TDIMEH Chapter 55

 55. Moon Sohee’s Outburst

Junhyuk let out a deep sigh as he looked down at Se-ah.

“That’s why I told Boss Nam to stop you.”

“He tried to, but I came here on my own anyway.”

“Why did you do that? You almost got caught by those guys. I thought my heart was going to burst, worrying you might be taken away. Look, it’s still racing.”

Without warning, Junhyuk grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

She could feel his heart pounding loudly, like a drum.

“W-what are you doing? Y-you could’ve just said it.”

Even through his shirt, she could feel his firm muscles, causing her face to heat up.

Cutting down trees nonstop while coming to this place had only made his arms thicker, his shoulders broader, and his chest wider.

Maybe Do Junhyuk was built for the wild.

The thought briefly crossed her mind, but then she remembered how sharp his intellect was.

Right.

The conclusion was simple—he was good at everything.

And maybe…

The thought that the bat showing up earlier wasn’t a coincidence popped into her head.

“That bat… Did you do that, Junhyuk?”

She asked, not expecting much, but to her surprise, Junhyuk nodded.

“Yes. If I suddenly appeared, those guys might’ve panicked and started shooting randomly. So, I stayed put and spotted the bat in the bushes. To distract them, I threw it to the opposite side.”

He explained it as if it were nothing, and Se-ah couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

He was now a man capable of handling bats too. Her ex-husband, Do Junhyuk.

“I thought it was strange for them to be active at this hour. Thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, I really would’ve been caught.”

“If the bat hadn’t been there, I would’ve rushed out.”

Junhyuk responded as though it was only natural.

“I know. But when a moment like that comes, don’t ever step in.”

Se-ah appreciated his willingness to take risks for her, but it only made her worry about him even more.

“That’s for me to decide. You came all the way here thinking I might’ve been hurt, even though you knew it would be dangerous because of the gunshot. And yet, you expect me to stay put?”

“T-that’s because… I can’t manage without the Captain.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Se-ah regretted them. She wished she could take them back, but Junhyuk’s sparkling eyes told her it was already too late.

“You mean that, don’t you? That you can’t manage without me?”

His cheeks flushed noticeably.

“N-no, I didn’t mean it like that. I just… life on the island would be difficult without a Captain… that’s all.”

Flustered, Se-ah tried to take a step back, but Junhyuk moved closer, as if he couldn’t bear to put any distance between them.

“I-it’s just something I said…!”

Before she could finish, Junhyuk suddenly pulled her into his arms. His broad chest enveloped her, leaving her breathless.

Lowering his head over hers, he whispered softly.

“It doesn’t matter what you meant. What’s important is that I’m someone you can’t do without. It’s the same for me. If I didn’t know you, it would’ve been different. But now that I know Jin Se-ah, I can’t do without you either. So, stay by my side. Just don’t do anything dangerous like this again.”

For a moment, Se-ah wondered if her heart had moved to her ears. The pounding seemed loud enough to echo in her head.

Even in such a perilous situation, being in his arms made her feel fearless.

She felt grateful for his straightforwardness, and she found him even more lovable for it.

Se-ah hesitated for a moment before raising her arms and wrapping them around Junhyuk’s waist. His heartbeat was just as strong and fast as hers.

'Once life on the island is over…' Thoughts like these had no place in her mind anymore.

Every moment she spent with him was precious.

Once the men were completely out of sight, Se-ah held Junhyuk’s hand, and they left the area.

The rest of the group was surely worried, so they decided to head back for now.

The path that had seemed so difficult on the way down felt effortless now that she was with Junhyuk.

“So, you were hiding there the whole time? I thought you’d been caught, which is why I came down.”

“No. I was further down but came up just recently. I came across some interesting people.”

“What kind of people?”

“There were two Koreans among the workers.”

“Koreans?”

Se-ah’s eyes widened in surprise.

If one of them was Jo Jisang, he would have been alone. Kevin, Leo, Ren, and Rosie were all locals, which left her curious about the other person.

“What did they look like? One of them might be the Captain’s friend.”

“One of them was a man in his sixties, about your height. The other was in his thirties… He seemed a bit shorter than me and had a somewhat frivolous impression. But that type doesn’t sound like someone who’d be my friend.”

Junhyuk tilted his head, puzzled.

“That sounds like him to me.”

Junhyuk’s description closely matched Jo Jisang’s appearance. Though Se-ah couldn’t quite picture Jo Jisang being forced into labor, she was relieved to hear he was still alive.

“The man in his sixties tried to escape by boat and got caught. That’s what the gunshot was about.”

“That must’ve been dangerous.”

“Funny thing is, even after getting caught, he tried to negotiate, saying he’d retrieve money if they gave him a power of attorney. He claimed he could access a large sum of money.”

“He must be rich.”

“No, he didn’t look the part.”

Se-ah felt a sudden chill. A man in his sixties talking about a power of attorney…

The name Director Kim briefly crossed her mind, but she shook her head. It was an absurd thought.

No. There’s no way. Why would Director Kim be stuck in a place like this?

“Were there no other people? There were three men and one woman with us—they’re my coworkers. I have a feeling the people who split off in the boat might’ve been caught too.”

“I’m not sure. But among the smaller, weaker-looking people, there were a few sturdy men. It could’ve been them.”

Se-ah wished she had a photo to show him, but her instincts told her it was them. She resolved to go back down tomorrow.

She felt a strong urge to confirm their identities.

Not long after, Boss Nam and Moon Sohee appeared beyond the bushes.

But Amihan, who should’ve been with them, was nowhere in sight.

“Wait!”

Se-ah released Junhyuk’s hand and ran ahead.

Rustle.

She pushed past the tall grass and almost stumbled upon Amihan, who was lying on the ground. Boss Nam paced nervously beside him.

“Coco! President Do!”

Seeing Se-ah, Boss Nam waved frantically, his gaze darting to someone behind her.

“Why are you running like that? What if you trip?”

Junhyuk, who had caught up to her, scolded gently, but Se-ah’s attention was fixed on Amihan.

She knelt hurriedly beside him, placing a hand on Amihan’s forehead. His skin was burning hot, like it could cook a meal.

His slightly parted lips were pale, utterly devoid of color.

“What happened to him?”

Se-ah, pale with worry, looked up at Boss Nam.

“He collapsed shortly after you left. I gave him some fever medicine, but it doesn’t seem to be working. He’s even started rambling—it’s serious.”

“W-what do we do?”

Se-ah turned to Junhyuk with trembling eyes, hoping he might have a solution.

But before Junhyuk could respond, Moon Sohee cut in.

“This is why we shouldn’t have taken him in. What if he has an infectious disease?”

Moon Sohee stepped further away from Amihan, shaking her head in disapproval.

Se-ah felt a surge of anger, her vision tinged with red.

“Did you really just say that?”

“I didn’t even say everything. Honestly, wasn’t it because of him that we pushed ourselves to come this far? Compassion has its limits. Is this really the time to be looking after others?”

“And who do you think is alive today because of my compassion? Watch your words.”

Se-ah’s icy glare bore into Moon Sohee as she shot back.

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