Episode 7
Reincarnation Test (5)
Shin Jong-seung had never seen Attorney Gusangjin like this before.
Attorney Gusangjin, who was always laid-back, now clenched his fist tightly while suppressing his anger, as if standing at the edge of a cliff, gnawing at his lips.
But what was even more amusing was the appearance of Seojin walking in front of him.
Unlike Attorney Gusangjin, Seojin stood confidently with his shoulders squared, and calmly opened his mouth.
“Are you going in?”
Attorney Gusangjin’s lips twitched.
However, before Attorney Gusangjin could respond, the voice of the suspect from the interrogation room echoed like a scream.
“You took the money! You have to defend me! I’m innocent! I didn’t do it!”
Seojin turned his gaze towards the interrogation room, not giving any attention to Attorney Gusangjin, and asked, “Or will you continue?”
“No! I won’t take the case! I thought it was a traffic accident. But this… ”
“Then leave.”
Seojin interrupted Attorney Gusangjin and turned his body towards the interrogation room.
In the eyes of Attorney Gusangjin, it was truly audacious behavior, and his gaze distorted.
“…Kim Seojin?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve seen many like you, acting like that and leaving after taking off your clothes. Show some respect.”
“Respect?”
When Seojin was Prosecutor Seojungyeong, he had clashed with Attorney Gusangjin several times.
Appearing on television, pretending to be good and skilled, pretending to care for the common people, but always being a puppet of power.
The words Attorney Gusangjin spoke at that time crossed Seojin’s mind.
“Why work so hard? You won’t succeed that way. The harder you work, the more you’ll be marked and treated like dirt. If you want to succeed, crawl gently. Lie down and shout, ‘I love you, Congressman.’ like this!”
A person strong against the weak and weak against the strong.
Even back then, Seojin didn’t like that insincere face, and he still didn’t like it now.
“Sigh…”
Seojin sighed, turning his body slowly.
The back of Attorney Gusangjin walking towards the elevator was visible.
Seojin stared at his retreating figure with cold eyes.
It was as if he was going to devour everything Attorney Gusangjin had.
Soon, Seojin thought… He would make Attorney Gusangjin lose everything he had.
Seojin slowly turned his body and entered the interrogation room.
Only then did Shin Jongseung, who had been secretly watching, quietly raise his head.
“That guy…”
“Changed, hasn’t he?”
“What?”
Shin Jongseung turned around at the sudden voice.
Standing there, Sohee, with her black pupils, looked into the interrogation room and asked again, “Detective Shin, Prosecutor Kim has changed, hasn’t he?”
Shin Jongseung didn’t respond.
He also felt that Seojin had changed.
Especially when he confidently stood in front of Attorney Gusangjin, as radiant as the sky, Shin Jongseung couldn’t help but think that Seojin looked cool.
“Darn it.”
Shin Jongseung bit his lip.
At that moment, ziiing, Shin Jongseung’s phone rang.
The caller ID was Gusangjin.
***
It was when Jang Dongik was urgently arrested on charges of murder and being dragged out of the interrogation room.
Seojin’s phone vibrated.
It was Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu.
Seojin’s gaze turned to the mirror in the interrogation room.
Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu must be watching from beyond that mirror.
‘But why the sudden call?’
Seojin slowly put the phone to his ear.
“Yes, Prosecutor.”
– Good job. Let’s grab a meal. Come out.
With those brief words, the call ended.
And Seojin burst into a bitter laugh.
It was the first time he heard such words since coming to the prosecutor’s office.
“Let’s grab a meal.” Those words were something Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu had never heard from anyone before.
It was a bean sprout rice soup restaurant.
Seojin sat across from Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu.
While waiting for the food, Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu spoke.
“Why didn’t you mention the case being overturned?”
He had handed it over as a traffic accident, but it turned out to be a murder case. Naturally, it should have been reported.
Seojin lowered his head.
“I apologize.”
“Never mind. I think I know the reason.”
If he had reported it, Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu might have intervened. He might have criticized, asking if it made sense.
Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu asked, “How did you deduce murder from a simple traffic accident?”
He couldn’t say he saw it through psychometry.
“When I matched the clues, there were slight inconsistencies. So, I investigated, and all the evidence pointed to murder.”
Seojin logically answered, fitting in the prepared evidence, and Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu nodded after listening for a while.
“Alright, keep doing that. Look at the forest, not just the trees.”
It was a bit odd.
His expression and tone were not those of the usual Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu. He would have been angry about not reporting the case, but perhaps watching the disgraceful behavior of Attorney Gusangjin made everything softer.
He even poured water into the cup.
A while later, the rice soup arrived.
Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu cracked an egg into it and said, “Can you continue handling this case? If it’s burdensome, let me know. I’ll take it back.”
“No, I can do it.”
“That jerk Gusangjin will persistently interfere. Can you win?”
“What? Attorney Gusangjin said he wouldn’t take the case.”
“He’ll come back.”
For a lawyer who left boldly to return is a difficult thing.
However, Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu spoke with certainty.
“He’s coming back?”
While sprinkling red pepper flakes into the rice soup, Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu said, “Yeah, he’ll come back. I’m currently seasoning his life with red pepper flakes.”
It was the first time Seojin had seen Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu suggest going out for a meal and smiling happily like this.
Not only was he suggesting eating, but he seemed proactive, which was unusual.
Pouring some water into the cup, Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu continued, “So, tell me. Can you handle it? Despite how Gusangjin may appear, he’s a capable guy.”
“Yes, I can.”
“You answer well. So, do you want to see this case through to the end? Not just the investigation, but go all the way to the trial?”
It would be ideal for the prosecutor in charge of the investigation to stand in the trial, but it’s impossible for every case due to the overwhelming number of cases reported daily. Therefore, there are specialized trial prosecutors who handle trials exclusively.
However, it’s rare for an investigating prosecutor to stand in the trial. In cases with intense disputes or complexity, or those considered particularly important, the investigating prosecutor may participate in the trial.
Seojin naturally wanted to see the case through to the end.
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
“Good. There are a few issues. Investigate further and nail them down. We need to resolve the injustice. So, if you need more manpower, let me know. There are plenty of people in our district with extra time. If you’re unsure about anything, ask.”
“Yes.”
Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu’s phone vibrated.
In the midst of their conversation, he glanced at the screen.
The caller ID showed Kim Eunji, a journalist.
Prosecutor Lee Myeongsu chuckled slyly.
“This should be interesting.”
***
It was a traditional Korean restaurant in Dongnam District.
There, Attorney Gusangjin and Shin Jongseung sat facing each other.
After pouring soju into a beer glass, Attorney Gusangjin downed it in one gulp.
“Ah.”
When Attorney Gusangjin stole a sip, Shin Jongseung, curious about something, asked, “Is something going on?”
“I was deceived. I thought it was a traffic accident, but it turned out to be a hired murder.”
Even if he was deceived, if it weren’t Seojin on the other side, he might have continued. Issues were visible, and the client stubbornly insisted they were innocent.
The chances of winning were there, but something felt uneasy.
The reason was Seojin.
‘The kid’s staring at me with snake eyes.’
Attorney Gusangjin, momentarily recalling Seojin’s face, shook his head.
“Alright. Forget it.”
While lost in thought, a call came from the law firm.
Attorney Gusangjin answered the phone, holding it to his ear.
“Oh, Team Leader Jung. An advertisement? Why would I shoot a mobile game ad? Am I supposed to fight with a sword? Do I have a strong warrior image? I didn’t know that. Okay, how much is it? Fine, I’ll discuss it when I go to Seoul.”
Attorney Gusangjin put down his phone and chuckled.
“A commercial?”
Until now, the dirty feeling had started to somewhat dissipate.
Attorney Gusangjin picked up some marinated beef with chopsticks, and with a somewhat relieved tone, he spoke.
“Kim Seojin, did Imyungsu teach him?”
“Oh, yes. Do you know Prosecutor Imyungsu?”
“He’s my junior. He’s just like that, rude and stiff. He crushed his seniors and thrived on his reputation. But now, what is he doing? Even when his colleagues are directors, he’s still an assistant director. He can’t leave because there’s no law firm willing to take him. He’s nothing more than a lackey.”
Attorney Gusangjin refilled his beer glass with soju.
Having already drunk one cup, he seemed a bit tipsy as he spoke words he didn’t need to say to his friend’s son.
“Shall I tell you about Kim Seojin’s future? It will be the same as Imyungsu’s. He’ll wander on the outskirts for the rest of his life, disappearing without any presence. If not, I’ll make him disappear. This old man has that power.”
Shin Jongseung smiled, licking his lips.
Attorney Gusangjin, who had felt somewhat inferior to Seojin and listened to the conversation, heard a welcome remark.
Shin Jongseung extended his soju glass and said, “Please give me a drink too.”
“Isn’t it during working hours?”
“We’re at Dongnam District. If you keep your mouth shut, no one will know. Besides, it’s just one drink.”
“Yeah, there’s no enthusiastic person here anyway.”
When Attorney Gusangjin raised the bottle, his phone vibrated again.
This time, an unknown number.
After filling Shin Jongseung’s glass with soju, he pressed the call button.
“Hello, Attorney Gusangjin speaking.”
-This is Yoo Haeun, a reporter from HN Ilbo Dongnam Branch.
“HN Ilbo?”
-I heard you came to Dongnam District.
Attorney Gusangjin chuckled slyly.
It was rare to see someone from the entertainment industry in this rural area.
And now, he, who had been uncharacteristically feeling down compared to Seojin, heard an encouraging word.
Shin Jongseung poured soju into his glass and said, “I’ll have one too.”
“Isn’t it your working hours?”
“It’s Dongnam Branch. No one will notice if you keep your mouth shut. Besides, it’s just one drink.”
“Yeah, there’s no enthusiastic person here anyway.”
As Attorney Gusangjin was about to lift the bottle, his phone rang again.
This time, from an unknown number.
After filling Shin Jongseung’s glass with soju, he pressed the call button.
“Hello, Attorney Gusangjin speaking.”
-This is Yoo Haeun, a reporter from HN Ilbo Dongnam Branch.
“HN Ilbo?”
-I heard you came to Dongnam District.
Attorney Gusangjin chuckled slyly.
It was rare to see someone from the entertainment industry in this rural area.
And now, he, who had been uncharacteristically feeling down compared to Seojin, heard an encouraging word.
Shin Jongseung poured soju into his glass and said, “I’ll have one too.”
“Isn’t it your working hours?”
“It’s Dongnam Branch. No one will notice if you keep your mouth shut. Besides, it’s just one drink.”
“Yeah, there’s no enthusiastic person here anyway.”
Attorney Gusangjin was about to lift the bottle when his phone rang again.
This time, from an unknown number.
Shin Jongseung filled his glass with soju and answered the call.
“Yes, this is Attorney Gusangjin.”
-HN Ilbo Dongnam Branch Reporter Yoo Haeun.
“HN Ilbo?”
-I heard you came to Dongnam District.
“What’s the matter?”
-Is it okay to talk for a moment? I have something to ask.
After checking the time by twisting his wrist, Attorney Gusangjin nodded.
“If it’s just a moment, it’s fine.”
-Thank you. I heard you had a hard time coming all the way here, but I heard there were no results.
At the same time as those words, Attorney Gusangjin’s expression crumpled.
“Results…?”
-Oh? Isn’t that the case? I heard it as intelligence. A top-tier attorney like Attorney Gusangjin having a case broken by a rookie… I mean, I’m sorry. An unusual thing for a case to fall behind…
“Who said that? Who said that!”
-Oh, I just heard it here and there, you know. Anyway, I thought since there might be a setback, you’re not taking the case…
“Hey!”
-Yes?
“Listen carefully. Don’t use a single word I just said in your article. No, don’t even mention my name in your newspaper. If my name appears in that newspaper…”
But the other end of the line was unusually quiet.
Attorney Gusangjin felt uneasy about the silence.
Then, a voice sincerely apologizing came from the other end.
-I’m, I’m sorry…
“Oh, you published it?”
-Yes.
“You published it?”
-But I didn’t say you were pushed aside by a rookie prosecutor.
Attorney Gusangjin urgently searched for his name.
First, he needed to confirm what nonsense was being spread.
[Attorney Gusangjin Takes Charge of Murder Case in Dongnam District]
Attorney Gusangjin, who is actively engaging in various activities even on television, draws attention by taking charge of a murder case in Dongnam District, Gangwon Province. (Omitted) With the appointment of a rookie prosecutor, Kim Seojin, who joined last year…
At the same time, messages began pouring into his phone.
-Did you go all the way to Gangwon Province?
-Is it against a rookie? I’d lie down and eat tteok.
Attorney Gusangjin’s eyes shook.
Something was off.
No matter how popular Attorney Gusangjin was as a TV personality, receiving this much attention for coming to Gangwon Province was not plausible.
Given the number of murder cases happening in a day…
‘What’s going on?’
The reason became apparent through the following messages.
-It could have been an unidentified case?
-But did the older sister kill the younger brother?
-Is that man her lover? Are they splitting the insurance money?
-Two sons?
-A true lawyer. Taking on such cases.
-Envious. You’re going to get your name out there again.
Although expressing envy, all the messages were mocking Attorney Gusangjin.
Thrown into his successful life, he felt like excrement.
Attorney Gusangjin closed his eyes and ground his teeth as if they were about to break.
Now, there was no way to escape.
Whether he liked it or not, he had to step into the colosseum and fight against Seojin.
“Damn it…”
