The Interview

The place, bustling with no seats left, was Cafe Libra.
Ha Seonghui, who had been swamped since morning, was sure that the goddess of wealth, not the goddess of justice, must have visited.

‘Did a dokkaebi visit without my knowledge? Was I, like, a dokkaebi’s younger sister in my past life?’
(TL Note: Dokkaebi are mythical beings in Korean folklore, often associated with wealth and mischief.)

No, let’s ditch the useless thoughts. She was so tired that all sorts of strange ideas were popping up.
Of course, a few idols who could rival a dokkaebi in charm had visited.
They had led countless young girls to her cafe, just like the wealth-bringing dokkaebi.
But today was different.
If the usual customers were in colorful and varied casual wear, today, it was all customers in black suits.

“I’d like an iced Americano. Large.”
“Yes, a large iced Americano is 3,500 won.”
“Here’s my card.”
“Okay, we’ll let you know with the buzzer.”

How many cups was this?
The POS machine would show it, but she didn’t want to look.
She felt like all her energy would drain away the moment she saw the number.
The only silver lining was that her younger sister, Yeonhui, had come to help, along with the other part-timers.

“Unni… what kind of battle are you fighting every day…”
(TL Note: Unni is a term used by females to address an older female friend or sister.)
“Still, it’s more relaxed now than when it was super crowded earlier.”
“No way… I’ll do better from now on…”

Her younger sister, several years her junior, was already exhausted.
Ha Seonghui smiled and moved out of habit, brewing coffee.
The people who had visited her cafe today were each engrossed in their own way, with white stacks of paper, tablets, or laptops.
They kept muttering something, as if chanting a spell, and among them, Ha Seonghui could understand only a very small part.

‘I should just focus on my own work.’

“A large iced Americano is ready.”

Ha Seonghui was proud of the fact that among Dike’s many clients, she had formed the strongest bond with them.
Now, they were no longer a client and lawyer, but a tenant and a landlord.
And what about the potions she provided every day?
That’s why it was also true that she had grown interested in the profession of a lawyer.

‘The number of lawyers currently active in our country is about 35,000… Among them, the number of lawyers produced each year is a little less than 2,000…’

She even knew facts like this.

‘I wondered where all those lawyers had gone…’

At least today, it was no exaggeration to say they were all here.

“Ms. Seonghui, would it be possible to rent out the cafe just for the weekend? We don’t have a suitable place for the interview waiting area.”
“Yes, of course. It’s a request from Attorney Cha and the landlord. I will obey the command of the heavens, my lord.”

The past self who had so readily accepted that offer must not have foreseen this future at all…

‘I’m going to hit my highest monthly sales today.’

[Today, we will not be serving general customers, only interviewees for Dike Law Office.]
[Instead, we will provide a complimentary cookie to those who revisit with a photo of this notice.]

After putting up a notice with a touch of a business owner’s sense, she really didn’t accept any other customers.
However, after opening at 10 AM, it was now noon, and the number of coffees Ha Seonghui and her staff had made in the two morning hours had already surpassed a hundred.

“Goodbye. Welcome.”

Saying goodbye and welcome at the same time…
When one person went up for an interview, another person immediately filled their spot.

‘I knew both attorneys were popular, but…’

She always trusted the people of Dike.
Even when, a while ago, they had come to find her as she was closing up and put her in a car, saying she had to go somewhere right now.
It could have been a scary situation, but because the person who said it was Cha Yohan, she could understand that something was up.
They were people who inspired that much trust.
So, even if her body was tired, she was happy.

‘I’m glad to see they’re doing this well.’

Because Dike was a place truly for the people, for the victims.
She didn’t know who among the people who visited the cafe today she would continue to see.
But the fact that someone would have passed through this cafe today made her strangely excited.

‘I hope they continue to save more people in the future.’

Just like they did for me.

“Hello? Are you ready to order?”

With that thought, she smiled brightly and took another order.

‘Still, if possible, I’d prefer an Americano over a Frappé…’

Ha Seonghui thought.
I’m rooting for all the self-employed and office workers in the Republic of Korea.

‘I feel strange today for some reason.’

The interviews, which started at ten, lasted for as little as ten minutes and as long as thirty minutes per person.
Among them were scouts from other law firms.
Conducting interviews with dozens of people like that made me feel quite strange.
When Won Youngoh had put up ‘Dike’ as the name of the office, he had made a promise.
That he would not lose his sense of justice as a legal professional.
How many lawyers had left him then?
For a while, Won Youngoh was a village guardian post, protecting a village that everyone had left.

“…Hello. I’m Cha Yohan, here for the interview today.”

Then one day, ‘Zero wins’ had come.

‘It’s been a while since I heard that nickname.’

On the day they first met, Won Youngoh had never imagined a Dike with Cha Yohan.

‘I just thought he was a lawyer full of only a sense of justice, who couldn’t actually save his clients.’

And he had thought he had just drifted in.
That he had no choice but to knock on the door of the notorious Dike to make a living.
But rumors always miss the corners of reality.
There was no truth in the stories about Cha Yohan. At least, as far as Won Youngoh had experienced.
In the end, he had passed the test, which he had thought he would ask for help on, perfectly.
Won Youngoh looked at Cha Yohan for a moment, then turned his gaze to Lee Ilwoo, who was standing at the door to guide the interviewees.
Lee Ilwoo tilted his head for a moment, then gave a slight bow.
Won Youngoh let out a low laugh and bowed his head as well.

‘It’s really like a movie.’

After clearing his name, it turned out that his true identity was an agent that the country had refused to help.
Next, Won Youngoh briefly looked at Jeong Donghyeok sitting next to him.
It was an office that even the office manager had left.
It wouldn’t have been easy even with Cha Yohan’s recommendation, but Jeong Donghyeok had come without much hesitation.
He was far more excellent than any other office manager Won Youngoh had seen in his life as a legal professional.
His thorough investigation of cause and effect, his flawless office processing skills without a single typo, and even the way they worked together as if they had been a team for years without needing to say a word.

“Office Manager, should I trust the client in this case? At times like these, I’m not so sure.”
“Do you want to trust them?”
“It’s difficult. Defending a client is a lawyer’s job, but trusting a client feels like a job for me as a person.”
“In times like that, go in the direction the situation points to, Attorney.”
“The situation?”
“Yes. The answer will be in the situation that is making you conflicted.”

When Cha Yohan and Lee Ilwoo were away, he would sometimes have deep conversations with Jeong Donghyeok.
As a senior who had experienced similar things for longer, and earlier, Jeong Donghyeok gave him necessary advice.
Sometimes, he would learn new things from Jeong Donghyeok’s perspective, which was a step removed.
Now, there was also Ha Seonghui, who woke them up every morning with fragrant coffee, and Kwon Saeha, who would visit whenever he was about to be forgotten and give them gifts he had bought while on his overseas schedule.

“It’s because I’ve been busy lately, I didn’t mean not to contact you.”

There was also Choi Suhyeok, who always complained that it was dangerous but ended up caring about the case every time, and Baek Soeun, who would then show them firsthand that the pen is mightier than the sword.

‘Come to think of it, these are people I would have never formed a relationship with if it wasn’t for Attorney Cha.’

Well, it wasn’t just flower-like connections in the process.
K, Jo Hyeokjun, Nam Eunsuk…
But to pinpoint it, the turning point was the terror attack on himself.

‘Attorney Cha got involved while trying to protect me.’

And so, his gaze naturally flowed to Cha Yohan again.
Just last year, most lawyers, no, all lawyers, were reluctant to come to Dike.
But today was different.

‘If I had sent Attorney Cha away that day, this situation wouldn’t have happened.’

Because dreaming and achieving are two very different things.
And so, a face inevitably came to mind.
Yoon Eunho, who was now gone, and who had the strongest convictions and thoughts among the people Won Youngoh knew.

“Senior, I heard you’re thinking of quitting being a prosecutor.”
“The rumors in this field are disgustingly fast. So what. Are you here to stop me too?”
“No, I’m here to urge you on.”
“What?”
“The rumors about you are a bit slow, senior. I’ve taken off my robe. Let’s create a real ‘Justice’ together.”

Although that dream had to be folded faster than he thought, clashing repeatedly with Hyeon Yeongje…

‘The Dike of today must be the image of justice that Eunho wanted. It would have been great if Eunho was here with us now.’

Won Youngoh thought, without realizing, as he looked at Cha Yohan rechecking the interviewees’ documents.

[Um… I think a hole is going to be drilled into your face from Attorney Won’s stare. Is your cheek okay?]

‘It stings.’

A lot.
But I don’t know why.

‘Why has he been looking at me like this for a while?’

Is he staging a silent protest that he’s tired?
Well, it’s understandable that he’s tired, working all through the weekday and even on the weekend like this.
Yesterday from ten in the morning to eight in the evening, and today from ten in the morning until now, lunchtime.
Dozens of people in two days.
At first, I thought it would be over in half a day at most, no matter how long it took.
But I realized it was a miscalculation as soon as I checked my inbox, which was about to explode with resumes.

‘But Won Youngoh isn’t the type to drop hints like this.’

Just as I was wondering, the next interviewee came in.

‘First, I need to focus on the interview.’

We had decided not to have any prejudices, no matter how good or bad their academic background or grades were.
Because ‘Seung-ppang’ was the proof of that.
Won Youngoh and I had agreed to look for a ‘real lawyer’.
The aftermath of not rejecting anyone as long as their motivation in the application was sufficient had hit us like this.

‘Still, you have to meet them one by one to know properly. Finding a diamond in the rough is not an easy job.’

There were definitely individuals who stood out even in the documents.
The man sitting in front of me now was one of them.

‘He’s more handsome in person.’

It was similar to the shock I felt when I first saw Cha Yohan’s face.

“You’re a person who’s too good-looking to be a lawyer.”

I didn’t think Won Youngoh would say my thoughts out loud.

“Haha, I hear that a lot.”
“I see, Mr. Kim Eun-gyeom. I like that confident attitude. Let’s begin the interview.”

After finishing his words, Won Youngoh glanced at me.

“You graduated from Hankuk University Law School.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I’ve been there before, and the Youngdo Snack Bar near the law school was so delicious. Have you ever been there?”
“Oh, you know that place? It’s a place that only the current students know. I was a regular there too.”

Kim Eun-gyeom smiled and answered cheerfully.
I smiled back and asked another question.

“Dike pursues ‘justice.’ Not cases that are profitable like other law firms.”
“I am aware.”
“No matter how high the retainer fee, we do not take on unjust requests. So the success fee will also be different from your expectations.”
“I also believe that is right. Money should not decide everything.”

Kim Eun-gyeom spoke again with an unwavering posture.
His neat suit was a well-tailored, high-end one at a glance, and his sparkling eyes had a clarity that drew people in.
Kim Eun-gyeom looked at Won Youngoh once, Jeong Donghyeok once, and finally at me.

“There is an intangible value that must be protected in the world, and the most fundamental basis that supports that order is human rights and the right to be defended.”
“Then what is the reason you applied to Dike?”

Kim Eun-gyeom smiled brightly and answered.

“It’s because of you, Attorney Cha Yohan.”