Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: Ambush After Testimony
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"Your Honor. That concludes my examination."
As the prosecutor finished speaking, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Even pretending otherwise, standing in court as a witness was pretty nerve-wracking.
'Doesn't his eyes hurt staring like that?'
If only Hyun Tae-seong weren't glaring at me from that corner. From the moment I appeared, he hadn't let up for a second, staring so hard it looked like blood vessels were bursting in his eyes.
My face is gonna get drilled through.
'Looks like Hyun Jeong-hu has completely abandoned him.'
Hyun Tae-seong's antics had Hyunmu's name popping up everywhere, with the media splashing headlines about the chaebol heir's misdeeds.
Trying to shield him half-heartedly would just backfire big time.
'A cheap lawyer... skimped on the cash there.'
The lawyer sitting next to Hyun Tae-seong was a face I didn't recognize, so probably not from a big firm.
Considering how chaebol heirs usually roll out top-tier legal teams, this was pathetically underwhelming. Just from that, it was clear which way Hyun Jeong-hu's decision had swung.
'No bad deals for him.'
The logic of a ruthless businessman. No point shelling out for an expensive lawyer if the return on investment didn't match, so he cut ties coldly from the start.
Better to spend that money elsewhere, I guess.
A gaze toward his own son? Hard to see it that way. Hell, did he ever think of him as a son to begin with?
Well, I'd already seen how Hyun Jeong-hu handled Hyun Tae-seong's scandals before my regression, so it wasn't all that shocking.
'Though the man himself seems to be taking it hard.'
His complexion was wrecked. Dark circles hollowed out under his eyes, and his exposed wrists were noticeably thinner than before.
Despair from crashing to rock bottom in an instant, probably.
But those glaring eyes still burned fierce amid it all, so who knew how many years his brother would get.
I bowed politely and stepped down from the witness stand.
"This way, please."
As soon as I descended, someone who looked like a court official stuck right by my side.
"You applied for witness protection, right? This is the dedicated passage. Head straight down, and you'll hit the back exit. Switch cars there."
"Thank you."
Who knew the courthouse had secret passages like this. Seemed completely blocked off from outsiders.
'I only applied for protection because I was worried about my identity getting exposed, not some attack.'
Who'd help Hyun Tae-seong now that even Hyun Jeong-hu had ditched him? He wasn't bold enough to pull stupid stunts while under arrest and investigation anyway.
No need to worry.
'Ran straight here after filming, so I'm beat. Head home, crash hard tonight. Tomorrow's schedule is definitely...'
Right as I stepped out of the courtroom and reached the parked car.
A shadow fell over my head. In that instant, a powerful sense of déjà vu hit me.
I'd definitely been through something like this before—an ominous premonition surging up from my toes.
I froze, hand on the car.
Tension crackled in the air.
Rolling my eyes, I barely caught the edge of some crude shoes in my peripheral vision.
The presence behind me wasn't my imagination.
"......"
One second felt like an hour.
Cold sweat trickled down my back. In that split moment, countless thoughts flashed through my head.
Should I scream? Nah, this is the most remote spot behind the courthouse.
Turn around and see his face? If I recognize him, he might silence me to destroy evidence.
Say something? As if he'd listen.
Smash his head with my phone corner to buy time? What if he fights back?
Options got shot down fast.
My deliberation ended quick.
Not by me, but by the assailant.
"......It's all because of you."
A voice I'd heard somewhere before. Hoarse and cracked, but its original timbre was faintly recognizable.
"Everything. It's all because of you...!"
The thug trembled violently, then raised his hand high. His shadow revealed every move.
I dodged sideways.
Whoosh!
Thud!
"Argh!"
I couldn't evade completely. The knife aimed at my gut glanced off, slicing the outer side of my thigh.
Even that sent my leg buckling; I nearly collapsed. Leaning on the car, I steadied myself and finally saw who it was.
Hair a wild mess, patchy beard. Unwashed for days, a foul stench crept into my nose.
The gripped knife was stained red with my blood, yellowed T-shirt like he hadn't changed in days. Short sleeves and shorts that didn't fit the warming weather.
A total wreck, but I knew his name.
"...Kim, Jun-seo."
Kim Jun-seo, the restaurant owner from Alley Secrets. That was him.
The one who got backlash for not accepting my harsh critique, resorted to violence, and got booted from the show.
'I blocked him after he kept begging for a settlement and totally forgot about him...'
Suddenly, Baek Jae-ha's worried voice echoed in my mind.
He'd always nagged me to be careful, insisting on rides to and from work. I'd wondered why he was so over-the-top.
Turns out Baek Jae-ha was right a hundred times over.
"Does it hurt? Hurt, right? I hurt way worse...... Do you know what it's like losing your shop, having nowhere to go? Know what it's like becoming a nationwide piece of shit!"
Kim Jun-seo yelled something, but it didn't register. All I could think was to calm him down first.
"Boss, calm down for a sec,"
"Boss? Who's the boss? I ain't a boss anymore."
Oops. Looks like I accidentally hit his berserk button.
"Who's fault is this, huh?!"
Swoosh!
The red kitchen knife cleaved the air.
"Urk!"
Barely avoided getting stabbed. Good thing I backed off the instant his arm moved.
Taking that one would've been serious.
'......But I lost balance dodging and fell.'
No second chances. Next one hits for sure.
Not just me—Kim Jun-seo seemed to think the same. A sinister smile crept over his face.
"Heh, heh heh heh. Heh heh heh heh......"
He let out a low, guttural laugh like he'd lost his mind. A face that could be crying or grinning.
His eyes held something unknowable—regret for what he'd done, or joy at successful revenge?
Swoop.
Kim Jun-seo silently raised his arm high. I tried stepping back, but my vision blackened for a second.
'Huh?'
Come to think of it, the ground was wet.
Staring at the blood soaking my palm, I muttered inwardly.
'When did I bleed this much?'
Right then, sunlight glinted off the knife blade he held high, blinding me—
"Huh? Why's there water here like... Aaaah!"
Someone screamed.
"Damn it!"
Clang—the kitchen knife hit the ground, blurring in my hazy sight.
'Dizzy. Sleepy. So cold......'
Chills swept over me. Sleep crashed down, impossible to fight.
Murmurs of people, maybe sirens blaring.
But sleep was too sweet; I couldn't wake.
Blackout.
And back to now, waking alone in the hospital room.
'Anemia? Yeah, I lost a ton of blood.'
I had no idea my body held that much. Seeing the floor soaked in my blood nearly knocked me out again.
'But not too serious.'
Wound was stitched up fine, no more dizziness.
Crutches or wheelchair till the muscle heals. Nodding at that thought—
Swoop.
Hospital door opened, bickering voices trailing in.
"So you should've stuck close and marked him tight!"
"What was I supposed to do, he left without a word? I thought he was heading to work?"
"That's your excuse...?!"
Hyun Ye-won and Baek Jae-ha entered side by side with drinks, spotting me dead on.
"......"
"......"
Awkward silence hung, till I couldn't take it and waved weakly.
"Hey?"
Hey? Even flustered, that's embarrassing. What a lame move.
Face heating up in secondhand shame, then plink-plink—something dropped.
"?
Looking up, their drink cans rolled on the floor. That cola—can I have it?
Before I could tilt my head, Hyun Ye-won flung the door open and yelled.
"He's awake! He's awake!"
"......No particular issues. Avoid straining till the muscle knits back—recovery should take 4 to 8 weeks. Once the surgical site heals a bit, discharge and do outpatient follow-ups."
Only after the doctor's clean bill did Hyun Ye-won and Baek Jae-ha relax a little.
"Rest well."
Doctor shut the door, leaving us three alone at last.
Feeling the mood grow heavy, I thought to myself.
'Jae-ha blows up scary, Ye-won steps in to hold him back.'
Similar thing happened last time he got mad. I could predict it.
But I'd gotten the hang of soothing Baek Jae-ha. Play along, apologize, and he'd usually let it slide.
Endure the nagging a bit, and it'd be over—right then.
"President."
Hyun Ye-won spoke first, unexpectedly.
"...What the hell were you thinking?"
Her tone so unlike usual, I flinched without meaning to.
Yeah.
'The one who never gets mad is the scariest when they do.'
Only facing her icy expression did that obvious truth hit home.