Actually, It’s a Messy Melodrama Chapter 81

“Are you alright?”

Haeshin, whose legs gave out and who plopped down onto the chair, lifted his head at the sudden voice. The customer who had entered earlier was standing in front of the counter.

Youngmin, who had asked if they could have dinner together, had easily backed down when Haeshin replied that he might have to go home early due to his mother. It was a relief, as he thought he would be much more clingy.

Jin Youngmin’s face, as he left the convenience store after repeatedly urging Haeshin to call him, looked quite pleased. He seemed certain that Cha Haeshin, who had been pushed to his limit, would not be able to endure any longer and would give in to him.

This was a good thing for Haeshin. The more Jin Youngmin felt secure, the more freely Haeshin could move and prepare.

“Yes, I am fine. Shall I ring you up?”

Haeshin, who had momentarily pushed aside his complicated thoughts, hurriedly got up and asked politely. Although this was the first time he had seen this customer, he felt thankful inside. Thanks to him entering at the right moment, he was able to regain his composure.

“I do not need to check out…”

But the man in front of him, whom he thought was a customer, handed him a small, square piece of paper instead of an item to check out. It looked like a business card. As Haeshin picked up the paper with a puzzled expression, the man introduced himself.

“Hello, my name is Jang Ingyu. I will be Mr. Cha Haeshin’s bodyguard from now on.”

The next words were even more absurd. Haeshin’s eyes widened and he raised his voice.

“Pardon? A bodyguard?”

“Yes. Did Mr. Han Taejun Mr. President not tell you?”

“No, he did not.”

The man, who introduced himself as a bodyguard, spoke without any sign of panic despite Haeshin’s reaction of having no prior knowledge.

“Under the instructions of Mr. Han Taejun Mr. President, from today onward, I will always be conducting surveillance and protection nearby whenever Mr. Cha Haeshin goes out.”

“Me?”

“Yes. The goal is to remain inconspicuous, so I will not be obviously next to you, so you will not be inconvenienced. However, I will be watching nearby for Mr. Cha Haeshin’s safety, so you might find that slightly uncomfortable.”

“No, I mean, Mr. Han Taejun Mr. President ordered this?”

“That is correct. If you are uneasy, you may confirm it with Mr. President.”

Haeshin blinked blankly. It was not because he was anxious or suspicious, but because it did not feel real.

Taejun had mentioned it before. He said it would be good to have a bodyguard since they did not know what Jin Youngmin might do.

Haeshin had replied that it was not necessary, but he had not seriously refused either. This was because he had never thought Taejun would actually assign a bodyguard to him.

But now, a bodyguard truly dedicated only to Cha Haeshin was standing in front of him. When he thought about it, Haeshin’s life itself was a series of unrealistic events, but this was a completely new way. It felt like the genre had suddenly changed.

At that moment, the situation from a little while ago suddenly popped into Haeshin’s mind. The moment he regained his composure thanks to the customer who opened the door and entered while his body was stiffening up with the thought of being alone with Jin Youngmin in a small space, meaning this person in front of him.

“Then, did you intentionally… come in a little while ago?”

Jang Ingyu, who had become Cha Haeshin’s exclusive bodyguard as of today, nodded his head.

“Yes. While I was waiting nearby, I saw General Manager Jin Youngmin enter the convenience store. As it was a matter Mr. Han Taejun Mr. President specifically instructed me to be mindful of, I stepped forward.”

“Ah…”

At Ingyu’s answer, Haeshin involuntarily clenched both his fists. His heart swelled with emotion at the thought that the protective barrier Taejun had erected was protecting him even in moments he was unaware of.

“I was instructed not to be caught by General Manager Jin Youngmin unless absolutely necessary, so I did not intervene further, but if a dangerous situation had arisen, I would have stopped it.”

“Yes…”

“Since you have not been informed yet, please first check with Mr. President, and once confirmed, please save my number written on the business card I gave you. I also recommend registering it as an emergency contact.”

Haeshin gripped the business card tightly with both hands and nodded. Ingyu certainly seemed skilled at this kind of work. Taejun’s sincere desire to protect Haeshin, even if he could not always be physically by his side, was vividly felt.

Someone might say this: Since Han Taejun would also regress if Cha Haeshin died, he must be trying to prevent his own regression, right?

But Haeshin knew. What Han Taejun was trying to protect was not his own life, but Cha Haeshin’s life.

“Then, I will step outside now.”

“Oh, you are not going to stand outside, are you?”

Haeshin, who had been lost in thought for a moment, asked in surprise at Ingyu’s words. Ingyu shook his head.

“I have parked my car right next door. This is my job, and I am used to this situation, so do not worry about it.”

“Ah, yes…”

“I will drive you home after your shift ends, so you can come out directly then.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Then, I will head out.”

Ingyu left the store after only saying what was necessary, without any unnecessary words. Haeshin stared blankly at the door he had left through for a moment. It felt like a storm had passed.

“Seriously, I…”

I cannot live like this.

Haeshin swallowed the rest of his words and picked up his phone. The corners of his consciously tightly shut lips kept twitching.

As Haeshin called Taejun, he scanned the aisles with his eyes. He planned to get some snacks for the bodyguard who would be waiting in the car for several hours for him.

After several rings, a familiar voice came through the phone.

—Why are you calling when you should be working?

Even in the blunt voice, Haeshin could easily perceive the welcoming tone. Haeshin asked with a heightened voice.

“Mr. President! What is this?”

—What?

“The bodyguard! I just met the bodyguard you sent!”

—Already? What? Did something happen?

Even in this situation, Taejun immediately expressed worry. It seemed Taejun had originally planned to call and explain first before getting off work.

“Jin Youngmin came to the convenience store. I am telling you now so you do not worry, but he just asked how I was doing and left, and nothing happened.”

—Really? Nothing happened, really?

“Yes. And the bodyguard came in right after Jin Youngmin did, so I felt less pressured. Although I thought he was just a customer at the time…”

—That is a relief. I am glad I sent him urgently.

Taejun murmured with a genuinely relieved voice. He said he should have explained it this morning but forgot because he was preoccupied with the events of last night.

He said that since Haeshin did not have anything specific to worry about anyway, he was planning to tell him over the phone before he left work, but he did not know things would happen this fast.

Taejun’s voice, telling him not to worry because he was a trustworthy person who had guarded him at important events, was more solid than ever.

—If you want to go anywhere, you can just tell Ingyu, so do not go to a cafe alone.

“…Yes. I will.”

He was not used to having someone act as his driver, but Haeshin did not refuse. Since Taejun was going to this extent to care for him, he did not want to ignore Taejun’s feelings out of concern for others, who were not Han Taejun.

Moreover, Haeshin’s life was no longer only his own, so Haeshin decided to value his life a little more.

“See you at home later.”

A smile did not leave Haeshin’s face after he ended the call with the sweet farewell. The feeling of suffocation due to thoughts of his mother and the unpleasantness caused by Jin Youngmin had vanished without a trace.

This was Han Taejun’s way of protecting Cha Haeshin, ensuring that not only his body but also his heart could not be hurt.

☂️

“So his mother is sick…”

Jin Youngmin, who had returned to the office, muttered with an intrigued expression, chewing over the conversation he had with Haeshin today. Although he pretended to be worried, Youngmin had actually gone to see Haeshin in a slightly annoyed mood today.

The subtly changed attitude of Cha Haeshin was the problem. He had just managed to narrow the distance after a long period of effort, but in the past few days, Haeshin had acted as if all that time had disappeared.

The thought that he had almost won him over, only for him to pull away again, made a wave of irritation wash over him. It was as if he had been praised for his prettiness and was now climbing up without knowing his limits.

So, Youngmin had decided to settle the matter to some extent this time. His patience was at its limit. He had endured and endured, hoping to win Cha Haeshin’s true heart if possible, but it would be problematic if things continued like this.

Youngmin decided that this time, he would have to make Haeshin choose him, even if it required some coercion.

“Right. This was the fate that was bound to happen in the end.”

Youngmin twirled the ballpoint pen he was holding without any purpose with his fingers. He felt cheerful after a long time. This was thanks to the good news he heard from Haeshin, whom he had met with such a determined attitude.

Poor Cha Haeshin. He truly was pitiful. Youngmin genuinely felt sorry for him. How could there be a life that seemed to be forged from misfortune like this?

He did not know yet how sick his mother was, but judging from Cha Haeshin’s atmosphere, it did not seem like an ordinary matter. Something was definitely seriously wrong.

In that case, did Cha Haeshin have any other way out? Were there any other options he could grasp?

Cha Haeshin, who was already pursued by debt collectors that he could not handle alone, Cha Haeshin, who lived a life barely able to repay his debts, Cha Haeshin, who struggled to afford money for food, let alone his mother’s hospital bills.

Therefore, Cha Haeshin, who would only become more unfortunate unless he stepped in to save him, and was thus both pitiful and lovable.