Stopping the Wrong Deal (4)
Whoa.
Is this for real?
I glanced around.
Not just the receptionist in front of me, but several other staff members here.
Even the students who happened to be in the building.
I could see a future where they all got caught in that explosion.
Man, why does this world have so many accidents popping up?
Is this right?
"Mr. Kang Noah?"
"Ah. Yes."
"Are you going to register? Did you pass the written exam?"
"No."
"We have written prep classes too, but honestly, I don't recommend them."
The written driving test is easy—just study a problem book for a few days and you're good.
Hardly anyone signs up for those classes at academies.
"I could enroll you if you want, but..."
"No thanks. I'll just study on my own."
"Got it. Register after you pass the written test, then."
"Understood. Mind if I take a quick tour? Oh, and if you haven't eaten... there's a cafeteria on the first floor. Students can eat there for a fee, but..."
She glanced around furtively and whispered.
"The food's absolute trash, so just eat outside."
She was dead serious.
I wasn't that hungry, but since she mentioned a cafeteria, I figured I'd check it out.
The driving academy took up the second floor of a two-story building.
I headed down to the first floor and walked the hallway until I spotted it.
Yeah.
This place.
This is where it blows up.
Peeking inside, it looked like a company cafeteria with a kitchen attached.
Why the hell does a driving academy need a full kitchen?
Curious, I stepped outside and circled the building.
Paint cans. Oil drums.
A few LPG gas canisters too.
And all sorts of other fire hazards stacked right against the cafeteria wall, just one thin panel away.
Talk about a disaster waiting to happen.
As I rounded the corner, I spotted a smoking area on the opposite side.
A few instructors were huddled there puffing away, so I approached.
"They serve food here too, right?"
"Ugh. Yeah."
Not just the instructors—even the staff ate here.
"Heard this building used to be a big restaurant back in the day."
It hadn't always been part of the academy.
The director had expanded and bought the whole place, converting it.
"Oh, I see. But... it's pretty rundown, huh? Even the cafeteria walls look like cheap partitions."
"Tell me about it. We've told the director a dozen times to fix it up properly, but he doesn't give a damn."
Hell, there'd even been a few small fires in the cafeteria.
At this point, shouldn't they shut it down?
But the director just patched things up on the cheap and kept going.
At least no food poisoning outbreaks—small mercies.
"Know what's crazy?"
"What?"
"That damn director forces everyone to eat here. And the food sucks."
Some folks wanted to bring lunches or eat out.
But the director ordered everyone to eat here, so they grumbled through it, paying for the crap food like it or not.
"The cafeteria? Run by the director's wife."
"Hahaha..."
So the lousy cafeteria blows up in a gas explosion, causing all hell to break loose.
And they even built an in-house one to squeeze extra cash from salaries...
Impressive! Well played!
Still, thinking about this whole place turning to ash in flames made me worry.
Sure, I could ignore it and register somewhere else.
But I couldn't just let this horrific future slide.
So how do I stop it?
Marching up to the director and yelling "This place is gonna explode!" wouldn't fly.
And even if it somehow got overlooked this time, in this state, another fire or blast was inevitable...
Ignorance is bliss, but now that I knew, I couldn't look away.
I snapped some photos of the cafeteria.
That's when one instructor yelled urgently.
He'd seen me taking pics and scowled hard.
"Hey! You can't just snap photos willy-nilly!"
"Ah, sorry. I'm kind of a known streamer."
"S-streamer?"
"Yeah. Shooting a vlog, wanted to show this place off."
"Whoa? For real? You famous?"
"Sort of."
"Then snap away!"
"But this place is super rundown, no?"
"It is. Step inside that kitchen and you'd pass out. What can we do? Director's money-obsessed, won't change a thing. Might as well shut it down."
"What if an accident happens?"
"I've brought it up tons of times. Even officials came by and chewed them out."
But no changes.
Just pay the fines—cheaper that way.
"One day it's gonna blow big time."
Of course, he hadn't seen the future.
But who wouldn't think that looking at this dump?
"If a student like you goes viral, maybe they'll fix it?"
"Haha. Yeah, something might happen."
Obviously.
But I had no plans to stream it out.
.
.
.
I knew plenty of folks with real authority.
Detective Kang Injeong right away, plus prosecutors from the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors Office working with me.
So I showed them the photos.
"Can't something be done about this?"
"...You see the future again?"
"Yes."
Kang Injeong's face hardened.
Gu Namchul's too.
Yang Wonju couldn't make it due to work, but even he'd see the danger.
"Teacher Kim. This... yeah, it's a problem. Tsk. Stuff like this still happens in this day and age."
Gu Namchul scratched the back of his head.
He'd been swamped lately—no time to even go home or shower properly.
He stood up.
"I'll check it out myself."
The academy wasn't far from Uijeongbu, so his visit alone might sort it.
"Wanna flip a card?"
"Huh? Sure."
Gu Namchul flipped it.
He eyed me expectantly, but I shook my head.
Even with Gu Namchul going, it wouldn't get fixed.
"What the...?!"
"Looks like the academy director has some thick connections."
"Connections for this...?!"
I knew the world didn't always run on common sense.
Back at the orphanage, fists trumped laws plenty of times.
"Guess we try another way. I'd like to meet that director first."
I looked at Gu Namchul.
"Mind coming with?"
He didn't refuse.
.
.
.
First things first: pass the written test.
Bought a problem book, solved it all, memorized the answers, and took the exam.
Passed on the first try, luckily.
No time to waste—I headed straight to the test site with the two of them.
"Gu Namchul, prosecutor from the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors Office."
"Eek!!"
A prosecutor showing up out of nowhere?
The reception desk froze solid.
"Could I see the director?"
"Th-the director's not here right now..."
"Then contact him for me?"
"Yes, sir."
They didn't know the details, but a prosecutor showing up had everyone iced.
They'd pass the word—expect a call back.
Gu Namchul glanced at me and nodded.
"I wanna register."
"Uh... y-yes, sir..."
Registration done.
Since we were here, Gu Namchul waited to tag along.
"Whoa... this is no joke. Faster than a rollercoaster..."
Today's first lesson: starting the car and going 100 meters.
Riding shotgun, I hadn't noticed, but driving myself? Fast as hell.
We pulled over to an open area and sat on a bench.
Gu Namchul grinned and handed me a canned coffee.
No one around.
Hard to believe an explosion could happen in such a quiet spot.
Glancing back at the academy, it was a miracle it hadn't blown yet.
"Teacher, you weren't even hitting 10 km/h..."
"Speed's relative, right?"
If I felt fast, it was fast.
"How's that case going?"
The one with Kim Juhyeong.
Asking about the match-fixing, he smiled.
"Caught 'em."
"What? Already?"
Way quicker than expected.
"Got help from Kim Juhyeong. Told him to splurge a bit."
WBC hero Kim Juhyeong.
He wasn't into luxuries usually, but they needed to see he was desperate for cash—match-fixing bait.
"Watches, clothes, cars. Then the calls started coming."
"Ha. Nice."
Heroes falling? Happens all too easy.
Makes sense they'd pitch match-fixing to him.
"And the boss we nabbed? Tied to that drug case."
"Ah."
"Using dropouts to mule drugs."
Might bust a whole distribution ring if it pans out—they were investigating now.
Hoped it went well.
"You sure it's okay telling me this?"
"Might need your help again. Obviously..."
"Got it. Mum's the word."
Anyway, we were sipping canned coffee in the quiet when an old man approached.
"Aigoo! What brings a prosecutor all the way out here...!!"
This guy?
The plain-faced geezer grinned and bowed to Gu Namchul.
"Heard you registered together—nephew of yours?"
"Just a close friend."
"Heh. Well then. Satisfied with our academy...?"
The director eyed me like he was about to rub his hands greedily.
I'd been watching him and let out a sigh.
"Director?"
"Yes?"
"Your facilities... they're pretty worn out."
"Nah, this is nothing. Everywhere's like this."
"I hear you've had tons of safety complaints..."
"That's why we've prepped countermeasures—all legal."
Couldn't argue with that.
Or so he thought.
"Wanna flip a card?"
"Huh? Sure."
He looked puzzled but flipped it anyway—probably Gu Namchul's presence.
Authority works wonders.
"But why the card...?"
"You've made bank."
"Haha. Old man's only skill."
"Coughing a lot lately, huh?"
"Just feeling under the weather."
"Hard to breathe sometimes."
"Happens when you age."
"Chest feels tight too."
"...What're you getting at?"
I met his eyes.
"Lung cancer. I recommend checking in immediately."
The future shifted.
From him running the academy.
To his son taking over, overhauling the cafeteria first thing.