Chapter 70
Yun Se-yeon's exclusive article broke the story, and soon every outlet was digging into the Jangmyeong High School principal, the superintendent, and Lee Hyeokmin.
Reporters swarmed the superintendent's home, turning it into a madhouse, and even Jangmyeong High was buzzing with the chaos. Once the spotlight narrowed to the student who'd never once lost the top spot after getting hold of leaked exam papers, Lee Hyeokmin stopped showing up at school altogether. Skipping a few days without permission wouldn't raise too many flags, and it was probably smarter than dodging suspicious stares from classmates and teachers. Even if the kids and staff believed him, the reporters camped outside would spot him in a heartbeat and swarm.
Maybe he was hunkered down at home, frantically cramming with emergency tutors. Not long ago, the vice principal had leaked Lee Hyeokmin's mock exam scores, sparking outrage over how someone from this area could have such a massive gap between mocks and school grades. A famous cram school instructor even went on record saying local kids could rank 50th in school but still pull top-percentile mocks—Lee Hyeokmin's third-tier scores just didn't add up.
Cornered, all Lee Hyeokmin could do was score big on this exam leak-free round to dial back the suspicion a notch. The media, the public, and especially parents with kids at Jangmyeong High were watching like hawks. With parents up in arms and distrusting even the education office, the exams were locked down tighter than college entrance tests.
And today, Jangmyeong High's finals wrapped up completely.
"Whoa, nice office!"
For the first time since opening shop, Yun Se-yeon dropped by my office, plunking a little potted plant on the desk as she nosed around. She'd interviewed me at a nearby café back during the Kim Hyeongjun parricide case, so this place must've felt novel. After spinning around gawking for a good while, she finally settled when Kang Minjae brought out some aloe juice.
"The accomplice you mentioned—it's Kim Hakseong, right?"
She flashed a grin and asked. I shrugged and took the seat across from her.
"I never said anything else."
"Kim Hakseong's in for adultery right now. Prosecutors cross-checked the affair timeline, and boom—turns out he was in and out of Lee Hyeokmin's place. They split the case and handed it off."
"Is that so?"
As a big-name tutor, he'd already made bank. If he'd bolted overseas with intent, it'd be a headache. Locking him up on adultery charges was a solid play. He'd deny the affair and the leaks to the bitter end, no doubt. But prosecutors are pros. Ransack all his devices, and the trail of exam papers he'd swapped before would surface. Kim Hakseong wasn't the type to go down alone for Lee Hyeokmin—he'd drag the superintendent and the kid down with him if he could. Smart investigators would leverage that for a deal. Sure, sentence bargaining's technically illegal here, but tradition's tradition.
"Prosecutors think he's been leaking the whole time. Once he cracks, a few fancy uni kids from Jangmyeong High might lose their records."
Yun Se-yeon sank deep into the sofa and said. Whether he'd cop to past cheats along with Lee Hyeokmin's, who knew? We'd only dug into the Hyeokmin angle. But if prosecutors uncovered it all, it'd be a national bombshell—Kim Hakseong's crimes heavy, the scandal earth-shaking.
"Oh, Lee Hyeokmin's scores are out!"
Yun Se-yeon checked her phone alert and said. With finals done, to dodge the backlash, every teacher at Jangmyeong High had probably been mobilized for grading.
"Whoa, 138th out of 500 whole school?!"
I gave a small smile.
"Mind if I take a guess?"
"Guess what?"
"How Lee Hyeokmin's gonna explain it."
"Let's hear it."
Yun Se-yeon shot me a mischievous look.
"In a nationally watched case, unintentionally fingered as the perp—huge pressure. Stress and anxiety tanked his focus; that mindset showed in the scores."
"Especially regrettable to be branded guilty just 'cause Dad's superintendent and pals with the principal. Can't judge guilt on one test score."
Kang Minjae, who'd been listening quietly, chimed in. Yun Se-yeon cracked up, eyeing him.
"You two lawyers vibe so well, Lawyer Kang."
"Who else is gonna handle this grumpy bastard?"
Kang Minjae beamed proudly, rambling on. Yun Se-yeon played along with his teasing forever, and laughter filled the office for a good stretch.
Then came a brief, heavy silence.
"Lawyer Cha."
Yun Se-yeon, who'd been texting sporadically, straightened her face and looked at me.
"Spill it now."
"Spill what?"
"The real reason you kicked off this case."
I crossed my arms. Like she said, amid the media circus celebrating Lee Hyeokmin's score drop, I still had unfinished business.
"This is a criminal case. Lawyers only step in for the defense. But you made Lee Hyeokmin, the superintendent, principal, and that tutor Kim Hakseong all defendants. No reason for you to get involved."
She tapped the sofa arm, staring me down.
"I've got tons of scoops this time too, so I'll help you hit your real goal. Just tell me."
Her face dead serious, she glanced at her phone again and yelped.
"C'mon, quick! I gotta head in!"
"Wasn't hiding it—just timing wasn't ripe. Since you're dying to know, fine, early preview."
I nodded at Kang Minjae. He got it, fishing his car keys from his pocket and jingling them.
"We going somewhere?"
"Figured it'd be an interview goldmine for you, Yun. Hate it? I can just tell you here. Oh, right, you said you gotta rush back..."
Before I finished, Yun Se-yeon cut in frantically.
"No, no, why stall? Let's go! Super excited. Where? Far? Long drive? Prep anything?"
We took Yun Se-yeon to the hospital where Jincheol was staying. I'd once asked Jincheol and his mom if they'd talk to a reporter—whatever it took to make Lee Hyeokmin pay, they'd said.
"Lawyer Cha!"
Jincheol's mom, watching news with him, spotted us and stood.
"And this is...?"
Mom and Jincheol eyed Yun Se-yeon curiously; she looked back the same.
"Iljungilbo's Yun Se-yeon. She's gonna run a piece on what Lee Hyeokmin did to Jincheol and what kind of kid he is."
Yun Se-yeon blinked in surprise but nodded, handing over her card.
"Yes, ma'am. I'll hear you out. Know Iljungilbo?"
"Of course! We subscribe at home."
For a long while, Yun Se-yeon recorded as Jincheol and his mom spilled everything. She'd jot notes now and then. Tomorrow's morning edition would likely blast Lee Hyeokmin's 137-spot plunge, shifting massive focus his way. The second evidence popped from Kim Hakseong's devices, expulsion and defendant status for the superintendent were inevitable. Just a matter of time.
And once the heat cooled a bit, dropping the school violence bomb—that was my plan. Blow the assault lid now, and it'd get buried under the leak frenzy, obvious as day.
"Heard it all. I'll time the article perfect so it doesn't get lost."
Wrapping up, Yun Se-yeon said goodbye to Jincheol's mom. Grateful, she thanked Yun repeatedly, then approached me and Kang Minjae.
"Thank you so much, Lawyer Cha. Seeing Lee Hyeokmin, the superintendent, principal... even that tutor all over the news? Shocked me silly. Before Jincheol's thing, I thought he was just this stellar top student hanging with my boy—thrilled, even."
Yun Se-yeon shot me a surprised glance at that. Ignoring her, I told the mom:
"Luck was on our side. Didn't expect that much from Lee Hyeokmin. But thanks to it, his evil's out, and he'll pay proper for what he did to Jincheol. Lucky break."
Tears welling, she nodded. She beckoned to Jincheol, propped against the bed.
"Jincheol, thank him properly."
Prodded, he gave an awkward smile, wiggling fingers poking from his cast.
"Really... thank you, Lawyer Cha."
"Hey, Jincheol, drop the 'lawyer'—call me uncle or something."
Kang Minjae waved it off, chuckling.
"...He's still my lawyer, though. Thanks, really."
"Not over yet. Long road ahead. You'll testify at Lee Hyeokmin's trial... civil suit too. You up for it?"
Jincheol rubbed his reddened nose, grinning.
"Yeah. Totally. I can do it. Really... I can."
Heading to the parking lot from the room, Yun Se-yeon, sorting notes quietly, suddenly asked:
"Lawyer Cha, but does your client know you blew open the Lee Hyeokmin leak?"
Kang Minjae just laughed at her question; I shrugged.
"I didn't do it."