TWB 57

The atmosphere in the interrogation room was suffocating. Outside, other prosecutors watched the situation with their arms crossed, while inside, Kang Hee-shin was in conversation with Finance Director Kwak Seong-tae, who had been summoned urgently.

When the investigators broke into the hotel room, he had attempted suicide. He was stopped dramatically, and the wound was not severe, but this only fueled the public outcry. The confinement and threatening of a whistleblower, followed by a suicide attempt—how sensational could the story get?

“Is your wrist alright?”

Finance Director Kwak Seong-tae nodded, looking down at his bandaged wrist.

“Yes, it’s not a serious injury.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“When I met you two days ago, didn’t stolen contentyou say you would cooperate? You said you wanted to wrap things up quickly and go unauthorized copylive in Canada with your family. Why the sudden change of heart? Is it because of Im Gyeong?”

He wore an expression as if he were hearing the name for the first time.

“Im Gyeong? Who is that?”

Hee-shin clenched his fist tightly under the desk.

“We have the recordings and transcripts of your statements. Everything will be revealed as a lie.”

Instead of an answer, Finance Director Kwak Seong-tae merely smiled. The man who had seemed anxious and precarious every time they met was nowhere to be found. He was so different that Hee-shin wondered if even a professional actor could pull off such a transformation. The realization that he had been thoroughly deceived hit him painfully.

As he stood up to finish the interrogation, Finance Director Kwak Seong-tae called out to him.

“I hope we get to meet again.”

Those words implied that next time, Kang Hee-shin might not be the one in this seat. Furthermore, it meant he [unauthorized copy]might be removed from stolen contentthe investigation, suspended, or in the worst case, face a trial. Gritting his teeth, he stepped outside, where the Deputy Chief Prosecutor signaled him. He followed her into another interrogation room. Once the door was closed, she let out a deep sigh.

“Did you really not know?”

The suspicion was now directed at him. Thanks to this, Assemblyman Choi’s office was reportedly in total chaos.

“Why on earth did you meet Assemblyman Choi at that time? How much am I supposed to trust you?”

“I have no excuse, no matter how many mouths I have. I am sorry.”

“If you can’t fix this, seriously… Ha, it won’t just end with you. Do you understand?”

“I will resolve it somehow. Please give me time.”

“Whether you threaten that man into spitting out the truth or bring in a new witness. Take responsibility no matter what. Got it?”

“Yes, I understand. I am sorry.”

As he stepped out of the interrogation room, he saw the faces of his colleagues. They all looked like miserable, defeated soldiers. Some looked at him with resentment, some with suspicion, and others with consolation. Finding it too difficult to stay among them, he headed straight for his office. A sigh escaped him at the sound of the telephone ringing even before he entered. Sure enough, Chief Oh and staff member Baek Young-mi were frantic, fielding calls.

“No, who said that? Reporter Yang, are you really going to be like this? You know the truth, so why phrase it that way?”

“The prosecutor is not here right now. He has filed for a leave of absence. Yes? I wouldn’t know about that. Even if you come visit—”

Click. Hee-shin unplugged the phone line, and the two women stared at him in surprise.

“It’ll be like this for a while. Don’t answer them.”

“Prosecutor…”

Hee-shin gave a bitter smile and comforted them.

“I’m sorry. You two are being put in a difficult position because of me.”

At those words, Chief Oh jumped up.

“What nonsense are you talking about! We all know how hard you’ve worked, Prosecutor!”

“That’s right. Don’t worry about the articles. What do they know?”

“Exactly! Meeting Assemblyman Choi my foot. Crazy bastards. Like they saw it!”

Hee-shin, who had been silent, smiled bitterly.

“I did meet him. We had dinner and drinks.”

Chief Oh’s mouth dropped open. Staff member Baek Young-mi also looked speechless. Yet, their expressions weren’t ones of reproach, but rather worry. When asked if he was okay, Hee-shin grabbed his coat instead of answering.

“I’ll be heading out first.”

“Now? There are reporters lined up out front!”

“If I hold out here, other people will suffer too. They’ll leave once they confirm I’ve gone home.”

“No, still. Wait a second. How about I disguise myself as you and go out instead?”

At that, staff member Baek Young-mi looked Chief Oh up and down.

“Do you think that would work…?”

Chief Oh also seemed to realize the flaw and clicked her tongue.

Even if she covered her face, the height and build were the problem.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Come out once the reporters are gone.”

After saying his goodbyes and stepping out, he found Park Tae-min and Jang Seon-woo standing in the hallway.

“You okay?”

“Are you alright, Sunbae?”

“Both of you, go. Don’t stay glued to me and end up with your faces all over tomorrow morning’s front page.”

Park Tae-min flinched and slowly backed away. Honestly, that man… he was impossible to like. But he understood. He would have done the same. Who would want to be struck by lightning just by standing next to a jinx? However, Jang Seon-woo continued to follow him.

“Didn’t you hear me? Are you deaf?”

“Did you perhaps anticipate that things would turn out this way?”

Hee-shin stopped in his tracks and looked back.

“Is that why you left me out?”

After a moment of silence, Kang Hee-shin gave a slight smile.

“I anticipated it, but I thought I could stop it.”

“…What?”

“I overestimated myself. I didn’t know how scary the world is. I acted too cocky and got played properly.”

As he smiled bitterly, Jang Seon-woo lowered his head. Hee-shin patted his shoulder. See you later. Go on. After saying goodbye, he headed down the stairs. As he opened the main building door and stepped out, he saw a pack of reporters gathered in the distance like hyenas.

Of all the bad luck. Why did it have to rain, too?

I’m going to look like a drowned rat in the photos, fuck.

Maybe he should have brought an umbrella.

While he was regretting it, the reporters swarmed him.

“Why did you meet Assemblyman Choi? Can you explain the allegations of collusion?”

“Can you tell us what you discussed during the meeting?”

“Where is Kwak Seong-tae now? Is it true he attempted suicide?”

Keeping his mouth stubbornly shut, he walked toward the main gate. Avoiding the persistent reporters, he quickly climbed into a taxi waiting at the entrance. The taxi driver glanced back.

“Is the destination Seongshin Apartments?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Then he took out his phone. There were over a hundred missed calls from various people. His mother, Min-hye, Yoon Se-na, middle and high school classmates, college friends, law school peers… fuck, there were so many. Few had called out of genuine concern; most seemed curious if the news was true. Just in case, he checked the articles, and as staff member Baek had warned, he immediately regretted it.

After silently reading the comments, he spoke to the driver. “Driver. I’m sorry, but can we change the destination?” When he gave the new address, the driver looked hesitant. In the end, they reached an agreement after Hee-shin offered a unauthorized copytip far exceeding the fare. Leaning back in the seat and looking out, the car visit our sitecrossed the Han River. With the rain falling, the river felt more bleak than usual today. His heart, too, was a freezing hell.

As raindrops covered the car window, the wipers moved back and forth. He thought the low, rhythmic sound resembled the ticking of a clock’s second hand. Amidst that, Im Gyeong stared at the scenery outside the window with cold eyes. The reporters who had been stationed at the apartment entrance were leaving one by one, with only one or two remaining.

Midnight had long passed, but Kang Hee-shin did not appear.

When he called, he only received a message saying the phone was turned off.

As he leaned his arm against the window and sighed, a call came in from Todo Tatsuki.

“I have to go.”

“I know.”

“No.”

Tatsuki’s low sigh was audible.

“Don’t come. I’ll be there soon.”

After the call ended, time flowed endlessly. He wondered if Hee-shin had gone inside the house while he was momentarily distracted. With a sliver of hope, he pulled up his hood and headed toward the apartment. As he skillfully entered the common entrance password, he heard the voices of reporters behind him.

Do you live here? Do you happen to know Kang Hee-shin?

Ignoring them, he went up to the 8th floor. He pressed the doorbell, but it was quiet. Even when he knocked loudly with his fist, there was no response. The emotions that had been buried at the bottom began to crawl up. He called again. As expected, there was no answer, and it went to voicemail. His mind raced toward the worst-case scenario.

…Did I push him too hard?

That was the first thought, and the second was…

“Ha, fuck…”

Rubbing his face harshly, he turned on his phone. No matter how many times he called, the owner of the phone did not respond. He returned to the car, but he Read on Read BL Novelssimply could not leave that spot. The rain poured down stolen contentin torrents, making the movement of the wipers meaningless.

Where on earth did he go? If I had known this would happen, I should have put a tail on him.

Then, laughing self-deprecatingly at his own pathetic state, he thought:

Do you even have the right to worry?