Chapter 56
Chapter 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The Finals Begin
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Seok Ji-hoon still wore that subtle expression, his face tinged with irritation.
Then, out of nowhere, he spoke up.
"Take care of it. I'm sitting this one out on the arguments. I'll just hold the seat."
"Pardon? Really?"
Woo Si-hyung, speaking up on behalf of the silent Kang Hyun, fired back a question.
It seemed Seok Ji-hoon had no intention of exerting much effort in this tournament.
"I've only got the written submissions this time. Green and Hwang Jae-eun noona will fill you in plenty. Give it your all."
His tone was peculiar.
Kang Hyun offered no real reply, just letting his eyes burn with quiet intensity.
Sensing it, Seok Ji-hoon didn't look away.
Ambition, curiosity, hostility, inferiority...
Whatever was in Seok Ji-hoon's gaze as he faced off against Kang Hyun, it was unreadable. But one thing was crystal clear.
"Alright. See you tomorrow."
Seok Ji-hoon spun on his heel and walked out.
From that inscrutable look in his eyes, Kang Hyun felt one intensely powerful emotion.
What did it signify?
Contempt.
Seok Ji-hoon was looking down on Kang Hyun.
'Bitter...'
But this could turn into another card up Kang Hyun's sleeve.
Korea University Creative Education Convention Center.
The venue was the same as for the preliminaries, but the atmosphere in the arena for the finals was worlds apart.
A place brimming with anticipation and ambition.
In a way, it was a space to scout the legal world's rising stars and pit the geniuses of the generation against one another, so the vibe was inevitably electric.
The finals were the finals, plain and simple.
The climactic match of the Korea University Mock Trial Competition, the biggest domestic event of the semester.
The participant check-in desk at the front of the arena stood empty, but the spectator ticket booth was mobbed.
-Looks like today's match will be a good one!
-Yeah, who do you think wins?
-That 'Kang Hyun' guy? The rookie?
People always go wild for the birth of a new star.
Events that crown geniuses in their fields naturally draw prominent figures.
Here and there, you could spot celebrities or city council members scattered about.
They had all come to witness the clash between the already famous Seok Ji-hoon and the rising prodigy Kang Hyun.
Unfortunately, it looked unlikely they'd get to see those two go head-to-head this time. Seok Ji-hoon's team strategy seemed focused on easing his burden.
A decision that even extended to Bismuth.
In the waiting room.
Checking the final roster, it was Dan Chorok—the one who'd greeted Kang Hyun's group the day before—who would take the front lines in his place.
Across the way, in the opposite seats, the girl who'd casually waved in her hoodie yesterday now greeted them from afar in a crisp blouse and suit.
Woo Si-hyung spotted her and cautiously remarked.
"This is good for us, right?"
"Why?"
"If Dan Chorok sunbae is the rebuttal arguer, that's better than Seok Ji-hoon sunbae. But on the flip side..."
Dan Chorok stepping up as 'rebuttal arguer' meant she was ready to fight on the front lines—and that they were confident they could crush Kang Hyun's team even without putting their best position against them.
It was a strategy born of disdain and underestimation.
"Let's stick to our plan."
"Yeah, no need to get rattled."
"Si-hyung hyung, that doesn't mean we underestimate Dan Chorok sunbae. She's famous for having the best verbal prowess and presence in court, excluding Seok Ji-hoon sunbae."
"True. Can't dismiss her for making Bismuth quarterfinals last year as an undergrad, not even law school yet. And with Hwang Jae-eun and Seok Ji-hoon backing her up solidly..."
Woo Si-hyung swallowed hard.
They'd confirmed from last year's footage that she was even more aggressive than Seok Ji-hoon.
She'd concede what needed conceding, then unleash a ferocious barrage of attacks.
And the control tower supporting her was top-tier. Not at peak condition perhaps, but their overall power was overwhelmingly superior.
Facing opponents like that, most would buckle under the pressure before even rolling out their prepared main arguments.
Yet Kang Hyun, Woo Si-hyung, and Yoon Chan-rim remained calmly composed, with just the right amount of tension needed for the competition.
Kang Hyun especially so.
Even as he listened to Woo Si-hyung and Yoon Chan-rim's light banter, he maintained his composure and kept his focus sharp.
Every key issue in the case by category, and all the branches stemming from them—every possible scenario.
He kept running through them, simulating endlessly.
Time steadily accumulated until the clock struck ten a.m. The moment the hour hand hit dead center on twelve, the announcement blared.
"This is an announcement regarding the Korea University Mock Trial Competition finals. All teams, please enter the arena. Repeating: All teams, please enter the arena..."
Knock knock, click.
"Team 3, please enter."
The three wrapped up their preparations and followed the usher's guidance into the arena.
'We win, no question.'
Kang Hyun's eyes burned with conviction.
It was strong enough that even his teammates, Woo Si-hyung and Yoon Chan-rim, felt reassured just by looking into them.
Kang Hyun's first mock trial finals appearance.
The final stop in pursuit of victory in the semester's grandest goal—the Mock Trial Competition—and the springboard to the international event.
They stepped into the finals venue with resolute poise.
"Everyone, please rise."
The finals differed in scale and personnel from the other matches.
Mimicking a real trial, it involved a large cast, and accordingly, the gallery was expansive.
Actors for plaintiff and defendant. Bailiff, stenographer, and numerous others playing court staff. Plus, the finals would be streamed online.
Hundreds—no, easily a thousand—would watch their performance.
The packed gallery fell silent, eyes fixed forward, eagerly awaiting the trial's start.
The mock trial was, in essence, a compressed version of a real one.
What spanned months of hearings in reality was sliced into time blocks, racing straight to judgment. The judges sat in a fan shape behind the bench. As three sitting judges took their seats, the bailiff addressed everyone.
"Please be seated."
The crowd sat in unison with a collective rustle.
Finally, the presiding judge at the center of the bench spoke.
"Before starting the Korea University Mock Trial Competition finals, note that plaintiff and defendant roles were randomly assigned for this round. This bench will only confirm the judgment; evaluation is conducted by the announced judging panel."
Eyes shifted from the presiding bench to Seok Ji-hoon's team on the 'plaintiff side' opposite and Kang Hyun's on the 'defendant side,' then naturally flowed to the judges seated diagonally behind.
Kang Hyun carefully scanned the judging panel.
'Gong Hyun-jeong Law Center Director and her inner circle dominate.'
Their worries hadn't been mere speculation—they were reality.
Somehow having seized control of the tournament, the panel featured the 'dragons of the Ministry of Justice' grooming Seok Ji-hoon.
Whether they'd outright oppose Kang Hyun was unknown, but it was clear they were backing his opponent, Seok Ji-hoon.
And that was poison for Kang Hyun.
The one small relief: ICC co-sponsor Song Ha-dong Center Director was present as a spectator. Even from the gallery, their watchful eyes offered some comfort.
"Seoul High Court Case 2010Na1510. We'll skip confirming plaintiff and defendant attendance. Plaintiff, state your written submissions."
"Good day. I'm Hwang Jae-eun, counsel for the plaintiff."
Without delay, the match began in earnest.
Hwang Jae-eun launched into her opening statement.
The head-to-head between the two teams was underway.
'Finally.'
In that moment, Kang Hyun felt like a bell was tolling in his mind.
The thrill of being right where he belonged. Heart-pounding excitement and a distant, echoing heartbeat. An ordinary yet unforgettable shiver ran through him.
"Plaintiff A entered into a contract on October 1, 2000, to provide services to Company B's Seoul premises, with Company B agreeing to pay a set fee. Plaintiff A worked at Company B's premises from that date until October 1, 2008—eight years until contract termination. However, defendant Company B ignored the employment relationship and refused to pay severance. Plaintiff thus seeks 200 million won in severance from Company B."
Hwang Jae-eun's opening was concise and polished. She might not rank with Seok Ji-hoon or Dan Chorok, but this was why she held her spot on the Cheonungjae team.
With her law school poise and experience, her pacing and tone suited a prosecutor or attorney perfectly.
Her main argument followed.
"Plaintiff A is a foreigner employed by U.S. corporation A. On October 1, 2000, defendant Company B contracted with U.S. corporation A for services in exchange for fees—first contract. Same terms renewed October 1, 2004—second contract. Please review the evidence list."
Just as Kang Hyun had commanded the room to check materials, Hwang Jae-eun had the power to make them flip open files and nod along.
"The facts acknowledged by the lower court and the record show plaintiffs provided subordinate labor to defendant company for wages, qualifying as employees under the Labor Standards Act. Under Article 8, defendant—as employer—must pay severance."
"Objection."
As if waiting for Hwang Jae-eun to pause, main arguer Woo Si-hyung shot up aggressively.
With clear eyes, he laid out his dissent.
"Your Honor. This case involves a 'U.S. citizen plaintiff' suing a 'Korean company defendant,' making it a legal relationship with foreign elements. The opening skipped designating the governing law, jumping straight to main arguments."
That was it—their strategy.
They weren't letting go of the competition theme: 'international law or domestic law related to international law,' sponsored by ICC and others.
The plan was to sow confusion over applicable law from the start, dragging Seok Ji-hoon's team into a quagmire.
If they were underprepared, it was an early win.
As Woo Si-hyung finished, a red light lit on the presiding judge's mic.
"Point well taken. Plaintiff."
Woo Si-hyung sat with a smug grin, satisfied at landing a hit.
Calling out an unprepared angle could draw out rebuttal arguer Dan Chorok.
Force her into rebuttal early, disrupt her focus, and hinder their response to Kang Hyun's side claims.
That was the opening gambit.
But true to their reputation, they responded with calm composure.
The defense to the objection came straight from Hwang Jae-eun's mouth—no materials in hand.