Chapter 238
"Ah, reporters. Thank you so much for always looking out for us. And thank you both for coming all this way."
"Oh, come on. You're the one working so hard, ma'am."
"Not at all."
"Donations are easier said than done—they're never simple. We're just so grateful for your attention to it all."
To ring in the new year, I'd come to Angel's House with Jo Bongjun and Choi Jonghyeon to make a donation. Toys and school supplies bought with proceeds from their broadcasts, plus the roughly 100 million won I'd prepared. It didn't feel like a waste since it was money I'd gotten back from the application to the Light and Salt Disabled Welfare Foundation, using just a portion of it. Even if it was connected to Wooshin Group, there were no issues with embezzlement of donations or public funds, so I could give without hesitation. Angel's House wasn't embezzling donations—it was actually a place to hide Go Sangjun's dirty money.
"After the Myungwha Pharmaceuticals scandal blew up, both Wooshin and Lee Jeongchan went completely underground. Nothing left to report on. Maybe once the trial wraps, we can cover that."
During the kids' nap time, we stepped out for a smoke, and the two vented their frustrations. In other words, they wanted me to feed them some stories.
"Aren't you relying on me a bit too much?"
"Relying? We're just poking around everywhere because there's nothing to talk about!"
Choi Jonghyeon snapped, indignant. I shrugged.
Truth be told, based on my knowledge from my previous life alone, things had been quiet lately. Or more precisely, there wasn't much I knew about. Around this time, I'd just lost my father and resolved to take down Wooshin. To do that, I threw myself into work, aiming higher, while digging into Myungwha Pharmaceuticals on the side. But now that was all resolved, so of course things were quiet. Plus, starting around March, I'd been running around helping Dongjin after he belatedly told me about the proxy surgery. No reason for the public eye there either. And that hadn't even turned into an incident worth broadcasting.
"Those Lee Jeongchan faction lawmakers are probably gearing up to form a new party. Dig into that?"
"Already on it. Yun Se-yeon's helping too. I've been sniffing around."
"Anything turn up?"
"Honestly, without Lee Jeongchan himself, that crew's got no one worth watching. Nothing juicy."
"Too bad."
"Sigh. Let's say hi to the coordinator and grab some food."
Choi Jonghyeon, who always timed his visits to avoid the director—a guy he couldn't stand—seemed pretty chummy with the coordinator now. He claimed he was building rapport to pry out the director's dirty secrets later, but to me, it looked like he had a crush on her. Knowing the future, would his feelings for her be reciprocated? I'd shake my head. In my previous life, I'd only learned about Angel's House much later, and even then, there'd been no progress between them.
"Loach stew?"
"I don't eat loach stew."
"What, Lawyer Cha? Baby?"
"......It's not gross—it's the texture."
"You eat gopchang, though?"
"Who wouldn't?"
"Then beef tripe and raw liver?"
"......"
I had no comeback, so they pounced, teasing me mercilessly. "Looks like a pretty boy," "Grew up too soft," all sorts of nonsense. I felt wronged but stayed out of it. For the record, I'd played in the dirt as a kid too.
"You cut your burger with a knife and fork too?"
I thought they'd let up if I ignored them, but they escalated to absurd jabs, cracking up. Done listening, I flipped on the radio.
"Wh-what? Seol Hyeong-seok in acute shock?"
Jo Bongjun, gripping the wheel, whipped around to yell at Choi Jonghyeon.
"Eyes on the road!"
I pointed ahead urgently, but my fingertip trembled faintly. Some rumor must've leaked from the hospital—I'd never heard it.
Today was January 15th. Fifteen days since Seol Hyeong-seok's surgery. Dongjin and I hadn't spoken once in that time.
"They only say it like that when it's true."
"What the hell happened? Wasn't Seol sick or something?"
Choi Jonghyeon muttered, then started making calls. I hesitated, then dialed Dongjin. It rang forever, going to voicemail without answer.
"Yeah, got it."
Choi Jonghyeon hung up short and confirmed for us.
"It's true. Vegetative state."
"......No way. A guy with his whole career ahead?"
"No word on what was wrong, but sounds like cancer. Thirty-five with cancer? And now vegetative? What the hell."
Choi Jonghyeon clicked his tongue; Jo Bongjun shrugged.
"Yeah. Stock's gonna tank at tomorrow's market open. But what cancer turns you vegetative post-op?"
"No idea."
"Glioblastoma."
I sighed the answer. They both gawked and shouted in unison.
"You knew?"
"......Yeah. Thought the surgery went great. No clue why this now."
Anxiety crept in. Dongjin's excited voice at year's end, saying it went well, still rang clear. Sure, even perfect surgery might not wake someone, depending on the patient. But what if this diverged from my previous life? Dongjin had been in that OR as assistant. Nah. Unrelated to him. I stared at my silent phone, chanting it like a mantra in my head.
Last night, I'd considered dropping by Dongjin's place but held off. Three days no contact now. Thought about calling the hospital, but what if it caused issues? I stopped myself.
"Lawyer."
At the office, all I did was check for new Seol Hyeong-seok stories. It blew up after the news broke, but no fresh details. With the leak from Myungwoon University Hospital, Hanyoung Group was clearly clamping down.
"Lawyer, why the long face these past few days?"
Kang Minjae approached. I sighed instead of answering.
"Something wrong?"
I pondered, then turned my laptop toward him.
"Seol Hyeong-seok? Why him? You know the guy?"
"No, never met."
"Then why?"
"A friend assisted on his surgery."
"......Your friend? Lead surgeon?"
"No, assistant..."
"No clue if the surgery itself failed or complication after? Your friend mess up?"
Kang Minjae sounded worried, but I had nothing to say.
"Dunno. Can't reach him."
"Close friend? You've been stressed for days, so yeah. You check on him?"
"......Not yet."
"Then go!"
"What if I interrupt? Don't even know the situation."
He shook his head, grabbed my arm, and pulled me up.
"No. Go now. He'll be struggling—your visit'll comfort him. Might need help too. Want me to drive?"
He wasn't wrong. In my previous life, Dongjin only came to me after indictment. Even after news broke, I glossed over it, unaware he was the suspect. However long since Seol's coma, early help might matter. I'm different now—no prosecutor badge, free to dive in if he wants.
I drove straight to Myungwoon University Hospital. Tried Dongjin once more—no answer. Headed to the ward.
"How can I help?"
"Here for Neurosurgery's Yang Dongjin."
"......Yang Dongjin?"
The nurse's face shifted at the name. Her awkwardness screamed trouble for him.
"Yes."
"Patient?"
"No, friend."
"......Appointment?"
"Not really, but tell him Cha Juhan’s here—he'll see me. Urgent, so page him."
"Ah......"
She hesitated. A middle-aged nurse nearby prodded her.
"Page Yang. He in jail or what? Why stall?"
"Got it."
She said he'd meet me in the first-floor smoking area. I nodded, glancing at the older nurse's badge as she typed away like nothing happened. Friendly or neutral to Dongjin—worth remembering for later.
After fifteen minutes downstairs, Dongjin appeared in the distance.
"......"
Memories of his gaunt, post-incident self from my previous life drained my tension. Nothing from his mouth yet, but it confirmed: he was tangled in Seol Hyeong-seok's vegetative state.
"Juhan."
"Yang Dongjin, you bastard. Why no contact?!"
I yelled before I knew it. He blinked wide-eyed.
"Wh-why yell? Been swamped, didn't check my phone. Battery died. Hospital pager's separate...... What's up?"
"The issue's with you."
"......"
"What happened? You didn't screw up. Why's it blowing back on you?"
I rambled. Angry at my own complacency—thinking it fine since the coercing section chief was gone.
Dongjin bit his lip hard.
"Juhan."
"Tell me. Don't worry about burdening me—anything, even small, I can help......"
This time, I hoped he wouldn't beg first. No—hoped I wouldn't refuse if he did.
He stared with wavering eyes as I babbled, then bowed his head. His voice trembled as he spoke.
"......Juhan, what do I do?"