Theatrical Regression Life
Chapter 14

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Chapter 14

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The protagonist can do anything.

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“As a personal opinion, it seems like mental strength is crucial in this world.”

In response to the man’s words, Jung Inho turned his head to look at him.

“…So, Dr. Ha Sungyun?”

“Call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“So, what did you mean earlier?”

Jung Inho, holding a freshly picked branch, stared at Dr. Ha Sungyun. Yoon Garam, the CEO who joined them outside the company, also seemed puzzled as she looked at Ha Sungyun.

Observing the two’s reactions, he touched his earlobe and spoke.

“I’ve traveled around here and there, and what I’ve felt is that people don’t die easily, nor are they extremely robust.”

“Is that your philosophy as a doctor?”

“More of a subjective judgment than philosophy. I didn’t bring up those words to explain my philosophy, but… what I meant is that even seemingly insignificant things can make people faint or die when others look at it.”

Ha Sungyun tidied up the newspaper he picked up earlier and spoke.

“It applies to my injuries too.”

He pointed to his side with the hand that wasn’t holding the newspaper.

Before coming out of the flower shop with Manager Lee Jaehun, something happened inside, resulting in a messy and not-so-clean wound that seemed like it was torn by teeth.

Despite being bandaged, blood seeped out, staining one side of his shirt in red.

“I applied pressure, but since it’s not a bandage used for hemostasis, it was inevitable that blood would flow. So, I thought it wouldn’t be strange to faint in the middle of it….”

“….”

“As you can see, I can walk on two feet and pick up objects on the ground perfectly fine.” Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

After saying that, Ha Sungyun pursed his lips for a moment before continuing.

“Let me correct myself; the pain is still very much felt.”

“Why are you enduring right now? Is it because of mental strength?”

“Probably, that’s what I think.”

He neatly folded the newspaper into a square.

With a rustling sound, the compressed newspaper, now darker than the grayish sky, seemed to swallow shadows rather than the light they knew.

For some reason, the sound was oddly disturbing to Jung Inho.

“This world is a bit peculiar. Even if you stay still, your head hurts or feels numb. I speculate that this world somehow affects our mental strength.”

“Is that so?”

Yoon Garam pressed her head as if checking whether his words were correct, but Jung Inho, who was also entertaining similar speculations as Dr. Ha Sungyoon, remained silent without confirming his words.

“But when I exerted strength in my brain as if during surgery, surprisingly, I can endure even in the current state. It’s strange that I can endure like this without experiencing such a wound before.”

“…So, it’s because of mental strength.”

Muttering in this way, Jung Inho adjusted the branch he held in his hand.

It was quite a plausible speculation.

In the company, Kang Minah, who was a team leader with whom communication was relatively smooth, and Noh Yeonseok, an intern, were, in his assessment, people with strong mental resilience. As for Kwon Yeonhee, he didn’t know much about her, but she seemed to have a personality that didn’t dwell too deeply on things, appearing to handle stress well.

So, considering the situation so far, perhaps Manager Lee Jaehun was aware of this.

It meant that just with mental resilience alone, one could maintain a level of strength beyond the usual state of the body.

“…So, that’s why he acted so proactively.”

As he stared into the empty space through his glasses, Dr. Ha Sungyoon opened his mouth.

“Of course, I’m not certain. There’s no concrete evidence.”

“…”

“But given the circumstances, I thought it would be good to share the possible thoughts.”

That’s what he said.

“So, with that said, Mr. Jung Inho.”

“Yes.”

“What kind of person was Mr. Lee Jaehun?”

“…”

At those words, Jung Inho involuntarily closed his mouth. It was a rare reflexive reaction.

Not a momentary thought, but a response that just instinctively popped out. For Jung Inho, who usually paid attention even to a single word, this was an exceptionally unusual situation.

Soon realizing it, he was taken aback by the fact that his actions were beyond his control.

Trying not to appear more awkward by delaying his response, he opened his mouth with a somewhat embarrassed feeling.

His voice sounded strained, as if something caught in his throat.

“…Just, um… he was, well… the manager.”

It felt odd because admitting something odd became a vulnerability, and exposing vulnerabilities meant losing in the battle of information. Jung Inho didn’t want to become the weaker one.

“A ‘well’ manager?”

“Hmm. He wasn’t someone with a pleasant personality. You could say he was what we commonly call an old-fashioned authoritarian.”

Inadvertently collecting his composure, Jung Inho shook his head. With the help of Manager Lee Jaehun, they managed to get through the flower shop situation, not entirely unscathed, but still, they could survive intact. Perhaps there was some goodwill towards him, so there seemed to be no need to bring up unnecessary gossip.

Situations where gossip could win favor were limited.

He recalled information that could appear as objective facts.

“He mentioned himself as a parachute at a company dinner. Judging by his remarks, it seemed he wasn’t exactly a favorite among colleagues, probably because it looked like he came from a well-off family.”

“So, he’s an old-fashioned, parachute*, and a silver spoon?”

[Note:- Parachute – when someone gets an opportunity (a job, a promotion, etc.) because of their personal connections, usually it’s nepotism.]

“…I wouldn’t call it gossip, but… summarizing, yes.”

Jung Inho felt uneasy with Dr. Ha Sungyoon’s extreme simplification of his words.

He realized why Manager Lee Jaehun occasionally wore a strange expression when talking to him. It felt like this, that kind of feeling.

Whether he knew or not about Jung Inho’s feelings, he spoke with his distinctive gentle voice.

“I may appear different from what you’ve seen at the hospital or the flower shop.”

“…I also think so.”

Yoon Garam, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, spoke up.

“You seemed a bit sensitive… but you didn’t really come across as an old-fashioned type. Sometimes, when you say things that make it feel that way, well.”

“…”

“Maybe it wasn’t something you intentionally brought up due to being narrow-minded?”

Even as she said that, she seemed to doubt her own judgment.

“…If you’re asking about that, I don’t have much to say either.”

And in that regard, Jung Inho felt the same way.

Manager Lee Jaehun seemed to have a dual personality, shifting between using formal language and informal language, raising and lowering his voice. His expression was almost always furrowed, but as his tone changed, so did his gestures.

At least, according to Jung Inho’s observations, it seemed that way. Perhaps Yoon Garam unconsciously sensed this duality. Although she hadn’t grasped this aspect yet, she tried to come up with plausible speculations that would satisfy herself. However, even she couldn’t trust her own conclusions.

The current state of Manager Lee Jaehun seemed abnormal to the point that it couldn’t be considered entirely normal.

“It’s not a split personality.”

Jung Inho stated with confidence.

“On a personal level, I believe he’s very meticulous about keeping work and personal matters separate.”

“…Separating work and personal matters?”

At his words, Yoon Garam wore a somewhat ambiguous expression, as if questioning what he meant. Dr. Ha Sungyoon slowly rolled his eyes, indicating some understanding of what they were hinting at.

From their expressions, he could vaguely guess what each of them wanted to say.

Picking up another small branch, Jung Inho continued.

“…Because my home is a bit far from the company, I haven’t had a chance to meet the manager personally.”

To be honest, that was a natural circumstance. No, it was the appropriate situation.

Why would any office worker want to meet their boss, who grilled them all day during the weekdays, even in a personal setting?

Sure, he could go to great lengths to cater to someone’s whims for the sake of a promotion, but Manager Lee Jaehun didn’t fall into that category. He had earned his position seemingly solely through connections and wealth, receiving subtle resentment from those who were truly competent.

Manager Lee Jaehun wasn’t someone deserving enough for Jung Inho to bend over backward to please, not even in personal matters.

Certainly, the hierarchical difference between a manager and a deputy was significant, but Jung Inho had no desire to chase after Manager Lee Jaehun’s coattails.

Moreover, some of his subordinates had often acted as if they were a taxi, driving him to his home. Knowing Manager Lee Jaehun’s address, Jung Inho was confident that he wouldn’t have any personal encounters with him.

As long as there was no business, Jung Inho had no reason to go near Manager Lee Jaehun’s residence.

Similarly, Manager Lee Jaehun had no reason to visit Jung Inho’s old and unimpressive neighborhood.

And yet, Jung Inho’s judgment crumbled as Manager Lee Jaehun unexpectedly appeared in his neighborhood.

“Manager Lee… seemed to have visited that area to buy something.”

Of course, Jung Inho knew it was a bottle of liquor that Manager Lee Jaehun had purchased, but he chose not to mention it.

He concealed what he had bought at that time, whether it was genuine or an act, Jung Inho wasn’t sure. At least, there was no need to stir up unnecessary conversation that might disturb him.

“And then, during that, a child ran into the road towards the opposite side.”

“…”

“Manager Lee caught the child from behind…”

Clang!

“…and, fell together.”

The sound of breaking glass, a vivid blue, reached his ears, which was definitely an auditory hallucination since entering this world. However, Jung Inho couldn’t determine if it was the sound of a liquor bottle breaking or the sound of an expensive watch face shattering. The only certain thing was that Manager Lee Jaehun felt no value in the pain it caused.

Even as blood oozed between torn and split skin, he seemed indifferent.

Feeling momentarily dizzy, Jung Inho pressed his nose.

“…Right after that, a car collided with a utility pole. The child was almost hit by the car, and the driver almost killed the child.”

“Thanks to Lee Jaehun, they both survived.”

“Yes, that’s right. He even roughly treated the driver’s injuries… He saved more than one life.”

Jung Inho recalled a woman who had run towards the crying child.

If that precious child had died, rushing towards me just in front of her, could the woman’s life have remained intact?

Absentmindedly playing with the gathered branches, Jung Inho spoke.

“So, personally, I don’t know much about who you are. The manager I saw at the company wasn’t exactly someone I could say was good…”

“Did he seem different outside?”

“Yes.”

He couldn’t precisely define how he was different, but Jung Inho still hadn’t reached a conclusion.

“Actually, the reason I managed to escape the building at the company was also thanks to the manager.”

“Now that you mention it, considering you escaped from that tall building, your condition seems quite good.”

“…As you heard while you were with us earlier, the manager took the lead and ended up getting injured alone.”

After a moment of hesitation, Jung Inho continued.

“I thought he only cared about his own well-being.”

“…”

“It seems it’s not that simple.”

Rather, based on Manager Lee Jaehun’s actions, it seemed as if he lived with little regard for his own safety. Or maybe he had several lifelines.

Leaving the company, he had suffered a significant penetrating injury to his shoulder and leg, and at the flower shop, he had a burn severe enough to cause skin to melt on his ankle. The wounds seen over the weekend hadn’t healed in a day or two, and his arm and wrist already had scars.

As Dr. Ha Sungyoon had speculated, unless personal mental resilience visibly affected him, he wouldn’t have been able to endure at that level. The ironic thing was that none of the group felt any guilt about Manager Lee Jaehun’s condition.

It was so absurd when they realized that Manager Lee Jaehun himself was at the core of it all.

Did he desire division? It’s unlikely, but perhaps he hoped to quietly withdraw from the current group dynamics precisely because of that.

Jung Inho didn’t dwell on that thought.

“So, personally, I don’t think good people… well, I don’t think he was a good person.”

Manager Lee Jaehun wasn’t a good person.

Since entering this world, none of us were in our right minds. Simultaneously, even before that, Manager Lee Jaehun had been in a state that could hardly be called normal. If he were normal, could he have casually put on such an act? Could he have displayed duality to the extent of feeling like a split personality in such a rational manner?

Could he be so adept at handling pain to the point of not valuing it?

In Jung Inho’s judgment, Manager Lee Jaehun was certainly not normal, and at least in this aspect, he didn’t even attempt to hide it.

He remembered the moment in the company when Manager Lee Jaehun locked eyes with him just before injuring his shoulder.

And because he wasn’t in his right mind, Manager Lee Jaehun, who pursued extreme efficiency, was more necessary for our current group than anything else.

Jung Inho spoke.

“But… he was willing to sacrifice even his life for us.”

“…”

“On a personal level, he seems like a good person.”

More rational than insane, so to speak.

“…But still, it doesn’t quite resonate with me.”

Unconsciously, Jung Inho touched his forehead.

His greatest strength was logical thinking, and through that judgment, he had derived conclusions so far. However, despite that, the image of Manager Lee Jaehun from the past hadn’t completely vanished.

For Jung Inho, Manager Lee Jaehun was simply a bad-tempered, old-fashioned boss, and naturally, they didn’t get along well. Manager Lee Jaehun always regarded him with disdain, and now it was too vivid to be mere acting.

Was it all acting? On the contrary, because it was acting, it became even more certain that he was insane. Yet, there was a fleeting thought that if he were to fall asleep and wake up, Manager Lee Jaehun would appear before him as usual.

To that extent, Manager Lee Jaehun had no value for Jung Inho.

“In fact, if there hadn’t been an accident even on the weekend, I would have continued to think that way.”

Jung Inho, his head throbbing, sighed.

The Manager Lee Jaehun, whom he had considered living and dying for his own safety throughout his life, personally saved the child. His unfamiliar appearance, desperately uttering excuses, made Jung In-ho reconsider his evaluation of the person.

If he didn’t revise his judgment after witnessing that, it would have been a foolish act.

Feeling a headache, Jung Inho pressed his nose and suddenly recalled the hand of Manager Lee Jaehun.

“…”

The hand that partially covered the face of the rescued child.

Before the child could cry or see anything, Manager Lee Jaehun had covered the child’s eyes with a hand that bled.

Clearly, Manager Lee Jaehun was guarding against the gaze of onlookers.

Throughout the process, he seemed surprised by the unexpected situations, but when covering the child’s eyes, the atmosphere was even more intense.

It was like the instinctive and anxious touch of a blind person who had lived without a guardian, fumbling along a path where fire broke out, using their fingertips instead of a cane.

Jung Inho, who had pondered up to that point, turned to Dr. Ha Sungyoon and asked.

“So, I was wondering.”

“…”

“Why are you so curious about Manager Lee?”

In response, Dr. Ha Sungyoon let out a wry smile.

“…Did I show that much?”

“Yes, a bit.”

It was an obvious statement, but in reality, it wasn’t just a ‘bit.’ How could one not know when you were probing so openly?

Jung Inho, with a slightly wrinkled face that contrasted with his usual diligent appearance, continued speaking.

“…”

“You mentioned sharing thoughts, right?”

So, if they wanted to share proper information with each other, it meant digging out what they had found.

Though it had been a short time, it didn’t take long to understand each other properly.

Jung Inho quickly realized that among the gathered group, the most tangled individuals were himself, Manager Lee Jaehun, and Dr. Ha Sungyoon right in front of him.

Presumably, individuals like them, including Jung Inho himself, and probably Dr. Ha Sungyoon, were thinking a lot internally.

He wanted to hear the doctor’s thoughts about such people.

After a moment of contemplation, Dr. Ha Sungyoon, rolling his gaze upward, opened his mouth as if sighing.

“…From what I’ve seen, Manager Lee Jaehun…”

At that moment,

“―Aaaah!”

A scream that sounded like someone being torn apart echoed.

“…Huh?”

In an instant, all his senses were paralyzed.

The scream came from the direction of the starting point they had left, and among the group, there were two women.

He couldn’t be certain that the scream belonged to one of their group, and he didn’t have the mental capacity to make that judgment. Quickly, a decision had to be made.

“……”

Thunk!

Without even coming back to his senses, Jung Inho struck something crawling beneath his feet.

Thanks to the short monkey wrench, he had to bend down.

“……”

…It was a vine similar to what he had seen at the flower shop.

“Ah.”

“This is….”

More precisely, it was the monster that had coiled around Manager Lee Jaehun’s ankle. That’s why it had melted the skin there.

“…There’s a monster here too.”

In the end, what Jung Inho uttered was nothing but an obvious fact.

Monsters existed everywhere in this world, as seen in the company and the flower shop.

Having confirmed it firsthand, Jung Inho felt the coldness in the fingertips holding the blue tool.

On the other side, there were four remaining members of the group: Noh Yeonseok, Kwon Yeonhee, Kang Minah, and Lee Jaehun.

The monkey wrench, one of the two usable tools as a weapon, was currently held by Jung Inho, and Lee Jaehun, who was most proficient with the other weapon, a pipe, was not in the best condition.

Of course, judging by the unpredictable skill of Manager Lee Jaehun seen so far, it might not be easy to defeat him, but…

“……”

The sound heard now was the scream of a woman, and it wasn’t anyone else’s.

Unconsciously, Jung Inho let out a gasp.

“Ah.”

He sensed that someone had died.

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