Chapter 77
“You’ve arrived, our I-hae.”
The one who greeted Baek I-hae upon her arrival at the appointed place was Do Ha-jun. She furrowed her brow, not hiding her displeasure.
“Talking like that—even if it’s a joke, it creeps me out.”
She glanced around subtly.
‘Doesn’t seem like anyone else is nearby. But since he said the Shinwoon faction might have set up an ambush, I should watch my words.’
Had he noticed her eyes darting about busily?
Do Ha-jun smiled as if amused and kindly informed her.
“It’s just me here.”
A lie.
The fact that he was saying it so deliberately made it clear it was a lie.
“Once Uncle I-heum arrives, my role is over, right? I’ll leave right away.”
“Well, sure. That was the agreement.”
“He should be here soon. Whether he’s at the main house or the hospital, it’s not far from here.”
“You’ve even considered the possibility that Seo I-heum might be at the hospital.”
Baek I-hae paused while checking the time on her phone. Before coming here, she’d heard from Baek Yeong about Seo I-heum’s location.
She tried her best to respond casually.
“It’s not strange for him to visit his son in the hospital.”
“That’s true. But today, for some reason, I find you even more appealing, I-hae. Why is that? It’s been a while since I’ve liked someone.”
A chill ran down her spine, making her skin crawl. Maybe it was because his favorability had gone up by 10 or so.
‘But there haven’t been big changes with others—why?’
Perhaps it was because Do Ha-jun was the type who didn’t feel fondness for most people.
If so, that was a problem. He might end up taking an interest in her if she wasn’t careful.
“Don’t you want to think about working with me? Now that you’re an adult, you might feel less guilty about doing what I ask.”
The very idea that he planned to assign her tasks that would induce guilt made him seem like utter trash.
“No thanks. Once this is over, don’t even acknowledge me—erase my existence from your memory.”
“You’re so cold.”
[Main antagonist, Do Ha-jun’s favorability has increased by 10.]
“Ah, I mean that as a compliment—you’re charming.”
Why did he have to be so annoyingly consistent only at times like this?
As Baek I-hae’s face crumpled, he laughed as if entertained.
“Anyway, I’ll keep my promise. Your role ends here. But I’ve had an interesting idea—want to hear it?”
Seeing Do Ha-jun walk off somewhere, Baek I-hae felt a surge of unease.
He dragged something from around the corner. It made a rather heavy sound.
Baek I-hae’s eyes widened as she realized what he was dragging. It was Jang Seul-gi’s father, Jang Chung-won.
“Did—did you kill him?”
She couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice as she asked. His appearance was that wrecked.
Not just the bruises all over his body, but he’d clearly lost a noticeable amount of weight from the mental torment.
To Baek I-hae’s question, Do Ha-jun smiled delightedly and replied.
“Of course not. I’m quite soft-hearted, you know, I-hae.”
When Do Ha-jun released his grip on Jang Chung-won, there was a thud as he was flung to the floor. At the same time, a groan escaped him, so he seemed to be alive at least.
Seeing Baek I-hae visibly relieved, Do Ha-jun said with a smile.
“Aren’t you curious what kind of expression Seo I-heum will make when he comes running at a simple rescue request text? He’s usually so stiff and emotionless—it’s boring.”
“…I’m not curious.”
“I am. The first time he ever broke down crying was when his senior died.”
The “senior” Do Ha-jun referred to was Seo Do-gyeom’s mother. In other words, Seo I-heum’s spouse.
‘And he’s the one who killed her. How can he say that with a smile? Especially when he claimed to have liked her!’
Do Ha-jun was a madman.
“What reaction do you think he’ll show when he witnesses an ordinary person he cared for getting ruined because of him? Will he get angry, or will he crumble again?”
With an expression that seemed genuinely anticipatory, Baek I-hae stepped back.
‘He’s insane.’
Yes, Do Ha-jun was a crazy person. Even Baek Yeong probably didn’t know he was this deranged.
Do Ha-jun bent down and spoke to Jang Chung-won.
“Come on, this is your last chance to save your daughter. If you want to save her, beat Baek I-hae until she’s on the verge of death. Ah, but don’t actually kill her. We have to give Seo I-heum a sliver of hope.”
“S-Seul-gi… our daughter…”
“She’s safe for now—for now. But from here on, it depends on what you do, Mr. Jang Chung-won.”
‘Come on, stand up,’ Do Ha-jun said kindly as he helped Jang Chung-won to his feet. Staggering up, Jang Chung-won looked as if he were possessed.
“I-hae, I-hae. I’m sorry… I have to save my daughter, Seul-gi.”
His large hand reached for Baek I-hae’s neck as he stumbled toward her. Startled, she quickly dodged away.
The moment she turned to run, Jang Chung-won desperately grabbed her leg and tripped her.
With a loud crash, she fell forward, her chin slamming against the ground, and Baek I-hae squeezed her eyes shut.
‘If he catches me, I won’t be able to use the infinite stamina buff!’
Even in this moment, the status window didn’t appear.
‘Player!’
Groaning in pain, Baek I-hae crawled away desperately and called out to the player urgently. But there was no response.
Jang Chung-won staggered but dragged Baek I-hae back toward him. Do Ha-jun watched the scene with a smirk.
‘Player!’
Baek I-hae called out desperately again, but still, no answer.
The next thing she knew, Jang Chung-won’s hand was visible, and her head snapped to the side. It was her first time being hit by someone, and tears welled up instantly.
‘I never thought of myself as having been raised delicately.’
But in this situation, the fact that she was on the verge of bursting into tears instead of toughing it out showed she wasn’t hardened enough yet.
Baek I-hae stared blankly up at Jang Chung-won’s desperate expression. The pain in her waist, the agony of her foot being crushed—it all felt unreal.
It was like she was in a dream.
‘In the end, is the player abandoning me? Because I’m not the female lead who’s meant to be with Seo Do-gyeom?’
The absent player made her feel pitiful about her own fate. It was as if it was declaring that her role ended here.
Suddenly, Baek I-hae wondered—if she died here, wouldn’t Seo Do-gyeom eventually meet a new woman later?
Then she’d become a hazy memory of his first love. A rival in memories that the female lead could never overcome.
‘That’s crap.’
She let out a hollow laugh inside. She might return to her original world if she died, but she didn’t want to go out like this.
Gritting her teeth, Baek I-hae desperately grabbed and clung to Jang Chung-won’s leg as he kicked at her.
“W-What?! Let go!”
Even as the panicked Jang Chung-won stomped on her back with his other foot, she didn’t let go. She intended to hold on desperately until he gave up.
“How crude.”
Do Ha-jun leisurely checked his watch and kindly informed them that not much time was left until Seo I-heum arrived.
Did that mean she should just take the beating until he got there? Baek I-hae ground her teeth.
‘The boss knows where I am, but not my current situation. I can’t expect help right away.’
That meant she had to escape on her own. When running, she had that cheat-like infinite stamina ability, so as long as she got a chance to flee, she could manage somehow.
Do Ha-jun didn’t seem inclined to chase her. Baek I-hae opened her mouth and bit down hard on Jang Chung-won’s calf, as if to tear off a chunk of flesh.
“Aaaargh!”
As Jang Chung-won screamed and finally fell on his butt in an ungainly heap, Baek I-hae quickly got up.
Then she dashed toward the door. As expected, Do Ha-jun didn’t follow.
‘It’s okay. The boss knows Baek Yeong is here, so with Do Ha-jun around…!’
The moment she tried to open the door, someone yanked her hair hard. The grip was so strong it felt like her scalp was being torn off, and for the first time, Baek I-hae couldn’t hold back a scream.
“Kyaaah!”
“Easy there. She needs to save her screams for later—don’t make her go hoarse.”
Do Ha-jun said in a mock-concerned voice. It was Jang Chung-won dragging her by the hair back to Do Ha-jun’s side.
He must have been desperate, displaying superhuman strength.
‘Damn it, damn it!’
She’d almost escaped, only to be caught so easily—it was infuriating. The door grew distant.
As Baek I-hae stretched out her hand toward the door, tears streaming down her face, staring endlessly at it.
The firmly closed door opened, and the light of the sunset began to seep in. And through the crack, a black shadow appeared.
The build was too slender to be Seo I-heum. As Baek I-hae blinked her teary eyes and barely regained her vision, the figure spoke.
“Let go.”
A face she’d never seen before—cold and hardened. A face that looked ready to kill someone, icy cold.
“I said let go of Baek I-hae, you bastard.”
It was Seo Do-gyeom, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.
