The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 196

“I can wrap up Yoon Gyuho before he can stir up any trouble. I have enough connections I can leverage. My school alumni and training institute peers are all doing well, and there are quite a few who owe me a favor.”

The response was so firm that the anxiety that had surged up subsided. I liked my life as it was—so much so that I didn’t want any changes at all. Someday, I might be transferred to another branch office or moved to a different team within the Danhyeon Branch, but at least I wanted to complete the full term assigned to me.

It wasn’t greed; it was a reasonable wish.

Prosecutor Joo paused for a moment before adding,

“Soyeon wasn’t the type to have such a pathetic personality; he was quite honest. That guy, though, is blinded by promotion and only racks his brain for schemes.”

Perhaps because of the red leaves falling intermittently in the cold wind, Prosecutor Joo’s profile looked lonely. Just for a brief moment.

However, as if shaking off memories of the past, he soon finished the rest of his coffee and smiled faintly as he looked down at me. The expression was warmer than the temperature of the coffee coming through the cup he held, so the heart that had been worried for a moment felt completely at ease.

I’m glad. It seems his mind is at ease, just like mine.

As we walked to the prosecutor’s office, I suggested we go see the sea on a day trip this weekend. Since our summer vacation, we both enjoyed going to the seaside. The sea, standing with one’s feet firmly planted on solid ground, was beautiful. Whether it was cloudy or clear. There wasn’t a single scene that wasn’t worth seeing.

In the afternoon, the victim of the wine theft case came in for questioning. The victim was a man in his 40s named Na Dae-ho. His occupation was a wine retailer. An elderly woman accompanied him—his mother, Kim Jeong-rye, who had set out the wine boxes that day.

The wine retailer walked toward me, swinging his arms, wearing a thick gold necklace and carrying a designer clutch bag in one hand. Contrary to his rough and flashy appearance, he smelled of a pleasant perfume. The citrus scent lingered at the tip of my nose pleasantly.

His mother’s attire also showed signs of wealth. Although she didn’t reveal it as blatantly as her son, she took off her camel-colored coat—which had a luxurious and elegant feel—and hung it on the chair.

I verified their personal information and asked the man to confirm the statement he had given to the police once more.

“Mr. Na Dae-ho, why did you ask your mother, Ms. Kim Jeong-rye, to put the wine out?”

“It was to be delivered to a customer, so I was going to transfer it to the car. The whole box disappeared while my mother went inside for a moment after putting it out.”

“The time your mother moved the wine was 10:00 AM, right? It was morning, not afternoon?”

“Yes. I tend to open the store early. I open at 8:00.”

Usually, liquor stores—whether retail or wholesale—have late opening hours. Especially retail stores.

“Is there a reason you open early in the morning?”

“I organize the previous day’s sales and clean the store in the morning. Matching the ledger with the sales slips takes more time than you’d think… I don’t like looking at complicated numbers after closing at night.”

I slowly nodded at the detailed explanation.

“I see… But I would imagine the wine was quite heavy for Ms. Kim Jeong-rye to move.”

“Don’t let her look like that; my mother is quite healthy. She has helped me with the store I run since the very beginning.”

“I heard that you, Mr. Na Dae-ho, not the police, discovered that the wine had been dumped and the empty bottles loaded into a handcart. How did you find it?”

“I just searched around the metal factory, and I found traces quickly, didn’t I? There’s the scent of wine, after all. The police weren’t even pretending to look, so I was frustrated and went around myself. I even took pictures.”

“Is this the photo?”

I showed the victim the photo from the report sent by the police. Na Dae-ho shook his head.

“This isn’t the one I took. It’s a bit different, isn’t it? This is the photo I took.”

The photo in the mobile phone that Na Dae-ho held out was almost identical to the police’s photo. The handcart piled high with waste paper standing in front of the metalworking factory was definitely Ji Yeong-sook’s. This was because a ‘Maeseol Gamjatang’ sponsorship sign was attached to the side of the handcart. Attaching advertisements is a public support project for the elderly who maintain their livelihood by collecting waste paper, and each handcart had a different business name attached to it.

The difference from the police photo was the angle. I narrowed my brows, studied the photo, and then made a request to Na Dae-ho.

“Could you send this photo to me? My phone number is…”

While I was reciting my phone number, I felt Prosecutor Joo take his eyes off his documents and stare straight at this side. It’s a matter where I could give out my number if necessary, but he is sensitive about me giving my contact information to other people.

While I was confirming that the statements sent by the police were all correct, Na Dae-ho’s mother, Kim Jeong-rye, sat quietly beside him, reading her son’s eyes. Since she was the one who had set it out and got it stolen, it was understandable that this situation was uncomfortable for her.

If Na Dae-ho had thought about his mother’s position even a little bit, he would have come alone. Contrary to a person who handles high-end wine, Na Dae-ho’s tone and actions—which had a rough and crude side—seemed far from delicate consideration. The wine retailer raised his voice.

“Anyway, I can’t forgive that grandmother; it’s appalling. Please punish her strictly. Does being poor mean everything? Throwing away someone else’s wine… that kind of beggar needs to go to prison to come to her senses. Do you have any idea how much mental suffering my mother has gone through because of that old woman?”

“You have absolutely no intention of reaching a settlement or showing leniency, right?”

“Of course not. Why do the police and the prosecution keep asking me that? Have I done something wrong? I’m the victim; are you taking the side of the perpetrator now? Isn’t this a subtle way of putting pressure on me to go easy on the perpetrator?”

I explained calmly to the person who was banging on my desk and protesting.

“No, Mr. Na Dae-ho. That is not the intention, but theft cases are like that because victims often want a monetary settlement even if the perpetrator serves less time. We are just confirming it clearly before the trial begins. Your mind might change in the middle, you see.”

“Oh, is that so? Even if I don’t settle, shouldn’t the prosecution or the police help me get compensated for that money? Why are you acting like this even at the Prosecutor’s Office!”

“That is a natural thing to say. You should be compensated. Regarding that part, after the criminal judgment is finalized, if you file a lawsuit on the civil side…”

“Civil? No, shouldn’t you resolve it before that! Whose side is the law on, the perpetrator’s? I’m already aggrieved by being a victim, and you’re telling me to go through two trials?”

As Na Dae-ho continued to yell in excitement, the heavy voice of Prosecutor Joo, who was sitting to the side, intervened.

“Mr. Na Dae-ho, please refrain from shouting. The investigator is only confirming the possibility of a settlement according to procedure. It might sound unpleasant while being investigated, but we cannot help but ask. Because there are people who want to settle. I believe the investigator explained it accurately. Including the procedure to receive damages.”

The eyes of the man in front dropped to the black nameplate placed on Prosecutor Joo’s desk.

Prosecutor Joo Taeson.

The lips that had opened as if to yell something again were instantly clamped shut, and he bowed meekly toward Prosecutor Joo. Prosecutor Joo let out a small sigh, intentionally making it audible, and instructed me.

“Officer Lee, please send the victim off. His elderly mother is here as well.”

“Yes, Prosecutor.”

I quickly finished the victim’s report. As soon as Na Dae-ho and Kim Jeong-rye left, the clerk, Ms. No Seonhui, shuddered.

“Oh my, Officer Lee, are you okay? I hate people who yell so much. His own mother is right next to him, and he has zero manners. How embarrassed must his mother be? Even though she’s the one who lost it.”

“I’m fine. Since the amount of money lost is not insignificant, he has reason to be angry. For me, these cases are something I experience every day, but for victims, the trial process itself is a stress.”

“Oh my… Our Officer Lee seems to have such a beautiful heart.”

Ms. No Seonhui’s exaggerated praise actually made me feel more embarrassed and awkward. I don’t know how to react to such praise. Before I could even answer, Ms. No suddenly asked a completely unexpected question.

“Officer Lee, are you thinking of going on a blind date by any chance?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s a shame. There seem to be many people who like you, Officer Lee.”

“Me? That won’t be the case.”