Chapter 83
"Lawyer-nim, are you there?"
Three days after assigning the task to Taesik, he showed up at the office again without any prior contact.
"Taesik!"
Kang Minjae, who had been preparing to head out right on time, greeted him warmly. Seeing him welcome the interruption to his strict quitting time like that, it seemed even Kang was showing signs of workaholism.
"I was just about to leave—if you'd been even a little later, the place would've been empty."
Kang plopped down on the sofa opposite Taesik, who had sprawled out with a grin. My business was with the NIS agent, so he'd probably brought the investigation results on Im Hyung-oh. The way he tracked my approach with that beaming smile made him look like a dog begging for praise.
"Found Im Hyung-oh?"
"Of course. But man, his condition's a real mess."
Taesik set the document envelope on the table as he spoke. Kang Minjae quickly dumped out the contents. Inside were papers with Im Hyung-oh's personal details and a few photos. They'd already dug up more than enough on his background, but the photos were something else.
As Taesik had warned about his poor state, the man in the pictures looked nothing like the ones we'd seen before.
"Gambling addict. Gangwon Land regular."
"Huh, that's a far cry from what Jeong Youngjun told us."
Ever since we'd tipped him off that we suspected Im Hyung-oh, Jeong Youngjun had called occasionally to insist the guy was innocent. He must have been some kind of trusted line of defense in Jeong's circle. There was even a hint of desperation in Jeong's voice when he vouched for him.
"A hardworking guy with no greed for money, great personality, no chasing luck—and he's glued to Gangwon Land? That's one hell of a gap."
I recalled the image of Im Hyung-oh that Jeong Youngjun had painted. Taesik's findings painted the complete opposite. Setting aside the hardworking and nice-guy parts, someone without a thirst for money or luck getting hooked on gambling? It was almost comical.
"Current whereabouts?"
"Motel near Gangwon Land. He was pawning a watch at a pawnshop this afternoon. Owner says he's a top-tier regular. Not long ago, he tried to pawn a duck-down jacket he bought for 200,000 won, whining that it should count for something since he had nothing else."
In the photos, Im Hyung-oh had sunken eyes and disheveled hair. His emaciated frame, like he hadn't eaten in ages, evoked the image of a skeleton.
"He's been living at the motel on credit, but looks like even that's running out. Owner says if he's someone you know, take him off my hands after covering the overdue rent. Can you believe it?"
Taesik shook his head in disbelief.
"How long has he been a fixture at Gangwon Land?"
"Asked around—the longest anyone remembers is a year. No one knows the full story. Oh, and that pasta place they ran together? Viva Pasta? It shut down about two years after Jeong Youngjun left."
"Viva Pasta."
"Biba Pasta or whatever."
Jeong Youngjun had said Im Hyung-oh kept the business going with loans even after he left. Since they'd each invested half, suddenly having to cover Jeong's share with debt might've made it unsustainable. With prime real estate near Korea University, high rents could've sealed the deal. Not impossible.
But would that breed enough resentment toward Jeong Youngjun? Sure, he might resent the guy for suddenly becoming a chaebol son-in-law and bailing on their partnership. But enough to produce and spread a sex video? Doubtful.
Besides, the business folded two years after Jeong's marriage, while the video surfaced seven years later. Five years is plenty of time for something else to happen.
Maybe not.
"Oh, the most important part—I almost forgot. Word is, Im Hyung-oh badmouths Jeong Youngjun everywhere he goes."
"Badmouths Jeong Youngjun?"
"Yeah. Pawnshop grandpa and even the Gangwon Land dealers know about it. But no one paid close attention. Asked what he says, and they just mumbled something about money."
"I see."
"Yeah. And as you'd expect, he's into private loans too. Principal was five million, now ballooned to about 100 million."
Jeong Youngjun had insisted nothing happened between them. It was over the phone, so I couldn't use my ability, but it didn't feel like a lie. If there'd been an incident, he wouldn't hide it—and he spoke too glowingly of the guy for someone covering tracks.
Still, he might be hiding something for some reason, or it could be a grudge Im Hyung-oh nursed alone. Even so, scraping by on illegal loans made it hard to imagine him hiring a crew for a video shoot.
"Either way, we need to meet him."
"Motel address is in the docs."
"Kang."
"Yeah?"
"Quitting time's canceled. We're heading to Gangwon-do."
"Gangwon-do makes me think of buckwheat noodles and potato pancakes right away. How about some noodles before we head down?"
"Whatever."
We parked in the motel lot Taesik had pointed out and went inside. The old man at the counter was glued to the TV, oblivious to our entrance.
Remembering Taesik's words that he knew Im Hyung-oh and wanted the overdue rent settled before we'd leave, I skipped the chit-chat and headed up the stairs.
Im Hyung-oh might be at the casino right now, or wandering the streets of Sabuk. Still, I knocked first.
"No answer. I kept calling on the way here—straight to voicemail."
Im Hyung-oh's phone was off. But that didn't mean he wasn't in. Taesik's crew had spotted him in Sabuk as recently as that afternoon. And he had every reason not to pick up—with the debt collectors hounding him hard.
Pawning even his duck-down parka suggested he was squeezing every last drop from a dry rag. He'd have begged friends and acquaintances too. Dozens of calls a day? Better to power it off.
"Hmm, no response. No other sounds either."
I pressed my ear to the door and waited, but nothing. Maybe he'd already left for the casino.
"Should I ask the counter grandpa if he saw him leave?"
The old guy was lost in TV land, but with overdue rent, he might be keeping an eye out.
"Go ask."
About ten minutes after Kang Minjae headed downstairs, we heard panting from below. He appeared with the old man, who looked surprisingly spry. Earlier, he'd seemed grumpy at a glance—must've had some good news.
"Lawyer, grandpa says he'll open the door for us!"
Kang Minjae stood beside me as he said it. The old man rummaged through his keyring forever before jamming the right one in.
"Hell yeah, you paid all the back rent—what can't I do for you? I'd fetch the stars from the sky if you asked."
"Ah, grandpa, we said we'd keep it quiet..."
Damn. Looked like Kang had eased the old man's biggest worry. I knew he threw money around easily, but this was reckless.
"Kang. I never told you to do it that way."
"He thought I was a debt collector and wouldn't spill until the rent was paid upfront. No choice..."
"Of course you're debt collectors! You think you're the first to ask me to open that door? All of 'em were. What if he wins a bit at the casino and pays those bastards off first? Rent comes before that!"
The old man nodded along with Kang's words as he flung the door open.
"Hey, you rotten bastard! Hiding in the wardrobe again?"
He strode into the dark room, flipped the light, and yanked open the wardrobe with demolition force. Piles of blankets tumbled out, along with the skeletal Im Hyung-oh.
The musty stench of unwashed linens hit us like a bonus.
"We found him, right? Worth the spend."
Kang Minjae grinned awkwardly, pointing at the man.
"Get the receipt for the motel fee."
"I'll cover it from my pocket. Wasn't cleared with you first."
"Get the receipt."
I emphasized it again as I approached Im Hyung-oh. Even with the rent paid, the old man's grudge lingered—he was still cursing at him. I shooed the old man out first.
"Fuck, no money, you bastards!"
I grabbed the collar of Im Hyung-oh, who bolted during the distraction. Nearly let him slip away.
"We've got something to ask you."
"What? Checking my bank balance? Zero! Not a dime! But who the hell are you new faces? Think I'd fall for fresh faces? Who you trying to fool, idiots?"
Skin and bones as he was, I could've subdued him without Kang's help.
"Not here for debt. Just questions. We're lawyers."
"Lawyers? Ah, so Boss Baek finally sued me? Shit, what now? I already filed bankruptcy. Nyah nyah, fuckers."
"Im Hyung-oh."
"What!"
"We're here about Jeong Youngjun. Not interested in your debts."
Im Hyung-oh, who had been flicking his tongue in a childish taunt, clamped his mouth shut at the name.
"Who?"
"Jeong Youngjun. From Yangjin Group."