The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 123

“‘I know. I know what kind of relationship you two have.’”

Could it be? The moment I was startled, wondering if she knew about our private relationship, Prosecutor Joo slammed his fist hard onto the desk.

“Stop the nonsense. Your son’s DNA was found at the place where the Koryo-in Mr. Kim’s body was abandoned. Seven years ago, your husband died for no reason, and three days later, a retired obstetrician was murdered. Are you spewing nonsense saying that all these series of events are unrelated?”

“…”

“If Ms. Oh Jahyeon says she has nothing to do with it, then I guess I’ll just have to find your son and throw him in prison.”

At Prosecutor Joo’s provocation, the Oh Jahyeon in front of us looked like she was about to explode at any moment. Her expression clearly showed the long and arduous, old emotions condensed within her small body.

However, in the end, contrary to her usual self, Oh Jahyeon did not open her mouth, did not get angry, and endured the words she wanted to say. It seemed that Chief of Department Tak Seong-ung and her son were her only inhibitors.

“…I’m leaving now. I will exercise my right to remain silent.”

Oh Jahyeon stood up from her seat. Her red eyes looked like they would burst into hateful tears at any moment.

It was already well past quitting time. Moreover, since we had no right to detain Oh Jahyeon, we couldn’t stop her from leaving. However, the polygraph results and Oh Jahyeon’s reactions had completely solidified our hunch.

That our deduction was correct. The problem was the task of finding the evidence.

I returned to the prosecutor’s office with Oh Jahyeon. She quietly packed her things and left the office, and Prosecutor Joo muttered as he watched the closed door.

“Surprisingly, she didn’t make a scene now that she’s telling the truth.”

“You’re right. I thought she would go wild like usual.”

I chewed over Oh Jahyeon’s expression thoughtfully and added.

“But didn’t she look a bit sad?”

“What?”

“Oh Jahyeon.”

“Why would Oh Jahyeon be sad?”

“From Oh Jahyeon’s perspective, it’s a love she couldn’t fulfill in her lifetime. And a son she raised in secret. If, as she said, she is a casino director and a member of the Osong family, wouldn’t she have thought all along that she shouldn’t have done that?”

“Don’t bother understanding the culprit’s feelings.”

“I have to understand to a certain extent to predict their behavior.”

“She’s not the type to commit suicide. That’s enough.”

“That may be true, but…”

“Let’s head home for today. I’m exhausted.”

“Yes.”

I turned off the computer, stood up from my seat, and put on the suit jacket I had taken off. Before leaving, Prosecutor Joo took me into the inner office and kissed me lightly. He didn’t forget to lock the door like usual. When I flinched and shivered at the touch entering my shirt, he stroked my bare skin softly and said.

“Shall we go to Officer Lee’s official residence today?”

“T-to the residence?”

“The soundproofing there isn’t very good, is it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Let’s do it with your mouth covered.”

Before I could even answer, his thick tongue softly invaded the inside. I quickly weakened at the damp flesh rubbing against the mucous membranes.

Lately, even when Prosecutor Joo made unreasonable demands, I didn’t even feel a strong sense of dislike. I had become accustomed to matching myself to his desires. I was slowly being tamed by Joo Taeson.

“Ugh…”

Only after biting my lower lip did Prosecutor Joo let me go. After barely calming my breath swirling inside my narrow mouth, we turned off the office lights and went out into the hallway together.

The branch was exceptionally quiet today. Perhaps because the prosecutors had also left early, we did not encounter a single staff member while walking down the hallway, taking the elevator, and heading to the entrance. It was silent, as if we were the only ones left in the world.

As we walked down the entrance stairs and moved our feet toward the surface parking lot, a black shadow suddenly popped out from between the trees. I was startled, wondering if it was a disgruntled petitioner or a released criminal, but Prosecutor Joo’s reaction was a beat faster than mine. He stopped immediately and blocked me with one arm.

Oh Jahyeon was standing in front of us. She looked like she had been crying for a long time. The whites of her eyes were redder, and even her eyelids were swollen and puffy.

“Lee Chaeha.”

My name popped out of Oh Jahyeon’s mouth. For the first time today, she smiled faintly.

“It’s unfair that only you two dig into my secrets.”

Oh Jahyeon said in a low voice and took a step closer to us. The atmosphere was so sinister that a cool shadow crept along my spine.

“So today, I’m going to tell you one secret between the two of you at a time.”

This time, Prosecutor Joo moved one step forward. After he did, his arm appeared to be blocking not me, but Oh Jahyeon. I stared blankly at Oh Jahyeon over his arm. Oh Jahyeon tilted one corner of her mouth crookedly and looked up at Prosecutor Joo, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Why. You live by digging into other people’s secrets, but is it uncomfortable for me to talk about your secrets? Hmm? Prosecutor Joo.”

“Ms. Oh Jahyeon, we are not digging into private secrets but simply investigating criminal charges. Stop talking about irrelevant things and go home. You don’t have much time left before you have to go home, anyway.”

His tone was no different from usual. Oh Jahyeon’s gaze moved past the arm that looked like a fortress wall blocking her and toward me.

“Is that so? If I tell you what I know, will Lee Chaeha think so too?”

“Ms. Oh Jahyeon, stop and go.”

When Prosecutor Joo Taeson stopped Oh Jahyeon again, I sensed a faint nervousness in his voice.

I had been making eye contact with Oh Jahyeon for a long time. Was it just a drug addict’s bluff? But strangely, I had a premonition that she was going to say something truly important.

‘I know. I know what kind of relationship you two have.’

Recalling what she said in the interrogation room, it might be a threat to expose our relationship.

I pray that it is not that. Lukewarm sweat beaded along my spine.

However, misfortune was always perfectly colorless and odorless. It might have crawled in silently like a snake, ready to bite my heels again.

Oh Jahyeon slowly opened her lips and stared intently at Prosecutor Joo Taeson.

“Lee Chaeha is Lee Gilyoung’s son.”

My heart sank reflexively, but I soon regained my composure. It couldn’t be that only Prosecutor Joo Taeson knew that fact. Moreover, Oh Jahyeon and Chief Tak were my father’s high school classmates. For something Oh Jahyeon swore was a secret, it was a lackluster revelation.

He let out a light sigh.

“Ms. Oh Jahyeon, I am going to call someone.”

“No, you can’t call anyone.”

Oh Jahyeon’s lips and chin, as she spoke with her head held high, trembled with strange excitement. It was as if a snake about to take revenge was forcibly holding back the tongue it wanted to flick.

“Prosecutor Joo must know his own secrets well, right? But human relationships should be fair. What are you going to do if you’re the only one who knows Lee Chaeha is the son of a murderer? Did you tell Lee Chaeha about you?”

“…Stop.”

A firmer voice than expected blocked Oh Jahyeon, but she glared at me again with eyes burning with light.

“Curious, aren’t you? Come here. I’ll tell you.”

“Don’t be swayed, Officer Lee. I will tell you, so don’t listen to Oh Jahyeon.”

Prosecutor Joo turned his head back and looked down at me. The gaze we met wanted to persuade me and wanted to extract a firm answer from my eyes that I would stay away from Oh Jahyeon. However, the sentence he had just thrown out fell onto my heart with a loud sound.

‘I will tell you.’

It meant that there was a secret he should have told me.

I clenched my fists tightly. My palms were sweaty.

Prosecutor Joo just affirmed Oh Jahyeon’s revelation. He even seemed to already know what she was going to tell me. It was unusual for him to react that way when Oh Jahyeon hadn’t even given a hint as to what she would expose.

There is definitely a secret inside Prosecutor Joo’s chest.

Something he is hiding from me, something that keeps uncomfortably brushing against my heart.

Oh Jahyeon proposed again.

“Lee Chaeha, hear Prosecutor Joo’s secret from me before you go. You don’t really believe that Joo Taeson will tell you willingly, even though he hasn’t said a word until now, do you?”

“Oh Jahyeon, stop and go.”

More and more strength was added to Prosecutor Joo’s voice, but Oh Jahyeon stared at me without wavering.

“Can you be sure that what Joo Taeson tells you will be the truth? Can you guarantee that he will tell you the secret now, even though he hasn’t said anything until now? On the other hand, what I’m going to tell you is the clear truth. Because I have no reason to lie.”