102.
“Team Leader-nim.”
Seo Miso greeted Park Dongsu with an awkward expression. And the boss, who still didn’t understand the situation, looked at the two of them with wide eyes.
“Oh, um.”
The boss was a person without prejudice. So even when she learned that Haseo was in that kind of relationship with a man, she had smiled calmly and let it pass. She had even given advice about love. But with a large man in a black suit standing at the door, her shoulders naturally hunched up.
“Good day to you.”
Park Dongsu first bowed to the boss in greeting. Then he took out a business card from his jacket and handed it to her.
“I’m Park Dongsu, Security Team Leader of Isaac Finance.”
“Yes.”
The boss’s eyes rolled around.
“Seo Miso-ssi is my subordinate.”
“I see! Did you come to pick her up after hearing she was injured?”
The boss clapped her hands as if she now understood.
“That’s not the only reason I came to the cafe.”
“Pardon?”
“Boss-nim. Could you spare a moment to talk with me?”
“Talk?”
The boss seemed confused as she tightly gripped her phone that was nearby. Seeing this, Haseo added an explanation in case she might dial 112.
“I know him too. He’s a kind person.”
“Right? Of course. But when we talk, could our employee stay with us too?”
It seemed she would only feel at ease if Haseo was there too. So Haseo gladly headed to the break room with the boss. The cafe door was temporarily closed.
After entering the break room, Park Dongsu started with light conversation. Things like the weather, or coffee and beverages that the boss might be interested in. Even though she had been completely on guard at first, it wasn’t long before the tension left her body.
‘He’s better at talking than I thought.’
When they were together, he only spoke when necessary, so I didn’t know. He knew how to put people at ease. Of course, Park Dongsu hadn’t always been this kind of person from the beginning. He too was someone who had experienced all sorts of things by Choi Mujin’s side. So while he had been rough in his younger days, he had studied a great deal since receiving the position of Security Team Leader at Isaac Finance.
“You really are very interested in coffee. But that’s not your real business here, is it?”
Of course, that didn’t mean the boss was so dense that she couldn’t sense the current situation at all.
“You seemed too tense, so I thought I’d try some other conversation first.”
“I’m fine now. So please tell me why you came to see me and are doing this.”
Park Dongsu’s gaze briefly touched on Haseo. It seemed to ask if he wouldn’t leave, but Haseo shook his head. Since this incident happened because of him, he felt he should listen to the end and apologize.
“What you experienced today, boss-nim, wasn’t a coincidence.”
“If it wasn’t a coincidence?”
The boss blinked blankly. Park Dongsu then summarized what had happened so far and conveyed it to her. As she listened to the story, the boss’s eyes became increasingly clear. This was because Park Dongsu was explaining the facts so honestly.
Haseo rubbed his arm with his hand and blushed for no reason.
“So.”
After hearing the entire story, the boss spoke with an excited expression.
“There’s someone who likes Haseo. And someone who holds a grudge against that person attacked people around Haseo, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“My goodness! Such a drama-like incident!”
Come to think of it, the boss had one more hobby besides coffee. That was watching dramas. She especially liked makjang dramas. So at one time she had wanted to become a drama writer, but gave up because she lacked the skill.
“Haseo.”
The boss’s eyes were very heated.
“Wow, looking at his face, it’s real. It’s really real.”
Park Dongsu interjected again there.
“So right now, boss-nim, you’re in a dangerous state. For that reason, we’d like to assign you a bodyguard from our side. Would that be alright? If you close the cafe while receiving protection, we’ll also provide a corresponding amount of money. After all, you shouldn’t suffer losses because of us. The amount is…”
Park Dongsu entered an amount on his phone.
“How would this amount be? We’ll settle this amount daily until the matter is resolved.”
“Wow, my goodness. You’ll really give this much? Great! I’m suddenly getting inspiration. I’ll try writing while the cafe is closed.”
At her ready agreement, Park Dongsu showed a strange expression. Usually in situations like this, even when a large amount was offered, people couldn’t hide their anxiety. After all, it was a situation where their life was being threatened. But the boss seemed to have other emotions taking precedence over fear.
“Maybe this time! It might be possible.”
To the boss who was muttering like this, Park Dongsu conveyed several precautions needed during protection. After that, Haseo parted ways with the boss. Since things had turned out this way, he couldn’t continue working at the cafe.
“I’m sorry, boss-nim. I’m really sorry. Because of me.”
The boss looked at Haseo, who kept apologizing, and smiled gently.
“It’s okay. It’s not like you wanted this to happen. You weren’t seriously hurt either, and thanks to this I’ll make good money, right?”
“But you must have been scared.”
“I was scared. Actually, I’m still scared now. But I know you shouldn’t blame the victim in times like this.”
“Why, why are you so kind?”
Haseo had once harbored distrust toward most humans. As he searched for work anywhere and everywhere to earn money for his grandmother’s hospital bills, such feelings grew stronger and stronger. However, after going through difficult times and living through them, his heart gradually changed.
There weren’t only bad people in the world. Most people were ordinary, and such people would readily show you smiles once you became close to them. There were still very few people he could call close, but still, he could tell.
“Thank you.”
At the quietly whispered words of gratitude, the boss nodded.
“Yes, while I’m resting, I’ll also try hard at writing. If I become a successful drama writer, I’ll let you know.”
That was the last with the boss. Haseo quit his part-time jobs at the cafe and convenience store. And he decided to move out of the goshiwon too. Not only would protection be difficult here, but if something went wrong, other people might get hurt.
‘But then there’s only one place to go.’
Jeong Heejun had been injured because of this and was currently hospitalized. He couldn’t ask him for a place to stay, so there was only one place left.
“Welcome, Haseo.”
Choi Mujin’s house. Seeing Choi Mujin calmly welcoming Haseo, tears suddenly poured out. He hadn’t been this tearful before, but lately he was like this. Standing at the entrance, Choi Mujin hugged Haseo as he shed tears.
“Because, because of me, everyone got hurt. Heejun too, the boss too, Seo Miso-ssi too!”
Haseo trembled his lips and spoke incoherently.
“No, Haseo. It’s not like that.”
Choi Mujin gently cupped Haseo’s cheeks with his hands and lifted them.
“It’s because of me. I’m the one who holds a grudge against that bastard. If you’re going to blame someone, blame me. You can hit me, you can curse at me. So don’t blame yourself.”
Come to think of it, that was right. Haseo had done nothing wrong to Chairman Jang, who had caused this incident. That side had only tormented Haseo. Suddenly, the words the boss had said came to mind. She had said that victims couldn’t be held responsible for what perpetrators did. Then who was the real perpetrator?
Chairman Jang who had driven Choi Mujin half crazy? Or Choi Mujin who had provoked Chairman Jang to harm innocent people? The answer came before long. Since Haseo was also human, he couldn’t help but side with the person he had been with all along.
“I’ll resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”
“…Is there anything I can do to help?”
Then he wanted to help such a Choi Mujin.
“Stay quietly at home? The security here is thorough, so it’s safe.”
Haseo couldn’t provide any help to Choi Mujin. He became dejected at this fact, but Choi Mujin continued.
“Just you taking care of your safety is a big help. Actually, when I heard that people around you were hurt, my heart sank. I was afraid you might get hurt too.”
“I didn’t get hurt.”
“Right, so Haseo, please don’t get hurt in the future either. That way I can move around comfortably too.”
At Choi Mujin’s words, Haseo slowly nodded.
“I won’t get hurt in the future either.”
“Yes, that’s enough.”
Haseo, who had barely stopped crying, followed Choi Mujin into the house. And he naturally grabbed Choi Mujin’s clothes as he tried to guide him to his room.
“The room I used before is fine.”
“Oh dear, that room is my room now?”
“What?”
Could it be that even when he wasn’t here, Choi Mujin hadn’t used his original room? Haseo looked suspiciously at the room Choi Mujin said he was using. The furniture and bedding were the same as when he had stayed there, but there were a few changes.
Various file folders were placed on the desk, and suits were hanging on clothing racks outside the closet.
“No, there’s a closet, so why are the clothes outside?”
“Because your clothes are still inside.”
“How is that a reason?”
“If I put my clothes in, the scent would change. No matter how much you wash clothes, when people wear them, there’s such a thing as body odor.”
He didn’t understand. Haseo had hardly ever noticed such things. But that was the reason? Choi Mujin seemed to have decided to be honest after kneeling and apologizing. The problem was that his honesty was excessive, and listening to it could be embarrassing.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
