An International Case

I nodded at Gram’s reaction.

“Well, this is a criminal case when you get down to it. So that’s why my help is needed.”

Less than an hour after sending the reply, the clients arrived at the office.

“Hello, lawyer.”
“Yes, please sit here.”

I guided the middle-aged couple and the young woman, who looked like a family, to the central table.
Their expressions were all dark, and among them, the young woman’s expression was the worst.
I offered each of them a cup of warm tea and opened my mouth.

“I’ve carefully checked the email you sent, but I’d like to hear it in more detail one more time. It may be difficult, but please tell me in detail.”

At my words, the three family members’ lips trembled several times.
The middle-aged woman’s eyes soon reddened.
After checking her mother’s face once, the daughter began to speak.

“I’m Lee Juyeong, the one who sent you the email. …A month ago, my younger sister went to Japan with that… no. With that man who was her boyfriend.”

But the late-born youngest daughter, and younger sister, could not return from that trip.
That boyfriend had reported to the police himself from the hotel they were staying at that his girlfriend was dead.

“That bastard said he couldn’t put Jimin on a plane, that the process was too complicated, and that he was going to cremate her, so we went to Japan right away.”
“Hiccup…”

A sob was heard from the side.
The couple was clearly recalling that scene. Jeong Donghyeok, who was sitting next to me, quietly pushed a box of tissues.

“The funniest thing is that. That bastard tried to cremate Jimin without our family’s consent. But it was a possible situation. Ha.”

Lee Juyeong’s eyes were red, but she continued to speak clearly.

“He said he had already registered his marriage with my younger sister when she was twenty. Jimin is only twenty-one now.”

Lee Juyeong said, clenching her teeth, that when she had finally brought her sister’s body back to Korea, the man had disappeared after saying a single “I’m sorry”.

“We came back to Korea with difficulty and were about to hold a funeral, but I thought it was too strange, so I asked for an autopsy. That’s how we found out.”

Not only faint needle marks, but also a few other suspicious things were found on her arm.

“Our Jimin can’t even drink a single glass of soju properly. How can a kid like that die of acute alcohol poisoning?”

The autopsy results showed that the alcohol had spread throughout her body, not just her liver, and was also detected in her blood.
Alcohol that had not yet been absorbed by the body remained in her stomach and esophagus.

‘Then that means it was forced into her mouth after she died.’

“We would have never known if we hadn’t had an autopsy. That wasn’t all. I don’t know how many insurance policies were in Jimin’s name. Life insurance, traveler’s insurance…”

The family also said they didn’t know about the marriage registration.

“Jimin never even mentioned anything like marriage. But the beneficiary of the insurance was all that bastard. That little kid! It’s such an obvious situation! But the police…!”

Lee Juyeong bit her lip so hard that blood seeped out.
She was barely suppressing her anger.
I opened my mouth for the first time.

“Is it true that the autopsy results have now turned this into a case?”
“Yes. But it seems… since the incident happened in Japan and there’s no evidence left, I’ve only heard that the investigation is difficult.”

The husband, who had been silently comforting his wife all along, opened his mouth for the first time.

“Lawyer, what if that guy really gets acquitted? What about our poor, wronged Jimin…”

Instead of answering right away, I closed my mouth for a moment.
Since the notification sound hadn’t gone off once, there was no lie in Lee Juyeong’s story.

‘I can’t judge based on circumstances and suspicions, but… given the situation.’

But as I had talked with Gram earlier, this was a criminal case.
After a moment’s thought, I opened my mouth.

“As of now, the only thing I can offer you is advice. It’s a natural situation for this to turn into a case, and then the help I can give you is limited.”
“Then what, what happens? Our daughter… our Jimin… that guy is living as if nothing happened! How can a guy like that teach children?”

The victim’s mother, clenching her tear-soaked fists, opened her mouth in a clear voice, like a scream.
Her voice was filled with numerous emotions.
I frowned at her last words.

“Is the suspect’s profession a teacher?”
“They said it’s a non-custodial investigation because of his profession. That there’s no risk of him fleeing.”

Lee Juyeong answered with a hollow laugh, her eyes welling up with tears.

“First, I’ll go and meet the suspect. After that, we’ll look for other ways.”
“Thank you… thank you, lawyer…”
“I’ll be in touch. Please go home safely.”

The family left after saying goodbye several times.
I shared the case with Won Youngoh, who had returned to the office from the court.

“Hmm, the situation is complicated. Have you talked to Detective Choi Suhyeok?”
“It’s not under Detective Choi’s jurisdiction, but he said he’s having a headache with the Korea-Japan joint investigation. That’s probably why the case is dragging on.”

Won Youngoh nodded once and then asked another question.

“Are you going to meet the suspect first?”
“Yes, it would be easy to meet him since he’ll be at school at this time. It will also be enough of a pressure.”
“Then go with Mr. Lee Ilwoo.”

When I glanced over, Lee Ilwoo had already finished his preparations and was looking at me.
We were still not letting our guard down.
It was because of Lee Ilwoo’s warning that we had to be more careful now that my face was becoming more well-known.

“Then what about you, Lawyer Won?”
“I’ll be at the office now. And it’s better for two to go than one. It’s not like they’re only targeting me.”

There was some truth to Won Youngoh’s words.
As I nodded, Won Youngoh told me to wait a moment and then came out of his room with a box.

“This is a gift. Open it in the car.”
“What is it?”
“Let’s just say it’s an essential item for a modern person living in a rough world.”

I looked at Won Youngoh with an unintentionally dumbfounded expression.

Thump.

As soon as I got in the car, I opened the box.
Inside the paper box, there was another box with a leather texture.
A sense of anxiety suddenly washed over me.

“It’s not a gun, is it?”
“I don’t think so.”
“How do you know?”
“Because of the weight. I picked it up yesterday.”
“You can tell something like that by the weight?”

Vroom.

Instead of answering, Lee Ilwoo started the car.
I didn’t ask any more and continued to open the box.
Inside the box, there was a black rod that looked like a club.

“What is this?”

As I carefully took it out, Lee Ilwoo, who had checked through the rearview mirror, answered.

“Ah, it’s a flashlight.”
“…This is?”

It looks more like a bat than a flashlight.

“Yes, it’s mainly used by soldiers. It’s nicknamed a mace because it can be used as a flashlight and a weapon in an emergency. I didn’t know Lawyer Won Youngoh would get this.”

I wondered how Lee Ilwoo knew such things, let alone Won Youngoh.
I put the box on the seat next to me and put the flashlight in my briefcase.

‘Is it because his job is a bodyguard? He knows all sorts of things.’

[I know, right.]

The weight of the now-heavier briefcase was suddenly very noticeable.

‘But it’s not in my character to go around scared like this.’

The guy who stabbed Won Youngoh is just a lackey.
There’s still no news of the hit-and-run driver.
Choi Suhyeok had told me that Chairman Jo’s illegitimate son was in the Philippines.

‘Is there a skill that can reveal the truth?’

[There’s no such thing.]

‘That’s a shame. Well, that would make it too easy. Whatever it is.’

While I was talking with Gram, we soon arrived at the middle school where the suspect worked.

Screech.

“Shall we go in?”

Lee Ilwoo and I headed straight for the 3rd-grade teachers’ office.
It seemed to be class time, as many of the seats were empty.

“Hello.”
“Yes, what can I do for you?”

The young teacher who was sitting at the outermost seat tilted her head and approached me.
I took out a business card from my pocket and added.

“I’m Cha Yohan, a lawyer. Is Mr. Kim Jeonghyeon here?”
“Oh my, I was wondering, but you’re that person, right! The one who was on TV recently!”
“Haha, it’s a bit embarrassing to be recognized like this.”
“But why is a lawyer looking for Mr. Kim? He’ll be done with class soon. In about ten minutes?”
“Ah, then can I ask you a few questions in the meantime?”
“Of course!”

The young teacher guided me to a table with an excited expression.
And she glanced at Lee Ilwoo and asked.

“But the person behind you is…?”
“Ah, he’s a colleague of mine.”

After Lee Ilwoo sat down next to me, I asked a question with a calm expression.

“Has Mr. Kim taken a long leave of absence recently?”
“Oh, yes. About a month ago? He took it suddenly, saying he had some circumstances. For about two days?”
“He didn’t say the reason?”
“No, he didn’t. Is something wrong?”

I smiled, raising the corners of my mouth at the teacher who was asking with curiosity, and answered with another question.

“Then has Mr. Kim ever talked about marriage? That he did, or that he’s going to.”
“No. He doesn’t talk much about himself. He even eats lunch separately from us.”
“Then how long has he been working here?”
“I know it’s been about three years. But, uh… Mr. Kim, he’s a bit… Hup.”

The teacher, who had been talking eagerly until just now, suddenly lowered her voice.
She kept glancing at the door and then suddenly shut her mouth.
Realizing the situation, I slowly stood up from my seat.
A man with glasses was standing in front of the door, holding textbooks, and looking this way.

Step, step.

I approached him.
The man, though pretending not to, looked at me with eyes full of caution.

“Hello. Are you Mr. Kim Jeonghyeon?”
“…I am. Who are you?”
“I’m Cha Yohan, the lawyer for the family of your wife, Ms. Lee Jimin.”

Kim Jeonghyeon showed an undeniable agitation at the words ‘wife’, ‘Lee Jimin’, and ‘lawyer’.
The teachers who had just returned from class gathered together and whispered among themselves.

“Wife? Mr. Kim is married?”
“But why is his wife’s lawyer visiting the school?”
“No, Mr. Lee. It’s not his wife’s lawyer, it’s his wife’s family’s lawyer!”

I let the reaction be for a moment and then spoke again.

“Can we talk for a moment?”

If Kim Jeonghyeon denied it here, the situation would become quite strange.
That was the psychology I had intended.

“…Let’s talk outside.”

Kim Jeonghyeon didn’t even put down his textbooks and luggage and turned around and led the way down the long hallway.

In a cafe in front of the school, Kim Jeonghyeon was still inside the window.
I could feel a gaze on my back.
Instead of me, who didn’t turn around, Lee Ilwoo stared at the back for a long time with an expressionless face.

“Let’s go for now.”
“…Yes, lawyer.”

As soon as I got back to the car, I took out my phone.

[Yes, Lawyer Cha.]
“Lawyer Won, I’d like to take a few days off. Is that possible?”
[A vacation all of a sudden? Did something happen?]
“No, I think I need to go to Japan for a bit.”
[Because of Ms. Lee Jimin’s case?]
“Yes.”
[Hoo.]

A deep sigh was heard from the other end of the line.

‘Even for Won Youngoh, is this a bit much?’

But the words that soon followed from Won Youngoh’s mouth were completely different from my expectations.

[Lawyer Cha, do I look that petty? To tell you to use your annual leave for a case investigation?]