Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 198
Chapter Title: Unwavering Convictions
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“Ugh.”
In the ordinary morning light of Office 323, only Kang Hyun sat with his head bowed, exhaustion plain on his face.
The door burst open.
“Good morning, Prosecutor Kim.”
“Is Kang Hyun here?”
“Yes. He’s sprawled out over there.”
Choi Tae-ri’s face filled with curiosity at Kang Hyun’s unusual state, and she pointed. Kim Si-hwan turned his head that way.
Kang Hyun slumped on the small sofa. Seeing him, Kim Si-hwan chuckled.
“Why do you look so wiped out today?”
“Oh, Senior.”
“Lie back down! I don’t know what happened yesterday, but...!”
Unable to stay sprawled under Kim Si-hwan’s fussing, Kang Hyun stretched and sat up.
“I was walking all day yesterday. The hotel... no, the meeting spot wasn’t booked.”
“...Huh? What did you say?”
“...Pardon?”
“You idiot.”
“...?”
“No, forget it... I shouldn’t say anything.”
Kim Si-hwan’s face brimmed with frustration, on the verge of a lecture. Then he paused, remembering why he’d come, and cleared his throat to get to the point.
“Anyway. Chief Prosecutor Park Min-seong wants to see you.”
“Senior, please relay messages through Administrative Officer Kim from now on.”
“You heartless punk. I’m about to get busy and won’t even have time to drop by, but you’re always so cold.”
“Oh. Did you get assigned a big case?”
“No, cases aren’t about size. Domestic violence, school bullying, elder abuse! There are so many vile crimes in this world. Time to show off my skills as your senior. Just sit tight this time. Got it?”
“I haven’t really done anything special anyway. You’ll do great.”
“Yeah. Take care! Goodbye, everyone!”
“Ah...”
“Ah...”
Seong Tae-o and Choi Tae-ri wore burdened looks and awkward responses to Kim Si-hwan’s boisterous farewell.
“Then I’ll be off.”
“Ah! Yes! Take care!”
“Please be careful, Prosecutor!”
Unlike Kim Si-hwan’s exit, the two staff switched instantly to expressions of trust and respect as Kang Hyun left.
Anyone watching might cry foul over the favoritism, but both giver and receiver were used to it.
Kang Hyun headed to the chief’s office, the site of the final reckoning.
With this case’s wrap-up plus a deeper exchange of thoughts, the conversation would likely run long.
“Chief. It’s Kang Hyun.”
He opened the door to Criminal Division 1 Chief Prosecutor Park Min-seong.
Sitting at his desk as usual, Park nodded in greeting as Kang Hyun bowed and entered, then pulled out some documents.
“Here’s the summary report on the KW case investigation progress. Take it, get briefed on the current status, and join from the next phase.”
“Understood.”
“The target is Park Jeong-seok of KW Construction. Review the additional charges since a month ago—the specific offenses—and proceed with the investigation at your discretion, no need to check the chain of command for adjustments.”
“Free rein?”
“Yeah.”
Park Min-seong’s words were extraordinary in themselves.
It meant don’t follow the standard procedure; grasp the full picture, zero in on what matters, and unleash your full potential in a ‘free role.’
But Kang Hyun nodded as if it were natural. What he’d accomplished so far hadn’t come from higher-ups’ orders anyway. If anything, Park was giving him room to save face.
Plus, this couldn’t be the real reason Park had summoned him. No cause for any shift in mood.
“And.”
Park snapped his head up to meet Kang Hyun’s eyes, letting him see his face clearly.
He looked a bit more haggard than usual, steeped in stress and fatigue.
Time for the real talk.
“Why’d you let me off?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I was walking into my own trap. If you’d just let it play out, I’d be in solitary at the Judicial Research and Training Institute by now. Why’d you look the other way?”
His weary gaze almost seemed pitiful.
The man trusted and respected by juniors for his skills, now facing trial for one misjudgment—he had to bear it himself. Nothing to say to that.
Kang Hyun could’ve looked down on him or twisted the knife.
He could’ve vented resentment or hurled blame.
But Kang Hyun just watched him silently for a moment.
To show Park his own convictions.
“The prosecution can’t escape cronycism with those in power. Becoming a prosecutor, I finally get why people up high say that.”
“...”
“Internal power struggles are hard to quell, and claims that joining a faction is inevitable make sense.”
“...”
“Even a senior who only knew life as a line prosecutor is flailing like this—it hits home. You’re the one who told me that if you have irrefutable ability, you can crush everything.”
“So? You see me differently now, huh.”
Half-resigned, self-mocking, but Kang Hyun shook his head just like before.
“...?!”
Unexpected to Park Min-seong.
“No. Same as always. I respect your judgment, Senior.”
“...?”
Park’s eyes trembled slightly as he stared. He’d braced for blame, even insults, yet here was this response.
“Everyone acts to climb or survive, following that path. I don’t condemn it. Your actions seem natural from a certain view.”
“...”
“‘Do this for justice, don’t do that. Avoid this for loyalty, skip that.’ Those people strike me as arrogant and caught in self-contradictions.”
“You’re making this hard on me to the end.”
“No need to feel awkward. Just keep doing what you do. I’ll do my thing. If my tail drags, grab it. If I slip, bite. I’ll respond accordingly. Just... this time, I hold a small hope for fair competition.”
“...”
“I’ve etched in your words on factions and internal conflicts. But my thoughts haven’t changed one bit—it’s exactly what I told you then. I don’t move for anyone else. Just my own convictions.”
“...”
“Don’t mind me. Keep showing that drive toward the top. I’ll do my part to build a prosecution without infighting. Still just the rookie prosecutor, but honoring the senior you used to be. Then.”
He bowed.
Even at Kang Hyun’s close, Park Min-seong clamped his lips in bewilderment and absurdity, staring at his back.
“Oh, right.”
Kang Hyun paused as he left, adding one more thing.
“I’ll talk to Chief Prosecutor Hwang Jae-eun. She’s leaving, right? If she heads back to Seoul now, we won’t stand against KW Construction.”
“...”
Slam, thud!
The door shut.
“Ha.”
Park Min-seong couldn’t sit silently lost in thought as usual. Once he was gone, laughter bubbled up instead.
“Ha. Ha.”
A hollow, embarrassed laugh.
“...Getting hit like that... stings... quite a bit.”
He pressed his forehead and tilted his head back long. Seemed like a bad headache.
Office 422.
Rattle, rumble. Clink.
Hwang Jae-eun’s hands moved busily, packing books and her things into boxes.
She paused, tired, and looked around.
This was the last box.
The room stood empty, not a single book left.
As if vowing to follow through on her bold declaration to Park Min-seong. She was methodically preparing to leave.
“...I’ll take out the trash.”
“Ah, yes. Prosecutor!”
“Need help?”
“No. I’ve got it.”
No one dared stop her or comment—her office mates just exchanged glances.
Roll, rattle.
She opened the door, loaded the cart with boxes, and pulled it along.
Her feelings were indescribably complex, but her face was perfectly expressionless.
No wavering gaze, no bitter sighs.
Disappointment in Park Min-seong.
Just cutting ties, like always.
One less unnecessary connection—simple as that for her.
She just wouldn’t follow his path.
Thud!
Thump, thump!
She hauled it down to the waste area herself, dumped the books, and dusted her hands.
It should’ve felt lighter, but contrary to thought, it didn’t.
“...”
No matter how simply she tried to frame it, reality wasn’t that easy.
‘I thought he was different, but he’s the same.’
The Park Min-seong she’d met as a rookie prosecutor stood out from the rest.
Strong-willed, tough personality, not easy to get close to—but outstanding at work, and above all, principled. He had clear standards.
That’s why she’d followed him all this way, even to Namyangju for cases.
But seeing him cast out Kang Hyun crushed that in an instant.
‘Climbers to the top are all the same.’
She bit her lip. Tossing the investigation manuals, books, and references they’d shared felt bitter.
Roughly eight or nine boxes’ worth.
All this material...
“...Where’d they go?”
She’d carted several back and forth, dumping them just moments ago.
But scouring the area, the boxes had vanished completely. Discarded items, sure—but all gone like magic.
Bewildered, Hwang Jae-eun scanned around, then spotted something and laughed hollowly.
“Ha, that jerk, what’s he doing there?”
Far off, she saw Kang Hyun’s back as he grunted, struggling to haul away every box she’d tossed.
Looked like the culprit. She’d ditched them with effort, and here he was lugging them back up.
“Hey.”
“Whew, why so heavy.”
“Hey.”
“Huh? Senior. Why’d you come to the waste room?”
“Why’re you taking my stuff?”
“It’s not yours anymore. Just discarded materials...”
Kang Hyun grinned cheekily. She snatched the box he held, lifting it effortlessly.
“What’s the point of scavenging this?”
“Nothing much happened, so cool off.”
“I didn’t butt heads with Senior Park Min-seong to protect you.”
“You were protecting me. Just feeling awkward since I’m fine.”
Hwang Jae-eun exhaled sharply.
“No, I mean—if you’re that good at cases, say so ahead of time.”
“You’re smiling a bit now?”
She sighed, grumbling with dissatisfaction, but her lips curved slightly.
“Of course, it was your issue too, but personal stuff factored in. Don’t worry about it.”
“You’re scared?”
“...!”
Kang Hyun’s voice shifted, heavier, and shock flashed across Hwang Jae-eun’s face.
He seemed to see right through her.
Like a chief piercing a line prosecutor, a deputy chief reading frontline ones, a prosecutor general seeing through district chiefs.
“...”
Her silent expression said it all.