Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 207
Chapter Title: The Aftermath of Unyielding Effort
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Kang Hyun's efforts had produced astonishing repercussions.
They sealed off every possible gap for political infighting, forcing all eyes to focus solely on the incident itself.
National Assembly members backed off, and both the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Central District Prosecutors' Office fell silent.
The courts, legal experts, and countless others followed suit.
With the media naturally zeroing in on the KW Construction case itself, public attention swiftly shifted to Park Jeong-seok and Gu Ik-hwan.
"Implement justice!"
"Enforce the rule of law!"
Calls to punish the villains echoed across every outlet.
All the credit for this historic case went to Kang Hyun.
*-I understand that a bold decision was made to have a rookie prosecutor with just six months of investigative experience lead the Namyangju office and direct the case. Do you have any comments on this?*
*-...It's not bold at all. Prosecutor Kang Hyun of the Criminal Division 1 is simply demonstrating the most outstanding investigative capabilities in Namyangju's major case at present, so we've entrusted him with everything from confronting Gu Ik-hwan and Park Jeong-seok, handling the indictments, to maintaining the prosecution through to the end.*
Park Min-seong's response to the reporter's question.
It was no different from declaring that he was handing everything over to Kang Hyun and washing his hands of the matter.
A guarantee born of the fear that he could never beat Kang Hyun no matter how he tried—and that no one else in the prosecution could touch him either.
He was packaging it neatly. In essence, Park Min-seong had declared a knockout loss to Kang Hyun.
It was a resolution to abandon the heavy burdens of politics, promotion, and fame—a firm statement of position.
In the end, Kang Hyun had succeeded in keeping him from leaping into the political world.
The original Park Min-seong.
Kang Hyun had upheld the young prosecutor who had once nurtured his own prosecutorial talents. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Haa, so lonely..."
Gu Ik-hwan, the former branch chief who had barely avoided detention but was now practically imprisoned in a small makeshift office within the prosecutor's building.
Creak.
"...?"
The only visitor to his cramped temporary quarters, where no one had appeared before, was none other than Park Min-seong.
Step, step.
But Gu Ik-hwan wasn't pleased to see him at all.
"What the—have you lost your mind?"
Slam!
As the door opened and he strode in, sitting naturally at the table, Gu Ik-hwan unleashed a torrent of abuse like a senile old man spouting dialect.
"Who do we have here! It's Park Min-seong, the current branch chief who got his ass handed to him by a pup of a rookie law school grad while trying to yank my leash!"
"..."
"I bet you're pissed that I'm out already! I'll make you pay dearly for getting me arrested on false charges. Just one word to the guys I've bought off in the Ministry of Justice this week and..."
Thud.
"...?"
Park Min-seong silently placed a few sheets of paper in front of his eyes.
*'Honorable Retirement Application.'*
It was none other than Gu Ik-hwan's own document, complete with his handwritten signature—the one he'd submitted in advance, now returned to him.
"N-No. Why do you have the one I submitted...!"
"I'm acting chief, so I see it first."
"No, this... this is..."
The very first thing Gu Ik-hwan had filed upon his arrest was this honorable retirement application.
A scheme to preemptively retire, avoid disciplinary action under his prosecutor name, and later pursue a career as a clean-record lawyer or something similar.
But things weren't going to go his way.
Rip!
"What the hell are you doing!"
"Honorable retirement denied. Signed by me."
"You bastard, blocking my path?!"
Gu Ik-hwan jabbed a finger at him with a roar, but Park Min-seong didn't even blink, countering with a sneer.
"You got tangled in a dishonorable scandal. Can't end it honorably. The fight's already over."
"It's you who's done for, Park Min-seong! I'm free now, and once the Ministry inspection team comes down...!"
"It's all over. The Ministry team won't even show—just shuffle some papers at headquarters. Park Jeong-seok is already in custody, and all crimes, including the Special Act bribery charges, have been sufficiently proven independent of your statements."
Gu Ik-hwan's face twisted sharply.
In an instant, his tone shifted from rage to pleading.
"No need for that here. If there's a deal to negotiate, make your offer quick...!"
"Negotiate?"
Park Min-seong carefully brushed off his sleeve and stood, signaling the end of business.
"I'm wrapping everything up and stepping away too. Accept your failure and do the same—that's what I came to say."
Whoosh!
As Park Min-seong finished and rose, Gu Ik-hwan pitifully grabbed at him.
"Come on, let's talk more! In this mess, if I survive, you might too!"
"Keep suffering. Let's never meet again."
"Y-You're really doing this?!"
"See you."
Whoosh!
"Even in the same boat, you're going this far?! With the board like this, do you think Chief Prosecutor Bae Seong-sin will even glance at you? We're both discarded!"
Gu Ik-hwan's desperate cries chased after Park Min-seong, who thought his business done and quickly exited through the flung-open door.
"You son of a bitch! Motherless bastard!"
Slam!
Even personal attacks rained down, but Park Min-seong was already gone, the door shut. Gu Ik-hwan, trapped in the office, could only let his futile curses echo emptily around the room.
Gu Ik-hwan bowed his head. He instinctively knew the fight had reached the defeat phase. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A few days later.
"Kang Hyun."
"Yes?"
"Hang on a sec."
For some reason, Hwang Jae-eun—who hadn't shown her face since the warrant review—came to Kang Hyun's office, beckoned him over, and whisked him away somewhere.
Creak.
*'Branch Chief OOO.'*
The nameplate spot was empty, the door half-open.
It was the Namyangju Branch Prosecutors' Office chief's room.
*'What the...?'*
As Kang Hyun entered, the first things he saw were clutter and packed boxes.
Books and boxes strewn messily about.
Piles of belongings being sorted as if ready to leave any moment.
It reminded him of Hwang Jae-eun's room from when she'd been set to depart.
Then, in one corner, Park Min-seong bustled about, catching his eye.
The current occupant of this room was preparing to leave.
"..."
"Oh, you two. Here."
Without even glancing up, Park Min-seong spoke indifferently to the pair piecing it together—as if this place had nothing to do with him anymore.
"The Uijeongbu trial office asked Prosecutor Kang to handle the closing arguments for the KW case. Make sure you do."
As if it were none of his business.
As if Kang Hyun and Hwang Jae-eun were strangers too.
"...What exactly are you doing right now?"
"Senior Prosecutor Hwang will lead it to the end. Even if you're great, a rookie's a rookie—the case needs to wrap properly."
"I asked what you're doing."
"...Saying goodbye."
"...Goodbye?"
"They said Jeju District Office is fine. Light workload, plenty of sightseeing."
"...What are you talking about?"
"I'm leaving. Official transfer notice tomorrow afternoon probably. With all exec spots vacant, the admin chief will handle operations as acting—don't complain."
"You're running away after stirring all this up?"
Park Min-seong, packing diligently, froze at "running away" and looked at them.
Hwang Jae-eun, Kang Hyun, and Park Min-seong's gazes locked for a long moment.
Then Park Min-seong spoke.
"Yeah, running away."
"Sunbae...!"
"I've done a lot of foolish things. Sorry."
The two, ready to snap back, fell silent at his "sorry," merely staring.
"Back in the day, I thought I was the type to stake my life on work alone, no politics. When that didn't work, I lost myself wandering. Forgot my intial intentions."
"..."
"Sorry. I'll work hard down in the provinces my way, so forget about me now."
"Sunbae..."
Hwang Jae-eun looked saddened. The senior she'd trusted had become an enemy, leading to their fight. Even as the opposition, his failure and downfall tugged at her heart.
Park Min-seong forced a cool demeanor, continuing flatly—like his own style of farewell.
"Kang Hyun."
"Yes."
"No right to say this, but just keep doing what you've been doing."
"Doing what, exactly?"
"Everything you're doing now, unchanged. What I couldn't achieve, what no other prosecutor even dreams of. A prosecution existing solely on law, justice, and equality."
"..."
"You might pull it off."
"...I'll try."
Park Min-seong nodded, seemingly moved.
In this vast room, the three had their own circumstances and tangled ties, but they stood sharing emotions for a long while regardless.
Thus, the tumultuous six months in Namyangju drew to a close, and with victory and defeat decided, each would go their separate ways. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ To wrap up all of Namyangju's major and minor cases entangled with KW, the key was ensuring Park Jeong-seok and Gu Ik-hwan got their due punishment—that was the final period.
After swift indictment, first instance first trial.
Then the second trial two weeks later, and today.
The final hearing before sentencing: closing arguments, with the prosecutor's demand and defendants' final statements—today's schedule.
*'Nothing missed. Chaos...'*
Even at dawn-like morning, Room 323 buzzed.
"Prosecutor, they say the transport's starting over there."
"Got it!"
As Kang Hyun prepped to move out, Seong Tae-o sidled up quietly.
"The corrections escort team says both Gu Ik-hwan and Park Jeong-seok have arrived at court."
As he finished, Choi Tae-ri—who'd been staring at her laptop in the corner—made a bittersweet face and spoke cautiously.
"Finally, the end of the KW case. You worked hard, Prosecutor."
"You two as well. Months of slaving away with me non-stop."
"No. You took us in. Thanks to you, we've learned so much, earned respect, and had all these good times."
Seong Tae-o and Choi Tae-ri hesitated, then spoke in unison as if pre-agreed.
"Once it's done, let's grab a meal."
"We'll treat! Even prosecutor's office drinks are fine!"
Kang Hyun smiled in slight surprise as he donned his robes.
"...For real?"
General staff who rarely mingled beyond work inviting him first—a small joy of a life well-lived.
*'Kinda bittersweet.'*
He'd come here at Central's call solely for Gu Ik-hwan and the tied KW Construction.
Once resolved, rotating back with regular personnel changes seemed natural. Just a pit stop—focus on work.
But there were people here too. Good ones he could share hearts with.
Kind Kim Si-hwan, longtime ally Hwang Jae-eun. Dependable Seong Tae-o and Choi Tae-ri who trusted only him. Many supporters behind the scenes.
Even Park Min-seong, whose thinking Kang Hyun had shifted.
"I'll buy this time. Next time we meet elsewhere, you treat."
Kang Hyun grinned past their reluctant sighs.
"Alright, I'm off."
With his brief goodbye, Seong Tae-o and Choi Tae-ri saw him out, waving.
"Take care."
"Come back safe!"
Kang Hyun looked to the sky.
The early morning breeze felt fresh and cool, welcoming approaching summer. He glanced at the blue sky, then hurried to the waiting car.
Though early, it was to rush to Uijeongbu District Court for this case's final closing arguments.