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Chapter 64
“Our client has already provided sufficient clarification regarding this case.”
Standing behind Jin-young, Attorney Ha fixed Chief Choi with a calm, steady gaze.
Yet beneath that calm voice emanated an extraordinary charisma.
“I don’t think the explanation is sufficient.”
Chief Choi spoke firmly, not avoiding Ha’s eyes.
“Are you seriously considering my client a suspect based on just a single footprint photo? If that’s the case, Chief Choi, I’m disappointed.”
Ha spoke with a slight edge of mockery.
“Do I know you?”
Chief Choi’s brows furrowed instantly.
“Is there anyone in this line of work who doesn’t know the Chief with the country’s #1 arrest record?”
Ha handed his business card to Chief Choi with a sly smile. It was clear he had done his homework thoroughly.
“Y&K?”
The words “[Y&K Law Firm, Partner Attorney Ha Young-soo]” were clearly visible on the card.
A partner at Y&K Law Firm, a firm said to dominate Korea’s legal scene. Chief Choi had a rough idea of whose doing he was dealing with.
“Then I suppose we’ll take our leave.”
With the air of someone who had already said everything with just a single business card, Ha signaled Jin-young to rise.
“Wait a minute. What are you doing?”
Chief Choi glared at Ha with sharp eyes.
“The coercive and verbally aggressive remarks during today’s investigation, I assume, were unintentional stress reactions from two people under long-term heavy workloads. I’ll let it slide this time. Now, get up.”
Ha spoke as if bestowing a great mercy and grabbed Jin-young’s arm, helping him to his feet.
“What?”
Seong-jin, unable to hold back, shouted.
“Judging by how poorly you control your emotions, you must be under a lot of stress, Detective Kim. Isn’t it tough leaving sports for detective work? Then why take the police special exam back then? You should’ve just accepted the national team coaching offer.”
Chief Choi’s jaw dropped slightly, shocked at how Ha already knew everything about Seong-jin. Seeing Y&K’s methodical, ruthless approach in person—investigating everything and turning it into leverage for their client—was chilling.
“Have you said everything you wanted to say?”
“Stop it.”
Chief Choi restrained the fuming Seong-jin.
“Jin-young, leave for today.”
“Chief!”
Seong-jin’s eyes widened at the sudden order. After all that effort to detain and interrogate him, Chief Choi was suddenly letting him go. He couldn’t understand it at all.
“Ugh—what the hell. Such a waste of time.”
Jin-young shot a scornful glance at Chief Choi and Detective Kim, rising from his seat arrogantly.
“Chief, you’re really going to let him go?”
“The investigation is over. Then we have to let him go.”
For today, they had no choice but to take a step back. Though careful and cautious, they had still fallen into the trap Jin-young and Ha had laid. But rushing recklessly could cost them the chance to detain him again. The best option was to withdraw and plan for later.
“Then, let’s go.”
Ha gave Chief Choi a subtle, triumphant nod as she led Jin-young toward the door.
Then:
“Wait, Jin-young.”
Chief Choi called out urgently as Jin-young reached for the door.
“Why now?”
Jin-young turned his head, annoyance written all over his face.
“I just wanted to reassure you that the threat case is still under investigation, so don’t worry too much.”
“Then hurry up and catch them so I don’t have to worry. Don’t waste time holding innocent people like today—go catch my threatener already, okay?”
Jin-young glared alternately at Chief Choi and Seong-jin.
“We’re doing our best. Just be patient a little longer. For now, you’ve done well with today’s investigation. We’ll contact you if anything comes up.”
Bang—
The office door slammed shut with a resounding thud. Chief Choi leaned back, exhausted, closing his eyes.
A pounding headache accompanied the wave of stress.
“Chief, what if that bastard runs off abroad?”
Seong-jin, frustrated, struck his chest the moment Jin-young left.
“He won’t. Don’t worry. Guys like him already think they’re on top, so they’ll never run. Did you see him earlier? Sneering at us subtly.”
Chief Choi opened his eyes slightly, popped a no-smoking candy from the desk into his mouth, and said:
“Still… and that bastard did kill someone. The evidence is perfect.”
“No. One footprint alone is weak. We need more.”
Chief Choi stared intently at the footprint photo, chewing slowly.
“Then should we pause the Jin-young threat case and just focus on this one?”
“No, they might be connected. Investigate both together. Start by looking into people around Jin-young, especially anyone with debts or grudges.”
“Got it. While we’re at it, I’ll also look into Jin-young’s relationship with Kim Guk-sun more closely.”
Seong-jin noted Chief Choi’s instructions in his notebook.
“Also, remember the housekeeper at Jin-young’s who supposedly committed suicide?”
“Lee Myung-ja?”
“Yes. Check if anyone else worked at Jin-young’s house besides those two.”
“Anyone else we should look into besides them?”
Seong-jin paused, pen in midair.
“Dig into that Attorney Ha from earlier too.”
Chief Choi clenched his fist, biting down on a partially melted candy.
A coffee shop.
“Seunghyun, is that for real?”
Jieun put down her teacup, eyes wide.
“Yes, nuna. Crazy, right?”
“Unbelievable.”
“But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Since you’re Jin-young’s classmate, I can only tell you. No one else. Understand?”
Seunghyun glanced around the cafe, speaking in a hushed voice so no one could overhear.
“Then I won’t tell anyone, don’t worry. But you must have been really shocked. Chaerin, you were scared, right?”
“Yes. A little.”
Chaerin kept her head slightly down, fingers fidgeting with her mug.
“Nuna, Chaerin’s been really down lately. She’s been stressed out over Jin-young’s situation.”
Seunghyun whispered to Jieun, still monitoring Chaerin’s mood.
“But didn’t she just come out of the police station?”
“Yes. She was just questioned yesterday. Probably nothing serious, right? If it were me, though, being suspected like that, I’d be so stressed and frustrated I’d stay in bed and not eat.”
Seunghyun looked exhausted just thinking about it.
“Exactly. I’d probably collapse from stress right there.”
Jieun agreed.
Yet Chaerin remained silent, sipping her tea, staring blankly at the TV.
The screen showed Jin-young’s bright, smiling face in an interview:
[Hello, I’m Jin-young. It’s an honor to serve as a public ambassador for ‘Protection of Sexual Assault Victims.’ I will do my best to comfort victims as much as I can. From now on…]
Their eyes naturally focused on the TV.
“Wow. Incredible. Nothing serious happened, yet he went through police questioning unfairly and can still smile on TV. I couldn’t do that.”
Seunghyun shook his head.
“Me too. My heart would be pounding; I couldn’t handle it.”
Jieun nodded.
“Celebrities are a bit pitiful. Even when bad things happen, they have to smile.”
“Yeah, nothing is easy for them.”
“But Jin-young’s mental strength… amazing. How can he smile like that?”
“That’s how he made it to that position.”
Even as Seunghyun and Jieun chatted about Jin-young’s TV appearance, Chaerin silently continued staring at the screen.
“Ah! Nuna, weren’t you near the Sangam-dong broadcast station a few days ago?”
Seunghyun suddenly remembered something watching the TV.
“No, I wasn’t. When?”
Jieun shook her head.
“A few days ago, the day we met Jin-young. Weren’t you standing at the crosswalk near the filming site?”
“Oh—that day. I was working late. I even texted Chaerin that I had to stay late.”
Jieun smiled, amused at the coincidence.
“I saw that text too, but I also saw someone who looked exactly like you at that crosswalk near the filming site. A total doppelgänger…”
Seunghyun still couldn’t believe it.
“Really? Someone who looks like me? Maybe because I have a common face?”
Jieun laughed and responded, then noticed Chaerin staring and quickly looked away. Chaerin’s expression was unreadable.
“Chaerin, you really didn’t see it? I showed you a photo.”
Seunghyun pleaded silently for Chaerin to vouch for her.
“It’s not that. I just wanted to see if you came to the filming site to see Jin-young, since you’re an alum.”
Chaerin quietly continued watching Jieun’s eyes and spoke softly:
“Why would I go there? And I don’t even know Jin-young’s current contact. If anything, I’d ask you for it.”
Jieun, briefly looking away, smiled brightly and met Chaerin’s gaze again.
“See? You must have been mistaken.”
“Maybe… I really did see it wrong.”
Seunghyun scratched his head, uncertain, and gulped down the juice in front of him.
“Alright—since the day’s nice, let’s stop sitting here and go eat something delicious. Chaerin, you look down too.”
Jieun gently wrapped her arm around Chaerin’s shoulder and smiled.
“Sounds good, nuna. Let’s go. And Chaerin, stop sulking. We know you’re a fan. Jin-young got out of the police station safely, right? And if something had really happened, would he appear on TV like nothing happened? Now, come on, get up.”
Seunghyun lightly tugged Chaerin’s arm.
“Yeah, Chaerin, don’t worry too much. And you’re a true fan. Look at how worried you are. Jin-young’s lucky to have such a pretty fan. I’m jealous.”
Jieun pouted playfully.
“No, nuna, sorry for making you worry. Seunghyun, sorry.”
Chaerin bowed her head apologetically, feeling guilty for troubling them.
“Hey—no need to bow. Now, let’s go eat something delicious!”
Jieun stood up, nudging Chaerin and Seunghyun playfully, smiling. Yet their eyes remained fixed coldly on Jin-young’s bright smile on the TV.
Late at night. Jin-young’s house.
“Who could it be?”
Lying on the sofa staring at the ceiling, Jin-young suddenly got up, murmuring to himself, troubled.
He had combed through every past record in the house, trying to reason it out. Yet only one face remained in his mind.
Han Min-ji.
“Damn it.”
Jin-young grabbed the last mini bottle of whiskey from the empty cabinet and downed it in one gulp.
His anxiety was unbearable, and his rage uncontrollable. The only solace was alcohol.
Finishing the bottle, he ruffled his hair in frustration and collapsed back onto the sofa.
“No… it can’t be.”
Jin-young muttered repeatedly like a chant.
But the more he denied it, the clearer Min-ji’s face became in his mind. Only Min-ji could harbor such murderous intent and issue threats against him.
“Ah—shit. Where’s the booze… the ones the fans gave me should be here somewhere.”
Jin-young leapt up again, frantically searching the house to drown his troubling thoughts in alcohol.
“Found it.”
He finally located a bottle under the bookshelf in the study. Just as he twisted the cap…
Ding. Dong.
His phone, resting on the table next to the sofa, buzzed.
“Could it be… they found the threatener?”
Jin-young tossed the bottle aside and ran to the living room, hoping it was a message from Chief Choi.
「」
His phone displayed a single message notification. Jin-young swallowed dryly and carefully pressed the center with his thumb.
“What the… is this?”
A single video URL appeared in the message.
