Chapter 180
"......Do you know each other?"
As Kim Chan-young and I recognized each other, Choi Jonghyeon and Jo Bongjun asked in surprise.
I hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Hmm, now that you mention it, he seems a bit young to be an insider from Myeonghwa Pharmaceuticals."
Choi Jonghyeon stroked his chin, scanning Kim Chan-young up and down.
He didn't quite match the image of an insider we'd imagined, but Kim Chan-young was one. With the massive shares in Myeonghwa Pharmaceuticals gifted to him by his father, Go Sangjun, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he held a significant stake in the company.
But that was knowledge I'd pieced together from my past life's memories. Kim Chan-young himself hadn't revealed it. Acting like we knew each other right here and now would be problematic.
"......You're not messing with us, are you?"
Jo Bongjun asked, his face twisting.
I considered letting Kim Chan-young respond, but given Jo Bongjun's temperament, he might jump to conclusions without hearing an explanation. I answered instead.
"No, that's not it."
"......So this guy really is a Myeonghwa Pharmaceuticals employee? He looks like a college student."
"He is a college student, but he is an insider."
I fixed Kim Chan-young with a steady gaze.
If he'd stepped forward first to help Jo Bongjun take down Myeonghwa Pharmaceuticals, it seemed he'd harbored resentment toward Go Sangjun since then. Otherwise, he'd approached on his own to spy—which seemed unlikely.
After a moment's thought, I said to Jo Bongjun and Choi Jonghyeon,
"Let me talk with him alone for a bit."
"Just the two of you?"
"I need to confirm something."
Jo Bongjun looked uneasy, but Choi Jonghyeon grabbed his arm and stepped forward.
"Go ahead."
"No, still, the two of them alone—"
"They already know each other. Lawyer Cha and this guy both seem surprised to run into each other here. They need time to talk, right?"
Thanks to Choi Jonghyeon's backup, I was able to lead Kim Chan-young into an inner office in the studio. No windows facing outside, so I shut the door and sat him down across the table.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Lawyer."
Kim Chan-young calmly met my eyes and spoke first.
"So you figured we'd meet soon over this."
"To some extent, yeah. And you said you'd verify the Myeonghwa rumors properly and get back to me. I was waiting for your call, but you never said a word, and the Myeonghwa case blew up like this. I felt a bit hurt."
Kim Chan-young said with a sly smile in his eyes.
Well, now.
I'd thought he had a maturity beyond his college years, but he was really trying to play me.
"Really? Why's that?"
"Why? Like I told you last time. I used all my New Year's money to buy Myeonghwa stock, and I didn't want to lose it."
He lied without batting an eye—audaciously enough that, without my past life or this ability, I might have bought it.
"Really? With your father's wealth, the New Year's money you've saved since childhood must be enormous. You must've lost a fortune."
At my response, Kim Chan-young raised an eyebrow.
"Lawyer, have you looked into me?"
"Maybe."
"......You're scarier than I thought."
"Less than someone who lies to my face without changing expression from the first meeting."
Kim Chan-young shrugged.
"So that's why you vouched for me as an insider?"
"Before I answer, one question."
"Go ahead."
"That club thing with Lawyer Kang and the fight. Was that staged?"
Truth be told, I'd suspected it from the start. It was too coincidental otherwise. A lawyer from the same firm as me—who'd been summoned by prosecutors for targeting Wooshin Group—happens to get into a scuffle at a club with friends of the Wooshin chairman's illegitimate son?
Sure, one could call it a remarkable coincidence and move on. But recalling Kim Chan-young's meticulousness that day, I couldn't shake the thought that he'd orchestrated it to create a connection with me.
Of course, I'd done the same—dragging a chance encounter into hangover soup and casually dropping Myeonghwa intel. So we were even there.
"When did you start thinking that?"
"From the beginning."
"Can't fool you, huh."
Kim Chan-young laughed heartily. Naturally, [Truth] floated above his head.
His reason for staging it was obvious without asking. He'd seen my actions and figured building a tie now would pay off later. Probably planned to use me, without exposing himself, to handle his dirty work.
Just like in my past life, when thirty-something Kim Chan-young made documents surface "naturally" to ruin his father and half-brothers. Wooshin never suspected him, just disciplined the handler.
"I've been around this game long enough. I'd lose face if I couldn't spot that much."
"You know plenty about me already, so I won't explain at length."
"Does your mom know you're pulling stunts like this?"
Mentioning his mother soured his expression. To him, she was a trigger.
"......Mom doesn't know."
He replied with a face like he was holding back anger.
"Mom doesn't like that I resent Dad."
"She thinks even you, her son, might suffer if you cross him?"
"Haha, spot on. Uh, I'd prefer you not mention Mom. This is strictly between you and me. She doesn't know now, and she won't."
"Since it'll only expose me, not you, she won't find out from her?"
"Can't even pretend in front of you."
"How could you pretend after saying you want to use me like a pawn?"
As I crossed my arms, Kim Chan-young raised both hands like a thief facing police.
"For real. I've never lost an argument anywhere, but you keep catching me off guard."
"First time hearing praise like that from a kid. Not sure how to take it."
"Haha, means I respect you."
Kim Chan-young was undeniably sharp. If this deal went through, we'd both win. He could topple his father and half-brothers without getting his hands dirty; I could use him as an informant to achieve my goals.
He knew that, which was why he'd staged the approach. No matter how much I'd irked Wooshin, to confirm I was truly out to destroy them, he'd needed deep dives into my cases.
Conversely, close observation would reveal my aim was Wooshin. He'd been scouting someone to share his goals with, just like I had.
Surprising that, besides Kang Gwanung, someone else had been quietly watching me for so long.
"You didn't want to talk about your mom, but I can't skip verifying. I need to know why you're defying your father."
"You already do."
"It means more hearing it from you. If you want this deal."
This tested how honest he could be and how much he trusted my intel. Would he half-ass it, thinking I didn't know this far?
"Because of Chairman Go, Mom gave up her dreams to live as someone's concubine. The brightest star, suddenly dodging the wife's glares in hiding. And as her child, I was born with the original sin of hurting his 'family.'"
Kim Chan-young spoke calmly, but clenched his fist.
"Mom never once named her husband or the man she loved. But she chose to abandon her life for him. I hated that. Living in hiding for that repulsive bastard? Makes me want to puke."
Finishing candidly, he met my eyes—like he was resenting me.
"Feel better hearing my dirty laundry from my own mouth?"
"You're an adult, but still a student. Society doesn't fully see you as one yet. But for someone dealing with me, you need to pull your weight."
"......"
"Your pain is regrettable, but youth doesn't give you leverage. You're smarter than your peers—your circle dances to your tune. But not everyone's that easy."
Kim Chan-young pondered my words. He hummed thoughtfully, then sighed deeply.
"Meaning my approach to you was rude."
"Smart kid."
"Yeah. You're definitely different from the people around me."
"Not just me. If you really want this deal, know your justified arrogance could land you in trouble someday."
"......Is that so."
"I work on trust. Hope you do too."
I knew his hatred for Go Sangjun better than anyone. My past self hadn't, but now I did—how deep and festering it was.
He might think I trusted easily, unaware of my ability and background. But in this short talk, I'd confirmed much unseen.
So I could trust him for now. But how long? Even if his hate endured, if he might stab me in the back, I'd cut him out.
He'd always been part of my plan, but not this deeply. That's why, knowing he was young for this, I demanded full adult accountability.
Cruel, maybe. But I couldn't afford to fail this time.
"Kim Hwayoung was too brilliant an actress to be buried as Go Sangjun's concubine."
"......"
"I get your feelings. And that it's sincere."
Kim Chan-young flinched at his mother's name.
"Alright, then. Let's dive into Myeonghwa Pharmaceuticals properly."
Just as I'd wanted an insider for this case, to strike Wooshin Group, I needed one from them too.
If nothing went wrong, it would be Kim Chan-young.