Prosecutor Kim Seo-Jin - Chapter 18

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

A Friend (2)
The prosecutor who entered with Lee So-hee was Ji Dong-min, a fifth-year prosecutor with sharp features and striking good looks.
He was also known to be well-liked by most people.
I bowed my head toward him.
“I’m Seo Jin.”
“Ah, I’ve heard about you. They call you the Lucky Guy, right?”
“Pardon?”
No one called me the Lucky Guy.
In other words, it was a term Ji Dong-min had invented.
When you call yourself lucky, it’s humble, but when someone else calls you the Lucky Guy, it’s mockery.
Ji Dong-min tapped my arm and continued speaking.
“Sorry if that bothered you. I said it out of envy.”
He was smiling faintly, but something felt off about it.
Despite his reputation for being a good person, behind that handsome face, I sensed something sinister lurking beneath the surface.
“That’s enough. Now that we’ve exchanged greetings, take a seat.”
Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong directed us, and the three of us sat on the sofa.
Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong stood before us.
“Let’s get straight to business. What I’m about to tell you must remain strictly confidential. First, Seo Jin, your name will be added to the Special Investigation Team for the serial killer Lee Jae-hwan. However, I’d like your name on the roster while you handle other matters. Don’t worry. I’m not trying to take credit for your work. Your achievements will be properly reflected.”
“Understood.”
I nodded lightly, and Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong’s gaze shifted from me to address everyone.
He asked in a hushed tone.
“Does anyone know Park Sang-young?”
No answer came.
Only silence.
Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong’s eyes turned toward Ji Dong-min.
“You don’t know either, Prosecutor Ji?”
Ji Dong-min stroked his chin.
From the way his eyes moved, it was clear he knew something, but after thinking for a moment longer, he shook his head.
“Well… I’m sorry. I’ve never heard of him.”
At that moment, I, who had been silent, opened my mouth.
“If you’re talking about Park Sang-young, the executive director of Hyungje Construction, then I know of him.”
Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong’s gaze turned toward me.
“…You know?”
I had learned Park Sang-young’s name in advance through psychometry.
Of course, I had verified it and grasped the general story in my mind.
“Hyungje Construction became the priority negotiation partner for Marine Park District 1, and I heard that Executive Director Park Sang-young was at the center of it.”
Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
He seemed to believe his judgment in selecting me had been correct.
“Exactly. That’s Executive Director Park Sang-young. And he’s also the reason I called you all here.”
Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong pulled over a whiteboard.
I wrote down Park Sang-young’s name alongside that of the Director of Environmental Ecology at Dongnam County Office, continuing my explanation.
“Gangwon Urban Development Corporation returned the project, and Hyungje Construction was selected as the preferred negotiation partner.”
“….”
“We have intelligence suggesting improper directives were issued during this process. The three of you will investigate this case from now on.”
“….”
“You need to conduct this quietly. Construction sites kick up dust constantly, but it settles the moment you spray water—that’s the nature of construction dust.”
Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong’s gaze settled on Prosecutor Ji Dong-min.
“Ji will take the lead. The two junior prosecutors lack experience, but their skills are flawless.”
Prosecutor Ji Dong-min glanced subtly at Seo Jin and Lee So-hee.
“My junior colleagues are so talented that I’m not sure I’ll do a good job leading them.”
*
*
*
“I’m counting on you going forward.”
It was when we stepped into the corridor after leaving Chief Prosecutor Kim Gwan-yong’s office.
Prosecutor Ji Dong-min smiled broadly at Seo Jin and Lee So-hee.
Lee So-hee bowed lightly.
“Yes.”
Prosecutor Ji Dong-min’s gaze shifted to Seo Jin.
He reached out and adjusted my collar as he spoke.
“Lucky guy, I hope good fortune comes your way in this case too.”
I’d sensed it from our first meeting—beneath that composed mask lay some hidden agenda.
I’d hoped psychometry connected to Prosecutor Ji Dong-min would manifest, but nothing appeared.
Only that seemingly friendly smile remained visible.
Prosecutor Ji Dong-min spoke to Seo Jin and Lee So-hee.
“I’d like each of you to investigate the case from your own perspective individually, then find the overlapping points and dig into them objectively… how does that sound?”
Lee So-hee nodded immediately.
Her expression showed this was exactly what she wanted.
“I like it.”
All eyes naturally turned to Seo Jin.
“I prefer that approach as well.”
“Then let’s do it that way. I’ll contact you when we need to meet again.”
Prosecutor Ji Dong-min tapped my arm.
That was the moment.
The world drained into black and white.
Prosecutor Ji Dong-min walked down the corridor, phone pressed to his ear.
“Yeah, Sang-young. Royal Chellis Apartment, the coffee shop in front of it. The curtains make it private. Let’s meet there. I should be done around 7 today… Don’t worry. Your brother’s got you covered.”
Prosecutor Ji Dong-min ended the call.
He pocketed his phone and exhaled a heavy sigh, his expression darkening.
That was all.
The world regained its color, and Ji Dong-min waved his hand as he walked down the corridor, disappearing from view.
I narrowed my eyes, following the prosecutor’s retreating figure.
‘Sang-young? Park Sang-young?’
I immediately picked up my phone.
Recalling the apartment name I’d learned through psychometry, I searched for the coffee shop.
‘The place with curtains.’
It came right up.
A spot where couples frequented because each table had curtains you could draw.
‘They said 7 PM today, right?’
That’s when Lee So-hee’s voice reached me.
“I’m irritated.”
Judging by the direction she was looking—where Ji Dong-min had vanished—the source of her irritation was crystal clear.
I turned to Lee So-hee and asked.
“You too?”
I couldn’t trust Ji Dong-min’s artificial gaze either—that hollow light in his eyes lacked sincerity.
My agreement to investigate the case individually stemmed from the judgment that working alone was better than working alongside Ji Dong-min.
On top of that, through psychometry, I’d sensed a connection between him and Park Sang-young.
It made me even more uneasy.
Apparently, Lee So-hee felt the same way.
She nodded and opened her mouth.
“Ji Dong-min… it’ll blow up someday. I’ve heard the female staff talking about it a few times. He’s garbage.”
Lee So-hee continued, staring down the corridor where Ji Dong-min had disappeared, as if looking at something repulsive.
“I really hate guys like that with their womanizing ways. Why do they do things they can’t take responsibility for…”
Lee So-hee bit her lip and shook her head.
Her voice had stopped, but there seemed to be some story behind what she’d just said.
But I didn’t press further.
Everyone has things they want to keep hidden.
What mattered now was that not only I but Lee So-hee as well felt repulsion toward Ji Dong-min.
Aside from what I’d seen through psychometry, being cautious about Ji Dong-min didn’t seem like a bad call.
After organizing my thoughts, I spoke to Lee So-hee.
“Ji Dong-min said we should each investigate separately, but should we share our findings?”
Lee So-hee’s dark eyes turned toward me.
I continued.
“Why do we need to be objective about a case like this? We just need to check whether the responsible civil servant took bribes, whether there were improper instructions from superiors like city council members or the county governor, and verify it. That’s all.”
“…Right? But why did Ji Dong-min suggest we each investigate separately?”
This time, my gaze turned toward the end of the corridor.
My voice dropped low.
“I don’t know. We’ll have to figure that out too.”
Tonight, I might just be able to find out.
*
*
*
Seo Jin promised to meet Lee So-hee after work and stepped into the elevator.
His destination wasn’t the office.
It was the coffee shop in front of the District Prosecution Office.
“Three americanos and a slice of cheesecake, please.”
My first assigned office, new investigators and administrative staff to meet. I’d already reviewed the files, so I knew who they were, but I couldn’t suppress the anticipation.
Three americanos and a slice of cheesecake made for a decent first impression.
Seo Jin placed the coffee in a carrier and headed to the office, arriving at the door.
As I turned the handle and stepped inside, the investigator stood up from his desk and greeted me.
“Hello. I’m Investigator Lim Jung-taek, haha.”
Investigator Lim Jung-taek, thirty-one years old, made quite an impression with his short, sporty haircut.
And….
“I’m Administrative Staff Do Min-ji.”
Administrative Staff Do Min-ji, also thirty-one, had a neat appearance and a bob cut that made her look like a career woman.
Seo Jin bowed slightly to both of them.
“I’m Kim Seo-jin. I brought coffee and cheesecake to express my hopes for a good working relationship.”
Seo Jin set the coffee and cake in front of both of them.
Do Min-ji accepted the coffee with a bright smile.
“Oh my, is this poison? The kind that makes you work yourself to death?”
“Exactly. My hobby is overtime, and my specialty is pulling all-nighters——”
Investigator Lim Jung-taek hastily waved his hands.
“Prosecutor! I apologize for interrupting on our first meeting, but you can’t say things like that, even as a joke. Words have power, as they say.”
Investigator Lim Jung-taek’s face had gone pale, and he was deadly serious.
When word came that Seo Jin would be assigned to this office, the people around him had been full of concern.
“Do you know what that prosecutor did? The sister murder case and the Yoo A-sung murder case.”
“It’s rare for a trainee to move like that.”
“You can tell from his style. He’s the type who creates work if there isn’t any.”
“Jung-taek, I can see your future. You’re going to clock 100 hours a week under legal work hours.”
“When you die, it’ll be from overwork. Hahahaha!”
Watching the worried Investigator Lim Jung-taek, Seo Jin nodded.
“Don’t worry. I also enjoy having a life outside of work.”
“Really?”
Seo Jin raised his coffee and spoke.
“It’s a promise.”
He made a toast with coffee like a wine glass.
And for a moment, I savored the rare sense of ease and took a sip of coffee.
Seo Jin looked around at them.
Unusually, young people had gathered in one place.
Somehow, it felt like this office would become a lively one.
*
*
*
After work, Seo Jin and Lee So-hee sat across from each other on the second floor of a coffee shop a short distance from the District Prosecution Office.
Lee So-hee asked while eating pastries, her expression clouded with frustration.
“Why did you bring me here? And what’s with the curtains? Why are they even here?”
I’d tracked her down to this spot because the Royal Chellis Apartment was visible from the window, and there was a high probability that Park Sang-young and Ji Dong-min would meet here.
But I couldn’t tell her that now….
“This is Park Sang-young, a department head.”
I pulled out my phone and found Park Sang-young’s SNS profile, handing it to her.
Lee So-hee stared intently at Park Sang-young’s face on the screen.
Thirty-one years old, a department head who lucked into good parents.
In a few months, he might already be promoted to executive.
“What do you think?”
“He looks sleazy.”
Lee So-hee answered this time while eating puffed rice crackers.
Now that I thought about it, she’d been eating various things since arriving at the coffee shop.
Cake, pastries, and so on.
It was remarkable how she didn’t gain weight eating like that.
I watched Lee So-hee pop another cracker into her mouth and spoke.
“I suspect the county magistrate and members of parliament—at minimum, city council members—are involved. The scale of it, how the money was transferred….”
My words trailed off.
Buzz.
Lee So-hee’s phone vibrated.
The screen displayed a caller ID reading “Mom.”
I noticed her expression stiffen momentarily, but I pretended not to notice and opened my mouth.
“Take it.”
“No, it’s fine. I need to work.”
Lee So-hee declined the call and spoke again.
“So at thirty-one, he was carrying money around meeting with politicians? Even if money is good, the politicians he met must be impressive.”
“Money has no age.”
Then her phone buzzed again, and a message appeared on the screen.
-Mom: Are you eating properly?
Lee So-hee let out a small sigh.
“Sorry for constantly breaking the flow.”
“Shouldn’t you call her back?”
“It’s okay. I can do it later. I need to work, work….”
I didn’t press further.
Family matters, too, have their own circumstances for everyone.
“Then continuing… Park Sang-young is friends with Kim Yun-hwan, a prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.”
“Why did the prosecutor suddenly show up?”
“And Kim Yun-hwan and Ji Dong-min are senior and junior from school.”
“Huh?”
I pulled up SNS on my phone.
“It’s Kim Yun-hwan’s private group. See Ji Dong-min’s comment?”
-Had a great time. Let’s hang out again soon.
Lee So-hee watched me rummaging through Kim Yun-hwan’s private SNS with a bewildered expression.
“…How did you get into a private account?”
“Oh, Kim Yun-hwan is our cousin.”
“What?”
Disbelief flooded Lee So-hee’s face in an instant.
Now that I thought about it, Shin Jong-seung had mentioned something about Kim Yun-hwan and Kim Seo-jin before.
Seeing Lee So-hee’s expression, I shook my head.
“Don’t lump us together.”
“But you’re relatives….”
Lee So-hee’s words trailed off this time.
I suddenly grabbed her head with my hand and pressed down firmly, then ducked low.
Then I quickly drew the curtains shut.
She furrowed her brow, and her voice dropped to an icy whisper that sent chills down the spine.
“Hey, what are you——”
“Shh. Ji Dong-min and Park Sang-young just came in.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————