“I’m disappointed in my oppa. Breaking promises like that.”
Yun Sena muttered to herself as she looked at a photo of Kang Heesin with a cigarette between his lips. Beside her, Sena’s mother, Kim Sujin, was sipping wine while getting her nails done. When the nail technician made a small mistake, her mother immediately set down her glass.
“Oh!”
“Ma’am! I’m so sorry! I made a mistake—”
“It’s fine. These things happen. Looks like we’re just about done anyway, you can go.”
After the technician apologized several more times and left, Kim Sujin let out a quiet sigh.
“Useless girl. Can’t even do nails properly. Honestly, no sense of professionalism.”
“That’s not like you. I thought you’d blow up at her.”
“Are you serious? People upload everything to social media these days and make a scene. You think I’m scared of people like that? No. I just find it beneath me.”
“You know about social media?”
“Do you think your mother is old and out of touch? I’m the Kim Sujin, you know. Kim. Su. Jin.”
Sena laughed and shook her head. Then she turned her gaze back to her phone.
Kim Sujin watched her and clicked her tongue.
“How long are you going to keep doing this? It’s practically a disorder.”
“Leave me be. This is how I stay sane.”
“Does Prosecutor Kang even know you’re doing this?”
Yun Sena hummed a little tune instead of answering. She swiped through the photos one by one — recent images of Kang Heesin appeared. Shots of him arriving at work, out on errands, heading home. Yesterday morning, a woman had shown up in the lobby too. Judging by her appearance, Sena guessed it was probably his mother.
Why did she come? She’d heard his family was struggling — was she there to ask for money?
Then she swiped to a photo of him with Im Gyeong and frowned without meaning to.
“I genuinely cannot figure him out.”
“Who? Prosecutor Kang?”
“No. Im Gyeong.”
She’d known the two of them had met separately, but she hadn’t asked why.
“Why hasn’t he left the country yet? Is he up to something? Haven’t you heard anything from your brothers?”
Sena let out a dry laugh. Brothers — half-brothers at that. Always scrambling to get one more thing for themselves, not a shred of real affection between them. But whatever they felt on the inside, they all made an effort to at least appear civil on the surface. Chairman Yun had always emphasized brotherly bonds, and none of them could afford to fall out of his favor.
She swiped further, and a photo came up — snow falling heavily in the background, Kang Heesin and Kim Jungu in the frame. Kim Jungu was a recently released ex-convict who held a grudge against Kang Heesin. She’d known that in advance, so just in case, she’d put someone on surveillance. Nothing dirty should be allowed to get near what she cared about.
But then that night, things had gone sideways. She’d looked away for a moment, and the man had gotten to Heesin — it had nearly ended in a stabbing. The silver lining was that Kang Heesin was tougher than she’d given him credit for. If he’d panicked like an idiot and called the police or locked himself in a room, she would have been disappointed. But instead, he’d turned it into a headline and spun it to make Kim Jungu the aggressor.
“That’s my man.”
Kim Sujin, who’d been half-listening, shook her head. She was far more interested in the department store catalog than in her daughter’s love life. A new bag and pair of shoes had caught her eye. Whatever her daughter was thinking, whatever she got up to behind the scenes — none of that was particularly her concern.
Just then, Yun Sena’s phone rang. She checked the caller and the corner of her mouth lifted. She was a long way from becoming a proper lady, and she knew it. She answered with a bright “oppa—” and Kang Heesin’s voice came through from the other end. He was more hesitant than usual.
“What are you being so careful about? What do you want to ask me?”
Yun Sena listened quietly, and one eyebrow arched crookedly upward.
“Who? Choi Yuno?”
Yun Sena shifted her gaze around the room. Two men sat on either side of her. On her right — Kang Heesin. On her left — Choi Yuno. She could have refused Heesin’s request, but she was curious to see how far he could hold his own. So she had been the one to reach out first to Choi Yuno, someone she hadn’t contacted in a long time.
She watched the two of them quietly, then picked up her handbag and slipped out of her seat.
“Call me when you’re done talking. I need a cocktail.”
The moment Yun Sena left, Heesin took out a business card and placed it on the table.
“Kang Heesin, Criminal Division 3, Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.”
Choi Yuno picked up the card, glanced at the name, and flicked it into the ashtray.
“I know who you are. You’re the one who’s been making my life hell lately. More cunning than you look, aren’t you? I didn’t think you’d pull a move like this.”
Choi Yuno was clearly displeased that Heesin had used Yun Sena to get to him. In reality, the two of them had gone to the same middle and high school, the same university, and had even studied abroad at the same institution. There had once been a rumor that Chairman Yun’s side had funded the campaign of Choi Yuno’s father, Representative Choi. Two people who had once been close were now at each other’s throats.
Heesin reached over, picked his business card out of the ashtray, dusted it off, and slipped it back into its case.
“These are taxpayer-funded, you see.”
He said it without a shred of embarrassment. Choi Yuno poured himself a drink and took a sip.
“Isn’t this venue a bit inappropriate for an interrogation?”
“You like places like this.”
“Sure, let’s say that. So why did you want to meet?”
“You know Kim Haeseong.”
“Sure. He died recently.”
“When did you last see him?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure I can quite remember….”
“What did you do when you met?”
“Had drinks, probably. Nothing that stands out. Honestly, people like him were never really on my radar.”
“Were you aware that Kim Haeseong was distributing drugs through a broker?”
“Was he? That’s the first I’m hearing of it.”
“In mid-December of last year, there was a gathering at an officetel in Yeoksam-dong — all of you together, correct?”
“I can’t recall. December was a busy month for get-togethers.”
“One of the attendees’ phones had a photo from that night. It’s blurry, but your face is visible. Two days later, Kim Juwon — who was under your company at the time — died. Drug overdose. You remember that, I assume.”
Choi Yuno’s expression darkened for a brief moment before snapping back into place. He smiled, unruffled. He said he couldn’t quite remember. Dodging questions — clearly a skill inherited from his father, Representative Choi, the politician. He turned it back around: what did that gathering have to do with Kim Haeseong’s death?
“Kim Haeseong was blackmailing you. Something to do with Kim Juwon.”
“Not at all. What would I ever have to be blackmailed over?”
“You wanted him dead. How dare someone like you come at me — that’s what you were thinking, wasn’t it?”
“Our prosecutor likes to write fiction, does he? A prosecutor should be presenting facts. Why invent things that don’t exist?”
Heesin kept his expression flat and pulled a photo from his jacket, setting it on the table. In it, someone was lying down with bandages wrapped around their face — covering even one eye. The man’s condition was grim.
He tapped the photo twice.
“I think you’ll remember this one.”
Choi Yuno’s gaze snapped from the photo to Heesin.
“Seo Ijun. He was in the same class as you in your second year of high school.”
“……”
“He was given an eighteen-week injury prognosis from the assault and ended up dropping out of school due to rehabilitation. Representative Choi must have worked very hard back then, given that it’s stayed buried until now.”
“It was mutual.”
“That’s not typically what we call mutual.”
“Ha, so what then. What are you going to do — dig up something that happened more than ten years ago and feed it to the press? Everything was settled with an agreement.”
“Of course the victim had no choice but to agree. He was the son of Representative Choi’s driver.”
“……”
“The victim’s original statement was that Choi Yuno had raped him, and that the physical violence occurred while he was trying to defend himself. He later changed his story — said it had been a misunderstanding. Is that correct?”
“I really can’t say. It was so long ago.”
“That’s a problem. Someone your age shouldn’t be getting confused already. Go see a doctor when you have time.”
Heesin picked up the photo from the table and tucked it back inside his jacket. Choi Yuno dropped a few ice cubes into a glass and filled it with whiskey. The amber liquor filled the glass and slid across the table toward him.
“Have a drink.”
Heesin ignored the offer and pressed on.
“Lacerations were found in the deceased Kim Juwon’s rectum. Evidence that something had been forced inside during his lifetime. What do you make of that?”
Choi Yuno took a sip and shrugged, his expression saying clearly — why are you asking me?
“Maybe he liked to touch himself. Or maybe he had male clients. You think men like him only sold themselves to women?”
“Or maybe it was Choi Yuno’s cock that went in.”
The blunt word made Choi Yuno’s brow twist.
Then he tilted his head back and looked up with an expression of pure arrogance.
“You’re bold, Prosecutor. I figured you for a prude — guess not. But here’s the thing. Let’s say you’re right, and I’m some guy obsessed with fucking men. So what. Is that a crime?”
“……”
“Since you already seem to know everything — I’ll be honest. I have very high standards when it comes to looks.”
“……”
“Strictly speaking, my type is less Kim Juwon or Kim Haeseong, and more—”
Choi Yuno lightly wet his lower lip with his tongue, then pointed his finger directly at Kang Heesin.
“Your direction, Prosecutor.”
“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“If you’re interested, just say the word. I’ll show you a whole new world.”
Heesin smiled faintly, gathered the photos, and stood.
“Leaving already?”
“A final summons will be coming your way soon. I do hope you’ll make an appearance this time.”
“So this was a threat visit.”
“For now, it’s a request.”
“What a shame. Stay and have some fun.”
Heesin didn’t respond and walked out of the room. Sena was at the bar, sipping a cocktail and chatting with the bartender. She gave a light wave and came over with her bag, then looped her arm through Heesin’s.
“Well? Did it go okay?”
“Thanks. Really.”
“So now you’ll spend some time with me?”
He reached to check the time — she dangled something in front of him first.
“No refusing.”
He realized it was a hotel room key, and a short laugh escaped him.
We’ve been doing this for quite a while now. She leaned into him and pouted, and he found he couldn’t bring himself to say no.
