Chapter 58 Part 1

57.

[She suddenly quit, they say. I was going to ask her tomorrow when we met, but what happened?]

“I’m going to find out now. I’ll call you back.”

[Alright. No, actually, let’s meet. I’ll help you.]

“No.”

Lee Jun immediately refused. It might seem harsh to refuse help so bluntly, but right now, he had no time to worry about anything else besides finding Haein and Hae Sol.

[Okay, then contact me anytime. And let’s consider work for this week off. Don’t come in tomorrow, just call me.]

“…Alright.”

Lee Jun couldn’t refuse this, so he replied with a hint of apology.

After hanging up with Park Geon-u, Lee Jun looked around frantically in the middle of the street. He had rushed out to find Haein without a plan, and without realizing it, he had come a long way from home.

“Taking the baby with her…”

He had been too thoughtless. Haein had been wavering, but he had only cut her off firmly, without thinking to comfort her.

She was his younger sister, unable to earn money, and then she had Hae Sol, always feeling like a burden…

Now he regretted it. He wasn’t the only one struggling, but he hadn’t looked into Haein’s heart.

And the fact that he had rested in Chaeheon’s arms bothered him immensely.

“Just come back.”

He wished she would appear instead of hiding. If she just did that, he wouldn’t wish for anything more.

As he was about to go search for Haein again, Lee Jun urgently checked his vibrating phone and immediately answered the call.

“Haein.”

[I called because I thought you might be looking for me.]

“Where did you go? How’s Hae Sol?”

[She’s fine. You don’t have to worry.]

“Where are you?”

[I’m… at a friend’s house.]

Lee Jun knew Haein was trying to sound bright, raising her tone, but just hearing her voice made him sigh in relief. Since she had Hae Sol with her, she wouldn’t be wandering the streets like this, but his mind was so vague that he felt like he had just been aimlessly walking.

[I… saw you with Han Jeong-min.]

Lee Jun covered his mouth, suppressing a sigh. He should have thought that Haein might see them since they met near his house…

[I don’t regret having Hae Sol. But I’m sorry to you, Oppa. You didn’t do anything wrong, but you had to hear such things from Han Jeong-min.]

Her words broke off in the middle, but Lee Jun waited. He wanted to listen to everything Haein had to say and comfort her.

[I’ll handle it. And then I’ll come back, so please wait a little longer.]

Haein stood alone, determined not to cause any more trouble. Because of her firm resolve, Lee Jun couldn’t tell her to come back.

“What am I doing here?”

Chaeheon leaned back in the seat, muttering a self-deprecating remark. After stopping by the Main Residence, the place he came to was In Front of Lee Jun’s House, not his own home.

“I shouldn’t be doing this…”

He had been rejected by him, yet he still came here; there couldn’t be anyone as pathetic as himself.

His fingers tapping the driver’s seat gripped the steering wheel tightly the moment he spotted Lee Jun walking in the distance, then released it.

Chaeheon got out of the car without hesitation and strode forward, extending his hand towards Lee Jun. Because of this, Lee Jun, who had been walking with his head down, instinctively lifted his head at the force that grabbed his wrist.

“Normally, if pride comes first, I shouldn’t come…”

Chaeheon scoffed at himself, feeling satisfied looking at Lee Jun’s startled eyes.

“I already knew from breaking up once. That if I didn’t come, our end was decided.”

That’s why he came. If he had broken up without even a proper word before, he didn’t want to repeat the same mistake now. There was a lot to sort out, so he absolutely couldn’t let Lee Jun go tonight.

“I’ll tell you everything. So…”

“Don’t.”

It was such a small voice, but it struck Chaeheon like thunder, preventing him from finishing his sentence.

“Don’t say anything right now.”

Lee Jun mumbled, his wrist still held. His voice was so weak, as if he might collapse at any moment, yet it sounded in a way Chaeheon couldn’t ignore.

“Then we’re just breaking up again like this?”

Chaeheon pushed away his heavy heart, acting as if he absolutely couldn’t let Lee Jun go. He even considered adding all sorts of excuses if necessary, just like when he had forcefully kept him by his side before.

“What’s all that about?”

“What?”

“Right now, I don’t even have time to talk to you.”

“What happened?”

Only then did Chaeheon, suspecting something was wrong, examine Lee Jun’s face. It was a little different from when he was angry with him. When Chaeheon placed a hand on his face, he felt a slight fever, so Chaeheon embraced him without thinking.

“What happened?”

“…Don’t hug me.”

Despite Lee Jun’s faltering voice, he pushed Chaeheon away with an unknown, strong force.

“Stop bothering me and leave. …Please.”

Lee Jun reached out, telling Chaeheon not to come closer, and took a step back. Returning without finding Haein, Lee Jun hated Chaeheon’s worried gaze.

He pushed him away because he felt he would lean on him endlessly if he gave in and rested in his arms. Right now, Chaeheon really shouldn’t be here. If he didn’t want to lose the strength he had endured with until now, Chaeheon shouldn’t be here.

“Don’t look for me.”

“Senior!”

“Don’t… look for me.”

The atmosphere when he called him “Hyung” was gone. Lee Jun turned his back on Chaeheon, who was staring at him with a look of near horror, and walked away. Since he had already left him twice, he probably wouldn’t come again.

Lee Jun, though his steps were unsteady, entered his house without collapsing. And when Chaeheon was left alone again, footsteps echoed from all directions in the alley, and Bodyguards surrounded him.

Having been assigned to him after his meeting with the Chairman, they now had the duty to not leave Chaeheon’s side for a moment. This meant they would have seen everything, even Chaeheon being rejected after going to see Lee Jun.

However, Chaeheon paid no mind to their gazes and only looked at the spot where Lee Jun had stood.

“The Chairman is looking for you. It’s about President Jang Hyeon-seong.”

As Jang Hyeon-seong’s name was mentioned, Chaeheon could no longer remain there.

Han Jeong-min sat at the bar, tilting his glass of alcohol. Next to him, Executive Secretary Kim was seated, creating a quiet and calm atmosphere.

“What did Chaeheon discuss with the Chairman?”