The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 100

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 100

 

 

I wondered who it could be.

The person standing in front of the office door was a mail carrier.

 

Eyes that seemed to roughly understand the situation followed behind.

Manager Yoon Ha-young and Noh Hae-min also seemed to have caught on.

 

“Ah, please sign here.”

 

After the mail carrier left, I opened the envelope and took out the documents.

 

“What? Don’t tell me it’s really…”

 

Noh Hae-min started looking at me like I was some kind of fortune teller.

Manager Yoon Ha-young was the same.

 

“It’s content-certified mail from Viga Furniture.”

 

When I answered, Manager Yoon Ha-young spoke calmly as usual.

 

“In my opinion… Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun, you’d be better off going outside somewhere and setting up a fortune-telling mat instead of staying in our office.”

“…”

“You’re practically making prophecies.”

 

Though it was within anyone’s predictable range.

I ignored her nonsense with a brief smile and began reading the content-certified mail from Viga Furniture.

 

[To Law Firm Ilchul]

 

So basically, they can’t exactly pinpoint Woo-ah Furniture by name, but it still bothers them.

 

[Attention: Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun]

 

There was no mention of Woo-ah Furniture’s name.

 

As expected, they seemed to have figured out the relationship between Noh Hae-min and me from the customer card.

So they wanted to give a warning through this indirect method.

 

[It has been confirmed that Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun, affiliated with your law firm, visited our business premises (Viga Furniture Headquarters 1st Floor Showroom) on ■■/■■/20■■ and repeatedly asked detailed questions about our product lineup and internal development matters.]

 

They’re really exaggerating.

Was that day’s incident really that shocking?

 

My suspicion that Lee Jin-seop might be a traitor increased by about 5%.

 

[We take the above actions seriously as business interference, and wish to prohibit any future direct or indirect contact and visits from personnel affiliated with your law firm.]

 

“Hmm…”

 

The gazes of Noh Hae-min and Manager Yoon Ha-young converged simultaneously.

Their expressions seemed to ask what kind of chaos I had caused to receive this level of content-certified mail.

 

I suppressed my laughter and finished reading the remaining sentences.

 

[If such approaches occur again, we inform you that our company will take all legal measures including criminal charges and civil damage compensation claims according to relevant laws.]

 

“Wow…”

 

As if forgetting this was his own case, Noh Hae-min’s exclamation followed.

 

“Did you secretly commit assault or something there?”

“How could that be possible?”

“But they immediately sent such an absurd content-certified mail? Wow, really what the…”

 

Is this really that amazing? It’s your case.

When I narrowed my eyes and looked at him, Noh Hae-min awkwardly cleared his throat and turned his head.

 

“The thief’s feet must be really tingling.”

 

Noh Hae-min said after examining the content-certified mail documents several times.

 

“What are you going to do now?”

 

Well, the answer is obvious.

 

“For now, no response.”

“…?”

“We need to make them feel frustrated. They’re already reacting this much, so even if we don’t do anything, they might get anxious and worried on their own and blow something up.”

 

The fact that I didn’t do anything at the Viga Furniture showroom is recorded both on their CCTV and in the recording I separately made.

 

Yet it was Viga Furniture who sent the content-certified mail first because their own feet were tingling.

This would later become evidence favorable to our side.

 

“It’s actually good that they’re reacting.”

 

At my words, Noh Hae-min sighed.

 

“I don’t know if I should say you’re really bold.”

“It’s not like I’m receiving content-certified mail for the first or second time.”

“Still… it’s not targeting a client. It came with your name on it.”

 

Ah, I see.

 

Noh Hae-min was feeling sorry for me right now.

Even though visiting Viga Furniture was my decision.

 

Besides, this kind of content-certified mail is just ordinary blackmail with no real effect.

I said to Noh Hae-min, who had an unnecessarily gloomy and dejected expression.

 

“Anyway, Senior, please confirm whether that Lee Jin-seop person was the one in charge of this design at Woo-ah Furniture.”

“Mm-hmm. I’ll do that.”

“Section Chief Yoon Ha-young, have you checked with the patent law firm?”

 

Though it was a bit early, Section Chief Yoon was already in contact with the patent law firm.

 

“Ah, yes. I’ve sent all the materials we compiled previously. I asked them to process it quickly, but they said it would take about a week.”

“Good.”

“Should I also send the pamphlet you brought to them?”

 

When I nodded, Section Chief Yoon Ha-young immediately began compiling the new materials.

 

* * *

 

I lived my life wrong.

 

Roh Tae-sung, who woke up in the hospital, thought this for a long time.

 

He knew there was no life without shame when looking up at the sky.

Even so, he was confident he had lived cleanly and kindly.

But.

 

“…Those bastards…”

 

To betray him.

Living for over sixty years, it wasn’t that he hadn’t experienced betrayal.

There were many who left his side, and many who just passed by.

 

However, this level of shock was a first.

 

“Yoon Sang-do…”

 

Yoon Sang-do.

A bitter taste came from the tip of his tongue as he pronounced that name.

 

He was an old friend.

They had been friends since their fathers’ generation, and when his father passed away, he was the friend who stayed at the funeral hall together and cried with him throughout.

 

They were so close that it was natural to know his wife and children, and even his relatives’ faces completely.

 

“Why…”

 

Roh Tae-sung remembered when he collapsed.

They used to contact each other once or twice a week without fail.

 

…When did it start?

There had been no contact from Yoon Sang-do.

 

He just thought he was being that way because he felt sorry for borrowing such a large sum of money.

Roh Tae-sung had no thought or need to pressure him.

 

However, an article sent by his direct design team employee brought down the steadfast Roh Tae-sung.

 

[Return of Emotional Design! Biga Furniture Representative Yoon Sang-do’s First Award at International Furniture Exhibition]

 

It was an article that analyzed Yoon Sang-do’s work exhibited at the International Furniture Exhibition in detail.

And it.

Was completely identical to his own furniture line that he had poured his heart into creating for years after his father passed away.

 

“…Father.”

 

Should he be thankful that at least his remaining son was fine?

Roh Tae-sung looked up at Noh Hae-min, who had come in for the one daily visit allowed.

 

“Hae-min.”

“How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

 

At the kindly asking voice, Roh Tae-sung swallowed a sigh.

 

Still, he was his father.

He didn’t want to burden his already busy son with this kind of worry. However.

 

“…Father, about that Biga Furniture matter.”

 

At the name he just wanted to bury until he was discharged, Roh Tae-sung let out another deep sigh.

 

In the end, he couldn’t protect it to the end.

Neither his father’s honor, nor his own resolve to be endlessly reliable for his son.

 

“Was there by any chance an employee named Lee Jin-seop at ‘Woo-ah Furniture’?”

 

The moment he heard the name, Roh Tae-sung had an intuition.

 

“Lee Jin-seop? There was. …But why that person?”

“…Lee Jin-seop was actually at your company, Father?”

“Yes.”

 

Just by looking at his son’s shaking pupils, a father could read his emotions.

 

Lee Jin-seop, who suddenly chose to resign recently.

That is, it was the name of Team Leader Lee, who had worked together for over ten years and contributed to creating the new furniture line.

 

Roh Tae-sung held onto his shaking mind and asked his son.

 

“…Don’t tell me Team Leader Lee did something?”

 

Lee Jin-seop.

Lee Jin-seop.

He was someone he cherished.

Although he lacked the ability to see the big picture as a leader compared to his outstanding design skills.

Still, he had hoped that at least in this team, he would gain experience as a team leader and demonstrate his abilities to the fullest.

 

“…Hae-min.”

“I’m sorry, Father.”

 

Ah. Roh Tae-sung closed his mouth.

That sudden news of resignation was ultimately….

 

“When things become more certain, I’ll tell you.”

 

Even at Noh Hae-min’s answer, Roh Tae-sung just nodded silently.

He needed time to sort things out.

 

* * *

 

“Father says he’ll be discharged soon.”

 

The next day, Noh Hae-min came to work grumbling.

It seemed the craftsman’s anger had been triggered.

 

“Is his body okay though?”

“Yeah. Treatment was administered quickly too… Well, with the company situation like this, he probably doesn’t want to stay hospitalized.”

 

It wasn’t unusual.

I brushed away the phantom image of Park Gil-young that seemed to overlap coincidentally with Noh Hae-min’s father and turned on my computer.

 

Today was another day starting with Viga Furniture.

At this point, it felt like I owned shares in Viga Furniture.

 

“Let’s see….”

 

[Viga Furniture, International Furniture Exhibition Award Appreciation Sale.]

 

“What’s this.”

 

[Viga Furniture’s new product line, which gained attention for its design completeness and premium solid wood line, has entered a shocking discount sale.]

 

“Ah.”

 

So they really are in a desperate situation?

 

[An industry insider stated it was ‘to respond to rapidly increased recent demand’ and revealed they ‘plan to continue repaying customers who have loved Viga Furniture’s premium line.’]

 

To think they’d have a discount so soon after setting up that showroom.

The discount rate even reached up to 40%.

 

This is really just….

 

“It’s like clearing inventory.”

 

Section Chief Yoon Ha-young, who had come to print materials that arrived from the patent law firm, casually remarked.

 

“That’s right. Clearing inventory….”

 

It’s a situation I can’t understand.

International Furniture Exhibition award-winning works, premium line, and products that even had special exhibitions at the main office showroom – they’re selling everything at bargain prices not long after starting the exhibition?

 

The intention was obvious.

 

“Senior, did Father happen to mention anything separately about Viga Furniture?”

 

Both Woo-ah Furniture and Viga Furniture are corporations boasting over 30 years of business history.

I heard that Roh Tae-sung and Yoon Sang-do initially started as business partners, built their careers, then split into separate companies to start anew.

 

But this move by Viga Furniture, with over 30 years of business history, no matter how I think about it, only looks like they’re trying to liquidate while accepting the risks.

 

“Hmm….”

 

Noh Hae-min bit his lips as if pondering.

 

“Well? I did hear that the company’s situation became somewhat difficult before this incident broke out.”

“Yes.”

“Because of that, he borrowed a large sum from our father. There was no contact after that.”

 

Suddenly abandoning a company he tried to maintain by borrowing a large sum from a friend?

 

It’s strange.

If he had planned to make a quick profit and abandon it from the start, there would have been no reason to go to the International Furniture Exhibition and win an award.

 

Rather, if he had cleared inventory from the beginning under the pretext of a furniture-wide discount, neither the current Noh Hae-min nor Roh Tae-sung would have found out.

 

“It’s strange.”

“Hmm… Right? Uncle Yoon really had a lot of affection for Viga Furniture though.”

 

Should I visit once more.

It would be good if I could meet Yoon Sang-do of Viga Furniture directly.

 

Yoon Sang-do didn’t appear at the main office throughout the exhibition period.

It was the same when I had Section Chief Yoon Ha-young visit the showroom.

 

Even Lee Jin-seop wasn’t there, so Section Chief Yoon just looked around at the works introduced by several other employees and returned.

 

“Let’s wait and see for now.”

 

It’s natural for things to be calm before a storm hits.

Besides, that was about the extent of new movements visible from Viga Furniture’s side.

 

There was no particular contact with Woo-ah Furniture, Roh Tae-sung, or Noh Hae-min either.

 

“And this is-“

“Ah, it’s the appraisal report sent by the patent law firm.”

“It came early.”

 

Didn’t they say it would take about a week? It was faster than expected.

As I accepted the report she handed me, Manager Yoon Ha-young added.

 

“They said the analysis didn’t take long at the patent law firm because the materials we organized and sent in advance were quite detailed.”

 

Ah. She really is a talent.

The way she highlights even her own efforts to make me recognize her achievements, I mean.

 

Where did such a talent come from.

When I looked up at her, Manager Yoon Ha-young said without changing her expression at all.

 

“I think this is a circumstance worth considering for next month’s incentive.”

 

Of course.

Watching Manager Yoon Ha-young turn around cleanly, I nodded.

Getting quick delivery from business partners is also a skill, after all.

 

And after seeing the design application related matters on the very first page, I was speechless with absurdity.

 

[Special Circumstances Regarding Application Date]

 

“….”

 

[It has been confirmed that both designs have the same application date.]

 

How absurd.

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