A New Rhythm and a New Request

I don’t like the saying that curiosity killed the cat.
Because I think curiosity is always one of the biggest driving forces.
Words like joy, anger, and hope are too grand to wrap up a beginning.
‘Curiosity’ always exists from the very beginning of a small challenge.
The desire to know, curiosity, and moving on to the next after obtaining a single clue.

‘Among them, Im Suho can’t stand being curious.’

By now, he would have already grasped all the general information.
If Gi Seongjin had done more wrong in his life, no. He definitely has.
He would probably have to review even the sins he had forgotten one by one at the hands of others.

‘Well, he might have lived a surprisingly upright life, unexpectedly.’

Though the possibility seems low.
It’s all karma, this is.

‘Ah, since I contacted Im Suho, I should have asked him how the first thing I asked him was going.’

I shook my head, leaving the last step of the office stairs.
Im Suho was very precise when it came to work.
Especially the area that Im Suho deals with, where even a speck of dust can be valuable.

‘If he had found anything, he would have contacted me first.’

Rather, the fact that he hasn’t contacted me even after this much time has passed means that the other party is also that thorough.

‘I can’t let my guard down, this.’

Chime.

“You’re here, Lawyer Cha. What’s with your clothes?”
“My clothes? Ah, right.”

As soon as the wind chime rang, Won Youngoh, who had immediately raised his head, looked at me as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.
Well. I had the same thought when I found this in a corner of my closet.
I strode towards the central table of the office.

“Despite how it looks, this is a shirt that has repaid a kindness. Don’t say too much about it.”

This is definitely not because I’m embarrassed.
I wasn’t embarrassed at all.
But my hand was already stealthily unbuttoning my shirt.
Did I leave a spare jacket in my room?

Vibrate.

Just as I opened the clean glass door and entered the room, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
I checked the caller ID and immediately answered the phone.

“Yes, Ms. Seonghui. Is something wrong? Did Gi Seongjin contact you again?”
[Ah. No, lawyer! I was so out of it earlier that I couldn’t ask you, but about the legal fees.]
“Ah, that’s a relief. It didn’t go to trial, and it was settled in an agreement. It’s fine.”
[What? No, but still. I don’t feel comfortable…]
“It was just a free consultation. I’m actually grateful that you accepted my proposal.”
[But still, a person has a conscience, how can I do that…]

After a moment’s thought, I answered Ha Seonghui.

“If it really bothers you, I’ll ask you for one favor. With the money you thought was the legal fee, have a delicious meal with your younger sibling, and send your younger sibling on a school trip. That’s all I need.”

A brief silence flowed from the other end of the line.
A few seconds later, Ha Seonghui conveyed her gratitude several times in a voice that was suppressing her surging emotions.
I finished taking off my shirt and hung it on a hanger.
Time flew by again.
I spent the next few days reviewing cases instead of taking them on.
Won Youngoh had been to two trials in the meantime.

Vroom.

‘There’s no traffic today.’

The road was always packed at this time, but today, there was a moderate amount of room.

“Gram. How many points have I accumulated?”
[970 points.]

Hmm, I’ve accumulated more than I thought.
It was thanks to having taken on quite a few cases recently and protecting my clients.

[Yes, you can use the points to strengthen existing skills or purchase new ones.]

I shook my head at the voice that was ringing in my ears.
I was diligently following the instruction to not display the hologram in front of my eyes while driving and to have it whispered in my ear.
I shook my head lightly.

“No. I was lucky this time and those skills did their job right away, but you never know what I’ll need and when. I need to think about it.”
[Yes. Please let me know when you need it.]

The inside of the car became quiet at once when I nodded.
Of course, it had been quiet all along.
I took the opportunity of a red light to play Cheonsugyeong again today.
Hyeon Yeongje had once asked me.

“What’s the reason for playing that? The CEO’s office isn’t a temple.”
“Just, because it makes me feel at ease when I listen to it.”
“What’s so troubling you?”

Then and now, the answer to that question could not be defined as one thing.
If I were to tell one thing, I would have to bring up too many stories.
So I always chose to remain silent.
In most situations, the one who kept their mouth shut had the advantage.
It wasn’t for nothing that there was the right to remain silent.

‘Is this too much of a professional habit?’

Creak.

I parked the car in the office parking lot and strode up the office stairs.

Chime.

“Lawyer Cha, you’re here?”
“Yes, good morning. But what is all this?”
“Ah, this.”

I couldn’t help but be surprised at the scene that greeted me as soon as I opened the door.
Because everyone was holding something in their mouths like squirrels in the winter.

“Mr. Lee Ilwoo, you like sweets.”
“Ahem. You should sit here and have some too, lawyer. We’ve set aside your share.”

The table was completely full of food.
No, was it more of a snack than food?

“Where did all this come from?”

I took a piece of rice cake that Won Youngoh offered me.

“Oh, this is Jeju Island rice cake.”
“You recognize it.”
“Yes, omegi tteok is delicious.”

Come to think of it, there were logos everywhere indicating that they were Jeju Island specialties.
From tangerine chocolate to jeonggwa, rice cakes, and more…
Besides snacks, there were also cookies and breads.

“…Did someone go to Jeju Island over the weekend? Was there some kind of party without me from the morning?”

I took a bite of the rice cake with pure curiosity.
The fluffy, sweet, and chewy taste was excellent.

“No, we received it too.”
“I’m glad I didn’t have breakfast today because I was busy.”

Jeong Donghyeok nodded at Lee Ilwoo’s words.
My question was fleeting, and then the fragrant coffee smell from somewhere stimulated my nose.

‘This is…’

Won Youngoh, who had been brewing coffee every day, had injured his hand, so Jeong Donghyeok had become the coffee person, but he couldn’t replicate Won Youngoh’s taste.
The moment I was about to turn my head, a mug appeared in front of my eyes.

Swish.

“Have some coffee too.”
“…Ms. Seonghui?”

What is Ms. Seonghui doing here?
No one answered my question.
Won Youngoh, who had taken the cup, gestured to an empty seat with his eyes.

“Ms. Seonghui, you should sit and have some too. It must have been hard to carry all this.”
“No! It wasn’t hard at all!”

Even though she had brought enough food to feed four grown men, joy was evident on Ha Seonghui’s face as she said that.
I, who had figured out the situation, nodded.

“My severance pay also came in well last night!”
“Congratulations.”
“Lawyer Cha Yohan said he wouldn’t take a fee, but as a decent person, I couldn’t just let it go!”

I, who had been eating the remaining rice cake while nodding, quickly looked at Ha Seonghui.
Ha Seonghui smiled with a completely different appearance from when I had first seen her.

“My younger sister was also so grateful to you lawyers that she came back from Jeju Island with all of this! So please eat a lot!”

So she was such a vibrant person.
Since the situation had become like this, I had no choice but to smile.
Everyone else was already eating and smiling. Won Youngoh also seemed to be in a good mood.
The biggest reason for that seemed to be the coffee in his hand.
Should I try it too? The aroma is promising.

‘…Huh?’

The taste was as excellent as the aroma.
To the extent that it was similar to the taste of the coffee Won Youngoh used to brew.

‘But, hmm. The taste of the coffee beans seems a little different?’

I could feel a slightly more acidic taste. But that part went well with the sweet desserts.
My mood improved with the very satisfying coffee I was drinking after a long time.

“I’m a little relieved that your younger sister seems to have had a good trip.”
“Yes, it’s all thanks to you lawyers. I heard the weather in Jeju Island was really nice. It’s just like autumn.”

We talked for a while like that. Since Ha Seonghui was there, it was mostly about our recent lives.
After finishing a cup, I asked Ha Seonghui.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do in the future?”

At my question, Ha Seonghui held the mug with both hands and spoke.

“I’m thinking of trying to open a cafe after a little more effort.”
“Ah, like you mentioned before?”
“Yes. I’ve been looking at some places, but considering the deposit and equipment, I’ll have to get a part-time job for a while.”
“How long are you thinking of?”
“Hmm, about a year. While taking it easy.”

While I was nodding again at Ha Seonghui’s words, Won Youngoh suddenly let out an unexpected exclamation.

“The coffee tastes good. Where did you buy the beans?”

Won Youngoh, who had been silently drinking coffee all along, opened his mouth, and Ha Seonghui’s face lit up as she answered.

“Does it suit your taste? I roasted them myself at home. It’s one of my few hobbies.”
“Are you holding off because you have a desired location for the cafe?”

I couldn’t guess what Won Youngoh was trying to say.
And it wasn’t just me, but everyone in this room.
The atmosphere suddenly felt like an interview.
Ha Seonghui, who had briefly brightened up, became discouraged again and opened her mouth hesitantly.

“No. I can’t be picky about that. It was too expensive everywhere I went. I thought the settlement and severance pay were a lot of money…”
“If the location doesn’t matter, how about opening a cafe here? The first floor is vacant.”
“What? But the deposit in this neighborhood is quite expensive.”
“There’s no deposit there. As long as you pay the rent on time.”

Something feels strange.
I looked at Ha Seonghui, who was looking at me with a dazed expression, and then asked Won Youngoh, who was drinking his coffee with a satisfied expression.

“Does our office also not have a deposit?”
“Yes.”
“Lawyer Won, are you close with the building owner?”
“Of course. I’m the closest.”
“…You have friends, lawyer?”
“What kind of disappointing thing are you saying, Lawyer Cha. I’m my own best friend, aren’t I?”
“You mean, that building owner is…”
“Yes. That building owner is me.”

At Won Youngoh’s answer, everyone, including me, was dumbfounded.
A short while later, a cafe opened on the first floor of the Sejin Building.

Libra, in English, the constellation of the scales.
The scales, the symbol of the goddess of justice, Dike, were on the sign in the form of a constellation.
Won Youngoh no longer brewed coffee in the morning, but everyone was satisfied, it was the arrival of Ha Seonghui.
On a peaceful autumn day, Baek Soeun was once again searching for a scoop.
Not every article she broke could be a scoop, but at least Baek Soeun was a reporter who knew the duty of a reporter.

‘What’s more important than anything else is the facts.’

Because the truth was always the most powerful law.
The problem was that even that truth had a limit.

‘There’s no more news.’

No matter how much she shook it out, there was nothing more to come out, like a wallet with not a single coin.

‘Then I have to run around.’

And so, Baek Soeun, who got up from her seat, had only one destination.
It was Songpa Police Station, which had brought her a very big scoop just a month ago.

“I wonder if Detective Choi is there.”

I have a good feeling today.
This was the premonition of a scoop.
And so, Baek Soeun, who entered Songpa Police Station, was faced with a scene that was a scoop, but a scoop she couldn’t write with her own hands.
Baek Soeun, who was as stiff as a person who had discovered a horror under the bed, couldn’t say or do anything.
After a long time, Baek Soeun, who came out of the police station, hurriedly found a number with trembling hands.

Ring, ring, ring.

‘Pick up, quickly!’

Ring, ring, click.

[Yes, this is Cha Yohan.]

Baek Soeun, for whom the few seconds of waiting for the signal felt like a few hours, cried out.

“Lawyer, please help me!”