《Desire》
Chapter 1 - Do You Believe In Love? (1)
Chapter 1: Do You Believe In Love? (1)
"Cha Jiyeon! You call yourself a prosecutor?"
Department Chief Lee¡¯s voice boomed in front of her.
She disliked it when people tried to keep her down, so Jiyeon answered boldly.
"Yes. I am a prosecutor."
"Not that I see. You¡¯re not one."
She wanted to push her ID card in his face.
The government of the Republic of Korea recognized her as a prosecutor. Who was he to deny that?
"Do you know why? The prosecution is an organization. A prosecutor has to keep their mouth shut for the organization!"
"I open my mouth for the organization too."
"You bitch!"
He was on the verge of striking Jiyeon.
A sexual harassment scandal had swept the prosecutors¡¯ office, plunging it into chaos.
Jiyeon was the witness, and her superior, Department Chief Lee Docheol, was the perpetrator.
She saw with her own eyes the incident atst week¡¯s dinner party.
There the department chief groped the rear of a young woman who recently became a prosecutor.
The terrified woman protested, but he gave a drunkenugh and continued his advances on her.
She was new to being a prosecutor, and the woman felt helpless about her situation until Jiyeon officially brought up the issue.
¡¯I saw it with my own eyes.¡¯
It wasn¡¯t easy convincing people to believe her.
Lee said he couldn¡¯t remember the incident, and the Personnel Department kept trying to cover up the problem.
It was such a hopeless fight that even a junior prosecutor tried to stop her.
But it was a fight that had to be won.
It wasn¡¯t just a problem for one female prosecutor.
Jiyeon also felt vited by men¡¯s leery gazes while working at the prosecutors¡¯ office.
"Pretty prosecutor, huh?"
She¡¯d heard about these kind of shameless people before.
Even inw, even in the position of prosecutor, how many were subject to harassment just because they were women?
She had to fight this injustice.
Jiyeon took the situation in her own hands when she posted the name of the perpetrator on the bulletin board.
The entire office was thrown into turmoil when the media picked it up.
The Supreme Prosecutor¡¯s Office hurried to set up its own investigation to find out the truth, and Lee, who had been riding a sessful career, was facing the biggest setback of his life.
He began to intimidate and threaten Jiyeon.
"I¡¯m not the only one suffering here! What about the reputation of the prosecution! You¡¯re going to take back the allegations¨C"
"Well, I don¡¯t intend to retract my statement. It was you who shamed the prosecution."
"It¡¯s a problem than can be dealt with internally!"
"Is that so? If you had apologized from the beginning, would this have happened?"
"That is inconsequential... How can you not look sorry?"
"I¡¯m not sorry."
She meant it. Jiyeon was never sorry for these people.
Never to those who use their power and status to trample on the underprivileged.
She was not a prosecutor to look pretty for them; she was a prosecutor to punish them.
"You think I¡¯ll let this slide?"
Jiyeon did not shrink one bit. She was speaking the truth.
If she was afraid of this, she wouldn¡¯t have be a prosecutor in the first ce.
"If you¡¯re finished, I¡¯ll take my leave."
She bowed politely and left the department chief¡¯s office.
She felt his re like a dagger on her back.
....
That evening.
On her way home from work she stopped by a local bar.
She was a regr customer there, and the bushy-bearded owner would serve her a ss of draft beer and half a chicken for 10,000 won.
That was tonight¡¯s meal.
The TV on the wall red out the evening news.
"Eunseong Semiconductors¡¯ record-high performance led the nation¡¯s export growth this quarter. Thepany will reward its employees a record bonus..."
As Jiyeon watched the news anchor she drank deeply from her beer ss thenmented to herself.
"Hmph. Being a Eunseong employee would be nice. A record bonus."
"Don¡¯t prosecutors get bonuses?"
the owner, who heard Jiyeon, asked.
"Huh...what¡¯s a bonus? The name of a chicken?"
Jiyeon grumbled.
For her, having a bonus was like having a boyfriend.
It was what others had but she didn¡¯t.
The bonus was due to the nature of her job, but it was tragic to not have a boyfriend.
Still, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to have a romance.
There was no time, no chance to meet, and men who sometimes met her for drinks felt intimidated by her job as a prosecutor.
Moreover, a terrible trauma nine years ago caused her to distrust men and close the door to her heart.
When she arrived home to her apartment she took a shower, then rolled on to her bed to watch a drama.
Bzzzzt ¨C She almost screamed at the buzzing of her cellphone.
She was wound up too tight.
It was her big brother.
When she was younger he was her strong ck knight who defended her from the other bullies.
Her brother Ji-uk wasn¡¯t as smart as Jiyeon, but he was well-liked.
It was after their parents¡¯ divorce when he started falling down the wrong path.
When he was in high school he always got into trouble because of fighting, drinking, and smoking.
He said that he would not go to college and would just enter into his senior¡¯s loan shark business.
Since then her brother¡¯s life became twisted.
Jiyeon tried to set him on the right path in any way, but it wasn¡¯t easy.
He was a troublemaker, and he had to be taken care of like a younger brother or son.
She looked at her brother¡¯s message.
-Jiyeon. There¡¯s something strange, please call me.
Her brother¡¯s voice had always been her support, yet after Jiyeon became a prosecutor he would often call with impure intentions.
Mostly, he was attempting pass off his work as the "prosecutor¡¯s brother."
He would do odd jobs that sometimes bordered on criminality.
When it was something serious he would leave a message like this instead of making a phone call.
-There¡¯s something I need you to see.
-I have someone to introduce you to.
¨C There¡¯s an item and I need your help...
It was not something she should be involved with as a prosecutor.
At one time, he sold Jiyeon¡¯s name to a prostitution business owner.
Jiyeon, normally apassionate person, was furious.
"You want to see me take off my clothes? For goodness¡¯ sake, wake up. Stop hanging around with shady people. Just work honestly and make money. Sell my name again and I¡¯ll be angry with you!"
They had fallen out of touch after that.
She wanted to make up for it...
Jiyeon sighed and put her phone down.
She fell asleep listening to the Bulletproof boy band, soothing her tired heart.
Had her whole day really exhausted her that much?
Morning was waiting at the end of her sweet sleep.
Chapter 2 - Do You Believe In Love? (2)
Chapter 2: Do You Believe In Love? (2)
The next morning. The vi of Seo Geon-u, chairman of the Eunseong Group.
Jeongsun, who was in charge of the chairman¡¯s meals, arrived to work at 7:10 am.
It was almost the same time when Chairman Seo got up.
Jeongsun¡¯s first order of the day was to make the boss¡¯ favorite Tanzanian coffee.
However, it was almost eight o¡¯clock in the morning and he hadn¡¯t appeared yet.
Chairman Seo, who stayed at the vi for a few days every month, always came out to the living room like clockwork to check the news.
For the first time she felt troubled.
At eight o¡¯clock she couldn¡¯t wait anymore, so she knocked on the bedroom door.
"Chairman."
She called out carefully, but there was no answer.
The bedroom door opened a sliver.
Did he sleep with the door open?
"Chairman, are you awake?"
She pushed open the door a little more.
"Chairman?"
When there was no answer, she walked in despite feeling rude about the intrusion.
Chairman Seo was sleeping peacefully on the bed.
"He must have been very tired."
She drew up his nkets to cover him, but when her hand brushed against his chest¨C!
"Oh my God!"
Chairman Seo¡¯s body was cold to the touch.
*
Seoul Central District Prosecutor¡¯s Office.
Jiyeon looked at theinant sitting opposite of her.
Her eyes were sharp as she scrutinized every detail of her subject.
He had a cast on his leg and was dressed in mountain-climbing clothes.
A pair of crutches leaned against the table.
He was the victim of a traffic ident. Until now.
"So, did you agree to settle?"
"Yes. Yesterday Kim Heejeong expressed her intention to reach an agreement."
¡°Women shouldn¡¯t drive since they don¡¯t look behind them and changenes haphazardly. They don¡¯t even know what the rear is. Even for shameless people, isn¡¯t it a little too shameless? I need to make a living. Even after four weeks of hospital care I have not been offered a word of apology. I¡¯m a nice man though, so I¡¯ll just agree."
"Things have changed. We won¡¯t settle."
"What? I thought you decided to settle yesterday?"
"Yes. But we¡¯re not settling today."
"What do you mean?"
"I am very impressed with you, Oh Sangbong. You were able to efficiently find a hospital, file a im, then drive an agreement. So I did a little research."
Jiyeon had been looking into the situation for the past several days and carefully arranged her research in front of Sangbong.
"Oh Sangbong. You have a very extensive ident record. Did you really receive 230 million won from insurance and injurypensation? You make more than me. Eleven idents per year? That means you were hit by a car almost every month. Tell me, why do cars target Oh Sangbong when the average person won¡¯t even get hit once in their life?"
Sangbong suddenly became uneasy.
"Ah... I don¡¯t have much luck in these weak bones of mine..."
"No luck in the weak bones?"
Jiyeon held up her phone and showed Sangbong his social media profile.
"You were hit by cars over thirty times... and yet you regrly enjoy hiking and fishing. Are you Superman?"
Sangbong looked at the picture of himself smiling on the summit of Jirisan.
He was cornered.
What kind of prosecutor was this meticulous? Didn¡¯t she have anything better to do? It was only a traffic ident.
"I will tell Kim Heejeong, who is used by you, Oh Sangbong, my opinion. This is a typical insurance fraud case, and starting tomorrow we will open an official investigation."
Sangbong fell to his knees.
"Prosecutor! It¡¯s not like that. We don¡¯t have to settle. I just¡ª"
"ording to insurance fraudw you have to forfeit the insurance and settlement money you have received so far. Have you used it yet?"
"Please, prosecutor..."
He began to beg.
Jiyeon¡¯s expression did not change. She kept her re on him.
¡®This is too good to be true. I could cry. Evildoers are good at begging. They write letters of apology and still eat well despite the bad things they have done...¡¯
She was having these bitter thoughts to herself when there was a knock.
It was a clerk from the administrative office.
Jeongho was a bear-sized, gentle-looking man, and he didn¡¯t usually interrupt her.
"What is it?"
"The chief prosecutor wants to see you. Can youe quickly?"
Jiyeon let a sigh escape from her mouth.
She didn¡¯t know if this time she would be threatened or reprimanded or pardoned...
She had to hang in there. She hade so far.
.
.
.
The office of Chief Public Prosecutor Han Junggwon at the Seoul Central District Public Prosecutors¡¯ Office.
Jiyeon was quiet with a stiff expression.
The chief prosecutor did not bother hiding his displeasure.
Department Chief Lee, who was used of sexual harassment, was one of his favored subordinate prosecutors.
"Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon. Why don¡¯t you reconsider one more time?"
Jiyeon was appalled.
"You want me to change my statement? You want me to reconcile with the department chief? Wouldn¡¯t it be right for the chief prosecutor take the lead in punishing perpetrators?"
¡°It¡¯s not a reconciliation¨C¡±
The chief prosecutor¡¯s sentence was interrupted by a phone ringing.
It was the hotline that connected the branch office of the National District Prosecutor¡¯s office and the National Police Agency.
A red bulb informed him that the call was from the Incheon Police Agency.
"What is it..."
The chief prosecutor answered the call.
"This is Han Junggwon. Yes. Yes? What? Really?"
As he was talking on the phone his face turned ashen.
"This is... Okay. I will report it directly to the prosecutor general."
Jiyeon¡¯s intuition told her something was wrong. As soon as he hung up the phone she addressed him.
"What happened?"
"Well, the situation is... Chairman Seo Geon-u is dead."
"What? Chairman Seo Geon-u of Eunseong Group? How?"
"Heart attack. He was found dead at a vi in Incheon. They called right away because the address is in our jurisdiction."
Jiyeon quickly checked her phone for any news articles.
"The media outlets haven¡¯t found out yet."
"I have to report this to the prosecutor general soon."
As soon as the chief prosecutor attempted to use the hotline, the bulb lit up again.
This time it was the prosecutor general¡¯s office.
What? He was just about to call him. Did he hear it from another route?
The chief prosecutor cleared his throat with a cough and picked up the phone.
"Chief Prosecutor! Did you hear?"
"Yes, I heard... Wait, what do you mean? Murder case?"
Murder?
Chapter 3 - Do You Believe In Love? (3)
Chapter 3: Do You Believe In Love? (3)
The chief prosecutor shook his head.
"It¡¯s not a murder, it¡¯s a heart attack. I was immediately contacted by the Incheon Police Agency."
"What are you talking about? Incheon? The crime scene is Nonhyun-dong!"
The crime scene? Nonhyun-dong? What...did she hear that wrong?
"You mean Eunseong Group Chairman Seo?"
"Yes, the murder of Vice Chairman Minhyeok!¡±
Vice Chairman Minhyeok was Seo Geon-u¡¯s eldest son and his sessor.
"What? Seo Minhyeok? Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok was murdered?"
"Who else are you talking about?"
"I heard that the father, Chairman Seo Geon-u, was dead. Not the victim of murder but of a heart attack... That what the Incheon police chief had said..."
"Ah..."
She heard the prosecutor general sigh.
A chill sprang up the spine of the chief prosecutor.
"Hey, hey, hey! This situation is huge. Find out what¡¯s going on right now!"
"Yes, Prosecutor General!"
The chief prosecutor¡¯s hand shook as he put the phone down.
Unless the Incheon police chief was ying a joke or the Prosecutor General was given a false report...
Last night the vice chairman of the Eunseong Group died.
Someone had murdered him and his father died of a heart attack.
Even after nearly thirty years of numerous cases, where he started as a lowly prosecutor then ascended to the second-highest post in the district, this was the first time he face something this monumental.
This would be an earthquake that would shake the Korean business world.
His pupils trembled as if impacted by a magnitude 10 shock.
Jiyeon¡¯s heart was also pounding.
"This going to be a pain in the ass...ahhh..."
The chief prosecutor, who was reluctant to say anything else, looked at Jiyeon.
"Prosecutor Cha. We need to set up a special investigation team right away. You will be the junior member."
"Me?"
She was in shock. There was a whole line of prosecutors who would fight to take on this megaton-ss case.
She was hardly an elite prosecutor, and wasn¡¯t she the one that caused the office to fall into chaos?
Was this part of a game?
She couldn¡¯t directly ask him that.
Her stomach twisted. It was an order and she had to obey.
Jiyeon took several deep breaths.
"What about the Eunseong Group? And who is the sessor after the vice chairman?"
"The oldest son is dead... Who is next to inherit thepany? The house isplicated. There¡¯s a family tree somewhere..."
The chief prosecutor opened up a file of the Eunseong Group family tree on theputer monitor.
Numerous family members were intertwined with each other, giving a brief glimpse into theirplex private lives.
The chief prosecutor pointed to one of them with his finger.
"Seo Minho. He¡¯s the younger brother of the now deceased Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok."
The district prosecutor erged his image with a click of his mouse.
He was dressed in a stylish suit, and had well-groomed hair and chiseled features like a Greek statue.
Unlike the other solemn portraits of the other businessmen, this man had a cheerful smile.
"Is he the second generation of the conglomerate family? He looks like a movie star or model."
"Handsome, yes? All the children of the Eunseong Group are good-looking. Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok was as well."
"Seo Minhyeok is well-known among the public...I¡¯ve never seen Seo Minho before though. I thought the next youngest brother was Seo Minseok, president of the Eunseong Motors."
"Seo Minseok is the third son. His mother is different from his half-brother Minhyeok. He was born by the chairman¡¯s second wife.¡±
The chief prosecutor pulled up the face of Minseok on the monitor.
Minseok was just as famous as his older brother, Minhyeok.
Eunseong Motors became one of the world¡¯s top 10 carpanies due to his aggressive management style, and the Eunseong Foundation became popr for its social contribution projects.
"So the second son, Seo Minho, is in management business."
"It seems so. Officially, Minho is the head of Eunseong Food which oversees the restaurant chain. Sales are in the hundreds of billions of won, but it¡¯s a small businesspared to his brothers. Instead."
The chief prosecutor put Minho¡¯s face on the monitor again.
"He¡¯s a famous socialite. I believe he¡¯s nicknamed the Prince of Night. He owns several clubs in Gangnam and Itaewon that are considered the best. In his 20s he often had scandals with celebrities but these days its quiet. He¡¯s seemed to have matured."
Come to think of it, Jiyeon remembered seeing an entertainment article about Eunseong¡¯s rtionship with an actress a couple years ago.
"Anyway, for now the second or third sons Seo Minho and Seo Minseok are the likeliest to inherit Eunseong Group."
"In other words...which one would benefit the most from this situation?"
The chief prosecutor did not answer.
Jiyeon stared at the smiling face of Seo Minho on the monitor.
Chapter 4 - Do You Believe In Love? (4)
Chapter 4: Do You Believe In Love? (4)
The same time. Jamwong-dong Tierra House.
Minho was asleep in the bedroom of a luxurious vi overlooking the Han River from the south end of the Hannam Bridge.
Sunlight criss-crossed through the curtains and cast a beam of light over his handsome features.
A nket skimmed the outline of his muscr body.
The sound of his phone and the doorbell ringing at the same time startled him awake.
"What¨C"
he grumbled as he checked his phone and saw the number of his secretary.
"What¡¯s going on?"
"Sir! Something urgent!"
The hysterical tones of the secretary was a sharp contrast to Minho¡¯s sleep-sluggish voice.
"Did an alien show up?"
"I¡¯m at the door now. Please open up!"
"My door?"
"Yes!"
Minhonguidly pulled himself out of bed.
He was naked except for his underwear, and his youthful and fit body was built like a sculpture.
He pulled a robe from under his bed and draped it over himself before he went to the front door.
As soon as he opened it the secretary immediately rushed in.
"Sir! The chairman...the vice chairman..."
"Are you talking about my father or my brother? Stop crying and tell me."
"The both of them...they¡¯re gone!"
Minho¡¯s face stiffened.
"Say it again. What?"
"The chairman and vice chairmanst night...both of them passed away."
Minho stood there nkly without any hint of a tremor.
He closed his eyes and didn¡¯t say a word.
The secretary looked up at him.
Seo Minho was acting strange.
He was too calm for someone who had just heard of his parent¡¯s death.
He didn¡¯t even ask where and how he died.
¡¯Did he know this would happen?¡¯
*
Jiyeon started her work on the case before the Central District Prosecutors¡¯ special investigation team was put together.
She went to observe the autopsies of Chairman Seo Geon-u and Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok.
She rode the car of a police investigator and headed to Sinwol-dong.
The examinations were to take ce at the Seoul branch of the National Forensic Service.
Jiyeon, who had attended several autopsies before, abstained from eating lunch.
The sight of a scalpel cutting through a dead man¡¯s body was not something she could get used to.
The police investigator stayed on the first floor due to the limited number of people allowed to visit the office, and Jiyeon took the elevator alone.
It would be inconceivable to see the bodies of the chairman and vice chairman of thergest Korean conglomerate lie side by side.
She couldn¡¯t believe it until she saw it herself.
Even though she wasn¡¯t even near the autopsy room yet, her palms were sweating.
Easy. Stay calm.
The elevator door was about to close.
"Please hold a moment."
A man¡¯s hand came in and pushed opened the elevator door again.
"My apologies."
The man bowed low then stood upright.
The scent of his unknown cologne drifted in the air.
Jiyeon looked at the man who stood a head taller than her.
"Oh!"
Jiyeon gave a small gasp of recognition.
It was Seo Minho.
The second son, the Prince of the Night, the one who may be the new heir of the Eunseong Group.
He apparently came to see the autopsy as a representative of the family.
She felt as if she was being rude as she stared at his face...
Minho also looked back at her.
His eyes were deep pools of an emotion that she found difficult to describe.
It was an expression like a mixture of sorrow and yfulness.
She tried to avoid to his heavy gaze but then,
"Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon. It¡¯s been a long time."
¡®What? I don¡¯t even have my prosecutor¡¯s badge on. How does he know my name?¡¯
Jiyeon was unnerved.
¡®It¡¯s been a long time? Have they met before? ¡®
she wondered.
"Do you know me?"
Instead of replying with an answer, Minho responded with a question.
"Do you believe in love?"
Did she believe in love? What kind of ridiculous question was that?!
And right now of all times!
How could he ask something like that when he was about to watch the autopsies of his dead father and brother, both who died just the night before?
"You¡¯re asking me?"
Jiyeon said cautiously.
Minho looked around the six-person elevator.
"Who else is here besides the two of us? A ghost?"
"Then what do you mean ¡¯do I believe in love?¡¯"
"That was thest question you asked me."
"What?"
"You really don¡¯t remember."
Minho regarded Jiyeon with a deep sadness.
"I knew you for over a year, did you really forget about it?"
A white fog started to cloud Jiyeon¡¯s mind.
Were she and this man lovers? For more than a year?
Then why didn¡¯t she...
Chapter 5 - Summer, 9 Years Ago (1)
Chapter 5 ¨C Summer, 9 Years Ago (1)
The chairman and the vice chairman of Korea''srgest conglomerate died on the same day.
This crisis prompted the police and prosecutors'' office to immediately establish a special investigation team.
Second-inmand Chief Prosecutor Han Junggwon of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors'' Office would directly handle the team himself.
After considering who would to appoint as the team leader, he called in Department Chief Prosecutor Hyeon Ganghun.
Hyeon Ganghun had been promoted at an early age to the position.
He graduated as a top student of Seoul National University School of Law and was an ace prosecutor, having been involved in several serious cases.
His slender body, pale skin, and gentle eyes that aroused one''s protective instincts earned him the reputation as the Jung Woo-sung* of the prosecutors'' office. He was clueless about it.
Among the bachelors in the prosecution office, he was the one who was most admired.
The chief prosecutor spoke to Prosecutor Hyeon.
"Hyeon pro. You will need the utmost vignce for this case."
"Pro" was an informal name the prosecutors sometimes called each other, from the English word "prosecutor."
"Yes, sir. I''ll do my best."
"I''ll add more people if necessary. I sent the junior member to observe the autopsy examination today."
"Who is the junior member?"
"Cha Jiyeon."
"That Cha Jiyeon?"
Ganghun''s eyes gleamed from beneath his naturally messy bangs when he heard her name.
"Why? Is she a problem?"
"No, it''s fine."
Ganghun, who was lost in thought for a moment, looked around.
"She may be a good asset. I''ve heard people say she''s very meticulous about her cases."
¡°Yes, I agree. So be nice to the junior member."
In fact, it wasn''t just because of her work ethic that prompted the chief prosecutor to add her to the team.
As the junior member she would have to do the grunt work, bearing the burden of running around ce to ce like a madman.
He hoped that she would be too busy to pursue the sexual harassment case and the allegations would soon be forgotten.
It would have been a setback if Hyeon Ganghun didn''t want Jiyeon on the team, but the chief prosecutor was relieved the events worked in his favor.
"Is Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon at the National Forensic Service?"
The chief prosecutor nced at the wall clock.
"She may have arrived by now."
Ganghun thought for a moment.
"When does the autopsy take ce?"
"It should be in about an hour."
Once again, Ganghun''s keen eyes seemed to sparkle.
"I''ll go as well."
He stood up from his seat.
"What? You want to see the autopsy exam yourself?"
Senior prosecutors usually received the autopsy reports, so Ganghun''s insistence was unexpected.
"If I leave right now I won''t bete."
Ganghun bowed and left the chief prosecutor''s office.
The chief prosecutor grunted under his breath as he watched to door close.
"Nice work, boy."
He exhaled a long sigh.
His mind was a whirlwind of worry.
In addition to this problem, his rtionship with the Eunseong Group was troubling him.
Thepany was well-known for making bold investments, aggressively using theirrge amounts of capital to their advantage.
Their interests lie not only in business, but in lobbying as well, and the prosecutors'' offices were one area they turned their attention to.
They weren''t interested in the entire organization, however.
Only the so-called "promising prosecutors" who rose to powerful positions could form ties with the Eunseong Group.
He, Han Junggwon, was one of those people.
Since then Eunseong Group had gifted him massive benefits: airline ticket upgrades, membership in luxury hotels, and sometimes even cash outright.
In other words, the Eunseong Group Schrship.
Receiving money and privileges from certainpanies was a punishable offense, of course. The prosecutors did not talk to each other openly about it, but it was clear there were a few who received these "schrships".
In the event of an incident involving Eunseong Group, the investigation was to be conducted in the best interests of thepany.
Now the chairman was dead.
And his sessor.
There was chaos in the prosecutors'' offices and in all areas of society.
The chief prosecutor, who had a close rtionship with the chairman and vice chairman, no longer knew where to throw his allegiance.
Who will im Eunseong?
It was just as important a question as who killed Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok.
TN: Jung Woo-Sung is a famous Korean actor
Chapter 6 - Summer, 9 Years Ago (2)
Chapter 6 ¨C Summer, 9 Years Ago (2)
At the same time when the chief prosecutor was lost in thought, Jiyeon was wrestling with a dilemma of her own.
She only just met Seo Minho in this elevator.
And they¡¯ve known each other for over a year?
No matter how hard she tried she could never recall ever meeting this man.
This was the first time she¡¯d actually seen him!
"Do you mean I was your girlfriend?"
She didn¡¯t get a chance to receive an answer.
At that moment the elevator door opened.
"Are you Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon?"
It was a National Forensic Service staff member sent to greet her.
"Yes. Pleased to meet you."
"Ah, President Seo Minho."
The staff member bowed to him.
"My condolences to you and your family."
Minho politely bowed back.
Only after seeing this exchange did Jiyeon realize something.
She really didn¡¯t know if she dated Minho for over a year or why he seemed to believe that.
But his words, actions, and expressions in the elevator...
It was like he never lost his brother in father in one night.
What if...
She felt her hair prick on the back of her neck.
Jiyeon began to observe Minho with apletely different perspective than before.
She stared at the back of his head as he walked along the hallway with the staff member.
His gait was smooth and confident.
This was like a man going out for something to eat, not to see the bodies of his father and brother.
With his pressed suit, ssy tie, and polished shoes that matched his outfit...he looked like a fashion show model.
Not a man who rushed out in a hurry.
They arrived at the office, Jiyeon¡¯s gaze still fixed on Minho.
There was paperwork to sign before the autopsy.
"Hello. I¡¯m Lee Myeongse, director of the National Forensic Service."
Director Lee greeted both Jiyeon and Minho at the same time.
This case was so important it required his appearance.
"I¡¯m sure you have many things to attend to, but thank you for your personal attention in this matter,"
Minho greeted politely.
The director bowed again before Minho.
"It must havee as a terrible shock to you. We hope the autopsy will help us catch the criminal and ease the pain of the family."
"Thank you. By the way, is it necessary to examine my father¡¯s body? Even with a heart attack?"
"It may be a heart attack, but we don¡¯t know the exact causes. We have to rule out the involvement of outside parties."
"I see."
Minho nodded calmly then turned his head to the side.
He caught the gaze of Jiyeon who was observing him.
"Ah¨C"
Jiyeon said in surprise.
She felt like she was caught peeking. No, not just a feeling but the truth.
Minho tilted his head at her.
"Why are you so surprised every time you see me?"
"I¡¯m sorry."
She bowed her head, her cheeks glowing.
She would figure out his identity in the future, but her first impression was that he wasn¡¯t rude.
Appearance, eyes, tone, and everything were overwhelming to an opponent.
Was it the charisma of the conglomerate family?
In reality, that was how Jiyeon thought after meeting a one for the first time.
And what were the strange words he said earlier?
"Do you believe in love?" "That was thest question you asked me."
"I knew you for over a year, did you really forget about it?"
No matter how much she tried to remember the past, she had no recollection of having been his lover.
No, she had never met him! Ever!
She had to concentrate on the autopsy. This was the biggest job of her life.
She was getting her thoughts in order when,
"Brother!"
The office door burst open and a man rushed in.
His hair was disheveled and hecked a tie with his suit jacket, but Jiyeon recognized the surprise visitor right away.
Seo Minseok. President of Eunseong Motors. The third son of Chairman Seo Geon-u.
It was only today that she had heard that Seo Minseok and Seo Minho were born from different mothers.
This man could end up as the sessor to Eunseong Group.
Which means...this man could also benefit from these murders.
"You¡¯re here."
Minho moved to shake hands, but Minseok pulled him in for a hug instead.
"How could this happen? Brother...how could this be!"
Tears poured out of his eyes.
The sight of it made Jiyeon¡¯s chest clench.
Yes. This was normal.
Their family members died overnight, and it was normal to cry like this.
Even the president of the biggest carpany in Korea wasn¡¯t immune from such emotions.
Minseok had been hugging Minho for a while, mucus dripping from his nose.
Minho¡¯s t expression was a dramatic contrast to Minseok¡¯s.
When Minseok finally calmed down the director handed them some documents.
"If it¡¯s possible we¡¯d like to begin the examination soon. We need both of your signatures as representatives of the family."
Eight people were involved in the autopsy.
A forensic doctor, the two Seo brothers, two outside doctors designated by the family, two detectives from the Gangnam police station, and Cha Jiyeon from the Public Prosecutors¡¯ Office.
After all the paperwork was signed, the group headed to the examination room when someone rushed in the corridor.
"Wait!¡±
Another man appeared.
He was wearing a suit jacket that was half falling off, a sleek tie, and matching shoes.
He ran in front of the group going to the examination room and bowed and introduced himself.
"I¡¯m Hyeon Ganghun from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors¡¯ Office. I¡¯m in charge of the special team investigating this case. I look forward to working with you."
Then he said politely,
"I will do my best in the investigation to ease the suffering of the family."
Minho and his brother Minseok expressed their gratitude.
"Prosecutor! Please catch the killer!"
Minseok grabbed Ganghun¡¯s hand.
"Yes, we will."
Ganghun turned to greet Jiyeon.
"This is our first time meeting, sir. It¡¯s Cha Jiyeon."
"Ah. I heard from the chief prosecutor. I look forward to working with you."
He gave her a gentlemanly smile.
Jiyeon suddenly knew why Ganghun was nicknamed the Jung Woo-sung of the prosecutors¡¯ office.
"Very well, then please sign here."
With Ganghun¡¯s final signature the pre-autopsy procedures were finallypleted.
Chapter 7 - Summer, 9 Years Ago (3)
Chapter 7 ¨C Summer, 9 Years Ago (3)
Nine people filed into the examination room.
There were two metal beds in a spacious area that looked simr to an operating room.
Two bodies were covered with white sheets.
They were the father and son, the chairman and vice chairman, and their bodies had be cold overnight.
They were ready for the scalpel.
¡¯This is life and death.¡¯
Jiyeon exhaled, dread gnawing at her insides.
The forensic doctor stood beside the bodies with a tray of medical equipment.
"If you could please identify the body."
The sheet was pulled away from one of metal beds.
Underneath was Seo Geon-u, who looked as if he were peacefully asleep.
"Father!"
Minseok began to tremble uncontrobly.
The forensic doctor also removed the sheet covering the body of Seo Minhyeok.
"Oh¨C"
A shocked gasp rippled through the group, including Jiyeon.
Unlike Seo Geon-u¡¯s serene expression, Seo Minhyeok¡¯s face was gruesomely disfigured.
His face bore the signs of extreme agony at the time of his death.
There was arge gash extending from his forehead down to his left cheek and chin.
The wound was so awful that you would wish you were dead.
What the hell happened?
"Brother...Minhyeok..."
Minseok sobbed, and his trembling body couldn¡¯t support him anymore and he sat down, unable to contain his grief.
Jiyeon nced at Minho¡¯s face.
He had said strange things in the elevator, but here his jaw was clenched tight.
He did not show as much expression as Minseok, but it also looked like grief.
¡®What? Is that supposed to be a sad face?¡¯
She had to observe him more. The investigation was now.
Cha Jiyeon would take control of this.
"Seo Geon-u and Seo Minhyeok, is that correct?"
The forensic doctor omitted their titles and asked their names as shown on their resident registration.
"Yes...that¡¯s right, my father! My brother can confirm it!"
Minseok cried.
Minho also nodded, his lips calm.
"The family members have been identified. We¡¯ll begin the autopsy on Seo Geon-u first."
The forensic doctor picked up a sharp scalpel.
Jiyeon¡¯s fist was clenched tight.
*
The same time. Chief Prosecutor Han Junggwon ran to the prosecutor general¡¯s office for a private meeting.
"Have the autopsy resultse out yet?"
asked the prosecutor general.
"The autopsy is probably taking ce right now. The preliminary results wille out this afternoon. I requested the National Forensic Service toplete the final report as soon as possible."
"No suspects yet?"
"No. We are still investigating the murder scene."
"We need to resolve this quickly. Look at this. This is a mess.
The prosecutor general pointed to a TV screen on the wall of the office.
"The Tragedy of the Eunseong Group: What¡¯s Inside?"
After the news broke thirty minutes ago, all the the broadcasting stations and portal websites had headlines about the death of the father and son of the Eunseong Group.
The death of Chairman Seo Geon-u was top news itself, but his eldest son¡¯s death on the same day shocked the public.
At this moment, the crime scene was being examined at the same time the autopsy was being conducted.
They didn¡¯t have any information yet, but the details of the case would soon be revealed.
The circumstances were so shocking and abnormal that the prosecution felt pressure to solve the case as soon as possible.
The chief prosecutor left the prosecutor general¡¯s office with heavy steps.
He was walking in the corridor when his cellphone rang. It was an unknown number.
He ignored it because he didn¡¯t want to take it unless it was an urgent call, but he called back right away.
The chief prosecutor spoke on his phone while he was moving.
"Hello."
"Chief Prosecutor Han Junggwon?"
It was the voice of a woman.
She had a clear and high tone, but he could sense her age and maturity in her voice.
"Yes, speaking?"
"I wanted to say hello to you in person, but I¡¯m sorry that it has to be by phone like this."
"Who is this?"
"My name is Jang Eun-a."
Chapter 8 - Summer, 9 Years Ago (4)
Chapter 8 ¨C Summer, 9 Years Ago (4)
Jang Eun-a? Who is Jang Eun-a?
Could it be that Jang Eun-a?
"If this is Jang Eun-a of Eunseong Group..."
"Yes, that is correct. I am the widow of Chairman Seo who died yesterday."
"Oh, I apologize for not recognizing you!"
The chief prosecutor stopped walking and adjusted his cellphone.
Jang Eun-a. An actress who was considered one of the the most beautiful women in Korea in the 1980s.
Ten years ago she shocked the world when at the age of thirty-nine she married Seo Geon-u, who was sixty years old.
It was her first marriage, and for Chairman Seo his third.
What was even more surprising was that after three years she became pregnant and gave birth!
It was also reported that Chairman Seo cherished his youngest son.
The child was now seven years old. He had also already inherited more than ten billion shares.
"I¡¯m deeply sorry for your loss. On behalf of the prosecution, I promise to conduct a thorough investigation."
"Thank you. I wanted to call because I imagine the investigation must be a lot of trouble for you."
Even though he couldn¡¯t see her face, he found her voice very alluring.
Roses were still called roses even after they withered.
On the times he saw her on TV as the wife of the chairman, she still overflowed with charm and elegant appeal.
"Thank you for your concern, ma¡¯am."
He made bow to Eun-a across the phone without realizing it, then caught himself and quickly straightened up in embarrassment.
"Oh, and..."
"Please, ma¡¯am. Anything you like. I will do all that I can to help."
"The investigation has just begun and I must be cautious, but...there¡¯s something I have to say."
The chief prosecutor¡¯s ears pricked to attention.
As the president¡¯s wife she would be an invaluable resource for inside information about thepany and the family.
Eun-a would talk to him first!
"Are you talking about the case?"
"You can say so."
The chief prosecutor swallowed.
"When will the autopsy results be released?"
"The preliminary report should be out just about now. We¡¯ll get the results soon."
"Contact me again when you receive the results."
"Yes, ma¡¯am!"
The chief prosecutor hung up the call and stood in the hallway for a long time.
The image of Eun-a, as he had seen her on television, came to mind.
The wife of one of the richest men in the world, now alone.
Could she possibly take over Eunseong Group?
What if...
The chief prosecutor shivered after that terrible thought.
.
.
.
The long autopsy was finally over.
The sounds of the cutting of flesh by medical instruments had been unbearable to listen to.
When the examination waspleted, Jiyeon¡¯s legs were shaking.
Everyone was looking at the forensic doctor.
The forensic doctor looked back and talked to the two other doctors who had performed the autopsy with him.
"I need to consult with the doctors. May the family members and investigators please be excused?"
Did something unusual happen?
Jiyeon was burning with curiosity, but she was forced to step out of the examination room with the others.
Prosecutor Hyeun Ganghun tapped her on the shoulder.
"That was tough. I¡¯ve never been through such a long autopsy before."
"Even you as a superior had a hard time."
"If the forensic doctor needs to consult the other doctors, perhaps something strange has been revealed?"
"My hands are sweating."
Jiyeon excused herself to go to the restroom and headed her way there.
She was about to turn a corner when she saw Minho going to the restroom as well.
He was a troublesome opponent, but she couldn¡¯t pass up this chance.
She lowered her voice and softly called out to him.
"President Seo Minho."
"Hmm?"
Minho, who had walked past her, turned his heel to her direction.
"What did you mean earlier? You said you knew me, and that we knew each other for over a year."
"Yes. That¡¯s right."
"No matter how hard I try, I can¡¯t remember it."
The gentle smile on Minho¡¯s face slipped away.
As they stood face-to-face Jiyeon felt worse.
His expression was both intense and fragile.
She felt like an invisible hand was squeezing her heart.
An ordinary women wouldn¡¯t have been able to make eye contact with his charisma, but Jiyeon was different.
She had dealt with criminals, murderers, gangsters, and all manner of terrible people.
She looked directly into Minho¡¯s eyes as if to interrogate him.
His red lips opened and the secret came out.
"One summer nine years ago."
Chapter 9 - The First Woman (1)
The gentle smile on Minho¡¯s face slipped away.
As they stood face-to-face Jiyeon felt worse.
His expression was both intense and fragile.
She felt like an invisible hand was squeezing her heart.
An ordinary women wouldn¡¯t have been able to make eye contact with his charisma, but Jiyeon was different.
She had dealt with criminals, murderers, gangsters, and all manner of terrible people.
She looked directly into Minho¡¯s eyes as if to interrogate him.
His red lips opened and the secret came out.
"One summer nine years ago."
.
.
.
It was the height of summer.
The sun was zing as if it were tearing apart the sky and the sea was brimming with people.
Haeundae Beach was teeming with tourists for the season.
However, Minho was far from such a crowded ce.
He was on a yacht with his friends.
One of them was the son of the man who owned the nation¡¯srgest shippingpany.
The hierarchy among the children of the conglomerate families naturally followed the ranking of thepanies.
Minho, the prince of the number one business Eunseong Group, was deemed the leader among his friends.
However, he did not care about the position.
He followed his friends on the yacht, but only half-heartedly.
They were lucky only because of their parents, he thought.
All of his friends were in their mid-twenties and would be taking the lead in their respectivepanies in a few years.
The subject made them nervous, and they moved on from talking about their businesses to talking about girls.
It was mostly about entertainers and other women from conglomerate families.
A guy said he met a sessful girl group member and bragged about introducing them to another member.
Another one of his friends contacted a model he knew in Busan, and soon after a group of them came up on the yacht.
"Wow! Thanks so much for inviting us here,"
a bikini-d girl enthused as they toured the luxurious yacht.
The men brought up bottles of expensive champagne.
Minho was bored.
The livelypany of his friends, theughter of the girls...
Even the sound of the champagne cap popping was boring.
Finally, Minho stood up from his seat.
"I¡¯m going to take motorboat out for a while."
He wanted to run the boat over the sea.
"It¡¯s getting stuffy in here for me too."
Dongsik followed Minho.
Dongsik was the sessor of DS Group, which manufactured boilers and heating systems and was nicknamed Grasshopper Boilers.
Although it was the number onepany in its industry, their friends made fun of Dongsik for being the "boiler house son."
So Minho rode the motorboat with him.
On the boat, his friend shouted,
"Oh, the wind feels great!"
Dongsik had a cheerful personality but he couldn¡¯t open up properly among his other friends.
Minho smiled as looked at the sea, then turned his head towards the beach.
He saw the crowd enjoying themselves as they swam there.
As Minho remembered the party on the yacht, he muttered,
"I¡¯d rather have fun on the beach."
Dongsik¡¯s eyes lit up.
"Shall we have fun there? Like ordinary people?"
Minho had never swam in the sea like that before.
As a child he stayed at a country vi owned by the Eunseong Group, and even after the age of 20 he vacationed at oversea resorts and other vis.
He would visit those ces with a girlfriend when he had one, or his friends, or in some cases alone.
He never swam among a crowd of people he didn¡¯t know.
His curiosity was piqued.
"Why not?"
So the both of them went to shore.
Minho docked the motorboat, then they went to the beach and rented an umbre.
He ran into the crowd and rode on the waves.
He felt a burst of joy at the sound of people enjoying themselves.
He let himself soak in the atmosphere of a life he never felt among his other friends.
"It¡¯s so fun to y like this."
Dongsik was beaming too.
It was also the first time Minho knew that he could have chicken and beer delivered to them on the beach.
After swimming in the ocean, he took a nap under the umbre shade and just like that, it was soon evening.
The darkened beach turned into a meeting spot for young people.
Groups of men and women would walk around and talk to each other, and there were scenes of people drinking together and engaging in conversation.
Minho felt content just watching them, but Dongsik had a different idea.
"Oh! Doesn¡¯t that look fun? Let¡¯s try it out too!"
"What?"
"Let¡¯s meet some girls."
"No thanks. That¡¯s bothersome."
Minho just wanted to take in the lively atmosphere of the beach.
"You don¡¯t have to walk around. Just wait."
Dongsik shrugged with his hands on his head then left to scour the beach.
He was tall and good-looking and could hold an easy conversation, and in a matter of minutes he came running back to Minho.
"Okay. Let¡¯s do it!"
Minho had no choice but to follow him.
Against the beautiful glowing horizon, two girls were sitting on the sand drinking beer.
They seemed to be rtively young.
They all greeted each other awkwardly.
Both girls were twenty years old and new university students.
Dongsik hid the fact that he was from a conglomerate family, and said he was a student as well.
Minho was inevitably roped in.
One of the girls was bubbly and had a bobbed haircut, while the other had long straight hair and wore no makeup.
Most of the conversation was led by Ju-eun, the girl with bobbed hair.
The girl with the long hair, Jiyeon, kept on drinking.
Chapter 10 - The First Woman (2)
Desire Ch. 10 ¨C The First Woman (2)
"Where do you want to get a job?"
"Me? I¡¯ll work for Grasshopper Boilers."
"Oh, that¡¯s unusual. Why there?"
"I keep track of its earnings and its prospects are bright. Everyone looks down on it as apany that makes boilers, but it owns 47% of the market. Last year it was 44%, but it grew by 3%."
"Wow. You know all the details."
Minho, who was listening to the conversation, tried to hold back his chuckle.
"And what about Minho?"
"I..."
Never in his life had he thought about employment.
He initially wanted to say that he would work for an affiliatedpany of Eunseong Group, but instead he said,
"I want to be a civil servant."
"Ah! So you want something stable. Civil servants are great though."
Dongsik asked,
"And what about you, Ju-eun?"
"I want to work for the Eunseong Group."
Dongsikughed and looked towards Minho.
"Talk to Minho about that then."
"Why?"
Minho red at him, but Dongsik evaded it.
"Minho¡¯s father is in the Eunseong Group. He¡¯s very high up."
"How high up is he? Director? Can you tell me?"
"Around the level of director?"
Dongsik nced at Minho.
"Wow, Minho, you must eat from gold spoon."
"The spoon is used for eating rice,"
Minho joked and took a drink.
He nced at the bright, bob-haired Ju-eun from time to time, but his eyes were always drawn back to Jiyeon.
She had a dark expression.
What was her problem? Did she get dumped?
Jiyeon, who had been drinking silently without joining the conversation, was shaking slightly.
She looked pretty wasted.
Minho spoke to Jiyeon while the other two continued their excited chatter.
"You should stop drinking."
Jiyeon looked up to focus at Minho.
Her wet eyes seemed to contain the night sky.
That was the most beautiful, unforgettable image of that summer night nine years ago.
Jiyeon exploded at him angrily.
"Who are you to tell me not to drink? My boyfriend, huh?"
Her irate expression and tone of voice was new and intense to him.
Minho could handle this.
"Do you want me to be your boyfriend?"
he said smoothly. He was in his mid-20s and already had many girlfriends by then.
Without exception, the women were the ones to rush to throw themselves at him.
This was the first time Minho made the first move on a girl.
Which, by the way.
"No."
Ahhhh...was he being rejected?
Jiyeon downed the rest of her ss.
She tilted her head at at him.
"Minho..."
He saw the Milky Way in her eyes.
"Do you believe in love?"
The question was like a sharp dagger in his chest.
This woman who was asked out¨C
This woman who was asked out but refused¨C
This woman who asked him about love¨C
It was all his first.
This was his first time hanging out with a young woman who wasn¡¯t a celebrity or part of a conglomerate family.
Love...
Minho thought he was too young to talk about love, yet here was a girl who was only five years younger than him who asked him if he believed in it.
He didn¡¯t know what to say.
Why would she ask him that?
"Well¨C"
Jiyeon got up from her sitting position.
"¨CI¡¯m off."
She left the group and staggered away.
"Hey! Jiyeon! Cha Jiyeon! Where are you going?"
Ju-eun broke off her conversation with Dongsik to stand up and follow her.
"Ju-eun! Wait!"
Although Dongsik called out to her, she didn¡¯t even look back.
"So close. It was fun while itsted,"
Dongsik grumbled.
"Oh well. Hanging out withmon girls is fun too."
Dongsik¡¯s choice of words irritated Minho¡¯s eardrums.
"Common? So you¡¯re nobility now, boiler house son?"
"Huh?"
Dongsik was stunned into silence by Minho¡¯s serious look.
Minho and Dongsik were drunk and couldn¡¯t find their way back to the yacht, and there was no response from their friends and the models who were partying there.
Minho and Dongsik slept at a nearby hotel instead.
Dongsik wanted to go out for another round of drinks but Minho declined, instead showering and the drinking whiskey alone in the hotel suite.
The night view of Busan¡¯s coastal waters and the Gawngan Bridge was as spectacr as any international city, but his thoughts kept turning back to the girl he met at the beach.
He could not forget that face that boldly turned down his invitation.
He felt foolish, then angry, and then all that emotion changed into curiosity.
Who on earth was she?
The next day he asked Dongsik for Ju-eun¡¯s number, but Dongsik hadn¡¯t had the chance to get it.
Minho roamed the crowds of the beach, filled with thousands of people, looking for her.
He did not give up.
Twenty years old. The name Cha Jiyeon.
He found her with those two pieces of information.
With all the resources of Eunseong Group¡¯s intelligence department behind him, all pictures of "Cha Jiyeon, 20 years old" from across the country were retrieved.
Twenty-one photos in all. Among them was her.
Chapter 11 - The First Woman (3)
"You were aw student. Your grades have been good since high school."
The story Jiyeon heard from Minho about that summer nine years ago did seem to stir some vague memories.
Oh right.
That summer was the most difficult period of her life.
She had memories of going to Haeundae with her friend Ju-eun.
They stayed there for three days and two nights, and would go out to the beach and talk to other men, like many of the other women there.
It was a ce for young people to get drunk, then get drunk at night, then talk to other people and get drunk some more.
Haeundae¡¯s summer nights were like that every year, so there was no special memory about Minho.
For Minho, meeting a woman like Jiyeon was a first...
But she couldn¡¯t afford to think of men at that time.
Those days so so terrible...
Everything had copsed around her...she didn¡¯t even want to think about it again.
Jiyeon looked straight at Minho.
"You said that we were seeing each other for a year, what happened then?"
"Did it sound like that? I only meant that I¡¯ve been watching you for a year. I was speaking from my point of view."
He...watched her?
Jiyeon¡¯s mind became dizzy at this unexpected answer.
Why? Why in the world was this man watching her for a year?
"I apologize if it makes you feel ufortable."
Jiyeon was not feelingfortable.
However, she had to show courtesy to the family members that just experienced a tragedy the day before.
She tried to calm herself down as much as she could.
"By the word ¡¯watched¡¯, are you saying you were stalking me?"
"The word ¡¯stalking¡¯ sounds a little harsh. Sometimes I went to your university. Even when I trespassed I never approached you."
"And I never spoke to you when you watched me for a year?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask why?"
"That¡¯s because..."
Minho tried to say something, but then shut his mouth. His lips were shaking for a moment.
"I¡¯ll tell you a secret."
Minho, who was much taller, bent down until their faces were nearly touching.
His whispers brushed against Jiyeon¡¯s ears, who had be rigid at his sudden closeness.
"I can see things that are invisible to others."
"What? You mean you can see ghosts?"
"Not ghosts, but things that are toe."
Minho¡¯s expression was as serious as ever.
"I saw our future nine years ago. So I kept watch and didn¡¯t say anything to you."
"This future...what was it?"
"The future I saw then...was not good."
Jiyeon could not think of a response. This whole situation was ridiculous.
Why was he spouting nonsense, here where his father¡¯s and brother¡¯s dead bodies were just examined?
"Prosecutor Cha! Where are you?"
She heard prosecutor Hyeon Ganghun call out from beyond the corner of the hall.
"Yes! Right here, sir!"
The bewildered Jiyeon finally came to her senses.
"It¡¯s good to see you again, Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon."
Minho¡¯s strange smile was thest she saw of him before Ganghun entered her field of view.
His face was tight with tension.
"The autopsy results are out."
Jiyeon quickly followed the other man¡¯s footsteps.
Minho¡¯s mysterious words were still echoing in her ears.
.
.
.
The two bodies that had been autopsied were taken away in preparation for their funeral rites.
The group gathered together again in the examination room, where the smell of disinfectant hung in the air like a harsh fragrance.
All nine people who viewed the autopsy earlier were present.
The forensic doctor spoke with a heavy expression on his face.
"I¡¯ll begin with the results of Chairman Seo Geon-u¡¯s autopsy. The cause of death was a heart attack, but it¡¯s confirmed that it was triggered by external means."
"What!"
Min-seok yelled.
"So someone murdered my father?"
Jiyeon covered her mouth in astonishment.
If the chairman and vice chairman of the Eunseong Group were all killed in one night...
"That is inconclusive. We still have to determine the causal link. It could be physical assault, or it could be a drug. It can also be an electrical shock, but it is rare."
Ganghun held up his hand and asked,
"What about any injuries?"
"There are no visible signs of any injuries."
"So it¡¯s not likely his heart attack was caused by physical assault?"
"That¡¯s correct. We will know for sure when we get the final results."
"Father..."
Minseok¡¯s clenched fists shook.
"Then there¡¯s the results of the autopsy of Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok. A total of twelve stab wounds were located on the neck, chest, and abdomen. As you have already seen, there¡¯s also a longceration across the face."
Prosecutor Ganghun asked another question.
"Is it possible for this to be a murder by grudge?"
"Yes. It¡¯s also possible that it was intentionally designed to look a grudge, but it¡¯s not easy to do so while killing them. Also, there is no sign of resistance. "
Jiyeon¡¯s deductions began to form.
Twelve stab wounds with no sign of resistance...
Did he die while he was sleeping?
Minho¡¯s face was cold after hearing the results of the preliminary autopsy.
What was that expression? What on earth was that man thinking?
Could it be true he could see events that would happen in the future?
This was the first time in her life she wondered about a man¡¯s heart.
Minseok, struggling through his sobs, turned to Prosecutor Ganghun.
"Prosecutor! May I see the crime scene?"
The prosecutor firmly shook his head.
"That will be difficult. I¡¯ll be going to the there right away, and I¡¯ll let the family know any information as soon as I can."
The prosecutor nodded at Jiyeon, and she followed him out of the autopsy room.
She could feel Minho¡¯s gaze on her back.
Chapter 12 - The First Woman (4)
Chapter 12 ¨C The First Woman (4)
Hyeon Ganghun drove himself and Jiyeon to the crime scene.
Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok was killed by twelve knife wounds to his body.
Jiyeon sat in the passenger seat and was flipping through the case file when she noticed something strange.
"Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok¡¯s address is in Cheongdam-dong?"
"Yes, and?"
"But the ce where he was killed was in Nonhyeon-dong?"
"It seems to be vi. What kind of chairman would he be if he didn¡¯t own several houses? We¡¯ll find out what it¡¯s like if we go."
Jiyeon continued her perusal of the file as he spoke to her.
"Did you see President Seo Minho¡¯s face? He didn¡¯t look sad."
"I did! I thought it was a little strange too."
"I see. We have simr eyes."
Jiyeon hesitated on whether to tell Ganghun her connection with Minho, but in the end she stopped herself.
She was still confused and couldn¡¯t decide whether Minho¡¯s story was true or not.
Did they really have such a connection?
Was there a rtionship that passed through that beach on that glorious summer night?
Whatever it was, Minho¡¯s im that he could tell the future was simply unbelievable.
Had thirty minutes just passed? Ganghun gently stopped the car.
They arrived at Nonhyeon-dong, a wealthy neighborhood which was home to luxurious houses.
Through the car window Jiyeon saw a house blocked off by yellow police tape, surrounded by the police keeping a close guard.
Was it true that Seo Minhyeok was murdered in that house?
Jiyeon exited the car with Ganghun.
"I¡¯m Prosecutor Hyeon Ganghun from the Central District Prosecutors¡¯ Office."
Ganghun shed his badge, and the uniformed officer guarding the main entrance gate saluted and allowed them through the pathway.
Jiyeon showed her identification and followed.
It felt like her heart was choking as she made her way to the murder scene.
She observed everything with hawk-like eyes.
They arrived at an iron gate, which only opened after Ganghun entered a code, and the gate swung out to a well-manicured garden.
In the middle of it was a path which led to the front door of the house, which could also only be unlocked by inputting a code.
A policeman guarding the door allowed Ganghun and Jiyeon to enter the house.
Inside was a spacious living room with a polished marble floor, along with a luxurious leather sofa that wasrge enough to amodate ten people.
There were several paintings on the wall that gave off a feeling of grandeur.
Jiyeon looked at the artwork as she walked by them.
She knew nothing about art, but she was sure they were expensive.
There were field inspectors were collecting evidence in one area of therge living room.
A detective stood by them with his arms folded, then looked up and greeted Ganghun.
"Hello. I¡¯m Detective Nam Junsik from Gangnam Police Station."
"Ah yes. Nice to meet you."
Ganghun epted his handshake.
"We¡¯ve been assigned to your special investigation team. I look forward to working with you."
"Oh, I see. We just came straight from the autopsy examination and I hadn¡¯t been informed yet."
"I¡¯m with a junior detective and he¡¯s checking the surveince cameras now. I¡¯ll introduce him when he gets back."
"Alright. By the way, this is Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon."
Ganghun introduced Jiyeon to the detective.
Detective Nam was muscrly built and had a presence of someone you could depend on.
"The bedroom is this way."
She followed behind them.
The room had already been photographed and the evidence collected, so it was absent of any field inspectors.
"Ugh!"
A nasty smell of blood stung her nose and she pped a hand to her mouth.
It was no exaggeration to say that the white sheets were soaked with blood.
Twelve stab wounds and the victim had bled out overnight.
"Do you have any photographs?"
The detective showed her a picture of the scene on his cellphone.
It was such a horrible image that the mere sight of it almost made her feel pain.
Seo Minhyeok was lying naked while covered with blood, his arms were spread open as if he were being crucified.
It was like a sacrifice in a religious ceremony.
"He was stabbed twelve times in this position? With all of his clothes off?"
Ganghun wondered, and Detective Nam agreed.
"It¡¯s umon to die in this position. It¡¯s very strange."
If that¡¯s the case, then right after the murder, it was troublesome to move the dead body...
She was looking through more graphic pictures on Detective Nam¡¯s phone when,
"Sir! Sir! Siiiir!"
The sound of someone yelling out to the detective was getting closer and closer.
"Hey, this time there¡¯s a junior prosecutor on the special investigation team too.¡±
Without thinking this was unusual, Detective So Yudo shouted and ran inside the bedroom.
"A suspect has been captured on the surveince cameras!"
Chapter 13 - That Face, Those Eyes (1)
Desire Ch. 13 ¨C That Face, Those Eyes (1)
"Sir! Sir! Siiiir!"
The sound of someone yelling out to the detective was getting closer and closer.
"Hey, this time there¡¯s a junior prosecutor on the special investigation team too.¡±
Without thinking this was unusual, Detective So Yudo shouted and ran inside the bedroom.
"A suspect has been captured on the surveince cameras!¡±
Unlike the sturdy build of Detective Nam, So Yudo had a slender frame.
"This is Detective So Yudo. I¡¯ll do introductions once. This is Prosecutor Hyeon Ganghun, and this is Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon."
"Ah. Pleased to meet you!"
"You have your work cut out for you."
After this brief exchange, the detective took out an iPad.
"I¡¯ll bring up the part where we found the suspect on camera."
Ganghun turned to Detective Nam while Yudo was fiddling with the tablet.
"Where are the surveince cameras installed?"
"There are cameras all over the house, but the hard drive that stores the video records had been erased."
"Who erased it?"
"Possibly the suspect?"
An idea came to Jiyeon¡¯s mind as she watched the other two men talk.
"I don¡¯t think this was involuntary manughter. This has to be premeditated murder."
Ganghun shook his head.
"Didn¡¯t you see the autopsy report? The pattern of stab wounds is typical of murdermitted in the heat of passion."
"I think he was deliberately stabbed to look like that."
"Why do you think so?"
"The suspect is someone who knows theyout of the house. They knew where the hard drive that stored the surveince video was."
"Just because they know the house well doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯tmit manughter."
"The killer either had a calm personality, or they had nned it carefully. A normal criminal would usually to want to leave the crime scene as soon as possible, but the killer positioned the body in this way, erased the hard drive, then left the scene."
Detective Nam nodded at Jiyeon¡¯s reasoning.
"It works out."
Ganghun asked Detective Nam,
"If all of surveince video in the house had been erased, then where did you get this video?"
"There¡¯s a camera in the alley in front of the house. It¡¯s under the jurisdiction of the district office."
Detective So Yudo disyed the video on the iPad screen.
"Here it is!"
All eyes were focused on the video.
A dark alley. The timestamp of the video was 1:14 A.M.
A man on a sleek and fast-looking motorcycle was driving away.
The momentsted less than a second.
"That was footage taken from the entrance to the alley,"
the detective exined.
"What? Is that it?"
"Not yet. Next there¡¯s video of the front of the vi."
Detective So opened a second video.
The man who was on the motorcycle was now seen walking on the pathway.
He stood in front of the house gate of and entered a passcode.
As the door opened, the video stopped.
The suspect wore a racer driver¡¯s uniform, as well as a helmet that obscured his face.
Ganghun, who was thinking carefully, turned and asked Detective So Yudo,
"There are no other suspects?"
"No. This person was the only one who walked into the housest night. He was seen leaving it as well."
A third video.
This time the man wearing the motorcycle helmet opened the gate.
The timestamp was 3:40 A.M.
He left two and a half hours after he entered the home, enough time tomit murder and do everything else.
The man seemed neither hurried nor afraid.
Detective Nam murmured under his breath,
"So this is our prime suspect?"
"Seems so."
Jiyeon looked at the man on the screen.
"How tall do you think he is?"
"From this viewpoint, probably at least 180 centimeters. He looks to be well-built too."
"So in summary, a well-built man came here on his motorcycle, entered the house with the passcode, stabbed the defenseless Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok twelve times, then deleted all the surveince footage, correct?"
Everyone nodded at Jiyeon.
"What about the motorcycle license te?"
Ganghun asked, and Detective So opened up the video again.
"If you look here...you can¡¯t see what it is. It was passing by too fast."
They couldn¡¯t see the number on the license te.
It seemed as if the te was covered by a special chemical.
A dangerous suspicion formed in Jiyeon¡¯s mind.
She didn¡¯t think...could it be?
"We can¡¯t see his face because of the helmet either. Can¡¯t you recover the deleted video from inside the house?"
Detective Nam promptly answered Ganghun¡¯s question.
"I¡¯ve sent the hard drive to the National Forensic Service."
"Let¡¯s look at thest video again."
At Ganghoon¡¯s request, Detective Nam reyed the video.
Jiyeon seemed to know who the man in the racer¡¯s costume was.
She could almost see his face underneath the helmet.
Seeds of suspicion sprouted in her mind and grew rapidly.
She turned her eyes to the blood-soaked bed again.
What happened herest night?
Chapter 14 - That Face, Those Eyes (2)
It was almost 10 P.M. when Jiyeon returned to the office and handed in the autopsy and the crime scene reports to the chief prosecutor.
She didn¡¯t eat a proper dinner.
Instead she satisfied her hunger with a four thousand won canned beer and kimbap from a convenience store from the first floor of the office.
She read over the case file as she ate her meager meal.
She had to memorize all the members of the Eunseong Group family.
Seo Geon-u, thete chairman, married three times.
His first wife was Lee Jeong-ok, now seventy years old.
She was the daughter of the director of Hyein Hospital, one of thergest hospitals in the world. She married Seo and gave birth to Minhyeok and Minho.
She lived as his wife as part of the Eunseong Group until their divorce thirty years ago.
Looking at the year, the two sons were still young children at that time.
Jiyeon wondered what Lee Jeong-ok¡¯s rtionship with her children was like.
Did she continue to see her sons or did she cut off all ties to them?
Lee Jeong-ok was also a patron of the arts and built concert halls and was currently the director of Inwoo Art Museum.
President Seo¡¯s second wife was Nam Yunjeong. Currently fifty-eight years old.
She was a college student when she had an affair with Chairman Seo Geon-u and became pregnant.
In other words, Lee Jeong-ok, the first wife, was pushed out.
The third son born was Seo Minseok.
Nam Yunjeong divorced him after five short years of marriage. That was twenty years ago.
She was said to be living in considerable wealth from the stocks and real estate she received as alimony.
Jiyeon gave a sigh over the sheer amount of information in the case file.
¡°Oh, it¡¯splicated, it¡¯splicated..."
Why did him and his second wife Nam Yunjeong divorce?
It must¡¯ve been an epic romance if he had driven her away and remarried again.
Jiyeon read on, taking note of any suspicious details.
The third wife was Jang Eun-a. Forty-nine years old.
She was considered to be one of the most beautiful actresses of the 80s.
Ten years ago she married Seo Geon-u, when she was at the age of thirty-nine and he at the age of sixty.
Jiyeon remembered this detail because their marriage caused quite a stir with the public.
Unlike Seo Geon-u who was on his third marriage and already had three sons, this was Jang Eun-a¡¯s first marriage.
After three years she became pregnant and gave birth to their son, Seo Ha-neul.
Considering Chairman Seo¡¯s age, his now seven-year-old son could¡¯ve been his grandchild.
Ha-nuel was still very youngpared to his brothers, who were already working at the business front.
In any case, Jang Eun-a would have the greatest authority over the chairman¡¯s legacy as his legal widow.
If the chairman had written a will, she could be the one to receive thergest inheritance after his death.
Jiyeon paid attention to that point.
She wrote a note next to Jang Eun-a¡¯s name.
"The most to benefit from this case?"
She would need to further scrutinize the three wives as well as four sons. The youngest was seven years old, so she knocked it down to three.
Seo Minhyeok, the eldest son who died, was the spitting image of his father Seo Geon-u.
He was undeniably the sessor of the Eunseong Group.
A detail that caught her eye was that even though he was in histe 30s, he was still single.
Most of the sons of conglomerate families had political marriages around their 30s.
Jiyeon wrote this next to his name: "Find out rtionships with other women when still alive."
Then there was the second son Seo Minho and third son Seo Minseok.
In Seo Minseok¡¯s case, he was active in the family business.
His performance for Eunseong Motors was brilliant.
As a young CEO, he developed hispany with outstanding leadership and drive.
Unlike Jang Eun-a, who passively exercised her legal authority as Chairman¡¯s Seo¡¯s wife, Seo Minseok could actually be the biggest beneficiary of this case.
On the other hand the second son, Seo Minho, was a mystery.
Despite being the child of Lee Jeong-ok, he hovered around the outskirts of the Eunseong Group.
His business activities as the president of Eunseong Food, which managed several restaurant chains, were minimal.
He owned several clubs, but Eunseong wasn¡¯t an entertainmentpany and it didn¡¯t fit in with the business.
Although not in the data, Jiyeon thought of something even more inexplicable.
Did she really meet him at Haeundae nine years ago?
He didn¡¯t show any signs of surprise or sadness even after his father was killed.
And most of all...
She remembered the conversation she had with him earlier.
"I can see things that are invisible to others."
"What? You mean you can see ghosts?"
"Not ghosts...but things that are toe."
Jiyeon sighed over the case file.
"Ha! That¡¯s ridiculous!"
She took a long sip of her beer then took out her cell phone.
She had to call her friend Ju-eun.
"Hi, Prosecutor Cha!"
Ju-eun sounded like she was receiving the call from somewhere noisy.
Jiyeon thought it could be a bar. Ju-eun did love her alcohol.
"I have something to ask you."
Chapter 15 - That Face, Those Eyes (3)
Chapter 15 ¨C That Face, Those Eyes (3)
"My friend, I¡¯ll answer anything you like."
"Do you remember when we went to Busan nine years ago?"
"Yeah. It was my first trip without my parents."
"Did we ever have drinks with two guys there?"
"I think we met up with guys several times at Haeundae?"
So it was. Many times.
Jiyeon thought back Minho¡¯s story and remembered a name.
"Do you remember a man named Dongsik?"
"Dongsik? Are you joking? How should I know? The men I dated in college also had unmemorable names like that."
"Then Minho? Seo Minho."
"Seo Minho? Seo Minho...hmmm. You don¡¯t mean the second son of Eunseong Group, right?"
Jiyeon felt a prick at her conscience.
After graduating from the Department of Newspaper Broadcasting, Ju-eun became a program director for a broadcasting station.
She was in charge of the investigation program "I¡¯ll Let You Know" for a few years now.
She had a keen intuition, a pulse on current events, and a sharp eye for observation.
There was one thing Jiyeon knew about Ju-eun since their close friendship in high school.
Jiyeon couldn¡¯t lie to her.
"Uhhh...that¡¯s right."
"Wait!"
Ju-eun paused to think for a moment.
"We met the second son of Eunseong Group at Haeundae when we were twenty years old? And you want to probe me about it now?"
"It¡¯s not a probe..."
"What makes you ask? Are you...are you in charge of this Eunseong case?"
Jiyeon was spooked.
"Well. I¡¯m on the special investigation team."
"Wow! Our station was in a mess because of this incident. Hey! Give me the all the details. What the hell happened?"
The noisy background on her end started to fade away.
She was either outside the bar or in a bathroom.
"I can¡¯t tell you because there¡¯s no official press release yet."
"Cha Ji Yeon. Are you really going to do this? Don¡¯t you trust me?"
"I believe in my friend Jang Ju-eun, but I should be careful about program director Jang Ju-eun."
"Do you think Chairman Seo Geon-u is a murder victim too?"
Although Jiyeon admired Ju-eun¡¯s keen sense,
"Noment."
"You¡¯re saying two of the wealthiest people from the nation¡¯srgest conglomerate were murdered in one night? Oh my God!"
From onement Ju-eun was already convinced that Seo Geon-u was murdered.
"But how did you meet Seo Minho again?"
"I ran into him for the autopsy exam and he recognized me. He said we met at Haeundae nine years ago..."
"Wow! Wait. You said you met nine years ago, but he still remembered your face? That doesn¡¯t make much sense. I don¡¯t really remember that much at all. My power of memory doesn¡¯t work for anyone."
Jiyeon did not tell her that Minho watched her for a year.
She didn¡¯t want to believe it. She can¡¯t believe it.
Jiyeon sidestepped the issue.
"I guess I have better memory than you."
"If you go out to meet another guy like that, do you want me toe along?"
"Wow. Sure. I¡¯ll call you again then."
"Hey, wait a minute! Please give me more information as you go on."
"When the press release is finalized I¡¯ll be the first to let you know."
"The director is going to make a special feature of the Eunseong Group!"
"The family tree is certainly interesting to look at."
"We are a fantasy couple, too. I love you, Jiyeon."
Jiyeon, who was about to hang up the call, was at a loss for words.
"Ah...as a heads up. You¡¯re probably going to hear a lot of ridiculous stories."
"Well, I got a tip that Michael Jackson is alive. And living in Itaewon."
"Can a person see the future?"
"Like psychics?"
"For example, something that hasn¡¯t happened yet."
"Is this about Eunseong?"
Again! Spooky!
"Not really..."
"If there¡¯s a man that talks crap like that, be careful."
"Well, okay. Good night, my friend."
"Night!"
Jiyeon took another long drink of her beer.
A man¡¯s face came to her mind.
Minho. A man still shrouded in mystery.
There was more to him than one or two suspicious details. There was ample motivation.
The height and body of the man who appeared on the surveince footage were simr.
"I need to find an alibi."
She did an Inte search on herptop on Eunseong Group¡¯s second son Seo Minho.
As already shown in the report, his activity as the president of Eunseong Food was limited.
Most of the articles were rted to scandals with celebrities, even from years ago.
"Supermodel actress Genie, dating a Eunseong Group son?" dered one headline.
Underneath this was a story mostly filled with spection and little substance.
In this article was this description of Minho.
-Unlike his older brother Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok of Eunseong Group, and his younger brother President Seo Minseok of Eunseong Motors, Seo Minho has little interest in the business and not much is known about his personal life. ording to him he is an all-around sportsman and enjoys racing cars andpeting in the F1 races.
Minho¡¯s eyes emerged in her vision.
The dark, deadly colored pupils seemed to be looking at her right now.
Come on! Stop thinking about it.
Chapter 16 - That Face, Those Eyes (4)
Chapter 16 ¨C That Face, Those Eyes (4)
She drained her 500 mL beer can.
After getting another can and taking a sip, she remembered something.
Right. She had a message from her brother yesterday. It may be obvious but...
Jiyeon called her brother Ji-uk on her phone.
A voice she had never expected spoke through the line.
"The phone is currently off, so please..."
What? Her brother¡¯s phone was off?
This never happened before.
She tried to call again, but it gave the same response.
What the hell...she didn¡¯t know why it bothered her so much!
She couldn¡¯t break her rtionship with her brother though.
"A drink for my poor brother, another drink for me."
She took another sip of her beer, then looked at the can in thought.
"Thanks to the hard life."
*
"Good morning!"
Jiyeon greeted as she arrived at the special investigation headquarters on the fourth floor of the Central District Prosecutors¡¯ Office.
She came to work earlier than usual, but Prosecutor Ganghun and Detective Nam were already there.
Jiyeon set her bag next to herputer when Detective So Yudo came in.
Ganghun smiled at the sight.
"This will be a good team."
"Why?"
"An organization that works based on a higher order is said to be a healthy organization."
Jiyeon thought that it was somehow being directed at her, so she bowed her head in apology.
"Sorry. I will arrive here earlier."
"No, I am being sincere. Anyways, our work endste so you don¡¯t need toe early. Juste around this time."
Ganghun smiled at her like Jung Woo-sung.
Elite prosecutors were usually more authoritative, but Ganghun¡¯s leisurely demeanor was quite attractive.
Why didn¡¯t a man who was so capable, handsome, and humorous have no girlfriend?
Jiyeon was curious.
"Now, shall we have a quick meeting?"
The team gathered around a table in one of the conference rooms.
First, Detective So Yudo shared new information that came in overnight.
"Chairman Seo Geon-u has four known vis around the country. There may be more, but this is what the police have found out so far. Anyway, the vis are shared with the family and otherpany affiliates, but the Incheon vi, where Chairman Seo died, was secret."
"Secret?"
"No one else knew about it, and only Chairman Seo would go there.¡±
ording to the interview reports by Gangnam Police station, the employees at the vi left at night and went back to work in the morning.
"That means no one knew what was going on there at night?"
Detective So answered Ganghun¡¯s question.
"Yes. It¡¯s the same deal at the Nonhyeon-dong residence, where Vice Chairman Minhyeok was murdered. Housekeepers could onlye in during the hours he allowed, and left right after work."
"Did he learn from his father..."
Ganghun muttered.
"We also identified the motorcycle model from the surveince camera."
Detective Nam disyed a picture of a motorcycle on the conference room screen.
"It¡¯s a high-end motorcycle made by BMW two years ago. Performance is excellent for its moderate value. There were two hundred units sold in South Korea, so we need to track the buyers."
A hail of questions shot through Jiyeon¡¯s mind at that moment.
She recalled a line from the article she readst night.
¡°Seo Minho has little interest in the business and not much is known about his personal life. ording to him he is an all-around sportsman and enjoys racing cars..."
A man who loves speed and car racing...
She immediately took out her phone to look something up.
The search term: "President Seo Minho¡¯s motorcycle."
After she hit the search button, a link caught her eye.
It was a feature article from a car magazine.
"The garage of car collector (3) ¨C President Seo Minho of Eunseong Food."
Minho was the third person on the special feature covering car enthusiasts.
There were several interviews and photographs.
Among them were pictures of Seo Minho¡¯s garage in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
Jiyeon scrolled down the page then stopped.
Seo Minho not only loves cars but is an enthusiastic collector of bikes."
On side of his garage was a collection of motorcycles.
One of them...
Was the same motorcycle that was on the conference room screen. At least in Jiyeon¡¯s view.
Goosebumps erupted on her body.
She took a deep breath to prevent her voice from shaking then asked,
"Is this the same model?"
She raised her phone to show the picture to the detective.
Detective Nam nodded.
"Oh, that¡¯s right! Where did the picturee from?"
Jiyeon didn¡¯t say anything immediately.
She should exin it to them that it was a photo of President Seo Minho¡¯s garage...
At that moment, there was no choice but to be suspicious of Seo Minho.
Minho¡¯s face was painted in the air.
His eyes were full of grief and misery.
Ah...really...is it you?
Chapter 17 - No Matter What It Takes (1)
Chapter 17 ¨C No Matter What It Takes
"Inspector Cha, he asked where the picture came from."
When Jiyeon didn¡¯t say anything, Ganghun pressed her firmly.
Jiyeon came to her senses.
"Oh, yes."
She had to be honest. Fact was fact.
"This is President Seo Minho¡¯s garage."
Everyone¡¯s expression froze.
There was a long, heavy pause in the conference room.
It was obvious that everyone seemed hesitant to express their opinions.
Jiyeon sighed.
Now that she¡¯d discovered this, they had to follow it through!
Jiyeon turned to Ganghun.
"Should we investigate Seo Minho as a suspect?"
Ganghun¡¯s eyebrows, which were normally soft like waves, were pulled tight with tension.
He spoke to himself as if he were sorting his thoughts.
"Just having the same model doesn¡¯t make one a suspect."
"There are two hundred models."
"If that¡¯s the case, then there would be two hundred suspects."
"Is there anyone else who could go in and out of the vice chairman¡¯s vi?"
"Hmmm..."
"As you can see, the height and build of the man in the surveince footage are simr."
"Stop."
Ganghun raised his hand to cut Jiyeon off.
"Alright. If this is the evidence then we can look over it right away. But he is not an ordinary person. He may inherit Eunseong Group and he won¡¯te easily to us. And what if we can¡¯t pin him down as the suspect? Can you be responsible for the fallout?"
Jiyeon couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge such risks.
"What should we do then? We can¡¯t manipte or destroy evidence over time."
Eventually Ganghun nodded his head.
"Alright. Let¡¯s approach it carefully. Let¡¯s call him a character witness, not a suspect."
"Alright."
"And the questioning should be done by Prosecutor Cha."
"What? Why not you?"
"He¡¯ll give us more information if he¡¯s rxed. If Minho is the real criminal, wouldn¡¯t his guard be down if he was dealing with Prosecutor Cha instead of me?"
Again. The precision of the ace prosecutor!
"Yes, sir."
Jiyeon bowed her head to him.
So this was how the investigation would proceed...but somewhere in her heart she still felt ufortable.
Did Seo Minho really kill his brother?
She couldn¡¯t imagine such a thing.
.
.
.
As soon as she left the conference room, Jiyeon called her brother Ji-uk.
She hadn¡¯t been able reach her brother¡¯s phonest night and she couldn¡¯t now either.
Why would his phone be off for two days?
Jiyeon felt a mixture of anxiety and annoyance.
"What did you get involved in?"
She left him a message.
-Cha Dung! Why is your phone still off? Please call me as soon as you see this.
Since she was in elementary school, she called her by the nickname Cha Dung, and in turn her brother called her Jjengi.
He hadn¡¯t called her that since she became a prosecutor.
As she walked down the hall and Detective So came up to her and gave her a thumbs up.
"Wow, Prosecutor Cha, that was great."
"Hm?"
"You were like an expert detective. How did you find that picture?"
"It was just an inte search. Oh, by the way, I have a favor to ask."
"Anything!"
"It¡¯s a personal matter, but I think you¡¯ll handle it easily."
"Tell me."
"My brother¡¯s phone has been turned off for two days. I was in a hurry the night before and I couldn¡¯t call him. It¡¯s strange for someone like him keep it off. I¡¯m worried..."
"Give me his name and number. I¡¯ll look up where he is today."
"Thank you!"
.
.
.
As soon as she returned to her seat, Jiyeon went on her cell phone again
She went over the information regarding President Seo Minho.
She would have inform him toe to the office for a witness interview, but she couldn¡¯t call him directly and had to go through his secretary.
She told the secretary she had a personal history with Seo Minho and she thought it would be more convenient if she used his personal number.
He had a motive for murder, and was a possible suspect.
She¡¯d better draw the boundary line from the beginning.
After Jiyeon informed the secretary of her purpose, Seo Minho called her on his personal cell phone.
"You must have called my secretary if you have this number."
"I¡¯m calling because of official business."
"And what business do you have for me?"
"I¡¯d like to interview you for information regarding this case. Can youe to the prosecutors¡¯ office?"
"Well...yes and no."
"What?"
"I¡¯ll give you my statement. But going the the prosecutors¡¯ office is troublesome."
"Ah...it will only be brief."
"I don¡¯t want to."
No? Haaa...
"Alright. Where should we meet?"
"When would be a good time?"
"I¡¯ll meet you at your convenience."
"Tonight?"
She sighed...she didn¡¯t imagine she would ever respond to this statement.
"Yes, that¡¯s fine. What location?"
"I¡¯ll send you a link on your phone."
A few minutester, a message appeared.
"Damn crazy..."
She couldn¡¯t help but swear.
-Come to my club.
Should she go to a club she had never been to?
Chapter 18 - No Matter What It Takes (2)
Chapter 18 ¨C No Matter What It Takes (2)
Gomorrah was the hottest spot to party for people in their twenties.
It was located in the basement of a hotel not far from Apgujeong Station.
Unsurprisingly, the hotel was also owned by President Seo Minho.
Though she was going there to interview him, she couldn¡¯t just walk in such a ce in her ck two-piece suit.
She left her home wearing a light-colored jacket with her suit pants.
Her mind was crammed with thoughts as she went her way to the club.
She took notes on her cell phone, selecting only the necessary information needed for the interview.
Thatte evening, there was a long line of men and women waiting at the club entrance while music pounded around them.
They were all dressed up in thetest fashion, unting their bodies and exuding sexual energy.
Jiyeon couldn¡¯t get close to the club entrance and made a phone call.
"Are you here?"
"Yeah, I¡¯ve arrived. How do I get in?"
"Can¡¯t you just walk in?"
She looked over at arge, muscr man guarding the entrance.
Only after he confirmed that a person¡¯s appearance and fashion were over a certain standard did he allow them inside.
Jiyeon nced down her outfit and realized she wouldn¡¯t be allowed through.
"I¡¯ll send someone."
A few minutester a man, presumably sent by Minho, came out of the club.
She didn¡¯t know how, but he recognized Jiyeon immediately and approached her.
"Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon?"
"Yes, that¡¯s me."
"The president is waiting. Pleasee this way."
The man, whose hair and tightly fitted suit were both silver in color, went inside the club.
Jiyeon followed.
The night club was a different world.
Her heart pounded to the roar of the music.
shingser lights cut fissures in the air, and the bodies of young men and women writhed on the dance floor as they burned the night away.
It was an overwhelming atmosphere for Jiyeon, even when she had partied with her friends at Hongdae bars in her college days.
The silver-suited man guided Jiyeon deeper and deeper into the club.
They passed the stage, entered through a long hallway, turned a corner, then came across a door that seemed to be the secret heart of the club Gomorrah.
"Go inside."
The man opened the door and apletely different atmosphere emerged from the room.
Jiyeon entered and the man closed the door outside.
The room was an old-fashioned study, with books filling the shelves everywhere.
If it not were for the sound of music leaking through the door, no one would think this ce was inside a club.
Minho sat on a leather armchair and held a cigar in his mouth like a mob boss.
A mob boss with neatlybed hair and a vest.
As far as first impressions go it was no longer intimidating.
He sat up and gestured to the opposite chair.
"Sit, prosecutor."
Jiyeon sat on the chair, grimacing at the smell of acrid smoke.
"Would you like one?"
Minho picked up a thick cigar and held it out to Jiyeon.
"I don¡¯t smoke."
"Cigars are not the same as cigarettes."
"It¡¯s fine."
"You don¡¯t like to try anything new."
"I¡¯m not looking to."
Jiyeon came to investigate Minho, but Minho was looking at Jiyeon as if he were observing her.
"It¡¯s veryte, so let¡¯s get to the point."
"Alright. How about you ask one question, and I¡¯ll ask one back. Is that fair?"
"You¡¯re asking me questions?"
"Yes. I have a lot of them."
"I¡¯m sorry, but I have to conduct this interview and you can ask your questionster¨C"
"If you do not ept my terms, then I refuse to say anything."
What a selfish and stubborn man.
There was no point in arguing about it, so she took a strategicpromise.
"Okay. I¡¯ll ask the first question then, is that alright?"
"Yes."
Jiyeon held out a photo in front of his smug expression.
"Do you own this model of motorcycle?"
The first question was to test his attitude for telling the truth.
Minho nodded as he looked at the photo.
"Yes. It¡¯s a limited edition bike. There aren¡¯t that many of them in Korea and I was the second customer."
Not lying, was he?
Chapter 19 - No Matter What It Takes (3)
Chapter 19 ¨C No Matter What It Takes (3)
"The suspect of the murder of Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok was caught on tape riding a motorcycle to the scene."
Minho¡¯s expression twisted. It was the first time he looked like that.
He breathed out a stream of smoke as if to hide his face.
Jiyeon followed up with her question.
"Where were you two nights ago?"
"Wait a minute. You asked one question, so it¡¯s my turn."
Hmmm...yes, she did promise him.
"Alright."
"Back then...why did you ask me if I believed in love?"
"I don¡¯t even remember meeting you, you know that?"
"That summer nine years ago. Something serious must have been weighing on you and so you asked me that question. What happened?"
"I won¡¯t answer personal questions. As for questions rted to this case¨C"
"So we¡¯re done with this interview?"
Minho raised an eyebrow and smirked seductively.
Jiyeon was caught in a bind.
She had to get information from Minho and right now, when his guard was down, was her best shot.
She had agreed to ask and answer questions alternately. Fine, she¡¯ll answer.
"It was nine years ago in the spring. As soon as I entered college my mother made a shocking announcement. She gathered the family then said this to my father."
-I never loved you.
Her mother and father were unhappy with their marriage.
She suspected as much.
After her father¡¯s business failed he never seemed to recover, and he was without a job, was drunk all the time, and whenever he opened his mouth he alwaysined.
Her mother ended up being responsible for the family¡¯s livelihood. It was also up to her to take care of the children.
Even when her father had an ident, it was her mother that looked after him.
Her mother finally dropped the bombshell after all the children had grown up.
And so her mother left her father. Without looking back.
Even though Jiyeon was understanding when her mother found another man, her heart had be cold.
The unreliability of love. The cruelty of the world. The fear of money¨C
For a twenty-year-old girl it was a harsh reality to ept.
Eventually, her father went missing and her older brother went to prison before the army.
The trip to Busan with Ju-eun in the summer was a kind of escape.
It was a small pocket of air she gave to herself to keep herself from dying out of frustration.
"If I asked you if you believed in love, it probably was because of that."
It had been almost a decade, but when she thought of her missing father tears pricked at the corner of here eyes.
But she could not cry here.
A Republic of Korea prosecutor cannot cry in front of this Eunseong son, a potential suspect in a murder case!
Minho was watching her, and she held her jaw tightly to control her emotions.
Jiyeon avoided his eyes.
They were so prating she thought she would cry looking into them.
"If I had known, I would have acted as a good friend."
It was Minho who once again said strange things.
"What?"
She tried to keep her mindposed, but her heart was feeling different.
Minho exhaled slowly and leaned over to her.
He took Jiyeon¡¯s hand.
Slowly. Slow enough that Jiyeon could refuse and pull away from him.
But Jiyeon didn¡¯t.
Minho had a pianist¡¯s hands.
Amazingly long, pale fingers engulfed hers.
"Please let go of all those painful memories."
Those were words that forcibly entered a gap in her mind, but she quickly closed it off.
She didn¡¯te here to make friends. She came here to investigate.
She tapped on his hand and he pulled away.
"Don¡¯t talk freely about things you don¡¯t know about."
"No, I don¡¯t know. I understand that. But we have the same pain, and we can be friends."
Same...pain? Oh...
Jiyeon recalled that Minho lost his mother when he was four years old.
Thirty years ago Seo Geon-u¡¯s first wife, who gave birth to Minhyeok and Minho, divorced and left the family.
Maybe it was true that she was cast out by Seo Geon-u, who already had another woman who was with child.
As soon as Minho¡¯s mother and father were divorced the other woman moved in.
She could guess the confusion and pain that young Minho had suffered.
A wave of sadness overwhelmed Jiyeon, who had always feltpassion for others since her childhood.
This poor soul...
She remembered something said by a senior prosecutor who had been involved in many cases regarding the conglomerate businesses.
"It¡¯s not easy to be a good person when you were born as the second child of a conglomerate family. It¡¯s even more difficult to be happy as the second son of a conglomerate family."
She didn¡¯t know what he meant at that time, but now that she knew about Minho¡¯s childhood...
Even if he had every material desire, his childhood was far from happy.
That poor child grew up to be this man now.
However, Minho¡¯s behavior towards Jiyeon now felt warm.
She never thought he could be like this.
He then said something unbelievable.
Chapter 20 - No Matter What It Takes (4)
Chapter 20 ¨C No Matter What It Takes (4)
"If I had the ability to see the past instead of the future, then we could have be friends."
"You¡¯ve been saying strange things like this sincest time. You mean you have psychic powers?"
"You¡¯ll see. No, you¡¯ll know. Some people don¡¯t believe it until they experience it. Especially smart people like you, Jiyeon."
He smiled as he bit his cigar and chuckled.
"It¡¯s your turn."
Jiyeon was reminded of a phrase she saw on a movie poster.
"Don¡¯t be deceived!"
Even though he¡¯s here for a witness interview, he could be a suspect!
Jiyeon took several deep breaths to control her emotions before asking her question again.
"Where were you two nights ago?"
He was not phased at all this time.
He sucked on his cigar slowly and breathed out a swirl of smoke.
"I went out driving. I often drive through downtown Seoulte at night, which I did the day before yesterday."
"Was anyone with you?"
"No. You have to drive alone to really feel the car."
Jiyeon swallowed.
He drove alone?
So what Seo Minho said...that means he has no alibi.
Was he reading her mind?
Minho slowly tilted his head at Jiyeon.
"Is this really a witness interview? Or do you think I¡¯m a suspect?"
Oh no. Jiyeon felt her stomach jump.
"It¡¯s not like that. Only..."
Only...there was nothing else she could say.
"If this is a witness interview, shouldn¡¯t you be asking me something else? Like ¡¯do your dead brother and father have any enemies?¡¯"
"Do they?"
"Yes. Too many."
Many. Too many...
That was what she was supposed to ask.
"Okay...now it¡¯s my turn."
Minho locked his gaze onto Jiyeon and asked,
"Miss Cha Jiyeon. Are you a good prosecutor?"
Jiyeon felt pinned by his intense stare.
What was the purpose of this?
She didn¡¯t know his intent but this was a question Jiyeon asked herself countless times.
She answered confidently to him.
"Yes. I believe in myself as a prosecutor."
"What do you think makes a good prosecutor?"
"They¡¯re someone who finds out the truth and punishes evil in the name of thew."
"Are you such a person?"
"I¡¯m doing my best to be that."
"No matter what it takes?"
"No matter what it takes."
Minho didn¡¯t say anything more and simply watched Jiyeon.
Jiyeon was dying to turn her eyes but she couldn¡¯t look away.
Whether it was a snowball fight or a horse fight...she wouldn¡¯t lose.
This fight took ce in the secret room of the club Gomorrah, full of energy and temptation.
Jiyeon did not intend to lose. She did not intend to be misled.
The investigation was on.
*
The final autopsy results for Chairman Seo Geon-u and Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok were released several days earlier than expected.
As soon as the results came in from the National Forensic Service, a meeting was immediately convened in the prosecutors¡¯ office.
Prosecutor Hyeon Ganghun¡¯s face was more tense than ever, as he would be the one to announce the results to the media at an official press conferenceter.
In the preliminary autopsy report, it was said that Chairman Seo Geon-u¡¯s heart attack may have been caused by external factors.
ording to the testimony of people around him, Seo Geon-u was in good physical condition a few days before his death, and even enjoyed jogging and swimming every day even at over seventy years of age.
Chairman Seo¡¯s heart was healthy, so what could have stopped it?
The media was waiting with bated breath for the final autopsy results.
The report was copied and distributed to the members of the special investigation team gathered in the conference room.
"The report before you...please read it then destroy it right here."
The prosecutor¡¯s voice was cold.
His voice, so different from normal, was grim.
What was the story...
Jiyeon¡¯s eyes widened as she read the autopsy results in full, as if she had seen a ghost.
She wasn¡¯t surprised that she wasn¡¯t the only one.
Detective Nam shook his head in shock.
"Man! How did this happen..."
It was an unbelievable result even though she saw it herself.
What were they going to do? How could they release this to the press
Minho¡¯s voice echoed in her ear.
"Miss Cha Ji Yeon. Are you a good prosecutor?"
She said yes. And then she had said this.
A good prosecutor is someone who finds out the truth and punishes evil in the name of thew.
No matter what it takes.
How could she dare reveal the truth of this case? At what cost?
Why did President Minho ask her such a question?
Did he know in advance that this would happen?
Now in Jiyeon¡¯s hands were the autopsy results, which shook her hands, and would shake the entire country.
Chapter 21 - Room of Mirrors (1)
Chapter 21 ¨C Room of Mirrors (1)
Two hourster. Seoul Central District Prosecutors¡¯ Office.
The results of Eunseong Group Chairman Seo Geon-u autopsy were to be announced to thergest ever gathering of reporters in the country¡¯s history.
Sitting among the reporters was Jiyeon¡¯s friend Ju-eun.
Hyeon Ganghun, as head of the special investigation team, stepped forward to address the room.
He was assaulted by a flood of camera shes that would have disoriented an ordinary person.
Jiyeon stood behind him and watched the scene.
Ganghun opened his mouth to speak.
"The preliminary results confirmed that Chairman Seo Geon-u¡¯s death was a heart attack. The final autopsy results concluded that¨C"
Ganghun took a deep breath then continued.
"In Chairman Seo Geon-u¡¯s blood was found to contain a new drug called Gentrix."
The reporters began to murmur among themselves.
"Gentrix?"
Some people turned to their colleagues and others began searching the term on their cell phones.
Ganghun continued with his exnation.
"Gentrix is a new drug that has started spreading in Europe. The primary effect of the drug is to maximize sexual pleasure."
The reporters went wild.
Such drugs were found in the body of a chairman of over seventy!
"There have already been a number of deaths in Europe, and since the drug is a stimnt, heart problems are among the side effects. Chairman Seo Geon-u suffered a heart attack triggered by the drug."
A reporter raised his hand.
"If so, does that mean Chairman Seo was having sex that night?"
"That has not been confirmed yet."
"If there was no sexual intercourse, is there any other reason to take the drug?"
"In general, the use of Gentrix is...for recreational purposes."
After reading the results of the autopsy Jiyeon already knew 100% of its contents.
But it could not reveal if there was a woman at the secret vi of Chairman Seo that night.
"Were there any surveince cameras in the vi?"
"The police searched everywhere, but there were no surveince cameras. The same goes for the entrance."
"What about fingerprints?"
"None other than those that worked at the vi."
"Isn¡¯t there a camera on the road to the vi?"
"Because the vi was built in a remote area, there¡¯s no traffic control camera near the driveway. We¡¯re checking every camera on the nearby roads."
"Were the drugs taken for that day or were they taken on a regr basis?"
"We don¡¯t know yet. It is true, however, that a significant amount of Gentrix was found in his blood."
Jiyeon was uneasy.
This death would have a colossal impact on society...
The top businessman in Korea died while taking drugs?
Furthermore, drugs used to maximize sexual pleasure?
With the reporters moring to ask their questions, Ganghun raised his voice over the crowd to make himself heard.
"I¡¯ll now announce the autopsy results of Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok."
The reporters quieted at his words.
"The preliminary results found that his death was caused by excessive bleeding from over ten stab wounds. The finale autopsy revealed...the use of hypnotics."
Sleeping pills.
It partly exined why Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok was killed in such a defenseless state.
"In the case of Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok, a suspect was captured on a surveince camera. We will investigate and identify the suspect as soon as possible."
"Release the picture of the suspect!"
"Make it public!"
"The people have a right to know!"
With the reporters¡¯ demands pouring in, Ganghun disyed a screenshot of the video and waited.
"The suspect was wearing a helmet and his face is not visible. If any citizen has seen anyone that looks like this person that night, please report it immediately."
"Is there any other evidence?"
"For security reasons these are the only things I can announce right now."
Ganghun firmly concluded the press conference and bowed to the reporters.
He evaded them through an entranceway behind the press room.
Jiyeon followed behind.
She as felt nervous as if she were the one standing in front of the reporters herself.
Ganghun looked unshaken by the cameras and Jiyeon looked at him admiringly.
"Sir, you¡¯re amazing."
At her praise heughed and said,
"I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go eat something."
"Really?"
"How does sashimi sound?"
"Sounds great."
"Why don¡¯t we eat while watching the sea?"
In the midst of this he wanted to go to the seaside to eat?
Jiyeon tilted her head at his words.
"Follow me."
Chapter 22 - Room of Mirrors (2)
Chapter 22 ¨C Room of Mirrors (2)
Ganghun was the leader of the team.
Before going out to eat with him, Jiyeon went to the restroom.
At the sink, she met Prosecutor Lee Yoon Kyeong, who was a year older than her but was in the same batch.
"Hey, how are you?"
Jiyeon greeted, and Yun-kyeong was as happy to see her as if she had met a celebrity.
She had a reputation for being a joker at the Judicial Research and Training Institute.
Her sense of humor was that she was told she could be aedian instead of a prosecutor.
"Jiyeon! I heard you¡¯re on the special investigation team?"
"Yes."
"Wow...I¡¯m so jealous."
"It¡¯s good. But there¡¯s plenty of work."
"But you get to work with Hyeon Ganghun."
"Pardon?"
"Kyaaa! How is it like working with Jung Woo-sung every day?"
"Ah..."
It took Jiyeon a moment to understand what Yun-kyeong was talking about.
"He¡¯s good-looking."
"Good-looking? Hey! The rest of the prosecutors¡¯ office is a country of ugly squids! I bet he¡¯s the number one man in the history of Korean prosecution. Just good-looking? He¡¯s amazing at his job too. Not a scandal in sight."
"You like him? He seems to be very popr."
"I watched his press conference. Sitting in a cubicle."
Yun-kyeong looked at her cell phone with the expression of a high school girl telling a story about an idol.
"You¡¯re so pretty yourself."
Li Yun-kyeong lightly tapped Jiyeon.
"I was too busy to put on makeup."
"Natural is attractive too!"
She looked at Jiyeon and suddenly pinched her arm.
"Good luck."
"What?"
"You don¡¯t have a boyfriend."
"And?"
"And Hyeon Ganghun doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend, I checked."
"What are you talking about? Do you think Hyeon actually sees me as a woman?"
"Why not? You¡¯re beautiful."
"When I tell the men I know that I¡¯m a prosecutor they take a step back. They think I might charge them with something."
"Then if I were you I would go in and do it. There won¡¯t be another chance in squid country."
"After this case is over, do you want me to introduce you to someone?"
Therge smile on Yun-kyeong¡¯s face dropped to the floor.
"I see. I¡¯ll tell you."
"Tell me?"
"I¡¯m getting married next month."
"You are?"
Yun-gyeong pulled up a picture of her fiance on her phone.
He was a researcher-like man with sses and a trustworthy face.
"Do you think he¡¯s ugly?"
"No! He looks good to me."
"I only really like to look at his face. It was my dream to care for a gorgeous-looking guy! How can I find a man like that?"
At the sight of Yun-gyeong¡¯s sullen face, Jiyeon burst intoughter.
"What does he do?"
"He¡¯s a researcher. For semiconductors."
"Bingo! I thought he looked like a researcher."
"Should I break up with him and meet up with Hyeon instead?"
Yun-gyeong¡¯s expression was so serious that Jiyeonughed again.
"My fiance is on vacation today so I¡¯m here to have lunch with him. If you¡¯re not doing anything would you like toe join us? I could introduce you."
"Sorry. I¡¯m on my way to met up with someone and eat right now."
"With who?"
"With Hyeon..."
"Just the two of you?"
"Maybe?"
"What a surprise! Big bang!"
After Jiyeon barely managed to stop Yun-gyeong from ditching her fiance, Jiyeon left the bathroom.
If she had revealed she was going to the beach to eat sashimi with Ganghun she wouldn¡¯t be able to get rid of her.
Was it because of Yun-gyeong¡¯s words that she looked good with Hyeon?
Jiyeon felt awkward as she rode on the elevator with Ganghun to the underground parking lot.
The subtle male scent of him in the car made her feel even more awkward.
Jiyeon suddenly wondered about something.
Why would he suggest going to the beach to eat sashimi during this busy time?
Was he sneaking out?
Chapter 23 - Room of Mirrors (3)
Chapter 23 ¨C Room of Mirrors (3)
Only after they had reached the highway towards Incheon did Jiyeon realize his intention.
"Aha! We¡¯re going to Chairman Seo¡¯s vi?"
"What, did you think we were going to see the ocean on a date? In the middle of this situation?"
Incheon had perfect Korean scenery.
She had no personal feelings towards him, but she still felt a little let down.
"The crime scene must have already been cleaned up by now?"
"Yes, but I believe you can still gain some inspiration by going there. At least that¡¯s how I feel."
"I agree, sir."
At first the prosecution did not visit Chairman Seo¡¯s vi because it was believed that the cause of death was a natural heart attack.
The detectives and field investigators had been dispatched to the scene, and they looked around and took enough pictures.
But things had changed now.
They had to go to the scene even if they were overdue.
Jiyeon checked the news as Ganghun continued to drive.
After the announcement of the autopsy results, the media was going wild.
Portal sites were dominated with articles raising suspicion surrounding the death of the father and son.
There were also many stories about Eunseong Group¡¯splex family history.
The three women who lived with Chairman Seo Geon-u, and the children they gave birth to...
Excluding Seo Ha-neul, who was not even in elementary school yet, there was great interest in the Minho and Minseok brothers.
Eunseong Group had quickly put out a statement.
They announced that they would cooperate with the investigative authorities but would fully protect the privacy of the deceased.
They also made it clear that they would sternly deal with media spection and nderousments.
They also responded to the Gentrix controversy.
-Eunseong Group will investigate the possibility that the drug found in the body was used for medical purposes.
While the official statement itself was delivered calmly, the atmosphere within thepany was grim.
The man who left the greatest mark in Korean economic history would be remembered as the man who died of a heart attack under those circumstances.
In fact, there were plenty of sarcasticments in the articles.
-You don¡¯t need to watch the video. He takes drugs and calls a woman to y and has a heart attack *scared*
-the man is the head of the nation¡¯s top business boohoo
-I can understand why he has the power to change wives three times
-Adultery + prostitution + drugs is the topbo
-Gentrix used for medical purposes? the passing dogughs
Jiyeon shivered as goosebumps sprung up on her arms.
She couldn¡¯t believe she was in the middle of such a huge event.
"Do you think Chairman Seo Geon-u was killed?"
"It depends if he knew he was taking the drug or not. If he knew about it then he would have taken it himself, but if he didn¡¯t, then someone must have nted it there."
"Even if it wasn¡¯t a murder, someone had to be there at the time of death. Let¡¯s think logically."
Ganghun¡¯s voice was steady as he exined.
"If I had known about the drug, I would take it right before I had sex, and if I didn¡¯t know about it, then someone else would have to give it to me. Is there any other scenario?"
Jiyeon thought for a moment then answered.
"This could be one situation. If Chairman Seo regrly took Gentrix, then there is the possibility of him dying alone while waiting for a woman, even if the possibility is not very high."
"His personal life was kept concealed. It won¡¯t be easy to find out what his life was like."
As they exchanged ideas about the incident, they finally arrived at Chairman Seo¡¯s vi.
There were already a number of reporters at the entrance along with several vehicles.
When Ganghun exited from the car the reporters came running to him.
"You¡¯re Prosecutor Hyeon Ganghun? Eunseong Group stated that the death was of natural causes. What is your opinion on this?"
"Was Gentrix used for medical purposes?"
"Do you have any evidence from the vi?"
"Was Chairman Seo the only one to use the residence?"
Ganghun entered the vi, leaving the reporters¡¯ endless questions behind him.
Jiyeon followed as close as a shadow.
The police guarding the entrance verified their identities and opened the door.
Unlike Chairman Seo¡¯s modern home in Nonhyeon-dong, his secret vi was very old-fashioned.
She could believe that it was the home of European nobility a hundred years ago.
Lavish paintings hung inside the wooden interior, and exquisite sculptures stood in every corner.
The taxidermy animal trophies also made an eerie impression.
"This must be expensive, right?"
"I believe so. Isn¡¯t the first wife a director of an art museum?"
"Yes. Lee Jeong-ok is the director of the Hyein Art Museum. She was the only daughter of the head of Hyeon Hospital and is also now the president of the foundation,"
Jiyeon exined without missing a beat.
"Inspector Cha, you have a sharp memory."
"I¡¯m not a genius but I¡¯m good at memorizing things."
Ganghun gave a chuckle.
"Do you know how to make jokes?"
"What?"
"You¡¯re different from what I heard about you."
"What do people say about me? Oh, here we go. I haven¡¯t heard much good things since the incident."
"When the department chief was used of sexual harassment..."
Ganghun closed his eyes and pped his hands.
"When I first heard you did it, I really did p."
Ganghun¡¯s eyes were as moist at the first snow as he looked at her with a smile.
This was why the female prosecutors were in love with him.
"I wanted you on the team because you have a good reputation andworking skills, and facing this challenge won¡¯t be easy."
"Yes, it¡¯s like that. I feel like the chief prosecutor is trying to tear me apart right now."
"During situations like these just believe in your principles. If someone whose job it is to administer justice does something bad, he should receive a bigger punishment, don¡¯t you think?"
Ganghun pped Jiyeon on the shoulder.
"Don¡¯t get frustrated and pursue it to the end. I¡¯m proud of our prosecutor."
Our prosecutor...Jiyeon felt a rush of emotion.
She wanted to say that she was honored to work with him, but she couldn¡¯t get the words toe out.
Meanwhile, Ganghun was looking around the house with hawk-like eyes.
Jiyeon followed him quickly.
The bedroom where Chairman Seo was found in was far from a normal bedroom.
The room itself was very wide, and covering the walls and the ceiling over the king-sized bed wererge mirrors. The effect was dizzying.
"This is a mirror room?"
Jiyeon looked at her and Ganghun¡¯s reflections.
One, two, three, four...
The endlessly repeating images were enough to disorient her.
"I wonder why he would decorate the room like this."
Chapter 24 - Room of Mirrors (4)
Chapter 24 ¨C Room of Mirrors (4)
The photographs taken by the police were taken around the bed and floor, and Jiyeon didn¡¯t know before that the rest of the room was covered in mirrors.
She came from forensics, but they couldn¡¯t find any evidence because the site and already been cleaned up several times.
Ganghun checked the police case file he carried with him.
"All the employees that work at the vi said they all go home in the evening."
"There aren¡¯t that many people that know the existence of the ce itself."
"Why would he build a vi in a remote ce like this? It doesn¡¯t even have CCTV."
Jiyeon closed her eyes and Ganghun¡¯s words faded to a murmur.
She tried to imagine what would have happened in this room on the day of Chairman Seo¡¯s death.
Her voice echoed in her cave of consciousness, as if reflected in a mirror.
-Okay. It¡¯s not just another drug, it¡¯s Gentrix. Why would he take drugs to maximize his orgasm?
An explicit visual passed through her mind.
Old men and women with enough money could do anything...
Even things beyond drugs...
The truth was ugly.
"This doesn¡¯t add up."
Ganghun¡¯s voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"Look at the statement from the housekeeper who found Chairman Seo¡¯s body. And look at the scene photos."
ording to the housekeeper who found Chairman Seo Geon-u, hey as if he were fast asleep.
The photos of the scene also looked peaceful, to the extent that housekeeper could confused him for being asleep.
"There¡¯s no sign of a meeting with drugs or women.
"So who cleaned up?"
"Let¡¯s think this through. Let¡¯s say there was a woman. Let¡¯s say they took the drug together. When the chairman died in front of her, do you think she would have calmly ced the body on the bed, cleaned up the scene and left?"
This was unconvincing to Jiyeon.
"That¡¯s true. So...do you think the perpetrator intended us to imagine the wrong thing?"
"Hmmm..."
Ganghun frowned.
"It could be. If she was around, she could have been drugged him from the start as a n to kill Chairman Seo. If so, she would clean up after his death."
"That is possible."
"It wouldn¡¯t make sense if he took the drug alone and died. Gentrix is the opposite of a hypnotic. It¡¯s a stimnt, a stimnt. Do you think he¡¯d take it by himself then fall asleep peacefully? No matter what I think, he didn¡¯t spend that night alone."
"We¡¯ll have to investigate under the assumption that someone else was here."
"That¡¯s my conclusion."
They had to find her.
The woman who was with Chairman Seo Geon-u.
Jiyeon stared at the endless projections on the mirror room.
Who was the person reflected in the mirror that night?
*
After the autopsy, a joint service was held for Seo Geon-u and Seo Minho at a hospital funeral home.
All the influential figures from political and business circles attended the three day event.
Even celebrities who were worked as advertising models for Eunseong Group brought their condolences, and the whole hospital was bustling because of thepeting television crews.
"It¡¯s noisy here,"
Ganghun mumbled.
The two of them hade to the funeral as representatives of the special investigation team.
Even though it was thest day of the service , they had to wait in a long line to offer their respects.
The chief mourner was Minho ¡ª the brother of Minseok, whose mother was the third wife Jang Eun-a.
Sometimes, she saw young Ha-nuel wandering around the funeral hall.
It was their turn to pay their respects to the deceased.
Standing in a ck suit was Seo Minho, who stood as firm as a statue to greet the mourners.
His appearance was a contrast to Minseok, who looked exhausted.
Jiyeon first spotted Jang Eun-ah meeting the funeral guests.
Even though she wore no makeup while in mourning, she still radiated beauty.
She looked unbelievably young for someone who was almost fifty.
If there were no big surprises, she could inherit thepany even though she had no experience.
It means that the most to benefit from this... From that alone Jiyeon had to learn more about the widow.
"I¡¯m sorry for your grief. I will do my best in the investigation."
Ganghun delivered his words of constion.
"Thank you, prosecutor,"
Minho greeted with a bow on behalf of the family.
His eyes flickered to Jiyeon.
There were no words.
Jiyeon also couldn¡¯t find anything to say.
She recalled when they met at the club Gomorrah a few days ago
"But we have the same pain, and we can be friends."
His touch on her hand still felt warm. The brush of his long pale fingers on hers still seemed to linger there.
He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Jiyeon as if he had something to say.
Jiyeon was the one to break eye contact.
She bowed once more, then her and Ganghun left the hospital funeral home together.
"Every time Ie to this ce I feel a little closer to death,"
he murmured as they walked to the parking lot.
"This ce makes me feel mncholy, too."
"Death takes everyone equally, doesn¡¯t it? The rich or poor."
Yes. Life was unfair from beginning to end, but death waspletely equal.
Jiyeon looked up at the night sky.
It was nighttime when two men with enormous wealth and power left the world.
At that moment a shooting star drew an arc across the sky and disappeared.
"Thank you foring."
Minho was approaching them. He was as silent as a cat in the night.
It seemed he must have stepped out in the middle of short break.
Ganghun bowed his head to him again.
"Not at all. I¡¯ll pray that the deceased will go to a good ce."
Seo Minho versus Hyeon Ganghun.
Two men who were simr in height, physique, and facial features.
They both were even dressed in ck suits.
Jiyeon felt the air crackle between the two.
If Ganghun was a hunting dog, Minho was a wild beast.
When two males were confronted with each other, a dangerous bnce was revealed.
"I wasn¡¯t in a position to tell you this earlier, but I have something to say to you both."
Jiyeon was anxious for what he was about to say, but she kept silent for Hyeon.
"What?"
Minho slowly took a deep breath and turned to look at Jiyeon.
"I know who killed my brother."
Chapter 25 - My Heart Is So Scared (1)
Chapter 25 ¨C My Heart Is So Scared (1)
Seo Minho versus Hyeon Ganghun.
Two men who were simr in height, physique, and facial features.
They both were even dressed in ck suits.
Jiyeon felt the air crackle between the two.
If Ganghun was a hunting dog, Minho was a wild beast.
When two males were confronted with each other, a dangerous bnce was revealed.
"I wasn¡¯t in a position to tell you this earlier, but I have something to say to you both."
Jiyeon was anxious for what he was about to say, but she kept silent for Hyeon.
"What?"
Minho slowly took a deep breath and turned to look at Jiyeon.
"I know who killed my brother."
This man¡¯s penchant for saying things at the most unexpected time and ce was unparalleled.
Ganghun opened his mouth in surprise.
"Then...who is it?"
"The killer is at this funeral."
Minho¡¯s eyes and voice were filled with conviction.
He was as serious as a man who had never told a joke in his life.
"What did you say?!"
"When this service is over, I¡¯lle and see you in person."
He bowed his head.
Before Ganghun and Jiyeon could pursue him, Minho turned around and headed back to the funeral.
"Prosecutor Cha. Did I hear him wrong? Did he say that he knew who killed the vice chairman?"
"Yes, that¡¯s what he said."
"He said he woulde to the prosecution on his own, right?"
"Yes, that¡¯s right."
"What the hell...did he mention it when you were interviewing him?"
She cast her mind back to that night but she didn¡¯t recall such a thing.
Something else had been upying her thoughts.
-Miss Cha Jiyeon. Are you a good prosecutor?
Why did he ask that?
She could fill the night sky with her confusion as they left the funeral service.
Ganghun located his car in the parking lot, and Jiyeon bowed goodbye.
"I¡¯ll see you tomorrow."
Ganghun opened the car door.
"Get in."
"What?"
"I¡¯ll give you a ride."
"It¡¯s okay. I can take the subway."
"I¡¯m not the kind of person who always gives out favors. Take it."
She hadn¡¯t nned to get in the car, but Ganghun¡¯s words changed her mind.
"Then I¡¯ll owe you one."
Ganghun¡¯s car was filled with soft music, along with a scent that always seemed to soothe her.
After asking where Jiyeon lived, Ganghun drove skillfully without the aid of a navigation system.
"You know the streets well."
"I¡¯ve lived in Seoul for thirty years."
"I was born in Seoul and lived here for a long time too. Though I don¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license."
"You need a man who¡¯s good at driving."
After saying this Ganghun ducked his head.
"Was that sexist?"
"Ha ha. I don¡¯t think so. I just haven¡¯t had much time to learn how to drive yet."
"Don¡¯t worry about it. There are plenty of people who don¡¯t drive at all for their entire lives."
This was the first time they had a private conversation that wasn¡¯t about the case.
His usual firm, direct manner of speaking had already softened.
She could have forgotten about the case for a while and gone home unburdened, but there was still another naggingplication.
She had not been able to contact her brother Ji-uk for days.
His phone was still turned off and it was driving her crazy.
She called and texted several times a day, but she did not know when his phone would be on again.
She asked Detective So Yudo to find out her brother¡¯s whereabouts, but he hadn¡¯t contacted her back yet.
She felt guilty asking for personal favors, and she didn¡¯t want to feel like she was pressuring him.
Her brother¡¯s phone was off again today.
If this situation continued until tomorrow, she had no choice but to go to Detective So Yudo.
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
Ganghun¡¯s question startled her out of her thoughts.
"Hm? No, I don¡¯t have one."
"You keep nervously touching your cell phone. I thought you might be waiting to hear from your boyfriend."
"Wrong, I¡¯m afraid."
"Really? Man, I¡¯m bad at reading people¡¯s feelings."
"The ace of the Central District Prosecutor¡¯s Office is bad at something?"
"I¡¯m serious. That¡¯s why I¡¯m obsessed with evidence."
Ganghun¡¯s words made her feel dizzy.
All this time during the preliminary investigation, was he that trusting in her to investigate?
Was he too dependent on logic and reasoning?
Ganghun¡¯s attitude when he talked about evidence seemed so cool.
She gave a sudden chuckle.
"Why are youughing?"
"Nothing."
Jiyeon continued to hold back her smile and turned back to her thoughts.
If Prosecutor Lee Yun-kyeong was here, she would be so disappointed.
As Ganghun drove he never missed a turn.
His driving was as smooth as his manners and Jiyeon even felt a little drowsy at one point.
"Thank you, sir!"
Ganghun smiled at her as she exited from the car.
"Go to bed. And you cane in a littleter tomorrow. You look short on sleep."
Oh...did he notice?
Jiyeon rushed into her apartment.
She was tired, but she felt good.
Ganghun¡¯s kindness seemed to wrap around her and warm her from the inside.
She didn¡¯t shower, only managing to take off her makeup before copsing into bed.
She fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter 26 - My Heart Is So Scared (2)
Chapter 26 ¨C My Heart Is So Scared (2)
The next morning, Jiyeon woke to the sound of a loud ringing.
On her cell phone disy was the name Ju-eun.
"My friend. Give me something that¡¯s not an official press release."
"Ah...it¡¯s morning! You know I can¡¯t."
"Nothing big! What about the suspect who killed Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok? Is there anyone on the list?"
Jiyeon recalled Minho¡¯s face.
He wasn¡¯t officially a suspect, but she couldn¡¯t help but automatically think of him.
"It¡¯s still early on in the investigation and I can¡¯t tell you anything."
"What about the case of Chairman Seo Geon-u? Have you gotten anywhere?"
Yes, but she couldn¡¯t tell her that either.
"You¡¯re not even a reporter and you¡¯re digging for a scoop?"
"Scary."
"What?"
"You¡¯re scary like a ghost."
"What are you talking about? Tell me."
"I¡¯ve transferred divisions. I¡¯ve gone from public education to media coverage."
"What? So you¡¯re a reporter instead of a program director now?"
"Yeah."
"Didn¡¯t you like being a program director? You had a lot of pride in it."
Ju-eun¡¯s informational program "Tell It" received high ratings and widespread praise.
It was considered to be the best program on current affairs and it uncovered corruption in every corner of society and revealed mysteries viewers were curious about.
Because of it Ji-eun left her childhood dream of being a journalist and joined as the program director.
"It was because of this case."
"What? You changed departments because of this? Why?"
"I decided to investigate the case as a reporter, then go back to the education division to create a special program. I even got a contract from thepany."
"So you¡¯ve been dispatched."
"I guess so. So you have to help me as well."
"Well, my nose is three feet long."
"Don¡¯t be so hard. The other day you were really cool."
"What?"
"When the autopsy results were announced a few days ago, it was biggest press event in the country¡¯s history. My friend was standing right there with her prosecutor¡¯s badge on and it made me so happy."
"I didn¡¯t even say anything."
"Someday you will lead an investigation team and do a press conference in front arge gathering of reporters."
"If I don¡¯t get cut by then."
"You have nothing to lose."
"You don¡¯t know the world. Who would have thought that Seo Geon-u and Seo Minhyeok would pass away at once like that?"
"You¡¯re right. It¡¯s a world I can¡¯t really understand. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy, but take care of your health. Whenever I take a drink I¡¯ll think of you. Okay?"
"Yes, Ms. Program Director!"
The call had interrupted her sleep for a while.
She had another half hour to spare. Should she go back to sleep? Or should she get ready for work?
In such cases the answer was always in the middle.
Jiyeony in bed for a while, drifting between wakefulness and sleep.
She remembered Minho from the night before at the funeral home, then the day when his father and brother died at the same time.
There was no sign of strong emotions on his face.
She remembered when he ignored Ganghun and spoke to her instead.
"I know who killed my brother."
He then said he would go the prosecutors¡¯ office after the funeral was over to reveal the killer.
From the moment they first met, Minho had always been enigmatic.
There were dangerous seeds that should not be kept in one¡¯s heart.
The red roots would creep in, the red stems spread out, and the flowers would bloom with colors that had never been seen before.
Jiyeon has reasons to be wary of him.
He spent an evening at a beach with her nine years ago,
Then he watched her for a year,
And he said he could see certain moments in the future.
He had the same motorcycle as the suspect,
Which was a rare model with only two hundred of them in Korea,
He knew who killed his brother,
And soon he would go to the prosecutors¡¯ office to reveal the criminal.
Seo Minho. Who on earth are you?
She wanted to know his identity as much as she wanted to know the killer.
Chapter 27 - My Heart Is So Scared (3)
Chapter 27 ¨C My Heart Is So Scared (3)
Jiyeon prepared to go to work as usual and arrived there by subway.
She was in the special investigation team¡¯s office drinking her morning coffee when her cell phone vibrated.
It was a message from Ju-eun, along with an attached picture.
¨C You know how I don¡¯t throw things away, right? I just remembered I have a drawer of old cell phones and I found a treasure!
She opened the picture...
Nine years ago, a moment was captured off the coast of Busan.
The photo was of Jiyeon, who had just turned twenty, and of Minho, who radiated youthful energy.
Jiyeon was resting her hand on her chin, looking into the air, as Minho look at her from the side.
"Well..."
Jiyeon sighed as she looked at the picture.
At least one of Minho¡¯s mysterious ims turned out to be true.
They really did have a connection at the beach!
Jiyeon was still staring at the picture when Ganghun called out,
"Let¡¯s have a meeting!"
The special investigation team had been granted authority to request additional support, and the team had been reinforced with another prosecutor and three additional police investigators, bringing their number to eight.
Prosecutor Ganghun turned to Detective Nam first.
"Did you finish investigating Seo Minhyeok¡¯s cell phone records?"
"I¡¯ve looked at everything up tost two months."
"Make it thest six, and be sure you have the call and text message history."
"Yes, sir."
"Was there anything special on the records for the past two months?"
"Most of them were business-rted. There were a lot of overseas calls. The most noticeable of them..."
The detective stopped speaking for a moment, then continued in a careful voice.
"Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok had a girlfriend."
"Great,"
Jiyeon groaned unknowingly.
He had a girlfriend?
This detail had beenpletely unknown to them.
It had note up in any of the family¡¯s or secretaries¡¯ statements when interviewed by the police.
Could this be the person that Minho said killed his brother?
Ganghun¡¯s voice was tense at this new development.
"Who is it?"
"She¡¯s... she was his secretary."
"I¡¯m sorry?"
"Her name is Yu Minji..."
The other team members reacted in surprise, and Detective Nam passed out several documents over to the team.
"These are the contents of the messages shared by Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok and Yu Minji. Theymunicated extensively. She was with him for almost 365 days a year because she was his secretary."
Jiyeon looked at the attached photo of Yu Minji.
She had a graceful face and neatly bobbed hair like a news anchor.
She was cute rather than sexy or cool.
While her face was pretty enough, she wasn¡¯t a world-ss beauty that could make a man fall in love with her in a single nce.
"As you can see from their conversations, they met in private quite often."
Jiyeon scanned through the messages quickly.
She was so surprised that she covered her mouth with her hand.
It was nothing short of y between lovers.
¨C U look beautiful today, baby
¨C *sad face* ...what. I¡¯m ugly today
¨C What day is that? Baby looks beautiful every day *kiss* ?
¨C Eeeeh...me too *kiss kiss*?
As she read through the messages she spoke to Detective Nam.
"Are these really Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok¡¯s messages?"
"Yes. I was a little surprised."
The other team members were flipping through the pages with a look of disbelief.
The heir to Eunseong Group wrote these messages himself?
Calling a secretary a baby? And blowing hearts?
And deliberately bad spelling? Was he acting cute?
Jiyeon read through more of the file.
¨C Do you want to go shopping in Paris?
¨C Do you have time for that?
¨C I make time.
¨C Wow, Oppa is so cool!!! (TN: Oppa is a term used by a female towards an older brother or older male )
¨C Baby wanted sunsses, right? Oppa will buy it for you.
¨C No, I can buy it with my sry. Ojja pays me a lot of money.
¨C Ojja wants to buy it for you.
¨C If you keep on doing that, I will think of you as a second-generation conglomerate who seduces his secretary with money!
¨C Somehow, it is important to seduce you haha
¨C Please, please don¡¯t read on your private ne and get some sleep. Sleep is good for you
¨C I don¡¯t have much time to read booksfortably. Don¡¯t try to change my mind, I¡¯d like to buy baby something on this business trip....
¨C Is Ojja going to keep making money?
¨C Okay. Then, I¡¯ll draw the line. Buy me another one.
¨C What?
¨C Lingerie ???
¨C Omg!!
Jiyeon¡¯s cheeks turned red.
The date of the conversation was well over a year ago.
One hundred pages of A4 paper.
She thought Seo Minhyeok was a CEO who didn¡¯t bleed or cry...
Chapter 28 - My Heart Is So Scared (4)
"He was a lover,"
the detective murmured, echoing the same thoughts as Jiyeon.
The expression "Ojja" appeared constantly and seemed to be a version of "Oppa."
"We should look through the records more thoroughly, but I don¡¯t see Yu Minji as a likely suspect,"
said Prosecutor Kim, a prosecutor who newly joined the special investigation team.
"Yes, from what I¡¯ve read...their rtionship had never gone bad. They were on good terms even before he died,"
Detective Nam briefly summarized.
"Seems so. Even thest message is impressive."
At Detective Soyu¡¯s remarks Jiyeon turned to the final page of the record.
It was thest conversation between the two lovers, before Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok died.
-My Ojja...I always miss you everyday...
-Me too baby
-I really miss your body
-It¡¯s still the same
-I want to have Ojja¡¯s body
-Are we not doing it enough?
-You don¡¯t know. You don¡¯t know how needy I am
-I¡¯ll fill you up soon
-Idiot...
-This idiot loves this baby.
-I love you too. My heart is so scared...
My heart is so scared...
That was thest conversation between the two.
A few hourster, Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok would be murdered.
"Whooo..."
A sigh came out of Jiyeon.
"Inspector Cha."
"Yes, sir."
"Go meet Yu Minji right now."
"Me?"
Jiyeon was surprised because it would normally be the police detectives to look into this type of witness.
"You should be as vignt and possible and find out about her rtionship with Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if it was a woman who spoke to her?"
"Yes, I understand."
"The rest of us will continue the meeting."
Jiyeon stepped out of the conference room.
As she walked down the corridor she called the administrative office of Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok.
When she verified her identity and said she wanted to speak to the head of staff, she was quickly redirected to them.
They exchanged greetings and Jiyeon immediately brought up Yu Minji.
"Yu Minji was the secretary to Vice Chairman Minhyeok, right?"
"Yes, she was."
"And the job right now?"
"Mine?"
"No, Miss Yu Minji."
"Ah. Miss Yu Minji resigned."
"I¡¯m sorry? Resigned? When?"
"Her resignation was epted two days ago."
"Ah...the reason must be..."
"It must have been a shock to see the person she had directly taken care of be like that."
In other words, the head of staff did not know about the special rtionship between Seo Minhyeok and Yu Minji.
Jiyeon spoke carefully.
"I¡¯m only just asking, but was there ever a rtionship between Vice Chairman Seo Minhyuk and Miss Yu Minji? They were both young after all..."
The chief of staffughed out loud.
"Prosecutor. You don¡¯t know our vice chairman. He¡¯s the second generation of the conglomerate group and yet he¡¯s never turned his eyes to even the most beautiful of celebrities. The only thing he ever thought about was work. He¡¯s not like¨C"
They seemed to have realized that they said too much and quickly shut their mouth.
It seemed that they were about to say that Seo Minhyeok was not like Seo Geon-u, who was well-known to be a womanizer.
"If there was anything between them I would have noticed. But there was never such a thing. I know better than anyone. The vice chairman was not interested in women even when they asked him to go out with them."
Jiyeon spoke to herself inwardly.
You don¡¯t know anything. You don¡¯t know how much in love they were.
"Alright, but I still need to meet Yu Minji, so please give me her contact information right away."
The head of staff obliged.
*
Yu Minji lived in a studio apartment in Mapo District.
Jiyeon called her on her phone and spoke with a gentle voice.
Jiyeon told Yu Minji they could meet at the prosecutors¡¯ office, but if she wanted then they could go somewhere else.
Minji asked Jiyeon if she could meet her at her apartment.
"Oh I¡¯m fine, I hope it¡¯s not an inconvenience?"
"I¡¯ve had panic disorder since the incident. I haven¡¯t been out of the house for a few days. I don¡¯t think I can talk to a prosecutor outside."
"Ok, I understand. I¡¯lle to your home."
The junior police detective drove Jiyeon to the Mapo District.
Along the way, she read the messages shared by Seo Minhyeok and Yu Minji with mad enthusiasm, as well with voyeuristic guilt that she was intruding in another person¡¯s romance.
For Jiyeon, who had never had a blinding, heart-pounding love affair, it was like a new world.
They pined over how they missed biting and sucking each other...
So many dirty conversations...
She felt a little breathless just reading it.
What caught her attention was that they were equal partners.
The second son of a conglomerate family with billions of won in assets and a twenty-year old secretary.
The rtionship between employer and employee had been taken to another level, but no one had known about it at all.
The most interesting part was thest conversation.
What she said a few hours before Minhyeok¡¯s death.
-I love you too. My heart is so scared...
What kind of woman was she?
It took Jiyeon about half an hour to reach her destination.
The driver said he would park the car in an underground parking lot and wait.
Jiyeon went to the twenty-second floor of the apartment building near Mapo station and looked for the apartment number Yu Minji had given her.
She was in there.
Despite the head of staff¡¯s insistence in Seo Minhyeok¡¯s disinterest in women, there was one who captured the heart of the heir to the toppany in the nation.
It was like a main character of a passionate love story.
Jiyeon drew her breath and pressed the doorbell.
There was no response on the inte, and the door simply opened.
The moment it happened,
"AAAAH!"
Jiyeon screamed, taking a step backwards and falling down.
Chapter 29 - Desire Ch. 29 A Magical Time (1)
Jiyeon drew her breath and pressed the doorbell.
There was no response on the inte, and the door simply opened.
The moment it happened,
"AAAAH!"
Jiyeon screamed, taking a step backwards and falling down.
Yu Minji was standing with a knife.
"WHAT!"
"Are you the prosecutor?"
"Yes, I¡¯m Cha Jiyeon! Why are you¨C"
"Show me your ID."
"Ah¨C"
Jiyeon was so shocked that she took out her ID card with trembling hands and handed it to Yu Minji.
Yu Minji peered at it with a suspicious look on her face.
She was turning it in her hand to check whether it was fake or not.
The image of her with a knife in one hand and Jiyeon¡¯s ID card in the other was a bizarre sight.
Satisfied, Minji returned Jiyeon¡¯s ID card.
"Come in."
As soon as she was inside, she slid the knife back into a woodblock next to the sink.
"I¡¯m sorry I scared you."
"It¡¯s okay. I understand."
Only a week had passed since the man she loved was brutally stabbed to death.
It was understandable enough behavior.
"Do you want coffee?"
"I already drank coffee, thank you."
"Then shall we have tea?"
"That would be great."
She let Jiyeon sit on a chair next to the table as she prepared the tea in the sink.
The ce was a typical studio apartment, designed as one room without any partitions.
A bed, a dresser, a desk and a table for two.
It was simr to Jiyeon¡¯s ce, and as well most people who lived alone in the city of Seoul.
After a few minutes she handed Jiyeon a cup of tea and sat across her.
"Here¡¯s your tea."
"Thank you."
Jiyeon gently blew on her cup then took a sip.
The tea was fragrant and had a delicate and soothing taste.
"It¡¯s delicious."
"It¡¯s tea I bought from Vietnam."
"I see. Can I record our conversation?"
Jiyeon lifted her cell phone and Yu Minji nodded her head.
"You know about my rtionship with the vice chairman, don¡¯t you?"
Her sudden introduction of the subject almost surprised Jiyeon.
"Ah, yes. We learned about it when we checked the phone records."
"I thought so."
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, I hope it isn¡¯t any trouble."
"If there¡¯s anything you need to investigate, please do it as soon as possible."
"Oh?"
"I¡¯m going abroad next month."
"I see..."
"I¡¯m not sure if I can stay in this country."
"It must be difficult for you."
Jiyeon felt sympathy towards Yu Minji and the loss of her passionate rtionship with Seo Minhyeok.
It was understandable why she would hold a knife to visitors.
"I don¡¯t know who killed Minhyeok."
Jiyeon noticed she switched from using the term "vice chairman" to "Minhyeok."
It could mean that Minji was starting to feel morefortable around her.
"Yes. I know if you knew you would have contacted us first. If you can, please tell me everything that happened between you and Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok. Even if you think it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with the case, it could be a clue."
"Is that possible? It would take a year to talk about everything that happened between us. The love that we shared together..."
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Jiyeon¡¯s heart broke for her.
"The people around you didn¡¯t seem to know about your rtionship. It was hard hiding, wasn¡¯t it?"
"No, it wasn¡¯t hard at all."
Oh...Jiyeon felt a swell of admiration towards her.
She was so strong. And she was around twenty-five?
"Even if we couldn¡¯t tell anyone, as long as I was beside him I was happy."
"You loved him a lot."
"Yeah. I loved him for who he was. Not because he was part of a huge conglomerate, but just as a man."
Jiyeon nodded silently without interrupting.
The first thing to do was to encourage Yu Minji to open up.
"He loved me the same way. He never treated me as a subordinate."
Yu Minji held herself with a dignified manner.
Was it because of her anger towards the person that killed her lover?
Or was it because she missed him?
Was it her desire to be seen in an unseen rtionship?
Jiyeon asked her next question carefully.
"May I ask how you two first met?"
Yu Minji slowly closed her eyes.
And went back to the moment she first met Minhyeok.
Chapter 30 - A Magical Time (2)
Chapter 30 ¨C A Magical Time (2)
She was a college student who had never considered herself special.
It was the greatest moment of her life when she graduated from secretarial school and obtained a position with Eunseong Group.
The first ce she was assigned to was the administrative office of Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok.
She started out by preparing refreshments for the guests.
For one year Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok never met her eyes properly.
She watched from a distance, feeling as though she was seeing God.
She was only an office worker who only received two million won a month. (TN: ~$1800)
On the other hand, Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok, who would soon inherit the Group and whose fortune could fill aquarium tanks, did not seem to be on the same level as her.
Then an incident happened a year in.
Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok¡¯s personal secretary at that time was injured in a car ident and was not able to apany him on a business trip.
It was only two days before the trip.
Minji was hurriedly substituted in as his secretary and soon she was on a private ne to Rome, Italy.
She was so nervous she couldn¡¯t even look at Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok properly.
He exchanged almost no words with her except to say hello to this neer who took the ce of his old secretary.
Their first proper contact was due to unexpected circumstances.
Minhyeok seemed to have eaten something wrong before the ne took off earlier.
There was a emergency medicine inside the ne, but it was of little help.
Minhyeok¡¯s face was so pale that the crewmen and people on the ne were at a loss.
Minji stepped in.
"Do you want me to prick your finger?"
Minhyeok looked at Minji with a pallid face.
It was the first time the two looked closely at each other¡¯s eyes.
Minji thought that Minhyeok¡¯s eyes were simr to hers.
She thought he was a god, but he was human.
A person who has eyes like hers and was a human being.
"Minji, what are you talking about? Out of the way. Vice Chairman, here¡¯s some more medicine."
The head of staff was trying to push Minji away when Minhyeok took her arm.
"I already have my medicine. She¡¯ll prick my finger."
"What? You want to do that?"
"Why? What¡¯s the problem?"
"No, you could get infected..."
"That¡¯s nonsense."
Minhyeok told the head of staff to leave then locked eyes with Minji again.
"Did you say your name was Minji?"
"Yes, Vice Chairman."
"Have you ever pricked your finger?"
"Yes. Several times."
"You¡¯re not infected are you?"
Minhyeok had a joking expression on his face and Minjiughed out loud.
He made a joke with her because he she knew would be nervous.
Minji took a needle from the steward and sat next to Minhyeok.
Minhyeok mumbled when she held the end of his index finder.
"You said you¡¯ve done this before, but this is my first."
"It won¡¯t hurt. It will make you feel better."
"I hope so."
Minji pricked his finger with the needle.
There was a soft gush of blood, heard only by the two.
"Oh, it¡¯s blood,"
Minhyeok said in a child-like voice.
"You must have a lot of upset stomachs. The color of the blood is dark red."
Minji wiped the blood carefully with a cloth handed to her by a crew member.
Minhyeok said quietly,
"It¡¯s like magic."
"Hm?"
"I feelfortable already."
Another joke and a smile.
She pretended like it was nothing, but inside Minji thought it was a magical moment.
She took Minhyeok¡¯s hand and pinched his finger.
He was like a heavenly god who came to earth and stood before her.
And Minhyeok¡¯s upset stomach disappeared like magic.
By the time theynded at the Rome airport, his color hadpletely returned to normal.
As a small reward Minhyeok upgraded Minji¡¯s room to a suite.
The splendid night view of the city of Rome was like a portrait.
"Ah...it¡¯s a waste to sleep in a ce like this."
Minji walked around therge hotel room, looked out the window alone, took a shower twice, then went to bed.
The red drops of blood came back to her.
There was a ghost that floated in front of her like a balloon.
-It¡¯s like magic.
It was Minhyeok¡¯s voice and face.
She wasn¡¯t able to sleep at all when suddenly the hotel phone rang.
It was past eleven o¡¯clock at night.
Anyway,
"I didn¡¯t wake you up, did I?"
The smooth voice belonged to Minhyeok.
"Vice Chairman!"
Minji sat up andposed herself automatically.
"How¡¯s your room?"
"Great! It¡¯s so great!"
"It¡¯s too small a price for saving my life."
"Saving your life? I just pricked your finger."
"I thought I was going to die."
"I guess you¡¯re always so dramatic. Hehe."
"Did you justugh?"
"Oh...I¡¯m sorry."
"If you can¡¯t fall asleep, would you like to have a drink?"
Minji gazed out the window
It was the softest voice she¡¯d ever heard.
Was today a magical day?
TN: Pricking one¡¯s finger with a needle is an old Korean folk remedy for an upset stomach
Chapter 31 - A Magical Time (3)
Chapter 31 ¨C A Magical Time (3)
"We drank cocktails at the hotel bar. I got drunk."
Yu Minji imagined she was back at that time, smiling as she swayed in her seat.
"It was our first date."
Jiyeon felt as if she had been transported to Minji¡¯s mind and body.
"What kind of person was he, Minji?"
"Minhyeok hated his father very much, but you couldn¡¯t tell it on the surface."
"Could you?"
"Yeah. And I think he despised his father¡¯s second wife."
"And by the second wife you mean..."
"Nam Yunjeong."
"The mother of President Seo Minseok of Eunseong Motors."
"Yes. I don¡¯t think he had much feelings for the third wife though."
"And?"
"I think he was disillusioned at the same time, and epted his fate as a second-generation conglomerate."
"So you were..."
"A kind of escape. Yes, I know."
Jiyeon nodded her head.
"He was both a rich man and a poor one."
"Did he talk about his brothers?"
"Sometimes. He envied Minho."
"For what?"
"Living freely."
So ording to her Minhyeok¡¯s and Minho¡¯s rtionship was not hostile.
Yu Minji added,
"And he admired Minseok for his abilities as a CEO."
"Even though he hated Nam Yunjeong?"
"Yes. But he didn¡¯t hate her son, Minseok."
"I see. Is there anything else that you find worrying recently?"
"As far as I know...I don¡¯t think so."
Jiyeon observed her expression.
She could be hiding something, but Jiyeon couldn¡¯t tell by the look on her face.
Jiyeon wanted to talk to her more, but there nothing clued her in to being a suspect.
Finally, Jiyeon gave her condolences and left the apartment.
On her way back to the car in the parking lot, Jiyeon agonized over one thing.
How much should she believe what she says?
Chapter 32 - A Magical Time (4)
Chapter 32 ¨C A Magical Time (4)
She wanted to file an official missing persons report.
Jiyeon walked back to the office with heavy footsteps.
Firstly, she shared the recorded conversation with Yu Minji with her team members.
There were also several developments while Jiyeon was away.
Among the evidence gathered at the murder scene of Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok were hair samples that didn¡¯t belong to him.
The National Forensic Service had begun DNA tests.
If a suspect was identified, then their DNA would bepared against it.
"Prosecutor Cha, you will investigate Chairman Seo Geon-u¡¯s former wives."
Ganghun gave his orders in a stern voice, a contrast to the friendly tone when he had driven her homest night.
It was incredible how the same person could be so different.
"Yes, sir."
"Detective Nam, is there any progress on the surveince cameras on the roads leading to Chairman Seo¡¯s vi?"
"There are three ess roads near there, but there are no surveince cameras because they are too narrow."
"Then please investigate all the vehicles as soon as you enter the ess road. As the radius grows, so does the number of vehicles."
"The road is so far from the vi itself. We¡¯ve recorded all of the license tes and there are over a thousand vehicles...I don¡¯t think it would be possible to check every one."
"Hmmm. Okay. Please record only the missing numbers. If you need more people, just let me know."
"Yes, sir."
"Detective So Yudo, please request hair samples from Minho and Minseok. We need topare them to the one from the crime scene."
"Yes, sir."
Jiyeon scheduled a meeting Chairman Seo¡¯s first wife.
She was born to the hospital director of Hyein Hospital and lived as a wife of the Eunseong Group.
She divorced Chairman Seo and ended her rtionship with thepany thirty years ago, and now she was seventy years old.
She was the mother Seo Minhyeok and Seo Minho.
Jiyeon looked at a picture of her gentle face.
She could see Minho¡¯s resemnce to her.
*
The evening rain was gathering on the city¡¯s ankles.
Minho stood in front of a wide window overlooking Hannam Bridge.
After finishing the three-day funeral service yesterday, he stayed home all day.
Eunseong Group, which lost both its chairman and vice chairman, was unsure who would be the next sessor.
Countless executives and employees kept a keen eye Minho¡¯s every move.
It was not only the members of Eunseong Group that was watching him.
Companies, reporters, and people interested in current affairs were paying attention to Minho¡¯s presence as well.
Before, he was the one who was hid in the dark and was one step behind the front line.
Now it was inevitable that he would be under the spotlight.
Sure enough, there were people endlessly contacting him since this morning.
That evening there was to be a family meeting at the main house in Hannam-dong to assess the direction of thepany¡¯s leadership.
Minho went to the living room and jogged on the treadmill for half an hour.
It was a ritual to awaken his body and spirit.
He took a shower and then dressed in a no-tie suit, but he stopped then took off his clothes again.
He changed to an AC/DC shirt and faded denim jeans.
He seemed to have transformed from a steel-blooded businessman to a rebellious rocker.
Like most of his actions, only he knew why he changed his clothes on the way to the family meeting.
He went to the study and opened a secret safe.
Instead of money or bonds, there were notes and small boxes whose contents were hidden.
He took out one small, worn leather box.
He was the only one to know what was insidd it.
A philosopher once said,
A person¡¯s holiness is proportional to the size of his secret.
If that were so, then Minho was the most noble man in the whole word.
He took a deep breath and opened the box.
Chapter 33 - The Killer Is (1)
Chapter 33 ¨C The Killer Is (1)
Inside the small box was a USB sh drive.
The USB, the size of a little finger, was old tech nowadays where dropboxes and cloud services wheremon.
He connected the USB to aputer in the study and opened the files on the monitor.
They were photos of Jiyeon nine years ago when she was a university student.
An innocent girl rather than a woman.
He flicked through the pictures slowly, as if he were admiring each one.
Jiyeon going to school alone, Jiyeon walking on campus, Jiyeon walking in the rain with an umbre...it was all Jiyeon.
When he reached thest picture of her chatting with her friend and smiling brightly, he closed his eyes.
He felt as if he was struck by something unknown.
The glow of the city filtered through the window and fell on his face, adding to the mysterious atmosphere.
After a few minutes of rest, he opened his eyes again.
He gave a long sigh and stared at Jiyeon¡¯s smile on theputer screen.
His mouth opened and cryptic words flowed out.
"How did youe back?"
*
A grand three-story mansion loomed proudly in Hannam-dong, boasting wealth and the finest architecture.
It was the home of Chairman Seo Geon-u, his wife Jang Eun-a, and his young song Seo Ha-neul.
Now that Seo Geon-u was dead, only his widow and her son would live in this vast ce.
A family gathering was to be held in the main living room on the first floor.
It was Jang Eun-a who formally called the meeting.
The only other guests were Minho and Minseok.
Ha-neul, still a child, was ying with his nanny on the upper floor.
The first person to arrive was Minseok.
He had returned to his position as head of Eunseong Motors, which he left vacated during the funeral. He still wore a ck suit and ck tie.
"You¡¯re here, wee."
Eun-a greeted him with a smile.
She treated her two other sons with respect even though they were not rted by blood, and their ages were not far apart from hers.
"Yes, mother."
Minseok also used title of mother in a polite manner.
"Park the car,"
Eun-a told the housekeeper, then seated herself on the living room sofa.
"There¡¯s been so much work the past few days."
"Yes. But we can handle it."
"It¡¯s good that we don¡¯t have to worry about Eunseong Motors under your care."
"Thank you."
Minho came in.
He wore jeans and a t-shirt with a heavy metal logo on it, the opposite of Minseok¡¯s formal suit.
Eun-a frowned upon seeing this but hastily reced her expression with a smile.
"Sorry I¡¯mte."
Minho bowed to Eun-a and approached the sofa.
"Brother."
Minseok stood up and greeted Minho with a light hug.
The three members of the family were now gathered together.
Two brothers, and a young widow who was not rted to either of them.
"I¡¯m sure everyone is busy during this trying time, but there is something we need to talk about."
"Just get to the point,"
Minho said, crossing his legs impatiently.
"Don¡¯t be in a hurry. Have some tea."
Eun-a gently pushed a cup towards him.
"Aren¡¯t you the ones in a hurry? How many days has it been since the funeral? What was so urgent that you called me? Do you think we¡¯ll put them aside and swallow ES Electronics, ES Semiconductors?"
His voice was deceptively calm despite his harsh condemnation.
"That¡¯s why I called you here. Eunseong is not owned by just one family member. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s necessary to solve this leadership crisis immediately so that our shareholders and employees can feel less anxious?"
Eun-a coolly looked straight into Minho¡¯s eyes.
They stared each other down.
"What are you thinking of, mother?"
Minseok cut in.
"This will be an opportunity to find another executive."
Minseok nodded thoughtfully.
"It would be too much for you to manage bothpanies."
"Yes, I don¡¯t have the time to oversee both the automobile and electronic sectors at the same time."
When Minseok finished Eun-a nodded.
Minho tilted his head.
"I have plenty of time. Why don¡¯t I take charge of Eunseong Electronics?"
Eun-a looked incredulously at Minho.
"What? You look surprised?"
"Not at all¨C"
Eun-a was speechless.
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