Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Yoo Dong-hee, Yoo Min-ji
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39.
Yoo Dong-hee, Yoo Min-ji.
Just looking at the names, doesn't a strange hunch come to mind?
Tap tap, tap tap.
Kang Hyun began searching frantically.
"As expected..."
Sure enough. Yoo Min-ji was Professor Yoo Dong-hee's daughter's name.
"Got you, you punk."
A sly curve formed at the corner of Kang Hyun's mouth.
"I told you I'm taking over the welfare dorm position this time. It won't be long now, seriously! I said not to worry."
After hanging up the phone, Professor Yoo Dong-hee rubbed his hands together again and started tapping away at his calculator.
Despite all the nagging incidents getting in the way, he had successfully squeezed money out of the copying agency he'd been backing, so he couldn't hide his pleased expression.
"Heh heh, new semester really is the month for side income. Business is booming too."
Muttering happily to himself in his spacious professor's office, he scanned down the list of students for this class and began tapping the calculator again.
Like an annual ritual, his actions were smooth and practiced, as if he'd done it a hundred times before.
"Tsk, too bad freshman numbers are down this time. Lucky the copying shop thing worked out!"
To Yoo Dong-hee, money was everything.
He was the kind of man filled with hatred for this reality, convinced that his failure to rise in the world was all because of money.
If he could latch onto a famous figure, he could climb high. But to pull that off, nothing less than "money" was needed.
And so, his secret scheme was proceeding smoothly.
All that was left was for the copying shop incident to be referred to the prosecutors, the investigation to kick off without a hitch, and then his backed agency would naturally slide into the vacant spot left by Im Mi-yeon. After that, he'd settle the remaining payments with them.
Just as a smile spread across his lips,
Knock knock.
A knock shattered the peace outside the office where Yoo Dong-hee was deep in concentration.
He shoved the calculator and any incriminating documents aside before welcoming the guest.
"Ahem, yes. Come in."
Click.
"Hello, Professor."
Seeing Kang Hyun's face as he opened the door, Yoo Dong-hee openly showed his annoyance, speaking in an irritated tone.
"What is it?"
Glance.
As Professor Yoo Dong-hee eyed Kang Hyun, he noticed a book of some kind in Kang Hyun's hand.
"You said we don't have to buy the book if there's substitute material you approve, so I've prepared some for the next class that can replace the textbook."
Everything about Kang Hyun rubbed Yoo Dong-hee the wrong way, and he bit his lip.
"Ahem!"
He snatched the book Kang Hyun offered with a jerky motion, flipped it open—and froze stiff, at a complete loss for words.
"Th-this is..."
The book Kang Hyun had brought was a thesis. On a topic utterly unrelated to law. In fact, the subject was "Reflections on German Literature."
"..."
But his face twisted in fury as he glared sharply at Kang Hyun.
"What about this thesis?"
When Kang Hyun stayed silent, Yoo Dong-hee snapped at him in an even lower, more menacing tone.
"Author Yoo Min-ji. Isn't she the Seohan University student who stirred up a fuss in the past?"
"I wouldn't know."
"And her advisor, Professor Han Young-sook from Seohan University, is your wife?"
"..."
"We confirmed with the Copyright Protection Agency's Legal Support Division that the whistleblower in this case is none other than your daughter, Yoo Min-ji."
"..."
"Of course, it's personal information, so we can't publicize it to pressure you. That's why I'm telling you here and now."
"..."
"By any chance, did you order those 200 volumes of illegal binding?"
"..."
Professor Yoo Dong-hee trembled with rage, his eyes blazing as he glared at Kang Hyun with all his might.
He stared daggers at Kang Hyun for a long while, as if he could kill him, before finally wrenching his lips apart.
"...Ridiculous."
"So you're admitting it."
"Got any proof?"
"This is blatant illegality. Morally goes without saying, and criminally too. You think the press or citizen groups won't figure out what you did?"
"I asked if you have proof."
"You're being petty."
"You're the one who did something petty. I don't know how you tracked down an anonymous whistleblower, but..."
"Even your own daughter?"
Kang Hyun met his gaze with eyes full of contempt.
"Ha! So what!"
But he didn't back down and shouted back.
That was it.
The reason Yoo Dong-hee was so brazen.
Instigating a report might raise ethical or political issues, but it wasn't prohibited under criminal law—so even if exposed, there'd be no legal problem.
Legally, there's "abetment," but that's only for clearly illegal acts. Instigating a report isn't illegal.
Plus, with the copying shop culprit vanished and Im Mi-yeon bearing responsibility as manager, it was fact.
Whether Yoo Dong-hee abetted illegal binding of his own books or conspired with an external agency remained unclear.
Legal battles don't run on suspicion alone. Kang Hyun knew that full well.
A brief silence followed.
Then, out of nowhere, Yoo Dong-hee spoke.
"We might need to consider a better approach."
Kang Hyun sensed the shift in Professor Yoo Dong-hee's eyes and put on a wary expression.
"Kang Hyun, don't you think the world these days is just too harsh?"
"...Looks like you've got something to rely on."
Professor Yoo Dong-hee seemed to regain some composure as he stood from his seat.
"Kang Hyun, what's your dream?"
"Don't change the subject."
"Prosecutor? Lawyer? Nah, every student here dreams of making bank and getting famous, right? Including you."
Professor Yoo Dong-hee revealed the merchant's face he'd been hiding.
"To chase big dreams, you need the leeway and backing to match."
He knew full well that Kang Hyun, the top of the class, came from a dirt-poor family. And he knew exactly how money spoke straight to people like that.
He pulled something from his desk drawer. Kang Hyun, about to retort, caught sight of it and felt his breath catch instinctively.
A check. A blank check.
"Let's wrap this up with one sheet."
Incredibly, Yoo Dong-hee was trying to cut a deal with Kang Hyun.
'He's gone all in.'
Kang Hyun clenched his fists tight.
There are people like that.
People who sniff out money like sharks. People who'll do anything for success.
But Kang Hyun despised them. Especially after gaining his remarkable talent.
Over time, Kang Hyun had poured his all into resolving incidents and helping others. He never bragged about it or flaunted it, and he sure didn't try to cash in easy.
Because Kang Hyun knew right from wrong.
'But to go this far...'
Kang Hyun was absolutely certain he was nothing like Professor Yoo Dong-hee.
And he never would be.
Finishing his thoughts, Kang Hyun slowly met Professor Yoo Dong-hee's eyes.
Judging from Kang Hyun's gaze that it held no goodwill, Yoo Dong-hee flinched slightly.
Kang Hyun spoke in a firm voice.
"I know that in this world, without money, even saints end up looking like beggars. I've felt it to my bones living in this cold reality. But I also know that having money doesn't automatically make you a great person."
Kang Hyun's eyes shone as he spoke.
"Did you think I'd bite just because I'm poor? If so, you misjudged me badly. No matter how broke I am, I never harm others. I don't know what kind of life you've led, Professor, but I don't take dirty money like this."
With that, Kang Hyun shot to his feet.
"I'm not becoming a prosecutor just to make a ton of money. I'm doing it to change this messed-up Korea."
As he stepped toward the door, he paused and added,
"Neither of us played clean here, so I'll let it go today. But think hard about what happened and make your choice. I'll find the proof, no matter what."
Kang Hyun left Professor Yoo Dong-hee standing there dazed and walked out.
After confronting Professor Yoo Dong-hee, Kang Hyun unfortunately spent the next days in frustrating stagnation.
No sharp solutions emerged for saving Im Mi-yeon, and though she was desperately hunting for relapse prevention measures, her efforts weren't bearing fruit.
Kang Hyun occasionally visited the restricted area Dean Kim Jong-hwan had opened for him, searching books and papers, but he only found a few general remediation procedures—nothing substantial.
Professor Yoo Dong-hee kept delaying the class start, avoiding Kang Hyun, and eventually dodged him even during the scheduled time after a full week passed.
The lecture hall looked no different from usual, but the atmosphere among the seated students was heavy.
"Class canceled again?"
"Our department's a joke. Professor Yoo Dong-hee's a loose cannon."
"Rumor has it he's a textbook peddler."
"Heard he pulls the student list and pounds that calculator."
The textbook fees exceeding 300,000 won, and the unchanged policy forcing purchases of books irrelevant to the class—it all remained the same.
'Sigh...'
Kang Hyun packed his bag with a deflated look, joining the crowd heading out after a wasted trip to the lecture hall.
As he headed downstairs toward the elevator,
"Hyung, hey."
It was Yoon Chan-rim.
He approached quietly, as if slipping into the seat next to Kang Hyun.
But something was different. Until last class, he hadn't even properly looked at Kang Hyun's face, but now his eyes sparkled as he handed something over.
"Coffee."
"Oh? Ah, thanks."
"And speak casually. You helped me last class too. I'm your dongsaeng, after all."
He didn't directly express thanks or gratitude, but he seemed to have warmed up to Kang Hyun over that incident, his tone more relaxed.
"Got it. I'll enjoy the coffee. We'll keep running into each other in class, so take care."
Ding.
The elevator opened, and just as they were about to part ways, a sight stopped them in their tracks.
Murmur murmur.
"No way, seriously?"
"What's this mean?"
"Looks like she's saying her actions were no problem at all."
Students crowded the bulletin board, and smack in the center hung a massive announcement.
'What announcement is that?'
Kang Hyun halted.
'Teacher Evaluation and Dismissal Review Committee Decision Notice.'
And the subject's name on that notice was Professor "Yoo Dong-hee."
In that moment, Kang Hyun felt deep regret.
He should never have given him a chance to reflect—instead, he should've cut him down in one stroke.
The man had never intended to reflect, retreat, or quietly atone.