Chapter 61
"No contact from the boss yet?"
Kang Minjae approached my desk and asked. It had been several days since I'd tasked him with tracking down the student who transferred because of Hyeokmin, but there was still no other news from Jang Taesik. With so little information, even Taesik might have a hard time digging it up. It was almost regrettable that this was 2008. If it had been 2018, we could've easily found them through various SNS platforms and messengers.
"It'll take a little time."
"What about the homeroom teacher? When's he coming by with those flyers?"
Ever since he'd taken charge of this case in earnest, Kang Minjae had been handling the schedule with almost excessive meticulousness. He'd always been enthusiastic about cases, but this felt a bit off. The reason he was showing this side even in a case without a massive scale was probably because his own past connected directly to Jincheol's present.
"Probably a few more days."
"Yeah, I guess... I heard from Jincheol's mom that they haven't even gotten word that the investigation's wrapped up. Ah, but I hope it happens soon. I'm getting antsy. We need to resolve Jincheol's case quickly..."
Kang Minjae fiddled idly with the pens and such on my desk. Then he grabbed his desk calendar in a scatterbrained way and started counting dates. That calendar was marked with everything: when the incident happened to Jincheol, when he gave his statement to us, when I'd met the principal and homeroom teacher—everything.
"It's only been three days."
"I know. I know, but... I should give the boss another call."
"Kang."
I could read the anxiety in Kang Minjae's eyes as he turned to me. It had been days now since he'd been acting like this. Ever since that day, he'd been overly excited, hounding Taesik like he couldn't wait. Maybe I should've completely sidelined him back when he was giving off vibes that he didn't want to handle this case. Of course, it was true that Kang Minjae had made a big contribution. He'd succeeded in convincing Jincheol by revealing his own past. That had been a stroke of luck for both Jincheol and us, his lawyers—but it didn't seem that way for Kang Minjae. He was immersing himself in the case too deeply.
"Kang. Wanna step out for a smoke?"
As I headed to the balcony, Kang Minjae followed. The moment I put a cigarette in my mouth, he lit it for me and then his own. Silence stretched until we'd smoked half, and I was the one who broke it.
"Kang."
"Yeah?"
"Step off this case."
At my words, Kang Minjae widened his eyes in surprise. I could see the confusion on his face. He thought for a moment, then gave an awkward smile and asked back.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. It'd be better if you bowed out."
"Why? What'd I do wrong? Ah... If it's because I was just bugging you about the schedule—"
"That's not it."
"Then why..."
I stubbed out my cigarette with a short sigh. Leaning back against the railing, I looked straight at Kang Minjae.
"Being passionate about the case is good, but we're third parties. We have to do what third parties can do."
"..."
"But you don't seem like one."
"Boss, that's—"
"Being able to empathize with the client's feelings is definitely an advantage. But right now, you're too immersed."
"..."
"I know the client's situation resembles your own painful past. But on the other hand, it's a completely different case. And we have to stay rational to the end."
"Boss, I know that. I'm not losing my reason—"
Kang Minjae spoke in a somewhat rebellious tone, as if he couldn't accept it.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Then why do I see an excited Kang in front of me?"
Kang Minjae's shoulders twitched. This was only his third case since joining, excluding pro bono work, and I'd never seen him look this anxious before. We'd dealt with victims of smiling villains and the abuses of massive corporations. But Kang Minjae had always stayed flexible, maintaining his signature composure. He'd never failed to control his emotions like this. And that wasn't good for him. I didn't want him losing his usual pace over this.
"...I was short-sighted."
After a long pause, Kang Minjae said,
"You're right, boss. I got too wrapped up in it. I won't let it happen again."
"Is that something you can just decide? I don't see it as a flaw. Everyone has traumas, cases they'd rather avoid. For you, it's school violence cases."
For a moment, I wondered if my judgment had been wrong. Even without knowing he was a bullying victim, I'd noticed he wanted to avoid this case. I should've asked why properly. He'd grumbled about it but always jumped in on any case I took.
"No. I want to help Jincheol. If you're worried I'll get emotional, or if you think I can't control it, then I'll just avoid contact with the client."
Kang Minjae said it with a deadly serious face.
"Kang. I don't think you can't control it."
"I know. You're pointing out something I missed. And you're worried about me, right?"
Kang Minjae flashed a grin, showing his white teeth. It was absurd.
"Think whatever."
I turned my back and left the balcony. Then, from behind, his excited voice rang out.
"Okay, then I'll think you're worried about me."
"..."
"And I'll get back to my usual pace. Sorry for worrying you!"
"I wasn't worried."
"Hey, you just said think whatever!"
Ah, I should've just left him to overimmerse or not. If a problem cropped up, I could've just notified him to step off.
"You're worrying about me and all. How about drinks to commemorate?"
Regret hit hard. After that, Kang Minjae hummed as he organized precedents. When I told him to quiet down and get out, he grabbed his file binders and went to the balcony to belt out pop songs. Figuring there'd be no more gains today, I thought about telling everyone to head home early.
"Boss, good afternoon!"
Another noisy one had arrived. Taesik whistled as he plopped on the sofa.
"Where's your sidekick lawyer?"
Spotting no Kang Minjae, he scanned the office.
"Oh, boss!"
The banished Kang Minjae opened the balcony door and waved.
"Find anything?"
Kang Minjae tossed his papers roughly on the desk and handed Taesik a cup of drink. Taesik chewed on aloe chunks and placed a small sticky note on the desk.
"What's this?"
"Info on that Lee Hyeokmin punk for starters. Give the transfer kid a bit more time. Not much info, so it's tough."
I snatched the note before Kang Minjae could grab it.
"Lee Hyeokmin's dad's job, 'gyoyugam'... Wait, is that superintendent of education?"
I read down the note and asked.
"Probably? Wait, it was 'superintendent,' not 'gyoyugam'? Felt off. 'Gam' sounded funny. Heh heh."
Taesik chose to laugh off his ignorance rather than reflect. I shook my head and looked down.
"Academy's Sangjin Comprehensive Academy."
"Yeah. And the whole Hyeokmin crew goes there."
"Were the rest of the crew good students too?"
Kang Minjae, peering over my shoulder reading the note, answered crisply.
"Yeah. Mom said the whole group was top of the school. At least top 30."
"Hyeokmin was always first, right?"
"Yep. Never slipped once. Since first year."
Taesik replied. I handed the note to the still-peeking Kang Minjae and crossed my arms.
"To be top of the school around here, you'd have to study your ass off."
Kang Minjae muttered.
"Anything else noteworthy?"
Taesik hemmed and hawed at my question, then shouted ah! as if remembering.
"After academy, the crew all flocks to Hyeokmin's place till like 1 a.m."
He boasted that Sanggil had staked out the utility pole in front of Hyeokmin's house till dawn that day.
"Just hanging out?"
"Yeah. Apparently bugging the lady for tteokbokki or whatever. Live-in housekeeper too."
"That's it?"
"Oh, and this. See here? Looks like the Sangjin instructor's family with Hyeokmin."
Taesik handed me a pamphlet. Seemed like a curriculum sheet from Sangjin Academy. Big photo of the instructor—probably the star teacher.
"That guy shows up at the house an hour after the kids leave?"
At Taesik's words, Kang Minjae crossed his arms skeptically.
"And doesn't come out again?"
"Nah, leaves before the kids arrive."
Kang Minjae let out a hollow chuckle.
"Ah, come on. Then it's not family—it's group tutoring by that academy instructor. We had that back in my day too. Under the table."
"How do you know?"
Taesik asked, and Kang Minjae puffed out his chest proudly.
"I'm from around here."
"Whoa, rich kid lawyer."
"But a star instructor at Sangjin? Tutoring fees would be no joke. Math subject too—could pull seven figures a month."
The pamphlet plastered instructor's name was Kim Hakseong. Different surname from Hyeokmin, and if he left before the kids arrived, it made more sense as tutoring than family, like Kang said.
"Hmm, should we dig into that instructor?"
"How many times did he visit Hyeokmin's in three days?"
"Twice."
"And the crew was there every time?"
Taesik nodded vigorously at my question. Hyeokmin, who didn't seem to study hard beyond academy, apparently had his reasons for top grades.
"Should we dig the instructor?"
At Taesik's question, I nodded heavily.
"Dig separately. Keep Sanggil on Hyeokmin, use another guy for the instructor. Hyeokmin's priority—what comes of the instructor is bonus."
"Got it."
I passed the note I'd taken from him to Kang Minjae to file properly.
"Also, what Hyeokmin does after school."
"Crew hangs, smokes. Caught 'em shoplifting booze from a convenience store once. Need a few more days to gauge the crew's behavior."
Too bad no SNS in 2008. Tailings were crucial, but SNS would've revealed past behavior too...
"Ah, right."
I stood up. Kang Minjae and Taesik looked at me, but I ignored them and sat at my desk.
SNS wasn't a term in 2008, but Cyworld filled the role.
"Why Cyworld, boss? You got a Cy? Wanna be ilchon?"
Taesik rushed over and asked.
"No ID."
I typed Lee Hyeokmin's name into Cyworld. Too old—I hadn't thought of it. Back in investigations around then, we'd always check Cyworld. Ilchon comments, profiles, intros—clues galore.
"Got Hyeokmin's photo?"
"Yeah."
Taesik pulled out a few shots from his pocket: the crew smoking in an alley, heading to Sangjin Academy.
"Who's Hyeokmin?"
"That one. Asymmetrical haircut kid. Man, trendy. Little punk knows fashion. Rotten."
Matching Taesik's pointed photo to countless Hyeokmin Cyworlds, I finally found it. Photo album full of pics with friends.
"This Hyeokmin's Cy? Other kids post smoking selfies and crap—this one's clean."
Top student, class veep—no way he'd do dumb shit. Parents spoke highly of him; he managed his image tightly. That's why Hyeokmin struck me as sly beyond his years.
"First-year pics from here."
Kang Minjae said. Classroom backgrounds changed. Flipping through, I paused the mouse.
LH
Lee Hyeokmin
Posted: 2007-7-21
Took a pic with student teacher~ lol Miss her lol
♥ 5↻ 2💬 1
Kim Daesung
lol pic came out great
↳
Left ilchon comment on teacher lol
"Student teacher..."
"What's with the student teacher?"
I stared at the page, then looked at Kang Minjae.
"College student teachers usually do practice around May for a month, right?"
"Uh... probably?"
"A teacher from last May would've been interning during the essay contest and art fest."
Kang Minjae's eyes widened at my words.
"Yes! Then we know who the transfer student is! Ah, why didn't I think of Cyworld?"
"Kim Daesung seems to know the teacher—let's contact him."
Kang Minjae nodded furiously. Clicking Kim Daesung's name activated the message button.
Then Taesik asked,
"But boss, no Cy ID, right? How you sending a message?"
"..."
At Taesik's words, Kang Minjae quietly took the mouse and keyboard from me.
"I'll message Kim Daesung. Oh, and boss. Why no ilchon invite for me? I'm hurt."