Chapter 121
The paramedics who climbed up to the rooftop confirmed the situation had ended and asked a few questions before leaving. The siren wailing in the narrow alley had drawn out the neighborhood residents in their pajamas, murmuring among themselves. Even Cha Juhan's phone call from the first floor had been audible to all, so his screams from the rooftop about wanting to die must have echoed through the entire neighborhood.
I sat Kim Jeongu down on the lounge chair on the rooftop and draped my jacket over him. His face was puffy and swollen, and he just let out heavy sighs in silence. Until Choi Jonghyeon came rushing up in his running clothes.
"…Jeongu."
Choi Jonghyeon approached Kim Jeongu slowly, his face blank with shock. He hadn't even had time to grab one slipper, running barefoot.
"How… how the hell did this happen?"
Choi Jonghyeon drew closer to Kim Jeongu. The young man, who had barely stopped crying, burst into fresh tears at the sight of him. Choi Jonghyeon, still looking dazed, pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Hey, you idiot… what… what the fuck is this? What the hell!"
The two clung to each other, sobbing together.
"I'm sorry, sunbae. Sob sob."
Kim Jeongu's words came out muffled, his face pressed into Choi Jonghyeon's chest. Choi Jonghyeon rambled incoherently, scolding him one moment and apologizing the next.
Even though it had ended as a mere scare, seeing them so shattered like this made me wonder how Choi Jonghyeon must have felt when he identified Kim Jeongu's body in his previous life. I couldn't imagine it fully—I'd met him only after those wounds had somewhat healed—but it explained why he'd spent years drowning in pain.
"Lawyer Cha. Thank you."
Choi Jonghyeon said as he helped Kim Jeongu to his feet. I gave a faint smile.
"No need."
"…No, I should be thanking you. If I hadn't listened to you all the way… I almost lost Jeongu for real. If that had happened… God, I can't even think about it. Jeongu is alive because of you, Lawyer Cha. If it weren't for you…"
He stumbled through whatever words came to mind. It was too cold out. I suggested we head back inside. It was already 8 a.m. Even if Iljungilbo wasn't far, it was time to start getting ready for work.
One might think there was no need to rush into the office on a day like this. But to keep the promise I'd made to Kim Jeongu, Choi Jonghyeon had to go in.
"Jeongu is late today, huh?"
A reporter sitting across from Kim Jeongu's desk remarked casually. Choi Jonghyeon tilted his head in confusion.
"Yeah. He didn't say anything about being late. His laptop's on—maybe he just stepped out?"
Choi Jonghyeon glanced at Kim Jeongu's desk. Yun Se-yeon, sitting nearby, shook her head.
"I turned on the office lights when I came in this morning, and his laptop was already powered up then. Haven't seen him once."
"Really?"
Yun Se-yeon added offhandedly as she hammered away at her keyboard.
"He's not the type to be late, so what's up? No word about taking a personal day either."
"Should I give him a call?"
At Choi Jonghyeon's worried tone, Yun Se-yeon paused her work. He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then shook his head and pulled out his phone.
"I'll do it."
The veteran reporter who had first noticed Kim Jeongu's absence nodded absently and opened his word processor, focusing on turning yesterday's reporting into an article. He didn't even hear Choi Jonghyeon mutter, "This guy's not picking up."
Ten o'clock passed, then eleven. Still no word from Kim Jeongu.
Choi Jonghyeon, who had been staring at the clock, approached the social affairs desk chief.
"Chief, did Jeongu take a personal day?"
"Personal day? No."
The chief shook his head as if hearing it for the first time.
"No message about needing a half-day today?"
"Nope. Kim Jeongu still not in? I have work for him."
The chief stood and peered over the partition at Kim Jeongu's desk in the corner.
"His bag's gone too?"
"Something might've come up. I'll try calling again."
"If he's gonna be late, he should at least say he's taking a half-day. What a slacker."
"He's not usually like that. I'll give him hell, so just process it as a half-day."
"You baby Kim Jeongu too much."
The chief grumbled at Choi Jonghyeon but seemed to agree. Without any real anger, he just said to tell him to get in quick.
Choi Jonghyeon returned to his desk and dialed Kim Jeongu again. It was 11:30 now, just before lunch.
"Hello? Jeongu?"
Finally, the call connected, and Choi Jonghyeon's voice rang out in the office. Reporters nearby turned, noting how loud he was being today.
"…Yes?"
Those who overheard against their will expected a scolding to hurry back to the office. Instead, they heard something unexpected. Choi Jonghyeon stood frozen, mouth agape, repeating "Yes?" like a parrot.
"Reporter Choi, what's wrong? What happened?"
The social affairs chief approached and asked. But Choi Jonghyeon didn't seem to hear, shouting rapidly instead.
"Why the hell would a perfectly fine kid suddenly jump off a rooftop? That doesn't make sense! Where's the kid? Is he alive? Is he breathing? Yes?"
His words were ominous. A few reporters who hadn't left for lunch stared in shock.
"I asked if he's alive! Is the kid alive? Is he still breathing?!"
Choi Jonghyeon bellowed in anguish. His voice seemed loud enough to echo down the hallway outside.
Yun Se-yeon covered her mouth, eyes wide. No one could hear the voice on the other end, but everyone grasped the situation.
"Sunbae, what happened?"
Yun Se-yeon stared at him with trembling eyes. But he didn't hear her, yelling on.
"I… I have to see for myself. No way. Jeongu wouldn't kill himself… Which hospital? I'm coming now. Wait!"
The word "suicide" sent murmurs rippling through the reporters. Kim Jeongu had jumped from a rooftop. The chief, panicking too, stood beside him asking what was going on over and over.
"When was he found? When did they bring him to the hospital? Why am I only hearing this now?!"
Choi Jonghyeon shouted, veins bulging at his temples. His face flushed dark red.
"No way, no way…"
He couldn't continue.
"Seongjin Hospital… The one in Jangsan-gu? I'm heading there now. About 40 minutes!"
With that, Choi Jonghyeon hung up and bolted from the office. Yun Se-yeon, the chief, and the reporters exchanged glances. No one could bring themselves to voice the confirmation: Kim Jeongu had committed suicide.
But the chief recovered first.
"Doesn't Jeongu live around here? Why Seongjin Hospital of all places…"
"No idea…"
A reporter voiced the doubt cautiously. Yun Se-yeon gasped repeatedly, "No way, no way." The phone rang inside the office, but the frozen room stayed deathly silent.
Then, the door to the managing editor's private office at the back flew open. It was the managing editor.
"No one's picking up?"
At his sharp remark, the owner of the ringing phone snatched up the receiver. Slowly, the office thawed and returned to normal.
The managing editor strode toward the social affairs section. He stopped at the chief's desk, who still looked panicked.
"What happened?"
"Editor, Kim Jeongu the reporter…"
"Kim Jeongu? Your department's rookie?"
The chief nodded frantically.
"What about him?"
"…He committed suicide."
The editor grimaced.
"Where'd you hear that?"
The chief briefly explained from morning to now. The editor bit his lip.
"Choi Jonghyeon went to the hospital?"
"Yes."
"Got it."
The editor knew better than anyone how Kim Jeongu stuck to Choi Jonghyeon like glue, following him around like a duckling after its mother. He'd noticed their bond went beyond senior-junior when he'd been watching Choi Jonghyeon closely for suspicious moves. It was a blessing that Kim Jeongu had the polar opposite personality to Choi Jonghyeon.
Openly threatening Choi Jonghyeon not to dig into Wooshin or Lee Jeongchan was risky—he might explode and expose everything at any moment. All he could do was indirect pressure disguised as advice.
But Kim Jeongu was different. Timid by nature, he wasn't the type to stand up to a giant like Iljungilbo. Unlike Choi Jonghyeon, he'd never dream of whistleblowing. And he was someone who wouldn't tell Choi Jonghyeon about his predicament. He knew Choi Jonghyeon's temperament too well—what would happen if he spoke up?
Plus, the background check on Kim Jeongu revealed severe depression, family issues, and financial hardship. He'd tremble at the slightest threat. So the editor had targeted him for intimidation. And since Choi Jonghyeon treated him like a little brother, he figured he'd share the intel.
But Kim Jeongu didn't play along…
The editor slumped into his chair in his private office. He'd threatened all sorts of repercussions and even followed through to scare him, but enough time had passed. Yet Kim Jeongu had never once reported what Choi Jonghyeon was digging into.
And now suicide.
Not surprising with his depression, but what if he'd blabbed something unnecessary before dying? The editor hesitated, then picked up the phone.
"Come in."
Moments later, the social affairs chief entered.
"Any call from Choi Jonghyeon?"
"I just tried him."
"What happened? Suicide confirmed?"
"Yes. Body found three hours ago. Police think it's suicide but will investigate further…"
"Suicide note?"
"Investigation not done yet, so no word."
"What the hell… Contacted family?"
"No, can't reach them. Choi's looking into funeral homes and will post the obituary."
The editor closed his eyes in dismay. The chief looked grim too. He wanted to ask if there was more, but in this situation, prying might give away clues. He held back.
"Keep reporting on Kim Jeongu to me. We need to see what the company can do."
"Understood."
After the chief left, the editor rubbed his forehead. Kim Jeongu wasn't famous; even a home search after suicide would take time. He drummed the desk absently, then picked up his phone.
"Yes, it's me. Editorial director. Kim Jeongu the reporter committed suicide today. I'll come up now and brief you in detail."