101.
“If I get caught, I won’t let it slide!”
Ryu Jiyeon said this while gnawing on her lips.
“Jiyeon.”
When Jeong Heejun called Ryu Jiyeon’s name like that, her expression softened.
“Yes.”
“Do you happen to know where my phone is?”
“Why do you need your phone? Heejun-ssi, you’re a patient right now. I’ll take care of work matters, so please rest well.”
“Jiyeon. There’s something I absolutely need to contact someone about.”
“Stubborn.”
Even as she said this, Ryu Jiyeon handed over the phone she had been keeping safe. As soon as Jeong Heejun received the phone, he hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button. The dial tone rang, and soon the other party answered.
─ What is it.
Jeong Heejun’s brow furrowed at the indifferent voice.
“Director Choi.”
─ What’s with the sudden contact?
“I was attacked while walking down the street this time.”
─ Oh dear. You should have been more careful as usual.
Jeong Heejun unconsciously ground his teeth.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have as many grudge-bearing relationships as someone like you.”
─ So you think it was a random crime?
“I don’t think so. If that were the case, why would I contact someone as annoying as you?”
─ So you think Chairman Jang did it.
Choi Mujin’s voice dropped to a low tone. Since Haseo was being protected by Choi Mujin, they had targeted someone close to him instead. At least that’s what Jeong Heejun was thinking.
“Chairman Jang.”
The hospital room was so quiet that Ryu Jiyeon, who was nearby, seemed to have heard those words too. She clenched both hands tightly. Noticing this, Jeong Heejun decided to end his conversation with Choi Mujin here.
“Anyway, I’ve warned you. Be careful.”
And before Choi Mujin could say anything more, he hung up the phone.
“Jiyeon.”
“Chairman Jang, is that person behind this?”
“It’s still just speculation.”
“Lies. Heejun-ssi isn’t someone who easily voices speculation. I’ve heard stories about Chairman Jang too. They say when he has a target, he torments the people around them like that.”
Tormenting and hurting people around the target to isolate them. Then, no matter how much the target tries to steel their resolve, they inevitably waver.
“Then you should be careful too.”
“That part is fine since I can request help from the security team. But Heejun-ssi getting hurt this time, it’s because of that person called Lee Haseo, isn’t it? I understand that friends are precious, but please take care of your own body too.”
“It’s not because of Haseo. In situations like this, rather than blaming the victim, we should curse the perpetrator.”
“I know that, but.”
Ryu Jiyeon trailed off and pressed her lips tightly shut. Even after saying this, it seemed she couldn’t easily accept it. Since she had always supported whatever Jeong Heejun did until now, this side of her felt refreshingly different.
“I’ll be careful too.”
Jeong Heejun said this to comfort Ryu Jiyeon. But the incidents didn’t end there.
It was a rainy day. The cafe owner had stepped out saying she had some business at the bank, and Haseo was alone managing the quiet cafe. How much time had passed like this? The cafe door opened with a clatter as the owner, having finished her business, entered.
“Ugh.”
She was covered in mud from head to toe, as if something had happened on her way back from the bank.
“Boss?”
Haseo, startled, quickly ran over and led her to the break room. When he found a towel and handed it to her, she started wiping her face with it.
“What bad luck.”
The boss recounted what had happened in a gloomy voice.
“I was coming back after finishing my business at the bank, when suddenly a car came rushing toward me! I was so shocked I dodged it. But I ended up rolling on the ground instead. Really, do they give driver’s licenses to crazy people these days?”
After thoroughly cleaning herself and changing into spare clothes she had brought just in case, the scrapes from sliding on the ground were revealed.
“Ugh. Why is my luck so bad today of all days.”
“I’ll get the first aid kit.”
“Thanks. Just bring the first aid kit and then go back out. We still need to run the business.”
The boss grumbled gloomily and sent Haseo out.
“What on earth is going on.”
Haseo let out a small sigh and returned to the counter. Fortunately, no new customers seemed to have arrived in the meantime. Only Seo Miso was seated in the cafe. She glanced at Haseo and then turned her attention back to the laptop she had brought. And at that moment, a man opened the cafe door and entered.
“Welcome!”
The man immediately approached the counter and ordered in a calm voice.
“One iced latte, please.”
“Yes, what size would you like?”
“Small size.”
“That’ll be 4,500 won.”
The man held out a card to Haseo.
“Card received.”
As he was about to swipe the card, the texture felt strange. Wondering what it was, he looked at the back of the card and found a folded paper attached to it. It seemed like something the customer had been carrying had come along with the card. He first separated the two and swiped the card.
“Payment completed.”
As he was about to return the card and paper, the man suddenly rushed out.
“Customer?”
He called out in alarm, but the man disappeared without looking back. At the man’s strange behavior, Seo Miso abruptly stood up from her seat and went outside the cafe.
“Wait, Seo Miso-ssi?”
At her sudden action, Haseo had been pretending not to know Seo Miso, but he called her name. However, she had already dashed out like an arrow.
“What the heck.”
He didn’t understand what was going on. Haseo put down the card in his hand and unfolded the paper. It wasn’t good behavior to touch someone else’s belongings carelessly, but somehow he had an ominous feeling.
「Did you think it would end if you just protected yourself?」
The moment he saw it, his breath caught in his throat. Haseo looked toward the break room door inside and then took out his phone. He had tried not to look at it as much as possible while working part-time, but his anxiety wouldn’t subside.
For Haseo, there weren’t many people around him. Choi Mujin and the people working under him, the boss of the cafe where he worked part-time, customers he’d seen a few times at the convenience store. And Jeong Heejun.
Unlike usual, Jeong Heejun didn’t answer his phone. Worried about this, he called several times, and finally someone answered.
─ Hello.
It was an unfamiliar woman’s voice.
“Isn’t this Jeong Heejun-ssi’s phone?”
─ That’s right.
Then the person who answered must be Ryu Jiyeon, who was currently in a relationship with Jeong Heejun.
“Are you by any chance Ryu Jiyeon-ssi?”
─ Yes, you’re Lee Haseo-ssi, right?
“That’s correct. Could I possibly speak with Heejun?”
─ I’m sorry, but Heejun-ssi is resting right now. He was seriously injured recently and is hospitalized, so I don’t want to push him too hard.
“Heejun got hurt?”
─ To be precise, he was stabbed on the street.
As soon as Ryu Jiyeon finished speaking, Haseo’s hands began to tremble. Then the words written on the paper circled in his head.
“The culprit, have you found the culprit?”
─ No. We’ve searched all the nearby CCTVs, but we haven’t found them yet.
“Perhaps.”
No, no. He didn’t want to burden Ryu Jiyeon any further when Jeong Heejun was currently hurt and struggling.
“No, never mind.”
─ I think I know what you were going to say. But don’t worry. I’ll protect Heejun-ssi from now on. I won’t let him get hurt anymore. Please remain as his friend, Lee Haseo-ssi.
With those words, Ryu Jiyeon hung up. Right, Ryu Jiyeon was from the Toho Construction bloodline, so she could receive help from that side. If Chairman Jang had any brains, rather than making more enemies, he would give up on Jeong Heejun at an appropriate point.
He was worried about Jeong Heejun, who was hospitalized with injuries, but there was nothing Haseo could do right now.
‘Stay calm.’
Perhaps the boss had almost suffered the same thing as Jeong Heejun. The only difference was that Jeong Heejun faced a knife, while the boss faced a car. Then what about Seo Miso? Hadn’t she chased after a suspicious person? Haseo urgently rushed out of the cafe. As he was about to move in the direction Seo Miso had run, he spotted a familiar figure in the distance.
“You shouldn’t come out without an umbrella when it’s raining.”
Seo Miso said this while pushing Haseo back into the cafe. But red blood was visible on her arm.
“Are you hurt right now?”
“A little. But it’s nothing to worry about.”
“You’re hurt but telling me not to worry! And your wounds look terrible too!”
Like the boss, Seo Miso was also disheveled as if she had been rolling around somewhere.
“Ah, the opponent started a dirty fight. It’s not as serious as it looks.”
“Still!”
“Yes, as soon as Team Leader Park Dongsu arrives, I’ll go to the hospital right away. So don’t worry and please rest. You look pale.”
“I’m not the one who should be resting.”
Haseo dragged Seo Miso toward the break room.
Knock knock.
“What?”
“Boss, may I come in?”
“Yeah, come in.”
When they entered, the boss was revealed with bandages stuck all over her.
“But wait.”
The boss looked over Seo Miso, who was standing behind Haseo.
“Why is the customer in that state?”
“I fell down.”
“What? Well, I’ll go get a towel!”
“I’ll get the towel, so please both of you sit down.”
Haseo shook his head and forcibly made both of them sit. Then he handed a towel to Seo Miso as well and examined the wound on her arm. The boss watched the two of them with an expression that showed she didn’t understand what was happening.
Meanwhile, Park Dongsu arrived at the cafe.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
