The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees Chapter 59 - Confidence (2)

 

Chief Choi looked troubled but eventually told me where my grandfather was. Fortunately, he wasn’t far—meeting with the chairman of the High-End Group. Using that information, I pressed Seo Do-hwan to drive me there.

 

“Thanks for the ride.”

 

“Just make sure you tell your grandfather this wasn’t my idea! You were so stubborn I had no choice but to bring you here!”

 

Seo Do-hwan shouted angrily.

 

“Seriously? Threatening to jump out of the car? You’ve got a terrible personality!”

 

“You’re just too naive, Seo Do-hwan. Like I’d actually jump out of a moving car?”

 

It’s not like I have a death wish.

 

“You say that, but you do know Lee Yoo-seong actually jumped out of a car once, right?”

 

“Yoo-seong did that?”

 

“Yeah! When we were driving Kang Ye-seong’s grandmother and sister—right on Dongho Bridge!”

 

Seo Do-hwan grumbled about how Yoo-seong had suddenly jumped out after overhearing the call with the boss.

 

“He just opened the door and jumped! You have no idea how shocked I was!”

 

So that’s how Lee Yoo-seong ended up at T.U.

 

“Yeah! When we were giving Kang Ye-seong’s grandmother and little sister a ride—right on Dongho Bridge!”

 

Seo Do-hwan grumbled that Lee Yoo-seong suddenly jumped out after overhearing the call.

 

“He just opened the door and jumped! You have no idea how shocked I was!”

 

So that’s how Lee Yoo-seong ended up at T.U.

 

“I’ll make sure to tell Yoo-seong never to do something like that again. Anyway, just wait here for a bit.”

 

“Wait? Wait for what? Hey! Boss!!”

 

Ignoring his shouting, I stepped into the upscale Korean restaurant.

 

“Welcome, sir. Do you have a reservation?”

 

“I’m here to join someone.”

 

I scanned the dining area and asked, “I believe Chairman Kwak Jin-tae of AMA is dining with his party?”

 

The server’s expression stiffened.

 

“…I’m sorry, but—”

 

“Here.”

 

I took out my business cards from WF Entertainment and T.U. and handed them over.

 

“Please show these to Chairman Kwak Jin-tae of AMA. Tell him I’d like to see him.”

 

The server glanced between my face and the cards, then nodded.

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

A short while later—

 

“Yoon-hoo.”

 

My grandfather came out.

 

“How did you know I was here?”

 

“I asked Chief Choi. I heard the chairman of the High-End Group wanted to meet me?”

 

“Where did you hear that…”

 

“Seo Do-hwan said you mentioned it.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Letting out a weary sigh, my grandfather spoke, his face clearly displeased.

 

“There’s no need for you to meet him.”

 

“But I want to.”

 

I smiled lightly as I replied.

 

“It’s been a while. I just wanted to say hello.”

 

“You really…”

 

My grandfather smiled as if resigned, then said, 

 

“But, Yoon-hoo, he left not too long ago. Seems the illegitimate son he brought to introduce wasn’t feeling too well.”

 

Illegitimate son.

 

The words slipped out before I realized it.

 

“…Where did he go?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“The chairman of the High-End Group — where did he go?”

 

“He probably went out the back door.”

 

At that, I ran straight toward the back of the restaurant.

 

“Yoon-hoo? Yoon-hoo!”

 

My grandfather called after me urgently, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.

 

‘No way.’

 

That thought kept repeating in my head as I burst through the back door—

 

“Ji Geon-hyuk!”

 

Without thinking, I shouted at the man walking beside an elderly figure with graying hair.

 

“Yoon-hoo, what on earth are you doing!”

 

My grandfather caught up and tried to stop me, clearly flustered, but—

 

Thump. Thump—

 

My heart pounded violently. I forced myself to steady my breathing and focus on the man’s face. He paused at my call, then slowly turned his head.

 

Under the restaurant’s light, his face came into view—sharply defined features, slightly wavy black hair, fair skin, and faintly red lips that began to move.

 

It’s been a while.

 

I couldn’t hear the words, but I could clearly read the greeting on his lips.

 

And with that greeting—

 

Kwak Yoon-hoo.

 

Ji Geon-hyuk said my name.

 

The 364th round.

 

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed precisely to the spot near his heart—exactly where I had stabbed him.

 

Thump!

 

My pounding heart seemed to sink into a bottomless abyss. 

 

The reason he knew about Lee Man-deuk, the reason he’d made that request, the reason the chairman of the High-End Group came to see him—every question that had flashed through my mind was instantly answered.

 

Ji Geon-hyuk—that bastard… he remembers the previous round when I killed him.

 

The suspicion I’d brushed off as could it be… was now confirmed.

 

And the moment I realized it, my blood ran cold. Yet at the same time, I denied it—that Ji Geon-hyuk remembered being killed by me in the last round.

 

‘That’s a lie.’

 

I lowered my head, pressing a hand against my mouth, desperately trying to reject the truth. Like a fool.

 

Meanwhile, Ji Geon-hyuk was calmly talking with the chairman of the High-End Group.

 

“So, you know Chairman Kwak Jin-tae’s grandson?”

 

“No.”

 

I could feel Ji Geon-hyuk’s gaze on me, but I couldn’t lift my head. All I could do was stand there, frozen in place. Then his voice came through clearly.

 

“I don’t know him, Father.”

 

A lie.

 

He’d called my name—he’d greeted me himself—and now he was pretending not to know me.

 

Why? Why was he doing this, when he couldn’t even act properly?

 

If he really remembered the previous round, he should’ve grabbed me by the collar the moment he saw me. Demanded to know why I’d killed him. Shouted in rage—

 

‘So why…?’

 

Gritting my teeth, I raised my head.

 

“Even if you say you don’t know him,” the chairman of the High-End Group said, “it seems Chairman Kwak Jin-tae’s grandson knows you. Why don’t you two have a chat?”

 

“I’d like to, but…”

 

With a faint cough, the chairman clicked his tongue briefly. And in that instant, I unconsciously opened my mouth.

 

“Ji—!”

 

But that was it.

 

Beeeep—!

 

A sharp ringing filled my ears, and my vision blurred. When I came to, I was already on the floor.

 

“Yoon-hoo!”

 

Grandfather’s urgent voice echoed.

 

‘My voice won’t come out.’

 

Not even a single word to say I was okay.

 

“Chief Choi! Where’s Chief Choi?!”

 

Ignoring Grandfather’s frantic shouts, I focused on Ji Geon-hyuk’s face. Expressionless. Emotionless.

 

It was then that I realized—no, admitted.

 

Ji Geon-hyuk really did remember everything from the previous round.

 

“Yoon-hoo! Kwak Yoon-hoo!”

 

That was the last thing I heard before my consciousness faded completely.

 

I really was… such a fool.

 

***

 

“He’s still as frail as ever, it seems.”

 

The chairman of the High-End Group, Glakia G. Kellou, frowned.

 

Standing beside him, Ji Geon-hyuk asked quietly,

 

“You mean Chairman Kwak Jin-tae’s grandson?”

 

“Yes. He was a sickly child and caused that old man plenty of worry. He seemed to have recovered, but after his last collapse, it looks like his health has weakened again.”

 

Clicking his tongue, the chairman spoke sternly to his son—who was the spitting image of his younger self.

 

“Once we’re back in the States, get a full check-up.”

 

“I’ll be fine.”

 

“I’m not fine.”

 

At first glance, it sounded like a concern, but Ji Geon-hyuk knew better.

 

“You’re the one who will succeed me. There must be no blemish for anyone to latch onto.”

 

To this man, Ji Geon-hyuk was nothing more than a pawn of the High-End Group.

 

“Because you’re my illegitimate son, there’ll already be plenty of mouths waiting to tear you apart. You must show nothing but perfection.”

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

“And yet the one who says that was coughing at dinner with Chairman Kwak Jin-tae?”

 

“That was—”

 

“No excuses.”

 

The unspoken pressure was clear: stop talking and obey.

 

Bowing his head, Ji Geon-hyuk answered quietly,

 

“Yes, Chairman. Understood.”

 

Before leaving with Glakia G. Kellou, Ji Geon-hyuk replayed a single sound in his mind.

 

“Ji Geon-hyuk!”

 

Kwak Yoon-hoo’s voice—calling his name. The emotion in it was too tangled to name.

 

For Ji Geon-hyuk, there was only one emotion left: disgust.

 

‘Kwak Yoon-hoo.’

 

Thinking of that name—the one who’d destroyed everything, who now dared to return as if to start anew—Ji Geon-hyuk clenched his fists.

 

‘Next time we meet…’

 

When next they met, he vowed to end whatever bond remained between them with his own hands—without greeting, without even calling his name.

 

With that resolve, Ji Geon-hyuk left the upscale Korean restaurant—where a brief commotion had just taken place—alongside the chairman of the High-End Group.

 

***

 

“Kwak Yoon-hoo!”

 

The sudden shout made my breath catch. When I looked up, I saw a man coughing up blood.

 

“Ji Geon-hyuk?”

 

My voice trembled.

 

“Why… why did you—why…!”

 

Ji Geon-hyuk’s expression twisted in pain.

 

“I thought only you would understand me! Only you!”

 

His voice—laced with anger, frustration, and despair—rang in my ears. With bloodshot eyes, he screamed at me:

 

“I thought you’d stand by my side!”

 

And then he realized. This moment was—

 

“I will never forgive you, Kwak Yoon-hoo…!”

 

—when I killed Ji Geon-hyuk.

 

“Huk!”

 

I gasped and clutched my chest. Panic seized me before I forced myself to steady my breathing and take in my surroundings. Apparently, I’d been rushed to the hospital right after losing consciousness.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

As I raised both hands to cover my face, a familiar voice called out.

 

“Yoon-hoo hyung! You’re awake?”

 

“…Yoo-seong?”

 

“Yes, it’s me! Hold on a sec!”

 

Lee Yoo-seong bolted out of the room, and moments later—

 

“Hey! Kwak Yoon-hoo!”

 

Seo Do-hwan burst in.

 

“You okay?”

 

“As you can see.”

 

“Is that supposed to mean yes or no?”

 

“It means I’m fine.”

 

“You don’t look fine at all.”

 

I pushed myself upright and wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.

 

“Seo Do-hwan, how long was I out?”

 

“About a day. You should stay lying down for a bit longer.”

 

“No.”

 

There was no time to rest. Now that I knew Ji Geon-hyuk remembered the previous round, I had to find him—talk to him—somehow.

 

‘Even if it doesn’t go well…’

 

I still had to see him. Since he’d just met with the chairman of the High-End Group, there was a good chance he’d already flown back to the U.S.

 

‘I need to know for sure.’

 

But my phone was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Seo Do-hwan, where’s my phone? It’s gone—did you see it?”

 

“Boss.”

 

“If not, can I just borrow yours for a second? I only need to make a quick call.”

 

“To who?”

 

“Someone you don’t know.”

 

“If it’s not your grandfather, you’re not borrowing my phone.”

 

“Seo Do-hwan!”

 

Maybe it was because of the nightmare, but my emotions flared uncontrollably. I took a deep breath to calm myself and asked again.

 

“It’s urgent. Please.”

 

Seo Do-hwan just looked at me for a moment before saying,

 

“Rest before I have to make you.”

 

A disappointing answer.

 

“Yoo-seong, call Grandfather and tell him Kwak Yoon-hoo’s awake.”

 

“Okay, hyung.”

 

“Wait, Yoo-seong!”

 

The moment I tried to get out of bed—

 

“Ugh…!”

 

My vision spun.

 

“I told you to rest before I make you.”

 

It was that damn Seo Do-hwan again, jabbing his fist into my chest.

 

“Just rest a little longer.”

 

Like someone who gives poison and then offers the cure, Seo Do-hwan said that before laying me back down on the bed. After that, everything went dark again.

 

The only small mercy was that this time, I didn’t dream. Not even a nightmare.

And when I finally opened my eyes—

 

“Oh, you’re awake?”

 

Lee Man-deuk greeted me with a bright smile—his hand resting on my throat as he said it.