I found Jung Hwangyu and Jung Hwangseo as well. Jung Hwanhui was harder to locate, so I ran to the kindergarten first and explained everything to one of Jung Hwanhui’s subordinates, who was waiting there without knowing anything, timed to Jung Hwangyeong’s pickup.
The subordinate went pale in shock and immediately took off for somewhere.
He was probably going to report Jung Hwangyeong’s kidnapping to Jung Hwanhui. If so, Jung Hwanhui would join us soon enough.
With that, all three brothers were now aware of Jung Hwangyeong’s abduction.
I roughly wiped the sweat streaming down my forehead. Thank god my body was young again. If it weren’t, my legs would’ve given out several times while running.
After catching my breath, I sank back into thought.
‘Alright. What else can I do right now?’
I racked my brain.
Is waiting all I can do?
Honestly, even if I didn’t go this far, Jung Hwangyeong would definitely come back. He’s an extra like me, but he plays a critical supporting role that the original novel needs in order to move forward.
I know that. I know it logically, but….
I was still worried about the trauma Jung Hwangyeong would suffer from being kidnapped.
This world was no longer just a setting inside a book. To me, it had already become a reality no different from the real thing. A child who already carried so many emotional wounds shouldn’t have to be hurt even more.
Kidnapping, at that age….
And if this was happening before the original story even began, then that meant Jung Hwangyeong would get kidnapped again later, after the heroine entered the household.
Then… that’s just too cruel. How much shock would that cause him?
‘…I need to find him. Fast.’
That was the best I could do right now. But with no way of knowing where he was, the frustration was unbearable.
Clutching my phone, I waited and waited, hoping anyone would call. But no matter how long I waited, the phone stayed silent.
And because I knew exactly what that silence meant—that they still hadn’t found him—I could only pace restlessly in place.
Then, all of a sudden, one location flashed through my mind.
‘It can’t be there, right…?’
Still, it was better than standing around doing nothing. At least I could check. I hurried toward the place that had surfaced in my thoughts.
* * *
“Huff— h-huff.”
The place I ran to was an abandoned factory located not far from the kindergarten Jung Hwangyeong attended.
I came here because this was where Jung Hwangyeong was hidden after being kidnapped in the original novel. The timing was different, so he might not be here—but checking once wouldn’t hurt, right?
Just maybe. On the off chance.
Clutching at straws, really.
I ran frantically through the factory, but as expected, there was no one inside. Even so, having harbored a tiny bit of hope, I couldn’t hide my disappointment.
“…I knew it.”
There was no way he’d be here.
With a dark expression, I swept my gaze around one last time and turned to leave.
That was when—
“Mm.”
A thin, faint moan brushed past my ears, barely audible. I forgot to breathe and clamped my mouth shut. Closing my eyes, I focused on the sound.
But it was already gone.
It could’ve just been a kitten’s cry.
Still, I couldn’t let go of that last thread of hope.
What if I walked past it, and it wasn’t a cat—but really Jung Hwangyeong?
I’d already run laps around this place. There was no reason not to check this one thing.
I headed toward the direction where I thought the sound had come from.
‘…What’s a door doing there?’
That was when I spotted a small gap in an area littered with trash bags. Moving closer, I realized it was a small door.
A door I’d missed earlier and walked past.
I never would’ve thought there’d be another door hidden in a place like this.
Slowly, I approached it and turned the handle.
Creeeak.
Thankfully, it wasn’t locked.
Inside was a cramped space—and there, wrapped head to toe in tape, mouth sealed, eyes swollen and streaming with tears, was Jung Hwangyeong.
I shouted in shock.
“…Young master!”
“Mmm—! Mm-mm!”
I rushed over to him.
As I approached, a flicker of relief passed through Jung Hwangyeong’s eyes—eyes that had been filled with fear and despair just moments before. My chest felt like it was being torn apart.
I carefully peeled the tape off his mouth and body.
Then, gently rubbing his back to soothe him, I asked,
“Young master, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Does anything hurt?”
“…U-uh… w-waaaah!”
He couldn’t even finish forming words before bursting into loud sobs. Clinging to me with his tiny, fern-like hands, he cried his heart out.
Just imagining how terrified this little child must’ve been, all alone in this warehouse…
“It’s okay. It’s okay, young master. It’s all over now. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’ll protect you.”
Holding him close, I continued to soothe him, waiting for him to calm down.
That was when my phone rang—tiririri.
Jung Hwangyeong flinched violently at the sound, trembling in my arms.
I hurriedly reassured him that it was okay, that nothing was wrong.
“It’s okay. It’s just my phone. I’ll take this call for a moment. Hello?”
[“Hey! Jung Hwangyeong! Did you find him?! Who the hell took Jung Hwangyeong?! Where are you?! We searched everywhere—he’s nowhere! What are we supposed to do—my little brother!”]
He should’ve treated him better when he had the chance. Now he’s freaking out like this.
The caller was Jung Hwangyu.
After searching everywhere and coming up empty, he must’ve been desperate enough to call me as a last resort.
His voice—like someone who’d swallowed boiling rage—was so loud it seemed to carry through the phone to Jung Hwangyeong. Jung Hwangyeong’s eyes widened into perfect circles.
As if he’d never cried at all, his tears stopped instantly. Staring at the phone with curious eyes, he looked so cute that I brought the phone closer so he could hear and said,
“Shut up. I found him, so get over here. Abandoned factory near the kindergarten.”
[“You found him?!”]
“Yeah. Hurry.”
Judging by the noise around him, he wasn’t alone. Ending the call there, I hung up.
First, I needed to get Jung Hwangyeong out of here. There was no way he wanted to stay here even a second longer.
Still, standing up too suddenly might startle him.
“Young master.”
He didn’t answer. He just looked at me with anxious eyes.
“I’m going to pick you up and carry you outside. Is that okay?”
Before I even finished speaking, Jung Hwangyeong nodded rapidly up and down. He clearly wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.
Permission granted, then.
I carefully picked him up and stood. Jung Hwangyeong clung to me like a koala, as if afraid I might let go.
Not exactly the time to say this, but… he’s cute.
Making sure not to startle him, I began walking outside.
That was when, suddenly, voices—one male, one female—reached my ears from ahead.
“…What the hell? Why are there so many people around here? On a weekday at this hour, it’s never this crowded.”
“The police are already everywhere. And what’s with all those scary-looking guys? There are even college students. With this many people around, it’s going to be hard to deal with this…. Did you even do proper research?”
“Why are you snapping at me? Is this my fault? Maybe there’s some event today.”
“Ah, whatever. Let’s just shove him into this travel bag, toss it in the trunk, and move. No one will notice then. Leaving him here is risky anyway, so let’s relocate fir—h-huh? Who the hell are you?”
The man and woman stopped dead when they saw me.
From their conversation—and the way their eyes darted around like they had something to hide—I got the picture.
“…Oh? So you’re the culprits.”
They were without a doubt the criminals from the news.
Not ransom kidnappers—but the kind who sold children or trafficked organs.
People with no right to live.
“W-what do we do, oppa?!”
“Don’t worry. It’s just one bastard. We can handle him easily!”
Unlike the woman, who had gone pale, the man dug into his pocket and pulled out a knife.
“Put the kid down and kneel on the ground! If you don’t, you’re both dead!”
A knife, huh….
Like a puppy that doesn’t know fear.
“…Threatening someone with a knife instead of a gun…. You picked the wrong person.”
My blood started boiling for the first time in a while. Turning away from them as if I’d never glared coldly at all, I gently set Jung Hwangyeong down behind me.
Separated from me, Jung Hwangyeong looked up with anxious eyes.
I carefully patted his head and said,
“Alright, young master. Turn around, cover your ears with both hands, close your eyes, and count to exactly 100 seconds. When you’re done, everything will be over.”
Jung Hwangyeong shook his head weakly, fear written all over his face. Meeting his eyes, I reassured him again and again that it was okay.
It was only natural for a child who’d been kidnapped to be terrified in a situation like this.
“Don’t worry. Just trust me. Okay?”
“You little shit! You think this is a joke?!”
That was when the man charged.
Calmly, I turned Jung Hwangyeong around.
Perhaps deciding to trust me, he immediately covered his ears with both hands. Relieved, I kicked the man’s knife-holding wrist as he rushed in, sending it flying.
“Ghk!”
“Oppa!”
The knife clattered away. The man clutched his hand in pain as the woman stumbled toward him.
Looking at the two of them, I broke into a wide smile and said,
“Alright. You still have 99 seconds left.”