The Legal Apprentice
"Yoon-gi, if you were here, why didn't you call us sooner?" Seo Jong-oh said with a bright, beaming smile, while Jo Cheong-woo looked flustered in more ways than one.
"I apologize. We were in the middle of a conversation. Please, have a seat." Yoon-gi apologized and gestured for Seo Jong-oh and Jo Cheong-woo to sit across from Choi Cheol-kyu. It was 8:00 PM. While both men had been informed that Choi Cheol-kyu was still in the conference room at this hour, only Seo Jong-oh was making a proper assessment of the situation.
'Cheol-kyu has certainly established himself as one of Yoon-gi's inner circle. I suppose I should build a rapport with him, too.'
Unlike Seo Jong-oh, who was busy calculating his next move like an abacus, Jo Cheong-woo was still too rattled to manage his facial expressions.
'Is it really okay for Yoon-gi to be sitting in the Chairman's seat? Wouldn't the Chairman be angry...? No, did he get permission? More importantly, what if Yoon-gi heard what I said in the living room?'
Jo Cheong-woo hadn't said a single disrespectful word about Choi Cheol-ho, but after hearing Seo Jong-oh's earlier comments, he was the one feeling more anxious. The study and the living room were practically adjacent. He assumed that if there was any chance for voices to carry, they would have.
However, Seo Jong-oh had no such worries.
'The conference room is soundproofed by default. It's designed so that voices inside don't leak out. So, there's absolutely no chance he heard what I said.'
Because they worked in the same professional field, the difference in their life stages was essentially a difference in career experience, which explained why their reactions were so starkly different.
'He said Yoon-gi has a great relationship with JSD. If I just stay on his good side, I can definitely reclaim my original position. No, why just my original position? I could even aim for the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.'
As Seo Jong-oh furiously clicked the beads of his mental abacus, Yoon-gi opened his mouth.
"I am currently looking to hire a secretary who is well-versed in the law. If I had to put a label on it, it would be a legal secretary."
"A legal secretary?" At Seo Jong-oh's follow-up question, Yoon-gi nodded.
"Yes. Someone to advise on whether our dealings with foreign companies or our corporate moves pose any legal issues. Of course, we will expand the staff later, but for now, I am looking for one person to fill that role."
It was an offer to hire them as a close aide, depending on the circumstances. There was no way Seo Jong-oh could miss the implication, but he deliberately hid his excitement.
"Should I take that as you asking me to introduce a competent legal professional?"
"No. I'm asking if either of you would like to take on the role. The starting salary would be around the level of a section chief at a major conglomerate or a new recruit. We'll have to adjust it later based on performance."
Upon hearing the salary, Seo Jong-oh felt a wave of dissatisfaction.
'Damn it, only the treatment of a major conglomerate section chief? I can't throw away my career as a prosecutor for that pittance. But if I manipulate this kid who doesn't know how the world works, I could make a killing. What should I do...?'
Because he was as greedy as he was calculating, Seo Jong-oh didn't agree immediately.
"I need some time to think..."
Before Seo Jong-oh could even finish his sentence, Jo Cheong-woo jumped up from his seat with a look of delight.
"I'll do it!"
"Are you going to do it, Uncle?"
At Yoon-gi's question, Seo Jong-oh grabbed Jo Cheong-woo's jacket and forced him back into his seat.
"Look here, brother-in-law. You don't decide things like this so carelessly. Let's hear the details first..."
"No, I don't need to think about it. I feel like I can just do it."
"I told you, you can't."
With those words, Seo Jong-oh looked at Yoon-gi and smiled.
"Yoon-gi, my brother-in-law lacks social experience, so he tends to make hasty decisions. I understand what kind of work is involved, so can I give you a call in a few days?"
Yoon-gi nodded readily.
"I understand your position. Then, can I assume both of you understand what I've proposed?"
"No, I'm going to..."
"Shh!"
As Jo Cheong-woo continued to act against his wishes, Seo Jong-oh glared at him and hissed, causing Jo Cheong-woo to bow his head in a dejected manner.
"How can a man be so flighty? You need to know how to carry yourself with some weight. Is that what they taught you at the training institute?"
"I apologize..."
When Seo Jong-oh turned back to Yoon-gi, his face was once again wreathed in a bright smile.
"I'll be in touch within a few days."
"Understood. Then, please head out. I still have some things to discuss..."
"Right, you must be busy. Then 'we' will be going."
Seo Jong-oh practically dragged Jo Cheong-woo out of the study. The moment the door closed, Choi Cheol-kyu spoke to Yoon-gi.
"It seems like it's decided?"
***
When Choi Cheol-kyu had also returned home, Choi Deok-bae clicked his tongue in the study and spoke to Yoon-gi. Yoon-gi, understanding Choi Deok-bae's sentiment, gave a bitter smile.
"No. Not if Grandfather becomes an evil spirit."
At Yoon-gi's words, Choi Deok-bae looked at him with a moved expression.
"If Grandfather becomes an evil spirit, what will I do? There's still so much work to be done."
Just as a hiss of frustration was about to escape him, Yoon-gi smiled again.
"I'm joking. Seeing Johnson's state, I don't want you to become an evil spirit, Grandfather. When I die later, let's travel the world together. Until you get sick of it. That's the only reward I can give you later."
This time, Choi Deok-bae gave a bitter smile before speaking to Yoon-gi again.
"That's true. You caught the fact that the study is soundproofed, but that line of thinking eventually led him to reveal his true self."
"That's right."
"Indeed."
"I know. I know."
The day after Choi Deok-bae had his fill, Jo Cheong-woo received another call and entered the study.
"Please, sit."
This time, it was a private meeting with no Choi Cheol-kyu or Seo Jong-oh. However, Jo Cheong-woo's attitude was no different from the day before.
"Uh... Yoon-gi. Did you get permission to sit there? Even if I were told to sit, I'd be too scared to do it..."
At his subtly naive remark, Yoon-gi gave a warm smile to help ease his tension.
"Of course I got permission, which is why I'm sitting here. Did you think I just sat down on a whim?"
"Uh... well... I've seen people like that in my life. People who didn't get permission but told their subordinates they did and that they'd take responsibility..."
Jo Cheong-woo's words were tinged with a subtle disdain for the world.
'He must have been burned badly by a law firm. And it probably developed after being fired from a legal office and dealing with entitled 'Jin-sang' customers at a private practice.'
Yoon-gi didn't think this level of flaw was even worth mentioning. It was something he could control easily.
"What kind of person do you think I am?"
"Uh... honestly, I don't know. I know you're incredibly capable, and I know everyone around you praises you, but I haven't experienced it for myself..."
Yoon-gi smirked and held out a single sheet of paper.
"Then would you like to experience it for yourself?"
Jo Cheong-woo looked at the paper held out to him, wondering what it meant. It was a contract. But it was a sloppier contract than he had expected.
"W-wait. You're hiring me, not my brother-in-law?"
Yoon-gi nodded as if it were obvious.
"Of course. That's why I handed you the contract."
But Jo Cheong-woo's confusion continued.
"No, that's... I said I'd do it in a rush yesterday, but compared to my brother-in-law, I've never worked as a prosecutor, and I have virtually no experience as a legal professional. Are you really going to hire me?"
"Yes." Yoon-gi's answer was short.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Why...?"
At Jo Cheong-woo's question—naive at best, and a perfect way to miss an opportunity at worst—Yoon-gi laughed lightly.
"Do you really not know why?"
Only then did Jo Cheong-woo replay the events of yesterday in his mind like a panoramic film. A moment later, he nodded, finally understanding why he had been chosen.
"Sorry... I was fired from the law office because of this personality..."
Watching Jo Cheong-woo blame himself, Yoon-gi was actually satisfied.
'At least he's not stupid. If given enough time, he'll do his part.'
Since legal practical work was something that required time and patience, Yoon-gi had no intention of blaming Jo Cheong-woo for his personality.
"The conversation seems to be dragging on. Are you going to do it or not? I didn't call my uncle here to bond over family matters."
Realizing the edge in Yoon-gi's voice, Jo Cheong-woo hurriedly picked up the contract.
"Um... this contract... no matter how I look at it, it seems to favor me..."
Upon hearing this, Yoon-gi wore a satisfied expression.
"In that case, would you like to change it into a fair contract? I'm hiring you because I need someone who will do exactly that. I can handle the unnecessary mental gymnastics myself."
There are people in this world who, even when they stand to benefit, will hesitate if there is a hint of dishonesty involved. While those with a severe case of this might even try to stop others from acting, Jo Cheong-woo had a mild case, and Yoon-gi had already grasped this fact. He had reached this conclusion based on what Choi Deok-bae had told him and what he had seen with his own eyes since yesterday. If that weren't the case, he wouldn't have called Jo Cheong-woo here.
"Let's see, here like this..."
With the sound of a ballpoint pen scratching against paper, lines were drawn through the contract, and several clauses were added. A moment later, the revised contract was handed to Yoon-gi. He checked it and nodded with a very satisfied expression.
"This is exactly the kind of person I need. Let me make the offer again. Let's set the starting wage at 290,000 won per month, excluding bonuses. As the department store grows and the business expands, I plan to increase your salary to match your ability and workload."
"That much..."
290,000 won wasn't a massive sum, but to Jo Cheong-woo, who was essentially a fresh graduate, it felt like rain after a long drought; his eyes welled up with tears. However, Jo Cheong-woo had been chosen by Yoon-gi not just for his personality, but for his ability. A 27-year-old unlucky super-elite legal professional who passed the bar exam in his senior year of college and was exempted from military service due to his grandfather's independence movement activities. That was Jo Cheong-woo's background. The problem was that he had ruined it all due to the bad luck caused by his unique personality.
"Just tell me what to do. I'll work hard."
Since his employment was effectively confirmed, Jo Cheong-woo bowed to Yoon-gi, and Yoon-gi stood up with a bright smile.
"Then I'll give you six weeks. Please study the books I'm about to give you."
Yoon-gi began pulling books out of the study. When the first one was pulled out, Jo Cheong-woo's smile began to turn into one of pure horror. It was a stack of books that truly deserved the description of 'piled up'.
"You must memorize them."