The Weight of Fame

“Ah, it’s cold. No, this…”

I couldn’t hide my astonishment as soon as I opened the office door.
It was now full-blown winter, with steam coming out of my mouth with every breath.
Could it be that the surrounding air had gotten colder because our office was stealing all the warmth in the area?
There’s a reason I’m thinking this way.

“You’re back. It took you a while.”
“Yes, there were a lot of people at the post office. Is this today’s batch?”
“To be precise, these are the ones that came while you were away, lawyer.”
“What on earth is all this…”

The central table of the office, as well as my room, were full of boxes.

“Haa… Then I’ll process them as usual.”
“Y-yes. Please, office manager.”
“Ah, and another call came from the broadcasting station. They keep calling back even after I refuse. I think you’ll have to tell them yourself, lawyer.”
“Again? I’ll talk to them next time.”

I handed the coffee I had bought from the cafe below to Jeong Donghyeok, who had gotten dark circles under his eyes in just a few days, with an apologetic expression.

“First, please have this before it gets cold.”
“Thank you.”

Creak.

I couldn’t help but be astonished once more as I opened the glass door and entered.

‘What on earth happened, really.’

Is this when you use the phrase ‘there’s no room to stand’?

[I don’t think even most celebrities get this many gifts.]

So this was all the aftermath of Kwon Saeha’s defense.
Choi Suhyeok continued his investigation.
He would have done so even if I hadn’t asked him to.
Choi Suhyeok had continued to climb up the ladder after catching the gangsters at the motel.

[Thanks to that, I’m scheduled for a promotion. I don’t know if I should be happy about this. I didn’t know they were this vicious. Assault was a given, and they were also quite seriously involved in drug distribution.]
‘I should call you Chief Inspector Choi from now on.’
[Are you teasing me again because you can’t stand it?]
‘Congratulations, Chief Inspector Choi.’
[Hang up.]

Since he had taken on quite a few major cases recently, a promotion was a given, but Choi Suhyeok didn’t forget to contact me.
Baek Soeun was the same.
In particular, she exclusively landed interviews with not only Kwon Saeha but also the other members, and for a while, she monopolized the portal’s headlines.

<21st Century, Are People Still a Commodity?>

The signal flare she had shot up caused a great stir on social media.
A large-scale investigation had begun to see if other entertainment companies had similar cases to ‘Mix Entertainment’.
It was because public opinion was boiling over the revelation of continuous abuse for several years since their underage days.
Yes, up to this point, it was a normal conclusion, no different from other cases.

[If it weren’t for Lawyer Cha Yohan, who helped me, I would have… been in prison by now with a false accusation.]
[Are you talking about Lawyer Cha Yohan of Dike Law Office, who handled the recent high-profile ‘Lee Hyeonsu Righteous Person Case’?]
[Yes, the time I have to live from now on is no different from what Lawyer Cha has given me.]

No, what’s with being so dramatic?
I was just simply embarrassed when I saw the interview article Baek Soeun had sent me.
The fact that Baek Soeun had accurately pointed out our office and my name, including the last case, must have been her way of repaying me.
That was until the photo of me comforting the crying Kwon Saeha in the courtroom was released.
That was until Kwon Saeha posted a photo of his visit to the office on social media…

“Uh, lawyer… You really didn’t accept the legal fee, so I feel so uncomfortable… By any chance, by any chance…”
“Yes, Mr. Kwon Saeha. Please speak comfortably.”
“Can I post a picture of you working on my personal SNS?”
“What? Why would you…”
“I thought it would help with publicity. I, uh… I have a few followers, though.”

A few, he said.
Did the meaning of the word ‘a few’ change without my knowledge?

[Photo]
[The last day I’ll be seeing my lawyer! (V) He even bought me coffee from the cafe below, and it was so delicious (tears). I hope our Serenities get to try it too!]

It was a picture of a smiling Kwon Saeha holding up a V-sign in front of me, who was looking at a case file in the background.
I wasn’t even in it by a fingertip’s worth.

“Oh, aren’t you Lawyer Cha Yohan?”

When I was walking around the office for work, I would hear this question three times a day.
But the biggest victim of this situation was neither me nor Office Manager Jeong Donghyeok.

Chime.

“Lawyer, office manager. Please save me…”

Ha Seonghui, who had been at least human-like until just thirty minutes ago, opened the office door and came in, looking like a zombie.

Ha Seonghui had said that she was happy at first because business was good.
Because everyone who had come after seeing Kwon Saeha’s SNS had praised it with one voice.
I smiled and pulled out a chair for her.
Ha Seonghui, who had plopped down in the chair, flopped onto the table once more.

“Did you come after closing, Ms. Seonghui?”
“No… I thought I would collapse and not be found if I was alone, so I somehow came up…”
“Haha. You’re working the hardest these days, Ms. Seonghui. But thank you for always remembering to get our coffee.”

At Jeong Donghyeok’s greeting, Ha Seonghui, who had flopped onto the table, suddenly sat up straight.

“Of course! I’ll get the lawyers’ and the office manager’s coffee even if the world ends! Ah, and Mr. Lee Ilwoo’s too.”

Thump.

Ha Seonghui, who had squeezed out her last bit of energy, flopped onto the table again.
I opened a vitamin drink and handed it to Ha Seonghui.

“Are you sold out of ingredients again today?”
“Yes… I really feel like I’m going to die, but I think I’m going to die of happiness…”

Ha Seonghui’s cafe had now reached a point where you couldn’t eat there unless you were there for the opening run.

Chime.

“Ms. Seonghui, there are people in front of the cafe.”

Won Youngoh, who had appeared with Lee Ilwoo, pointed down with his finger.

“What? I put up a sign saying we’re closed! I’m out of coffee too, what should I do! Are there a lot of people?”

Won Youngoh gave a handsome smile to Ha Seonghui, who had jumped up from her seat with wide eyes.

“I’m kidding.”
“Ah, lawyer… you really scared me…”
“How do you fall for it every time?”

Ha Seonghui glared at Won Youngoh, who seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself.
She sat down again, downed the rest of the vitamin drink, and then looked at me and spoke.

“Lawyer Cha, I think I’ll have to take out Lawyer Won Youngoh’s coffee from the coffee I said I would get even if the world ends.”
“I agree.”
“Me too.”
“Thank you, office manager.”
“Ms. Seonghui, I didn’t say anything. In fact, I was trying to stop Lawyer Won from below.”
“No, Mr. Lee Ilwoo. How can you all be like this? Leaving me out. I’m the one who likes Ms. Seonghui’s coffee the most here?”

Ha Seonghui’s face, which had gained the agreement of Jeong Donghyeok and Lee Ilwoo, looked tired, but at least it was full of a sense of accomplishment.
This scene had now become one of our office’s evening routines.
Amidst the laughter, a voice was heard in my ear.

[I’m curious how you feel about changing people’s lives.]

‘I think it’s a relief that they were able to get it back.’

[A relief?]

‘Yes, a relief. Mr. Lee Ilwoo, Mr. Lee Hyeonsu, Ms. Ha Seonghui, and even Mr. Kwon Saeha, they all got their own lives back. It’s not that I changed them.’

Ring.

Just then, the office phone rang.
Jeong Donghyeok, who had stood up with a smiling face, picked up the receiver and nodded a few times.

“Yes, please send the details via email.”

Won Youngoh asked Jeong Donghyeok, who had returned to his seat, with a raised eyebrow.

“What call was that?”
“It’s an offer for Lawyer Cha to appear on a broadcast. We’re getting at least three or four calls a day.”
“You can just refuse from now on. I don’t want to go on a broadcast. Even this level of attention is too burdensome for me.”
“Hmm.”

Won Youngoh, who was thinking for a moment at my answer, spoke.
Not to me, but to Ha Seonghui, who was looking at us with curiosity.

“Ms. Seonghui, how did you come to know our office?”
“Oh, what? From the news.”

Ah.
I easily understood Won Youngoh’s intention.
Won Youngoh, who noticed that I had noticed, continued to speak, looking at me this time.

“I think one or two broadcasts would be fine. Wouldn’t many ‘wronged’ people be able to find us more?”

Everyone’s gaze was on me.

“…I’ll think about it.”

Anyway, that sly old fox.
Won Youngoh, who had noticed my gaze, shrugged once.

After sending a positive reply, a request for a pre-meeting with the people who would be appearing together came in a short while later.
I got into the car that Office Manager Jeong Donghyeok was driving smoothly and headed to a high-end Chinese restaurant.
Won Youngoh was away on another important schedule, and Lee Ilwoo had accompanied him.

“Good evening. May I have the name of the reservation?”
“Cha Yohan.”
“Thank you for confirming. I will show you the way.”

And so, we followed the staff’s guidance and entered the restaurant.
There were only two people in the room, which was decorated all over with a neat red color.

‘I never thought we’d meet again like this.’

Among the many proposals, I had responded to only one program.

“Hello. I’m Cha Yohan.”
“Ah, you’re here early. Thank you for accepting the proposal, Lawyer Cha Yohan. I’m Yoo Jihyeong, who contacted you. This is our writer.”
“Hello, Lawyer Cha. I’m Lee Euno.”
“Yes, nice to meet you.”

It was a new program by PD Yoo Jihyeong and writer Lee Euno, who specialized in legal programs and to whom I had given legal advice several times during my Yoon Eunho days.
After greeting them, I gestured to Jeong Donghyeok.

“I’m Jeong Donghyeok, the office manager of Dike Law Office.”
“Thank you for coming. One more person is scheduled to come, so we can talk in more detail then.”
“Yes.”

A short while after everyone was seated, the smooth door opened rather roughly.
A man in a high-end suit, fixing his half-slicked-back hair with wax, entered.
The flow of air instantly changed.
To be precise, next to me.

‘Do I know him?’

I reflexively checked the seat next to me.
Jeong Donghyeok was holding his hands, which had been on his knees, so tightly that his veins were popping.
Jeong Donghyeok, who rarely showed any personal emotions, was clumsily trying to hide his agitation, unlike usual.

“Ah, I’m a little late. The traffic was a bit congested even though it’s lunchtime.”

Soon after, the man greeted Jeong Donghyeok, who was sitting next to me.

“Wow, to see you here? Oh, my bad. See you here?”

The man raised his eyebrows with a very exaggerated expression. The hair fixed with wax swayed above his eyebrows from the recoil.
I could feel the man’s gaze blatantly looking Jeong Donghyeok and me up and down.
An expression and behavior that anyone could tell was how you treat someone you know.
But the subtle sense of incongruity within it stimulated my nerves.
What is this feeling?
It’s not easy to feel unpleasant towards someone I’ve never met before.

‘Ah.’

After observing the man’s expression for a few more seconds, I easily figured it out.

‘Hierarchy.’

In other words, the superior and the subordinate.
Jeong Donghyeok didn’t answer the man’s words.
His hand, which I had glanced at, had just turned even paler than before.