Chapter 272
Kang Minjae had a heavy expression on his face from the morning. When the housekeeper delivering breakfast mentioned it, there hadn't been any sign of it, but after stepping out to take a call, his face had hardened in an instant.
"What kind of call has you looking like that?"
Choi Jonghyeon, sensing something off as well, eyed Kang Minjae intently as he sat across from him and asked.
"Police called. Told me to come in as a witness today."
"Why the long face over something like that? We figured they'd call anyway."
"True, but the way they said it rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, let's eat first. Ma'am, bring the food quick—I'm starving. Hehe."
As Kang Minjae rubbed his belly and spoke, the housekeepers bustled about, setting bowls on the table.
"...Whoa, Minjae. You eat like this every morning?"
Jo Bongjun, seated at the breakfast table laden with dishes fit for a feast, asked while holding his spoon but rolling his eyes, unsure where to start.
"No way. We don't go this all-out usually, but Grandpa heard we had guests and insisted they take care of it. Ah, looks delicious."
Once the host scooped some soup first, Jo Bongjun and Choi Jonghyeon finally started eating too.
They'd stayed up until dawn discussing how to handle the info on the broadcast, crashing here afterward. Being the type to sleep until afternoon anyway, they'd only woken around 11 a.m.
I, on the other hand, couldn't sleep well again last night—barely three hours before rising at 7.
"Why isn't Lawyer Cha eating?"
"I ate with the elder."
"...You mean former President Kang Gwanung?"
"Yes."
Kang Minjae had woken up before me too, so I'd had no choice but to sit alone with him at the table. I'd planned to decline, but Kang Gwanung had scolded that skipping breakfast wasn't an option. Sure, I'd replied that I never eat breakfast anyway. Didn't help.
We ate together for thirty minutes, but there was no real conversation. He just asked if there'd been any progress, and I said I'd found some leads to start acting on—that was it.
Even if he wasn't doing this out of pure eagerness, he'd put himself in the position of protecting me. Like I had, he'd surely weighed how messy things could get if he got dragged in, how far the damage might spread.
He didn't press or probe deeply. Whether out of trust in me or wanting to see if I could navigate this on my own, I couldn't tell.
Not that I had room to complain, getting free access to what amounted to extraterritorial safety—the most secure hideout in Korea.
"R-right. They went all-out even for breakfast like this... you sure we don't need to say thanks?"
Jo Bongjun mumbled around a mouthful of food, chewing away.
"Finish eating first, you slob."
"Well... should I ask?"
"No need, but with an elder in the house, showing up and not greeting him feels a bit rude by my Confucian-raised sensibilities in this society..."
"Just say you want his autograph, Bongjun."
As Choi Jonghyeon cut through Jo Bongjun's rambling, the man set down his utensils with a serious face.
"Me? You think that's why? It's just that, raised in Confucian society, that bugs me."
"So, did you bring the book or not?"
"I did."
"Then quit yapping."
"...I brought it! The point wasn't the autograph—I figured if I got to greet him, might as well get one while at it~ You know, that kinda thing."
With that, Jo Bongjun pulled a book from inside his clothes. Kang Gwanung's memoirs from the '90s—a must-read for us college kids back then. It even ranked high in library checkouts.
A handwritten signature from the ex-president author—unpublished, no less—would make it pretty valuable.
"Planning to sell it for cash?"
"......"
"Aw, c'mon. Don't ask like that. Grandpa would be heartbroken if he signed it and you hawked it. You know how sensitive he is."
"Hey, Minjae. That's not it. I wouldn't do that, hyung."
Anyway, once breakfast wrapped, Kang Minjae—as they'd hoped—arranged a meeting with Kang Gwanung. They got their wish, autograph included.
"When's your police appointment?"
"Gotta head out soon after getting ready."
Kang Minjae glanced at his watch and shot up.
"I'll wash up and prep—be right back."
He stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray and dashed inside.
"Shall we grab the CCTV ourselves then?"
"Sure, why not."
"Better if Lawyer Kang goes with you two."
"Why?"
"CCTV isn't supposed to be shown to just anyone by principle. They'll let you view it but balk at handing over files. Saying a lawyer's there for a hypothetical case might help."
"Can't we just say we're cops? Don't I look the part? Violent crimes detective."
Jo Bongjun struck a noir detective pose and lit a cigarette with flair.
Choi Jonghyeon grimaced and shot back.
"You kinda do, but tilt wrong and you look like a gangster. No go."
"Aw, why? Just flash 'detective' and demand to see it. Wait around for Minjae? Wastes time."
"If it backfires later, you're impersonating an official. Got it? Handle it solo then—I'll deny knowing you."
Jo Bongjun deflated at Choi Jonghyeon's firm tone. He'd clearly been hyped for cop play.
In the end, they decided to leave with Kang Minjae for his summons and headed upstairs to wash up.
The lively garden fell silent in a flash, leaving me alone. I pulled out the burner phone from Han Manager.
With Oh the office manager now stepping up seriously, linking him with Taesik made sense.
Having gotten key contacts from Kang Minjae, I dialed Taesik right away.
"Yeah, Daebak Investigations—better than Conan at catching cheating spouses."
"Taesik, it's me."
"Who'm I speaking to? Who half-asses informal speech to a stranger?"
"Your money man."
"My money man? Oh, Lawyer? Don't recognize the voice, but 'money man' clicks—kinda hurts."
"Yeah."
"Whoa, felon alert! Murderer! Kids, prep to call the cops—murderer's on the line!"
"Taesik. Do I sound like I'm joking?"
"......No. Sorry."
Past memories had profited me countless times, but moments like this—distinguishing trustworthy from not—were the real gold.
Without them, I wouldn't have dreamed of calling Taesik. Same for Oh the office manager or Choi Jonghyeon.
"Not hightailing it outta here? What's up with the call?"
"Got a job for you."
"A job? ...Since when do you ask me? Wrong word? Meant to order, slipped to 'request'?"
"Right. Calling to order you."
"So, what're you groveling in tears for?"
"You called me murderer, so you know the case roughly."
"Yeah, sorta."
"Office Manager Oh's investigating something. Help him out."
"......Office Manager?"
Taesik's voice tensed. I'd forgotten he feared Oh.
But that didn't mean skipping what needed doing.
"Lawyer Kang's helping too."
"Got it. Should I call the office manager?"
"Yeah. Incident spot's Hwagun Reservoir. He's hunting people there that night, that time."
"Hmm. That day, that hour at Hwagun Reservoir... Lotsa fishermen there, right?"
"Yep. Narrow to 10 p.m. to midnight."
"Roger. Send guys to check. But yellow tape up as crime scene? Might not get in."
"Probably, but not every area's locked down."
"Gotcha. We'll see on-site."
"Yeah. Hanging up."
"Wait, Lawyer—"
I'd pulled the phone away, but Taesik's urgent voice came through. Bringing it back, he asked awkwardly.
"You safe where you are?"
"Yeah."
"Eating well?"
"Yep."
"Sleeping?"
"Yeah. Good night."
"Still rude as ever? Crazy bastard."
"Hehe. Kidding. Hanging up for real. Contact this number?"
"Better through Lawyer Kang usually. But, Taesik."
"Yeah?"
"One question."
"What?"
"Why'd you think I didn't kill Lee Jeongchan?"
I'd assumed past-life Taesik trusted me implicitly, and this life's seemed no different—why I still trusted him. But we'd re-met differently this time, worked together a bit off-script. Made me wonder why this Taesik believed me.
"Knew right from the news. Need a reason?"
"Crystal clear."
"Touched? Don't cry. Haha, bye!"
Hanging up with Taesik, I chuckled. His "what reason?" felt like the perfect obvious answer.
What had I wanted? Some Yongbi Eocheonga-level flattery to chill my spine just hearing it?
Couldn't test my ability without face-to-face, but it was pure Taesik—relieving, really. If that kind of exaggeration had spilled out, I'd have doubted him once or twice.
"You two took a taxi here? Drop you at the officetel on the way to your summons?"
"Sounds good to us."
The three emerged into the garden, ready at last, chatting as they came.
"Minjae, call when questioning's done. Meet at Lawyer Cha's officetel."
"Yep."
"What if he's super late? Cops drag it out on purpose? He'll rant about Lawyer Cha's innocence, piss 'em off—could stall. Shouldn't we hustle?"
"Think they'll hold him long?"
Choi Jonghyeon looked at Jo Bongjun like he was pathetic.
"Why not? Minjae talk his way out?"
"Not that."
"Then what?"
"......His grandpa's the former president."