IRLPLBIO Chapter 23 Part 1

Chapter 23 #5. I’m Not a Runaway (3)

Jae-gu wasn’t just a high school student who knew how to use his fists; he was someone with experience holding and swaying the life and death of others. The intimidation he exuded was not something middle schoolers who “played around” at school could endure. The guys, trembling uncontrollably as if having seizures, unconsciously pulled out a bottle of eye drops from their pockets.

Jae-gu waited quietly. He said nothing, neither asking if this was the end, nor demanding more.

But with just a light flick of Jae-gu’s fingertips, “Hiss,” someone gasped. Soon, two more bottles of eye drops appeared.

“Do it yourselves, and do it well. While I’m being nice.”

Putting force into his fingertips, he tapped their cheeks. “Thwack, thwack,” a rather resounding sound, not quite like encouragement.

One of the guys who had been hit a couple of times finally started sniffling. Only then did Jae-gu relax his grip.

Towards the backs of the guys scurrying away, Jae-gu “Tsk,” clucked his tongue loudly. “Learning only such trashy things,” a small murmur lingered in his mouth.

Putting eye drops in alcohol was a cheap substitute method for date rape drugs. And in his previous life, Na-eun had been a victim of these young punks’ ‘stupidity,’ not their cunning.

Na-eun, who went to meet an internet friend, drank beer with eye drops in it and reportedly went into shock. The idiotic punks ran away, scared by Na-eun, who was suddenly convulsing and foaming at the mouth. If they had reported it immediately, she could have been saved, but Na-eun, found several hours later, had died from her airway being blocked by vomit.

It was called ‘negligent homicide,’ not murder. The middle school student culprits wielded the shield of their young age, received no proper punishment, and got away with their identities protected. No one paid the price for Na-eun’s life.

Jae-gu heard that story several years later. It was because Na-eun’s father had promised benefits to Han Seong-cheol’s side and asked for revenge. That was when he first saw Lee Na-eun in a picture.

Jae-gu, who was already Han Seong-cheol’s man at the time, admirably completed the mission. He thoroughly squeezed and pressured the ‘internet friend’ Na-eun’s father had pointed to, operating covertly until he caused his death. He orchestrated the same outcome as when Na-eun died: someone died, but the culprit couldn’t be identified.

However, it was later revealed that the actual murderers were not the internet friend, Kim Min-jae, but the punks. This was the moment Na-eun’s father became a vulnerable target for Han Seong-cheol, caught by his weaknesses, and the moment Jae-gu was leashed with the label of ‘a bastard who couldn’t be used in the sunlight.’

Han Seong-cheol smiled. Jae-gu thought that perhaps he had known from the start. If it were him, rather than caring about other people’s feelings, he would naturally choose to have two pieces of information that could be used for his success.

Jae-gu expelled the past memories with a sigh. Since he had driven away the punks who were bothering Lee Na-eun, this was something that wouldn’t happen this time. He hadn’t known today was the day Lee Na-eun would leave on her ‘petite runaway’ trip, but it was fortunate that he was there.

Since he was trying to live properly, perhaps his luck had opened up?

Jae-gu, who was rubbing the tip of his nose, turned his head.

“Hey, I just saved your life.”

“Just for chasing away some punks, ‘life’ is too much, isn’t that a bit excessive?”

“Excessive, you say! What do you think would happen if you followed those punks!”

“I wasn’t going to follow them anyway. I wouldn’t have followed them even if you weren’t here.”

“H-how do you know that?”

“And how do you know? I hate those punks.”

Na-eun retorted clearly. Her words were so logical that Jae-gu couldn’t quickly retort.

Jae-gu rationalized that it was better for Lee Na-eun to be alive and talking back like this. He definitely wasn’t losing an argument with a child.

“…Anyway, don’t stay in dangerous places and go home, Lee Na-eun. Your father is worried.”

It was a very suitable line for a high school student worrying about a middle schooler. It was also appropriate for ending the squabble.

Jae-gu, who smiled proudly, suddenly checked his watch. His ever-changing face quickly turned pale.

“Oh no, self-study time will be over! Because of those bastards!”

Towards the back of Jae-gu, who was running away hastily, Na-eun’s mouth opened slightly. Instead of the question, ‘How do you know my name?’ other words came out.

“…He was like Dad.”

The skill in manipulating others, the method of tightening the grip until one could barely breathe, was exactly like her father’s. From a punk high school student, she felt the presence of her father, who commanded dozens of burly men.

How long had she been in a daze, remembering Jae-gu’s back as he had already disappeared from sight? Again, someone who knew Na-eun appeared.

“Lee Na-eun.”

“…Who are you?”

Without being able to pretend not to know him, staring straight at Na-eun, a tall man approached. His face was youthful, making her wonder if he was her age, but his physique was as solid and large as an adult’s.

Feeling intimidated, she subtly lowered her gaze and saw drops of red liquid splattered on the man’s cuff. Judging by its viscous, spreading shape and the way it was drying and gradually turning dark red, it was clearly blood. Na-eun took a step back, showing complete vigilance.

“I said, who are you?”

“I’ll take you to Kim Min-jae. You have to go there.”

This time too, someone appeared, using Kim Min-jae’s name. How could she believe those words?

Na-eun’s feet cautiously took another step back. The punks from earlier had merely made her feel a bit bad, but from the man in front of her now, an unreadable aura was swirling.

Such a person is very strong, and very dangerous. The atmosphere was closer to the ‘Chairman’ who visited occasionally, rather than her father.

The man, seeing Na-eun retreat, smiled happily instead. His face seemed to openly express his thoughts: that Na-eun hadn’t met anyone else first, hadn’t followed them, and was wary of strangers—it was such a relief.

Na-eun, who had been completely on guard, was momentarily stunned by the power of his handsome face. While her thought of escaping momentarily vanished, from behind the man, the real Kim Min-jae appeared, panting, with two large bags slung over his front and back.

“Bags…! Kwang-cheol, you need to take your bags! But the kids lying collapsed up front were wearing our school uniforms, by any chance…”