The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 104

— I’ve just submitted all the warrant applications, but Chief Tak wants us to see him for a bit.

“Why.”

— It’s probably because the opponent is a somewhat powerful person.

“Chief Tak doesn’t usually care about that kind of thing.”

At my reply, Lee Chaeha’s gaze brushed over me and then dropped away. The indifferent Chief Mr. Song and Officer Ms. No were focusing diligently on their own work.

— Don’t know. Just come straight to the 2nd Division Chief’s office for now.

“Got it.”

Rising from my seat, I tossed out a brief notice while putting on my jacket.

“I’m going to see the Division Chief, so leave work when you’re done with your tasks.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Glancing briefly at Lee Chaeha, who alone did not answer, I left the prosecutor’s office. Through the crack of the closing door, a gaze that followed me belatedly lingered before being cut off by the narrowing gap.

“Ha….”

I shouldn’t be conscious of it.

Letting out a soft sigh, I walked toward the 2nd Division Chief’s office at the end of the same floor. After knocking and hearing a voice answer, I opened the door to find that Yoon Gyuho hadn’t arrived yet, and Chief Tak was sitting at the desk alone. Chief Tak rose with a welcoming demeanor as usual and gripped my hand tightly once.

However, unlike his seemingly calm face, a sense of awkwardness and a peculiar rigidity could be felt from the fingertips of Chief Tak as he shook my hand. A lukewarm cold sweat, which could never be felt during a normal handshake, had transferred onto my palm.

Sensing a strange feeling, I tightly clenched and unclenched the palm where Chief Tak’s touch had slipped away. This was because Tak Sungwoong was a person who rarely got nervous.

“Have you been well?”

“Of course. Even though you saw me just the day before yesterday.”

“Shall I give you a cup of coffee?”

“I’m fine.”

Though I frequently dropped in and out of the 1st Division Chief’s office for meetings and what-not every day, I rarely had an occasion to come to the 2nd Division Chief’s office, so I lightly scanned the surroundings. There were no particular changes, but the photo placed on the bookshelf had changed. Approaching closer, I peered at the family portrait. It was a harmonious family that always looked good. One that I did not possess.

“I heard he’s a high school senior this year; are his grades coming out well?”

At the mention of his son, a bright smile spread across Chief Tak’s face. He was different in many ways from my late father. We had been a pair of father and son who were neither distant nor close.

“Of course, he studies well. Though not to the extent of becoming an alumnus with Prosecutor Joo.”

“Is there any need to study so hard just to become an alumnus. Doing it moderately is the best.”

Next to the family portrait, a photo of Chief Tak from his younger days was placed. Several photos taken in an unfamiliar foreign country were visible. Usually, I don’t miss things like this, but in the meantime, I had been distracted by the family portrait and had never looked at this side intently.

“Did you travel abroad a lot?”

“I went occasionally.”

At that moment, along with the sound of a knock, Yoon Gyuho poked his face in. Since Pro Yoon was also an alumnus like Chief Tak and a junior he separately looked after, it became a gathering between relatively comfortable people.

We sat down at the table placed in the center. Chief Tak pulled his tie down slightly as if somewhat uncomfortable and leaned his back against the sofa.

“Is the evidence definitive enough to touch Oh Jahyeon? I’m grateful that you referenced me at the end, but the 1st Division Chief didn’t know about this case at all either. You should have reported to the higher-ups while proceeding with the investigation.”

Just as I was about to open my mouth, Yoon Gyuho was one step faster than me.

“As it wasn’t definitive, we proceeded on our end after discussing with Prosecutor Joo.”

“For Prosecutor Joo, I well know that his way of handling work is like that, but it would have been nice if Prosecutor Yoon at least gave a hint.”

“Even I cannot help but be conscious of the almighty Pro Joo. Since you are the junior Chief Tak cherishes the most, I also thought that even if the 1st Division Chief didn’t know, Chief Tak would ultimately understand.”

Yoon Gyuho replied slyly as usual, but his eyes were not laughing at all. Although he had accepted it because I spoon-fed him the investigation and it seemed like a major case, it appeared he wasn’t pleased upon actually being called out by Chief Tak.

Chief Tak let out a faint sigh and then asked.

“Are the points of suspicion written on the warrant application everything? Or are there more other points of suspicion.”

This time Chief Tak’s gaze turned toward me, so I opened my mouth first.

“There are no other points of suspicion.”

“The Koryo-in unnatural death case was Prosecutor Joo’s responsibility, so why did you transfer it to Prosecutor Yoon?”

“Because perhaps more remaining offenses regarding drugs or finance might come out. In those fields, Prosecutor Yoon Gyuho is more adept than I am. I also did financial crime work during my initial appointment, but now I’m in Criminal Division 1 and I thought it was more appropriate for Prosecutor Yoon to take charge. Since we can proceed jointly, it doesn’t mean my name is being omitted either.”

“Prosecutor Yoon, you don’t happen to have another hidden agenda, do you?”

It was a question that could sound somewhat sharp, but Chief Tak’s characteristic soft tone and gentle expression neutralized the suspicion hidden in the sentence.

Everyone present in this room understood the implication of that question. Chief Tak wanted to confirm whether Yoon Gyuho was unreasonably indicting her while harboring a desire for revenge over his younger sister. Hilariously, not knowing that such a desire for revenge was steeped more deeply in me rather than her twin brother, Yoon Gyuho.

Yoon Gyuho answered calmly.

“No, Division Chief.”

“You don’t happen to suspect that Oh Jahyeon is involved in the Koryo-in’s death, do you? Or is it only the body abandonment.”

It was a sharp question. Before Yoon Gyuho could glance at me, I answered.

“We are considering that as well.”

“Why.”

“Because it’s definitive that she purchased drugs on the day of the death.”

“The drugs distributed after that could have just fallen into Oh Jahyeon’s hands. Don’t be too biased by emotion. That’s my worry. Aren’t you both people who cannot look at this case impartially.”

Chief Tak was keeping in mind not only Yoon Gyuho’s but also my desire for revenge. Better than anyone, he knew the fact that I suffered to the point of death during the process of whistleblowing after sending Prosecutor Yoon Soyeon away like that. As well as the long time I drifted around only regional branch offices that were not my home ground, as if pushed out in a demotion.

Chief Tak continued speaking.

“Though they say she was kicked out of Osong, that absolutely doesn’t mean Oh Jahyeon stops being an Oh. If it goes up to the Supreme Court, the judges there won’t even care or know what kind of enterprise Osong Construction is or that Oh Jahyeon is a casino director. But it’s not the case for the Danhyun District Court where the first instance will be. If you do this kind of indictment wrongly, the branch office will be disgraced. If the indictment fails, there will be pressure from the main office too. Therefore, I want you to look only at the evidence placed before your eyes and investigate objectively, without touching her recklessly, and without imagining. It means don’t do a planned investigation. Do you understand what I am worried about?”

“Yes, Division Chief.”

We answered together and bowed our heads briefly.

“For now, since the evidence to indict is definitive, I won’t throw a tackle. Because it’s a fact that she consumed drugs.”

Division Chief Tak Sungwoong seemed poised to continue speaking, but paused for a moment. After pulling a handkerchief out of his inner jacket pocket to wipe the sweat forming on his forehead, he shifted his body with a hesitant demeanor and added the rest of the story.

“If possible, don’t blow up the case too much; indict her for violating the Narcotics Control Act and wrap it up. There isn’t even definitive evidence for the body abandonment. If you attempt to bulk up the size of the case, I have no choice but to suspect you guys too. That you have another ulterior motive.”

“Understood.”

Since what Chief Tak was worried about was reasonable, I answered outwardly, but I absolutely had no intention of ending this case here. And though I said I trusted him, I also didn’t have the slightest intention to rashly confide the scenario that Lee Chaeha and I shared.

The report carried out subsequently was wrapped up briefly and ended.

“Then Prosecutor Yoon, leave first. I have something to say with Prosecutor Joo for a moment.”

“Yes, Division Chief.”

Yoon Gyuho glanced back at me as I was left completely alone with Chief Tak. His dissatisfaction at the situation of being excluded by himself was vivid. Because his desire for success was strong, he tended to view relations with the higher-ups as very important.

As soon as he left the Division Chief’s office, Chief Tak leaned his back loosely against the sofa. His wrinkled face stripped away the mask of a division chief prosecutor and returned once more to my father’s friend who had looked after me since childhood.

“Looking at the investigated documents, Investigator Lee Chaeha is heavily involved. Did you investigate Oh Jahyeon’s drug matter keeping that friend with you?”

“Yes.”

“Knowing who Lee Chaeha is, you….”

“So you knew as well, Division Chief.”

It wasn’t that surprising.

Division Chief Tak Sungwoong’s hometown was Danhyun City, and since he was high school friends with President Kang Woosung and Oh Jahyeon, conclusively, he must have been friends with Lee Gilyoung as well. That is, all four of them were in a relationship where they knew each other very well.