INT Ch 10.1

“Is it you?”

“What are you talking about, out of nowhere? Just barging in like this.”

It was Kim Hanse who flung open the door to the prosecutor’s office. Woojin, who had been discussing work with his chief officer, turned toward the man storming toward him. In Hanse’s hand was an investigative report on corruption involving Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu, who had recently received a prestigious alumni award.

“Why did this end up in my hands? Who else could it be? Who else but you would pull a stunt like this?”

Hanse growled menacingly. Woojin let out a derisive snort.

“It wasn’t me, but whoever it was, shouldn’t you be thankful? You’d never have uncovered this, even if you were reborn.”

“Illegal investigations, illegal wiretapping, ignoring procedures, internal rules, and approval processes—none of that is real investigation.”

“Then pretend you don’t know.”

“What?”

Hanse bristled, looking as if he was about to grab Woojin by the collar. His face reddened with barely contained rage. Behind him, Chief Hwang, an older man, cautiously stood up, stepping in to mediate.

“Prosecutor Kim, our prosecutor has nothing to do with this. He’s been so busy with tracking investigations lately. He hasn’t even had a proper night’s sleep for days.”

Woojin tapped Hwang’s shoulder, signaling for him to step back. Hwang retreated awkwardly.

“If you can’t use evidence obtained through illegal means, then just bury it. Nobody told you to do it, so why all the fuss? If it goes against your principles, just don’t act on it.”

“If this gets exposed, you’ll take a hit too.”

Hanse’s expression grew serious, as if he was genuinely concerned.

“Are you saying I leaked this to you knowing I’d take a hit? That makes no sense. To you, I’m nothing but a heartless, radioactive piece of trash.”

“That’s right. Human trash.”

“Trash or not, why would I risk my own downfall to feed you intel? Why would I waste my time on that nonsense?”

“You’ve probably already cut ties. You’re trying to take down Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu, aren’t you? You can’t do it yourself, so you’re using me. Am I wrong?”

“I’m part of Park Hyeongsu’s faction. If he falls, you’ll be promoted to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office before me. Do you think I want to see that happen?”

“…”

“Stop going after innocent people. Focus on the guilty ones.”

Hanse glared at Woojin as if trying to see right through him, then turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. His face twisted slightly with a look of contempt.

A righteous, straightforward, and honest man. A man who couldn’t tolerate injustice. A man who dedicated his life to upholding justice.

That’s how Kim Hanse had been described when he received some “Prosecutor of the Month” or “Prosecutor of the Year” award from the Chief Prosecutor.

Despite his brazen ways, Hanse hadn’t been ousted from the Central District Prosecutor’s Office’s Intelligence Division. He had been a rival to Woojin at the training institute, competing for top ranks. Woojin still remembered the bitterness he felt when Hanse, expected to become a judge, had chosen to become a prosecutor instead.

“I really don’t understand. Where could we find another prosecutor as great as ours? Calling him trash—human trash, at that! Prosecutor Kim Hanse really has a foul mouth.”

Chief Hwang grumbled, clearly annoyed by Hanse’s audacity to barge into someone else’s office and humiliate Woojin in front of his staff.

“Well, to a champion of justice, I probably do look like trash. Didn’t you see him confront the chief prosecutor? I could never dream of doing that.”

Woojin dismissed Hanse’s opinion of him as unimportant, but in truth, it bothered him. He respected Hanse’s investigative skills, even if he disliked his upright methods. It was precisely because he respected him that such evaluations stung.

“And honestly, does it even make sense? Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu is one of the key figures who could get our prosecutor into the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. There’s no way our prosecutor would leak dirt on him.”

“If possible, I would prefer if Kim Hanse didn’t mess with Chief Prosecutor Park, but you know his personality. He won’t just let it go.”

“Wow, who is this person… It’s clever, very clever, to leak that to Prosecutor Kim.”

“Indeed. We should consider it over.”

Woojin erased Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu from his mental list. The materials that had flowed to Kim Hanse were illegally collected by Woojin without the knowledge of the clerks.

Woojin often passed on difficult matters that he couldn’t handle himself to Kim Hanse. He knew that Kim Hanse would somehow deal with them without yielding to external pressure. He didn’t know what kind of backing Kim Hanse still had, but if he really fell out of favor, he could send Kim Hanse to a remote provincial office, which was a win-win situation.

Woojin didn’t see him as a competitor or rival but rather disliked him instinctively and despised Kim Hanse’s personality. He hated Kim Hanse’s foolishness in missing important things while adhering to fairness and principles. Of course, such blindly good and righteous people were necessary, but it was a story that didn’t work for those who reigned above.

To change the world in that way, one person’s effort, passion, and even their entire life wouldn’t be enough. Unlike him, Woojin knew well that to achieve justice, there had to be illegality upon illegality.

Woojin had a flexible mindset that could justify means and methods for the purpose, while Kim Hanse believed that achieving a purpose in such a way was meaningless. He called Woojin human trash, and Woojin called Kim Hanse an idiot.

“It’s late, so you should go in. From tomorrow, make a list of the people involved in the order of the case proceedings.”

“Sure. See you tomorrow then.”

After the clerks, including Chief Hwang, left, Woojin was left alone in the office. He was often alone in the office. Working late and staying up all night was routine.

There were cases waiting for his handling, and even more cases that were set aside, waiting for their three-month validity period without being reviewed. This was the extent of the reduction in general criminal cases since he joined the special investigation unit.

In addition to that, there were more than five urgent cases of targeted investigations, planned investigations, and intelligence investigations. The officetel he had obtained near the district prosecutor’s office had long since turned into a dressing room.

He roughly ate dinner with kimbap brought by the clerk and sat at his desk, looking through the internal investigation materials of the Hankyung Group. He planned to adjust the investigation speed and release the follow-up as soon as Kim Hanse touched Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu.

Kim Hanse spoke as if Woojin was orchestrating all these things from behind. Even Chief Hwang, who worked with him, couldn’t guess, but with an animal-like instinct, Kim Hanse was keenly aware. So Woojin disliked him but couldn’t ignore him.

The vibration of a phone echoed in the quiet office where he was alone.

It was an unknown number.

Woojin, who was waiting for a call from a finance team employee to give unfavorable testimony related to the Hankyung Group’s slush fund, thought it was that person and answered the call.

“Hello.”

― …….

“Hello. Please speak.”

He waited patiently, but the other party didn’t speak. Woojin looked down at the phone screen and just ended the call. It was a call that would come again if they wanted to testify. He didn’t want to push them too hard. After a while, as expected, the call came again. He answered it slowly.

“Yes.”

― …….

“I promise protection and compensation for whistleblowing, and follow-up measures.”

― …….

“Hello?”

The other party didn’t respond. He sighed inaudibly. He couldn’t understand the intention of not saying anything when the number was clearly displayed. Then he frowned.

“Is it difficult to speak? I will start tracking the location with this number now.”

As soon as he said he would start tracking the location, the call was abruptly cut off. Woojin contacted the cyber investigation unit. He instructed them to approach carefully as it was an important informant and gave them the phone number. About an hour later, a call came from the officer in charge at the cyber investigation unit.

“Thank you for your hard work. This is Officer Kim Seokho from the cyber investigation unit. Yes, we found it, but it seems to be a prank call. It’s a young woman. She’s a civilian drinking alcohol. What should we do?”

“A young woman? It was a tip-off call that came to my number. Could you ask her how she got this number?”

Woojin knew that the informant he was waiting for regarding the Hankyung Group’s slush fund was the deputy manager of the finance team. The deputy manager of the Hankyung finance team was a middle-aged man in his forties, living in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. His wife was a private academy instructor, and they had two children, one in high school and one in middle school.

The cyber investigation unit inspector didn’t hang up and asked someone how they got Woojin’s phone number and made a prank call. There was a murmur beyond the machine for a moment, and then someone took over the call.

― I did it.

“…….”

Woojin, who had been skimming through internal investigation materials with a pen in hand, looked up at the unexpected voice. He stared sharply at a point in the air.

He put the pen he was holding to his lips. An unreadable expression, neither a smile nor a frown, appeared on his face.

― I said I did it.

“Who are you?”

He took the pen from his lips and twirled it in his hand. A smile appeared on Woojin’s face.

― Don’t you know? If you don’t, then forget it.

The voice was still arrogant, not suppressing its anger. Woojin liked Moon Haewon’s insolent side but didn’t want to indulge it any longer.

“Put Officer Kim on the phone.”

Haewon was silent. He had called in this way to test Woojin, but Woojin’s cold reaction must have made him very upset.

Moon Haewon had never begged anyone or clung to anyone. He was so used to receiving that he didn’t know what it was like to give.

Woojin ordered in an increasingly calm voice.

“Put Officer Kim on the phone.”

― Is that all you have to say?

“Put him on the phone.”

― Is it my fault? Who acted in a way that caused misunderstandings? Anyone would have misunderstood the situation.

It was a situation that anyone would have misunderstood.

Woojin also remembered meeting Haewon at the swimming pool that day. But he never imagined that Haewon had witnessed him with Soyoung in the lounge.

It was very unpleasant. Moon Haewon’s unpredictability was not new.

Haewon knew too many things he shouldn’t have known, things that were of no benefit to him. He also knew about the relationship between Lee Taeshin and Woojin. Moon Haewon constantly defied Woojin’s expectations. He said unexpected things and did unexpected actions. Woojin didn’t like developments that deviated from his expectations.

“Don’t make it a big deal and put him on the phone.”

― I was wrong.

And now he throws an unexpected punch. Woojin felt his anger towards Haewon, who treated him like trash, melt away. He hung up the phone.

I was wrong.

It was an unexpected counterattack. He didn’t expect those words to come out so quickly. It had only been a week. Woojin had secretly thought he would never hear from him again.

Haewon’s unpredictability lay in such places. He sharply attacked the vulnerable parts that Woojin hadn’t realized. After a brief moment, Woojin called Officer Kim.

“This is Hyun Woojin.”

― Yes, Prosecutor.

“I’m sorry. That person is a suspect who was recently subjected to a psychiatric evaluation and seems to hold a grudge against me.”

― Oh, I see.

“I didn’t expect him to change his number and call. I was waiting for an important tip-off call. I’m sorry for the trouble. It was my mistake.”

― Oh, no. It’s fine. Don’t mention it.

“I made you take a pointless trip when you’re busy.”

― We were nearby anyway, so it’s no problem.

Woojin apologized politely to Officer Kim and hung up the phone. He noted down the number that had called. He didn’t know who it was, but since it was a phone borrowed by Moon Haewon, it needed to be recorded.

He stood up, stretching his stiff shoulders and neck from sitting in one place for a long time, and made a call somewhere. Standing by the window, he looked at the darkened lawn in front of the central prosecutor’s office and the flow of vehicles passing by with their headlights flickering.

“It’s me.”

― Ah, yes.

The man answered, swallowing something as if he had been eating dinner.

“Your report is late. Please report every hour. It seems you’ve moved. Where are you?”

Woojin was sincere. He was uncomfortable with Moon Haewon, who kept poking at his irrational side.

― You bastard.

“…….”

― Why is everything so easy for you? I’m struggling to death, but for you, everything is so easy?

“Whether it was a misunderstanding or the truth, you were the one who didn’t look back.”

For the time being, he needed to keep his distance from Haewon. He couldn’t let it interfere with his work. He also needed to correct Haewon’s habit of acting on his own. Only then could he control Moon Haewon and himself. Strictly controlling the situation and making things move according to his will didn’t apply only to Haewon.

If he couldn’t control even these trivial personal feelings, it would affect his future plans, and a small hole would eventually collapse the structure. It was a time when he needed to be more cautious than ever.

― I was scared. I was afraid you might really be like that, that you might be that kind of person. Do you know how I felt back then? I didn’t know what to do, so I acted that way.

“Not knowing what to do means abandoning me?”

― That’s not it.

“If it was true. If I really had that kind of relationship with Haeyoung’s brother, it would be natural to abandon me?”

― …….

“You treated me like trash.”

― No, I didn’t.

“Stop it. I’m hanging up.”

What did he mean by being afraid that he might really be that kind of person?

Did he mean that it was wrong to be in a relationship with the deceased fiancée’s brother?

Woojin found it very difficult to understand the language and emotions of ordinary people. He had grasped the universal, but other cases were difficult to explain logically and couldn’t be memorized conceptually.

After pressing the end call button, Woojin stood still, looking out the window, unable to understand what Haewon meant by being afraid that he might be that kind of person.

“I’ll try to handle it somehow.”

― It seems GHB and speed have been delivered. They just went in.

It was a report that Moon Haewon had followed a man he met at a bar into a motel. The man had ordered GHB and methamphetamine. It was troublesome. He thought that not seeing him would reduce his worries, but controlling Haewon without seeing him was several times more exhausting.

“Chief, this is Prosecutor Hyun Woojin from the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. I’m sorry to contact you at this late hour.”

― What brings you to call at this hour? What time is it now?

The watch on his wrist pointed to around ten o’clock at night.

Last year, he had quietly covered up the police chief’s corruption without indictment. The police chief owed Woojin a debt, and Woojin claimed that debt whenever he needed it. Of course, he didn’t ask for things that were difficult for him to handle. He contacted him for things that could be easily handled within his authority and within the legal framework, and through small requests, he constantly reminded him of who held the upper hand in the power hierarchy.

“I have a favor to ask. Could you conduct a prostitution crackdown?”

― Why a sudden prostitution crackdown? There was a major crackdown recently.

“Just one place. The K Motel in D-dong. Someone staying there has something I need. If there’s a prostitution crackdown, I’ll just take what I need.”

― I’ll send a nearby precinct officer.

“No, please send Officer Kim Seokho from the cyber investigation unit.”

― Who? Officer Kim Seokho from the cyber investigation unit?

“Yes. He’s on duty today.”

― Alright. I can do that.

It wasn’t asking him to break the law, and a prostitution crackdown order was something he could easily handle with a phone call. He hung up the phone with the chief.

He contacted the person he had assigned to Haewon and told them to be on standby as there would soon be a prostitution crackdown.

He tried to start working again at his desk, but he couldn’t concentrate. The text message that Haewon had entered a motel holding hands with a man he had just met kept lingering in his mind. A motel, not a hotel, where Moon Haewon, who wouldn’t even sleep unless it was a hotel, had entered a cheap motel. And holding hands.

What kind of hand was that, a noble and great hand that one had to risk blindness to touch, and a guy he had never seen before had held and touched it.

The pen Woojin was holding between his fingers snapped in half.

“…….”

Moon Haewon must be desperately trying to forget him in his own way.

It was an unexpected side effect. Instead of quietly crying at home, going to a motel with a man after drinking was an unpleasant development he hadn’t anticipated. Moreover, the man had GHB and stimulants.

Woojin knew well what happened when Moon Haewon got excited.

He stood up, put on his jacket, and grabbed his car keys and phone. His steps toward the parking lot were hurried.

In front of the K Motel, a police car was parked with its lights flashing. Two police officers had apparently caused a commotion inside, as a woman and a man, barely dressed in their underwear, ran out into the hallway, covering their faces, and brushed past him as they fled.

The person he had privately hired was nowhere to be seen. It seemed they had left upon seeing the crackdown. Woojin arrived at the room number the informant had given him and opened the half-open door.

“This is Prosecutor Hyun Woojin.”

“Ah, I’m Officer Kim Seokho from the cyber investigation unit. I called earlier.”

The man, whose appearance made it hard to tell if he was a criminal or a detective, shook Woojin’s outstretched hand. His thick palm was covered in calluses. It felt like shaking hands with a bear paw rather than a human hand.

Moon Haewon, lying on the bed, looked clean and unscathed, as if Officer Kim had arrived before anything happened. However, he was not in an excited state as Woojin had feared. He was completely unconscious.

It was possible to incapacitate someone with a small amount of GHB and methamphetamine, but it was impossible for him to lose consciousness completely like that. There was also the possibility that other drugs had been mixed in.

The man, caught red-handed by Officer Kim, was kneeling on the floor with his face buried in the bed. His arms were handcuffed behind his back.

“We received a tip about prostitution and were conducting a crackdown when I recognized the face.”

He could have easily dismissed it as two men having a hot night, but the sharp Officer Kim remembered Moon Haewon’s face and found it suspicious that he was unconscious while the man was trying to assault him.

Even though he was on his way, Officer Kim considered Haewon an unarrested suspect and contacted Woojin. It was a welcome interference for Woojin, who had planned to have the informant enter the motel during the crackdown and bring Moon Haewon out.

“It’s GHB and crystal meth. If he’s unconscious, he must have used a lethal dose. Unless he’s out of his mind, he wouldn’t have taken it unknowingly. There’s also the possibility of other drugs. Arrest him immediately. Check his phone and arrest the seller, and find out the supplier.”

The man, whose clothes and hair were disheveled as if he had fought with Officer Kim, struggled to lift his head and looked at Woojin, who was ordering his arrest.

Woojin approached the man and stared at his face for a long time. He had seen many people who played with drugs, but for some reason, he felt intense disgust towards this man. He wanted to stomp on his face until it was unrecognizable.

“Charge him with special rape of an incapacitated person, kidnapping with diminished capacity, violation of the Narcotics Control Act, and whatever else you can think of. It seems best to ruin his life.”

Woojin’s eyes hardened coldly, and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

“W-wait a minute. There’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t kidnap him; we came here together. You can check the CCTV. He lost consciousness because he drank more alcohol while already drunk. It wasn’t intentional.”

“Take him away.”

Woojin straightened up, ignoring the man’s clumsy excuses. At Officer Kim’s signal, another officer from the cyber investigation unit lifted the man and dragged him out. Officer Kim pointed to Moon Haewon lying on the bed.

“He’s an unarrested suspect, right?”

“Start the investigation tomorrow morning. I’ll take care of him. I’ll give you his contact information, so please call him in for a thorough investigation tomorrow.”

“Yes, understood. I’ll be going then.”

After Officer Kim left, the motel became quiet.

Woojin looked down at Haewon, who was unconscious, his face illuminated by the red and blue neon lights flickering through the curtains. He contacted the informant and told them to leave as he would take care of it.

He looked around the motel room. The table was cluttered with leftover chicken and spilled beer. It seemed Officer Kim had collected the evidence.

It was an unsanitary place he didn’t want to stay in for even a moment. Woojin didn’t take a deep breath. The sight of Moon Haewon lying in such a place was itself incongruous.

Woojin approached Haewon with a blank expression, grabbed his arm, and lifted him, placing his weight on his back. Haewon, limp and heavy like a water-soaked sponge, was carried out of the motel on Woojin’s back. He pushed the door open with his foot and closed it the same way, not wanting to touch anything.

He opened the passenger door of the car parked in front of the motel and sat Haewon inside. Haewon slumped over the gear shift. Woojin straightened him up, and the strong smell of alcohol and what he assumed was the man’s cologne hit him. It was an unfamiliar scent.

Woojin frowned but pulled the seatbelt over and buckled it, securing Haewon’s limp body to the seat.

Woojin sat in the driver’s seat and took out a cigarette. He lit it and took a drag, filling the car with smoke. He rolled down the window and stepped on the accelerator. He smoked the cigarette down to the filter and put the butt in an empty drink bottle. The cigarette hissed as it extinguished in the remaining liquid.

He turned to look at Haewon, whose face swayed with every turn of the car, now leaning towards him.

Woojin leaned over and sniffed Haewon. The unpleasant smell of the man’s cologne was gone, replaced by the scent of his own cigarette.

Stopped at a red light, Woojin looked down at Haewon’s face, tilted to the side. There were no tear stains on his cheeks, but he had clearly been crying. Woojin regretted missing it. If Moon Haewon cried in front of him, if he begged on his knees, Woojin would forgive him no matter what he had done.

Woojin found it strange how merciful he became when it came to Moon Haewon. It wasn’t because he was in a particularly good mood; it was because the other person was Moon Haewon. Although Woojin didn’t admit it, he was naturally accepting Haewon more and more.

Haewon’s face was flawless, with perfect features that filled his small face. His habit of keeping his mouth tightly shut made him look angry or sulky.

Woojin licked Haewon’s lips with his tongue, not out of affection but as if cleaning something that had been there. After licking his lips clean, Woojin spat into the drink bottle where he had discarded the cigarette butt.

“You’re covered in filth,” he muttered.

Arriving at Moon Haewon’s officetel, Woojin parked in the underground garage. He carried Haewon on his back again, knowing he was unconscious and wouldn’t feel anything. Haewon’s head bumped against various surfaces, but Woojin didn’t slow down. This wasn’t about taking revenge by going to a motel with a strange man.

The door lock code for the officetel was still the same. Woojin wondered if Haewon was careless, naive, or just lived without a thought.

He laid Haewon on the bed. Not hearing any breathing sounds, Woojin placed his finger under Haewon’s nose. He felt a faint breath tickling his finger. Woojin looked around the unchanged interior of the officetel and took a moment to catch his breath while gazing out the window.

Seeing Haewon passed out in the motel had filled him with uncontrollable anger, but now he realized it might have been for the best. After this, Haewon wouldn’t dare get drunk and follow a stranger again. If he did, Woojin felt he might do something unforgivable to Haewon—whether it was mental reconditioning or physical restraint, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he would do something.

Woojin had tried to keep his distance from Moon Haewon, but the strange emotions he felt upon seeing him in the motel made him realize it was impossible. The only way to control Haewon, and himself, was to possess him completely.

Woojin soaked a towel in hot water and wrung it out. He undressed Haewon, piece by piece, until he was naked. He stared at Haewon’s body for too long and too intently, then turned away. Opening the closet, he took out pajamas and placed them next to the sleeping Haewon.

He wiped Haewon’s face with the wet towel, paying extra attention to his lips. He cleaned his hands, arms, shoulders, chest, and stomach as if preparing a corpse. The cold towel made Haewon’s skin break out in goosebumps. Satisfied that Haewon was clean and untouched by anyone else, Woojin looked down at his own aroused body.

“…….”

Despite his intention to clean Haewon without any sexual involvement, Woojin’s body betrayed him, becoming fully aroused.

This was the problem with Moon Haewon.

Woojin only felt sexually aroused when he wanted to satisfy his desires, and he could separate his emotions from his body in other situations. He despised those who lost control due to emotional arousal.

For Woojin, sexual desire was less important than hunger, sleep, or even the desire for achievement. But with Moon Haewon, his sexual desire overpowered his control, showing him how strong instincts could be.

Woojin never failed to resist anything. It wasn’t that he had strong endurance; he simply didn’t need to endure.

Recognizing his instinct, he calmly unbuckled his pants and unzipped them. He took out his erect penis, slick with pre-cum, and wrapped Haewon’s hand around it. Holding Haewon’s hand, he stroked himself. Not content with that, he covered Haewon’s lips with his own, pushing his tongue inside.

He sucked on the soft, wet interior. Haewon’s mouth opened limply, and Woojin entwined their tongues, roughly rubbing and sucking while stroking Haewon’s hair. Haewon’s clean scent filled the air.

Although the sensation of orgasm didn’t come easily, Woojin was quickly overcome with excitement. His heavy breathing filled the room.

He kissed and sucked on Haewon’s lips, cheeks, jaw, neck, collarbone, chest, and nipples, which were the same color as his lips, as if trying to erase any trace of another man.

As Woojin sucked on Haewon’s flesh, the sound of his mouth filling with it made him feel like an animal, which wasn’t particularly pleasant. However, his mind was on fire, and he didn’t want to stop. Woojin rubbed his penis against Haewon’s pubic bone and ejaculated.

As he wet the area below Haewon, the unpleasant feeling that had been bothering him disappeared, replaced by pleasure. Woojin realized that he was extremely angry about Haewon holding hands with someone he didn’t consider human and going to a motel.

“……Haah.”

Even though he knew it was foolish, Woojin felt satisfied and strangely content after marking Moon Haewon with himself.

Woojin repeated the same act on Haewon’s naked body three times. Each time he smeared his semen on Haewon’s lips, his satisfaction grew.

He ended up staying with Haewon much longer than planned. By the time he cleaned up his traces and dressed Haewon in pajamas, it was well past three in the morning. His plan to leave Haewon at the officetel and return to the office was ruined, and the thought vanished from his mind. He kissed Haewon’s lips for about an hour before leaving the officetel.

∞ ∞ ∞

Fortunately, Moon Haewon seemed to have no intention of meeting someone else to forget Woojin. After nearly being drugged and raped, he must have been terrified. Through Kim Seokho, Woojin had the man who didn’t want to press charges against Moon Haewon thoroughly scared.

Kim Seokho explained that the drug could cause cardiac arrest, and in such motels, human trafficking was common. If abducted, the victim wouldn’t just be gang-raped; they could have their arms and legs completely amputated and be turned into a helpless sex slave. Kim Seokho made it sound like a real case he had investigated, mixing in rumors and urban legends to frighten Moon Haewon. He taught the 29-year-old Haewon, not a six-year-old, how dangerous it was to follow a stranger.

Thanks to Kim Seokho, Moon Haewon didn’t leave the officetel. He took sick leave from the orchestra and skipped his lessons with the professor. The magnet’s text messages, reporting no changes every hour, arrived precisely on schedule.

Occasionally, when Haewon moved, he would sit in a café or walk endlessly. Even the magnet, who was surveilling without knowing their relationship, reported that Moon Haewon seemed like someone who had been heartbroken.

Woojin gave the magnet an additional task: to send photos of Haewon along with the reports. Although he had intended to keep his distance to focus on work, Woojin found himself spending more time looking at the photos of Haewon sent to his phone.

Haewon no longer called him.

His pride must have been hurt. Woojin could still picture Haewon sitting on the bed, doing nothing, and staring at him strangely as he left.

Haewon’s face showed disbelief that Woojin could leave him like that. It wasn’t cute narcissism; he had never experienced such a thing before. Woojin realized then that he wanted more than just physical satisfaction from Moon Haewon.

“Looks like Prosecutor Kim finally made his move. Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu is causing a stir, saying he’ll arrest Kim Hanse for illegal investigation charges. The internal investigation confirmation document was submitted, but it wasn’t approved. It’s bribery, so it won’t be covered up just like this, right?”

Woojin had also heard the news from Hwang yesterday. In fact, Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu had contacted him, saying he wanted to meet. They agreed to have lunch together. Woojin put on his jacket and said,

“I have an appointment, so I’ll be out. Enjoy your meal.”

Leaving the prosecutor’s office, he got into his car and headed to the restaurant where they had agreed to meet. Arriving at the private room, he waited for about ten minutes before Park Hyeongsu appeared. Woojin stood up, shook hands with him, and bowed.

“Sit, sit.”

Park Hyeongsu gestured for him to sit. After a server took their order, Park Hyeongsu filled a cup with water and drank it all at once.

“Ah, I’m so frustrated. What happened? How did Kim Hanse find out about that?”

Woojin acted as if he didn’t know, his expression serious.

“You don’t think CEO Kim Jeonggeun leaked it, do you?”

“CEO Kim wouldn’t have any reason to do that. He’s the one offering the bribe.”

“If it wasn’t CEO Kim Jeonggeun’s order, then who leaked it to Kim Hanse? That crazy bastard is biting at my heels.”

Park Hyeongsu drank more water, looking frustrated. The server brought their food, and he finally stopped talking. The server placed the food on the table and left the private room. Park Hyeongsu’s voice rose again.

“Have you heard anything?”

“I don’t know where Kim Hanse got it, but if he obtained it through illegal means, it has no evidentiary value. You don’t need to worry too much.”

“Even if it’s just a suspicion, I have to become the Chief Prosecutor soon, and it will come up during the confirmation hearing. The confirmation committee won’t let it go.”

If it got that far, there would be a thorough investigation, but Woojin knew it wouldn’t reach that point. He had evidence of a few of Chief Prosecutor Park Hyeongsu’s corrupt activities, which Kim Jeonggeun didn’t know about yet. He just hadn’t revealed them.

Park Hyeongsu is under suspicion for accepting bribes. The briber, CEO Kim Jeonggeun of Hangyeong Group, is expected to be contacted as well. Woojin plans to provide evidence of Park Hyeongsu’s corruption not to Kim Hanse but directly to Kim Jeonggeun.

Kim Jeonggeun, eager to avoid investigation for giving bribes, will undoubtedly use the materials Woojin provides to threaten Park Hyeongsu, sever ties, and escape unscathed. Should Park Hyeongsu resist, Kim Jeonggeun will likely expose his corruption, crushing him in the process. Their longstanding alliance would inevitably collapse.

Park Hyeongsu would gnash his teeth in frustration and wouldn’t let Kim Jeonggeun off easily. This tension increases the likelihood that the identity of “Take 2” will finally be revealed—something Woojin has been keen to uncover.

Through this opportunity, Woojin intends to discover whom Kim Jeonggeun is connected to at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office or possibly in the Blue House if not the prosecutor general. He couldn’t afford to make mistakes and miss opportunities like he did during the Kim Hayoung incident.

“I’ll find out what Kim Hanse knows and what evidence he’s holding.”

“The media is paying attention to Kim Hanse, making it difficult to act recklessly.”

Expressing his frustration over the tricky situation, Park Hyeongsu ate his meal while Woojin discreetly checked messages and photos from the agent monitoring Moon Haewon.

Moon Haewon, wearing a baseball cap, stared blankly out the window, looking unwell. He seemed thinner than the last time Woojin saw him. The uniquely detached expression of an artist tugged at something deep within Woojin.

“Why? Did some critical information come in?”

Seeing Woojin engrossed in his phone, Park Hyeongsu asked. Woojin glanced away from the screen and shook his head.

“It’s nothing.”

The agent monitoring Moon Haewon called, but Woojin ignored it, claiming to be in a meeting.

“This investigation will be split into two teams. Follow the lead prosecutor’s instructions,” said Lee Seungmin, head of the Special Investigations Division. After his remarks, the other prosecutors shuffled out of the meeting room, leaving Woojin to gather the files.

As Woojin prepared to leave, Lee Seungmin caught his arm. Once the room was quiet, he asked in a hushed tone, “Is it true Kim Jeonggeun and Park Hyeongsu are clashing? What’s going on?”

“It’s under investigation.”

“I heard Kim Hanse is involved. Is it your doing?”

“Why would you think that?”

Lee Seungmin knew Woojin better than most, including what he was currently focused on, having worked together for three years.

“Take 2 is Kim Jeonggeun, isn’t it?”

“It’s not me.”

“You can tell me. I’m just here to watch and reap the benefits. Are you orchestrating a fight between the two to swoop in later? Why go to such lengths? Isn’t Kim Jeonggeun already fond of you like family?”

Despite claims of familial affection, Woojin and Kim Jeonggeun shared no personal ties. In the end, self-interest always prevailed, as evidenced by countless data points.

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll witness quite the spectacle.”

“If you need anything, let me know. Want me to excuse you from the current investigation into the Federation of Korean Industries?”

“Leave it. I’ll handle it alongside other matters.”

Lee Seungmin chuckled awkwardly and nodded, signaling Woojin to leave. Watching Woojin’s retreating figure, Lee Seungmin marveled at his subordinate’s exceptional talent, which had even facilitated his own promotion. He remained cautious around Woojin, aware of how meticulous he was in prioritizing tasks.

Lee Seungmin suspected that Kim Jeonggeun held a significant position in Woojin’s hierarchy of priorities, even if the exact rank was unclear. However, the rationale behind Woojin’s actions often eluded him.

“Is all this really necessary for Take 2?”

Shrugging, Lee Seungmin decided to sit back and reap the benefits of Woojin’s endeavors, just as before. Turning his attention away from Woojin’s retreating figure, he refocused on his own tasks.

Exiting the division chief’s office, Woojin immediately called the monitoring agent.

“What’s the issue?”

Perhaps it would be better, for the sake of convenience, to forgive Moon Haewon and reconcile. The distraction was proving to be more trouble than it was worth.

― I’m at Incheon Airport now. The subject has moved to the airport.

“Airport? Does he have any overseas schedule?”

Haewon had taken sick leave from the orchestra. He had no official schedule. Back at the office, Woojin rummaged through the papers piled on his desk. He found a sheet with the schedule of the Hankyung Symphony for this month. Even after looking again, there was no overseas schedule.

― He’s alone. It looks like he’s going on a trip.

“Where is he going?”

― Bangkok. The flight is at 6:20 PM. What should we do?

He hadn’t considered the possibility of him going abroad. If he left the country, he would be completely out of Woojin’s control. It was better to keep him under surveillance.

Suddenly, his mind became busy. There was no justification to detain him without any crime. And if he did such a thing, Moon Haewon might realize it was Woojin’s doing.

― What should we do? Should we impose a travel ban?

The informant, who firmly believed Moon Haewon was a criminal suspect, suggested.

“That requires approval from the Ministry of Justice. We can’t apply for it immediately, and it doesn’t meet the requirements for a travel ban. Did he take his violin?”

― Yes, he bought a separate seat for the violin.

“Stand by. I’ll contact you.”

He had to stop him somehow. Holding his phone, Woojin fell into deep thought. He soon made a call. He put the ringing phone to his ear. He loosened the tie that was choking him. His throat felt dry. He grabbed a half-empty water bottle from the cluttered desk and gulped it down.

“This is Prosecutor Hyun Woojin from the Special Investigation Division 3 of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. Please connect me to the head of the Legal Affairs Team in the Planning and Coordination Office. It’s urgent.”

After a moment, the call was connected.

“Hello, this is Prosecutor Hyun Woojin from the Special Investigation Division 3 of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. I urgently need your help to detain someone. A suspect we are investigating is trying to leave the country through Incheon Airport today, carrying an expensive instrument. If it is taken abroad, the investigation itself will be difficult as it is evidence. Yes. The name is Moon Haewon, and the flight to Bangkok is at 6:20 PM. It’s a confidential investigation, so the suspect must not know. Well… I’m thinking about it, so please wait a moment.”

He had to detain Moon Haewon without him knowing. The airport official asked how they could detain someone without the suspect knowing. He loosened his tie, but his neck still felt tight, so he unbuttoned his shirt.

“I understand that Daemyung Cultural Foundation lends instruments. Say it’s a stolen item from Daemyung Foundation that hasn’t been re-contracted. I’ll send an investigator, so please detain him until then. Just prevent him from leaving the country today. Thank you.”

Woojin hung up the phone. He sent a text to the informant, telling them that Moon Haewon wouldn’t be able to leave today. Instead, he instructed them to follow him on the flight tomorrow. Having the informant on him was somewhat reassuring.

After blocking Haewon’s departure, Woojin focused on the tasks he needed to handle. He was deep into the ledgers when the Planning and Coordination Office at Incheon Airport contacted him. It seemed they had called the office to verify if it was a lie.

Moon Haewon seemed to be putting up a strong resistance. From Haewon’s perspective, it was infuriating to have the instrument he had used since college treated as a stolen item.

“Tell him we’ll book him a first-class ticket. Isn’t there a similar flight tomorrow?”

― He’s already a first-class passenger. He bought two seats, including one for the violin, and tomorrow’s flight is fully booked. It would be better to bring a warrant…

A guy who books first-class for his violin.

Yet, it was puzzling how he thought of going to a shabby motel holding hands with a man he had just met. Recalling that incident made Woojin very irritable. He was already anxious about Haewon not handling his body properly.

In this situation, Woojin was surprised at himself, but Haewon’s annoying behavior sharply aroused his sexual desire. He felt hungry.

― He says he’ll charge for the flight, hotel, and wasted time at an hourly rate. And he says he won’t go to Bangkok. He’s called a lawyer.

“He’s not going?”

― He says he’s not going.

Woojin took a deep breath at the news that he wasn’t going. It felt like Haewon knew everything and was playing with him. He was really doing all sorts of things.

“Let’s hang up for now. I’ll talk to the lawyer, so have them contact me.”

Woojin put down the receiver and let out a long sigh.

“Ha… He’s really doing whatever he wants.”