Adjusting the Gangster Male Lead’s Intensity [Novel] Chapter 46

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 46

Chapter Title: Seaside Respite

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"Yi-hae."

How long had she been huddled there like that?

She had been so flustered, just like Yi-hae Baek, that even when the employee told her to come out, she hadn't budged. But at the familiar voice, she lifted her head.

There was I-heum Seo, already kneeling on one knee in front of her.

"Are you okay?"

"Uncle..."

She knew I-heum Seo was a busy man. Given his line of work, she had wondered if calling him out to a crowded place like this might be rude.

She had agonized over whether to send O Seo-bang or another gang member instead while she waited. Still, she had hoped deep down that I-heum Seo would come.

"Sorry for calling you when you're so busy."

She liked Do-gyeom Seo, but in a scary situation like this, she wanted to lean on an adult. And among the adults Yi-hae knew, I-heum Seo was the only one she could truly trust.

The moment she saw his face, all the pent-up grievance came flooding out, her eyes welling up with tears. I-heum Seo gently patted her head.

"It's okay."

But why did that comfort make the tears she was holding back spill out even more?

Finally bursting into tears like a child, she threw herself into I-heum Seo's arms, and he patted her back.

"Boss, I've got guys posted around the area. Mind if I ask the young lady for a description of the guy?"

The employee, who had been watching Yi-hae and I-heum warmly, flinched at the sight of O Seo-bang entering through the door. It was unclear whether it was due to his massive build or the ominous tone of his words.

"A man in a black hat and windbreaker. He seemed smaller than you, Uncle Seo-bang."

Yi-hae sniffled and answered quickly. O Seo-bang bit his lip firmly, unable to laugh at her clear determination to catch the guy right away.

As O Seo-bang left and Yi-hae stood up, I-heum Seo turned his gaze to the watching employee.

The employee startled and hurriedly lowered his eyes. Even though O Seo-bang was bigger in size, there was an inexplicable air of danger surrounding I-heum Seo.

"Thank you for helping our kid when you're busy."

Unlike the employee who had shrunk back in fear, I-heum Seo politely expressed his gratitude. And not only that—he even left with a promise to repay the favor.

Yi-hae bowed her head in thanks as well before leaving, and the employee bowed in return.

'Well, he's probably just saying that. Still, helping someone out feels rewarding.'

The employee smiled contentedly. He had no idea what their relationship was or what kind of family they came from, but he decided not to pry.

And the next day, when the employee was alone, O Seo-bang showed up again. Grinning broadly at the tense employee, he handed over a bag he was carrying.

"I talked the boss out of buying out the whole store. It's not like you'd get a bonus out of it anyway, right?"

"Y-Yes?"

"This is his way of saying thanks for protecting our precious young lady. I'm leaving my card too, so if anyone gives you trouble, we'll help you out once for free!"

"......?"

"Oh come on, you don't have to look so grateful. Doing something decent for once is giving me hives. Anyway, thanks! I gotta go serve that damn boss of mine now!"

O Seo-bang laughed heartily, set down the bag and card, and left without lingering.

The employee blinked slowly before opening the bag—and his eyes went wide. Correction: they nearly popped out of his head.

Yeol Seo glanced sideways at Yi-hae Baek, who was gazing at the sea with a slightly excited expression.

As if she had already forgotten yesterday's commotion, she seemed endlessly cheerful.

'In the end, they didn't figure out who was behind it, huh?'

Yesterday, when they heard about the disturbance, I-heum Seo had stopped Do-gyeom Seo and Yeol from rushing over. While Yeol, clueless, had protested noisily, Do-gyeom had clamped his mouth shut and turned away.

What had I-heum Seo said to Yeol?

'Worrying without action doesn't help Yi-hae.'

Those words had felt like a smack to the back of Yeol's head. Only then did he understand why Do-gyeom had looked like he was suppressing his anger.

It was fury at his own inadequacy. Realizing it late, Yeol's face flushed.

'Noona protected me. So I want to help her too, but right now, I'm useless.'

If I-heum Seo hadn't come, Yi-hae would surely have leaned on Do-gyeom. To her, Yeol wasn't someone to rely on—he was someone to protect.

He hated that. Yeol clenched his fist tightly.

"Yi-hae, how about changing your mind even now?"

Yi-hae was doing warm-up stretches in front of the sea. They had brought her here to lift her spirits, but she stubbornly insisted on squeezing into her swimsuit.

I-heum Seo let out a deep sigh. Behind him, Do-gyeom wore a resigned expression as a bonus.

"We're at the beach, so swimsuit it is! I compromised by not wearing a bikini, you know!"

"I see... Our Yi-hae endured a lot."

Following Do-gyeom, I-heum Seo also looked resigned. Still, as she said, it was a one-piece swimsuit with relatively modest coverage, so that was a relief.

"You guys are way too overprotective! Yeol, let's hit the water!"

Yi-hae grabbed Yeol's hand, who had been lost in complicated thoughts. Now that their eye levels were similar, he was met with her smiling face straight on.

'I want to protect Noona too.'

To be precise, that smiling face of hers. He never wanted to see her crying in pain like when she had saved him again.

'I want her to rely on me. Not Dad or hyung.'

Yeol grinned widely. For the first time, a resolve to become something more than just a yakuza.

It felt like something he had been desperately holding back had burst free. Of course, he didn't realize it himself yet—it would be too late by the time he did.

Meanwhile, Yi-hae was utterly carefree, as if she had shaken off yesterday's incident like dust.

'They said they'd secretly assign someone to protect me from now on, so I'm relieved. And I can put off meeting Seol-gi with this excuse for a while.'

On top of that, bringing her to the beach to cheer her up was nice. Sure, there had been a brief clash over the swimsuit, but naturally, she had won.

I-heum Seo sighed as he spoke.

"I'm realizing for the first time that my two sons are the mild-mannered type."

A short phrase loaded with multiple meanings.

Yi-hae made an awkward face and averted her gaze slightly.

'Even Uncle says that, but he's enjoying himself more than I am!'

With his upper body bare and sunglasses pushed up over his forehead, I-heum Seo looked more eager to enjoy himself than anyone.

'Of course, with a body like that, it's fun to look at.'

Once Do-gyeom grew up, he'd probably become a charming mid-thirties hunk like I-heum Seo.

With that pleasant imagining, she turned to look at Do-gyeom. He wasn't quite at I-heum's level, but his slim, toned muscles were on display.

"What?"

Do-gyeom stared back with an innocent face, clueless to her budding crush sparkling in her pure eyes.

"Nothing."

Thanks to that, she could ogle him more openly, grinning to herself—when Yeol grumbled.

"Seriously, grown men and women showing that much skin? The world's ending, I tell you."

Yeol, the only one in a T-shirt and shorts, looked thoroughly dissatisfied with the situation.

The youngest turning out the most Confucian of them all.

"You'll feel better if you let go. It's youth—might as well enjoy it. Uncle's clearly planning to."

I-heum, who had been quietly watching with a pleased smile as Yi-hae ruffled Yeol's hair, suddenly clamped his mouth shut.

Then he quietly asked,

"......Is it that obvious?"

He stroked his chin, pretending to be nonchalant, but his embarrassment showed.

Yi-hae stared at him in disbelief when O Seo-bang, wearing a similar expression, spoke first.

"Boss, even if we're yakuza, we need some conscience... Urk!"

"I never gave you permission to speak."

I-heum Seo's kick landed precisely on O Seo-bang's shin.

That must hurt like hell.

Yi-hae silently cheered O Seo-bang on as she led Do-gyeom and Yeol back toward the sea.

"The young lady and the young masters are getting along great."

O Seo-bang remarked to I-heum with a pleased look at them.

I-heum lay back on the sunbed O Seo-bang had prepared, nodding in agreement.

As his well-defined muscles flexed with the movement, O Seo-bang shook his head.

"Come on, aren't you a bit too exposed in front of a teenage girl in the prime of puberty?"

"Exposed? This isn't exposed. Don't talk nonsense."

"Then at least flex less. Kids these days are so precocious—if she said she wanted to marry you, what then?!"

I-heum lowered his sunglasses to shield his eyes from the sun, then habitually stroked his chin and nodded.

"That'd be cute. I've always wanted to hear that if I had a daughter."

"That's a disaster waiting to happen! I'd object with my life!"

"Who asked you?"

"Hey, I like the young lady too!"

O Seo-bang grumbled as he set up a sunbed next to I-heum's and shamelessly lay down beside him. I-heum clicked his tongue.

"You're 'Boss' in name only—sometimes I can't tell if you're the guy mooching off my money or a friend."

"I came along for overtime on the weekend—cut me some slack."

Fair enough.

I-heum coolly acknowledged it.

"By the way, when are you planning the engagement for those two? If you're doing it, give me a heads-up so I can prepare."

"Still thinking about it."

"Why? Is Yi-hae against it?"

I-heum shook his head at O Seo-bang's question, then gazed at the siblings frolicking in the sea with Yi-hae.

"Looks like Yeol's interested too."

"......A real-life love triangle? Sorry, Boss, but I'm overdosing on dopamine here."

A woman torn between handsome brothers!

As O Seo-bang waited eagerly for more with an intrigued face, I-heum fell briefly silent.