TTS Vol 1 Ch 6.5

Having hastily hailed a taxi, Taeri’s destination was the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.  As soon as she got out of the taxi, she ran towards the building.

The entry procedures were strict, but no one stopped her from getting on the elevator. The party who summoned her was powerful, after all.

Taeri, who pressed the button for the 6th floor where the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 was located, glared at the display panel with furious eyes. Her eyes, laced with red veins, were red like a burning sunset.

―Taeri, listen to Mom carefully without being surprised, okay? Someone has appeared who said they’d help your dad. Mom told you, didn’t I? Your dad isn’t that kind of person. Can you come here now? Please come, Taeri. Mom needs you right now.

This is why he didn’t catch her yesterday. To make her come to him on her own. Since he knew the prey would walk right into the trap on its own, he didn’t need to go through the trouble of hunting.

As the saying goes, there’s always a bigger fish. Or perhaps more accurately, above the one who runs is one who flies, and above the one who flies is one who enjoys the view. So, she ran, and he enjoyed it. 

Son of a bitch. Son of a bitch. Son of a bitch. Son of a bitch. 

That damn bastard.

Ding. 

The elevator arrived on the 6th floor. She got off through the doors that opened smoothly to the side and walked a little further down the silent hallway. It was a floor bathed in sunlight.

She found the place with the nameplate “Park Chigyeong” and stopped in front of it. As if that name was the man’s neck, and she was strangling it, she glared at the nameplate for a long time. Then, with a hardened resolve, she grabbed the doorknob and turned it. The door opened easily with a click.

“Are you Ms. Kang Taeri? Please go into that room.”

An administrative official rose from his seat and politely pointed to a spot. He seemed to be telling her to go into a small room tucked away in the corner of the prosecutor’s office.

Taeri bowed to the official and walked a few more steps. She grabbed the identical doorknob and pulled it down, and with a click, the door opened just as easily.

She saw the man through the gap in the open door. Like someone who commanded light, the man was surrounded by bright light.

He was in the middle of a conversation with her mother, pretending to be all gentlemanly, dressed in a crisp white shirt and a neatly tied necktie.

Park Chigyeong’s gaze, which had been directed at Seo Jungeun, lifted to Taeri behind her and stayed there.

With a hypocritical smile, he slowly and deliberately scanned Taeri from head to toe. As if noticing she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, his eyes, briefly devoid of their usual amusement, were quite cold.

“Taeri’s here… and your mother.”

As soon as his eyes met Jungeun’s, Park Chigyeong curved his lips into a smooth, practiced smile. The sudden change gave her goosebumps.

Jungeun, who turned to look at Taeri, smiled brightly. It had been a while since she had seen her mother smile, and her first thought was relief. It seemed he hadn’t said anything unnecessary.

“Taeri, Prosecutor Park said he’s your university classmate’s older brother? Mom was so surprised. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We haven’t been in contact.”

Park Chigyeong, who was slowly tapping the armrest of the sofa, smiled politely and nodded at Taeri.

“Have you been well?”

What other tricks is he playing now?

As she stared at Park Chigyeong with cold eyes for a moment, Seo Jungeun looked at her in surprise and scolded her.

“Taeri, why don’t you greet the prosecutor politely? He said he’ll look into your father’s case again. He’s such a kind person.”

Mom, that… that’s because I spread my legs for that bastard….

Taeri forced those words down her throat and bowed her head with difficulty towards Chigyeong.

“Have… have you been well?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Park Chigyeong, with his hands clasped in front of him, looked at Seo Jungeun.

“I wondered why Taeri is so beautiful, but it turns out it’s because she resembles her mother.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, what beauty? I’ve aged a lot. But my daughter has always been pretty.”

“Your mother is even more beautiful than you, Taeri.”

“Oh, Prosecutor Park…”

Park Chigyeong grinned, watching Seo Jungeun rub her cheek with the back of her hand. He leaned back deeply in his chair and clapped his hands together once, sharply.

“I believe a retrial is possible. No, I will make it possible.”

“Prosecutor Park, so you… you think my husband… Taeri’s father, is innocent?”

Seo Jungeun tightly gripped Taeri’s hand, seated beside her. It was the warmth of her mother’s hand, a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“Kang Sangbum… he…”

Instead of answering directly, Park Chigyeong trailed off, grabbing a file from the tea table. He lowered his gaze, checking a specific section.

“He received a seven-year sentence?”

Lifting his head from the file, Park Chigyeong looked at Seo Jungeun with a reassuring expression.

“It’s time to clear his name.”

“…P-Prosecutor Park!”

Seo Jungeun abruptly stood, bowing repeatedly to Park Chigyeong as he sipped his coffee.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, Prosecutor Park.

Park Chigyeong seemed accustomed to such displays of gratitude. He calmly savored the aroma of his coffee, paying no attention to the woman bowing before him.

Thank you, thank you, really thank you, Prosecutor Park.

Seo Jungeun’s tearful gratitude continued unabated. Park Chigyeong glanced at Taeri, cocking an eyebrow. 

See, Taeri? Your mother is grateful to me. So, you should be grateful too. 

That’s what his gaze seemed to say.

Taeri tightened her grip on her mother’s hand. Park Chigyeong let out a small laugh, placing his coffee cup down and finally raising a hand to stop Seo Jungeun.

“I didn’t ask you to come all this way just to receive your thanks. Please, sit down.”

“Yes, Prosecutor Park.”

As Seo Jungeun sat back down, Park Chigyeong elegantly steepled his fingers.

“Until this case is resolved, I’d like you to stay somewhere safe. Do you have a suitable place in mind?”

“Uh… no, Prosecutor Park. After what happened to Taeri’s father, I cut ties with everyone. Going through something hard like that… it really sorts out your relationships. It’s upsetting, but most of them were just blood relations anyway…”

“Mom.”

Taeri quietly called out, as if to stop her mother from saying something she shouldn’t. Park Chigyeong picked up his coffee cup again, offering a measured consolation.

“It’s a world where people, driven by rage, can even stab their own family to death. Don’t be too disheartened.”

“Yes, I understand, Prosecutor Park.”

“How about this? I’ll take the two of you…”

Is it getting cold again? 

Taeri suddenly wrapped her arms around herself, as if feeling a chill.

Beeeeeep. 

The ringing in her ears started without warning, drowning out the rest of Park Chigyeong’s words. 

Beeeeeep.

Two minutes. 

That’s how long Park Chigyeong took to explain his duties as a responsible prosecutor and convince Seo Jungeun. Another one more minute to give her the address and entry code to a new residence, a residence owned by Park Chigyeong himself.

And then another three minutes. Three minutes for Park Chigyeong to persuade Seo Jungeun to leave Kang Taeri under his protection.

At first, Seo Jungeun looked confused. If they were moving to a safe place, why couldn’t they live together? Why did the prosecutor need to go this far?

In response, Park Chigyeong looked back at her with an equally puzzled expression: No, it was closer to a rebuke.

‘Ms. Seo, you’re a busy woman. How can you possibly ensure your only daughter’s safety? You didn’t even know your precious daughter was working at an illegal gambling den.’

Seeing Seo Jungeun’s shocked expression, Park Chigyeong spent another minute gently coaxing her.

‘Ms. Seo, there’s a significant age gap between me and my younger sibling. I practically raised him. That’s why Taeri also feels like my youngest sister. I just want to help her.’

Seven minutes in total. That’s how long it took Park Chigyeong to obtain permission from Seo Jungeun, Taeri’s current guardian, to bring her into his territory.

That’s when she realized.

When someone possessed money, intelligence, and power, and set their mind on a goal, they could easily obtain almost anything they desired.

So, was she his goal? What was he trying to achieve? Was his objective to keep her by his side, to bend her to his will for oral sex whenever he pleased?

Because of him, she’s learning about the world all over again. A shady, ugly world, like the back alleys of adulthood.

“Thank you so much, Prosecutor Park.”

Seo Jungeun dabbed her tears with the handkerchief Park Chigyeong had given her and bowed respectfully.

“Taeri, I’ll be right back after I wash my face. I’ll see you at the elevator. And Prosecutor Park, I’ll treat you to a meal sometime. Please come with your brother. He’s Taeri’s friend, but I haven’t had a chance to meet him yet.”

“This is what I’m paid by the government to do. Please don’t worry about it and just relax. The women’s restroom is on the left when you go out.”

Seo Jungeun, looking at Park Chigyeong as if he were a god, left the office first.

Taeri, who had been sitting dejectedly on the sofa, also stood up.

She tried to walk past Park Chigyeong, who was holding the door open for her like a true gentleman, without even looking at him. But suddenly, her arm was grabbed, and her body tilted backward. The door slammed shut.

It all happened almost simultaneously.

“Hmph…!”

Park Chigyeong pushed her into a corner and pressed his lips against hers. No. He devoured her mouth. His tongue swept over her nose and lips at once.

He forced open her lips, thrusting his tongue inside. Their tongues tangled, her breath hitching. The overpowering scent of his cologne made her frown.

Mmm, mmmph.

No matter how much she pushed, the man, solid as a rock, wouldn’t budge. His hand, losing all control, slid down her body, reaching her pants and rubbing against her through the fabric. Just as his fingers started to caress her covered vagina, Taeri bit down hard on his lower lip.

Ow, the man let out a theatrical groan, nothing more.

Their lips parted, and Park Chigyeong rubbed his lower lip with his thumb.

Not a single drop of blood. And the fact that he didn’t bleed even a little infuriated her.

“Is this why you’re bringing me into your house? Why? So you and your brother can take turns with me?”

The moment those words left her mouth, Park Chigyeong’s previously smiling face vanished, his face hardening. His expression sent a shiver down her spine.

She was terrified. Yes, what she felt towards Park Chigyeong was terror. Not sadness, not anger, but pure, unadulterated terror.

“Taeri.”

He stepped closer, his hand braced against the wall, trapping her completely. There seemed to be enough space to escape, yet simultaneously, she felt like there wasn’t a single inch of room to move.

“When I told you to do your best yesterday, I didn’t mean do your best to piss me off. I meant to do your best to help me, by my side. Just until I clear your father’s name. Is that such a difficult request? I don’t think so.”

He leaned in, his thick, muscular thighs pressed between her legs, his hand expertly rubbing against her through her clothes.

“It’s strange. Just a moment ago, I was incredibly pissed off. But now, I’m feeling…”

He leaned down, nibbling on her earlobe, and whispered violent words into her ear.

Fuck, this is amazing.