CEO Bang Ki-cheol stared blankly at his monitor.
*Vroom.*
“……Shit.”
His fingertips trembled involuntarily.
The Yongsan Police Chief had clearly said it. That the person he was looking for was likely Baek Seo-jun, the man being mentioned most frequently on the internet lately. If so, it meant the guy appearing on the monitor now was that same person.
[Is the connection between the police, prosecution, and the media finally breaking? Prosecutor Baek Seo-jun of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is the first to prosecute for ‘Disclosure of Facts About a Suspect.’]
[Is the prosecution starting to punish Prosecutor Baek Seo-jun? There is not a single precedent for the prosecution charging someone for ‘Disclosure of Facts About a Suspect.’]
[Prosecution rejects Prosecutor Baek Seo-jun’s resignation. Statement released saying they cannot lose a precious talent over a timely controversy during such a grave period.]
It was enough of a headache just knowing the man was one of only 2,000 prosecutors in South Korea. But apparently, he was a highly capable nutjob as well. Looking back just a little bit further into his timeline…
[Only three days were enough. Prosecutor Baek Seo-jun of the Special Crimes Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office uncovers the full extent of the third-generation chaebol’s drug and sexual solicitation scandal.]
[Total leader of a voice phishing ring who fled overseas is extradited from Singapore. Prosecutor Baek Seo-jun of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office induced active cooperation from local authorities after long persuasion.]
[Innocent young man falsely accused of murder is found not guilty after three years… Prosecutor Baek Seo-jun of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office finds the ‘decisive evidence.’]
[Investigation into National Assembly lobbying suspicions suddenly reverses from the brink of no-charge. Prosecutor Baek Seo-jun eventually uncovers and reveals the slush fund ledgers to the world…]
The articles were endless.
“Huff, huff.”
CEO Bang Ki-cheol’s breathing gradually became ragged.
“I knew I had a bad feeling about this…”
He quickly shook his head from side to side.
‘No. Let’s not think too negatively.’
Wasn’t it actually a relief that he found out now? According to his original plan, he had intended to order his subordinates to beat the guy half to death. If he had done that…
“……I would have been the one who was screwed.”
It went without saying, but turning a prosecutor into an enemy was incredibly exhausting. From the recent articles, it seemed the guy had already been branded as a rogue element within his organization. Still, if Bang intended to seek revenge eventually, it was best to touch him only after his resignation was officially processed.
“Team Leader Bae! Are you out there?”
Having finished his thoughts, CEO Bang Ki-cheol immediately called for his employee.
“Yes, CEO. I’m here.”
“Post a notice to the guys. Tell them to do nothing for the time being until the company is completely split in half.”
“Pardon? Then what about the matter of pre-contacting our celebrities that you ordered before…?”
“Don’t do that either! Any of those guys with even a bit of a brain will follow us on their own.”
Naturally, he was confident about this.
“They’ll be buried together if they keep riding a ship that’s already full of holes. Unless they’re idiots, there’s no way they’d make that choice.”
***
Perhaps fatigue had been accumulating without him realizing it?
“Uwaaaa……”
His condition was a mess when he woke up. His muscles were screaming immediately.
“Just how long did I sleep?”
Looking at the intense sunlight streaming through the gap in the window, it certainly wasn’t dawn. However…
*Slide.*
When he finally pushed the sliding window wide open.
“Ah……”
An exclamation escaped from between his teeth.
*Swish.*
His fingers naturally formed a square frame. The pride of South Korea, Son Heung-min, had said it. Every time he received congratulations, he made that frame to turn the moment into a memory—to never forget the precious moments of his life.
“It’s good.”
I felt like I could understand a little bit of the meaning behind that ceremony now. The countryside in late summer. Through the frame, the scenery poured in like a scene from a movie. The smell of soil warmed by the sunlight wafted to the tip of my nose. The savory scent of ripening rice and the subtle grassy aroma from wild flowers overlapped in layers.
*Whish……*
Unlike the building winds frequently experienced in the city, the wind blowing here was incredibly slow. But I loved that slowness. I loved the leisure felt from nature so much. It made my heart feel at ease.
“People dream of returning to the countryside for this feeling.”
Every day was a breathless routine. All the sounds, smells, objects, and light that would have just passed by in Seoul—all of them felt much larger and clearer here, at least. A magical moment where the ordinary became extraordinary.
“Are you awake?”
“The Prosecutor is quite the sleepyhead.”
Two women passing by the window spotted me and greeted me in turn.
“Did everyone sleep well?”
“Thanks to you.”
“The problem is that I slept too well,” Min Ha-ru said, laughing as she flexed her slender arm to show off her lack of muscle.
“What about the Revive members?”
At my follow-up question, the two women made eye contact and smirked.
“Congratulations, Prosecutor.”
“Pardon?”
“It looks like you’ll be the owner of a Hannam THE HILL apartment soon.”
“……”
In other words, it meant they were all still sleeping. I reflexively glanced at the clock.
“It’s almost lunchtime already?”
“The kids must have been very tired. Every single one of them fell into a deep sleep without exception.”
Suddenly, Min Ha-ru made a gloomy expression.
“I understand why they’re like that.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s because this is their most anxious time. It’s the timing when their future lives are decided—whether they can debut or not.”
“Mhm.”
“Even for trainees, if they fail, nothing remains. No matter how much blood, sweat, and tears they shed, no one will recognize their efforts.”
That was the same for civil servants or other professional exams. No matter how hard someone worked as if their life depended on it, if they failed, that was the end of it. Even if they tried to get a job, they couldn’t even add a single line to their resume.
‘If you put it that way, I’ve lived a very diligent life too.’
Perhaps that was why this leisurely daily life felt even more precious. From my school days until now, I could confidently say I had lived more fiercely than anyone else.
“Ugh, talking about it makes me feel anxious too.”
“……Why you, Ha-ru?”
“It’s a problem even if you succeed. Maintaining that position is several times harder than debuting. When you hit a peak once and your existence is gradually forgotten by the public… I heard that’s when the anxiety really hits.”
Hmm.
“Sometimes, it might be better to be forgotten naturally.”
“Pardon?”
At my words, both of them tilted their heads at the same time.
“I once asked a celebrity I was investigating when they were caught for drugs.”
“……?”
“I asked why they touched drugs in the first place, setting the addiction aside.”
Only then did the two women show interest.
“And? What did they say, Prosecutor?”
“They said they couldn’t forget the dopamine of a life in the spotlight.”
“!”
“The days when everyone went wild for them. The overwhelming pleasure of being on stage. But no matter how hard they struggled, things wouldn’t work out anymore. As their daily life vanished and their existence itself grew faint to the people little by little, slowly…”
Trailing off, I gave a bitter smile.
“……They said they ended up looking for a new dopamine, something they should never have touched.”
“……”
In the increasingly solemn atmosphere, I grinned.
“Speaking of which, I’m planning to make a food even more terrifying than drugs this time. Could you two help me out?”
“!?”
***
It was while I was in the middle of preparing food in the kitchen.
“Unkie!!!!!”
*Pitter-patter.*
I felt a massive presence behind my back.
*Cling!*
In an instant, a small lump of glutinous rice stuck to my leg.
“Hehehehe!”
“Seol-i. You woke up early?”
“Sleepyhead!”
Seol-i pointed her finger accurately at me.
“Hup!”
I immediately picked Seol-i up.
“Wow…… Seol, how could you do that?”
At that moment, a quite wounded voice came from the kitchen entrance.
“You promised to give me a tour of the house, and you betray me just like that?”
It was Seok-gu. However, Seol-i looked back and forth between the guy speaking and me for a long time.
“Unkie!”
She pointed her finger at me again.
“Mister!”
……Then she pointed at Seok-gu.
“Pfft.”
Min Ha-ru, who was busy frying eggs, couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.
“Sister! Even kids judge by faces.”
“……I can hear everything, Min Ha-ru.”
“Right, Ha-ru. That’s rude.”
Shin Hye-seo quickly covered Min Ha-ru’s mouth.
“Mmph-mph-mph!”
“Hey!”
“……Excuse me. You two doing that is even more hurtful.”
Seok-gu let out a deep sigh.
“Wow…… Anyway, this is making my competitive spirit burn for the first time in a while.”
Before I knew it, Seok-gu was glaring over here as if he were looking at a lifelong enemy.
“Baek Seo-jun. It’s a match.”
“……A match for what?”
“Before I leave this place, I will definitely make Seol-i like me more. I won’t take no for an answer.”
“?”
This time, too, the ones reacting before me were the others.
“Hmm. Wouldn’t that be a bit difficult……?”
“They say a man should have big dreams, Sister.”
It felt like the reactions of the two had switched this time, though.
***
For lunch, I prepared a light bibimbap. The backyard garden was full of ingredients for it.
*Snap!*
I picked the spinach that I had watered generously the night before. I also harvested the zucchini that had ripened yellow under the summer sun. I brought out the bellflower roots that had been pulled a few days ago and dried in the shade. Even the sesame oil wasn’t a commercial product but something pressed directly at the village mill.
“The rice is ready!”
*Thud!*
Just then, Shin Hye-seo brought out the freshly cooked white rice. We scooped the rice into large brass bowls with paddles. Then, we tightly surrounded the rice with colorful, homegrown vegetables. The spinach showed off its green hue while the bellflower roots had a faint purple tint, bowing their heads toward each other. To this, we added cool radish salad and fresh bean sprouts. Over the top, we covered it with a fried egg like a blanket.
*Drip!*
The final touch was, of course, the sesame oil.
“Oh, right! Gochujang!”
I was about to bring out the gochujang separately so everyone could add it to their taste…
“Prosecutor! Jae-jun says he’s skipping the meal!”
“……?”
At Min Ha-ru’s tattle-telling, my brow narrowed.
“Those who skip meals are subject to expulsion from my house.”
“I already warned him earlier! I asked if he wanted to get kicked out.”
Listening to this, Shin Hye-seo gave a bitter smile.
“I…… I’ll apologize on his behalf, Prosecutor. It seems Jae-jun was quite shocked.”
“Hmm.”
“It seems CEO Bang’s verbal abuse was worse than expected. He’s worried that even if he starts over like this, he’ll just be a burden to the team……”
“He said those things with his own mouth?”
“……Yes. While he was tipsy yesterday.”
I didn’t know the entertainment industry all that well. I had spent my entire life focused on studying and catching bad guys. However…
“What is Jae-jun’s position in the group?”
“He’s the main vocalist.”
“Oh. I’d like to hear him sing once. Including the Revive members’ stage.”
From the perspective of the general public, I should be able to judge whether it sounded good or not. More than anything, there were seasoned experts in this house right now.
“Of course, after he eats a hearty meal first.”
***
“The, the sun is in the middle of the sky?”
“Whoaaa…… I really slept well.”
“How long has it been since I’ve tasted such sweet sleep?”
“Last night, I was literally one with the blanket.”
The Revive members walked out staggering like zombies. As I watched them for a moment…
“Seo-jun.”
My mother carefully approached me.
“Mother. It’s inconvenient having so many more people, isn’t it?”
“No, that’s fine, but……”
Suddenly, my mother lowered her voice significantly.
“Is it really okay to accept the money that was deposited into the bank account?”
“Pardon? More money came in?”
“Yes. But the amount is so much more than I expected……”
It seemed my mother, who had gone to the market in the morning, had updated the bankbook while she was at it.
“Let me see.”
I immediately took the bankbook from my mother’s hand. And then…
“……!”
My eyes widened.
“……Wait a moment, Mother.”
I immediately went to find Shin Hye-seo.
“Hye-seo. What is this money?”
“Ah……”
Looking at me holding out the bankbook, Shin Hye-seo gave an awkward smile as if she had expected this.
“It’s for the lodging fees. Since our family has grown.”
“Even considering that, it’s too much.”
“Prosecutor. Our company does have money that is paid out every month as a ‘Mental Care’ budget for our celebrities……”
Shin Hye-seo carefully watched my reaction. Just as she said, if it were company money, I wouldn’t even say anything.
“The depositor isn’t the company; it’s you, Hye-seo.”
“……”
“This is your private money, isn’t it?”
“……”
Silence was an affirmation. Man, this person……
“Even so, 100 million won is too much. Do you know how much the rent is around here?”
“I, I don’t think it’s that much.”
Shin Hye-seo hurriedly waved her hands.
“We don’t know how long we’ll be staying here. We can’t just be a nuisance for free.”
“Even so……”
As I was about to continue, I stopped.
*Munch, munch, munch.*
“Wow. How is bibimbap this delicious?”
“It’s literally melting in my mouth.”
“This is insane. Who made this?”
“We all made it together, but I think it’s delicious because the ingredients are so good. Make sure to thank the Prosecutor and his parents.”
“We’ll enjoy the meal!”
A groan escaped through my teeth. Setting aside the increased number of mouths to feed, they were like gluttons. The members, who had already finished their food, were shouting for seconds.
‘Is my house going to go bankrupt at this rate?’
Even Jae-jun, who said he had no appetite earlier, was already on his third bowl.
“I…… I’ll think of it as a sort of deposit. If you end up returning early, I’ll naturally refund the difference.”
“!”
Only then did Shin Hye-seo smile brightly.
“Yes! Then we’ll stay for a very, very long time!”
Pardon? Why is the conversation going that way, Hye-seo?
***
The interrogation room at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
*Slap!*
Before starting the formal investigation, Seo Yi-re slapped both of her cheeks loudly to stoke her determination.
“Let’s do this, Seo Yi-re.”
Her senior had practically spoon-fed her this case. If she couldn’t lead this to a guilty verdict, she might as well quit.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
“I’m coming in.”
Seo Yi-re opened the door to the interrogation room.
“……”
The investigator she made eye contact with gave a slight nod. And across from him sat a woman with long, flowing hair.
‘Ahn Yu-ra.’
That woman was the initial informant in the case of the late actor Lee Ji-hoon. In other words, Ahn Yu-ra’s testimony would be the key evidence to prove the disclosure of facts about a suspect.
“I felt her out roughly during the identification process, and it seems she received at least 300 million won.”
At the whispering voice of the investigator, Seo Yi-re nodded slightly.
“You’re hungry, aren’t you?”
“……”
“Shall we have a meal before we start the investigation? The seolleongtang near here is really delicious.”
At that moment, a voice echoed from between the flowing hair.
“……Please let me make one phone call.”
“……?”
“I want to call a lawyer. If you don’t grant this, I will exercise my right to remain silent.”
After a moment of thought, Seo Yi-re gave a small nod.
“Instead, you must make the call in front of me.”
“Understood.”
Only then did the investigator hand over the confiscated cell phone.
“Just in case, we will start recording as of this moment. All conversations from now on will remain as a record.”
*Click.*
Seo Yi-re pressed the record button without delay. There was nothing to destroy as evidence at this point, but if she tried to pull any tricks, everything had to be kept as evidence. And a moment later…
“……This is Manager Ahn.”
Ahn Yu-ra’s voice echoed lowly.
“You said it before, didn’t you? That you would grant whatever I wanted just once.”
“……?”
Unknowingly, Seo Yi-re tilted her head. Just what kind of great lawyer was she going to call that she was setting the mood like this?
“Wa-wait a moment. Chairman. No, Father!”
Ahn Yu-ra’s voice, which only deepened the mystery, echoed again.
“Please save me just this once. Then I’ll live quietly as if I’m dead from now on!”