CH 10

A person’s value is very important in a world where people struggle to survive.

No one wants to protect someone else at the risk of their own life.

Therefore, in order to respect each other, or at least have a human relationship, people had to be useful.

In a way, this was obvious. Why would anyone want to build a relationship with him if he was just an inconvenience?

However, Lee Jae-hun, the kkondae head manager, had been nothing but a giant nuisance itself. In the midst of this situation, he has to gain the favor of the protagonist, at least for a better life than his previous life.

And so far, his efforts seem to have paid off somewhat.

If it was the same relationship as before, no matter what Lee Jaeun's condition, he would have shown only a minimal response, but now he even asked questions first.

What he hadn’t considered was that….

It was that Lee Jaehun's common sense, which recalled his past life, was a little different from that of ordinary people.

“Now? It must be difficult to move.”

“……? Can't you see the current situation? We need to find a place to rest before it gets completely dark.”

"but… .”

“I know I’m not reliable in my condition, but can we do this in moderation?”

“…….”

Jung In-ho frowned.

“…All right."

For some reason, it felt like his words were going in circles.

* * *

In the novel, the protagonist had decided to follow the trail of blood from the flower shop to the park. But the situation had changed, having taken less time to get out of the company, so Lee Jaehun had to come up with a different plan.

"Well, let's go to the park."

He just said it out loud.

“The park?”

“Haven't there been monsters in every building up until now?”

In fact, it was the most common way to present opinions in this way.

If anything, it's even weirder to have such an indirect way to "give directions," even for the smallest things.

Nevertheless, the reason Lee Jaehun had wanted to use the flower shop's bloodstain was to avoid taking the initiative among the party.

[Note: Because they would be able to make a decision based on the bloodstains themselves.]

He had no intention of leading this large group to the end.

Those who have done group work will know. The unspoken fact that the one who opens his mouth first among randomly selected team members is branded as the leader.

Especially in a chaotic situation like now, it was inevitable that the leadership of the group would be handed over to someone as dry as Lee Jaehun, who could pass judgment and dictate behavior.

However, Lee Jaehun's purpose was to survive for a better life.

'And dying, at least for me, isn't that bad.'

That is why Lee Jaehun should not be the one who decides the future of this team.

If he later dies, what will the rest of them do?

For the above reason, Lee Jaehun was going to hand over the role to the main character around the time of the park episode. It was like that in the novel too.

But now, there are quite a few injured people in the party.

The flower shop owner had a big cut on her forearm, the doctor had a gash on his side, and Lee Jaehun… it hurts to say it.

It was difficult to think that the group, with their general lack of physical strength, would find a plausible shelter on their own.

Even if they did, they'd be lucky if they didn't end up in some weird building.

In the end, only Lee Jaehun, who is currently in charge of the role of leader, can lead them to the park, which is the best option for now.

In the end, he put his regret behind and expressed his opinion.

Sure enough, the exhausted party accepted his opinion without much hesitation.

"But… There is no guarantee that it will be safe... .”

“Well, If monsters are going to appear anyway, I think a park where you can get water would be better.”

"I'm all for it, so why don't we just go and get some rest?"

The florist nodded.

Assistant Manager Jung, who is a beginner with a good sense, pointed out the key points, and Employee Kwon, who was sitting on the cement floor, hastened the decision.

In addition, the fact that there were three injured added to the group's quick decision.

In Lee Jaehun's case, especially since his leg was injured, the range of movement would have been quite limited, but if it was a nearby park, it wouldn't have been too much of a burden to move.

Deciding to go to a park not far away, the group that had been with them since the company organized themselves skillfully.

“Since the manager is injured, we’ll put him in the center.”

"In that case, why don't we keep the injured in the center? I think me and the deputy can take the far end...."

[Note: Will start calling Jung In-ho’s title Deputy, because it sounds nicer than assistant manager. Means the same thing though.]

"We'll carry your stuff, just give it to us."

The doctor, who was watching Chief Kang packing a barrel fo tools and some snacks, soon turned his eyes to see Lee Jaehun, who was standing there in a daze.

It was an observing gaze, as if asking for an explanation.

In response, Jaehun replied.

“What?”

“… No, excuse me.”

In the short time, The doctor gave Lee Jaehun and the florist a quick treatment.

He didn't know why the hell there was a bandage under his coat, but the bleeding boss had to treat him for the sake of his stamina.

[Note: The bleeding boss is the florist.]

When the wound was pressed hard to stop the bleeding, the florist shed tears.

“You, it must hurt so much… .”

"It's always a little painful when you stop the bleeding properly. It's good that the wound isn't too big."

Suddenly, Lee Jaehun felt a sense of unreality.

“…….”

A hazy drowsiness wash over him.

The doctor tended to the gash in his side, and while it was far from a cure, it was at least enough to stop him from bleeding out, and he rejoined the group.

It didn't take long for the group, who had finished their preparations, to head to the park.

“…Would the park have changed like our company?”

Chief Kang words were spoken as she walked, and the florist, who was fixing a bandage on her forearm, opened her mouth.

"maybe… I guess so. I don't know how the company has changed....”

"By the way, you're the owner of the flower shop. I was wondering what your name is...."

"ah."

The boss replied with a faint smile.

“I’m Yoon Garam. Call me whatever you like.”

Yoon Garam.

Hearing the name, Lee Jaehun blinked slowly.

‘What kind of variable is this?’

In the novel, it was near the end of the park episode that the shop owner, or Yoon Garam, joined the main character's group.

Deputy Jung sees the sole survivor of the park besides their group and attracts her to his side.

Of course, the main character had a cold-hearted disposition apart from his goodness, so it wasn’t exactly and ethical decision to take her in.

The main character had already decided that the people he was responsible for were students and the elderly, that is, the weak, so they judged that they would not be able to protect anyone anymore.

However, the reason why such a protagonist changed his mind was that this woman was a little unusual in this world. 

He doubted Boss Yoon's constitution, but on the other hand, he judged that it was useful.

There was nothing wrong with buying the favor of such a flower shop owner in advance.

“Uh, over there… Manager?"

[The florist will be referred to as boss at times, which gets confusing when the others call the MC Boss, so I changed it to Manager. Man these titles are hard to translate to english.]

“Go ahead.”

“I don’t know how to call you….”

And, by aiding the doctor, Lee Jaehun had already earned enough favor from Boss Yoon.

He answered in a dry voice.

“I am Lee Jaehun. I would appreciate it if you could call me the manager like before.”

You don't need to buy more favors than this.

As mentioned earlier, Lee Jaehun did not want to exert any more influence.

He had to be seen as a member of the team rather than a leader who’s the center of attention in order to lead the party as he wanted.

Until now, he had been forced into the role of leader, and he couldn't be happy with the situation where he couldn't commit suicide in peace.

No, not suicide. Judging from the reactions around me, they’d lose it if I harmed myself.

While the doctor's eyes were getting more intense, he didn't want to attract any more attention.

He didn't want to draw any more attention to himself than he already had.

Perhaps recognizing Lee Jaehun's meaning, she blinked her eyes for a moment and then smiled faintly.

“Yes, Manager. Thank you just now.”

“…….”

It was a smooth move.

The Boss Yoon Garam in the novel he remembers was a representative of the flexible type.

[Note: it actually translated to ‘thin and long type’.]

She doesn't come forward with an opinion or argument, but that doesn't mean she's not without thought.

She's not the least timid, but she doesn't panic and forget her responsibilities.

She is neither aggressive nor passive... .

Above all, her mental management is great.

Despite not being able to think more calmly than the main character or present-day Lee Jaehun, thanks to these flexible characteristics, Boss Yoon in the novel was a person who survived for a long time, second to the main character.

'Of course, even that has its limits.'

Boss Yoon was a character resembling a dam.

She can hold a certain amount of water, but if the water overflows, she will collapse.

This is why she was the last to join the group in the novel.

Boss Yoon couldn't accept the end of her close customer, who was shredded in front of her eyes. Even at the time, Boss Yoon says, ‘I could have saved him, but I didn’t.’

It meant that she, too, could feel guilty about another's death, just as employee Kwon did in the novel.

"It was nothing."

“Ugh… The burns on your legs, I'm really sorry.”

“…….”

Like this.

Of course, from Lee Jaehun's point of view, it was a very stupid thing.

'There are so many inefficient people in the world.'

You didn't kill him with your own hands, you didn't direct him to do it, you just didn't have the power to save him. Only an idiots would feel guilty over such a death.

The whole 'could have been saved' was just wishful thinking in his eyes.

Boss Yoon only had a different constitution, but she did not have enormous strength.

Later, she continued to think this and chewed a useless sweet potato without water, which made the reader's stomach choke.

[Note: it basically means that she was doing useless things which made the reader frustrated.]

Lee Jaehun, who stopped thinking at that point, nodded his head.

“You have nothing to apologize for. If you are really sorry, please help me build a house later.”

“… A house?”

At Boss Yoon's question, employee Kwon, who was next to her, opened her mouth.

"Manager… Are you going build a house? Do you even know how to make one?”

“I was just talking about a shelter. Simply create pillars and ceilings... .”

“Isn’t that the same?”

"I see, are you going to start complaining about grown-up words now?"

Perhaps because he had regained his composure, Lee Jaehun's old-fashioned instincts kicked in at the boldness of an employee he hadn't even met eyes with before.

He wasn't genuinely annoyed, but more than anything else, he was bothered by the incessant questions.

When employee Kwon, who had not yet shaken off her chick nature, became quiet, the main character intervened this time.

As the park approached, it was easy to talk to them because the ranks were broken due to the confusion of the party.

He asked with a sincere face as usual.

“Are you going to work again in that state?”

“Then where am I going to rest?”

“Isn’t there a pavilion in the park?”

“Can you still say that when you look ahead?”

Lee Jaehun pointed with his finger at the entrance of the park, which he had almost reached.

“…….”

Deputy Jung shut his mouth.

The trees were dense enough to be called a jungle, and the sounds of beasts and insects could not be located.

Luckily, there were no monsters in sight, but the park had become overwhelmingly unpleasant from the outside.

It didn’t look like a normal park at all.

As the group spread out to check it out, the protagonist seemed even more at a loss for words, and Lee Jaehun sneered at Jung In-ho.

“Do you have any idea how stupid you sounded? Is it very far away?”

“Rather than that….”

The main character, who took off his glasses and touched his eyes, continued his words.

"Well, I'll do it, then. I'll help those who need spare hands with Yun-seok, while you take a break."

“Who wants you to rest? You guys were going to work anyway.”

“The manager must have been planning to work with us.”

“…What the hell is wrong with you?"

Lee Jaehun frowned as he muttered that.

Unknowingly, the informal tone of his previous life jumped out, but before he had time to fix it, questions engulfed my head.

He wondered if that guy was worried about me, but it couldn’t be.

Given how bad things had been between them, how can you care to be so worried?

Until now, he had wondered if he was saying this because he was concerned that his mobility would be low, but it wasn't that he was negative about working at all.

Then, the only remaining conclusion is dispute.

“No, if you don’t like me, tell me after work. There are so many things to do, so why are you arguing with me....”

"I'm just saying this because I'm really worried."

The main character who said that seemed to be serious.

“…….”

Lee Jaehun, who became wiser after recalling his previous life, began to grasp the situation again.

As far as he could see, that expression was not a lie.

So either the protagonist was genuinely worried about Lee Jaehun, or he was so good at managing his facial expressions that he could fool even me.

But the protagonist hasn't gotten that skilled yet.

No, first of all, there was no reason for him to deceive the kkondae head who didn't deserve it.

And wouldn't a clever protagonist know that he can't afford to waste emotions like now?

In other words, it meant that the main character was genuinely worried about him.

“……?”

Lee Jaehun, who finished his judgment, asked.

"why?"

“… yes?"

“Why are you worried?”

He couldn't understand.

Until now, the relationship between the Kkondae Head and the main character was the worst, and the main character was not affectionate enough to forget it all in just a day or two.

No matter how much Lee Jaehun's usefulness was rediscovered, it doesn't make sense.

On the contrary, that's why he shouldn't be worried.

In this world, a person's usefulness was an important virtue, and Lee Jaehun was more valuable than any of them.

Unless he chooses to die himself, there is no reason for them to abandon Lee Jaehun.

He was still useful.

“…Is there any reason for that?”

So, he has no reason to worry.

Not being able to understand means not knowing information, which meant embarrassment.

Lee Jaehun's expression was calmly distorted, but fortunately the other party was not listening to them because they were distracted by the strange park.

Lee Jaehun's expression, which had gained some time there, returned to normal again.

“I didn’t know, but Deputy Jung must have a lot of affection… ?”

“…….”

“I can’t believe you’re worried about me and not someone else.”

To Lee Jaehun's absurd words, the main character, who had maintained a sincere face until now, answered with a strange expression.

“…Wouldn’t anyone be worried, not just me?”

"why?"

"You're the most injured among us, aren't you? You shed a lot of blood, and you also suffered burns to his ankles while saving those two.”

“But I can move just fine.”

Jung In-ho's face distorted at that.

"Well, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt... does it?"

“…….”

This time, it was Lee Jaehun's turn to keep his mouth shut.

“…Huh.”

Another mistake.