Chapter 112
The weekend spent with my parents flew by in a flash. We ate out, I bought them some clothes, and we even caught a movie. It was the first time I'd seen them since heading down to the countryside for Seollal, so I'd put some real thought into the schedule. They were thrilled, but my heart wasn't entirely at ease. Was it because I felt like I should be doing even more, yet it never quite measured up?
I'd lost my parents because of Wooshin Group, and that's what had fueled my vow of revenge. Yet here I was, using that very revenge as an excuse not to visit them often. Talk about missing the forest for the trees. I even tried mimicking Kang Minjae a bit—he'd charmed them so effortlessly—but failed miserably. Mom had loved how thorough "Lawyer Kang" was, but some personalities just can't be faked.
Even a gruff son like me figured they'd be happy if I showed my face more often, living nearby. So I floated the idea of them moving to Seoul. But they flat-out refused, saying they hated the city, and threatened not to see me again unless I brought a fiancée next time. Apparently, to be filial, I had to get a girlfriend first. Guess I'm just not cut out for it.
"Lawyer Cha, good morning."
I'd come in early and was browsing the internet when Kang Minjae strolled in with coffee. "Gotta fuel up with caffeine in the morning to get the brain going, right?" He set an Americano on my desk and glanced at my laptop screen. "What're you up to?"
"Checking emails."
"Something IT-related?"
He skimmed the inbox and tilted his head. "Is this even IT? More like... just trying to make a quick buck?"
"Stock tips?"
"Nah, I outsourced something to a contact."
"BTC? What's that? Isn't this from the NIS guy? You got him working on something?"
"Google it. Bitcoin. If you're interested, give it a shot yourself, Kang. Could be pretty good."
I didn't want to be stingy hoarding the info, so I shared it with him. Kang Minjae headed back to his desk, searched for a while, then shook his head vigorously.
"This legit? Smells like a scam. Pass."
Expected reaction. In my past life, I'd responded the same way when I first heard about Bitcoin. But Oh Gyejang—who'd always bought lottery tickets—had dipped into it during the boom and shared stories with me, so I remembered the big picture. Especially the peak timing and how high 1 BTC had climbed; he'd spat it all out with enthusiasm.
Coming back to Bitcoin's early days felt like divine intervention to invest. I had plenty of money already, but more ammo was always better—especially prepping for what lay ahead.
"If you're still working with me in eight years, I'll pay your salary in this."
"Eight years?"
"Selling in 2017." I eyed the calendar as I said it.
"Didn't peg you for such an investor, sir."
Kang Minjae grinned, surprised. How could I not invest? I'd raked in tens of billions in fees so far. My natural instinct would've been to park it in the bank, but knowing the next decade's trends and sitting idle? That'd be idiotic. Aside from the house I'd bought my parents in the countryside and my immediate needs, everything was invested.
"Gonna need a ton of cash soon."
I flipped the calendar pages. What I was up against was Wooshin Group, a behemoth that crushed everything with money. Could I ever match their scale, no matter how hard I scrambled? Still, a man needed operating funds.
"Why keep staring at the calendar?"
"Dunno, feels like I'm forgetting something." I tapped it absently.
Lost in thought, my phone rang. Caller ID: Lee Ye-jin.
"Cha Juhan speaking."
Cha, you free to talk?
"Yes."
Not busy? Heard your client list exploded after the news.
"It has. Nice breather doing small cases after the big ones."
Bet you're short-staffed.
"Kinda."
Anyway. Got a very welcome guest heading to your office today. Someone who really likes you. Jealousy-inducing levels!
I racked my brain for who she meant among our mutual acquaintances. Then it hit me.
"Wait... could it be..."
Guessed it? As expected from you.
"Sorry, but I decided to leave things with Jo Ayoung at that one meeting."
Lee Ye-jin, who'd nagged me more than my parents about dating, seemed intent on pushing my ex-colleague. I'd assumed she'd looped in her husband already, but apparently not.
What? Haha... hahaha! Hahahaha!
Before I could respond, she burst into maniacal laughter—manic cackling beyond mere guffaws. I pulled the phone away until it died down, then brought it back.
Hey, Cha. You got some ego on you.
"...Ego?"
Yeah! Not Jo. Though she does seem to like you... but she's not the clingy type.
"..."
If you don't know, just play it by ear. She's almost there. Treat her well—she thought long and hard about this.
She hung up before I could reply. Same old Ye-jin, saying her piece and bailing. I stared at the dead phone for a while.
Not my ex? Then who the hell would make me that happy?
Nothing like this had happened in my past life—no predicting it. About 20 minutes later, the office door opened.
"How did you... Huh?"
Kang Minjae shot up from his desk. I looked up from my case prep docs at his shout.
"Haha, good to see you."
"Manager Oh! What brings you here?"
It was Oh Yanghun. He held a tray of juices, looking like he had a favor to ask. I guided him to the consultation sofa.
"No heads-up?"
"Am I intruding?"
"Not at all. Just thrilled."
Oh beamed at that. He shrugged off his jacket onto the sofa arm, then gulped down the coffee Kang Minjae fetched, parched.
"Thrilled to see me? That's touching."
First-time visitors always scoped out the office. He was no exception. After a good look around, his eyes lingered on the empty wall space near the door. Kang Minjae had added a plant out of boredom, but it still looked bare. Kang noticed too and chimed in.
"Kinda empty, huh? Haha. Only two lawyers but a big space. Thinking if we hire an office manager, that spot's perfect."
Purely Kang's idea, but I let it slide.
Oh perked up, voice brighter. "Really?"
"Haha, yeah. But Manager, isn't it still work hours?"
"Took a personal day."
"Spending a precious day off visiting us? I'm touched." Kang pretended to wipe a tear; Oh chuckled awkwardly.
His gaze drifted slowly to me.
"Lawyer Cha. Ever thought about an office manager? Cases piling up, you're swamped. First time in a lawyer's office, but I've got 20 years as a prosecutor investigator."
Then it clicked—Ye-jin's call. Too close to see it; never dreamed she'd mean him as the "welcome guest." And why he'd come.
"Too late on my end."
"...Pardon?"
Oh stiffened, caught off-guard.
"Should've asked first, but you beat me to it."
Resigning in 2008, I'd regretted leaving Oh behind at the prosecutors' office. In my past life, he'd backed me solidly until I hit deputy chief. Kang Minjae filled some of that void, but once the office stabilized, I'd planned to recruit Oh. It had stabilized ages ago—my bad for dragging feet.
I'd assumed I'd convince him. Not that he'd reach out first.
"...Lawyer Cha."
"We'd be rock-solid with you. But first... any trouble at the office?"
He was a flawless investigator. His generous vibe won everyone over—no sharp edges, got along with bosses and juniors alike. So why would a secure civil servant like him quit for my office?