The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 190

“Next time, don’t be late for meetings. Public servants must not be late. Especially someone from the Prosecution Service.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Even though he had held back and tried to speak kindly, his basic tone of voice was like a blade. As soon as Prosecutor Joo turned away, Chief Kim scratched his head vigorously and began to carefully read the curled-up report he had smoothed out. If he keeps holding onto that for so long, he’s going to get scolded again. Chief Kim, who is a slow reader, only managed to turn the first page after a long while.

If I had been late like Chief Kim back in the day, I would have been called into the annex office and scolded so thoroughly I wouldn’t have been able to leave. Even though I never made such a big mistake, I was always getting scolded harshly.

Suddenly feeling a bit resentful, I imagined a bad scenario where I pretended to misunderstand Prosecutor Joo’s words from earlier to tease him, and a laugh burst out. As if he had a radar that detected whenever I smiled, his gaze inevitably flew toward me and then retreated.

A message notification popped up immediately.

Why are you laughing?

I just had a funny thought.

Thinking of Yoon Gyuho’s jokes?

No. I had an aimless thought. While thinking about Prosecutor Joo.

Is that so? Thinking of me?

Yes.

Prosecutor Joo, who finished the conversation on the messenger, tightened the tie he had loosened slightly back into a neat knot.

In the morning, I focused on handling cases as usual. These days, there were more minor theft cases than violent crimes. Fraud crimes also tended to be for small amounts.

While it is a fortunate thing for the citizens, it wouldn’t be very pleasing for a person starving for promotion like Prosecutor Yoon Gyuho that the crime situation in Danhyeon District Office is like this. That’s why he keeps contacting me, wondering if there are bigger cases in other prosecutor’s offices.

The “Eternal Life” beverage scam case, for which we were executing an arrest operation today, was the best opportunity lately. Since the amounts were in the billions, if we actively distributed materials to the media, it was worth aiming for large-scale exposure. The material, “Water of Eternal Life,” wasn’t bad either. It was also a mystery where they had secretly hidden the cash, as all payments for the water were received in cash.

If even a fraction of that cash were discovered buried in a cornfield, it would truly be the perfect chance for Yoon Gyuho. It was the kind of subject the media would love.

Wearing a blue thimble, I flipped through hundreds of pages of documents, placing an index tab on every important page. I wrote up the case summary and warrant request and submitted them to Prosecutor Joo for approval, and his messenger blinked immediately.

As expected, you’re fast.

Since I always work at this speed, I took it as a ritualistic compliment and sent a light reply.

Thank you.

Speak comfortably on the messenger.

I’ll try to do that. Are you really going to the arrest operation later? You don’t need to worry about me. My encounter with Song Haneul was a special situation.

It’s just as I told Yoon Gyuho. To get a breath of fresh air at the scene after a long time, and to keep an eye on my investigator’s safety. I’m not excessively worried, so Officer Lee, you shouldn’t worry either.

Joo Taeson, who had said he wasn’t excessively worried, cleared his afternoon schedule ahead of the arrest operation and meticulously checked the personal items I would be carrying. He paid special attention to the stab-proof vest and the gun. A baton would have been sufficient, but he insisted that I carry a gun.

When I went to borrow the firearm for the arrest operation, the person in charge was puzzled. Once I told them it was under Prosecutor Joo Taeson’s orders, they handed over the firearm rental registry without a word. In the prosecution, the opinion of the prosecutor was the most important.

In the office, Prosecutor Joo personally checked the cylinder of the pistol. I put the gun he returned to me into its holster and strapped it to my waist. Then, I put on my jacket. There is no benefit to the fact that I am carrying a gun being known to the outside. I didn’t want to stand out among the investigators.

Prosecutor Joo personally straightened my clothes and urged me.

“If a dangerous situation arises, don’t aim for the legs—shoot properly. Regulations aren’t important. It is important that Officer Lee doesn’t get hurt.”

“If I do that, I’ll get sued. You know better than anyone how painful a lawsuit is for the person being sued.”

“Even if I have to quit being a prosecutor and become a lawyer, I will handle the case so you don’t feel any stress. So don’t worry about the lawsuit and look after your own safety first, Officer Lee.”

“Can you even handle life as a lawyer? I can’t imagine a Prosecutor defending a murder suspect. They say if you are selective about your clients, it’s hard to even make a living.”

“I can just join a big law firm.”

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know that law firms are even dirtier?”

At my successive replies, Prosecutor Joo chuckled.

“Please don’t worry; I’ll do a good job so you can remain a prosecutor. It’s not even a difficult operation—it’s just a fraud suspect arrest operation. Plus, since I’m in a backup role, I’m confident I can protect myself even if variables arise.”

I tried to block his worry with my usual firm voice. Prosecutor Joo stared intently at me with his lips pressed together, then gave a light nod as if in agreement. He must have known that it wasn’t a dangerous operation, too. He just needed a concrete guarantee.

“What about the handcuffs?”

“I use my own, so I’ll take them with me.”

“I would appreciate it if you returned those handcuffs to me after this arrest operation is over.”

“Why?”

“I heard you once arrested a suspect on the street alone. That stayed on my mind for a long time. I’m afraid you might get hurt again while doing something like that.”

“Even if it’s dangerous, that’s my job.”

“It’s not the most important duty for an investigator. You were police then, but you aren’t now.”

“Are you that worried?”

“Honestly, yes. After seeing you stabbed and collapsing on the rooftop, I can’t say I’m fine.”

“I will really be careful. I won’t return them, but I won’t use them recklessly when I’m alone.”

“…I have no way to beat that stubbornness. I absolutely cannot win.”

He, who is several notches above me in stubbornness, let out a deep sigh. As if he wanted to push his own opinion through, Joo Taeson tapped his fingertips on the desk several times like an impatient person. But, judging that he couldn’t forcibly take the handcuffs away from me, he soon turned his body.

Just as he was about to return to his seat, he looked at me again as if he had remembered something important.

“Your phone.”

“Yes.”

“Give it to me.”

While I finished my preparations for going out, thinking he might have some work that required my phone, Joo Taeson, who had taken the phone I handed over without much thought, lifted his head with a scowl.

“Why are there so many trivial messages exchanged with Yoon Gyuho? ‘Investigator Lee, did you eat well?’ ‘Are there any interesting cases lately?’ …Don’t reply to messages like these.”

“But if someone contacts you, you should send a reply. It’s manners.”

He muttered quietly.

“Does a prosecutor have this much time on his hands? A pathetic bastard.”

“Prosecutor, you also have enough time to snoop through my phone.”

I answered clearly, but Prosecutor Joo didn’t retort this time either, staring at the screen with a serious face.

His gaze was grave as he silently touched my phone, reading the messages exchanged between Yoon Gyuho and me in reverse. Just when I was worrying that Chief Kim or Officer No might walk in and find it suspicious, he handed my phone back. Since he seemed to be paying excessive attention to trivial communications, I reacted calmly.

“Prosecutor, you should also reply if someone contacts you. I’m fine.”

“There’s no one to contact me.”

Joo Taeson’s expression as he answered somehow looked sulky.

I headed down to the underground parking lot with Chief Kim, who had arrived earlier than usual. While confirming our assigned roles once again, I checked the attire of the other investigators, and unexpectedly, quite a few were not wearing stab-proof vests. Because they have less need to do rough work compared to the police, their awareness of safety regulations seemed faint.

I moved with the investigators assigned to the same backup role for the arrest operation, and Prosecutor Joo ended up riding in a car with Prosecutor Yoon. As he climbed into the passenger seat, he cast a fleeting glance in my direction. At the end of the brief encounter of our eyes, a concern much longer than the moment itself flew toward me.

Since he had seen me stabbed and collapsing before his eyes, he might have been more traumatized than I, the person it happened to, was. Moreover, he had the experience of losing his father to a crime. It had been a knife then, too.

As I thought of that, a feeling of pity washed over me. I deliberately placed my hand near my waist where I was carrying the pistol for a moment, then lowered it. Although there was no change in my expression on the outside, I felt that he had understood my message. My determination never to get hurt again.