Theatrical Regression Life
Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Among the members of the group, Lee Jaehun’s position wasn’t exactly ideal, but he turned out to be quite helpful. In short, he was someone you didn’t particularly like, but couldn’t afford to discard.

He was essentially a ‘person you’re not too fond of, but can’t just let go.’

However, due to the confusion between knowledge from his past life and the present, coupled with the influence of the otherworld, Jaehun’s mental strength had diminished. As a result, his judgment had become clouded, and he had managed to gain the favor of the group more than he should have.

Even now, he was trying to gradually undermine that and reduce the goodwill by carefully laying the groundwork…

“…This wound is quite recent.”

“But it looks like a pretty significant injury. I understand that getting help from the director is much faster, but still, this is not right.”

“…”

“Since earlier, it’s been only the Manager getting injured.”

What does it achieve if you say it like that?

“It seems like you’re intentionally highlighting only my injuries.”

Jaehun couldn’t believe it and couldn’t manage his expression.

If you didn’t know, you’d just let it go with a simple curse. But right now, the protagonist was using words intentionally designed to stimulate the group’s guilt.

It meant that he was aware of Jaehun’s intention to undermine and was intervening to prevent it.

However, the reason Jaehun couldn’t respond immediately here was because he didn’t know exactly how much the other person was aware of.

“Does he even know that I led them here…?”

Jaehun furrowed his brows.

He guided the group to a flower shop and then to the park, intentionally acting in a way that would prevent them from feeling guilt or sympathy for him due to his injuries.

After leaving the company, Jaehun probably didn’t blame himself for getting hurt, especially if it wasn’t instigated by the others in the group.

All of this was Jaehun’s own decision, and he had never criticized the group for the consequences, despite occasionally making grumpy remarks. Perhaps he felt a sense of stability in the current situation by throwing in such comments.

On top of that, the mental toll from the otherworldly experiences likely played a significant role.

And all of this had been orchestrated by Jaehun.

Of course, expecting more than a certain level of kindness or concern was beyond the scope, but he had been careful not to let guilt creep in.

Feeling awkward, Jaehun blinked.

‘He seems to have caught on to what I was trying to keep at a distance.’

After a moment of hesitation, he spoke.

“What does it matter?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why overthink it? I’m just doing it because I can.”

The protagonist revealed the suffering of Manager Jaehun, which the group had overlooked until now, and Jaehun asked what the problem was. If a pitiful reaction had come out here, it would have meant that the other person had detected his manipulation.

However, perhaps fortunately, the protagonist merely showed an awkward response.

“Are you serious?”

Distorted eyes and twisted eyebrows.

Judging by the expression and tone, it seemed that the protagonist was unaware of the fact that the flow of events so far had been Jaehun’s manipulation.

“Well, considering how much effort I’ve put into this.”

Jaehun, swallowing his relief, shrugged and replied.

“I can’t even crack a joke?”

“Well…”

“I was just kidding, just kidding. I made a joke because Deputy Jung acts a bit sensitively.”

“…”

“Since I value my own body, let’s not complicate things unnecessarily.”

So, the protagonist’s judgment seemed to be something like, ‘Amidst being excessively sacrificed by the group, the person involved is trying to create some distance.’

Perhaps, there was a concern that the team member was feeling a sense of guilt and might stop offering help.

Of course, for Jaehun, who was only concerned about creating psychological distance, it was a story that had nothing to do with him. He released the tension from his slightly tense shoulders.

‘No matter how awkward it is, I’m still just a chick.’

However, the situation was not over yet.

“So… what’s the plan? Should I just rest while everyone else is getting ready for the night?”

Jaehun failed to create the desired distance. If things had gone according to his plan, the team members, who were supposed to receive a minor wound and keep their distance, would have felt guilt instead. Looking at their somewhat confused expressions, not entirely related to the encounter at the flower shop, it was a judgment that was almost certain.

Yet, Jaehun had never intended to break down the teamwork carefully built up within the group. Now that his attempt to make only Jaehun disliked had failed, he had to restore it before it became completely dark.

In response to his words, the protagonist replied, “That might be a good idea. Anyway, if monsters come out, we might need the director’s help. Until then, why not take a break?”

“Hmm.”

“Just let us know roughly what needs to be done, and we’ll get ready accordingly.”

I swear, someday I’ll really pass this responsibility to someone else.

‘Even in the midst of it all, he refuses to take responsibility.’

Jaehun pressed his temples with a heavy heart.

Thanks to the incredibly annoying protagonist, he had ended up in a situation where he lost without gaining anything.

This guy is seriously infuriating.

However, Jaehun, who had roughly predicted this situation since about a minute ago, ultimately had to go along with the flow.

“Get dry grass, paper, and… tree branches with varying thickness. Find them.”

“Yes, understood.”

“It’s okay if the thin branches are a bit damp, but the thicker ones should be as dry as possible.”

“Got it.”

“Well…”

He hesitated for a moment, then spat out his words.

“If monsters show up, it’s good to have something to grab and swing around.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll light the fire once you bring them, so for now…”

“I’ll do the lighting.”

“….”

I don’t get along with this guy.

Jaehun, feeling a sense of disappointment, put his pipe down on the ground as he recalled the emotions he had felt when Deputy Jung Inho joined the company.

Even though he hadn’t thought about it for too long, the psychological impact of his meticulously planned scheme failing due to the dislikable person in front of him was substantial.

Meanwhile, the protagonist had left with the doctor and the flower shop owner. Considering that the remaining people were all employees working under the same roof, it was clear to even a passing three-year-old what his intention was.

Jaehun sighed at the group that was openly watching him.

“….”

Wait… do I have to liven up this situation now?

‘Did I create this mess?’

It’s not like I’m giving a disease and a cure. Jaehun, who looked like he could play the drum and gong at any moment, stared into the void with tired eyes.

To put it a bit dramatically, due to the instant reversal of roles between the perpetrator and the victim, Jaehun was almost the only one with the authority to speak in the current situation.

In other words, the right and duty to resolve the current awkwardness rested mainly with Jaehun.

He wiped his face and opened his mouth.

“…Yeonseok.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Well….”

Damn, what the hell is this?

Jaehun held back the irritation and discomfort bubbling deep within his chest as he spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

However, in the current situation, there were no other words he could utter.

Of course, Jaehun was not sorry at all. As the perpetrator, he was too worn out in conscience to feel sorry for the victim. And as the victim, there were no words to say.

Adding blame to a situation already laden with guilt would only make things worse.

In the end, all Jaehun could manage was a simple ‘I’m sorry.’

It was a way of saying, ‘You hit me, I hit you. Let’s not burden each other with guilt.’

Fortunately, the intern, Noh Yeonseok, seemed to understand his intention and accepted the apology.

“Oh, no! I mean, I’m the one… unnecessarily saying things that cloud the atmosphere.”

“I was being overly sensitive.”

“No, it’s not that…”

After hesitating, Yeonseok continued.

“…I’m sorry, Director.”

As Jaehun, it was truly unsettling for him that Noh Yeonseok, the intern, was sincerely apologizing.

However, in Jaehun’s perspective, he had done nothing wrong.

Sure, there was some discomfort in the friendly gesture of trying to match up with the director after he had gone to great lengths to save their lives. But anyway, such informality wasn’t really Jaehun’s miscalculation.

Ultimately, Noh Yeonseok, the intern, wasn’t at fault. Thanks to the protagonist, who feigned ignorance with overly good acting, Jaehun’s big picture had collapsed, and they were the ones bearing the brunt of that mistake, not the protagonist.

Following Noh Yeonseok, the other members of the group also spoke up.

“I’m sorry too…”

“Me too.”

Team Leader Kang Mina spoke, “Director, you kept getting hurt because of us, and we haven’t done anything.”

Look at how the atmosphere is turning around.

‘The protagonist is such a disgusting person.’

Jaehun inwardly sighed, rubbing his forehead.

It was a situation he had anticipated since he noticed the protagonist’s manipulation, but experiencing it was even more cringe-worthy and irritating.

I would have preferred doing less if I got entangled in the protagonist’s scheme without doing anything. However, it was even more embarrassing, perhaps because I knew this was the result of the failure of my own plan.

But saying something like, ‘You don’t need to apologize because this was all part of my plan,’ would be truly insane.

In the end, Jaehun had nothing else to do but graciously accept their apologies and try to restore the atmosphere.

The problem was, Jaehun had never, in his past or present, experienced the act of ‘accepting a sincere apology and restoring morale.’ He spoke while pressing his throbbing head.

“It’s okay, this was the most efficient way.”

“…What?”

“…Huh?”

“….”

“No, what I meant was, you guys aren’t bad… It was my choice anyway.”

Is something going wrong right now?

Suddenly, he felt that he had misspoken, but there was nothing he could do about it. To rectify a mistake, one needed both the mental fortitude and the ability to do so, and Jaehun was in a state where he couldn’t even grasp which part of his words was incorrect.

He only sensed that the atmosphere was strangely shifting, so he tried to comfort them in a way he knew, adhering to common sense.

Of course, Jaehun’s comfort in the current situation might seem ironic, but as the leader who had guided them so far, he didn’t find it too awkward. At least, that’s how he judged it himself.

Jaehun licked his lips several times before speaking.

“Just, the situation… Everyone gets a bit touchy in situations like this.”

“….”

“I also got a bit tired, so I snapped at Yeonseok. It’s just… that kind of thing. It’s hard to think rationally when you’re already exhausted. I might not have chosen the nicest words, and it might have annoyed those who were listening.”

Upon hearing Jaehun’s words, the faces of the company employees, including intern Noh Yeonseok, turned pale.

“…Did it show that I was annoyed?”

“…Huh?”

“S-Sorry.”

“….”

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Jaehun sighed inwardly.

Well, they did their best to hide it.

Having experienced it many times in life, he wished he could take back what he just said.

Due to his fluctuating state of mind, his words didn’t come out as intended.

Until just now, their apparent fault was simply tolerating the old-fashioned boss’s one-man show. In other words, they were exercising their right to kindness. However, with Jaehun’s statement, the charge of ‘relying on only one person and even getting annoyed by it’ was added to their list of offenses.

Of course, except for the intern, everyone, being seasoned professionals, managed to hide any visible signs of annoyance. They could have just buried the guilt in their hearts and moved on, but Jaehun, by bringing this fact to light, made their wrongdoing blatantly evident.

Naturally, this was not what he intended.

‘Originally, this isn’t my role…!’

Jaehun quietly ground his teeth. Managing conflicts like these wasn’t his forte, especially when he preferred the convenience of directing others with utmost efficiency, even if it meant receiving resentment.

Jaehun found this situation embarrassingly trivial, akin to preschoolers exchanging apologies. Eventually, he had to listen to the team’s apologies in a semi-detached state.

‘I don’t know, the protagonist will probably handle it when they arrive.’

For any other matter, Jaehun might not have cared, but as the involved party, he had no intention of resolving this. He felt the already fragile state of his mind deteriorating due to the influence of the parallel world. He half-heartedly listened to Noh Yeonseok intern’s words.

“The advice you usually give, Director… I was just listening to it without really paying attention.”

“Are you actually listening to that?”

“…Yes?”

“All of that is just old-fashioned….”

Jaehun suddenly snapped back to attention.

“…Ah.”

Did I just ridicule myself?

He made an effort not to show his embarrassment and observed the team’s reactions, and unsurprisingly, their expressions were far from favorable. The faces that had been gradually contorting now seemed filled with doubt.

Jaehun pondered how to salvage the situation, but…

“….”

“…Let’s just move on.”

“Ah, yes….”

In the end, there was no other choice but to brush it off and move forward.

I don’t know, I have no intention of explaining. Moreover, in the midst of the escalating chaos in the atmosphere since earlier, it was hard to find the mental space to rectify his own verbal mistake.

Jaehun looked at the team, whose faces were twisting in various ways, and said,

“Anyway… since we’ve both messed up fairly, let’s not dwell on unnecessary thoughts and take a good rest until the other team members return.”

“Yes, Director.”

“….”

Then silence filled the air.

‘Damn.’

If only he could, he felt a desire to commit suicide. Look at this surprisingly awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere.

Though they hastily concluded due to the darkening sky, anyone passing by could tell that it wasn’t a proper resolution.

He swallowed a sigh, covering his eyes with one hand.

‘What do these people really think of me…’

Until now, he had somewhat detached himself from the situation, but now he had no idea how they perceived ‘Jaehun.’

From being a rich spoon-fed old-fashioned chief, to a somewhat good person, to an expert adept at surviving by sticking to the company, and then being considered a sensitive person by these colleagues who had pinned him down…

Jaehun, who had briefly summarized the current situation, soon gave up thinking as his head began to ache. Amidst the chaos, he couldn’t manage to detach himself due to the confusion caused by the alternate world.

‘I wonder if they’re mistaking this for some kind of split personality.’

“Sigh….”

Rubbing his throbbing head, he leaned against a wall-shaped sculpture and gazed at the sky as it gradually darkened. In the original world’s context, it was probably around the time the sun was setting.

While staring at the sky, Jaehun succumbed to the approaching drowsiness.

“….”

Ah, whatever.

‘Deputy Jung will handle it.’

He decided to trust in the abilities of the protagonist in this mature-rated survival story.

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