Actually, It’s a Messy Melodrama Chapter 74

The moment he recalled the image of Haeshin affectionately with Inchan, his mood immediately soured. Just like the moment he saw the two of them in person.

He had desperately held himself back from intervening, fearing that Jin Youngmin might discover the relationship between him and Cha Haeshin and do something bad to Haeshin before they could make countermeasures, but upon dwelling on it, he regretted not stepping in then.

He was even resentful that he had not properly shown who was by Cha Haeshin’s side now, and who he would have to confront if he were to harbor ill intentions toward Cha Haeshin.

And Taejun, who was hissing angry breaths while lying down as sleep instantly fled, suddenly sprang up from his spot with a massive realization hitting his head.

In the quiet dawn, Taejun’s dumbfounded voice resonated throughout the wide bedroom.

‘Ah, I’m jealous…?’

That was it. The grandson whom the chairman of Myeongjin Group, which was even said to move South Korea, cherished more than his own son, the successor who could practically be considered confirmed, the third-generation heir, Han Taejun of the world, was jealous of the “Hyung” who worked at the same store as Cha Haeshin, and had lost sleep over it.

“They aren’t exactly in a special relationship, you know? Ah, of course, they are close friends. They are close friends, but anyway, they aren’t dating or anything like that. Even though it’s not that…”

Secretary Choi’s expression, listening to Taejun rambling like a person in another world, looked as if his soul had left his body. Of course, Taejun still did not care.

“I just saw them talking, but, hey… do you know that feeling? Like your stomach is churning and your head is suddenly burning up with heat?”

“No, Mr. President…”

Secretary Choi stammered, which was uncharacteristic of him. It was truly surprising for Secretary Choi, who rarely felt intimidated or flustered even in front of the chairman. Still, Taejun paid no attention.

“I felt that feeling for the first time. Even though he said he had no intention of doing it yesterday, he used to ride in that person’s car when he didn’t know me. Thinking about that really drives me crazy. That’s why I couldn’t sleep.”

Taejun gnawed on his lips like an anxious person. Too many scenes tormented Taejun throughout the dawn.

Cha Haeshin getting into Inchan’s car without any caution, Cha Haeshin casually spending time with some high school student like they were brothers, Cha Haeshin being loved by the manager everywhere he went.

Upon closer examination, scenes that gave Taejun no reason to be jealous took turns churning through his mind. To the point where he could not sleep.

“Jungho, do you know this feeling?”

Taejun asked, having finished his long speech. He was still not looking at Secretary Choi. Secretary Choi, who was blinking rapidly as if this had never happened since he was born, finally managed to open his mouth.

“I apologize… I don’t understand what you are talking about at all.”

“Right, Jungho. You should continue to live without knowing this.”

Secretary Choi felt a chill at Taejun’s wistful voice.

“To think that unrequited love was this agonizing…”

Feeling like he had heard words that should not have been brought up amidst the quietness of the car. Secretary Choi ultimately decided to keep his mouth shut and focus only on driving until they arrived at the company.

It was the first time since he became his secretary that Secretary Choi so desperately wished for no more words to come out of Taejun’s mouth.

☂️

“Whew….”

Haeshin, standing at the convenience store counter, looked down at the cellphone in his hand and sighed deeply, which was uncharacteristic of him. He had just finished a phone call with Jin Youngmin.

The moment the name ‘Executive Jin Youngmin’ appeared on the phone screen, he felt a sudden shortness of breath. If he could, he wanted to ignore the call and everything else.

Was it because he had been through too much in the previous regression cycle? Even though he had faced this person countless times, he felt particularly overwhelmed.

But Haeshin, as always, took a deep breath, brightened his voice, and answered Jin Youngmin’s call. He also responded affectionately to Jin Youngmin’s kind voice, which made him feel nauseous, as he usually did.

What could he do? Like everyone else, there were things he had to do even if he did not want to. Haeshin did his best to soothe Jin Youngmin’s feelings, who had become sensitive because they had not been in touch much these past few days.

There was no need to provoke Jin Youngmin right now when no concrete plan for what to do next had been decided. Since Cha Haeshin’s failure was no longer Cha Haeshin’s failure alone, he needed to move even more cautiously.

Fortunately, Jin Youngmin easily calmed down without much suspicion. This was probably due to the fact that they had grown quite close. At this point, Jin Youngmin and Cha Haeshin were getting along like intimate friends, and Jin Youngmin must have felt that Haeshin was slowly opening his heart.

“It’s hard…”

Haeshin murmured. It was literally a difficult situation. Of course, he could be relieved about the fact that Han Taejun was regressing with him, but his mind was complicated when he thought about the failure he had experienced once again.

It felt like it would work. He felt like he could really break free from Jin Youngmin this time, but the fact that he failed again weighed heavily on Haeshin’s heart.

He was just a little afraid that perhaps escaping this cycle was an impossible fate, that it was a futile dream that could not be achieved even with Han Taejun, and that consequently, not only he but also Taejun would not be able to escape this hell.

That was not the only problem. In some ways, there was an even more difficult problem than Jin Youngmin. Haeshin’s hand, which was fiddling with the cellphone, searched for another name in the contacts.

[Mother]

The two simple letters written there stuck in his eyes like thorns. Just seeing the name made his heart ache as if it were tearing. The pain of hearing the news that his mother had taken her own life and having to identify the body was too vivid.

Actually, this was a more urgent matter than Jin Youngmin. In this regression cycle, Haeshin had not yet had a proper conversation with his mother. After the regression, he went straight to Taejun’s house, who had come for him, and had been living at Taejun’s house ever since.

He had called to let her know that he was staying at a friend’s house for a few days while working, but that was all; he had not discussed anything else.

To be honest, Haeshin had not yet recovered from the shock of the past incident. Just hearing his mother’s voice made his mind go blank, and he could not even breathe properly. It was impossible for him to have a proper conversation with his mother in that state.

Even though he was lucky to regress to a quite early point in time, his heart was anxious. He needed to start his mother’s treatment as soon as possible, but the failure of the previous regression cycle kept holding Haeshin back.

He had to have a heart-to-heart conversation with his mother to avoid repeating the tragedy of the previous regression cycle, but when it came to actually talking, it was not easy to deal with his mother because of the events of the previous cycle. It was a terrible vicious circle.

“…Cha Haeshin, you are spoiled.”

But Haeshin soon relaxed his stiff expression and let out a small laugh. He was literally too spoiled.

Cha Haeshin’s life had never been easy before. No, on the contrary, it had been a continuous string of even more desperate lives than now. Even in the darkness where not a single ray of light entered, Haeshin did not give up and walked, searching for a door every time.

“Honestly, the situation has never been as good as it is now.”

Haeshin tried to view reality objectively instead of sinking into deeper thoughts. Honestly, Haeshin was in a more hopeful situation than ever before.

First, Haeshin had gained a comrade who would not be lost even in the repeating regression. He no longer had to worry about not meeting Han Taejun again, or that he would not listen to him.

Furthermore, that comrade was someone who could overwhelm Jin Youngmin with a single word and could solve all the practical problems Haeshin had. It was no different from being in the same boat as the most powerful person in South Korea.

So, how contradictory life was. Only when there was no chance of success could one truly not fear failure.

When there was no hope at all, he could move forward without much thought, but now that hope had emerged, it was so difficult to take each step.

“Stop complaining and get a grip.”

Haeshin put down his cellphone and, out of habit, slapped both of his cheeks loudly, then regained his composure. Needless self-pity was a luxury at such an important time.

There was a time when he wanted to walk but could not because he could not see the path. Compared to that time, at least now, he could see everything, the direction and the method, of where and how he should walk.

If so, the next thing to do was to try moving forward. Not sitting still and being crushed by useless emotions.

“Welcome!”

Haeshin, having collected himself, cheerfully greeted the customer entering the convenience store. Life was clearly getting better. Haeshin intended not to forget that.

☂️

Taejun’s heart sank when he checked his vibrating cellphone.

[Cha Haeshin]

It was because of the three letters of the name displayed on the screen. Taejun reflexively got up from his seat and grabbed his car key, then immediately answered the call.

“Cha Haeshin, what’s wrong.”

Even in that brief moment, Taejun’s mind was completely filled with anxious imaginings. Naturally, Haeshin would not have called him unless something was wrong.

Did Jin Youngmin perhaps come looking for him? Did an unforeseen variable arise that we failed to anticipate? Did that bastard suddenly go crazy and threaten Haeshin? I should have forced him to quit his job a long time ago, even if I had to be stubborn!

By the time Taejun finished lamenting to his own foolish self in an instant, Haeshin’s voice was heard from beyond the cellphone.

—Mr. President, why does your voice sound like that?