The Prosecutor’s Office’s Proposal Chapter 205

I couldn’t pretend to know that Prosecutor Joo hadn’t arrived yet, so I slipped my phone, which had already cut off the call, into my pocket. The district office staff, who had been expressionless on their way to work, were buzzing with talk about Lee Mooncheol inside the elevator.

Even as I walked down the hallway, I heard the names of Lee Mooncheol and Yoon Gyuho everywhere. It was only natural, as he was a suspect the prosecutor had let slip away a week ago even after receiving an arrest warrant. Had he caught him back then, he wouldn’t be dead. In that regard, it would be difficult for Yoon Gyuho to escape the reprimands of the prosecution and the media.

For some reason, I missed Joo Taeson and didn’t run into him in the elevator. As soon as I opened the door to Room 512, I saw Prosecutor Joo, who appeared to have just arrived, standing in front of his desk receiving a protest from Prosecutor Yoon. He must have been caught as soon as he entered, as he hadn’t even been able to open his briefcase, and he was still wearing the outer coat he had worn from the apartment.

“…You, who live for work, why did you come in late today? You should have come out early and told me right away! And you didn’t even say a word about such an important thing…. Ha, what is the point of being a good peer? How can you do this to a peer in such a situation? We’re in the same training institute cohort; what are you expecting me to do if you don’t look out for your cohort?”

“Officer Lee, you’re here?”

Prosecutor Joo tilted his head slightly to the side and greeted me from beyond Yoon Gyuho, who was blocking his path. Seeing him act so calmly with an agitated person in front of him, Yoon Gyuho clenched his fists, his face turning beet red as he shook with rage. I was worried he might actually faint.

Can he really provoke him like that?

Having been on the receiving end of Joo Taeson’s treatment directly and properly, I know better than anyone, but his skill at scraping at people’s nerves is impressive every time I see it. Seeing the suffering Yoon Gyuho, I felt a sense of camaraderie and pity. However, as my affiliation was with Joo Taeson’s prosecutor’s office, I was in a position where I couldn’t easily help him.

In front of Yoon Gyuho, I bowed politely.

“Hello, Prosecutor Joo. Prosecutor Yoon.”

Prosecutor Joo’s face disappeared smoothly beyond Yoon Gyuho. Because of the height difference between the two, I could see the top of his head over Yoon Gyuho’s.

“Don’t waste your energy, just stop and leave, Prosecutor Yoon.”

“Stop what.”

Listening to the two of them, I took off my coat and began preparing to work.

“I was the night shift autopsy prosecutor, and I simply performed my duties as the night shift officer. The case is not one where whether the night shift officer is a training institute peer or not is a significant point of contention. In any case, Lee Mooncheol would have turned up as a corpse no matter who was on duty. Whether you knew last night or this morning, Prosecutor Yoon, the investigation process doesn’t change at all, so I don’t know why you’re being so sensitive.”

“Even so. Do you think because your own career path is gone, everyone else has given up on life too? If Lee Mooncheol turned up dead, you should have given me time to deal with it even if it was at dawn.”

“It seems you still think it’s a case that can be dealt with. Unless you can bring Lee Mooncheol back to life, there is no way for you to rectify this, Prosecutor Yoon. Handling the case quickly is the only correct course of action for a prosecutor.”

“…Look at this high-and-mighty prosecutor. What, are you going to start talking about being called by the nation and the people?”

“I’m not trying to talk philosophy; I’m telling you the task you’re currently facing. Catch the criminal, Yoon Gyuho. Don’t go after the night shift officer for no reason.”

“…”

“And you don’t think you’ll be able to put your name up for the Central District Prosecutors’ Office in the next assignment when the suspect you let go is dead, do you?”

Yoon Gyuho seemed to stumble slightly. I wondered if he had to go that far, but Joo Taeson was the type of person who does that “go that far.” Seeing the past version of myself in the Yoon Gyuho being attacked in front of me, I only felt pity.

Joo Taeson sat in his chair and added coldly:

“If you understand, leave. Officer Lee, pass the evidence and documents for the Lee Mooncheol death case to Prosecutor Yoon.”

“Yes, Prosecutor.”

While I opened the cabinet to take out the envelope containing the evidence, Prosecutor Yoon couldn’t suppress his anger and bolted out of Room 512. The door he had pushed open with force couldn’t close and flapped back and forth.

Leaving behind Joo Taeson, who didn’t seem pleased with his peer’s attitude, I hurried to follow Yoon Gyuho. Yoon Gyuho, who had been striding ahead, sighed in front of the stairwell door and kicked the wall irritably. Such an action wouldn’t make him feel any better. It just made his dress shoes look like they hurt. Noticing me, Yoon Gyuho made a face and vented his complaints.

“Why is that bastard like that? He really has a talent for scraping at people, ha….”

In a position where it was awkward to take anyone’s side, I responded professionally.

“Here is the evidence envelope, Prosecutor.”

“Yes. I was going to get an oral report, but I guess that won’t work. I’m too pissed off because of Pro Joo…. Just send me a simple report.”

“I will write it up, print it, and bring it to you immediately.”

“Just send it as a file. I’ll print it myself.”

“Yes, Prosecutor.”

Prosecutor Joo swears up and down that Yoon Gyuho has a bad personality, but from a subordinate’s perspective, Yoon Gyuho is a much more comfortable boss.

“Lee Mooncheol, how did he die?”

“He was found dead in a motel. Judging by the extent of the body’s decomposition, it seems at least three days have passed since his death, and the cause of death is potassium cyanide poisoning.”

“Does it look like there’s a possibility of suicide?”

“It does.”

“What about homicide?”

“That is also possible.”

“I’m really going crazy. Suicide would be better, I guess. Why is that?”

“In the event that Lee Mooncheol put cyanide in a soju bottle and drank it, there is a possibility that someone had poisoned the soju bottle in advance. They say many people knew the fact that Lee Mooncheol carried a soju bottle with him.”

“Then isn’t the only one who could have committed the crime his mistress? The mistress was the only one who knew Lee Mooncheol was hiding in that neighborhood.”

“That may be the case in terms of circumstances, but the mistress seems to have a very low probability. It’s rare for someone to murder their opponent while being taken to the prosecution. It’s a psychologically difficult task.”

“…That’s true. I got it. See you later.”

“Yes, Prosecutor.”

I returned to the office and glanced at Prosecutor Joo, who was handing over documents. Officer No and Section Chief Kim’s seats were still empty, as if they were planning to arrive exactly at 9:00.

“Why do you provoke him for no reason? He’s like that because his promotion went down the drain.”

“It’s his own fault, so I wonder who he’s trying to vent his anger on. I don’t like his attitude.”

“No matter how I think about it, I think it would have been better to tell Prosecutor Yoon immediately when Lee Mooncheol died yesterday. It’s no good to clash like this for no reason.”

“I don’t hang on to friends with no nutritional value like some people do. I just said what was true, so why are you…”

Prosecutor Joo, who was talking while looking at his monitor, turned his gaze to my expression and flinched for a moment.

“…No, I’m not being sarcastic to you, I just meant that’s how I am.”

“…It’s fine. Where would Joo Taeson’s sharp tongue go just because we’re dating? I said it was a miracle you hadn’t made a mistake all this time. You’re right, I am the one who hangs on to friends with no nutritional value. I’m just trying to work hard to live a little more comfortably.”

“That’s not it, Chaeha….”

As he was hurriedly trying to say more, Officer No and Section Chief Kim burst through the door at the same time.

“Good morning!”

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

The two of us greeted them lightly at the same time, and Prosecutor Joo opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but his phone rang, and he couldn’t continue the conversation.

“Yes, Detective. Ah, is that so? What is the friend’s name….”

Prosecutor Joo got up from his seat and dashed into the annex office.

Why not just take the call in the office? What could possibly be so important about a work call that he has to go into the annex office to whisper?

I grumbled to myself, determined that today, I wouldn’t let him kiss me even once with that sharp tongue of his, and flipped through the documents with a loud thwack. A moment later, Prosecutor Joo returned to his seat and sent me a message immediately.

I won’t say anything about the handcuffs anymore. Carry them with you.

It was something I was going to decide myself anyway. Do I need your permission to carry them, Prosecutor?

No, that’s not it…. I’m sorry.

I’m going to work. I don’t have time to exchange non-work-related messages. I have so many allocated documents. I have plenty of time since I don’t have any friends with nutritional value, so I’ll just work.