Actually, It’s a Messy Melodrama Chapter 89

The movement stopped for a moment, and their gazes tangled in midair. Haeshin’s pupils shook faintly.

After experiencing Jin Youngmin, Haeshin didn’t like other people’s touch reaching him. The touch of a man’s hands that could overpower him by force was even more so.

But the reason Haeshin stiffened now wasn’t because he disliked Taejun’s touch or felt threatened by his actions. Rather, it was the opposite. Far from wanting to avoid it, he liked the feeling of the firm hand wrapping around his hand. Enough that if he could, he wanted to hold on a little longer. That was why Haeshin was flustered.

“I’ll be going.”

Haeshin said shyly and slowly pulled his hand away from Taejun. He moved as carefully as possible in case Taejun might think he disliked holding hands. Taejun obediently let go of Haeshin’s hand.

“Yeah. Go in.”

Haeshin, who had gotten out of the car, exchanged greetings with Taejun once more through the window that had just opened. They could feel that they were disappointed even without saying so.

“Go, let me see you go inside quickly.”

Haeshin, who had been standing intending to watch Taejun leave, had no choice but to turn around first at Taejun’s firm voice. Even as he opened the gate and went inside, he could feel Taejun’s gaze on him.

“I’m not even a child.”

Haeshin, who had completely entered the house, finally sensed the car leaving the front of the gate and pouted his lips. However, in reality, Haeshin’s eyes were full of laughter.

Haeshin crossed the spacious garden with fresh steps. The terrible memories he had experienced in Jin Youngmin’s garden in the past could no longer follow Cha Haeshin.

☂️

“You have no appetite?”

“What?”

“Your rice hasn’t gone down at all since earlier.”

Haeshin, who had been eating a late dinner after waiting for Taejun until the end, looked at his rice bowl at housekeeper Yeonghwa’s words. He thought he had eaten quite a bit, but the rice remained almost untouched. Yeonghwa, who had been watching that sight, spoke in a voice tinged with laughter.

“Is it because Mr. President isn’t here?”

“Mr. President?”

Haeshin retorted with a start so suspicious that anyone could see. Yeonghwa shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Come to think of it, this is the first time Mr. President has been this late since Mr. Haeshin came.”

“Mmm.”

“Even if you feel lonely, finish your food. So Mr. President won’t worry.”

The words Yeonghwa said in passing stuck right in Haeshin’s chest. This situation of hearing that none other than Han Taejun would worry about Haeshin’s single meal felt surreal.

Unaware that Haeshin’s head was becoming more and more complicated, Yeonghwa continued speaking.

“It’s really the first time I’ve seen Mr. President pay this much attention to another person.”

“……Is that so?”

“First of all, just bringing someone into the house doesn’t make sense. When he suddenly brought Mr. Haeshin and said you’d be staying here from today, I was so surprised.”

“I see……”

“Oh my, I’m saying all sorts of things. I got too comfortable because Mr. Haeshin is so easy to talk to…… I’m sorry if those were uncomfortable words.”

“Not at all. I know you said those words for me to hear nicely.”

Feeling that she had acted too casually, Yeonghwa apologized with an awkward face. Haeshin skillfully shook his head and reassured her.

There were many people besides Yeonghwa who treated Haeshin particularly comfortably. It was because Haeshin appeared bright and polite and, above all, harmless enough that there would be no aftermath no matter what was said. It was also an appearance that easily won people’s favor.

“I just…… said it because I’m glad Mr. President seems happy these days. So Mr. Haeshin, please continue to take good care of our Mr. President.”

The affection toward Taejun could be felt intact in Yeonghwa’s words that followed carefully.

Well, Yeonghwa had said it had been nearly ten years since working as a helper in Taejun’s house. Though Haeshin didn’t know all of Yeonghwa’s life, she too must have experienced many houses and even more people before settling here.

The private affection Yeonghwa showed toward Taejun was no different from a bare explanation of the person called Han Taejun. Haeshin was someone who knew well how difficult it was for a poor person to purely like a rich person.

“Yes, I’ll treat Mr. President even better too.”

So instead of words of humility asking if he was even qualified to do so, Haeshin spoke of the resolution he had engraved in his heart once again today.

Seeing Yeonghwa’s expression brighten made him feel good for no reason. It felt like he had become a special person. It was an emotion difficult to feel in Haeshin’s life.

“I’ll do the remaining work, so please leave work first.”

“No. I should finish cleaning before I go.”

“That’s my job too. I also need to earn the monthly salary Mr. President gives me……”

Haeshin laughed “hehe” and playfully scrunched his eyebrows. He didn’t particularly mention that it was consideration for Yeonghwa who had been worrying that her daughter was suffering badly from the flu, but Yeonghwa already sent a grateful look as if understanding Haeshin’s heart.

“Then I’ll ask you just for today, Mr. Haeshin.”

“Yes. Go home safely.”

Haeshin saw off Yeonghwa who hurriedly organized her work and left, then sat back down at the dining table. As he sat alone in the house that had suddenly become quiet, various thoughts came to mind sporadically.

The main thoughts were anguish about the relationship between Han Taejun and himself. A few days ago, or to be more precise, from the day he started sharing a bed with Taejun, there had been one question in Haeshin’s mind that he simply couldn’t shake off.

What exactly was the relationship between Han Taejun and Cha Haeshin?

They were regressor comrades tied to the same timeline by chance, they were employer and employee, they were like friends who uniquely knew each other’s secrets, and now they were even people who would become lovers in front of others.

But among these various definitions of their relationship, there was no definition that Haeshin felt clearly expressed the relationship between Taejun and himself. This was even more so after he started sleeping in the same bed with Taejun.

The emotion he felt in the moment they lay side by side in bed and looked into each other’s eyes for a long time was absolutely not a common or ordinary kind. It was an intense and special moment that even the most oblivious person would have no choice but to notice.

Haeshin didn’t know love well. Even in much more time than others, Haeshin had never loved anyone, nor had he ever received anyone’s true love.

He wasn’t even curious about what love was. Haeshin was someone who was sick of love. He never wanted to do it in the future either, nor did he want to receive it.

He had definitely been that way. And yet.

Now Haeshin knew that his heart beat differently than usual when he was with Taejun. When he quietly met his eyes, he would feel a deep sense of fulfillment in his soul.

If there was anything among the emotions he had toward others that resembled love, it would definitely be the emotions toward Han Taejun. And Haeshin was certain that Taejun was feeling similarly to him as well.

But then, was this really love?

Haeshin rested his chin on the dining table and stared blankly into space. Taejun and himself were in a special situation. It was no exaggeration to say they were trapped on a deserted island where only the two of them existed.

In such a situation, falling in love with the only person who resonated with oneself wouldn’t be such a strange thing. However, life tenaciously continued and Haeshin and Taejun were people trying to escape from that deserted island.

If they succeeded, and if the two people came to live ordinarily again in an ordinary world, would the emotions shared in a special situation still be valid then? If it was an emotion that changed depending on the situation, could it really be called love?

Many thoughts whirled in Haeshin’s mind. It was right at that moment that the phone he had placed beside him vibrated.

“That startled me.”

Haeshin, who was greatly surprised because he had been so deeply immersed in thought, stroked his chest and checked his phone. A smile immediately appeared on his serious face. It was Taejun.

[You ate, right? I think I’ll get home around 10, but if you’re sleepy, sleep first]

“Who sleeps at 10 o’clock.”

Haeshin grinned while reading down the short message. With just one insignificant message, the difficult and complicated thoughts were swept away at once. Haeshin wrote down his reply with a grinning expression.

[Yes I ate well and deliciously I’ll wait Be careful coming Mr. President]

Had he ever written such a ticklish message in his life? As far as Haeshin remembered, he hadn’t. He couldn’t deny this emotion with any excuse anymore. Han Taejun was special.

He didn’t know if it was love or not, and he didn’t know if it was an emotion that would last long or not, but worrying about a future that hadn’t even come didn’t suit Cha Haeshin.

Haeshin always lived in the present. He had returned to the past countless times and faced the predetermined future countless times, but even in the mockery of time, Haeshin always lived the present doing his best.

So it was the same now too. He wouldn’t worry about a future that hadn’t even come. Living the present while being faithful to his current emotions. Only that was the strength that had kept Cha Haeshin from collapsing until now, and it was also what Cha Haeshin did best.

[Okay I’ll come quickly]

Haeshin put down his phone after the message that seemed to make Taejun’s voice clearly audible, and picked up his spoon again. The rice he scooped up and ate again was delicious.