Chapter 194
Chapter 194
He Took the Bait
“Young Master.”
“You’re here?”
Im Seung-hyeon cautiously approached, but Yu Yeon-seo’s gaze remained fixed on the camera monitor. Min Seong-cheol, who had been willingly led away by Baek Seo-jun and was now confined, let out a wheezing laugh as if something was incredibly funny.
“What did the hospital say?”
“Thankfully, they said there are no issues. We had him admitted just in case there are any aftereffects.”
“That’s a relief. Please take good care of him.”
Even as he was being taken to the hospital, Lee Tae-gyeom had been worried about Yu Yeon-seo’s expensive car. But a car like that could be thrown away. Thanks to it, they’d caught Min Seong-cheol. Lee Tae-gyeom could now enjoy a luxurious recovery in an expensive private room.
“There were some onlookers… Did any photos show up online?”
“Some eyewitness photos were posted, but your face isn’t visible, so they’ll probably be dismissed as fakes.”
That’s good, then… Yu Yeon-seo carefully observed Min Seong-cheol, who sat motionless.
“This is too easy…”
“Pardon?”
“Could he really be caught this quickly?”
“Well… perhaps they’re just that desperate?”
Maybe so… Yu Yeon-seo unconsciously nodded.
‘Maybe he was waiting for me to come find him.’
Did he let himself get caught on purpose? To talk to me? Yu Yeon-seo couldn’t forget the ecstatic look on Min Seong-cheol’s face when he saw him.
Im Seung-hyeon, knowing how focused Yu Yeon-seo was on catching Min Seong-cheol, spoke cautiously.
“…Aren’t you going to go in?”
“I’m going to leave it to him for now.”
If he really did let himself get caught, I can’t just show myself so easily. I’ll have to string him along, make him anxious until he blurts out the truth on his own.
(Mr. Min Seong-cheol?)
(…)
(You know why you’re here, don’t you?)
Even though Min Seong-cheol didn’t respond, Baek Seo-jun silently placed the materials in front of him. Photos of Yang Hong-sik and Park Gyeong-won, and even the deceased Choi Nam-yun.
(You know these people, don’t you? You saw them on May 12, 1999.)
(…)
(Choi Nam-yun. Did you kill him?)
(No, I didn’t kill him.)
He’s finally talking. Baek Seo-jun leaned forward from his chair, bringing his face closer to Min Seong-cheol’s.
(If you didn’t kill him, who did?)
(I just gave them a little hint. The ones who got scared and killed him were the others.)
Then, Min Seong-cheol clamped his mouth shut again, ignoring Baek Seo-jun’s questions.
(Bring me my son.)
Min Seong-cheol’s sole purpose was to see Yu Yeon-seo.
Around the time Yu Yeon-seo was leaving for France for the Cannes Film Festival, Park Jeong-ho, who had befriended Secretary Hwang Seung-jun, met with him again at a bar.
“Is that a bruise on your forehead? Did you bump into something?”
“…”
Secretary Hwang silently tossed back his drink. Park Jeong-ho already knew where the wound came from. Rumors that his boss was mistreating his long-serving secretary had soured the mood among the junior staff. A simple coffee was enough to get them talking.
‘Has he lost his composure?’
Perhaps knowing that some unseen person was digging into a long-closed case was causing his true nature to surface. In any case, it was a good situation for Park Jeong-ho. He hoped the cornered Secretary Hwang would create an opening…
Park Jeong-ho poured a drink into Hwang Seung-jun’s glass, silently keeping him company. After a long silence, Hwang Seung-jun finally spoke.
“How long have you served Director Park?”
“Let’s see… it’s been almost forty years, I think.”
Park Jeong-ho felt a wave of nostalgia. Has it really been that long since I started serving Park Geum-ju… Hwang Seung-jun’s eyes widened in surprise.
“That’s a very long time.”
“At this point, it’s like I’ve dedicated my whole life to Juseong. I’m surprised myself.”
“Does Director Park treat you well?”
He was curious about the motive behind the question, but he had a good idea. Hwang Seung-jun wasn’t being treated well by his superior. In that case… I should gently needle him. The corners of Park Jeong-ho’s lips lifted.
“She treats me very well. Just look at how much the price of the house she bought for me in Bundang has risen…”
“She bought you a house?”
“Was it when I’d worked for twenty years? I think so. I sold it and made a nice profit.”
“And you still continue to work for her?”
“Where else would I stand but behind my Director?”
It was a relationship of trust built over a long time. Park Geum-ju took care of Park Jeong-ho for his long service, and he, in turn, worked silently for her. It was still the same now.
Hwang Seung-jun’s eyes filled with envy at Park Jeong-ho’s relaxed demeanor.
“But haven’t you been around for a while too? I think I’ve seen you behind the President a few times…”
“I’ve also been here for… over twenty years.”
A man with no notable specs from a mediocre university, he had been suddenly approached and told to work for him.
[There’s a job that needs doing, and you’re the only one who can do it.]
At the time, he had been so happy with the offer that he’d immediately agreed… but thinking back, it was a bit strange. The very first task he was assigned was Lee Hui-seo’s death case.
“I see. With that much time, isn’t that a relationship of trust?”
“…It’s because I don’t handle things well.”
“Even if you’re not perfect… after twenty years, shouldn’t he trust you quite a bit? I wonder why he’s been acting like this lately…”
Hwang Seung-jun was grateful to Park Jeong-ho for being angry on his behalf, but he also felt a surge of resentment. Compared to other secretaries serving the family, his treatment seemed far too harsh.
“Or… was he hired to handle troublesome matters?”
“Sir.”
“How coincidental… The Chairman used to work people like that. If it weren’t for our Director, they would have all been fired.”
Park Jeong-ho, having slyly deflected Hwang Seung-jun’s suspicion, began planting seeds of doubt in his mind. As Hwang Seung-jun listened, his resolve began to waver.
‘Wait, it’s true he hired me to do that job.’
He’d been given all the dirty work while his boss stayed out of it, and now he was being threatened that he could be next… Hwang Seung-jun felt deeply wronged.
‘Judging by his anxiety, is someone investigating that case? What if I get caught in all this?’
If Yang Hong-sik, Park Gyeong-won, and Min Seong-cheol—the people he and his boss tried to eliminate—had already been caught, and if they were now looking for conclusive evidence… Hwang Seung-jun himself could be the one cut loose.
As if reading his mind, Park Jeong-ho gently coaxed him.
“If it gets too hard, talk to me. A man like you is diligent and gets the job done… I could put in a good word for you with our Director.”
“What about you, sir?”
“It’s time for me to retire. Being active at this age is elder abuse, they say.”
Hwang Seung-jun stared blankly at Park Jeong-ho’s face. Wouldn’t it be better to become an informant, reduce my sentence, and get something in return before I’m cut loose? At this rate, he, the one who knew the truth of that day, could end up as a corpse somewhere.
“If it’s my recommendation, the Director will gladly accept.”
Park Geum-ju had a solid reputation. She treated her subordinates well, so employees wanted to work under her. Still, he couldn’t help but hesitate. Even if it was indirect, would she look kindly upon someone involved in that incident?
“I told you before. I’ve done something irreversible.”
“But was it really your fault?”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you say you were following orders? I overheard you when you were drunk, though I don’t know the details.”
Did I say that much while I was drunk? While Hwang Seung-jun was uncertain, Park Jeong-ho added, as if it were just a passing thought.
“Wouldn’t it be fine if there were extenuating circumstances? Like, say, evidence that you weren’t at fault…”
Yu Yeon-seo wasn’t the only one who had cast a line. Park Jeong-ho and Park Geum-ju had also thrown out a big one.
“Let me know anytime.”
He smiled benevolently at the bowed head of Hwang Seung-jun.
And not long after Min Seong-cheol was captured, there was finally a breakthrough.
“Hello, sir.”
(What’s this about? So suddenly.)
“I have something urgent to tell you.”
Hearing the determined, low voice of Hwang Seung-jun over the phone, Park Jeong-ho knew the moment had finally come.
(Where are you? I’ll come to you.)
“No, I’ll go to the Juseong Art Museum. I have something to tell the Director in person… and something to ask forgiveness for.”
Hwang Seung-jun had taken the bait.
[…He started talking about something out of the blue, so it stuck in my memory.]
[He said a person has to live up to their reputation…]
Yang Hong-sik and Park Gyeong-won pointed to one person in the photos Park Jeong-ho had prepared.
[Is this person the representative?]
[Oh, uh… yes! That’s him!]
It was Secretary Hwang Seung-jun. Baek Seo-jun and Park Jeong-ho already knew the identity of the ‘mastermind’.
(The Young Master caught him himself?)
“To be precise, his manager caused a car accident, and that’s how we caught him.”
(Hah… So, was there any progress?)
“Not yet. It seems he let himself get caught just to see Yeon-seo… I think he’ll only talk if he’s there.”
Yet, he had kept it a secret from Yu Yeon-seo to avoid bringing the victim and perpetrator any closer. But now Min Seong-cheol was refusing to give a crucial testimony without Yu Yeon-seo…
(Hold on, I’m getting a call from Hwang Seung-jun. I have a good feeling about this.)
“Take it. And let me know right away.”
That way, we can move in and arrest them all immediately. Baek Seo-jun felt the end was finally in sight. Even if Min Seong-cheol didn’t confess, if Hwang Seung-jun’s evidence was solid, they were ready to apprehend everyone involved right away.
“Yes, hello?”
(Hwang Seung-jun spilled everything.)
“…What about evidence?”
Baek Seo-jun clenched his fist but asked calmly. Park Jeong-ho sighed in dismay as he reviewed the evidence.
(…It’s very detailed. Anyone would think he’d been collecting it to betray them.)
“Send it to me.”
(According to Hwang Seung-jun, it seems he tried to make a deal with his superiors and failed.)
“I’ll dispatch a team immediately.”
The other party has already killed Choi Nam-yun; they’ve got some nerve. If we’re late, they might try to destroy the evidence.
Back at his desk, Baek Seo-jun glanced over his team. Suddenly, the phone in his hand vibrated loudly.
‘Something feels wrong.’
Yu Yeon-seo’s intuition had been sharp lately. The constant questioning… Baek Seo-jun answered the call.
“Uh, hello? Yeon-seo, I’m a little busy right now…”
(It’s Park Gyeong-seok, isn’t it?)
Baek Seo-jun gasped in surprise.
“You, how did you…”
(Min Seong-cheol confessed everything. With evidence.)
So he couldn’t wait and confronted Min Seong-cheol. But how did he get him to talk? Baek Seo-jun instinctively put a hand to his forehead.
“Hey, I’ll go arrest him, so you just…”
(It’s too late.)
“…Don’t tell me.”
You didn’t go find Park Gyeong-seok, did you? And the call ended abruptly.
“Yeon-seo? Hey! Yu Yeon-seo!”
Baek Seo-jun frantically called back, but Yu Yeon-seo didn’t answer.
“Damn it…!”
Baek Seo-jun gestured to his team. The waiting team members shot to their feet. They didn’t know the exact details, but they were vaguely aware that their team leader was investigating a major case.
“I’m sending you an address. Go there and arrest some people. There are three of them.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You, come with me. We’re going to Juseong H&C.”
Baek Seo-jun’s colleague at the next desk, Gwak Chi-hun, who had been eavesdropping with bated breath, stared blankly at the backs of Baek Seo-jun and his team as they hurried out.
‘Why did Yu Yeon-seo’s name come up?’
And what’s Juseong H&C? Amid the confusion, Gwak Chi-hun guessed that this was no ordinary matter. He quickly stepped out into the hallway and made a call.
“Hello, Reporter Han? Detective Baek just dispatched a team… This smells like a scoop. He mentioned Yu Yeon-seo. Yes.”
He, who had made a tidy sum by passing on information about Baek Seo-jun, relayed the situation in full detail.
“Juseong H&C, he’ll be there.”