The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees – Chapter 60 – Embargo (1)

Author: CleiZz

“…Mr. Lee Man-deuk. Just to confirm— you weren’t actually trying to strangle me, right?”

“Of course not.”

He said ‘of course not,’ but I wasn’t convinced.

“It’s a misunderstanding,” Lee Man-deuk said flatly.

“I didn’t even accuse you of anything yet.”

“Still. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“…Fine. Let’s go with that.”

I brushed his hand off my neck and asked,

“How did you even end up here?”

“Muse called me. Said you’d collapsed and asked me to check on you.”

“Kang Ye-seong did?”

“Yeah.”

Lee Man-deuk grumbled that he wouldn’t have come otherwise if not for Muse’s request.

“Is Kang Ye-seong discharged now?”

“Yeah, he got out this afternoon.”

“Did he look alright?”

“You really need to ask that?”

His sharp tone snapped back at me.

“Han Young-won, right? Where’s that bastard? How dare she humiliate our Muse like that!”

He fumed, vowing never to forgive her— and on his phone’s lock screen was a photo of Kang Ye-seong.

To be precise, it was that infamous scene where Han Young-won—while in Kang Ye-seong’s body—lifted her shirt to show off abs. The same moment from the final stage of Cheol-i that had sent half the internet into chaos now served as Lee Man-deuk’s wallpaper.

“Anyway, can I borrow your phone?”

“No.”

Apparently, he didn’t want anyone else seeing Kang Ye-seong’s abs. Not that it mattered— I’d seen them up close at the broadcast station.

‘Can’t be helped.’

Lee Man-deuk was a crazy mage— the type who’d ignore you no matter how many times you asked. So I switched tactics.

“What about Seo Do-hwan?”

“How the hell should I know where that bastard is?”

Typical. Even if he did know, he’d never tell me.

“What time is it, then?”

“Are your eyes just for decoration?”

Right— I’d temporarily forgotten how much of a jerk Lee Man-deuk was. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock.

12:47 p.m.

The sun was blazing outside the window.

“Is it Saturday today?”

“No. Sunday.”

Damn it.

‘That bastard, Seo Do-hwan…’

Just how hard did he hit me?

“How’s your body feeling?”

“…Didn’t think I’d see the day you actually worry about me, Mr. Lee Man-deuk.”

“Of course. If it weren’t for Lee Deok-soon and Lee Soon-deuk, I wouldn’t give a damn about you.”

He really had a way with words.

“So, how are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

“Of course you are.”

Lee Man-deuk smirked, saying he’d thoroughly checked me over.

“You should be thanking Muse.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“Anyway, our dear CEO Kwak— looks like all that exhaustion finally caught up to you. Keep pushing like that and you’d have dropped dead from overwork.”

“Don’t say stuff like that. It’s bad luck.”

“I’m just being honest. You looked like one of those idiots who literally work themselves to death.”

I thought I’d been managing fine, but apparently not.

“…Thanks.”

“Save your thanks for Muse.” Then, Lee Man-deuk’s expression softened slightly. “Don’t die.”

He probably said that because if I died, the oath I made to protect Lee Deok-soon and Lee Soon-deuk would become meaningless. I gave a faint chuckle.

“I won’t die.” Then I added, “You shouldn’t die either, Mr. Lee Man-deuk.”

“Why the hell would I die?”

Because you already have.

Of course, Lee Man-deuk didn’t know that. None of them did.

Seo Do-hwan, Lee Yoo-seong, Kang Ye-seong, Han Young-won… and—

‘Ji Geon-hyuk.’

All of them were returnees who had died once before. They just didn’t remember their deaths.

‘No.’

Ji Geon-hyuk remembered. He remembered everything from the 364th round—the one where he’d died by my hand.

The moment that realization hit again, my body felt like it was sinking into a swamp. If I stayed in bed any longer, I’d melt into it. I forced myself upright.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’ve been lying down too long. I just need to move a bit.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head, confused—and just as my foot touched the floor—

“Yoon-hoo!”

Grandfather burst through the hospital room door. So that was why Lee Man-deuk had tried to stop me. He must’ve known Grandfather was on his way.

Damn bastard.

‘If you knew, you could’ve just told me!’

But it was too late for regrets. I forced a bright smile.

“You’re here?”

“How are you feeling?”

“He’s not feeling well,” Lee Man-deuk interrupted smoothly.

What the hell is he talking about?

I turned to him, bewildered, only to see that damned mage calmly spinning a lie.

“The moment he got up, he said he had a terrible headache. And yet he insisted on handling some overdue work…”

“Kwak Yoon-hoo!”

“That’s not true, Grandpa!”

A headache? I don’t recall ever saying anything like that.

“Don’t lie!”

Grandfather refused to believe me.

“Lie back down—now!”

He pushed me back onto the bed and turned to Chief Choi, who had been standing nearby.

“Chief Choi, call the doctor.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

As soon as Chief Choi left, Lee Man-deuk smiled serenely and bowed.

“Then, I’ll be going now.”

“Yes. Lee Man-deuk, was it? Thank you for watching over Yoon-hoo while I was away.”

‘Grandpa, please don’t thank that damn bastard.’

I almost said it out loud but swallowed the words just in time.

“Not at all, Chairman,” the shameless mage replied with a smile. “I’ll come visit again next time—with CEO Kwak.”

How can anyone be that brazen?

Just as disbelief was about to make me laugh, he added brightly, “CEO Kwak, get well soon.”

And with that, Lee Man-deuk left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Grandfather began lecturing me with all the affection in the world. While listening, I made up my mind.

Lee Man-deuk.

That damn mage. I’m discharging him as soon as possible—and once he’s out, he’s working overtime for days.

Of course, that would mean I’d have to look after Lee Deok-soon and Lee Soon-deuk myself…

‘But that’s Seo Do-hwan’s job anyway.’

Besides, Seo Do-hwan had screwed me over too, and I intended to make him pay for that. Sure, thanks to him, I did get a brief rest while Lee Man-deuk checked my condition—but still.

Once that’s settled, I’ll deal with Ji Geon-hyuk. That bastard.

“Yoon-hoo! Are you even listening to your grandfather?!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

First things first—calm Grandpa down. I put on a faint, pitiful smile. Usually, that was enough to soften him.

“Kwak Yoon-hoo! Don’t think you can dodge this!”

…Guess not this time.

***

One week and a day after meeting Ji Geon-hyuk—and collapsing before I could even hold onto him properly—I was finally discharged the following Monday.

Honestly, I’d wanted to leave sooner, but Grandfather wouldn’t hear of it. He’d said I’d collapsed from overwork and exhaustion and insisted I rest completely.

If I hadn’t agreed, he looked ready to sell off both T.U. and WF Entertainment just to keep me in that hospital bed. So, I stayed put. Quietly.

Of course, I’d tried to subtly ask about Ji Geon-hyuk.

The answer I got was:

“That illegitimate son has already left Korea long ago. Did you know him?”

Apparently, Ji Geon-hyuk had already left the country—on an early morning flight the same day I collapsed.

And then—

“Yoon-hoo, if you really want, I can reach out to the High-End Group. But don’t get your hopes up. From what I’ve heard, that illegitimate son isn’t in good health. The moment he got back to the U.S., he started treatment.”

So even contacting him wouldn’t be easy.

“Phew.”

At least, for the first time in a while, I could finally breathe some fresh air.

“Congratulations on your discharge, boss.”

The moment I stepped out of the hospital, the first face I saw was Seo Do-hwan’s—instantly souring my mood. He hadn’t visited me once during the entire week I was hospitalized.

Probably because Lee Man-deuk’s discharge meant his siblings stopped coming too. Guess he was scared of payback for knocking me out cold…

“What’s with the bouquet?”

“Discharge gift.”

A bouquet—as a discharge gift? Seriously?

“Get rid of it.”

“Boss, are you sulking?”

“Who’s sulking?”

“You look exactly like someone who is.”

“I’m not. So shut it.”

I got into the red sports car he’d brought and fastened my seatbelt.

“What about Deok-soon and Soon-deuk?”

“They’re at school.”

Seo Do-hwan shoved the bouquet into my hands and slid into the driver’s seat.

“Could there be crazy people attacking kids at school? This isn’t the world I used to live in,” he muttered, adding that Lee Man-deuk had probably taken precautions anyway.

“That’s true.”

Knowing Lee Man-deuk’s personality, he’d definitely placed multiple protective spells on his siblings. Then, out of nowhere:

“I’m gonna study hard.”

“Study?”

“Business management.” He scratched his cheek awkwardly. “I’ll study hard so I can take over T.U from you as soon as possible. So, please stop being mad.”

…So he knew I’d collapsed from overwork. And T.U. was a company I was running for him.

‘Does he think I pushed myself because of him?’

For someone with such a rough face, he sure had a soft heart.

“I’m not mad, so you don’t have to force yourself to study.”

“But still—”

“I said it’s fine.”

I placed the bouquet he’d given me on my lap and teased him.

“Of course, my chest still hurts like hell from when you punched me.”

“I—I held back my strength though…”

“Oh, so that’s why it only left a bruise? Otherwise, I’d probably be dead by now, huh?”

Seo Do-hwan went silent. His eyes darted away, unsure how to react, which made me laugh.

“I’m kidding. Anyway, take me to WF Entertainment.”

“What? No way! You’re seriously planning to work right after being discharged? You’re a total workaholic!”

“I’m just going to check on some pending work.”

“And you’re not gonna actually work, right?”

“Nope.”

I’d already promised my grandfather to take things easy for a while. If I broke that promise, both T.U. and WF Entertainment could end up being sold off. For the sake of protecting the companies I’d built for the returnees, I had to manage things in moderation for now.

“If you really don’t trust me, call my grandfather—but only if I actually start working while I’m there.”

“Hmm.”

Seo Do-hwan narrowed his eyes at me, then finally nodded.

“Fine.”

Soon, we arrived at WF Entertainment.

“Wait here. I’ll be right back down.”

“Like, ten minutes?”

Was he joking?

“At least an hour.”

“Thirty minutes,” Seo Do-hwan said firmly. “No more than that. If you go over thirty, I’ll call your grandfather.”

He didn’t sound like he was open to negotiation. In the end, I agreed to his terms—thirty minutes—and stepped into the WF Entertainment building.

“CEO!”