The Damning Video
He took a deep drag on his cigarette, letting the smoke fill his lungs before exhaling it slowly toward the sky. But no matter how he turned it over in his mind, he couldn't figure out how to accept this reality. From Heo Sang-do's perspective as the police information officer who needed to gather intel on their party, this was crucial information that could solidify his position even further. Ultimately, handling this case rested entirely on Heo Sang-do's decision, so it made sense to hear his thoughts first.
"What do you plan to do?"
"That's why I wanted to meet you, Maru. I wanted to hear your opinion."
Heo Sang-do hadn't reported this to his superiors yet, for some reason. Maru wondered what the man wanted from him. He held evidence that could instantly take down an active opposition assemblyman from a rival party—not the ruling party—and yet he'd brought it straight to Maru, a mere secretary. It couldn't be for something simple.
"Is this something only you know about?"
"I got wind that the assemblyman had come down to Busan and started digging around. I confirmed it by chance, so I haven't reported it yet."
"Good. That's a relief."
Maru felt a weight lift at Heo Sang-do's words. No one else knew—not his superiors, not anyone besides Heo Sang-do. If he could just persuade the man well enough, they could bury this whole thing like it never happened. That made Maru anxious to know exactly what Heo Sang-do would demand. If it was something he could handle internally, he'd bend over backward to make it happen. But if it went beyond his pay grade, he'd have no choice but to report it to Assemblyman Hwang and figure it out from there.
"Why don't you seize this chance and run yourself?"
"You know better than anyone I don't have what it takes."
"You think bloodlines decide everything? I'll help you however I can. Give it a shot."
"Even so, taking down the boss and claiming his spot feels... ethically dicey."
"I heard you got fired over some bullshit before he came down to Busan."
"How'd you—?"
"I might not know the details yet, but you know there's no info that doesn't reach our ears eventually."
"Fair enough."
"I'd love to see you run, Maru. Assemblyman Hwang's too busy looking out for number one."
"I'll think it over. And I'd appreciate it if we could pretend this video never existed. Please."
"If you decide to run, sure. But if he keeps this up, it'll catch the press's eye eventually."
"I'll handle it for now."
Out of nowhere, Heo Sang-do had used this opportunity to push Maru to run for office. What had he seen in Maru to make him pass up a huge payoff from that single photo and instead urge him to challenge the status quo? Maru was dying to ask, but he couldn't bring himself to.
He hadn't outright refused, either. If Heo Sang-do leaked that photo to the press, reporters would swarm like hyenas, tearing into not just Hwang but the entire district office, turning it into a wasteland—and it'd poison next year's general election for sure.
Jeong-ah's words echoed in his mind. But he needed to confirm if they'd come from her own will or under duress from Hwang. He asked Heo Sang-do to sit tight for a bit, dropped him off at the precinct, then called Jeong-ah and told her to meet him outside.
"Why not just come to the office, oppa?"
"Got something to talk about with you."
"Heh~ You wanna do it today, huh?"
"What do you take me for, some sex machine? Always raring to go?"
"Then what's up? Party with the girls?"
"Let's just go somewhere and talk."
"Where?"
Maru drove toward Songjeong Beach. Gu-deokpo was quiet, so he parked by the breakwater, lit a cigarette, and stared out. He wasn't sure how to broach it, so he just puffed away until Jeong-ah, fed up with the silence, spoke first.
"What's going on?"
"Sigh..."
"Spit it out already. You're killing me here. Did I do something wrong?"
"What could you have done wrong to me?"
"Then what?"
"I heard some weird shit today."
"What?"
For a split second, a shadow crossed her face.
"You know the old man's in Busan?"
"Yeah, I know. That why?"
"Yeah. Got a call from the precinct intel guy on my way back from meeting him."
"Perfect timing. I was gonna talk to you about it anyway."
"What about?"
Maru assumed she was about to spill on her fling with Hwang and tried to shut it down—no need to hear it. If she confessed it herself, the self-loathing would crush her, and he didn't need to spell that out. But her words veered off script entirely.
"That bastard has zero plans to hand the district over to you."
"From his angle, that's natural."
"So he'll cut you loose again someday. Use you up and toss you."
"Could happen."
"Embarrassing as hell, but check the KakaoTalk I'm sending."
"Just show me your phone."
"No way. With your temper, you'd smash it."
The chat Jeong-ah sent showed her and Hwang naked, mid-affair, his words crystal clear. Maru had suspected as much, so no shock, but hearing Hwang's thoughts straight from his mouth stoked a slow burn of anger. Jeong-ah sent it over and hung her head without a word.
"Sorry, oppa."
As he closed the video, she looked up, apologetic. Not sorry—ashamed, humiliated. Even if she'd done it with him naked, showing him footage with a third party meant shredding her own pride first.
"I don't think you need to apologize. I'm not in a position to judge your choices anyway. But I'm curious how it happened."
"I told you last time. He groped my ass at the nightclub, then called the next day and made me come to the hotel. Forced himself on me."
"..."
"He came back down from Seoul recently, called again, and wanted to do it every damn day. Treats me like a total whore."
"What do you mean?"
"Watch to the end. He's a total perv. And after, he shoves cash at me like I'm trash and kicks me out."
"I don't know what to do yet. I asked the intel guy to hold off for now."
"Just leak it. He won't run next year."
"Leak it? You think you'll walk away clean? Reporters'll hound you, plaster your face everywhere—what then?"
"Doesn't scare me. If he crashes and burns, you could snag the nomination."
"You think it's that easy? Even if I get nominated, no guarantee I'd win."
"Anyway, I recorded it for you. Do what you want. I don't care if it goes public."
"Damn, you're fearless."
"Not scared, but... watching you watch me do that? Kinda mortifying."
So she'd been raped at first, but kept going after—not for herself, but for him. What the hell had he done to deserve her sacrificing her body like this? Guilt washed over Maru anew.
"Anyway, if this leaks, it'll be chaos. Delete it if you can. Not just for the old man—for you."
"I'm fine. Worst case, I emigrate or get plastic surgery."
"You make it sound simple."
"Anyway, guts like that must make life easy."
"Heh~ I'm not some dirty slut, right?"
"I told you—Jeong-ah could never be dirty."
"Thanks~"
"C'mon, let's grab lunch."
Gratitude mixed with guilt kept the words "thank you" stuck in his throat—saying it outright might hurt her more. Acting like nothing happened, he suggested lunch and drove her to a restaurant.
After eating, Maru dropped Jeong-ah at the office and stepped out. Still no clue how to handle it, he called Eun-mi, Hwang's wife.
"What's up with you calling?"
"Got time today?"
"You in Seoul?"
"Yeah, heading up now."
"I'll be waiting."
"Mind if I see Chairman Lee too?"
"Sure. I'll call Dad and get back to you."
He parked at Busan Station and boarded the train to Seoul. She called back en route; they'd meet at her father Lee Hoe-jang's company. At Seoul Station, as he hailed a taxi, his phone rang.
"You here?"
"Yeah, grabbing a cab."
"No need. I'm out front."
Her red car idled at the entrance. Maru spotted it, walked over, and slid into the passenger seat.
"So what's the sudden visit?"
"About the assemblyman."
"What about him?"
"Met the precinct intel officer. There's a problem."
"What kind?"
"Woman trouble."
"Knew it. Goes to Busan, ghosts the district office—obvious."
"What'd the intel guy say?"
"I bought us some time, but if he keeps it up, press'll find out soon."
"Who's the woman?"
"The girl I brought on for SNS help. Looks like she hooked up with him last time he was down."
"Figures. Thinks he can grope every woman in Korea. You talk to him yet?"
"Not yet. Wanted to run it by Chairman Lee first."
They arrived at the company mid-conversation and headed up to the chairman's office.