A screen that appeared to be a Disney movie passed by, and one was an action film but at a point where it was almost ending. There was a Korean-style action film where men appeared in droves in a low blue tint, and Jaeha grimaced before changing to something else.
“Why? That looks interesting.”
“It’s completely full of lies. What do they take the prosecution for, depicting them as such villains? Only some are like that. It’s prejudice.”
“How refreshing to hear that from someone who came from the servants of power with the worst credibility.”
“It’s not the worst.”
“Wasn’t the National Assembly the only thing below the prosecution?”
“……”
When he pinpointed an article from the current affairs section he had seen before, Jaeha shut his mouth. The way his eyes twitched, he seemed to want to refute but couldn’t bring himself to say it.
“If Sponsor Prosecutor acts so righteous like that, it’s shameless.”
“I’m not a sponsor anymore.”
What kind of bullshit is this now? Kyungwoo raised his eyes. Then the corrupt prosecutor who had grabbed a forced sponsor through dirty blackmail leaned back in an arrogant posture and crossed his legs.
“In a dating relationship, let’s not nitpick about sponsors, okay? From now on, if I look after Taeryoung, it’s not because of sponsorship but because I’m looking after my significant other’s situation.”
“Isn’t that also sponsorship?”
“It’s strictly different. There’s no quid pro quo, no quid pro quo.”
Kyungwoo shut his mouth, about to say he would take his body as compensation. He felt like if he made it a fait accompli, he might get caught up in some unnecessary scheme.
“I like you unconditionally, but you don’t feel the same?”
At the words “I like you,” Kyungwoo almost had a heart attack. He quickly put down the whiskey glass he had just brought to his mouth on the table before spilling it.
Thud.
At the sound of the glass set down almost hard enough to break, Jaeha sneered, “Is that something to get angry about?” Far from being upset, he seemed rather pleased.
“You have a talent for startling people suddenly, Prosecutor Seo.”
“Seo Jaeha. In a dating relationship, call me by name. Or call me hyung.”
“You’re getting cocky.”
“So how much do you like me?”
“Do I have to say it? I’m the one who asked to date.”
“Clear expressions of affection are basic manners in a dating relationship. Someone who likes manners would know that well.”
Jaeha, who had blocked off escape routes left and right, spun the whiskey glass in his hand round and round and smiled confidently. He intended to hear it to the end.
‘Annoying bastard.’
“I like you enough to put up with that arrogant attitude. Right?”
“That’s still not enough.”
“Stop appropriately and back off.”
When he warned him sincerely, Jaeha stopped there. Instead, he gulped down his whiskey and then placed his glass next to the one Kyungwoo had set down.
Jaeha looked at Kyungwoo with eyes overflowing with pleasure. Before he could say anything, his lips overlapped. Just like the first time, it was a kiss full of whiskey scent.
*
“What? Sexual harassment?”
Kyungrok, who had just finished approving documents, raised her voice.
-Yes. It’s just been filed at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. There are many people claiming to be victims, so it seems difficult to handle quietly.
When the secretary said “seems difficult,” it meant impossible unless heaven and earth changed. Assemblyman Hwang had had many unseemly incidents anyway. The aide’s improper solicitation from before had received a guilty verdict, and although an appeal was planned, experts’ predictions weren’t very bright.
Thanks to Assemblyman Hwang insisting it absolutely wasn’t him, they had only dealt with one minnow and moved on, but considering the opposition lawmaker’s particularly cheap image, this incident would be endlessly dragged out and dragged out again by the ruling party’s offensive along with young supporters. Covering it up was meaningless.
“He’s more despicable than he looks, this person.”
-What should we do?
“First, we pull out from our side. You handle anything that might spark unnecessary flames on your own. I’ll leave it entirely to you until all that is dealt with.”
-Understood, President.
After hanging up, Kyungrok pressed the intercom to call the secretary waiting outside.
-Yes, President.
“Connect me to Deputy Manager Park.”
Three minutes after answering and hanging up, the phone rang. Kyungrok, who picked up the receiver, raised her voice considerably.
“Hello, Deputy Manager Park. Have you been well?”
-Well, who is this? What brings President Jung to call?
The behavior of subtly lowering his speech, saying he was older when there wasn’t even much difference in age, was very insolent. However, if she quibbled over such trivial matters one by one, it would be difficult to work with the species called prosecutors.
Kyungrok twisted her lips but pretended to be pleased with only her voice.
“I haven’t contacted you much. It hasn’t been long since I came to the front lines. I recently paid my respects to your wife along with showing my sincerity. Did you hear about it?”
-Oh oh. That’s right, I heard. Thank you, President Jung.
The person who said thank you hadn’t made a single call saying he received it. Only when directly poked did he barely spit out thanks, pretending he just remembered.
“I’ll pay my respects more often from now on.”
-Sure. From now on, let’s talk face to face instead of on the phone.
It meant to come out and entertain him. He had quite disregarded her, saying it was a president position she suddenly sat in after being a housewife.
‘If you weren’t Mom’s distant relative, I would have broken your nose bridge already.’
Her true feelings remained only as true feelings.
-Is Nunim doing well?
He deliberately called Jungok “Nunim” because they were siblings by generation order. The act of trying to save face by sitting Kyungrok down as a niece was laughable. While calling her “Nunim,” he was a petty person who couldn’t even properly call Jungok, who was the wife of a chaebol chairman.
“She’s doing well. I’ll convey your regards on your behalf.”
-Well, thank you for that. And don’t worry about this matter. I was going to contact you first anyway.
How could she believe that? Kyungrok inwardly scoffed.
“Thank you for thinking of us. I’ll host you directly next time. Yes, take care.”
With that, the call ended. Before getting angry at the snake-like deputy manager bastard, she was furious at Assemblyman Hwang.
“Just how many times is this?”
Kyungrok called the secretary who was out at the prosecutors’ office again.
“Yeah, it’s me. Since the call is over, you deliver the details directly to the deputy manager’s office. If Assemblyman Hwang contacts you, say you’re busy for the time being. Don’t take any calls at all. Right. That person needs to come to his senses. A non-prosecution disposition will come down anyway, but make sure Taeryoung’s name doesn’t appear in the media during the process. Grease the newspapers and broadcasting stations in advance.”
The secretary, well-versed in such matters, immediately carried out the instructions. Thanks to that, Kyungrok could focus on the hotel business again.
*
“Hey, Seo Jaeha.”
Director Baek, who always barged in like the wind, rushed in that day too as if kicking the door open.
While other directors got complaints for having butts that were too heavy, this person got the opposite criticism.
“Geez. My heart almost fell out.”
Administrative Officer Lee, who was actually closest to the entrance, was startled and jumped from her seat. Seeing that belatedly, Director Baek said seriously.
“Exercise. Being surprised like that at a young age means your body is weak. You just need to train your core muscles.”
“I don’t think that’s related.”
Director Baek passed over Administrative Officer Lee’s grumbling with a derisive laugh and came to Jaeha. Director Baek, who slammed the open office door shut, plopped down on the guest sofa in front of the desk even though he wasn’t invited. In his hand was a file.
“Taeryoung’s connections are really good. Already exclusively handling a National Assembly member.”
“What do you mean?”
Director Baek, who had barely lifted his butt from the seat, threw the fairly thick document onto Jaeha’s desk.
Thunk.
And then Director Baek gestured with his chin as if telling him to look through it. When he flipped open the file made of cardboard, along with a complaint listing several accusers, multiple petitions came out. The accused was Assemblyman Hwang.
“Isn’t this the Public Security Division?”
“Usually, yes. But because it’s a sex scandal and a reported case, they say it’s the Special Division? And the deputy manager specifically designated Seo Jaeha for assignment, so what can I do? The Public Security Division Director was giving me such white eyes.”
The fact that the deputy manager directly assigned it to Jaeha meant someone pulled strings. However, Jaeha hadn’t received contact from Kyungwoo.
“Anyway, I delivered it so my work is done.”
“Instead of coming all the way here to give me this, you could have just called me.”
“We have to see each other’s faces sometimes.”
The difficulty in seeing his face wasn’t Jaeha’s fault for appearing here and there but busy Director Baek’s fault. He was currently busy directing a large-scale tax evasion case.
Director Baek, who had been about to leave, suddenly stopped.
“Your big house seems to be determined to raise you, so be careful.”
Not understanding what he meant, when he looked up and tilted his head, Director Baek narrowed his eyes.
“You might break your fishing rod and fall into the water yourself if you cling to a big fish you can’t handle. To maintain a big sponsor, first your resilience has to be tremendous, but Seo Jaeha, you inherently have no resilience to speak of. Though you do have guts. Anyway, I gave my advice.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Then, good work.”
Director Baek went out like a storm again. Jaeha, sitting in his seat, looked at the complaint on his desk for a moment.
The big fish he couldn’t handle was Taeryoung. Being dragged along like that, Jaeha could end up in trouble. There wouldn’t be just one or two prosecutors Taeryoung had connections with. A single ordinary prosecutor was a part that could be replaced at any time.
Resilience meant the backing and cards Jaeha possessed. Jaeha hadn’t gained blood ties, regional ties, or school ties.
Although he studied well, he wasn’t from the most powerful top group within the prosecution. Being able to come up to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office was due to coincidental work ties through Criminal Division Director Lee Byungdo. He also benefited a bit from his pleasant appearance.
Maintaining the position he had risen to without wavering was entirely due to Jaeha’s ability. Studying well and ability as a prosecutor were slightly different matters. Jaeha had gained quite a reputation for being capable with clean handling of work in that area.
Beyond that, the connection Jaeha could trust most was his romantic connection. He picked up his cell phone and called him.
Even before the outgoing signal could ring, the other party answered the phone as if waiting. He answered so quickly that at first he thought the call went wrong.
-Why during work hours?
“The Assemblyman Hwang sex scandal case fell to me.”
-Really? I never contacted them. Didn’t they pass it along on their own?
“The suspect is a National Assembly member. A case that the Public Security Division would take came to me by the deputy manager’s order. If not you, then who?”
-You said Assemblyman Hwang? The person who had that aide incident before.
“Yeah.”
-Then it must be Nunim.
“Anyway, you’re saying someone did pull strings. How should I handle it?”
-Don’t ask me everything and handle it conscientiously.
“Didn’t you say before that a corrupt prosecutor has no conscience?”
-Then handle it without conscience. Either way, it has nothing to do with me. Just erase Taeryoung’s name from the case.
“Got it.”
-That aside, can you come this evening?
“Doesn’t seem possible.”
-Why?
“As I just mentioned, Executive Director Jung. The current National Assembly member sex scandal case was assigned to me. It’s looking like all-nighters for the next few days, you know? You’re busy with the new logistics center construction project too. Don’t turn your eyes to strange places and work first.”
-…Damn it.
And then the phone was abruptly cut off.
“Pretending you’re not, but you like me too much. How can you not even endure two days?”
Freely spitting out lines that would have made Kyungwoo grab him by the collar if he had heard, Jaeha began to carefully examine the document he had just received.
