Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Arrest Propriety Review
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"There's no intent to obstruct the investigation in a way that would worry you, Detective. This isn't a duplicate or redundant claim either. And there's no need to continue the arrest. Im Cheol-su has a fixed residence, no risk of flight, and no concern he'll act with the purpose of evading the investigation."
"Ah, I see."
When the detective looked at him, Kang Hyun seemed to misunderstand and explained the situation in detail.
The detective nodded as if he understood, then turned to Im Cheol-su and said,
"Then, Im Cheol-su, can you contact your mother? We need to appoint a lawyer. Or we can prepare for a public defender..."
Arrest propriety reviews were typically so complex and difficult to draft that lawyers usually handled the entire thing.
They wouldn't even ask if one wasn't appointed.
But in cases where a review had to be filed without a lawyer, a lawyer needed to be appointed quickly, so Detective Sergeant Yoo had asked Im Cheol-su about his intentions regarding legal representation.
However, Im Cheol-su was only looking at Kang Hyun.
"...Teacher..."
His swollen eyes, trembling hands. But his face was full of trust toward Kang Hyun, who had stepped up for him.
Meeting his gaze, Kang Hyun calmly replied as if promising to live up to that trust.
"A defender doesn't have to be a lawyer. I will be Im Cheol-su's defender from now on."
As if it were predetermined, he sat quietly and spoke in a tone that wasn't particularly loud or grand.
"I'll draft the arrest propriety review petition right here and file it with the court, so please prepare for transport."
"...Ha, alright then."
Watching Kang Hyun speak with such confidence, the detective conceded and went off to check on the computer.
That was right.
Kang Hyun seemed just like a lawyer.
No, more like a prosecutor directing the investigation.
To be precise, Detective Sergeant Yoo was witnessing in real time as Kang Hyun transformed from lawyer to prosecutor.
It was the moment he realized what an extraordinary person he had met and what an astonishing experience he was having.
Suddenly thinking of his daughter who had become a police officer after seeing Kang Hyun, he smiled without realizing it.
He was deeply satisfied with how well she had judged people.
Tap tap tap, clack clack.
Using the borrowed computer, Kang Hyun hammered out the petition at terrifying speed.
As if he had honed the skill over many long years, as if he had prepared everything for this very day.
Moreover, the finished product was flawless enough to draw gasps of admiration. There wasn't a single character that needed correction or a phrase that could be omitted, and it fit perfectly both procedurally and formally.
It wasn't some slapped-together "template draft" either.
Amazed by that skill, even Detective Sergeant Yoo stood with hands behind his back, watching as if it were a spectacle.
And soon, he had gathered all the necessary supplementary materials simply as well.
Kang Hyun knew that arrest propriety reviews were rare cases, so he didn't think a massive amount of evidence was required.
Instead, he strongly emphasized that Im Cheol-su was a trustworthy person and that, as a minor, there were clear difficulties in deeming the arrest grounds sufficient.
While Kang Hyun worked, all the task force members, including Detective Sergeant Yoo, could do was look after the pitiful Im Cheol-su.
"Eat some jajangmyeon."
"Yes?"
"You have to eat. Chew thoroughly. Your body's in shock, so you might get indigestion otherwise."
"...Okay."
And so two hours passed like this.
In just those two hours, Kang Hyun lifted his hands from the keyboard with a satisfied expression.
"Can you print it?"
"Yes, one moment."
"I'll also compile the evidence needed for the statement of grounds. Im Cheol-su, you agree?"
Im Cheol-su nodded slowly.
Whirr, whirr.
The printer began spitting out the arrest propriety review petition.
Assembled in such a short time, it was still a comprehensive document spanning around ten pages including appendices, with the grounds laid out clearly.
A logical shield of law, composed of impeccable sentences with no pleas or excuses—for Im Cheol-su alone.
It was on par with what a powerhouse from a major law firm might produce.
Detective Sergeant Yoo could only blink in astonishment at the man who had produced such a court filing in one go.
Beep beep.
Early dawn at the Seoul Central District Court, after the police sirens had wailed a few times.
By the time Im Cheol-su's mother arrived with a ridiculous expression, Kang Hyun was already waiting in front of the courtroom as the defense counsel for the arrest propriety review.
She seemed immensely proud of Im Cheol-su, but in reality, she had consistently treated him harshly and dismissively.
The complete opposite of Kang Hyun's mother.
Clunk.
The waiting room opposite the courtroom for the review.
Im Cheol-su's mother entered the waiting room with a displeased look.
Thanks to their consideration in allowing her to see her minor son, the first thing she did upon seeing him was this, with a fearsome face.
Slap!
"You useless bastard! You idiot! What the hell have you been doing wandering around outside?"
Im Cheol-su, who looked just like Kang Hyun.
But even if he lived in a wealthy, powerful family, the reason he never seemed happy, the reason he seemed devoid of dreams or passion.
Kang Hyun's suspicion that it was due to his mother was confirmed as no mere hunch by her appearance.
"Hold on, ma'am!"
"..."
Unlike the flustered Detective Sergeant Yoo, Im Cheol-su just glared at her fiercely, as if it were expected.
But she ignored his glare as if it were only natural and slapped him again.
Smack!
"Even pouring money into you until you're sick of it, your grades are rock bottom, and now you're getting tangled up in crimes like trash..."
The situation was worsening, so Kang Hyun finally stepped between them with a somewhat firm tone.
"Ma'am, that's enough."
His voice was enough to create a tense standoff between Im Cheol-su and her.
"It's not just Cheol-su's fault."
In an instant, her bulging eyes shifted their target from Im Cheol-su to Kang Hyun. She turned her distorted face toward him and snapped back sharply.
"Are you saying this bastard causing trouble is my responsibility?"
"Yes."
"Ha! You, a mere tutor. I've been putting up with you..."
"Exactly. Even a tutor who's only given two sessions knows more about the child than you do, ma'am. How indifferent and authoritarian you've been toward Cheol-su."
"Shut up."
"Calm down. This is a sacred court. I'm not here to fight you—I'm here to defend Cheol-su in his arrest review."
"That defense crap! Just hire a lawyer. Who the hell are you? Why are you meddling in someone else's family?"
"If you want to hire another lawyer, go ahead. But I'm the one who knows Cheol-su best, and I'm the one filing the arrest propriety review as his defender. By the time you appoint a lawyer, it won't be an arrest review—it'll be a detention review."
"What? Ha! This is ridiculous..."
"The ridiculous one is you, ma'am. Voice phishing scams draining a million won, three million, five million one after another, his account turned into a mule account with tens of millions flowing in and out—and you didn't notice until now? Does that make sense?"
"...How was I supposed to know he'd do something stupid like that? Who could've predicted it'd blow up like this!"
"If you'd paid even a little attention, you would've spotted the red flags. Kids are perceptive enough that parents can notice with just a bit of care. But you treated Cheol-su with indifference disguised as indifference and rudeness. The police and prosecutors tried every way to contact you, but you acted without a shred of parental responsibility. That's why things escalated to this worst-case scenario. You might even be the one they charge with aiding flight or concealment."
"What nonsense... I had my own circumstances too!"
"Circumstances... I won't ask what family issues you had. But that doesn't excuse it. As a mother, you absolutely should not have acted that way. I haven't become a parent yet, but I have a mother, and I've seen plenty of others with their kids. You ignored things anyone capable of basic right and wrong could've seen. Anyone who knows this situation will hold you accountable."
"..."
"So you have nothing to say to Cheol-su. You don't have the right to scold him. Instead of calling him worthless or saying you should kill him, you need to apologize and say you're sorry."
Unable to rebut a single word of Kang Hyun's speech, Im Cheol-su's mother bit her lip so hard it nearly bled.
Then she turned to Im Cheol-su and muttered in a small voice,
"Reflect on it..."
With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the waiting room.
Kang Hyun watched her retreating back with a bitter expression.
Detective Sergeant Yoo, who had watched from a distance, muttered under his breath so Im Cheol-su couldn't hear.
Im Cheol-su, now hanging his head even lower, looked not just pitiful but utterly dejected.
Kang Hyun tried to say something to him, but unfortunately, time was up.
The light signaling the courtroom across was ready.
Clunk.
"Im Cheol-su, time to move."
Kang Hyun helped Im Cheol-su to his feet and they took their steps.
Arrest propriety review.
As the suspect's defender, to prove the arrest unjust. Kang Hyun entered the courtroom with a frustrated expression.
"I am Judge Choi Chun-sik, in charge of warrants. Have a seat first. Make yourselves comfortable, and remove the suspect's transport restraints."
The judge greeted them with tired, disinterested eyes.
Kang Hyun could tell that an arrest propriety review had a very different atmosphere from warrant execution reviews or criminal trials.
Designated warrant judges in courts at every level held significant power over detention decisions, but it was also a position plagued by constant heavy workloads.
Given the role, he was undoubtedly a capable judge with extensive criminal trial experience.
Yet, despite the prestige warrant judgeships offered, the fact that his name wasn't well-known told Kang Hyun he was the type to hand down unremarkable rulings.
In other words, not an easy situation.
"Defense counsel?"
"Yes. Kang Hyun."
"The arrest review has the whole court in an uproar. You know that, right?"
"I'm sorry for the late hour."
"No, no. It's a suspect's right, so there's nothing improper or wrong about it. However... to cut to the chase, you know it has no real benefit?"
He flipped casually through the documents and said,
"The materials are... I acknowledge they're not at a level to dismiss outright."
But the judge trailed off, glancing over the submission with complicated eyes.
"However, if the detention warrant is denied, the suspect will naturally be released, so I regret that you filed the arrest review anyway."
Kang Hyun nearly let slip the words bubbling up inside, but for now, he held his tongue, reading the judge's expression and observing the situation.
It was then, as he shrank back a bit more.
"Anyway."
Finally, the on-duty judge turned his narrowed eyes toward Im Cheol-su.
And six hours after Im Cheol-su's arrest, the Seoul Central District Court's arrest propriety review was about to begin.