Solo Leveling: Sung-Jin-Woo x Cha-Hae-In

IV. Part II

"Beru! Why didn't you watch over her?"

[My liege... I apologize..  Lady Haein pleaded with me to stay home instead, as they were going to the mall nearby. [Forgive me, my liege.]

Beru gulped nervously from his monarch's domain. He was nervous ever since he heard his girlfriend shouting in anger for him after the call he took from Sunmi.

"Sir! Slow down, will you? Anger won't help us!" Jinwoo gritted his teeth as the car moved faster and he pressed down the gas. He's feeling angry, all right. When Sunmi called him, suddenly crying about how Haein let herself be taken away instead of Haru, his vision darkened immediately. Sometimes Haein's kindness and sacrificial nature get to his nerves. Of course she would let herself be taken instead, even if she was pregnant. She can't stand other people getting hurt, let alone a child.

And he's angry at himself for taking away the orc he assigned and placed in his wife's shadow, as he thought she'd be safe as he's always with her. And now he can't shadow swap with any of his soldiers who are near his wife. 'Fuck!..'

And the last thing was how fate messes up with him sometimes. The culprit they were about to arrest was Hwang Dongsu, the murderer of the woman killed in the country, and the funny thing is, according to Sunmi, he was also the one who took away his wife.

As he couldn't just leave his junior alone and use his powers, he resorted to ordering his soldiers instead to locate his wife and Dongsu in the building they were in. And chose to drive at full speed towards the place while the soldiers were looking.

A few minutes later, they finally arrived. Backup from the police would arrive much later, so he chose to go inside the building immediately, much to Sehwan's complaints, but he doesn't care.

If that man did anything to his wife, he'll surely pay. REALLY pay.

"Hey! What are you doing here? This is private property!" Men suddenly surrounded him and pointed guns at him.

"I have business with your boss. And I suggest you let me in now. Or else.." He looked down at his pants and coolly placed his hands in his pocket.

"Or else what, huh?"

"Be killed." He looked up at them and glared. Summoning some of his soldiers, he started to fight them, choosing to knock them unconscious to be faster at looking for his wife. He stands up and continues walking towards where Dongsu was located, according to his soldiers. Kicking the door open, he found Dongsu busy smoking a cigarette.

"Hey. Where are you hiding my wife?" Jinwoo asked him with a cold tone, and Dongsu just looked at him and laughed.

"What wife? I don't have your wife here."

"The one you took from the mall. The woman? She is my wife. She actually tricked you as well. She's not Ryuji's wife." He slowly brought his hand to his pocket and took his police badge. "And I am arresting you for murder. Hwang Dongsu."

Dongsu suddenly blinks, then laughs. "That bitch! Tsk! And what police are you? You are all alone!" He laughed some more before taking steps towards Jinwoo, who only stood on his spot, not moving at all.

"If she is your wife, then really. Too bad for you! 'Cause she has been unconscious all this time since afternoon, and I don't know if she is still alive!" Dongsu laughed some more and even patted Jinwoo on the shoulder. His sick laughter echoed around the room, and he grinned as he suddenly took his fist and tried to punch Jinwoo.

Jinwoo, getting more angry by the second that passed, stopped his attack midway and twisted his arm painfully before kicking him in the gut.

"I'll make sure you rot in hell, you asshole."

After making sure he took most of his anger at the guy, he left them there. He later heard police sirens from the outside, and he cursed.

[Liege! Lady Haein is in the storage room. Hurry!]

He nodded before swapping his position with the shadow soldier in the room. And slowly, his wife came into his view. 'Dear...' He saw her lifeless form on the floor, and his heart clenched in pain before going to her and holding her.

"Dear! Haein.. Wake  up." He frowns in worry as he sees dried blood on her forehead. He sees Beru emerge from the shadow and start healing the woman. He held her closer and held her hand that was on her abdomen. He sighed as he felt their child still alive, and after that, he closed his eyes as he also gave her a health buff to ease her pain. It was like someone dumped a cold bucket of water over him in relief when he saw her eyes flutter open.

"Dear, thank God." He mumbled before hugging her tightly and nodding at Beru in gratitude.

"Dear... I'm sorry. I can't just let them take Haru." Haein slowly whispered as she tried to sit up to look at her husband.

"I know... Just... I can't lose you, okay? I can't lose you or our child. You two both," Jinwoo sighed. "Don't do something like this again, okay? Do not leave Beru behind or any shadow soldier, okay?" He slowly pecked her lips and helped her stand up. "I shouldn't have gone away."

"Ani, don't say that." Haein, still not feeling well, leaned into her husband's arms, and slowly they went outside. Police cars were parked, and the couple saw as Dongsu was cuffed and pushed towards the car. It seems his business was closely watched by the police, who were waiting for anything to come by so they could arrest him with enough evidence. 'That's for the chaos you caused, you arsehole. Tsk.'

Jinwoo's anger has somehow subsided, and he helped his wife go to the ambulance to check for any of her injuries. But he doubts they'll find anything.

"Miss Haein! Mister Jinwoo!" Haru's cries interrupted Jinwoo's thoughts as the kid rushed in and hugged Haein, crying and apologising to her over and over again.

"Aigoo.. Haru.. its fine. I will be fine, okay?" Haein smiled and hugged Haru and Sunmi as well, who were thanking them both for what they did. Haein continued to smile even after Sunmi was called to Haru by the police for questioning. She continued to stare at the child with that warm smile on her face. Jinwoo stared at the woman, and he couldn't help but shake his head. Poking her cheek, he smiles.

"And you say you won't be a good mother. Yet look at you. Ready to give everything to a child." Haein just blinked at her husband before chuckling softly.

"I know now that we'll both do good, dear."

Jinwoo was leisurely sitting down on the sofa with his feet on top of the coffee table while watching the news. Well, he was not really watching, as he was just staring at his wife. Haein, now 4 months pregnant, was busy tidying some of the pillows. Haein's abdomen is noticeable now; everyone can see her baby bump, and she can't hide it with any of her dresses.

After that incident, he started filing for some days off every week just to watch over her while she's alone at their home. Even now, the image of his wife lying down lifelessly on the floor, like there is no more life within her, keeps haunting him in his dreams. But every time he wakes up, the fear is always quickly washed away by relief, as his wife is always there to soothe him.

"Haein... Dear, hmm, you know I love you so much, right?" Jinwoo called to her and chuckled softly. She just blinked and smiled, even though her cheeks were tinted pink, and walked over to her husband.

"Oh, I know, dear, I know. I love you too." She smiled before going into her husband's embrace.

Jinwoo pecked her lips, then smiled.

'Reports of prisoner Hwang Dongsu's mysterious disappearance. Nothing has been caught on the cameras around the prison. The police kept investigating the case, but it seems they cannot find anything at all, and according to the investigators...'

.

.

.

"Jinwoo! Where did you bring him?"

"What?! I'm innocent!"

To be continued...