The blue city bus passing through the intersection stopped in surprise, and other cars also slammed on their brakes urgently.
Because it was a particularly wide Gangnam road and the signal had just changed, the speed of other vehicles entering the intersection was slow. Thanks to that, the speeding black sedan stopped before hitting the city bus.
Thud.
The bus’s front door opened and an angry bus driver jumped out.
“Hey you bastard! Are you trying to watch someone die!”
“You crazy bastard! If you want to die, die alone!”
Other vehicle drivers also rolled down their windows and hurled curses.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Kyungwoo repeatedly took deep breaths.
—What’s wrong? Did you have an accident? Jung Kyungwoo? Are you safe?
The voice asking was full of worry.
“Why? You said you didn’t want to see me, but I guess you’re worried? Then come see me.”
Ignoring his madly racing heart, Kyungwoo sneered.
—Of course I would. Ha. You bastard. You’re really making me lose all affection. You crazy lunatic.
The voice that had been spewing curses lowered as if suppressing anger.
—I hate the most the bastards who get emotionally agitated and rampage like moths to a flame without thinking ahead. You know? Coming at me like this is dating violence and threats. I don’t have the confidence to see you for a while, and I don’t want to hear your voice either.
The end of his cold tone trembled slightly, showing how angry he was.
—Whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate, it seems you didn’t die, so handle the accident well yourself. Don’t show your face for a while. Unless you want to die at my hands.
With that, the call was abruptly cut off.
Bang bang.
“Get out! You bastard!”
The furious bus driver pounded on the window. The area around his eyes blazed. He wanted to hit anyone. The moment he flung open the car door to get out, police officers who had appeared from somewhere rushed in to stop him.
If not for that, today Taeryoung’s legal team and secretariat would have had to handle not just an accident but an assault case as well.
*
In the afternoon, Jaeha called the police traffic department to check if there had been any vehicle accidents in the city today. When they said there were several cases, his heart sank. However, after hearing the detailed explanation, he let out a sigh of relief. None of the accidents had any connection to Jung Kyungwoo.
“Yes, I understand. No. There’s no need to notify me separately, I’ll call again. Thank you.”
After finishing the call with the kind employee, Jaeha relaxed his tension and leaned back. The backrest creaked as if struggling.
As his temper flared, it rose to the max. Jaeha pulled down his tie knot slightly and undid one shirt button.
“Crazy bastard.”
He had long known that Kyungwoo had a hot temper.
Didn’t he immediately employ his shoulder and transition to grappling time just for being mocked with instant coffee? Didn’t he, someone with social status, suddenly swing a steel pipe just for holding a personal weakness over him?
“For someone who looks so docile.”
When he himself was the one who first mentioned a cooling-off period. It seemed he didn’t properly understand what it meant when Jaeha got angry. And then to throw a tantrum belatedly when this side agreed to it.
He was just like a seven-year-old kid saying, “I can throw tantrums but you can’t!”
“Our Kyungwoo, in that aspect, is a child.”
Kyungrok’s voice vividly replayed.
“Really a child.”
He rubbed both sides of his forehead with his thumb and ring finger. The siblings tormented Jaeha with a barrage as if wondering whether there was a need to move with such one mind and one will.
“Like a baby duck that follows what it first sees after hatching, thinking it’s its mother, maybe Kyungwoo was just swept up by the stimulus?”
“Accept Noona’s proposal.”
“Take this opportunity to think seriously.”
“Let’s have a cooling-off period.”
While Jung Kyungrok was digging into fatal weaknesses, Kyungwoo unilaterally reached a conclusion and unilaterally notified him. What a shitty habit of excluding the other person and settling everything alone when difficulties arise. Kyungrok’s words about being ignorant of romance were accurate.
“There’s a limit to not knowing anything.”
It was high-handedness he wouldn’t even use on a business partner. No, as an executive director of a major corporation, he might not even know it was high-handedness.
The attitude of believing there would be no change between them like this was ridiculous. Just because he declared a cooling-off period while putting on airs, was this side supposed to cling to him crying and begging? Getting furious when he actually accepted it was also infuriating.
It was hard to just let pass the selfish naivety of believing they could really cut off contact for a while and then start again as if nothing happened.
“Damn cooling-off period. Let’s see you try.”
The personnel transfer order came out in less than two days. Administrative Officer Lee and Section Chief Joo were shocked by the sudden provincial assignment.
Fortunately, with them there, the work handover wasn’t a big problem. The important matters had all been resolved, and the newly received cases could be started fresh by the prosecutor who would be assigned to this office.
He walked out of the office carrying a box with his sparse personal belongings in both arms. Then Administrative Officer Lee, looking like she was about to cry, opened the door leading outside. Section Chief Joo followed out carrying another box.
“Prosecutor, how can this be so sudden?”
The two who followed him to the parking lot helped Jaeha load his things.
“I’ve been indebted to you all. For this to happen suddenly before I could repay you… If I get the chance next time, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“You’ll be able to come back soon, right?”
“I don’t know. It depends on the wishes of those above.”
“No matter how great Assemblyman Hwang is, to demote someone like this when they handled things according to the law. Isn’t this really too much?”
Section Chief Joo got angry. Jaeha smiled bitterly. He couldn’t say that wasn’t the real reason.
“Then I’ll be going. Stay healthy.”
“If I end up going there later, I’ll contact you.”
“You stay healthy too, Prosecutor.”
After getting in the driver’s seat and waving, Jaeha quickly exited the district prosecutor’s office parking lot.
He had to drive for well over two hours to the central region adjacent to the west coast. Could he arrive before lunchtime? Looking at the navigation guidance, Jaeha headed for the highway entrance.
The place of his new assignment was a branch office under the regional prosecutor’s office. It wasn’t a very small branch office with only ordinary prosecutors, but a sub-branch office with a senior prosecutor.
“How do you do? I’m Prosecutor Seo Jaeha, scheduled to report for duty starting next week.”
As soon as he arrived, he stopped by to greet the branch office chief.
The branch office chief, with a plump face wearing horn-rimmed glasses, sat at his desk and looked Jaeha up and down as he stood in front of him. His sparse hair looked like he’d soon be bald.
“I heard about you. You’re the guy who sent off Assemblyman Hwang?”
“Ah, well, yes.”
“I wondered what kind of lunatic would indict a sitting three-term assemblyman, but you look decent. Is that hair a wig?”
“It’s my real hair.”
“Indeed, the world is unfair.”
The branch office chief, who had moved a thick case file with worn corners from one side to the other—perhaps reused—started looking through the file again. Since he didn’t tell him to leave, Jaeha stood quietly.
Flip. Flip.
When about ten sheets of paper had been turned at intervals, the branch office chief continued speaking with his eyes fixed on the documents.
“Director Baek is my classmate. That guy bought drinks for another classmate at the Ministry of Justice to send you here. He called yesterday and told me to keep a special watch on you. Said you look docile but scheme behind people’s backs.”
It was half like a curse, and it was awkward to respond, so he kept his mouth shut.
“Nothing to say?”
The branch office chief, who raised his eyes above his horn-rimmed glasses, asked.
“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
“This isn’t some cheap joint, and a senior looked after a junior—what trouble? I’ll be watching you from now on, so do well.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Call Director Baek.”
“I will.”
“You may go. An employee will show you to your office.”
“Yes. Then.”
Jaeha bowed in greeting again and turned around. Just as he was about to leave, the branch office chief opened his mouth again.
“You know this is Assemblyman Hwang’s turf, right?”
The person who just said not to talk about trouble when it’s not even a cheap joint casually spouted cheap Japanese slang as if it were nothing.
“Guys who lost their boss and are grinding their teeth, guys whose eyes are burning because their business plans relying on connections to Assemblyman Hwang fell through, just crazy guys for no reason. There are lots here. Watch out at night.”
“I understand. Then I’ll be going.”
As he greeted again, the branch office chief just gestured while showing his sparse crown.
“You’re Prosecutor Seo Jaeha, right?”
When he came outside, a pleasant-looking employee was waiting. With his help, he unloaded the luggage from the car and moved it to the office.
Unlike the Central District Prosecutors’ Office where the prosecutor’s office and employee office were separated, here there was no special distinction. Everything was in one space.
Cabinets and document boxes were lined up along the wall. Various orchid pots that might have been passed down from the previous or previous-previous prosecutor, or perhaps from when this branch office was established, filled the window. It was cozy, and equally, there seemed to be no privacy in terms of work.
“I’m Prosecutor Seo Jaeha, and I’ll be working with you all from now on. I look forward to your guidance.”
“Welcome, Prosecutor.”
The employee who guided him and another employee who had been waiting bowed to Jaeha.
Jaeha was assigned to Criminal Division 2. He would handle all sorts of miscellaneous criminal cases including women, children, traffic, juveniles, and even environmental matters.
His official start date was next week, but since the existing prosecutor had already packed up and left, there was no problem at all for Jaeha to take over the work immediately. The two employees briefed him in detail, focusing on ongoing cases.
“Have you found a place to live?”
“I’ll have to start looking from today.”
When he answered nonchalantly to the question, the employee was surprised. Jaeha, who had roughly looked through one case, smiled at the employee.
“If you know any good places, please recommend some. I’m completely new to this area.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll call around to real estate offices.”
“An apartment would be good. It doesn’t need to be too big, and since it’s just one man, as long as it’s a reasonable size and clean, that’s fine. If it’s too big, it’s just a hassle to clean.”
At those words, the employee called around to real estate offices and found several clean small apartments. Perhaps worried about Jaeha being new to this place, the employee was kind enough to even go look at properties with him.
He found a clean jeonse property on the outskirts of downtown not far from the branch office and signed a contract on the spot. At the word “prosecutor,” the real estate office owner showed a beaming smile.
“Thanks to you, I found a good place. I’d like to treat you to a meal, are you available now?”
“Well, I’m available.”
The young employee readily agreed. Another employee who had finished work around that time also joined, and they headed to a meat restaurant in the area that was rumored to be delicious. It was both a welcome greeting and a get-together.
“Prosecutor, we felt sorry for you even before the rumors spread.”
Once some alcohol went in, an employee spoke up with concern.
