A Child’s Wisdom and an Old Acquaintance

“Cough, cough…”
“Lawyer, are you alright?”

Ah, I’m dying.
So this is what happens when you choke on coffee.
It feels like my entire respiratory system is on fire.
I downed a cup of water that Lee Ilwoo handed me and finally nodded.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Won Doyeong, who was staring at me, opened his mouth again.

“You know everything too, don’t you?”

I’d heard that kids these days are scary, but for such a young child…
Won Youngoh had clearly said he was ten earlier.
Though for a ten-year-old to find the office by himself on the subway, his intelligence must be off the charts.

“A long time ago, I thought it was cool that my uncle was on the news, so I looked up my dad’s name.”
“Uh…”
“And my grandpa’s too.”

Should I tell Won Youngoh this?

“It all came up that my grandpa is a prosecutor general, and my dad is a chief prosecutor.”

Won Doyeong skillfully used a fork with his small hands to eat the cake.

“My dad and grandpa always told me that I should make good friends. But I don’t think my dad and grandpa are like that. The people who come to our house always say the same thing.”

When men in black suits came with their hands full of something, his mom would always make him go to his room.

“Those people always just say ‘please take good care of me’ to my grandpa and dad.”

It was a look that couldn’t be seen in a ten-year-old.
It was completely different from the appearance he had shown in front of Won Youngoh.

“My grandpa always told me that I should become an adult like my dad. But my mom would always say that although my dad is good, I should also be like my uncle.”

We couldn’t add any comments to Won Doyeong’s words.
I turned the now-lukewarm mug once.

‘If it were him, it would make sense.’

As I was coming down the stairs, I had searched for Won Ojun, just in case.
I was quite surprised to find a familiar name next to his.

‘Prosecutor In Yuyoung.’

I had seen her a few times at the alumni association during my judicial research and training institute days, and I had heard rumors about her.
She always listened to the words of the weak.
She had fought against large corporations and had always tried to reveal the truth on behalf of the victims.

‘But I didn’t know she was married to Won Ojun…’

At that time, Won Ojun must not have been a bribery prosecutor.
Even for me, who thinks positively about the fact that people change, that was a bitter pill to swallow.

“I think the same as my mom. I want to be like my mom and uncle more than my dad or grandpa. Last time, my dad said my uncle is a hypocrite.”

But in the child’s eyes, that scene must have been a kind of disproof.
Even more so in the eyes of a child who had learned the meaning of a hypocrite too early.

“But the people who come to see my mom and uncle always say thank you.”

If my uncle were really a hypocrite, that wouldn’t be the case.
Won Doyeong muttered softly.
Request and greeting.
Won Doyeong already knew the difference.
And perhaps through the worst experience.

“But today’s story is a secret from my uncle.”
“Huh?”

Snap.

Won Doyeong broke half of a well-baked cookie.
And he repeated the same action twice.
As if he were proud of the evenly divided last cookie piece, the child finally showed a child-like smile and handed each of us a piece.

“My uncle said he trusts you guys. That you’re the only people he trusts.”

Though the line he said while handing us the cookies was quite touching.

“So I trust you guys too.”

One cookie piece was left.

Swish.

Won Doyeong picked it up and stood up, approaching Ha Seonghui, who was constantly glancing at us, and handed it to her.

“You too, noona.”
“Doyeong.”
“Uncle!”

Won Doyeong ran to Won Youngoh, who had come down to the cafe, and hugged him.
I checked my watch and couldn’t help but be surprised.

“It’s already this late.”

It didn’t feel like we had talked much, but it was already evening.
It was fun talking with Won Doyeong.
Not just me, but everyone in this room.
So much so that Ha Seonghui had joined the table whenever she had a free moment and talked with us.

“Bye, Doyeong. I’ll give you lots of cookies next time too.”
“Yes, noona. See you again.”

She easily became friends with Won Doyeong.
It seemed to be thanks to her younger sibling, who was much younger.
Won Doyeong, in Won Youngoh’s arms, smiled and waved at Ha Seonghui.
It was a peaceful time that we had all experienced after a long time.

“Then I’ll take Doyeong home, so everyone, go home. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes, lawyer.”

Ha Seonghui went out to the door and said goodbye to Won Doyeong one more time, then changed the sign.

[closed]

Vroom.

I watched Won Youngoh’s car leave through the window.
The sunset poured into the cafe from the transparent window.

‘The sun is definitely setting early.’

People live with different aspects.
But the Won Youngoh I saw today was new.
The way he familiarly held the child, his affectionate face and expression, and a completely different tone of voice from usual.
But that sight made me think of something else.

“At a glance, I thought he was Lawyer Won’s son.”

Lee Ilwoo opened his mouth as he cleared the empty cups.
Jeong Donghyeok nodded and answered.

“I thought so too. When he ran up calling him uncle, for a moment, I thought he called him dad.”

It seemed that I wasn’t the only one who was surprised at that moment.
Jeong Donghyeok muttered to himself.

“I guess not everyone in the same bloodline lives the same way.”

It was a meaningful statement.
Even though I had understood the implication, I pretended not to and brought up a different topic.

“Because a moment comes when you can choose for yourself. I wonder if Lawyer Won Youngoh knows. The fact that even a child so young knows that he is always trying to make the right choice.”
“He will know.”

Even if he came to know that fact, nothing would change.
I had just learned one of the reasons why Won Youngoh had suddenly quit being a prosecutor.

“Ah, you two, please pack up and go home. Seonghui, would you be able to make one more Americano?”
“Yes, hot?”
“Yes, please.”
“No. Are you going to work late again today?”
“Yes, I have some things to think about.”

I sent Jeong Donghyeok and Lee Ilwoo up first and waited for Ha Seonghui’s last coffee of the day.

‘I’ve given lectures to law firm employees and college students a few times, but…’

What should I say to ten-year-olds? It didn’t seem easy to get on their level.

Thump.

“Lawyer, is something on your mind?”
“Ah, Seonghui. That… you heard earlier, right? About Doyeong’s school.”
“Ah, yes. The thing about introducing their jobs to the kids?”
“Yes. I don’t know how to treat children. I’m confused whether Doyeong is too mature, or if all kids are like that these days.”
“Haha. In my opinion, I think Doyeong is exceptionally mature. I was surprised too.”
“Doesn’t he seem like a mini Won Youngoh? The way he talks and everything.”

At my words, Ha Seonghui burst out laughing and clapped.

“Ah! That’s so funny, but it’s so true. And I don’t think you have to worry about how to treat the kids, lawyer. You’re really good at it. Kids don’t usually open up so easily.”
“It was very difficult for me. But I’m glad if it looked that way.”

Ha Seonghui said with a laugh and then paused for a moment.

“Hmm, but…”
“Yes? But?”
“No matter how mature they seem, a child is a child. And kids get their biggest impression from what they see.”
“What they see?”
“Yes. Like clothes, or hair style.”

I momentarily looked at my own clothes.

“Ah, clothes…”

Befitting my profession as a lawyer, I always wore a suit.
I hadn’t bought any clothes separately from the few that Cha Yohan originally had.

“Is it a bit much to wear this to an open class? I thought it would be best to be neat.”
“How about wearing something a little brighter? The kids might be scared. I think something like that would suit you well. You always wear black.”
“Thank you for your opinion, Seonghui.”
“Not at all. And you’re always cool, lawyer. I just said that because I thought something bright would be more familiar to the kids’ eyes. Since it’s the season, a soft outfit like a knit would also be good.”

Ha Seonghui picked up her pale yellow knit with her fingertips as an example and smiled.
I bowed my head and stood up from my seat.

“I hadn’t thought about that part. I’ve taken up too much of your time. You should finish up and go home too, Seonghui.”
“Yes, you shouldn’t overdo it either, lawyer. See you tomorrow.”

I went up to the office and made a call to one place.

“Yes, hello. Is it possible to make a reservation for today?”

Screech.

After finishing my thought, I immediately came over from Songpa to Seocho.
The place I arrived at, at this late evening hour, was a residential area.

Step, step.

I got out of the car and naturally headed for a place with a white sign with no writing on it.

Swish.

As soon as I opened the smooth glass door and entered, I met the eyes of an employee.

‘Is he a new employee? I haven’t seen his face before.’

The man in a tailored suit scanned me from head to toe in an instant.
Then his gaze lingered on my collar for a moment longer. It was where the lawyer’s badge was.

‘Hmm, it’s been a while since I’ve felt a gaze like this.’

It was a very short time that most people would not have noticed.
But I felt it because I was so used to being looked at.
The man, who had finished his search in that short time, opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry, sir. Did you make a reservation?”
“Yes, I made a reservation.”

The employee, who was politely guiding me with an expressionless face, smiled a service smile.

“Sir, it’s just that there are no reservations for this time today. Could you please check one more time?”

Just as I was about to open my lips, the door I had opened and entered opened smoothly once more.

“Sir.”

The man, who had been speaking sharply to me until just now, politely bowed his head to the person behind me.
Soon after, a man’s deep voice was heard.

“Ah, are you Mr. Cha Yohan? You’re earlier than me.”

There is a saying that a person’s scent is remembered before anything else.
The smell of perfume blowing on the wind was familiar.
The voice, which had been in a distant corner of my memory, also became clear in an instant.
I slowly turned around.

“Sir?”

This place, which had no sign and could only be visited by reservation, was a tailor shop that made only one custom-made suit.
And the owner of the low voice, which was like soft silk, was ‘Wooheon’, the owner and tailor of this tailor shop.

‘Ah, I almost pretended to know him for a moment.’

It was a familiar face I had seen after a long time, since Won Youngoh.

“Yes, it’s me. Hello.”

I greeted him nonchalantly, suppressing the gladness that was rising from within.
The employee asked with a bewildered tone.

“…Did you contact the owner directly?”
“Yes.”

As I answered confidently, the employee looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.
But Wooheon’s gaze on me was different from his.