Chapter 68 "Should we just fuck up the principal starting today?"
"Should we just fuck up the principal starting today?" Jang Taesik asked with a grim face. He even cracked his knuckles to build up a menacing vibe.
"Don't beat him up. Tail him."
"Got it. We just need to catch him leaking the exam papers, right?"
I nodded once, and Taesik chuckled.
"Leave it to me."
"Video footage would be best if you can manage it."
"Video?"
"They'll probably head to the school at dawn after all the staff have clocked out. No one around, so be careful. Easy to get spotted by the principal."
Taesik sank deep into the sofa, letting out a low groan. He seemed to be picturing the scene in his head. After pondering for a while, he straightened up with a serious look.
"Yeah, but I'm worried... We need a good angle. For video, we'd have to shoot through a window or hide in the staff room ahead of time. Timing might be tricky. Hiding in advance seems impossible no matter how I think about it. If the principal hops in his car toward Jangmyeong High, should I have Sanggil take a bike and send him ahead?"
I let out a small laugh at that. Never thought I'd hear words like that from the great Jang Taesik. In my previous life, it had taken two years before we started working together like clockwork. He hadn't built up that know-how yet. Back then, it was seamless.
Instead of answering, I headed to my desk and beckoned him over. As I sat at the computer, Taesik approached with a puzzled expression. I played a video I'd saved in the corner of my desktop. It was news footage from a few days ago—something I figured might come in handy for this case.
> "This is one of the tools seized from a gang of burglars caught red-handed late last October. It looks like a thin cord at first glance, but up close, you'll see a tiny lens on the end."
> "That's right—a camera. The burglars confessed to slipping it through the milk slot in front doors, scouting the interior, and breaking in only if it was empty."
Around 2008, burglars commonly used these cameras in their crimes. They called them snake cams among themselves. You could snake it through a milk slot from outside the door, maneuver the lens remotely to wherever you wanted, and even record video. Milk-slot break-ins had been around forever, but the tech kept evolving year by year—getting slimmer, down to cord-thin, and invisible in the dark.
Apparently, that level of hassle was nothing if it meant pulling off the crime.
"Get one of these. Easier if you search for 'snake cam.'"
"Whoa, straight outta prosecutor life— even knows the name. Slick, real slick."
"Need product pics? I can email 'em from the video."
Taesik shook his head.
"Just the name's enough to snag one."
I didn't bother explaining further to Taesik, who was sizing me up like I doubted him. Hand it over to him, and soon enough, footage of the principal leaking exam papers would land on my desk.
And the following weekend. Friday dawn, ten days before the finals announced on the Jangmyeong High School site. A text from Sanggil pinged in. Coincidentally, Kang Minjae and I were grabbing late-night potato stew near the office.
"Lawyer!"
Kang Minjae flashed his phone too—same message. His face screamed tension, but with two bottles of soju down and cheeks flushed red, I worried he'd overact twice as much as usual.
"This bastard's finally off to commit the crime."
I'd figured tonight through the weekend was prime time. Leaking exam papers wouldn't just benefit Lee Hyeokmin alone. Kim Hakseong's students had all skyrocketed in scores. Too risky for multiple accomplices on something that sensitive, but too valuable to waste. With pricey group tutoring gigs, there was pressure to boost grades. For top picks like number one, full papers; for others, modified versions—numbers swapped to look like predicted questions. And that meant time to practice from the leaked sheets beforehand.
A week before exams was too late; two weeks, too early. Perfect right around now—ten days out.
"Hope it goes smooth."
Kang Minjae wiped sweaty palms on his pants.
Kang Minjae checked it fast and chugged soju like soda—he couldn't hold still.
"Man, too tense to stay sober."
Buzzed hard, he slurped potato stew, swaying. Even after Sanggil's no-contact warning, he poked his silent phone repeatedly.
"My phone busted?"
"Give it an hour."
I sighed, covering spilled broth with napkins.
"Seriously, robot much? Not tense?"
"Nope."
As if. Success here crumbled Hyeokmin's kingdom and restored Jincheol. Exam leaks were serious crimes—prosecutors had to pursue justice. But for us, it was secondary. Primary goal: punish Lee Hyeokmin for tormenting Park Jincheol.
"Ugh, asking that every time's getting old."
Kang Minjae flipped his phone open-shut, obsessively checking messages.
"Aaaah! Driving me nuts! It'll work, right?"
"Unless a major screw-up."
Winter chill hit once college entrance exams wrapped. Bone-nipping cold since early December after the 2009 exams. Salons and eateries flashed Suneung ID discounts; news still led with exam talk a month later.
But no slacking—only seniors got freedom. Underclassmen faced finals early December. Today, three days post-Jangmyeong High finals. Kids buzzing for winter break froze at the bombshell.
"Heard? Exam leak?"
Word spread instantly—even to Class 5, Year 2.
"Leak? Nah. Whose? Suneung?"
"Dude, no. Our school. Finals leak—huge uproar."
"Our finals? For real? Who leaked?"
"Not out yet. Tip to education office. Video of the leak hit the net. Creepy as hell."
"Video? No way, real?"
The two's chat hooked the class.
"What? Leak?"
"You too? School finals leaked—chaos."
"Wait, real?"
"Saw it morning on molcom. Top real-time search."
Kids clustered; more claimed they'd seen it.
"Vid titled 'Exam Leak Site' online. Shows Jangmyeong High attendance sheet. That's why the frenzy. Grainy quality, but school name crystal clear. Perp's face mosaicked."
"Holy shit. Which grade? Ours?"
"Dunno. If busted, retake?"
"Probably."
"Fuck, I guessed three right in Korean—felt smug. Big mistake."
Topic exploded. Morning study buzzed; homeroom teacher—who should've reined them in 30 minutes ago—was MIA.
"Class prez, where's homeroom?"
"Dunno. Checked staff room—student entry banned."
"Whoa, exam leak meet."
Everyone chimed agreement.
"Leaker's gotta be a teacher, right?"
"Obvious."
"Who'd they sell to?"
"Students or hagwons."
"Fucking bullshit. I slaved, they cheated easy and aced it?"
"Totally. Retake for fairness. Chills."
Then the back door swung amid the din—one kid entered.
"Yo, Hyeokmin! Late but lucky. Homeroom's out."
Hyeokmin smirked faintly as the wave hello.
"Oh yeah? Good."
First tardy nearly cost perfect attendance, but he dodged it unscathed. Still, his face looked off—dark. He unpacked stiffly, plugged earbuds in both ears, cranked his MP3 to the loudest track.
"Dude who aced off leak lives easy."
"Total asshole. Caught? Expelled."
"Hope so—ruin their life."
He tuned out classmates' voices piercing the blare.