Prosecutor Kim Seo-Jin - Chapter 249

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Their Story (3)
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Seo Jin had come to Chuncheon for the weekend. It was a detached house with a small yard. While it lacked any ostentatious grandeur, a persimmon tree stood there with understated charm.
Lee So-hee reached out to touch the persimmon tree, then spoke.
“You like it?”
“It’s nice.”
Lee So-hee intended to live here with her mother.
“I’m going to quit being a prosecutor.”
…
“It doesn’t suit me.”
Lee So-hee planned to leave the prosecutor’s office and open a law practice. She had concluded that constantly relocating to different postings while caring for her emotionally exhausted mother was simply too much to bear.
Lee So-hee continued speaking as she walked through the yard.
“I’m thinking of planting lettuce here. Come visit sometimes. We can grill meat in the yard—it’ll be delicious.”
Seo Jin nodded, studying Lee So-hee’s expression. With Baek Ki-ho’s shadow finally gone, her face radiated a lightness he hadn’t seen before.
Lee So-hee handed Seo Jin a canned coffee and asked.
“What about you?”
When Seo Jin opened the can with a questioning look, Lee So-hee pressed on with concern etched across her features.
“What are you going to do?”
Kim Young-jun was Seo Jin’s uncle. Being connected by blood to Kim Young-jun—the very heart of corrupt power—would undoubtedly make his career as a prosecutor anything but smooth. Whispers would inevitably surface somewhere, and someone would surely avoid him outright. This was what Lee So-hee believed.
Yet contrary to her expectations, Seo Jin simply shook his head with a quiet smile.
“I’ve become the victim.”
“What?”
“Everyone looks at me with pitying eyes. Even the Chief Prosecutor, who I’ve never spoken to before, bought me coffee and told me to stay strong.”
Lee So-hee’s expression shifted to bewilderment.
“Is that even possible?”
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It had been a few days ago.
Seo Jin was working as usual. Yet his mind was consumed with worry about what lay ahead.
Enduring the unfavorable glances and whispered remarks simply because he was Kim Young-jun’s nephew was no easy task.
Since his days as Seo Jun-kyung, he had considered being a prosecutor his calling, but now he understood all too well that he would have to abandon that life.
“Won’t you go get lunch?”
The door opened and investigator Lee Dong-young entered. Having already eaten, Lee Dong-young noticed that Seo Jin hadn’t even taken a sip of water and regarded him with concern.
“Just let me finish this.”
“Goodness… eat first, come on.”
Seo Jin was ushered into the hallway by Lee Dong-young. As he straightened his clothes, he braced himself for the sharp, judgmental stares he anticipated.
But the sharp stares never came. A senior prosecutor passing by patted Seo Jin’s back as he walked past. Everyone Seo Jin encountered in the hallway looked at him with sympathy. One prosecutor even asked with a worried expression, “Are you alright?”
That was when I began to wonder what this was all about.
“I pulled some strings.”
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae stood beside me.
“…You pulled some strings?”
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae apparently tells this story to everyone he meets.
“I told them that among your accomplishments, there were far more that never saw the light of day, and that all of it went to Kim Yun-hwan instead.”
“What?”
That never happened. I had always made sure to secure my own position. Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae chuckled and continued.
“You know that Prosecutor General Kim was trying to use you to groom Kim Yun-hwan, right? I just exaggerated that part a bit.”
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae had told people that Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun had threatened me, saying he would do something to Jaejeong Construction if I didn’t listen to him.
“And when I threw in the bit about Jaejeong Construction’s funds being embezzled as seasoning, people actually believed it.”
“….”
“You just became a poor bastard who was being used. So hold your head high.”
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae tapped my arm as he spoke.
“Consider your debt paid in full now.”
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae raised his thumb and flashed a cunning smile. At that grin, I found myself laughing despite myself.
“Now go live a virtuous life.”
“I was always virtuous. Where could you find someone as good as me?”
Chief Prosecutor Jo Woo-jae waved his hand and brushed past me, then suddenly stopped. He turned back slowly to look at me.
“I think someone like you should stay as a prosecutor. I know you’ve been getting scout offers from all over, but I hope you make the right decision.”
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I brought a canned coffee to my lips, recalling what had happened a few days ago. The sweet taste felt pleasant.
Lee So-hee sat on the bench and looked at me.
“So… you’re going to stay?”
Instead of answering, I simply smiled quietly.
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That night, after parting ways with Lee So-hee, I was heading back to Seoul. Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk’s voice echoed through the car.
-You’re out having fun because it’s the weekend? I’m jealous. We’re dying from trial preparations.
Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk belongs to the Special Prosecution Team. As Prosecutor General Kim Young-jun’s sentencing draws near, he’s been working through the weekends.
-We’re going to get the death penalty. Twenty or thirty years won’t cut it.
“You must be working hard.”
-Ah… and I don’t think I’ll be exiled. Hehehehe.
The Ruling Party’s candidate is virtually certain to become president. Prosecutor Jang Ji-hyuk and the other members of the Special Prosecution Team are the primary architects of this election victory. No one exiles their heroes.
I turned the steering wheel and smiled faintly.
“If I’d gone to Dongnam County, I would’ve visited often for sashimi. That’s a shame.”
-Tell me about it, I’m disappointed too. So… what are you doing tonight? Want to grab some sashimi? Come by the Special Prosecution Team office. I’ll have some flounder delivered.
“Ah, I apologize. I had a prior engagement.”
-An engagement?
Seo Jin had parked in front of a Korean traditional restaurant in Gangnam. He had a dinner appointment with a ruling party congressman. As he stepped out of the vehicle, he gazed up at the building, his mind turning inward.
‘Congressman Kim Min-jun….’
Kim Min-jun was a congressman with a background in law. Born into wealth, he had never relinquished first place throughout his school years, and afterward had walked a smooth path as a lawyer.
He received his party nomination after building recognition by appearing as a panelist on current affairs programs.
With an appearance that seemed somewhat provincial, he wielded emotionally resonant language that soothed people’s wounded hearts—such was the assessment. At forty-five, he had entered the National Assembly.
Even after becoming a congressman, he continued his broadcast appearances, and despite being a first-term member, he maintained quite solid support.
Seo Jin headed toward the elevator, twisting his wrist to check the time. About ten minutes remained until the appointment.
‘I’m not late….’
A first-term congressman he’d never met suddenly reached out asking to meet. The reason was predictable without hearing it.
Seo Jin was not a political figure, but politicians couldn’t help but trumpet his name whenever they encountered him.
“So you’re coming into politics soon?”
“Hah… A young powerhouse is being born.”
“Will he? It’s not uncommon for prosecutors to rise to major positions.”
“Is Kim Seo-jin just any prosecutor? He’s handsome, born with a silver spoon, and he’s got nationwide recognition on top of that. The moment he enters, he’ll seize a high position.”
“Damn it, will we have to rub our hands together under this young bastard?”
Congressman Kim Min-jun was skilled in worldly affairs. As the political world stirred at Seo Jin’s name, he moved faster than others to grasp Seo Jin’s hand.
He sought to solidify his own position by emphasizing his closeness to Seo Jin.
Politics was conducted by people; naturally, the more well-known names one knew, the greater one’s influence became.
“He’s waiting for you.”
The chief of staff who had been waiting at the entrance bowed deeply, then opened his mouth with an affable grin.
“Seeing you in person, you’re far more handsome than I expected.”
The chief of staff turned his body to guide Seo Jin. Congressman Kim Min-jun was waiting in the VIP room of the Korean traditional restaurant. As Seo Jin entered, Kim Min-jun rose to his feet, his face breaking into a warm smile.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Kim Min-jun.”
“I’m Seo Jin.”
The chief of staff bowed and excused himself, leaving only Seo Jin and Congressman Kim Min-jun in the room.
Congressman Kim Min-jun grasped a bottle of liquor and spoke.
“I hope it suits your palate.”
Seo Jin gazed at the bottle. It was the sort that commanded tens of thousands of won per bottle.
“That’s an expensive spirit.”
“Do try it. It’s one of my favorites, and the taste is quite exquisite. Haha.”
As Seo Jin looked at the filled glass, he recalled a debate program in which Congressman Kim Min-jun had appeared. He had pointed an accusatory finger at his political opponent and declared:
-These days, ordinary people, after paying interest, don’t even have a million won left in their accounts! Have you ever lived on that? Do you know how much subway fare costs? How can someone who doesn’t even know that be doing politics! Get out!
People had called his tirade refreshing, but the actual life of Congressman Kim Min-jun that Seo Jin now witnessed was luxurious—far removed from his words.
After bringing the glass to his lips, Congressman Kim Min-jun continued speaking.
“There’s been a lot of talk about you entering this world. Have you made up your mind?”
Seo Jin did not answer, regarding Congressman Kim Min-jun with an indifferent gaze. Kim Min-jun swept back his tousled, common-looking hair and continued.
“Everyone’s praising Prosecutor Kim Seo-jin, but a few bastards like that are calling you a political prosecutor. You know who they are, don’t you? People who support the opposition. But don’t worry. I can handle all of them. Open my mouth just a little, and their criticism will turn to praise.”
“….”
“Now that we’re on the same side, I should do at least that much for you.”
I set down my glass and turned my gaze toward Congressman Kim Min-jun.
“The same side?”
At those words, Congressman Kim Min-jun suddenly extended his hand toward me. It was a handshake he hadn’t offered when we first met. I gripped his hand firmly. But that was the moment. My vision shifted to black and white.
What I saw through psychometry was beyond comprehension. Sexual assault and harassment wielded as instruments of power—young women sitting in offices with tears streaming down their faces as Congressman Kim Min-jun grabbed them by the hair and spoke.
“Let’s take a picture. We’re dating now, right?”
Congressman Kim Min-jun captured the women’s naked bodies on his phone. The victims sought help in various places, but Congressman Kim Min-jun silenced their pleas with his power.
“We were dating. But once we broke up, she started acting crazy like this.”
The fate of the women who sought help was pitiful. Work suddenly dried up at their fathers’ companies, leaving them homeless on the streets.
Color returned to my vision. Congressman Kim Min-jun, facing me, smiled smugly and opened his mouth.
“Same side, allies—we’re people in the same boat. So think of it comfortably.”
But at that moment, Congressman Kim Min-jun’s brow furrowed. I had squeezed the hand I was holding with all my strength.
“Agh!”
As Congressman Kim Min-jun let out a short cry, a savage tone flowed from my lips.
“You’re garbage?”
“What?”
As my expression suddenly transformed, Congressman Kim Min-jun blinked. The gentle, kind appearance of a young man evaporated from my face. Now it felt like a demon was sitting across from him.
I pulled his hand toward me and spoke menacingly.
“Who said we’re on the same side?”

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