Chapter 13. Let’s Finish What We Started (5)

Translator: Lili

The steady stream of water came to an abrupt halt. After his shower, Seo Gyuha rubbed his hair with a towel. As the towel brushed against the back of his neck, he winced involuntarily and let out a small groan.

Although he couldn’t see his reflection from behind in the bathroom mirror, he instinctively knew something was wrong. Moving to his bedroom, he used two mirrors to examine his neck. The moment he saw it, he cursed.

“Ah, shit…”

A faint purple bruise and a subtle bite mark were visible. The culprit was undoubtedly Lee Chayoung. Like some rabid animal, Chayoung had bitten his neck so much that even three days later, the evidence remained.

Still grumbling, he reached for his clothes when his phone buzzed. Seeing the caller ID, he immediately answered. It was the cafe manager.

“Hey.”

— Hi, boss. Can you come to the cafe right now?

The manager’s voice sounded urgent. Straightening, Gyuha asked for details.

“What’s going on?”

— There’s been a problem with Miseon and a customer… Oh, no!

The crash of something breaking came through the line. It didn’t sound good.

“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in 15 minutes.”

Hanging up, he grabbed his keys and left the house.

***

“Boss!”

The moment he walked through the cafe doors, the manager, looking pale, rushed over. Before Gyuha could ask, a man’s voice cut in.

“You’re the boss?”

Turning, he saw a man standing arrogantly with his hands in his pockets.

‘So this is the troublemaker.’

Gyuha quickly sized him up and kept his voice calm,

“I am. What’s the issue?”

The man’s expression twisted with disdain.

“I accidentally brushed against her while throwing out some trash, and she screamed and caused a scene. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was? People were even filming! What if my face gets out there? How are you going to take responsibility?”

Gyuha glanced over at the source of the commotion. Behind the manager, Kim Miseon was curled up, her head hanging low. Tears dripped onto the floor.

He gestured silently to the manager, who quickly understood and began guiding Miseon away. But the man wasn’t about to let it slide.

“Oh, so she’s just going to run away? After humiliating me like that?”

As the man stepped forward, Gyuha intercepted him, standing firm. Despite the urge to tell him off, the café’s CCTV cameras and remaining patrons required careful handling.

And if, by some chance, it had been an accident, escalating the situation would only work against them. Suppressing his anger, Gyuha spoke evenly.

“Let’s start by checking the CCTV footage.”

“Go ahead. I’ve got nothing to hide.”

The man sneered, adding another jab.

“If it turns out she overreacted, you better be ready to shut this place down.”

Ignoring him, Gyuha turned to the manager.

“Send Miseon home. Put her in a taxi, and make sure she’s okay.”

“Yes, boss.”

Pointing towards the back room, Gyuha addressed the man.

“Let’s go.”

***

Once in the private room, an obstacle arose. While he’d thought of reviewing the CCTV footage, he realized he didn’t actually know how to access it.

‘Damn it, I’m screwed.’

Feigning composure, he sent an SOS to his father’s trusted secretary, Mr. Choi. But knowing it would take time for Mr. Choi to arrive, he decided to buy some time by offering the man coffee and snacks.

The man accepted the coffee but quickly grew impatient.

“Is there even CCTV here? If so, why aren’t we reviewing it already? You’re wasting my time.”

“…”

‘Should I just punch him? No one’s watching.’

Thankfully, the knock on the door came before he could act on the impulse. Relieved, he opened the door to reveal Mr. Choi, impeccably dressed in a suit.

“Apologies for the delay.”

Choi immediately got to work. Within moments, the footage began playing at double speed. Soon enough, the incident came into view.

The first angle showed Miseon clearing cups at the self-service station before a man approached, startling her into dropping her tray.

‘Hmm…’

The angle wasn’t ideal. It was hard to tell if the contact had been accidental or deliberate. Sensing victory, the man smirked.

“See? She freaked out over nothing.”

But before Gyuha could respond, Choi calmly interjected.

“Let’s check another angle.”

Hope flickered as Choi switched to a different camera. This time, the footage was crystal clear. From this angle, the man was seen deliberately groping Miseon’s backside with his right hand.

“…”

Turning to the man, Gyuha’s voice dripped with venom.

“What was that you were saying?”

“I-it was an accident! Really!”

The man stammered, his arrogance crumbling as he began retreating. Before he could flee, Gyuha grabbed his wrist and squeezed hard enough to elicit a pained scream.

“You’re sure good at finding your phone in someone else’s ass, huh?”

“P-please let go! I swear it was a mistake!”

“Still not getting it, huh?”

Releasing the man’s wrist, Gyuha kicked him square in the stomach, sending him sprawling. The man, now visibly terrified, began crawling backward.

“S-spare me…”

*Thwack!*

Another kick followed, but before it could escalate further, Mr. Choi intervened.

“That’s enough, sir.”

Though reluctant, Gyuha took a step back, still furious.

“Get out of here. If I see you again, you’re dead.”

As the man scrambled to leave, Mr. Choi asked quietly,

“Should we report this to the police?”

“I’ll ask Miseon tomorrow. If she wants to press charges, we will.”

“What if he comes back for revenge?”

“He won’t. Cowards like that don’t have the guts.”

Nodding, Mr. Choi left to return to the office. Taking a deep breath, Gyuha walked back into the cafe, spotting the manager.

“Is Miseon home safe?”

“Yes, boss. She texted saying she got home.”

“Good. Take care of her tomorrow.”

“Of course. But… what if that guy comes back?”

“That shouldn’t happen. But if he does come back and acts suspicious, call the police immediately and notify me as well.”

After giving those instructions, Seo Gyuha turned to the manager with a request.

“Can you make me an iced latte?”

“Yes, I’ll bring it to the office.”

“No, I’ll sit outside. Make it good, please.”

With that, he walked over and settled at a secluded table in a quiet corner of the café. After the commotion earlier, he decided to stay on-site and keep an eye on things for the rest of the day. It had been a while since he’d personally spent time at the cafe, and today seemed like the right opportunity.

***