Love History Caused By Willful Negligence

Vol. 2 Chapter 31:

Translated by Chef

Edited by Chef

Inseop neatly arranged the side dishes one by one in the refrigerator. All of them were side dishes received from Yoon Areum’s mother.

He received a request from Yoon Ahreum to come and look at the cat as the family was all gone today. He asked if he could enter the unoccupied house. No matter how many times he’d met them, it didn’t feel good. Then, Yoon Areum answered with a smile.

‘My father asked for it. You know how to look after them, and Inseop is not that kind of person. You seem to be more concerned about Arthur than anything else.’

Arthur had diarrhea yesterday and they took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with stress. As the environment changed, it seemed that even that small thing was bothering him. Areum said that he eats well and plays well, but she said it would be better to keep an eye on him just in case. Inseop replied that he would.

He spent half a day with the cats like that. He searched and checked Lee Wooyeon’s name in his spare time. He wanted to text him, but stopped because he feared it would interfere with his work. Lee Wooyeon also did not contact him during the day. The time to call him was after he finished his schedule.

It wasn’t until late afternoon that Yoon Ahreum’s father returned. He rushed into the room, looked at Arthur’s condition, and asked Inseop to eat and leave with a blunt expression. He thought it would be rude to refuse an adult’s invitation to eat, so Inseop replied that he would.

At dinner, Inseop happened to tell him that both his parents were in the US and he was living alone in Korea. In the end, when he left the house, he was given a full portion of side dishes. He said it was okay, but Yoon Ahreum’s mother handed Inseop a bag with side dishes, saying it was because she remembered her first son who was working in the province. It somehow reminded him of his mother. She also liked to bake and present her cookies or bread to people around her. Unable to hold back any longer, Inseop accepted the envelope.

“How can I repay this favor?”

Looking at the boxes of side dishes piled up one by one, Inseob muttered. Promising that next time he would buy a better present, Inseop closed the refrigerator door.

He took a shower and read a book in bed. The hot evening air streamed in through the open windows. He checked the time. There were about two hours left before the schedule was over.

Inseop sent a text message to CEO Kim.

[Hello. Thank you for your hard work in this hot weather. Can you tell me who’s currently in charge of Lee Wooyeon.]

Anyone in the office knew the name and face roughly. It was because he was working hard on his behalf, so he thought he should go and say hello after the vacation is over.

Shortly thereafter, a text message came.

[Me.]

A cold sweat ran down his back at the short, thick letter. After hesitating, Inseop texted again.

[Are you okay?]

He regretted sending it and asking a useless question. No matter what, he was dating someone else.

The phone rang. It was CEO Kim.

“Hello. CEO.”

Inseop’s voice trembled a little.

<I can’t say hello.>

When he heard CEO Kim’s voice sinking with fatigue, he felt guilty.

“Sorry. CEO”

<What do you have to be sorry for? All of this… haa. No, it’s my fault for renewing the contract with him. Who is to blame?]

CEO Kim continued with a tone of resignation.

<You say you’re not feeling well? I forgot to contact you because I was distracted. Are you okay now?>

He seemed to have told him why he was taking a break. Inseop would rather lie, as Lee Wooyeon would be put in an awkward position if he said no.

“It has improved a lot. Thank you for your concern.”

Lying was something he was still not used to. Seeing as to how his heart aches every time he tells a lie.

<Anyway, the last time I saw you, I was worried because your face looked weary. Then, Lee Wooyeon said that you are taking a break for the time being,>

Inseop still didn’t know why Lee Woo-yeon asked him to take a break from work for the time being. If it was because he was concerned about her health, he would have let it go altogether.

<I’m trying my best to find a road manager, but Lee Wooyeon doesn’t have a decent personality.>

“A road manager?”

Inseop was surprised and asked back.

<Uh. Didn’t Lee Wooyeon tell you? He asked me to find a suitable person, so I am diligently looking for him.>

It was the first time he heard about it.

“Am I no longer able to work?”

<What do you mean? He even told me to find someone who seems to be able to communicate well with you, and I’m running into trouble.>

Inseop blinked his eyes. He did not understand why such conditions were applied to finding a manager.

<So, what kind of person would you like?>

“I’m pretty much fine with anyone.”

<I guess so. It’s you and Lee Woo-yeon… Ha ha ha, there’s a mosquito here.>

He heard the sound of skin slapping on the other side of the phone.

“Be careful. If you get bitten by a mosquito these days, it lasts for a long time.”

<Yes. Haha, anyway, what kind of person would you like to work with?>

“I hope it’s someone who matches well with Lee Wooyeon.”

<What the hell is a good match?>

Inseop thought for a moment and then continued.

“It’s okay if they’re a good driver, but don’t show off their skills, and prefer quiet music. I think it would be nice to have someone who doesn’t eat food in the car, meticulously manages his schedule, and can give a proper review of Lee Wooyeon’s work. And it would be nice if it’’s someone who doesn’t boast about knowing Lee Wooyeon anywhere and isn’t interested in talking about other celebrities. and…”

<… There’s more?>

“A person who doesn’t talk much.”

Lee Wooyeon especially disliked noisy people.

<Have you finished introducing yourself?>

“Oh, no. It’s not like that…”

Inseop stuttered, his face flushing.

<Yes. I will refer to what you said. I don’t know if I can find it.>

“I’m sorry for bothering you even more. By the way, CEO…”

<Yes? What is it?>

“Do you have a reason to temporarily hire a road manager?”

He couldn’t understand Lee Wooyeon’s intentions. If he was getting on his nerves and letting him quit his job, he’d be done if he cuts him off completely. It was heartbreaking, but he was going to quit his job if that’s what he wanted.

<That’s what I’m saying. I want to take this opportunity to make you quit and find another good person and hire him permanently, but Lee Wooyeon said he didn’t like it. That’s why I don’t have many options. What’s this crazy guy saying? Oh, and don’t misunderstand. I’m doing this because I’m thinking about you.>

“I didn’t misunderstand. Rather, I am more sorry. I said I would help, but it seems like I only caused trouble.”

He was ashamed. It was something he started out of concern in the first place.

<Ugh. You’re such a nice guy. If Lee Wooyeon was even half of you, I wouldn’t be so upset. Where in this world is a bastard that uses the company’s boss as a manager?>

“Thank you for your hard work.”

<Compared to the hardships you and the Manager Cha went through, it’s nothing. We should treat Hyeon-gyu well. Even if it’s a beef bone, I’ll have to go and give it to him. Quickly.>

The words sounded out of the ordinary.

<Thankfully, Lee Wooyeon is working very hard these days, so I put up with it. Ugh, a tiger will appear if we talk about it. I’m going to hang up.>

“Okay. Goodbye.”

The call was immediately disconnected. Inseop picked up the book again after reading it, but couldn’t understand a single word, so he ended up closing the book.

He can’t fire him because he doesn’t have much… What does it mean?

As he was thinking hard about it, the words he heard earlier flashed through his mind. Inseop got up and ran to the bathroom to check the mirror.

“Is it that bad?”

Inseop touched his cheek with his hand. He looked even more gaunt than usual.

Was it because of his hair? Come to think of it, he hasn’t even thought about getting his hair trimmed because he’d been out of his mind lately.

Inseop put water on his hair and turned it over. The impression did not improve at all. When he was young, he believed that he would look mature when he turned 20, but now he didn’t know how vain that belief was.

He just realized that day by day.

Inseop stared at his pale face in the mirror.

It would be nice to be a manly and mature person who someone can lean on. If they have any concerns, he can give advice.

Then the phone rang. Inseop, who was running out of the room thinking that he should answer the phone quickly, slipped and fell at the entrance of the bathroom.

“Ack”.

Inseop, who fell down, grabbed his waist. A groan came out automatically. He ran back up and grabbed his cell phone in case it got cut off.

“Hello.”

<What are you doing? You’re out of breath and answering the phone.>

“Well, I got it late because I was doing something. I’m sorry.”

Inseop lifted up his clothes. The red swelling seemed to be bruising.

<Were you doing something bad?>

“What do you mean bad?”

Inseop quickly lowered his clothes and asked back. Lee Wooyeon smiled softly.

<If you answer like that, it’s embarrassing to ask.>

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I didn’t do anything bad. I was just checking to see if I fell and got bruises near my stomach.”

<You did something bad.>

“What?”

<It’s a bad thing to scratch other people’s things.>

He had to take it as a silly joke, but Inseop swept down his hot stomach and apologized.

<Have you eaten yet?>

“Yes, I did.”

<What did you eat?>

Lee Wooyeon always asked for Inseop’s diet when he talked on the phone, perhaps because he had a habit these days. If he glossed over it, he asked again persistently until he heard the exact answer.

“I had cereal and fruits for breakfast, and for lunch…”

At lunch, he skipped a meal to see the cats at Yoon Ahreum’s house.

He bought food for someone else’s house, but he also opened the refrigerator in the house and took out something to eat.

<I told you to eat well.>

Lee Wooyeon’s voice had a note of displeasure.

“I ate a lot for dinner! I ate a lot. I’m not fully digested yet.”

<Really? With whom, where, and what did you eat so much?>

“I went to Yoon Ahreum’s house. Arthur’s a little sick, but she said she didn’t have anyone to look after him. I was alone. We just had dinner together.”

<You were alone in the house?>

Lee Wooyeon asked back in a tone of disbelief.

“…Yes.”

<You seem to have become very close.>

“Not much, but they seem like good people. And they trust in someone like me.”

Inseop added quickly.

“And I told them that I am dating someone. Don’t worry.”

A similar topic came up at a dinner party earlier, so Inseop quickly said that he is dating someone.

<That’s good. Did you say that you were close?>

“I’ll tell them later!”

Lee Wooyeon burst into laughter at Inseop’s words as if he had made a promise.

<Ha ha ha ha ha.>

Inseop listened quietly to the ringing over the phone. It was the laugh he hadn’t heard in a long time. He felt better.

<What can I do? Mr. Inseop is in big trouble.>

“Me? What’s the matter?”

<You are getting better.>

At the sudden confession, Inseop’s face grew hot. When the sound of Lee Wooyeon’s breathing reached his ears, his stomach rumbled.

“…Isn’t that a good thing?”

Inseop barely answered.

<Good. It looks like you’ll end up ruining your life after being caught by someone like me.>

“You can catch me as much as you like.”

Lee Wooyeon burst into laughter again. He didn’t know why he laughed, but Inseop was fortunate that he had the talent to make Lee Wooyeon laugh. Then he suddenly missed Lee Wooyeon.

“When can I go back to work?”

<I don’t know.>

When talking on the phone, Lee Wooyeon was friendly as usual. But when he was asked when he could go to work again, he always answered like it was someone else’s business.

“I… . Are you not happy with me driving?”

<It can’t be. I get annoyed when I get into someone else’s car after riding Inseop’s car.>

“Then I will drive.”

<You must have talked to the CEO.>

That’s exactly what Lee Wooyeon said as if he knew Inseop’s intentions.

“Yes. I spoke on the phone earlier. You don’t need a road manager. You’ll have to pay twice as much, and the CEO cares about it for nothing. I will pay more attention to driving and do well.”

<I’ll take care of that.>

“But…”

It was frustrating not knowing Lee Wooyeon’s intentions. As he was about to ask why, a phone call rang.

<Who is it? In the middle of the night.>

Lee Wooyeon’s voice quickly sharpened.

“America. My mother must have called.”

Inseop quickly checked the number and answered. Come to think of it, today was the day he usually spoke to his parents.

<Accept it.>

“Should I call you back when the call is over?”

<It’s okay. You don’t know when it will end. Just call me tomorrow night.>

“Oh, that…”

It was a shame He still had things he wanted to say, and he wanted to hear more of his voice. However, it was as Lee Wooyeon said. He couldn’t ask someone who came home from work late tonight to wait for an unexpected call. Inseop realized for the first time today that he had such a selfish side.

“Good night. Have a nice dream.”

He wanted to say that he missed him, but he was afraid that he would put pressure on him.

<Sleep well.>

The call was disconnected. At the same time, the call waiting sound also ended. Inseop let out a sigh.

“… I’m such an insolent guy.”

Inseop mulled over several curses towards himself and went through the call list.

He found his mother’s number and called.