? You think you can get your way by wagging that tongue of yours?”

“Department Head, that’s not what I…”

“Cha Haeshin, send him in.”

Then, without waiting for Inchan’s reply, he turned and went into the room.

“Hyung! Hyung, are you okay?”

The waiters, who had been watching from a distance, rushed over to help Inchan up. Inchan, who stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, spoke to another employee with a worried expression.

“Hey, this is fucked. Contact the owner, quickly.”

☂️

“Why are there so many books?”

Haeshin, who was cleaning Taejun’s study, marveled at the bookshelf that filled one entire wall. He had been told he could take out and read any book he wanted, but he hadn’t realized there would be this many.

“Isn’t this a library?”

Of course, it wasn’t as if Haeshin had ever been to a library. Putting down the cloth he had been using to wipe the desk, Haeshin stood in front of the bookshelf and was about to pull out a random book when he suddenly looked down at his own hands. The fact that he had been holding a cleaning cloth just moments before bothered him.

Haeshin hurried to the bathroom, washed his hands clean, dried them completely, and then stood in front of the study’s bookshelf again. The titles, the contents of which he couldn’t easily guess, made his eyes swim.

Haeshin’s fingers gently brushed over the neatly arranged spines of the books. The unfamiliar texture of the paper against his fingertips felt novel.

Haeshin, who had barely graduated from middle school amidst his father’s abuse, could not attend high school. He later took and passed the high school equivalency exam, but even then and afterward, he was too busy earning money to pay off debts to have time for books.

To such a Haeshin, Taejun’s study was a space more like a different world than the palace-like living room or garden. This was even more so because the house he had lived in with Youngmin did not have such a proper study.

Carefully examining the titles, Haeshin chose a book based on feeling alone and gently pulled it out.

“He said I could read anything, so it should be okay.”

Even though he had Taejun’s permission, he felt inexplicably anxious. To Haeshin, the books were more difficult and unfamiliar than the other expensive objects that filled the house. It truly felt like touching a treasure that existed only in his imagination.

And so, just as Haeshin finally opened the cover and turned the first page, his phone vibrated loudly.

Startled, Haeshin quickly put the book back on the shelf, afraid he might drop it, and then checked his phone. A welcoming smile appeared on Haeshin’s lips. It was the bar owner.

“Owner!”

—Yeah, yeah, Haeshin. It’s me.

“What’s up at this hour?”

Haeshin might have worked late at the bar and then gone to another job early the next morning, but the owner was someone who usually started his day late in the evening. This time of day, with the sun high in the sky, was not a time he would normally be awake.

—What do you mean, what’s up, you punk. I’m a man who can wake up early if I want to.

“Well, I guess it is a time you’d at least have your eyes open.”

—This brat, being impudent to the owner again.

“Yes, yes, Owner. I’m sorry. But really, why are you calling at this hour?”

Haeshin asked again. The sudden call was welcome, of course, but calling at this particular time made him think there must be a specific reason. However, the owner on the other end of the phone mumbled vaguely.

—No, it’s just, you know. To see how you’re doing.

For a moment, Haeshin’s brow furrowed slightly. It was a well-wishing they had already exchanged a while ago. For Haeshin, who knew the owner well as someone not of a disposition to delicately look after others, it was a puzzling thing to say.

“Suddenly?”

—What do you mean suddenly, punk. Now that you’re not working here, how am I supposed to know how you’re doing if I don’t call you like this?

“That’s true, but…”

—But this, but that, nothing’s wrong with you, right? You’re doing well?

Though he seemed to be trying to hide it, a certain anxiety was palpable in the owner’s repeated questioning. Haeshin’s ambiguous expression hardened. He was sure of it. It was the owner who clearly had something wrong.

“What is it. What’s wrong. Did something happen to you, Owner?”

—What are you talking about. What could possibly happen to me.

“You’re a terrible actor, Owner, so don’t even think about trying to fool me.”

—You little…!

“What is it. Should I come to the bar right now?”

—Crazy, hey, no. Don’t come! You little bastard, just you try coming!

The owner, who had been pretending to be calm until now, was startled by Haeshin’s mention of going to the bar and raised his voice. Haeshin pressed his lips together. The owner’s reaction just now was so transparent that there was no need to press further.

“Why are you being like this. Huh? Making a person anxious.”

—There’s nothing to be anxious about! You little punk, what do you take me for. As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters. I just called just in case.

“Owner.”

—Nothing’s wrong, so it’s no use calling that Inchan punk to poke around. Hey, hey, that’s enough, let’s hang up now. Making such a fuss over a simple well-wishing call.

“Don’t do that, listen to me…”

—Hanging up!

“Owner! Owner!”

His desperate calls were in vain as the owner promptly hung up the phone. Haeshin stared at the disconnected call with a bewildered expression before hastily rushing out of the study.

Jin Youngmin. He had a strong feeling. He didn’t know exactly what he had done, but he was certain that he had gone to the bar and done something.

The hand clutching the phone trembled. He had never expected everything to end with Han Taejun’s warning, but he hadn’t expected the sparks to fly in such an unexpected direction.

“No, no…”

Anxious words continuously flowed from Haeshin’s mouth as he prepared to leave. He remembered the owner, who had once tried to save Haeshin from Jin Youngmin’s hands, only to be beaten half to death and eventually lose his bar. It was the incident that had made Haeshin decide not to ask for help from those close to him anymore.

What if the owner had suffered such hardship again because of him.

The mere hypothesis made his heart feel like it was shriveling up. Barely grabbing his wallet, Haeshin hurriedly crossed the living room towards the front door.

“…”

But just before opening the door to leave, Haeshin froze with his hand on the doorknob. So what if I go to the bar now? What can I do when I get there? The thought suddenly struck him.

There must be a reason why the owner had freaked out and told him not to come. It might be because he didn’t want to show his state, but it could also be that he judged it would be dangerous for Haeshin to come.

If he were to encounter Jin Youngmin, or Jin Youngmin’s men, there, what could Cha Haeshin do?

Haeshin could do nothing. Power, money, strength. He possessed none of the abilities to subdue them. So what if he went recklessly and ended up in a dangerous situation? In the end, it would be someone else’s job to solve it.

Worse, a problem that could have been solved more easily might become more complicated and difficult if Haeshin foolishly got involved.

Haeshin released his tight grip on the doorknob. And he took a deep breath. He tried to calm his hasty heart and think things through calmly.

If the owner was in a bad situation, the only person who could realistically handle it well without danger was Han Taejun.

It would be shameless to ask for more when he was already receiving so much help from him, but he could be certain that it was a better choice than rushing in recklessly on his own.

Because Taejun had said he would help. Because he had told him to say anything so he could help him not get hurt. For Haeshin, who couldn’t ignore the owner’s plight, Han Taejun was the best choice.

☂️

“Where are you.”

Taejun immediately stood up from his seat, grabbing his coat as he asked. From the other side of the phone, Cha Haeshin answered.

—I’m at home.

Taejun let out a sigh of relief and clutched his chest. As he listened to the whole story from him, Taejun had been anxious that Haeshin might have rushed to the bar immediately.

“Alright. I’m coming to get you now, so you stay put at home. Got it? I’ll be there soon. I’ll be right there.”

—Okay. I’ll be waiting, so please drive carefully.

Even with an anxious tone in his voice, Haeshin spoke quite calmly. After hanging up, Taejun bit his lip. He must be anxious and worried, but the fact that Haeshin had contacted him instead of rushing off alone made him feel both grateful and sorry, making his insides burn.

As he quickly came out of the CEO’s office, Secretary Choi stood up in surprise as well.

“CEO.”

“Jungho, let’s go home.”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Reading the unusual expression on Taejun’s face, Secretary Choi didn’t ask any further and followed him straight out. The path to the parking lot via the elevator felt as long as a thousand miles. His throat was dry and his lips were parched.

‘I know this has nothing to do with you, CEO. But it seems Jin Youngmin did something… and I thought that if I went recklessly and something happened, it would ultimately make things more difficult for you, so I’m shamelessly asking you first.’

His joy at receiving Haeshin’s call during work was brief; when he heard those words from Haeshin, he almost thanked a god he didn’t even believe in. He didn’t even want to imagine what would have happened if Haeshin had run off to a bar where Jin Youngmin might be, without a word.

Whether a problem had really occurred, whether that problem was related to Jin Youngmin, whether Cha Haeshin could really be in a dangerous situation. None of that mattered.

What was important was the fact that Haeshin had asked him for help first, even knowing it might be a nuisance, and that thanks to that, he was able to protect Cha Haeshin a little more safely.

Thinking of Cha Haeshin waiting for him at home, swallowing his anxiety, made him feel impatient. Taejun hurriedly got into the car and immediately sent a text message to Haeshin.

[Just left now, so don’t worry and wait a little bit]

It was Taejun’s heart, wanting to alleviate Haeshin’s anxiety even a little.