Chapter 70 – Money – Part 11

Chapter 70 – Money – Part 11

“U-underwear?”

“Yes. I’ll bet everything I have, except my underwear.”

Kim Cheolung couldn’t help but be flustered.

He wished more than anyone that Woojin’s words weren’t true, but the guy’s expression was the most serious he had ever seen.

Kim Cheolung, leaning against the door, scratched his forehead.

From the guy’s face and tone, there was a very high probability it was true.

He had been a prosecutor for over 10 years.

He had seen all sorts of criminals, and he usually had a sense of whether they were lying or telling the truth by their face and voice, and this was one of those times.

“Really… there aren’t one, but two criminals?”

“Yes. The likely…”

“Wait a minute!”

Kim Cheolung held out his hand as if blocking the way, cutting off Woojin.

“I have a very urgent matter right now! Let’s call it a day and see each other next time. Understood!?”

Are you in a great hurry?

Yes! Very much so!

Still, as the prosecutor said, we need to establish the conditions to make it profitable, so the most likely suspect is…

Exactly!

Kim Cheolung’s voice, which had spoken as if shouting, became calm again.

I wish you wouldn’t judge hastily and would think about it again.

Even if I think about it again, it’ll probably be the same.

No!? You know the saying, ‘Even a stone bridge should be tapped before crossing,’ right? I wish we would do that. Let’s take some time to think and then meet again. Okay?

When is next time?

About… a week from now?

Woojin didn’t hesitate.

Then I’ll see you around then. I’d like to meet at the SL Hotel Restaurant. I hear their Chinese course meal is delicious there.

Kim Cheolung, who had been staring blankly at Woojin for a moment, nodded repeatedly.

Alright. A guest is about to arrive, so I’m sorry I can’t see you out.

Then I’ll see you next time.

Woojin bowed slightly and then left the office.

Kim Cheolung, left alone in the office, ran his hands through his hair.

He couldn’t bring himself to listen to the guy’s words.

Because knowing the prime suspect and staying silent was embarrassing.

Conversely, he also wanted to make it an issue and expose the criminal’s face to the world.

So everyone would know.

It was a way to kill two birds with one stone.

Also… it was hard to trust Woojin’s words 100%.

‘I’ll bet everything I have, except my underwear.’

Those words echoed in his mind.

Kim Cheolung called Detective Kim Taehyun.

“Yes, Prosecutor Kim.”

“I called because there’s something I want to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“When… that kid, no, when Woojin went to the scene. Did he immediately identify the suspect?”

“Yes.”

“On the very day at the scene? And all the identified suspects were criminals?”

“Yes.”

“This is driving me crazy, seriously…”

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

“Woojin came to my office, you see? And it was as if he’d understood all those case files in less than an hour. He was about to identify the suspect, you know?”

“Yes, and?”

Kim Taehyun’s voice was remarkably calm.

It was as if he thought it was natural, which only made Kim Cheolung even more dumbfounded.

“Do you think it’s possible? To deduce the criminal of a 15-year-old cold case without even investigating the scene?”

“Yes, it would be possible for Woojin.”

It was a voice filled with absolute trust.

“It’s like some kind of religion…”

“If Woojin identified a suspect, should I look into it?”

“No, no! He hasn’t said anything yet. Let’s move once we’re certain. There’s nothing definite yet.”

“Yes, understood.”

After the call, Kim Cheolung immediately called PD Choi.

“Oh, PD Choi! We need to move quickly. We’ll be beaten by ‘I Want to Know the World’ at this rate. Yes! I’ll try to block them as much as I can. PD Choi, you move quickly too!”

***

Lee Hyerim was entering the Department Store. No, her steps stopped.

And then she glanced back.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you coming?”

Standing right behind Lee Hyerim was Han Bora, wearing a heavily wrinkled dress.

“I’m really fine…”

Lee Hyerim quietly watched Han Bora, who was fiddling with her fingers.

‘What would Dad say if he saw this?’

It didn’t matter.

She had already crossed the line and decided to do so.

Lee Hyerim bent her knees to meet Han Bora’s gaze.

“Bora, the clothes you’re wearing are too old. That’s why I want to buy you some new ones.”

“I’m fine…”

“Are you still scared of me?”

“No…”

Han Bora said that, but the Lee Hyerim she saw for the second time felt unfamiliar.

Lee Hyerim spoke again.

“Uncle Woojin told me to buy you clothes, that’s why I’m doing this now.”

Of course, it was a lie.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Okay…”

“Let’s go.”

Han Bora wiggled her fingers and followed Lee Hyerim again.

But she couldn’t keep up with Lee Hyerim’s fast pace.

Lee Hyerim eventually stopped again and waited for Han Bora, and when the child came closer, Lee Hyerim awkwardly took Han Bora’s hand.

However, Bora’s small hand was very rough.

Lee Hyerim bit her lip slightly with her eyes closed.

Although her heart was stirred.

Her tone was different.

“You might get lost. Don’t let go of my hand and bother this older sister.”

“Yes……”

Lee Hyerim’s steps moved again.

They were much slower than before and matched Han Bora’s pace.

That’s how they managed to arrive at a luxury store.

Just then, Lee Hyerim received a call from a friend.

“Bora, pick out whatever you want to buy.”

Han Bora started looking at clothes, or rather, pretending to look, speaking in a small voice. No, the seven-year-old child was checking the prices first.

Lee Hyerim couldn’t shake off a bitter feeling at the sight.

Lee Hyerim continued talking on the phone with her friend, glancing at Bora now and then.

It was then.

A staff member caught her eye.

The staff member was looking at Han Bora with an expression as if they had seen something that shouldn’t be there.

The staff member gently restrained Han Bora and said,

“Little one. You shouldn’t touch that carelessly.”

“Hang up.”

Lee Hyerim, who abruptly ended the call, looked at the staff member in the same way the staff member had looked at Han Bora.

No, she looked at them as if they were an insect and said,

“I’m not very familiar with clothes for seven-year-olds, so bring me something trendy.”

“Huh?”

“Ah… How were you trained? Do I have to say it twice to bother you? Bring everything that’s good for Bora.”

Just then, the manager approached.

“Ma’am, if there’s any inconvenience…”

Seeing Lee Hyerim, he quickly gestured to the Staff Member to go somewhere else.

He thought she was a difficult customer, but…

The Manager knew Lee Hyerim.

She was someone who visited the store occasionally, always polite, and bought items as if she were picking things out at a Convenience Store.

The Manager said with a kind smile,

“It seems our new employee didn’t know better yet. I apologize on their behalf.”

Lee Hyerim exhaled a long breath as if controlling her emotions, then forced a smile.

Her lips trembled slightly from the forced smile.

So she made her smile even wider.

Because Han Bora was watching.

Han Bora already seemed afraid of her, so getting angrier now wouldn’t be good.

“Please pick out a few clothes that suit my little sister.”

“Ah, yes. Hello? How about this?”

And so, the shopping began.

Not just clothes, but Sneakers and even hats.

The shopping was concluded in an hour and a half.

Lee Hyerim had Han Bora sit in the passenger seat to drive her home.

The car started smoothly, and Lee Hyerim asked,

“Are you studying well?”

“I’m only doing what my uncle told me to do.”

“What is that?”

“Corporate Research.”

“Corporate Research?”

“Yes. Sales, operating profit, net income for the period, net profit margin ROE…”

Lee Hyerim couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh as financial statements flowed from the mouth of seven-year-old Han Bora.

“Is it fun? Studying?”

Han Bora smiled unconsciously.

“Yes. It’s fun. Very fun.”

Less than an hour later, they arrived at their destination.

Lee Hyerim, holding shopping bags in both hands, looked at the winding stairs.

“Why don’t they pave the road here? Let’s go.”

She resolved to make him a Director as soon as possible.

After climbing the stairs for five minutes, Lee Hyerim arrived at Han Bora’s house.

Then she opened the door and went inside.

Just then, the Grandmother’s voice came from the open room door.

“Oh dear… I keep feeling so sorry.”

Woojin’s voice suddenly chimed in.

“It’s fine. I have to accept it. The world of competition is all like this.”

“Mister?”

Bora skipped over.

Lee Hyerim did the same.

She quickly walked over and peeked into the room.

Her eyes blinked.

A Hwatu game was in progress.

In front of Woojin were only four ten-won coins and a few hundred won, but in front of the Grandmother, there was a pile of thousand-won bills and coins.

Woojin said to Hyerim.

“You came at just the right time. Hyerim, do you have any cash? Can you lend me three thousand won?”

Lee Hyerim smiled and walked inside.

“Do they also accept watches and gold here?”

“No, it’s cash only here.”

“That’s a shame.”

Woojin smiled and looked at Han Bora.

“Sister Hyerim bought you pretty clothes, didn’t she?”

“Yes. Hehe.”

Han Bora bowed deeply to Lee Hyerim again, just like before.

“Thank you~.”

“Stop bowing now. You can stop.”

He didn’t know how many times Han Bora had bowed to him like that.

Woojin and Lee Hyerim, having exchanged words, stepped out of the main gate.

“Goodbye.”

At Bora’s deep bow, Woojin bent one knee to meet her gaze.

And he stroked her head.

“I’ll come again.”

“Goodbye-ee.”

Having said goodbye to Bora, Woojin began to descend the stairs with Lee Hyerim.

“Hyerim, Jessica said she’ll be a bit late. She has to stop by her home country. You know that, right?”

She nodded her head.

It was a known fact.

That didn’t change the situation, nor did it make it worse.

More than that, she didn’t know how long it had been since she walked side by side with Woojin like this.

Lee Hyerim stopped walking and said,

“It feels like the 70s or 80s.”

The soft light from the streetlights and the long alleys created a scene that seemed straight out of a romance movie.

Woojin.

Yes, speak.

Shall we take a picture here?

A picture?

At Woojin’s question, she smiled brightly as if to soothe her embarrassment.

It’s alright to take one picture before we go down, isn’t it?

That line, from the movie…

Yes, the movie you said was worth watching. It was worth watching. Let’s take a picture.

Approaching Woojin, she raised her cellphone.

Can’t you smile a little?

Like this?

Taking it. One, two~.

Click!

The picture saved on Lee Hyerim’s cellphone looked like a couple, a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

Soon, Lee Hyerim, who had descended the stairs, said,

I’ll give you a ride.

Thanks.

As Woojin got into the passenger seat, the car glided out of the neighborhood.

Lee Hyerim, who had pulled out onto the road, hesitated before speaking.

Woojin, would you open the glove box in front of you?

Click.

I opened it.

At Woojin’s calm voice, Lee Hyerim bit her lip slightly.

It was a gift she had prepared for Woojin’s birthday a while ago, and she was only showing it to him now.

Woojin never accepted anything that wasn’t transactional.

Woojin was taking a step closer and then a step back, like a mask.

At the time, he thought the gift was like three steps.

If he was rejected, Woojin felt he would retreat three steps.

But after meeting Han Bora, he felt many things.

He had crossed the line he had drawn, like the 38th Parallel he created, and he wanted to cross it again this time.

“Do you see the wrapped box over there? It’s a gift. I’ve been meaning to give it to you for a long time…”

Woojin picked up the long wrapped gift and spoke.

Suddenly.

Screech-

Startled by Woojin’s words, she abruptly pulled the car over to the shoulder.