Chapter 25
Kang Minjae nodded toward the envelope, as if urging me to check it right away.
"Take a look, and if you think it's too little, just let me know. I did some research on fees for lawyers who used to be prosecutors... And you're such a famous one, so I factored that in too..."
Kim Yeonjun and Lee Youngho looked at me expectantly, as if saying the same thing.
With no choice, I opened the envelope.
"Mr. Kim Yeonjun, this is..."
Three checks. Three hundred million won.
Even Kang Minjae looked shocked, like it was more than he'd expected.
"Mr. Kim, this seems like too much. I didn't take your case expecting anything like this."
"No, they told me my case was so famous and tough. A heinous crime... I heard fees go up with the difficulty. If it weren't for you, I'd definitely have been found guilty and branded a murderer."
"Even so,"
"I inherited a lot from my parents. It's not a stretch. And you really saved my life. Even if you say it's not enough, I'd understand—I'm that grateful."
Kang Minjae nodded thoughtfully after listening to Kim Yeonjun.
"I used to work at Taegwang, and I think it's fair. One of our senior lawyers recently took a white-collar case for trademark infringement. They got four hundred million for a suspended sentence in the first trial."
"Oh, then should I give you more? Trademark stuff is minor, but mine was murder..."
"No, Mr. Kim. Kang, shut up."
"...Yes, sir."
Kang Minjae mimed zipping his lips. His example probably benefited from Taegwang's name value, and a senior lawyer there would have been at least a former senior prosecutor. Or someone with decades of experience. Neither applied to me.
"Lawyer Cha, it's too little, right? I can add more..."
"No, Mr. Kim. It's plenty."
"So you'll accept it? Please don't refuse—it's from the heart."
Kim Yeonjun smiled. I sighed and nodded.
"Alright."
"Thank you."
"This guy's a sudden millionaire and still insists on part-time jobs. What kind of person does that?"
"Heh heh."
Kim Yeonjun scratched the back of his head sheepishly at Lee Youngho's words.
"What are your plans now, Mr. Kim?"
"...Well, finish school for starters. Live normally. And keep donating to the organizations my parents supported. The money turned out not to be mine anyway... I think giving back to society is right."
Kim Yeonjun swallowed hard, perhaps thinking of his parents. Clearing the murder charge was a huge relief, but he'd lost them in the end—it wasn't pure joy.
"Take care of yourself. You'll do great things ahead."
"...Thank you."
"I hope everything you do works out too."
Kang Minjae chimed in softly. Kim Yeonjun wiped his teary eyes and nodded vigorously.
"Yes. Thank you... really, thank you."
"Stop crying, Yeonjun."
Kang Minjae handed him some tissues. Kim Yeonjun nodded frantically.
"But Lawyer Cha."
"Yes."
"That first visit to the detention center."
Once calmed, Kim Yeonjun spoke up.
"Why did you believe me?"
I quietly recalled that day. Pushed by Lee Youngho, I'd gone to meet Kim Yeonjun, the future suspect anyway. There, I heard his confession—but I used my ability and saw it was a lie.
What if I hadn't had the power? I'd have thought yeah, right and ignored him.
But I couldn't say I'd known the truth because of my ability.
"I figured even Cha wouldn't take the case."
Lee Youngho added. Kang Minjae looked at me curiously too.
"I felt like you were innocent."
"Felt?"
"Yes."
Not entirely a lie.
"...A feeling."
"Whoa, Cha's got that keen insight. Huh? Piercing through to the truth. Ha ha ha."
Lee Youngho burst out laughing and clapped. Time to ride the wave.
"Thank you."
"When it comes to insight, it's our Cha Juhan. He was legendary even as a prosecutor. That's why I quit Taegwang to come here."
"Oh, really? As expected of Cha Juhan. He's gonna make it big!"
"Right. Who else but him?"
Success.
* * *
"Lawyer, water here."
Kang Minjae had chopsticks and water ready the moment we sat at the restaurant. For a flash, I saw my rookie prosecutor days—setting up for the section chief, deputy, and seniors. I'd slaved like that to barely make senior prosecutor, only to end up beaten to death in a drum.
"Kang, you put your account on the contract?"
"Yes."
"I'll wire thirty million minus 3.3% later."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
He had to know 3.3% was withholding tax.
"Contract's today, case ended yesterday. I was still Taegwang until the day before, no side gigs allowed. Fees start with the next case."
"Still,"
"Whoa, kimchi stew looks amazing. I'll serve. Ladle, please."
The kimchi stew arrived right on cue, and Kang Minjae overreacted to change the subject. I sighed.
"Eat up. Lots of meat, looks good."
At this rate, he'd refund even the 10% he'd pushed for.
"That drama's blowing up lately, right?"
I was just setting down my chopsticks when Kang Minjae chin-nodded at the TV, drawing every eye in the packed restaurant.
"What's that?"
"The Distance Between You and Me. Airs at 10 p.m. Even my live-in housekeeper stops everything and runs to the TV."
Live-in at 10 p.m.? Definitely high-class.
"That good?"
"Never watched, but the internet's exploding. Memes everywhere, ratings through the roof."
"Huh."
The screen showed the female lead standing alone on a high hill in a slum, gazing at the glittering city below. Come to think of it, around this time, some drama exploded—always on TV. Poor girl meets rich guy, classic stuff. I'd recognize the actress anywhere. It became a classic, still talked about in my 2018.
"Let's go?"
"Sure."
All the way back after paying, Kang Minjae raved about the drama. He hadn't watched much either, but knew the plot inside out.
"Huh?"
Turning into the second-floor hallway of our office, we spotted someone pacing in front of our door.
Kang Minjae bolted over sharply.
"Hello. Looking for our office?"
A young woman in a coat and scarf covering her mouth. Mid-20s maybe. As I approached, she recognized me, pulled down the scarf, and revealed her face.
Not hiding from fame— she looked timid, lacking confidence.
"You're Cha Juhan, right?"
"Yes. And you are?"
"I... want a consultation."
"Come in!"
Kang Minjae flung open the door, flipped the "Out to Lunch" sign, and ushered her to the consultation table like a pro.
"Coffee? Or tea, juice?"
Tea or juice in our office?
"Juice, please."
"What kind?"
"Wh-what do you have?"
"Pretty much everything. Name it."
"Uh, aloe...?"
"Aloe juice coming up."
Kang Minjae eagerly opened the fridge, revealing it stocked floor-to-ceiling with juices and drinks. When did he prep all that?
"Lawyer, coffee?"
"Yeah."
She clutched her bulky scarf and bag, eyeing me across the table. After sipping the aloe juice, her tension eased a bit.
"What brings you here?"
With things set, I picked up my notepad and pen.
She took a deep breath.
"Speak freely."
"...Copyright. I want to sue for copyright infringement."
"Copyright on what...?"
Kang Minjae asked. She squeezed her eyes shut.
"The drama The Distance Between You and Me plagiarized my script."