Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: The Daejin Group's Offer
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"Is no one here?"
Kang Hyun felt his good mood deflate as he straightened up in his seat.
Professor Park Min-ha.
His enemy and betrayer, yet the brazen woman who still strutted around campus without a care.
And now she had come all the way to his home base, protected by the powerful.
"Yes. We're here."
"Can I come in?"
"..."
The full story of the incident, and the relationship between Park Min-ha and Kang Hyun, hadn't spread widely. Yi Myeong-hwan, unaware of the details, glanced at Kang Hyun casually.
"Why's Professor Park Min-ha coming here? She's never shown any interest in us."
"Myeong-hwan."
"Yeah?"
"Let's talk about this later. I have something to discuss with Professor Park."
"Oh. Got it. Sure."
Yi Myeong-hwan got up, trudging toward the door, intrigued by their apparent familiarity.
Creak.
"Hello, Professor."
"Good to see you, Vice President."
"Yes. Uh... who's that?"
Yi Myeong-hwan bowed politely, and Park Min-ha returned the greeting. Behind her stood a man Kang Hyun vaguely recognized.
Striped suit. Cold-looking glasses.
It had been a while, but Kang Hyun recognized him instantly.
Choi Jae-cheol, board member of the Daejin Group's Public Interest Foundation, implicated in the Korea University president's lobbying scandal.
The man who had tried to funnel money to him under the guise of support, the one Kang Hyun's instincts kept warning was dangerous.
And he was here with Professor Park Min-ha.
"Could you give us some space to talk with Kang Hyun?"
"Oh, sure, Professor."
Click.
Ignoring Yi Myeong-hwan's question, she spoke in a flat tone. He bowed again and left, leaving just Kang Hyun, Park Min-ha, and Director Choi Jae-cheol in the room.
"..."
Kang Hyun simply stared at them impassively.
"Kang Hyun, you look well. Must be because you beat the Law Center and the court, right?"
"You look well too, Professor. Surprisingly."
"Is there any reason I shouldn't?"
She plopped down on the sofa in the middle of the student council room without asking, crossing her legs. She gestured for Director Choi Jae-cheol to sit, then asked Kang Hyun,
"You remember this gentleman?"
"...Director Choi Jae-cheol."
"Nice to see you remember. As expected, Kang Hyun's sharp."
His deep voice responded to Kang Hyun's answer.
"See? I told you he'd remember."
The two seemed oddly chummy.
Kang Hyun racked his brain, but even he couldn't easily figure out their connection.
One thing was clear: Choi Jae-cheol, a board member at the Daejin Group's Public Interest Foundation at such a young age, was backed by even greater power.
In other words, it confirmed that Park Min-ha wielded enormous influence in Daejin—more than he'd imagined.
'Maybe she's even more dangerous than Gong Hyun-jeong.'
Her true nature was a mystery.
Even Gong Hyun-jeong didn't know much about her, and at this revelation, Park Min-ha signaled Director Choi Jae-cheol to start.
"Well, it's been a while since we've seen you, Kang Hyun. Where should we begin?"
"It's about the Public Interest Foundation, right? Go ahead."
The incident where he'd rejected Director Choi Jae-cheol's sweet offer of monthly scholarship funds in the millions.
So, Director Choi Jae-cheol must be here to press or coax him about turning down all of Daejin's support.
Kang Hyun broached it first, and the man's lips curled into a grin, revealing white teeth.
"Of course that's part of it."
He stood from his seat and began pacing the room.
A project with over 20 billion won invested. They'd tried to buy Kang Hyun off and make him one of theirs, but failed.
Perhaps recalling that fueled his anger, as his lips twitched.
"Kang Hyun, thanks to you, we wasted time and money hearing how we couldn't even snag one guy despite our massive spending. We tried the polite way, without causing any harm."
"It was my choice. I won't accept anything from Daejin going forward, and I won't cause you any trouble either. So, nothing more to say, right?"
"Damn it!"
Grab!
He snatched a potted plant from the low cabinet against the wall to hurl it, but Park Min-ha jumped up and blocked him, stopping him cold.
"What are you doing? Don't you know who's in front of you? Want a trip to the police station?"
"No, this... haha! Right, right. Can't lose my temper. Sorry, my apologies."
Director Choi Jae-cheol. He seemed barely able to contain his excitement, his mental state unstable.
Kang Hyun didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow at the man.
He just thought it was typical of Daejin's people, relieved that his choice hadn't been wrong.
"You're already crossing lines with the threats. Should I call the police?"
"No. Threats? You don't even know about the great gift I brought."
Thud.
He tossed a document onto Kang Hyun's desk.
"...?"
"Take a look."
Kang Hyun instantly recognized it as a real estate purchase agreement.
The address: Gangnam. A penthouse.
"I'll give you two. One for your mother, one for you."
Rather than interrogate Kang Hyun's actions, he seemed here to coax—with something even bigger.
An offer too massive to refuse. And dragging his devoted mother into it.
"We'll throw in whatever else you need. Do you drive? We'll buy you a car or get you a chauffeur—just say the word. Scholarships too. Oh, don't worry about law school tuition. We'll cover it all."
It was beyond imagination.
The houses alone were worth tens of billions. Maybe over a hundred billion.
"But after law school, you join as a lawyer in Daejin's legal team right away. No becoming a prosecutor. No judge. No big firms like Daesan or Odaeyang."
Director Choi Jae-cheol tried to stay polite, but his face twisted as he held back his anger.
But no matter his expression, Kang Hyun gave him nothing.
They had ulterior motives, as expected.
Lure him with money, bind him, turn him into their loyal puppet.
But the scale was on another level. An offer he couldn't have dreamed of.
"...Why go this far?"
After a long silence, Kang Hyun spoke, and Park Min-ha answered.
Simply, concisely.
"Daejin likes you."
"..."
"Why wouldn't we want a kid who can overturn precedents and win? Right?"
She laughed as if it were obvious.
In a way, this was his last chance.
Burn bridges with Daejin completely, or step into their grasp.
Kang Hyun pondered, clutching the contracts.
The world of the rich.
He'd tutored in wealthy neighborhoods, but before that, he'd never been there or cared.
The house with the bellboy and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking all of Seoul had just been a passing wonder.
Even Yoon Haneul, always by his side, came from money, but her modest, independent nature kept it from hitting home for him.
'Ha...'
What he held was too real.
Becoming rich overnight—something he'd dismissed as impossible.
They were offering to pour that kind of money on him like a waterfall.
Houses, cars, chauffeurs if needed.
Generous scholarships too—the amount beyond his wildest guess.
Kang Hyun just stared straight ahead in silence.
"No need to answer now. Call the number on the business card I gave you before. We'll be going."
Thud, thud, bang!
Director Choi Jae-cheol, figuring Kang Hyun wouldn't decide easily, finished and left.
Clearly, he didn't like Kang Hyun personally.
Park Min-ha was the same.
"Heh. Too bad. You play the noble act so well. But I know what you'll choose. Looking forward to working with you."
Bang!
Even after they left, Kang Hyun had no time to breathe. He needed time to think it over.
"...Wow, how much is all this worth?"
His mother came to mind. His friends, Yoon Haneul.
With that money, debts would vanish. He could repay his friends handsomely.
He could stand proudly beside Yoon Haneul. Maybe even help her find and chase her dreams sooner.
"Money..."
The day grew dark. Night was falling.
Whoosh.
Kang Hyun, lost in thought in the dim room, suddenly stood and headed outside.
He trudged somewhere. What he needed now was one thing.
A lighter.
* * *
Late at night.
"What the?"
Yoon Chan-rim was passing the large open lot outside the law building when he paused, eyes fixed somewhere.
One side of the lot had a sunken stone staircase leading down, and a small flame flickered from a corner.
"Smells like something burning... what is it?"
Drawn in, he descended, then let out an incredulous chuckle.
Whoosh.
Kang Hyun was crouched, burning something. Yoon Chan-rim tried to make sense of him torching papers with a lighter, but couldn't.
"Hyung, what are you doing playing with fire?"
"Huh? How'd you know I was here?"
"The light's visible from everywhere."
"Yeah?"
Kang Hyun glanced at Yoon Chan-rim, then refocused on the burning papers.
"What are you burning?"
"Nothing much. No better spot."
Knowing interruptions got no response when focused, Yoon Chan-rim watched quietly for a while.
"Ah, wait a sec?"
He snatched an unburnt scrap, and his jaw dropped twice over.
A contract. Gangnam address. Famous penthouse.
Eyes screaming curiosity, Yoon Chan-rim stared. Finally, Kang Hyun spoke casually—words that would shock anyone.
"Someone offered me a house in Gangnam."
"What? Who?"
"Daejin Group's Public Interest Foundation."
Stories of chaebols "sponsoring" promising talents. If Kang Hyun was the target...
Realizing it wasn't a joke, Yoon Chan-rim urgently stopped him.
"No way, that's insane... Why would they offer this? And why are you burning it?"
"Right? Feels fake."
"No, Daejin could... But hyung, why do this without talking to anyone?"
Gangnam. A house.
Tens of billions. Yoon Chan-rim's reaction was justified. But Kang Hyun shook his head.
"Anyway, pretend you didn't see."
Excited now, Yoon Chan-rim pressed on.
"Daejin sponsoring legal talents—that's the thing, right? It's true they recruit like that?"
"Maybe."
"Then it's great! A huge company wants to back you. Why burn it? Give it here!"
"Already gone."
Yoon Chan-rim protested, but Kang Hyun finished burning it all, brushed off his hands like shedding a burden, and stood.
Pat, pat.
Dust from hands, clothes. Looking at Yoon Chan-rim, Kang Hyun's face was bright. Yoon Chan-rim couldn't say more.
Kang Hyun stated firmly.
"It's a shackle."
"Huh?"
"Accept it, and you never know what life you'll lead. Dirty work, going against your judgment. Like someone's dog."
"..."
"You only live once. Can't live by someone else's script. Has to be my call, my judgment."
"Hyung..."
Kang Hyun meant it.
He was giving up vast wealth for what he wanted to achieve, to climb higher.
On his own terms, not others'.
"I'll realize justice myself, climb high. Root out corruption, help the needy. Seize honor. Money? I can earn that anytime."
Something more important than money. Dreams.
Yoon Chan-rim, who'd been by his side longer than most, understood deeply.
"Sigh. Can't talk you out of it."
Yoon Chan-rim put his hands on his hips, gazing at the sky.
Then chuckled wryly, looking back at Kang Hyun.
"Wow."
"What?"
"Rare sight."
Yoon Chan-rim's eyes on Kang Hyun dripped with admiration.
"That's why I like you, hyung. Makes me wanna be a prosecutor like you."
"What."
Grin.
"Eaten?"
"Gotta go eat. You?"
The two walked off as if nothing happened.
Kang Hyun's college life was wrapping up like this, grown stronger. Time to step into wider horizons.