Reincarnated as a Housekeeper in a 19+ Gangster Romance Novel - Chapter 16
I've found both Jeong Hwangyu and Jeong Hwanseo, but Jeong Hwanhee was harder to locate, so I rushed to the daycare center to meet his subordinate, who was cluelessly waiting to pick up Hwanyeong, and explained the entire situation to him.
Now all three brothers are aware of Jeong Hwanyeong's kidnapping.
I roughly wiped the sweat dripping from my forehead. It was fortunate that my stamina had been restored to its youthful vigor, otherwise my legs would have given out several times during the chase.
Catching my breath, I fell back into thought.
'Alright, what else can I do now?'
I racked my brain.
Still... I worried about the trauma Jeong Hwayeong would suffer from being kidnapped.
This world was no longer a mere fictional realm, it had become a reality as tangible as my own. I desperately wanted this already deeply scarred child to suffer no further harm.
To be kidnapped at such a young age...
Moreover, if this was a prequel to the original story, it meant Jeong Hwanyeong would be abducted again after the female lead arrived.
Then... the poor kid. How traumatized would he be?
'We have to find him quickly.'
That was the best I could do right now. But without any way to locate him, I felt utterly helpless.
Burning with anxiety, I clutched my phone, desperately hoping someone would call. But no matter how long I waited, the phone remained silent.
Knowing this meant he hadn't been found yet, I could only pace restlessly.
In that moment, a certain place crossed my mind.
'It's probably not there, but...'
Still, checking was better than doing nothing. I rushed to the location that suddenly came to mind.
---------------------------------
Huff, huff.
I ran to an abandoned factory located not far from Jeong Hwanyeong's kindergarten.
I came here because this was the hiding place where Jeong Hwanyeong was hidden after being kidnapped in the original novel. The timing was different, so he might not be here, but it was worth checking just in case.
Really, just in case he might be here. It was truly a case of grasping at straws.
I frantically searched the abandoned factory, but as expected, no one was inside. Still, I couldn't hide my disappointment, having held onto that small glimmer of hope.
"Of course..."
There was no way he'd be here.
With a dark expression, I scanned the surroundings one last time before turning to leave.
It was at that moment.
"Mmm..."
A faint whimper echoed in my ears, barely audible. I forgot to breathe, clamping my mouth shut and closing my eyes to focus on the sound. But it had already vanished.
It could have just been a kitten's whimper. Yet I couldn't let go of the last thread of lingering hope.
What if I simply walked away, and it turned out to be Jeong Hwanyeong after all, not a cat?
I'd searched this area thoroughly, running laps around it. There was no reason I couldn't confirm this one thing.
I moved toward the direction where I thought the sound had come from.
...What's that door over there?
In that moment, a small gap appeared in the area littered with trash bags. As I approached, I realized it was a small door—one I had overlooked earlier.
I never imagined there'd be another door in a place like this. I slowly approached the door and turned the handle.
Creak.
Fortunately, it wasn't locked.
I opened the door and stepped inside, revealing a small space. Inside, Jeong Hwanyeong was bound with tape covering his mouth and body, his swollen eyes streaming with tears.
I cried out in shock, "...Young Master!"
"Mmph, m-mmph! Mmph!"
I rushed to Jeong Hwanyeong's side.
As I approached, a faint flicker of relief crossed his eyes, which had been filled with fear and despair. My heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
I hastily and carefully peeled the tape from Jeong Hwanyeong's mouth and body.
As I gently stroked his back to comfort him, I asked, "Young Master, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Is there any pain?"
"...Ugh, ugh... Waaaaah!"
Jeong Hwanyeong couldn't even form coherent words before bursting into tears. The sight of him clinging to me with his small hands and sobbing uncontrollably, tore at my heart.
How terrified this young child must have been, alone in this empty warehouse.
"It's alright. It's alright, Young Master. It's all over now. Don't worry anymore. I'll protect you."
I held Jeong Hwanyeong close, soothing him and waiting for him to calm down.
Just then, my phone rang. Jeong Hwanyeong, terrified by the slightest sound, trembled in my arms.
I quickly reassured him, telling him everything was alright and there was nothing to worry about.
"It's okay. It's just my phone. I'll take this call. Hello?"
- "Hey! Jeong Hwanyeong! Did you find him? Who the hell took him? Where are you? I've searched everywhere and can't find him! What am I supposed to do? My brother!"
He should have treated him better when he had the chance. Now he's just causing a scene. What a jerk...
The caller was Jeong Hwangyu.
After searching everywhere without success, he must have desperately called me as a last resort.
The voice, as loud as a steam train's whistle, seemed to burst through the phone and reach Jeong Hwanyeong, whose eyes widened in surprise.
As if he had never cried, Jeong Hwanyeong's tears stopped abruptly. His curious gaze fixed on the phone, looking so adorable that I held the device closer to him so he could hear better.
- "You're noisy. I found him, so come here. It's an abandoned factory near the daycare."
- "You found him?!"
- "Yeah. Hurry up."
The surrounding noise suggested he wasn't alone. With that, I hung up.
First, I needed to get Jeong Hwanyeong out of here. He wouldn't want to stay here for another minute or even a second longer.
Still, I didn't want to startle him by getting up too suddenly.
"Young Master," I said softly.
Jeong Hwanyeong didn't respond, only stared at me with anxious eyes.
"I'm going to pick you up and carry you outside. Is that okay?"
Before I could finish speaking, Jeong Hwanyeong nodded vigorously up and down, clearly eager to escape this place as quickly as possible.
With his permission granted, let's get going then.
I carefully scooped Jeong Hwanyeong into my arms and stood up. He clung to me like a koala, as if afraid I might drop him.
This isn't the time to say this, but he's kind of cute.
I walked cautiously toward the exit, making sure not to startle Jeong Hwanyeong.
Suddenly, voices—a man and a woman—drifted from the other side of the room.
"...What's with all these people around here? It's usually not this crowded on weekdays at this time."
"The police are already swarming the place. And why are there so many shady-looking guys? Plus, college students too... It's going to be tough to handle this with so many people around. Didn't you do your research properly?"
"Why are you yelling at me? Is this my fault? There must be some kind of event going on today."
"Ah, whatever. Let's just stuff him in this travel bag, toss it in the trunk, and get moving. No one will notice. Leaving him here like this is too risky. We need to get out of here... Hey, you! Who the hell are you?"
The man and woman, engrossed in conversation as they approached, froze in terror when they saw me. Judging by their flustered eyes and the incriminating nature of their conversation, I immediately sensed they were the culprits.
"...Ah, so you're the criminals?"
They were undoubtedly the criminals featured in the news—not ransom seekers, but vile humans who trafficked children and harvested organs.
They didn't deserve to live.
"O-oh no! What do we do, Oppa?!"
"Don't worry. He's just one guy. We can handle him!"
Unlike the woman who had turned pale with fear, the man rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a knife.
"Put the kid down and kneel on the ground! Or you'll both die!"
A knife...
A puppy that doesn't know it should fear a tiger.
"...Threatening me with a knife instead of a gun? You've picked the wrong person."
For the first time in ages, my blood began to boil. My gaze softened, as if I had never glared at them coldly, and I gently set Jeong Hwanyeong, who was clinging to me, down behind me.
As soon as we were separated, Jeong Hwanyeong looked up at me with anxious eyes.
I carefully stroked his hair and said, "Alright, young master. Turn around, cover your ears with both hands, close your eyes, and count to exactly 100 seconds. By then, this whole situation will be over."
Jeong Hwanyeong shook his head frantically, his face pale with fear. I met his gaze and reassured him repeatedly that everything would be alright.
It's only natural for a child who's been kidnapped to be terrified in this situation.
"Don't worry. Just trust me. Okay?"
"You little bastard! Do you think this is a game?!"
The man lunged forward.
I calmly turned Jeong Hwanyeong around.
Thankfully, he seemed to have decided to trust me, immediately covering his ears with both hands. Reassured by this, I kicked the knife from the man's hand as he charged at me.
"Ugh!"
"Oppa!"
The knife flew away. The man clutched his hand in agony, while the woman frantically rushed to his side.
I grinned at the pair and said, "Alright, we still have 99 seconds left."
Now all three brothers are aware of Jeong Hwanyeong's kidnapping.
I roughly wiped the sweat dripping from my forehead. It was fortunate that my stamina had been restored to its youthful vigor, otherwise my legs would have given out several times during the chase.
Catching my breath, I fell back into thought.
'Alright, what else can I do now?'
I racked my brain.
Is waiting all I can do?
Truthfully, even if I didn't strain myself like this, Jeong Hwanyeong would inevitably return. Though he was just an extra like me, he played a crucial, indispensable role in the original novel's plot progression as a vital supporting character.
I know that. I know that in my mind....
Truthfully, even if I didn't strain myself like this, Jeong Hwanyeong would inevitably return. Though he was just an extra like me, he played a crucial, indispensable role in the original novel's plot progression as a vital supporting character.
I know that. I know that in my mind....
Still... I worried about the trauma Jeong Hwayeong would suffer from being kidnapped.
This world was no longer a mere fictional realm, it had become a reality as tangible as my own. I desperately wanted this already deeply scarred child to suffer no further harm.
To be kidnapped at such a young age...
Moreover, if this was a prequel to the original story, it meant Jeong Hwanyeong would be abducted again after the female lead arrived.
Then... the poor kid. How traumatized would he be?
'We have to find him quickly.'
That was the best I could do right now. But without any way to locate him, I felt utterly helpless.
Burning with anxiety, I clutched my phone, desperately hoping someone would call. But no matter how long I waited, the phone remained silent.
Knowing this meant he hadn't been found yet, I could only pace restlessly.
In that moment, a certain place crossed my mind.
'It's probably not there, but...'
Still, checking was better than doing nothing. I rushed to the location that suddenly came to mind.
---------------------------------
Huff, huff.
I ran to an abandoned factory located not far from Jeong Hwanyeong's kindergarten.
I came here because this was the hiding place where Jeong Hwanyeong was hidden after being kidnapped in the original novel. The timing was different, so he might not be here, but it was worth checking just in case.
Really, just in case he might be here. It was truly a case of grasping at straws.
I frantically searched the abandoned factory, but as expected, no one was inside. Still, I couldn't hide my disappointment, having held onto that small glimmer of hope.
"Of course..."
There was no way he'd be here.
With a dark expression, I scanned the surroundings one last time before turning to leave.
It was at that moment.
"Mmm..."
A faint whimper echoed in my ears, barely audible. I forgot to breathe, clamping my mouth shut and closing my eyes to focus on the sound. But it had already vanished.
It could have just been a kitten's whimper. Yet I couldn't let go of the last thread of lingering hope.
What if I simply walked away, and it turned out to be Jeong Hwanyeong after all, not a cat?
I'd searched this area thoroughly, running laps around it. There was no reason I couldn't confirm this one thing.
I moved toward the direction where I thought the sound had come from.
...What's that door over there?
In that moment, a small gap appeared in the area littered with trash bags. As I approached, I realized it was a small door—one I had overlooked earlier.
I never imagined there'd be another door in a place like this. I slowly approached the door and turned the handle.
Creak.
Fortunately, it wasn't locked.
I opened the door and stepped inside, revealing a small space. Inside, Jeong Hwanyeong was bound with tape covering his mouth and body, his swollen eyes streaming with tears.
I cried out in shock, "...Young Master!"
"Mmph, m-mmph! Mmph!"
I rushed to Jeong Hwanyeong's side.
As I approached, a faint flicker of relief crossed his eyes, which had been filled with fear and despair. My heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
I hastily and carefully peeled the tape from Jeong Hwanyeong's mouth and body.
As I gently stroked his back to comfort him, I asked, "Young Master, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Is there any pain?"
"...Ugh, ugh... Waaaaah!"
Jeong Hwanyeong couldn't even form coherent words before bursting into tears. The sight of him clinging to me with his small hands and sobbing uncontrollably, tore at my heart.
How terrified this young child must have been, alone in this empty warehouse.
"It's alright. It's alright, Young Master. It's all over now. Don't worry anymore. I'll protect you."
I held Jeong Hwanyeong close, soothing him and waiting for him to calm down.
Just then, my phone rang. Jeong Hwanyeong, terrified by the slightest sound, trembled in my arms.
I quickly reassured him, telling him everything was alright and there was nothing to worry about.
"It's okay. It's just my phone. I'll take this call. Hello?"
- "Hey! Jeong Hwanyeong! Did you find him? Who the hell took him? Where are you? I've searched everywhere and can't find him! What am I supposed to do? My brother!"
He should have treated him better when he had the chance. Now he's just causing a scene. What a jerk...
The caller was Jeong Hwangyu.
After searching everywhere without success, he must have desperately called me as a last resort.
The voice, as loud as a steam train's whistle, seemed to burst through the phone and reach Jeong Hwanyeong, whose eyes widened in surprise.
As if he had never cried, Jeong Hwanyeong's tears stopped abruptly. His curious gaze fixed on the phone, looking so adorable that I held the device closer to him so he could hear better.
- "You're noisy. I found him, so come here. It's an abandoned factory near the daycare."
- "You found him?!"
- "Yeah. Hurry up."
The surrounding noise suggested he wasn't alone. With that, I hung up.
First, I needed to get Jeong Hwanyeong out of here. He wouldn't want to stay here for another minute or even a second longer.
Still, I didn't want to startle him by getting up too suddenly.
"Young Master," I said softly.
Jeong Hwanyeong didn't respond, only stared at me with anxious eyes.
"I'm going to pick you up and carry you outside. Is that okay?"
Before I could finish speaking, Jeong Hwanyeong nodded vigorously up and down, clearly eager to escape this place as quickly as possible.
With his permission granted, let's get going then.
I carefully scooped Jeong Hwanyeong into my arms and stood up. He clung to me like a koala, as if afraid I might drop him.
This isn't the time to say this, but he's kind of cute.
I walked cautiously toward the exit, making sure not to startle Jeong Hwanyeong.
Suddenly, voices—a man and a woman—drifted from the other side of the room.
"...What's with all these people around here? It's usually not this crowded on weekdays at this time."
"The police are already swarming the place. And why are there so many shady-looking guys? Plus, college students too... It's going to be tough to handle this with so many people around. Didn't you do your research properly?"
"Why are you yelling at me? Is this my fault? There must be some kind of event going on today."
"Ah, whatever. Let's just stuff him in this travel bag, toss it in the trunk, and get moving. No one will notice. Leaving him here like this is too risky. We need to get out of here... Hey, you! Who the hell are you?"
The man and woman, engrossed in conversation as they approached, froze in terror when they saw me. Judging by their flustered eyes and the incriminating nature of their conversation, I immediately sensed they were the culprits.
"...Ah, so you're the criminals?"
They were undoubtedly the criminals featured in the news—not ransom seekers, but vile humans who trafficked children and harvested organs.
They didn't deserve to live.
"O-oh no! What do we do, Oppa?!"
"Don't worry. He's just one guy. We can handle him!"
Unlike the woman who had turned pale with fear, the man rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a knife.
"Put the kid down and kneel on the ground! Or you'll both die!"
A knife...
A puppy that doesn't know it should fear a tiger.
"...Threatening me with a knife instead of a gun? You've picked the wrong person."
For the first time in ages, my blood began to boil. My gaze softened, as if I had never glared at them coldly, and I gently set Jeong Hwanyeong, who was clinging to me, down behind me.
As soon as we were separated, Jeong Hwanyeong looked up at me with anxious eyes.
I carefully stroked his hair and said, "Alright, young master. Turn around, cover your ears with both hands, close your eyes, and count to exactly 100 seconds. By then, this whole situation will be over."
Jeong Hwanyeong shook his head frantically, his face pale with fear. I met his gaze and reassured him repeatedly that everything would be alright.
It's only natural for a child who's been kidnapped to be terrified in this situation.
"Don't worry. Just trust me. Okay?"
"You little bastard! Do you think this is a game?!"
The man lunged forward.
I calmly turned Jeong Hwanyeong around.
Thankfully, he seemed to have decided to trust me, immediately covering his ears with both hands. Reassured by this, I kicked the knife from the man's hand as he charged at me.
"Ugh!"
"Oppa!"
The knife flew away. The man clutched his hand in agony, while the woman frantically rushed to his side.
I grinned at the pair and said, "Alright, we still have 99 seconds left."
CHAPTER 15 ⬅ ♥︎ ⮕ CHAPTER 17
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