The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 159

“Tak Sungwoong committed the murder but only attempted it, and all the charges related to drug distribution are Oh Jahyeon’s. They divided the charges well. The solicitation of a false confession from the innkeeper who used to be a miner applies to both, but the crime of abetting the escape of a criminal has a light sentence anyway, so it’s not very useful.”

He clicked his tongue briefly and asked Prosecutor Yoon Gyuho.

“What do the drug offenders you’ve rounded up say?”

“They say Oh Jahyeon did distribute the philopon and Tak Sungwoong didn’t know. They are currently snitching on each other to reduce their sentences, so they’re being caught in droves; the detention center is full.”

“You’ll rack up some good performance records.”

“I caught a break without lifting a finger thanks to Pro Joo.”

“I’m glad at least one person is happy. Ha…, let’s stop here for today.”

At Prosecutor Joo’s declaration, everyone stood up with tired expressions to organize their documents. I put the materials in the cabinet and went out into the hallway together. Tomorrow, I had to prepare for the lie detector test again.

In the elevator going down, the investigator from Prosecutor Yoon’s office spoke to me first for the first time. He was a middle-aged man with a slightly receding hairline and a rigid impression.

“How do you get home, Officer Lee?”

He was someone who had treated me very coldly during the months of collaboration, likely due to the rumors swirling around me. I was slightly surprised on the inside, but I answered plainly on the outside. Prosecutor Joo’s gaze flickered toward me.

“I get a ride from Prosecutor Joo. What about you, Chief?”

“I drive. I heard you live in the official residence, so I thought I’d offer you a ride.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

I bowed my head slightly to greet him. I suppose the ominous scarlet remnants must have faded quite a bit now. To think he would extend a helping hand, even if it was just a formality, as an investigator from another office. The situation might change once everyone knows the news that I’m about to receive a disciplinary action from the ethics committee, but it was a pleasant thing regardless.

Of course, I still don’t have high expectations. The unexpected stroke of luck that came to me was enough with just one Joo Taeson, and that alone was more than I deserved.

“Then go home safely. You’ve worked hard.”

I bowed respectfully to Prosecutor Yoon and the investigator and got into Prosecutor Joo’s car. As I placed my bag on my knees and fastened my seatbelt, he pressed his index finger firmly against the corner of my mouth as if pointing it out. It seemed I had been smiling without realizing it.

“Do you like it that much when someone is nice to you?”

“It’s because I’ve been bullied my whole life.”

I answered calmly, and he furrowed his brow slightly. His handsome eyebrows narrowed.

“…You preemptively say things so I can’t even respond. Plus, it’s after work, yet your tone is so stiff. I don’t like it.”

“Don’t tell me you were going to scold me for smiling?”

I was surprised and asked back. Is smiling at someone else’s kindness something to be scolded for? Surprisingly, Prosecutor Joo admitted it readily and started the car.

“Yes. You had almost no expressions, so I was actually relieved, but lately, I see signs of life sometimes. Noticeably so.”

“You were the one who told me to do well at company life.”

“That’s true. I guess I should have just let you get fired.”

I only thought his taste was bad, but his pettiness was truly remarkable. I had noticed to some extent that he was on the jealous side, but it was more severe than I thought. I realized anew how displeased he must be with the fact that I eat lunch alone with Chief Song or get along with them.

“About Chief Tak today.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t it seem like he already knew that the mobile phone forensics weren’t finished?”

“…You thought so too, Prosecutor.”

“I think it’s true that information keeps leaking.”

Neither of us mentioned Prosecutor Yoon Gyuho or Chief Song Haneul, but we were likely picturing the same faces in our minds.

He dropped me off in front of my apartment. Even though it was dawn, the wind was warm, and I could feel the body temperature of summer that had approached closely.

I walked back to the driver’s side and greeted him once more through the window.

“Prosecutor, drive safely.”

Just then, Prosecutor Joo turned off the car’s interior light and rolled down the driver’s side window. Sitting in the dark space, he stared straight at me and opened his mouth.

“Give me a kiss.”

I was flustered by his request, so I shifted my gaze to the side for a moment. The apartment was dark; there was no one in sight. The world was quiet as if dead, save for the faint streetlight, the shadows of trees laden with lush leaves, and the sound of my pounding heart.

His face was immersed in shadows that the light couldn’t reach. I held onto the door frame where the window was rolled down all the way, leaned my head slowly into the darkness, and kissed him. Our lips, as warm as spring, brushed lightly and then parted. Because we were outside, I couldn’t do anything more.

In the brief moment, our lips, moistened with each other’s warmth and fluids, pulled away with a soft sound. A low voice whispered.

“Get home safely.”

After greeting me, he tugged on the end of my dangling necktie. I leaned my head down again as if led, brushed my lips against his, and then pulled back with a reddened face.

“Someone might see.”

“I had a hard time at work, so give me a break. It’s not easy to restrain myself the whole time you’re next to me, Officer Lee.”

“…That goes for me, too.”

“You’ve become quite honest.”

He chuckled.

“I’ll watch you go inside.”

“Yes, goodbye.”

“Sleep well.”

I turned my back first. However, while walking toward the common entrance, I turned around several times to look at him. I carefully pressed the password while covering it with my hand.

I stopped while walking to the elevator and gestured for him to go, but Prosecutor Joo stubbornly kept the car parked and stayed in his place. He must have been watching me through the side mirror.

Perhaps until the very last moment when I got into the elevator and waved my hand through the gap of the closing doors, our eyes met.

We received a call from the National Forensic Service, which had analyzed the car of Chief Tak’s wife. They notified us of the result that bloodstains of Koryo-in Mr. Kim had been found in the backseat.

Chief Tak confessed calmly that he had wrapped the body in a blanket, placed it in the backseat, and given that blanket to the innkeeper who was a former miner to solicit a confession. Just as we thought, the crime of abetting the escape of a criminal was added to Tak Sungwoong’s charges.

“How did you dispose of the syringe?”

To Prosecutor Joo’s question, an entirely unexpected answer returned. Chief Tak scratched his chin and spoke in a bored tone.

“…I still have it.”

“Where is it?”

“In the office.”

Prosecutor Joo’s brow narrowed at the unbelievable words. Even I was dumbfounded.

It was a murder weapon that had no reason to be kept. I couldn’t believe the statement that he hadn’t discarded the syringe that stabbed Koryo-in, let alone the fact that it wasn’t even an awl.

However, on the other hand, it was a statement with quite a bit of credibility. He hadn’t disposed of the blanket used to wrap the body immediately either, but kept it for several months before handing it to the old innkeeper. There was no law saying he wouldn’t do the same for the syringe.

A low voice warned Chief Tak.

“…Tell me the truth. We already searched the Chief Prosecutor’s office, and nothing was found.”

“You guys just didn’t find it. Look carefully. I’m not lying.”

“Where in the Chief Prosecutor’s office is it?”

“I don’t know why I need to tell you even that. I wonder if it’s still there, or if it’s gone.”

The look of him playing with us was clearly etched in his smile as he tilted the corners of his mouth. I stared at Chief Tak without changing my expression. He met my eyes without hesitation, but the image of the gentle superior had evaporated into thin air.

While we were returning Chief Tak to the detention center and walking toward the Chief Prosecutor’s office, Prosecutor Joo ground his teeth.

“He’s manipulating us to make us waste our efforts for nothing. Does it make sense that he still has that syringe?”

“You never know. At least as far as the attempted murder case goes, he hasn’t lied so far. He kept the blanket, too.”

My thoughts were a bit different, but Prosecutor Joo was more emotional than usual. He was the type to be exceptionally level-headed for a prosecutor, but it seemed to be because the opponent was Chief Tak.

“I’m telling you, he’s just making us waste our time.”

I entered the Chief Tak office with a skeptical Prosecutor Joo.

It was an office that four investigators, including myself, had already searched as if hunting for fleas, and a room that Prosecutor Joo had separately looked over one more time after that. But unlike then, now there was a clear target called a “syringe,” so there was a sufficient possibility that the search would yield results.

We focused on searching under the desk and in the crevices of the furniture. The syringe was small in size, so it could easily be hidden anywhere if taped down.