Chapter 242
A few days later, Dongjin returned to the break room carrying coffee and a bottled water. He checked the spot where Kim Sungwoo had been sitting, then glanced around. There was no need to see Kim Sungwoo anymore, so he'd sent him off, leaving the room empty. Maybe it was because patient numbers had dropped since the former section chief's scandal. The only sound was the TV anchor's briefing droning from the set left on.
"What, is the talk over?"
"Yeah, more or less."
"What'd he say?"
"I didn't ask outright, so I'm not sure. But it doesn't seem entirely unrelated."
"Why?"
I gave Dongjin a quick rundown of my conversation with Kim Sungwoo. Arms crossed, he stared off into space, lost in thought. The cold hardness in his expression said it all—he was seething with betrayal, just like before meeting Kim Sungwoo.
"...It's not certain yet, right? Honestly, him agreeing with my supposed forgetfulness that never happened? He might just be seizing the chance now that things have played out this way, trying to shove me aside. So he didn't orchestrate this whole situation. You get what I'm saying?"
But Dongjin wasn't ready to hate Kim Sungwoo yet. They hadn't been close, but maybe he didn't despise the guy that much. Or perhaps, true to his nature, he was clinging to false hope that it was just rivalry, not that Kim was inherently rotten.
And I couldn't tell him otherwise. I couldn't pin it on Kim Sungwoo based on such flimsy clues, nor reveal I'd confirmed it with my ability.
"Even so, you still need to watch out for him. Whether he started it or not, using it to undermine you? Both are dragging you into the muck."
"......"
"Be careful around him from now on."
"Yeah, obviously... So assuming Kim Sungwoo set this up, that means Nurse Gu Sojeong didn't mishear my order—she deliberately twisted it?"
"Exactly."
"Then the only explanation is Kim Sungwoo told her to do it. But would Gu Sojeong pull off something that huge just because he said so?"
"That's why I'm asking—what was your usual relationship with Gu Sojeong like?"
Dongjin let out a long sigh at my question. He chugged the water he'd brought, then shook his head.
"I don't know anymore. Kim Sungwoo and I are rivals, but I never thought he hated me enough to go this far. But now it might be him. Same with Gu Sojeong. I thought things were fine, but she might've seen me as a problem. Even if I slipped up, there were no open conflicts, but if she did this... I got nothing to say about our relationship. It was just... a standard doctor-nurse thing. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't think she never got annoyed with me. She might hate me. But enough to do this? I don't know. I just don't..."
Dongjin sounded fed up with humanity. When something like this happens, even trivial past friction starts gnawing at you. What seemed minor by social norms might feel like a blood feud to someone else. Once you realize that, you can't go back to how things were.
I'd lost faith in people after countless such experiences. But I didn't think this was mere distrust. Some people kill without hesitation over personal goals or petty grudges. Still, if you want to see the world as beautiful, it's not impossible.
"Gu Sojeong might be under blackmail."
"Blackmail?"
"Just considering all possibilities."
Truth be told, I didn't see this as naive optimism. It felt like the most likely scenario. For her to take such risks just for cash from Kim Sungwoo? The fallout would be huge. Even if she blamed it all on him, she wouldn't walk away unscathed. She's not just a nursing assistant handling routine tasks. By following the wrong order without question, she failed her duty as a nurse. That's why the Han Young Group side, blaming Dongjin's error, is pressuring to fire her too.
What reason would she have to risk all that against Dongjin, with no apparent grudge? Kim Sungwoo benefits from Dongjin's downfall with a promotion, but Gu Sojeong gets nothing.
"What kind of blackmail?"
"No idea. Something between her and Kim Sungwoo. Personal or professional. If he has dirt she wants hidden, she'd have no choice but to obey."
"...Yeah, that tracks."
"Professionally, maybe he knows she botched something fatal with another patient... Whatever. Dig around. There must be folks in your ward who still trust you."
Dongjin nodded firmly.
"I'll check it out."
"Good. It's getting late—head home."
"What about Gu Sojeong?"
"I'll contact her separately."
"You alone?"
Dongjin eyed me worriedly. But this wasn't for his sake—it was to get real answers from her. Unlike Kim Sungwoo, she's directly clashed with Dongjin. With him there, she'd clam up. Plus, I'd reach her through Kim Sungwoo, signaling I didn't suspect him. Even if blackmailed, she's complicit with him on this. Better if she knows I'm on Dongjin's side but doubting him.
"Makes sense—she's on day shift, probably off by now anyway."
Dongjin checked his watch.
"Yeah. You got much left before you clock out?"
"A bit."
"I'll head out first. I'll call after meeting Gu Sojeong."
"Hey, at least grab some food. You come all this way to help outta nowhere—can't just let you go."
I glanced at Dongjin's hand gripping my arm. In my past life, he'd knelt and clung to me like this. I smiled faintly.
"Nah. I'm just paying you back."
"Paying me back? For what?"
"I owe you. Plus, you helped me out."
It was Dongjin who'd tipped me off that the former chief was running a scam exempting VIP sons from military service.
"What're you talking about?"
"It's a thing. Go on in. I gotta go too—office calls. I bolted out suddenly."
"Oh, right?"
"Yeah, man. Get inside."
Dongjin insisted on seeing me to the elevator. I waved him off there and headed straight to Taesik's agency.
I'd told Dongjin I had to swing by the office, but it was past closing—everyone was gone.
"Lawyer?"
Parking on the first floor, I ran into Taesik coming down the stairs with his crew in tow.
"What's up?"
"Got business with you."
No weapons, but anyone could see they looked like gangsters gearing up for a turf war.
"Off to war?"
"......Just dinner."
"All of you?"
"Yeah. Wanna join, Lawyer? Pork belly."
Taesik jangled his wallet. Instead of answering, I snatched it, pulled out a card, and handed it to Sanggil.
Sanggil took it reflexively.
"Go eat something nice without me. I need to talk to Taesik."
"Huh? But I want pork belly."
"You had plans with me ahead of time—pork belly later. Manners, right?"
Taesik tilted his head.
"Plans? When? Must've forgot."
"Why forget?"
"Sorry. Sigh, you guys go eat. Not too much. Bring the receipt."
Taesik drilled it into Sanggil, who grinned, saluted, and led the crew out. Taesik smacked his lips and climbed the stairs with me.
"But seriously, when'd we plan this? I really don't remember."
"Last night in your dream. How do you forget?"
"Oh, right! My dream... Wait, what? Fuck, you're messing with me?"
Taesik looked so aggrieved, but perked up when I ordered dongpo pork for him. Watching him eat, I briefed him on the whole mess. Food flew with every angry curse, a bit gross, but I got the point across.
"So, what do you need me to dig up?"
"The connection between Kim Sungwoo and Gu Sojeong."
"Their relationship?"
"She might be blackmailed. If so, find her weak spot. Plus, as accomplices, they'll have contacts—gather evidence now."
"Hmm, got it. But tailing hospital folks ain't easy..."
Taesik crossed his arms, pondering. I couldn't fathom it. There was an obvious fix.
"Have one of your guys fake a car accident, get admitted."
"......Holy shit, Lawyer, you're a fucking genius."