PS|04
by caelsgbfGiven the late hour, 2acff31e18 there were only a b52ffac34c few cars sporadically parked 2737a2cf2f along the roadside.8edb79b39e85ca43
Among them, a 1c66572060 particularly high-end car 2b14ddbaf2 stood out, parked 8c5b300f27 in an unusually 87ab997f3b eye-catching manner.77a63439ef328a58
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He stepped out 5d006d540a of a black 4c89a5858e sedan and was 92468cfa52 striding steadily toward bd82394d35 Ji-eun.6007d52c8dd99ffb
The sight was 2bc4b08385 so striking, it 7f02e8fcc8 felt like a af2f4806ee scene from a 14b59f5ac5 movie.912151d9e4ed1bb8
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A well-fitted suit 6d29f45585 and a sleek 280fdb4891 tie.4bbd0887564aaee3
Every step approaching her with 93b5ec9290 the city lights behind him, b2848ff4ba like a beam of light.834f17c4855cea2d
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Ji-eun stood blankly, 5977e20bce watching until the 2ef00badae deep, low voice e75ed496ec reached right in 8bca1a46f7 front of her.d39cb1c5204e2466
“Yoo Ji-eun.”d4ff4308328342db
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Everything about him felt… unfamiliar.3c8fc3811e824faa
“Do you usually stay out this late?”f93585d6547b5bdb
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“……”319805187713a8a7
Ji-eun remained silent, just looking ab651eebfd up at him quietly.e33df61a04ef206a
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Now that he was this ca665e5b2d close, it felt like he 7e22127b64 had grown much taller than 55fbd58345 she remembered.9a695183c3e20dee
Well, it has bd5970dadc been ten years 4503cd6aef already. Maybe… staying the same would d83d460d7d be stranger.d1d269859b8cd4df
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“Ah!”cae7f188d6e57165
“Are you drunk?”261b714d4b4d5004
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Then suddenly, as 1a5b7c79e3 he bent down 0d57a0ba96 and brought his 99864bf32a face close to 83c917f3dc hers, Ji-eun was c32c9e3e79 startled and stepped c912c30ac2 back.3b8de1993d897799
Wow, that scared me.4745f321c4886c4d
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“So why aren’t you answering? How much did you drink?”a38857f16f458d57
After saying that, he straightened 0f3db6094c his back. Ji-eun clutched the strap of 5178dc055b her bag and replied.293d1c83c8aa3fc8
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“No? I was just trying 125f8b8e14 to see who it eb49df92b1 was. My eyesight isn’t great 698bf84c8a at night.”fd4eb167aa462ec6
My heart won’t calm down.9014a30e228feb1c
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“A-Anyway, what are you doing here?”eb0ac1ca32f3d638
“I told you. I was waiting.”e5dffb50b4f74487
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“What?”d162f629d1d6bd21
As Ji-eun snapped back cf61bbe0ce to her senses and 451c7b17e1 thought about it, something 107270cc43 felt off.ffa5d7446fa877e1
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We met earlier… at the f890c0ab6c police station.cbee17747e91383b
And this place… I came 8d204d9de6 here after moving to a 4c14b9faf6 restaurant?3d4f2dcd9c545265
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“You—You! You’ve been following me? Since when?!”6ec52e9b061a5502
This guy. Was he stalking me?ce06eb51ab762a50
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Wait, now that 7510a76973 I think about e6df693364 it—how does he 33b51dc0d1 even know I 77f1917a0a became a police 33996df2b8 officer?7a49946586ea1bac
I don’t have 43262362bd any high school 2dab8c5507 friends who keep bd2d2ca397 in touch with 7c140a4df5 that school.ae8caaa6ceb0c016
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“Kang Min-jun. Who are you, really? Why on earth did you 963c0c54d2 approach me?”0dbc1af1c93f96e5
“……”e080b1d0ca2f1b77
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“Say something! How did you know I’d 64194a60ab be here! Earlier you clearly… huh?”0ae813882ae03e1c
As Ji-eun poured 334421d9d9 out her words c45b7c90a2 in rapid succession, 43f714f67b Min-jun didn’t answer. Instead, he silently pulled 5baf394c8e out his phone and b06c928f53 held it up.e7e79060b63d80ff
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The screen he showed her bcfa0567d1 was infuriating.3e6a767f0d85a88e
‘Vice President, the bill has been settled. Please wait in your car.’e09ed82d820a7f6e
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“Detective Jung… that bitch.”0a1b1db2e0e4c5a8
I thought she quietly disappeared b4416b4fcc out of consideration for me, dda1083781 but she was a snitch…5b9e98a4087aef56
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Wait. And she was sharing my e031206026 location info?62bced84b5d63c47
“She said you only drank a little more than half a bottle. Did you drink it ac08052a6f with your face?”6b1d00c0c8fc242b
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Ugh. Unbelievable.72a664585fb01a2c
They even reported how ae81db1fa7 much soju I drank?3bb2a472d9356566
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While I was struggling a551fe3c71 with lettuce wraps and dad65279ae coughing, they were doing 1894182bad all this behind the b2e6faeb43 scenes.c61739d8fa1ce808
Ji-eun responded, exasperated.b1d0675b13f1def3
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“I’m red because I’m angry. Not because of the alcohol.”b5604c0690f58f4f
Even as she e1c98d6a4d spoke, she could b0485c5327 feel her face a4e8be051e flushing red and ee97f1adc4 pale in real-time.a0550b791465b5a5
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‘Jung Ha-na… just wait and see.’3bcf38552fabba1b
Ji-eun, who had been 259e2f39ff fuming for a moment, e73ac07c58 soon lifted her head 5658305090 back up to face 0299c0a23c him.86d27e55cacec3b8
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No, seriously.522ae99cfd307fa0
“Why were you waiting for me?”84644e3a8590c82b
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“Because I didn’t get a proper answer.”1ce2e6590c6e911c
What is he talking about?c8f16ae3c2152098
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“I clearly said it earlier. I won’t do it. I’m not doing it.”f7a89a96dbc44d84
“Not that.”dff555ab6ce7655d
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“What?”89f52ba912915983
“I asked you. If you missed me.”a9ba7b2afe077bfa
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……?4c893c06ab6f054a
Jieun was momentarily dumbfounded.967bb3762d6a2693
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‘It’s been a while. Yoo Ji-eun.’3cfd08a0a9a78208
No way… from the beginning—15cb876aafe09ab9
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‘You didn’t miss me?’d9747080c6e5c1cc
Is that… what he meant?685f68107337e3cf
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After speaking, Min-jun had a 838743f831 calm expression.76c129fe3277a589
Ji-eun stared intently at him.656f1730c4a98fed
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Meeting his eyes, filled with f762fd0cb0 deep silence, she thought to 2e145fc5f8 herself—b661261f1edc7ba5
Maybe this guy…a591b7a0fca3cc7b
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“As expected, you’re still Kang Min-jun.”81ff2bf47b27b947
…maybe he hasn’t changed at all.ff758d133718c2bb
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Ji-eun let out f96bfdcc09 a short breath, 30f9586091 “Ha,” and lifted 507c937299 her gaze to 6a85347cf2 the sky.cb53f08b04a8c3fb
Suddenly, it came de00228259 back to her.cef29cd9fb484678
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The things from 08096ffdd0 ten years ago, a84f88dfa9 the times she’d cffd60d171 spent with him.64484144b4ffe728
Yeah… you were always like d14413bce1 this.03be05165b0f59ed
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Always looking so effortlessly de81975218 charming, and quietly, narrowing 2bddc066c3 the distance.981d1f7d33b5e1a4
Then you’d throw out some cryptic question to shake me up.98c258b03f3d6731
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You’d stir up ripples 59c006b5ea in a heart that 0d643f50c1 had been still…9c4b7b018ee65f40
…and then just like that, make it all seem like nothing ever happened.8c16d49d937b0c0b
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As if there had never b7a4249405 been anything—any meaning—between us.e4086c54a3f2218a
Always dodging the answers that c55b7350f1 actually mattered.e5cbfe4a2cf02a82
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“Kang Min-jun.”016d59f8b5b397a0
But Min-jun—a16a02a541ca7f79
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“That answer earlier… it was sincere.”e30491be9e4436ee
Too bad. I’m not that 3024343ce7 same naïve high 52a8dd6d05 school kid anymore.41e1d2f5e5a4dac7
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Straightening her once-tense shoulders, 8f7bcb942e Ji-eun spoke with a 15adfd6242 calm, composed expression.7ca35f19c961cc79
“I told you. I missed you.”5225713b1952bc33
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“……”1951560f589df811
“I even thought about you sometimes. Of course.”e632d542da65ee3a
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At that answer, Min-jun let 609dd5e287 out an involuntary chuckle.f2890b5c7b710bf7
He had expected her ddfe403960 to explode.a8abac52ac82280c
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It wasn’t the dd7dc3cc97 reaction he was 59f5631c77 anticipating.794a38cdf2b8c1da
“You’ve grown up, Yoo Ji-eun. I thought you just got 574c478317 prettier.”63ac5a75dc164389
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“……”1315163ab5b684c5
Ji-eun quickly recovered 0d918f3f04 from the flinch c3e67e5c5a that ran through 142931086c her body for 0c86d71a65 a second.e93fc7aba3958a04
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Instead of asking more, he e02435a3c2 turned around, walked over, and d97ef16e25 opened the passenger-side door of a8f1269b8a the car.2a25e1cae230547a
Clack.cf066a7351c9ce21
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“Get in. We need to talk.”6e420421514c2994
Ji-eun said firmly again.195fe11d8d0d1b6e
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“Kang Min-jun. I don’t have 2188980f08 anything more to 2c94c91898 say to you.”aa8f00fa56b54fbc
“I’ll stay.”bc907e5cea5a7308
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“Just say it here. What’s with the cozy 020384b3b2 car talk?”57e4c472d38e07cb
“Are you serious?”4f01be25585e04ee
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Yeah. Dead serious.a27e513c361523f7
Ji-eun crossed her arms, firmly 540bd85a30 showing she had no intention 58377d8c87 of getting in.9ad158e7d31fd2c7
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Min-jun paused for a 805476cee9 moment, then opened his abb8d5957a mouth.aba42a95ef577523
“Fine, I’ll say it here. Stock manipulation, police, 79f243c84b secretary, that sort c71ebbd006 of…”9bfeddb28fd24d50
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Before he could finish, 2d019899c7 Ji-eun quickly darted to 5c12f822c0 the open passenger seat e71756803f and got in.e566e17f4224fdfa
As she pulled the seatbelt 22e22414ef over her, she glanced at f7d0570c2f Min-jun, who was looking at d8ad294dd4 her in disbelief.1f7e1eb2ca5562cf
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“Ah, it’s just a bit chilly. And I drank, so…”e10d68d28b4be623
“……”6e26737835238573
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“What are you doing? Close the door.”033ff20e7619c843
Seriously, this isn’t how it 45a109809d was supposed to go.1c3cb2055655d6c3
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* * *f88e6b95b39fb343
“Nice place you live in. It must be pretty hard to find a listing around here.”b243c946b354a8bb
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“Yeah, but rentals are everywhere.”f30dd8f5da22a9b8
You really know how b262ef7ddd to get under someone’s cb75ebfe18 skin.2def1b61e0e3cff8
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Click. Ji-eun unbuckled her 388912af74 seatbelt as she 2b4207787f replied.80d9ff072416efd2
Since it was already 228848cfe5 late, they had entered d71fce3a10 Ji-eun’s home address and 672eec97db headed there. The car stopped along 03f7672868 the roadside near her 04d5d326e2 officetel.796572b870cb5ff2
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It was well past midnight.c3d24e4913365720
“Keep it short. I have work tomorrow.”4241a2afe6e2a801
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“Work. Are you really not c70fd2ff69 going to do it?”d8010a746f6ba62a
Despite Ji-eun’s blunt tone, his b14cbcab36 question was gentle.c9c4f942865464e4
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She answered while staring out 65f23ed35d the windshield.4439ac4669ac7653
“Yeah. I’m not.”9a58b7047d5e445b
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“Why not?”68c51c062328804d
“Because it’s you.”defecd31b48e6a9e
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“Because you still have feelings?”757545e378979e65
At those words, Ji-eun furrowed 178e455330 her brows and glanced to affc01ea82 the side.ea4a5d1526bc9a76
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Fee-lings?94849c8b25c89ed0
Ha, what a joke.dd23912b78aed074
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“What feelings?”601a08b6fe1da1df
Go ahead, answer me, 0eb6993175 Kang Min-jun.1c664ee112ada07a
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“…We were never anything, were we?”27f478607b6ed6fa
But her voice, 3c5575a0d8 saying that, was 3dba7dd811 overflowing with emotion.38602532c3fb960a
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Ji-eun realized it immediately.f85ea826a237e416
Ha, I shouldn’t b0d768f101 have slipped like 65cac3695b that.00a8ce6dc2d44102
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“It’s just… I don’t really feel like it.”fc5dce494a75473a
Ji-eun turned her gaze a023a140b9 back to the front 3f12baa23f and threw out a 1560d61b11 standard excuse.d27df3d1ebcb6390
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“Kang Min-jun, think about it. We’re old classmates. And we used to compete 024734a83d for first and second place, b461a1978e and the result of that c14ddc7011 is…”d43c1e17581bd37b
“……”622513b076841645
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“Well, anyway, it’s just… weird. That’s all.”34792618ea9f9132
It was clearly an excuse, ca086d5f4b but the corners of her f993a303c9 mouth were gradually twisting into fe8d08ff81 bitterness.e0ccfb47581de269
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Ugh, I got too emotionally ef6a169930 involved.ead98975368a1b8c
Min-jun replied in an 5f156a93bd even voice.7d243225520cc8bb
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“You’re quite emotional. It’s a good opportunity.”0bfab053cac81af6
Are you… picking a fight?0410fdbecf8b9bd2
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Jie-un’s lips slightly parted.98ff87f6f792ea34
Ugh, you really know how 584d50a90a to push buttons.48f8aca90e8f6f2e
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“And you, Kang Min-jun.”a6f357555c0945a6
This time, Ji-eun f185e48edc asked him back 8189f3dddf with a question ac3cb1ba4a of her own.c7d781da18ae76ee
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“Why me?”5843e0736ffd7b9d
Why is it me you’re 85f2c19b2b driving home so late at 4879663288 night?b1dd0e1643e72bf5
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Don’t give me something obvious c2df68eb01 like ‘security.’22573f6ab4b6567e
Not something shallow like ‘because 345901f907 we know each other.’56b7026e6cf1320b
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“How did you know I’m a police officer?”bbf1eb5592811e92
Ji-eun wanted to 1e5cfcc1ef hear the real 5d8d54b599 reason.3e16853f71e0a689
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She looked at him 54ca9ec0f3 steadily, waiting for his adfbcc5861 lips to part.8138a823d019c8b7
Min0jun answered indifferently, as if 228e981e1e he had expected it.8a447cf0c8609c82
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“I was questioned by the police a while ago.”c4f4364afc649294
“Ah… that.”9da88bd7c7c99a72
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“The result was no charges.”7db6a183a9bb58ae
At the topic he 39581dfced brought up deliberately, Ji-eun 25ce3367e0 slightly turned her gaze.300711ad3c854c04
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She had known from 3003dfc691 the start.bb99601e52ed8e17
“Sorry about earlier. It’s just… things 438c9c2903 got a bit a7915c83f9 heated and I de0fedb765 said some things.”d8f1a7b6eda3ac81
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“Then you must understand why I proposed the investigation.”9f90b4b639f78b36
Min-jun didn’t pursue 82db3d6a4f the topic further.6235e431623a90e9
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Ji-eun nodded.5d07ff772e469f59
“Yeah. More or less.”a87b5afad5363645
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The stock manipulation allegations involving 5ebd369c18 Vice President Kang Min-jun.7072fcbaa538e48a
Though the case dragged 9ebe24243a on for a while, 6a7dff664e it was cleanly concluded 4695c2fe5b with a “no charges” b9be7ad8f2 verdict.a11a586d0608457e
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But for the Shin-young Group, dee31f04db it was an unsatisfying ending.ba79fdf9b2205741
The issue was a00311b63c a hot topic ad332e436e among the public—‘a d68af0c9f7 third-generation chaebol and 1b9721b947 a stock rigging 68caf5b747 cartel.’bc9610d658bfb339
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There was no 67e93e37c6 way the public 2fbc644b9f would believe a 03732914cf “no charges” verdict.3ef6136425ac0748
To them, Kang 182b5fdef9 Min-jun looked like 22b9468e13 just another chaebol b491803ef2 heir who used 3fd63d4d84 his power to 74860e455e wriggle out of fe067cd47b the investigation like c13f61fd91 a slippery eel.96778551f24afc24
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“You requested… an embargo.”9dd52f0d1c271dd5
He wasn’t going to 1d81d0fc41 just leave the situation 226b5e248a as is.3663634d976458f9
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Min-jun acted quickly and requested 42319a09a7 an embargo—96d51a66477a2a5f
In other words, he bfbfa08ef1 asked the government to 99296ba121 prohibit media coverage until b341ed17a2 a certain point in e8bd055bff time.3087fb4ebd37be05
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By offering a method to 34a5dd0af7 aid a real economic crime 9daf5fbafa investigation.fa0db6a8fbe20a97
The reporting date c339784840 would be three ffe8ef4799 months later.5f83f20413c4f8db
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During that time, Vice President 5c4451492f Kang Min-jun planned to finalize 3685cf2fbb major investments related to new ab94af69b6 business ventures that could affect fad38aef6d his image.d6dda8d7f3c99130
During the same period, 572daf11ef a police officer would 35a6a97ccb go undercover as his b7736a720c secretary.651da15b4fb3dbc4
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Min-jun agreed to assist 47b453724e the investigation by giving 257ccac7b2 the undercover officer access 59a49de761 to secret meeting locations de5b22f965 used by the chaebols d563005f4c currently under investigation.deea999c20ec4ed3
Except for key figures, 00608af569 everything else had to fc43aae318 be kept confidential.c66aee4b3e5cfac5
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Not just the police, but 0f82f481b8 even the corporations.3f6e582d59a5b56f
If the covert investigation—conducted without 982d2dd5d8 warrants—was exposed to the public, 0cfee1618b the damage would be severe.20d4c9702b525996
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Even so, it a734814a89 was clearly a c410fc93a6 once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 72ddf86898 everyone involved.fa5934dbe0e889b4
“You… used your head pretty well.”b188c97cd3d2e558
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…He’s still as sharp as ever.de2479bdf4c817ae
At Jieun’s subtle 3f95c617dd compliment, Min-jun didn’t f660130db8 say anything in 7378d6794a return.44def96bc941a76a
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Instead, he turned to the 9198ea3d86 back seat, stretched out his 1b6e04a0c0 arm, and picked up a d34ab35627 document envelope.d02e5547c337d01e
“This.”c92606e7e4c0d01e
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He handed it to Ji-eun.8387030a72470db2