abcnovels
Vol. 2 Chapter 0: Chapter 1
Vol. 2 Chapter 0: Chapter 1
Vol. 2 Chapter 0: Chapter 1
Translated by Naralara
Edited by Naralara
Prologue.
“Sorry. Excuse me. Excuse me, passing through.”
The pale-faced young man asked for? permission and passed through the crowd. The elevator coming up from the basement was full before reaching the first floor. The young man ran up the stairs. His breathing seemed to be haggard, but the young man did not stop. Arriving on the 8th floor, the young man, who was looking aroun,d saw the desk. The young man, who ran in haste, gasped for breath and barely opened his mouth
“Patient Cha, Cha Hyungyu…”
“No. 401. The back room there.”
The nurse answered from the office desk, not taking his eyes off the computer monitor. The young man ran, then, completely out of his mind, turned around and came back to the desk.
“Thank you.”
After bowing his head in gratitude, the young man ran down the hallway again. It felt like his heart would explode. His heart was pounding so much that he was afraid that it would stop like this. He checked the name in front of the hospital room, but he couldn’t even open the door.
It will be fine. It will be fine.
It was a word he chanted like a mantra the whole time he ran to this place after hearing the news of the accident. The young man barely grasped the doorknob with trembling hands and gave strength.
“Oh! Is Inseop here?”
The man lying on the bed saw the young man and greeted him warmly.
“How are you, Manager Cha?”
“It’s broken. In two.”
Manger Cha Hyungyu smiled broadly and pointed to his leg.
“Are, are you okay?
“I heard you need to do a steel core surgery. But the bone is broken in half, so it’s easy to get a steel core. That’s great. Isn’t it?”
Manager Cha smiled and asked for the consent of CEO Kim Hakseung, who was standing next to the bed. CEO Kim, who was considering the death penalty, frowned.
“Are you saying that now? Ha, really,”
Kim Hakseung sighed, wiping his bangs wildly. No matter how busy he is, he never forgets to go to the shop to get his hair done, and it was extremely rare for him to mess up his hair with his own hands. It was clear what was going on. Choi Inseop’s heart sank.
He got a text message from CEO Kim an hour ago.
[The car in which Wooyeon was riding had an accident, please come to the hospital.]
As soon as Choi Inseop received the text, he called Lee Wooyeon. But for some reason, Lee Wooyeon’s phone was off. He couldn’t even remember what he did but he had to catch a taxi. He called again and again, but Lee Wooyeon’s phone was still off. The battery of Inseop’s cell phone ran out of power, and the power was turned off in the taxi.
He was so sorry, but even after checking with manager Cha who looked like he had a broken leg, Choi Inseop didn’t feel happy. There was only one person on his mind all the way here. And now the person was nowhere to be seen.
“Lee, Lee Wooyeon…”
Tears welled up in Inseop’s big eyes. He bit the inside of his lip, trying not to cry, and barely stuttered.
“Ah, that…”
A soft, soft voice came from behind before Kim finished speaking.
“What are you saying, CEO. I’m sad to hear that.”
“Are you here?”
CEO Kim responded with a frown on his lips.
Choi Inseop couldn’t even close his eyes and looked back. When their eyes met, Lee Wooyeongave him a soft smile and he seemed to smell of coffee. Even after checking his appearance, Choi Inseop just stared blankly at him for a while.
“It’s been a long time, Mr. Inseop.”
Lee Wooyeon casually greeted him.
“You didn’t answer the phone, so what…”
Lee Wooyeon pulled out a smashed cell phone from his pocket and showed it to him.
“I had some business to deal with, so I couldn’t contact you right away. I’m sorry.”
“Did you get checked? No, you have to check. They say that there are many cases in which after a car accident you look ok on the outside, but a few days later, you become ill. Hurry up and get checked. Go through all the procedures.”
Lee Wooyeon deliberately did not contact Choi Inseop. He didn’t want to make him worry.
He thought it was a normal human thing to do. But when he faced Inseop, who was pouring out words without even breathing, with tears in his eyes, he couldn’t help but feel the joy rising from the depths of the dark pit.
Lee Wooyeon swallowed a low laugh and said.
“I’m on my way after the test.”
“The results are…”
“The results are also clean. They say there are no minor bruises.”
At Lee Wooyeon’s response, manager Cha got up from the bed and said, “Unlucky bastard,” and clicked his tongue.
“I have no luck. The car rolled one lap and the driver broke his leg, and I would be very lucky if I didn’t hurt a single hair. isn’t it?
Manager Cha grabbed the nape of his neck and laid down on the bed.
“Manager Cha has to be admitted for 8 weeks. Go easy on him.” CEO Kim, who didn’t see his face, criticized Lee Wooyeon.
“Hahaha. Of course. I almost died because of manager Cha’s negligence while driving, but of course I have to be gentle.”
“Hey, let’s get this straight. I was not careless, it’s because something black suddenly came out.”
As soon as he was about to turn a curve, a black object popped out in front of the car.
He turned the steering wheel suddenly.
“I was so surprised that I thought it was a puppy.”
For Cha, an animal lover, he wanted to avoid roadkill.
“How is the dog? Was it hurt?
Choi Inseop asked in surprise.
“Don’t worry. There was no bastard to get hurt in the first place.”
“Yes?”
“It was a black plastic bag. Manager Cha, while you are in the hospital, be sure to get an ophthalmological examination. Seeing that you can’t tell the difference between a dog and a plastic bag, I’m really worried.”
Manager Cha shouted that the dog was not on the road but inside the hospital.
“Anyway, I’m glad it’s not a puppy.”
Choi Inseop sighed in relief, and Lee Wooyeon tilted his head.
“What would you have done, Inseop?”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Will you turn the steering wheel? I mean, of course, on the premise that there was an actual dog.”
Lee Wooyeon’s smile with his eyes curved was excellent. In particular, it was hard to resist the smile he made while looking directly at the other person. Even some prominent actress was rumored to have said that if Lee Wooyeon smiles with his eyes, she forgets her line and makes mistakes several times.
“Tell me. Will it be me or that fucking puppy?”
Lee Wooyeon smiled and made eye contact and persistently asked. Choi Inseop was unable to say that he would never even hit his dog at home and did not know what to do.
The smile on Lee Wooyeon’s lips grew deeper and deeper.
“I was lucky I wasn’t hurt. It could have been really bad.”
“Yes. I think it’s really fortunate.”
“You can’t always be lucky. So what are you going to do?”
“Well, I mean…”
Big eyes filled with embarrassment. He looked like he was almost about to cry.
. .Somehow he got caught by such a bastard.
Manager Cha and CEO Kim exchanged glances during the dark conversation.
“Ahem, Inseop-ah. Would you like something to drink? Would you like a drink?”
CEO Kim opened the refrigerator door to rescue Inseop and asked.
“It’s okay.”
When he was questioned, Inseop quickly raised his head and replied,
“What do you mean you’re okay? Your face is covered in sweat.”
“That’s right, Mr. Inseop. Why are you sweating like this?”
Lee Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s neck and asked.
“I was running up the stairs…”
“I told you not to overdo it.”
Lee Wooyeon frowned. Even though he looked like a normal person, he had a body that should not be overdone.
“This is fine.”
“Why didn’t you take the elevator?
“There was no time to wait for one.”
“Were you worried about me?”
“Yes. Of course…”
Choi Inseop, who was answering, saw CEO Kim and manager Cha, and quickly shut his mouth.
“Tell me. How worried were you?”
A cold finger touched the nape of his neck. Inseop shuddered and replied that he was very worried with a low voice. A smile crossed the corners of Lee Wooyeon’s eyes as he looked down at Inseop’s reddish neck.
“I’m really fine.”
“I’m glad.”
“It would be better if you were more concerned about me than the bastard who doesn’t even exist.”
Each time Lee Wooyeon said something, Inseop’s face grew redder.
“Stop it. You’ll make Inseop cry.”
CEO Kim frowned and interrupted Lee Wooyeon’s atrocities. Lee Wooyeon then turned his head.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Manager.”
After Inseop quit his job, Manager Cha was the manager of Lee Wooyeon. It was a negotiation that took place after a radical proposal of a 500% salary increase. Every time Manager Cha threw out his resignation letter, even the share of the company that CEO Kim gave away was not a formidable amount. Nevertheless, Manager Cha always carried the resignation letter in his heart.
“I have a schedule starting tomorrow. I need to find a manager.”
“What kind of good human life are you trying to build… Ugh.”
Manager Cha, who had been rambling on, hurriedly closed his mouth. Lee Wooyeon smiled lightly and glanced over at Manager Cha. Then he closed his mouth with a hmmm.
“Why! What! What!”
Manager Cha, who had an ominous feeling, let out a scream.
“I was wondering if it would be possible.”
“What is possible!”
“Accelerator and brake are on the right side. I don’t think it’s impossible at all.”
“…”
Manager Cha’s face turned pale. His left leg was broken. In other words, it meant that Manager Cha should perform his manager’s duties with a broken leg.
“Calm down. Hyungyu will die.”
CEO Kim took the side of his friend.
“Hahahaha, it’s a joke.”
The sound of Lee Wooyeon’s laughter shook the air of the hospital room lightly. But the three people in the room thought at the same time.
“But what are you going to do?”
“That’s right. I can’t leave you to anyone.”
CEO Kim said, with a hand on his chin.
“The CEO should do it.”
Manager Cha who was lying on the bed, smacked CEO Kim and shouted.
“Are you crazy? Are you? You’re driving me crazy… Haha, no, how can you be a manager when you’re the CEO of a company? The rumors will get wild.”
“It will look a bit weird.”
Manager Cha also agreed with a trembling expression on his face.
“Very weird, indeed.”
CEO Kim nodded his head vigorously.
“Just pick anyone. I just need to use them for about 15 days and fire them.”
Lee Wooyeon casually said something that was against the labor laws and human morals.
“15 days? Who needs 15 day? I need to be out for 8 weeks. I’m going to properly take my 8 weeks sick leave and only come after that.”
Pointing to his broken leg and exclaiming in triumph, Inseop finally realized why the manager was so lively even though his leg was broken.
“…Wouldn’t it be possible to drive in three weeks?
CEO Kim carefully withdrew what he had just said.
“Hyunkyu is going to die.”
Cha replied sternly.
“I won’t die from this much.”
When Cha shook his fist, CEO Kim easily avoided and giggled. Choi Inseop watched the two with a look of envy.
“Oh, what should I do? Where will I find someone all of a sudden? Lee Wooyeon will be busy because the movie is coming out soon, but when will we teach the person how to work? Where will we find a competent manager who has experience, doesn’t talk much, and won’t make people angry?”
As soon as CEO Kim’s lament was over, Choi Inseop carefully spoke.
“Well, can’t I do that?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
The three eyes turned to Choi Inseop at once.
“I’m not competent, but I don’t talk much. I have experience. I know Lee Wooyeon’s taste, so at least I won’t make Wooyeon angry…Maybe.”
Choi Inseop gently asked for consent with his big eyes. Lee Wooyeon asked with his head slightly tilted to the side.
“Are you kidding me?”
Choi Inseop shrugged his shoulders and apologized quickly to Lee Wooyeon’s question.
“What are you sorry about?”
“Your taste may have changed while I wasn’t working, but I didn’t consider it.”
Lee Wooyeon looked down at Choi Inseop with an expression asking what kind of nonsense he was saying.
“I’ll study again if I need to.”
Judging from the words added in a grim tone, it seemed like it was not a joke. Lee Wooyeon swallowed a laugh.
He won’t annoy him. Did he really mean it?
It was the first time in ten days. Because of the active practice schedule, they have only been talking on the phone.
All he wanted to do now was lay him down on the hospital bed and do whatever he wanted to do.
Lee Wooyeon reached out and raised Inseop’s hair, which was wet with sweat and stuck to his forehead.
“You don’t need to study. You know my taste.”
“Then, I…”
Soon, Choi Inseop’s big eyes twinkled.
Lee Wooyeon pondered for a moment. Can’t he just drag Inseop into the bathroom attached to the hospital room, pull down his pants, and shove it inside?
When Lee Wooyeon flatly refused, Choi Inseop was visibly upset. Manager Cha, who was watching the scene, asked why he couldn’t do it. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Choi Inseop was Lee Wooyeon’s perfect manager who fell from the sky.
“I don’t want Inseop to be called my manager.”
“…I can’t do it?”
“Manager Cha is in good health.”
Lee Wooyeon spit out the reason in a refreshing way.
“A healthier man than me, can you find about a hundred people in this hospital right now?”
Manager Cha exclaimed after raising his upper body.
“Then go find one. Instead, try and tell the difference between a black plastic bag and a fucking dog.”
“..”
Manager Cha grabbed the nape of his neck and laid down on the bed.
“I can do it. I can. I can tell the difference between a black plastic bag and a dog.”
Choi Inseop interrupted the conversation again. Lee Wooyeon frowned slightly.
“I am healthy. You saw the test results a while ago.”
“Don’t overdo it.
“I’m not overdoing it. I will be on vacation from next week, so I was just trying to find a part-time job.”
After returning to Korea, Inseop started attending college. He was admitted as a foreigner and majored in Korean literature, so he read books whenever he had time. His concentration and persistence on a weak subject were exceptional, so once he picked up a book, he never stood up from his seat until he saw the end of the book.
Because of that, he had nosebleeds several times. In the end, Lee Wooyeon said that he wanted to burn all the books. At that, Inseop, widened his eyes, and Lee Wooyeon said, “I’m joking,” and smiled. Of course, it was sincere.
“Why should you work part-time?”
“I can’t continue to depend on my parents at my age. Even if I can’t work as a manager, I’ll find another job.”
Inseop’s determination was evident. He had a gentle and kind personality, but once he made up his mind, he never backed down.
“Okay. We’ll talk about this later.”
Choi Inseop nodded his head. At that moment, the ding of a cell phone message from CEO Kim’s pocket was heard. After reading the piled up messages one by one, CEO Kim sighed.
“The reporters are already encamped in front of the hospital.”
“Go and come.”
“There are rumors that you are in the intensive care unit after drunk driving and hitting a car.”
Lee Wooyeon said, “Oh, is it?” with a tone that implied that he did not care.
“I’m going to publish a rebuttal article.”
“Do I write an article? Written by journalists.”
“Go and show your face once. It’s good to take this opportunity to get a good impression from reporters.”
“What’s the point of gaining favor from the motherfuckers who came here to cover the guy lying in the ICU?“
“…Wooyeon-ah.”
CEO Kim beckoned him to lower his voice and touched his forehead. Even if it was a single room, it was a hospital where medical personnel could enter at any time.
“Forget it. I’ll go down and tell him I’m the driver and I’m the one who got hurt. Most reporters know my face anyway.”
Manager Cha tried to get up from bed, but smiled and groaned at the pain coming up from his legs. Choi Inseop, who saw him, asked him if he should call the nurse or the doctor.
Lee Wooyeon was slowly getting tired. If he left it like this, it would be difficult to drag Choi Inseop out of the hospital
“I’ll do it for 5 minutes. I’ll come back in 5 minutes.”
At Lee Wooyeon’s words, CEO Kim’s face brightened.
“Yeah, you just need to show your face. What 5 minutes? 3 minutes is enough.”
He picked up the jacket he had taken off and left the hospital room with Lee Wooyeon. As the door to the hospital room closed, Manager Cha made a groaning sound and buried his head in the pillow.
“Shall I call the nurse?”
“No need. I’m on painkillers.”
“Do you need anything?
Inseop fixed the pillow and asked.
“Give me some water.”
Inseop quickly poured water into a cup and handed it to the manager.
“Take it slowly.”
When Manager Cha met Inseop’s innocent eyes, his heart suddenly became heavy. Even if there is no one like him, it’s like throwing a good and innocent young man into the pit of the devil.
“Hey, Inseop.”
“Yes, Manager.”
“Work, if he’s being nitpicky, you can refuse it.”
Choi Inseop said, “Oh,” and widened his eyes.
“You can be honest with me. I’ll tell CEO Kim.”
Inseop, who hesitated for a moment, confessed his honest feelings.
“He’s not a dick.”
Manager Cha, who was drinking the water, spit out his drink and coughed.
Inseop was surprised and patted him on the back.
“Are you okay?”
“What are you saying…”
Vulgar expressions came out of the mouth of an innocent young man who never even said a swear word,
Manager Cha doubted his ears.
“Dick…Isn’t that an expression referring to the male genitals?”
He knew that Inseop was weak at profanity, internet terms, and dialects. Technically speaking, he was a foreigner with American citizenship.
Manager Cha laughed and his face heated up as Inseop realized that he had made a mistake.
“Sorry. I didn’t know there was another meaning…”
“No. You didn’t know.”
Manager Cha looked at Inseop sincerely. There were also people like Lee Wooyeon who knew the meaning of it so well and used it whenever he could….
Cha smiled when he saw Inseop taking out his notebook from his pocket and writing something down.
“That habit is still there.”
When he saw Inseop, who wrote in his notebook, “Find the meaning,” he smiled.
How did such a nice and sincere young man end up here?
Cha was choked up when he recalled what had happened.
“Inseop. Is Wooyeon nice to you?”
“Yes? Oh… yes,”
Choi Inseop, who was blushing not only on his cheeks but also on the nape of his neck, replied. Please do well, he said.
Manager Cha grinded his teeth. What kind of trick did that demonic bastard do?
“Mr. Inseop. I’m? saying this just in case, if he does anything bad to you, then be sure to tell CEO Kim. Inseop jumped and held out both hands. And just in case you need to, the number for police in Korea is 112.”
Inseop jumped up and held out his hands.
“No. It’s not like that that. What do you mean police?”.”
“Just memorize it. Something to write about… Ha, no. I’m just saying in case there’s a reason to escape.”
Choi Inseop pulled out a notebook and wrote down the words the manager used, and nodded
“It means run away if something happens. Understand?”
“What does he understand?”
Lee Wooyeon’s low voice came from the shadows.
“Ugh! So suddenly! How come you don’t even make a sound of footsteps!”
“I did. You couldn’t hear because your ears are bad. Take a hearing test while you’re at it.”
Lee Wooyeon leaned his arm on Choi Inseop’s shoulder and continued speaking.
“But who’s running away? Huh?”
“No, that’s it…”
Manager Cha, desperately avoiding his eyes, laid down on his seat.
“Mr. Inseop. Are you going to leave me and run away?”
Inseop shook his head eagerly at Lee Wooyeon’s question. Lee Wooyeon lightly patted Inseop’s shoulder.
“That’s right. I don’t even want to bet on the 9 o’clock news.”
It was a creepy word if he knew the truth. Manger Cha asked, dragging the sheet up to his shoulder in the chilled air of the hospital room.
“Your interview.”
“The reporters were up to the 4th floor, so I just took a picture and finished it. The CEO said that he’ll come up after doing some business. We’ll be leaving first.”
“Okay. Go quickly.”
Cha waved his hand a couple of times. After hearing the sound of the door closing, Manager Cha closed his eyes.
“…Why again?”
Manager Cha muttered in a dark tone mixed with irritation. Just by listening to the unlucky, straight and regular footsteps, he could immediately tell who the person was.
I just remembered what I couldn’t tell you.”
Lee Wooyeon walked to the side of the bed. A beautiful young man with good beauty bend over and whispers in a friendly voice.
“Manager.” Cha
“What is it?
Even though he knew the existence of the devil lurking in his outer skin, Manager Cha thought that this bastard was so handsome for an instant.
“Did you know that I am increasing my exercise time and controlling my diet thoroughly these days?”
“Ah, I know”
Lee Wooyeon used to be good at self-management, but these days, he’s been managing it so thoroughly that it can’t even be compared to before. Even though the management company should be happy because no one asked him to do it, manager Cha, who knows the true nature of Lee Wooyeon, couldn’t help but be worried. CEO Kim was so anxious that he might be weak. Manager Cha was also watching Lee Woo-yeon with a bitter heart because he could not understand the reason.
“I want to live a long time.”
Lee Wooyeon calmly confessed his feelings.
“What?”
“I want to live a long and healthy life.”
Manager Cha was somewhat proud to say that he knew Lee Wooyeon, but he was quite shocked. Lee Wooyeon in front of him looked so human for a moment.
He heard that when a person meets a good person, he also changes his way. No way.
“So next time, just step on it.”
“What?”
“Whether it’s a dog or a person, step on it. If you drive like that one more time.”
Lee Wooyeon didn’t finish his words, but laughed ??and straightened himself up. The next words were not needed. He didn’t even want to imagine it.
Lee Wooyeon patted the pale manager’s shoulder and told him to get well. He let out a soulless word and left the hospital room.
Manager Cha realized that his thinking was terribly wrong.
To turn over a new leaf was for people not for bastards.
“…Inseop-ah. 112…”
Manager Cha muttered a silent word and closed his eyes again.