Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: Old Bonds and Case Breakthroughs
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Gulp, gulp.
“Whew! That's refreshing.”
“Ugh.”
It had been a while since their last drinking session.
Kang Hyun and his group were able to spend some quiet time on the rooftop of the shop, at a well-set table.
“You handle your liquor well, kid. Prosecutors really are on another level, huh?”
“It's been so long since I last drank that I'm getting tipsy already. I'm still just a judicial officer, you know.”
“Oh? Right. How much time left on that?”
“Three years, but about two and a half to go.”
“Yeah, you've still got a long way ahead, kid. Back when this guy Kang Hyun was training for the military as a judicial officer, I visited him endlessly...”
“You came once.”
“Haha, did I?”
Clink.
Gulp, gulp.
A brilliant crescent moon sparkled down on them, delicious meat sizzled on the grill, and liquor accompanied it all.
The three of them were enjoying a meeting so good that it washed away all the recent stress and fatigue.
When work and people get tangled, stress is inevitable, and social life naturally brings more people tied to your work.
In the midst of that, a gathering with old acquaintances like this was pure joy for those involved.
Kang Hyun poured drinks with a pleased expression nonstop, while the excited Han Hyun-ho picked up a spoon and hummed a tune.
“Clink!”
Gulp.
“Phew. Brother Hyun-ho, you're amazing. Starting from a small BBQ joint and now owning several big franchises, handling distribution yourself...”
“But I've still got a long way to go. Businesses like this can go bust just like that.”
“No crises along the way?”
“Almost none. Maybe about fifty!”
Han Hyun-ho waved his hand dismissively, then spread his fingers wide and tossed it out like a joke.
“Haha.”
“But we're all the same here. Especially Kang Hyun—he crawled out of the gutter like a dragon, so you can't even imagine how tenacious he was.”
“You're no slouch yourself.”
“Nah, I spotted it early. We met at the library while studying, right?”
“Oh, you two met while studying?”
When Yoon Chan-rim showed curiosity, Han Hyun-ho reminisced about the old days and began his story.
“Heh heh, at eighteen. The hardest I ever studied in my life. But then someone stole my book.”
“Huh? Someone stole your book, brother?”
“Yeah! I was about to beat the crap out of everyone... but Kang Hyun here found the culprit and threw him in jail, probably?”
“Heh heh.”
“You've been exceptional since then, brother.”
“Water under the bridge.”
“Heh... Back then, I recognized your grit and genius, so I latched onto you. Out of all my friends, you're the only one who's a big shot now.”
“Come on. Have another drink.”
Such a joyful time.
As he took the glass Kang Hyun offered, Han Hyun-ho glanced sideways at him.
“By the way, you seeing anyone?”
At Han Hyun-ho's blunt question, Kang Hyun shrugged and downed his drink.
“Ugh. Nah.”
“Why not? Girls would be lining up, begging to date a guy like you.”
“Eh, just... Busy, I guess.”
At Kang Hyun's evasive response, Han Hyun-ho shot him a 'What's your deal?' look.
But on the other hand, one person's face darkened a bit—it was Yoon Chan-rim.
Yoon Chan-rim sipped his drink quietly, listening to Kang Hyun brush it off, then quickly tried to change the subject.
“Here, let me pour you one, brother!”
“Whew, thanks. Apprec... Isn't that a bit much?”
And so the enjoyable drinking session came to an end.
“Get home safe. Hit me up.”
“Yeah! Haha, see you again!”
Leaving the departing Han Hyun-ho behind, Yoon Chan-rim and Kang Hyun walked in the same direction for a bit.
“Brother.”
“Yeah. Your voice suddenly got heavy.”
Kang Hyun responded nonchalantly to Yoon Chan-rim's slightly subdued tone, but if he was speaking like this, it had to be about *that* reason.
Kang Hyun couldn't pretend not to know, but for now, he had no choice but to play dumb.
Her.
Her face faintly came to mind.
“That...”
“Why the hesitation?”
“It's... Sister Haneul.”
When that name came from Yoon Chan-rim, Kang Hyun hesitated slightly.
Then he let out a short laugh and walked a bit ahead, as if hiding his expression.
“Yeah. Haneul's doing well, right?”
“I hope there's no misunderstanding.”
“About what?”
“Sister Haneul... cutting off contact with all her acquaintances.”
Kang Hyun halted his steps and froze, lost in thought for a moment.
Three years—no, four.
In that much time, any relationship, man-woman or otherwise, could naturally fade or vanish.
Especially if the other person had been abroad for so long.
And if they'd blown up there, gracing fashion shows and becoming a household name through pictorials and ads.
She was a public figure now. It was only natural their meetings grew sparse, and inevitable that contact broke off.
After countless calls and texts went unanswered, he'd thought the relationship was over.
“Sister Haneul's coming back to Korea now. In a few months. I'm telling you early so you don't see it in the news first...”
“No misunderstanding.”
Kang Hyun cut off Yoon Chan-rim firmly.
“Nothing to avoid. Just respect. That's how it was.”
Yoon Haneul. Now an icon, a rising star in the global fashion world.
Her returning to Korea.
Kang Hyun managed a smile for Yoon Chan-rim amid his tangled, subtle emotions.
“...Let's head in, brother.”
“Yeah. Get home safe, and we'll meet again at your judicial officer induction.”
Kang Hyun started walking toward the opposite direction at the intersection, staggering slightly.
A passing bus stop.
On the pristine white bus shelter ad board, piercing eyes stared straight ahead, luxury bag in hand.
An ideal face combining beautiful poise and sensual allure.
Model Yoon Haneul loomed large.
Vroom.
“Get in already. Such a pain—why insist on eating out?”
“Come on, Senior. Our rookie Kang Hyun's here; we have to treat him to a meal. A first-year salary at the branch isn't something to take lightly.”
“Look at him. Doesn't even have proper rookie posture. Bet he came from somewhere else.”
“Wow, Senior Hwang Jae-eun praised you.”
“Thank you.”
“...What praise? I'm saying act straight like a rookie should. Get in already.”
Early April, the weather was warm, and it was the usual prosecutor's office lunch hour.
Thinking of Kim Si-hwan's teasing and Hwang Jae-eun's gruffness as their way of showing affection, Kang Hyun got into her car and headed to a restaurant.
Chueotang with the section chief or kimchi jjigae with the team were nice, but donburi or pasta with close prosecutor friends was the best for Kang Hyun.
“Dig in.”
“Yeah.”
One unexpected thing he'd learned in life: both Hwang Jae-eun and Kim Si-hwan were known foodies at the office.
Slurp.
“For me, pasta has to be al dente.”
“Al... what?”
“Al dente is when the pasta's core is just barely undercooked after boiling. This place nails it.”
“Al dente refers to the cooking stage, but you don't want it underdone once it's emulsified with the sauce and plated.”
“Sip. Really, Senior? When I went to Italy...”
Hwang Jae-eun and Kim Si-hwan seemed ten times more lively than at work.
'Tastes amazing.'
Kang Hyun savored it intently, focused on his pasta.
“So, about that. The First Division case—how's the warrant?”
“Rejected again. They're probably waiting for things to quiet down.”
When work talk finally came up, Kang Hyun's eyes sparkled as he looked up.
“Senior, the search warrant keeps getting rejected?”
“Look at this guy. Perks up at work talk.”
“Senior, don't say that—Prosecutor Kang isn't a workaholic. Just professional curiosity.”
With Kim Si-hwan's backup, and Kang Hyun's shining eyes, Hwang Jae-eun couldn't hold back.
“Hm. Don't spill this outside.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“You know the target is KW Construction under Daijin Group, right?”
“Yes. A construction firm with a market cap of about 1.2 trillion won in public works—the smallest under Daijin Group.”
“Right. We're viewing it as violations of safety rules, failure to conduct safety training, etc.”
“I'm aware. Charges of professional negligence resulting in death, Building Act violations, Construction Technology Promotion Act violations.”
“Wow.”
Kang Hyun smiled awkwardly at Kim Si-hwan's fussing, while Hwang Jae-eun cleared her throat.
“Hm. The collapse cause is still unknown. All we know is underground oxy-acetylene work was happening that day, and a gas explosion occurred.”
“So you're repeatedly requesting preemptive search warrants to check the case details and evidence.”
“But KW Construction isn't easy to crack from the start, and the workers were from their subcontractors.”
“Subcontractors. Korean Services and H Boiler, right?”
“Yeah. You interested in this case?”
“Saw it on the news.”
“Oh, really?”
Kang Hyun's keen glint caught her, and she spoke with a slightly flushed, excited voice about the case.
“I thought Korean Services, having direct victims, would talk, but they're clammed up. H Boiler's playing dumb. Not easy.”
“Then why's directly searching KW Construction so tough?”
“Branch chief's orders. Says it's hard to pin direct responsibility, so keeps rejecting.”
“Ah.”
Kang Hyun couldn't help frowning a bit.
That's what was stalling the investigation.
Can't touch headquarters, only poking at subcontractors, so progress stalls.
Subcontractors without direct responsibility have less burden as witnesses for appearances and statements, and more leeway against coercion.
Defy upper orders and force the direction upward?
Internal backlash and resistance would grow.
“Anyway, that's the situation.”
Slurp. Hwang Jae-eun resumed eating, but Kang Hyun stayed rigid.
“Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“Anything I can help with?”
“What?”
At Kang Hyun's words—thinking it polite chit-chat—Hwang Jae-eun replied flatly.
“Plenty. But you're Second Division. Stick to your job.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
But after that day.
Kang Hyun doggedly followed Hwang Jae-eun whenever he could.
For example, in the prosecutors' lounge.
“Senior, anything I can help with?”
“Nope.”
In the cafeteria.
“Enjoy your meal, Senior! But anything I can assist with?”
“I said no.”
Even in the staff gym in the basement.
“Huff, huff...”
Kang Hyun in workout clothes appeared next to Hwang Jae-eun running hard on the treadmill.
Click!
“Senior?”
“Huff, huff—what?”
“Came to work out too. By any chance...”
“Shut up and run.”
After days of Kang Hyun's persistent tailing, finally, late into the night.
In Room 422—Hwang Jae-eun's office, lit nonstop—the owner sat alone.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
The door swung open.
Hwang Jae-eun glanced up at the visitor, and a rare faint chuckle escaped her.
Kang Hyun again.
“Hey... scram.”
“Senior.”
But today, his demeanor was different.
“I have something to say.”
“...?”
Only then did Hwang Jae-eun pause her work, furrowing her brow at his words.
He'd prepared a report on the approval form and come in a crisp suit, despite the late hour.
“The issue with the repeatedly rejected search warrant request. I've thought of a solution.”
Chief Hwang Jae-eun had a gut feeling.
With Kang Hyun this determined, she had no choice but to hear him out.