The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 107
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Episode 107
The problem is that the person I need to meet is Park Hyun-joo.
Park Hyun-joo.
For several days, I exchanged messages with Yoon Sang-do’s side and tried to come up with a solution, but no particular ideas came to mind.
[For now, just talk with the investor as usual.]
[And keep the unofficial meeting with Representative Roh Tae-sung a secret too.]
After sending the message to Yoon Sang-do, I sat in my chair and pressed firmly around my temples.
I was on the verge of developing a new headache that hadn’t existed since I woke up in Sung Tae-hyun’s body.
“This is troublesome…”
“What is?”
Noh Hae-min asked with a pale face.
It’s because of you, you bastard. You.
But Noh Hae-min was also a victim.
The fault lay with Yoon Sang-do and Lee Jin-seop, but we’re the ones getting the headache.
A sigh escaped me.
“I need to meet with a certain woman.”
“…A woman?”
Noh Hae-min’s eyes lit up.
Being cheerful even in this situation was a talent if anything.
“What woman? Why? Are you going on a blind date or something?”
“If it were a blind date, it wouldn’t be this much of a headache.”
Besides, a blind date with Park Hyun-joo?
Wouldn’t it be better to run away from that situation?
In the first place, someone like Choi Yoon-ki was about the only one who could handle a woman with such grand ambitions.
Their ways of thinking were so identical that even their Hankook University classmates shook their heads.
No, Hankook University itself is the problem.
I said to Noh Hae-min, whose eyes were sparkling as if dying of curiosity.
“Senior, if you ever meet someone from Hankook University in a private setting.”
“Huh? All of a sudden?”
“Just run away.”
I’m being serious.
After all, Choi Yoon-ki, the axis of Cheondong, myself, and Park Hyun-joo were all Hankook University graduates.
Ah, Lee Seol-rok is the same too.
“Why?”
“Because they’re not people Senior can handle.”
“…Hey, Lawyer Sung. Sorry, but.”
“What.”
“…You’re also a Hankook University graduate. So are you dangerous too?”
Very dangerous.
I shook my head and pushed the center of Noh Hae-min’s forehead away.
As he grumbled and returned to his place, I was able to return to thinking about Park Hyun-joo.
“…I don’t have many cards to play.”
That was the problem.
In the first place, Loretta, Park Hyun-joo’s alias and shadow investor, that ‘Loretta’.
Only people like me and Choi Yoon-ki knew that she was the real owner of Loretta Partners.
Even the employees of Loretta Partners only knew the name of the figurehead representative they had set up, but didn’t know Loretta.
Moreover, since I, who was Kim Wook-han, was already dead, only Choi Yoon-ki. Or maybe just a few people most closely involved with her side ‘business’ would know this fact.
“There’s still no evidence linking Loretta Partners and that design company, right?”
Of course, it was a question I didn’t expect much from.
Manager Yoon Ha-young nodded at my words.
“Yes. We’ve been searching for several days, but it’s not easy to find traces anywhere.”
“…I suppose so. By any chance, was there any word from the homepage administrator?”
In preparation for when I was away, 404, the administrator, often communicated with Manager Yoon Ha-young as well.
However, Manager Yoon Ha-young shook her head this time too.
“Yes. There were no separate responses that came in.”
So, no matter how sloppy and hastily the work was carried out, Park Hyun-joo herself was an extremely difficult person to catch by the tail.
That’s probably why Choi Yoon-ki continued working with her even after proceeding with their engagement breakup over ‘personality differences’ and such.
“There’s insufficient evidence.”
“…I’ll search a bit more.”
Manager Yoon Ha-young’s persistence was commendable, but in this case, we wouldn’t be able to find evidence linking Loretta and the Viga Furniture incident.
Because that’s Park Hyun-joo.
“In that case…”
I opened a search window and typed Park Hyun-joo’s name.
Since she was previously famous for her title as the youngest accountant, I should be able to find at least some traces that surfaced in the public eye.
“…What.”
[Social Welfare Foundation A Director Park Hyun-joo]
“….”
Silence fell.
As I closed my mouth, the gazes of Noh Hae-min and Manager Yoon Ha-young converged on me.
“Did you find something?”
[Social Welfare Foundation]
So… how should I express this?
The world’s coldest woman’s deviation?
No. A person most distant from social welfare… a new pipeline?
It could be money laundering.
Whatever the purpose, it didn’t suit a person like Park Hyun-joo at all.
“Wait a moment. Senior.”
My mouse clicking speed increased. The possibility of it being someone with the same name was higher.
I set Foundation A as the search term and searched through all materials from the past 10 years.
“It was established 5 years ago.”
As if curious about what I was searching, Noh Hae-min pulled over a chair and sat beside me.
[Social Welfare Foundation A Director Park Hyun-joo donates 100 million won for youth scholarships]
[Foundation A conducts coal briquette sharing volunteer service]
[Director Park Hyun-joo, ‘heartwarming year-end’ supporting vulnerable groups]
“….”
“Park Hyun-joo?”
Noh Hae-min rolled his eyes as if puzzled.
Ah, right. I never mentioned that Loretta was Park Hyun-joo.
I kept my mouth shut for a moment.
If I told him everything, Noh Hae-min could become dangerous too.
It would be stranger not to anticipate what would happen if Park Hyun-joo was added to the track record Choi Yoon-ki had shown.
“Who is that?”
“…The woman I mentioned earlier.”
“The woman you mentioned earlier? Sun?”
“Not Sun-“
Ah, damn.
A new method came to mind.
Instead of answering Noh Hae-min’s question, I clicked on Foundation A’s homepage.
[Director Park Hyun-joo plans fifth coal briquette sharing volunteer service this year]
“Meeting her wouldn’t be as difficult as I thought?”
It was the same when I was Kim Wook-han.
There was no reason for me to contact Park Hyun-joo, who was just a classmate to me.
It was even more so after Kim Wook-han died.
‘Ho-shin Senior is…’
No, no.
Let’s withdraw the Ho-shin Senior card.
In the first place, Senior had no reason to contact Park Hyun-joo either, and I couldn’t get him involved in this incident for no reason.
Besides, if Ho-shin Senior contacted her out of the blue, Park Hyun-joo’s wariness would only increase.
“Why? Do you need to meet someone?”
“Senior, do you have time next week?”
“…Next week? Suddenly?”
Noh Hae-min tilted his head as if puzzled.
Come to think of it, our office also had a talented manager whose physical strength and muscle power both exceeded that of adult men.
“Manager Yoon Ha-young too.”
“Yes.”
“Is your schedule okay next week?”
Manager Yoon Ha-young and Noh Hae-min exchanged glances.
They had expressions that said they didn’t know what this was about.
I kindly explained for their sake.
“I’m thinking of going to volunteer.”
“Suddenly?”
Yes, volunteering.
Killing two birds with one stone by carrying coal briquettes too.
If three people applied as a team, I wouldn’t be suspected even if I stepped back for a moment.
“Yes, carrying coal briquettes. You all have that much physical strength, right?”
The employees of Foundation A, a social welfare foundation, wouldn’t have time to frequently see the chairman’s face, let alone know Park Hyun-joo’s true identity.
Even if I suggested meeting through them, Park Hyun-joo, who had been targeting me from the beginning, would have no reason to meet me.
However, employees who knew nothing about such matters would have no reason to refuse me, Noh Hae-min, and Manager Yoon Ha-young as volunteers.
‘It’s as if God himself is on my side.’
According to the article, this was the fifth year, meaning Park Hyun-joo had faithfully participated in this coal briquette sharing event every single year.
The timing overlap was truly fortunate. This was actually what differed from my expectations.
“Ah… that’s right.”
Noh Hae-min began to get sentimental, looking at me with moist eyes.
Why is this guy acting like this?
When I turned away to avoid his gaze, Noh Hae-min even pretended to wipe away tears as he spoke.
“I know everything, Tae-hyun.”
“What do you mean?”
“You… you’re actually a really good person.”
Why is this turning out this way.
“That’s right. You actually didn’t ignore our father’s situation, or Uncle Sang-do’s circumstances either…”
“I’m a lawyer, so I solve cases the way my clients want them solved.”
“Even though you speak so coldly, you’ve always been a warm person…”
Noh Hae-min’s eyes were actually starting to moisten.
“Right, Section Chief Yoon Ha-young?”
Noh Hae-min even summoned Section Chief Yoon Ha-young to attempt forced agreement.
“…Yes, well.”
Even at Section Chief Yoon Ha-young’s lukewarm response, he seemed moved as he said:
“Great!”
“…?”
Suddenly energized, Noh Hae-min shot up from his seat.
I quickly grabbed the back of the chair before it could topple over from his force.
“Ilchul Law Firm’s first community service!”
“…”
“Let’s all work hard carrying coal briquettes together. Actually, I’ve been feeling sorry to Section Chief Yoon and you because of this case…”
“…”
“It’ll be refreshing and good!”
…Should I say this is good?
For such a suddenly decided volunteer work, no one objected.
I clicked on the section of Foundation A’s homepage and continued speaking.
“Then I’ll put down all three of our names.”
“Great!”
* * *
[Coal Briquette Sharing with Foundation A]
A large banner was hanging from a tree.
Unlike at the office, we had gathered in comfortable clothes and were moving while listening to explanations from the foundation staff.
“You’re volunteers Sung Tae-hyun, Noh Hae-min, and Yoon Ha-young, correct?”
An employee smiled warmly and handed us name tags to wear around our necks.
Good, it seems Park Hyun-joo hasn’t noticed.
She probably wouldn’t check every single volunteer name anyway.
I had been worried she might notice in advance and refuse, or that Park Hyun-joo might not attend.
“Have you participated in this kind of volunteer work before?”
At the cheerful question, Noh Hae-min answered just as cheerfully.
“Yes! I’ve done it often.”
Oh, really?
“Ah, that’s good. Physical strength is somewhat important for this work. You have to walk for a long time through narrow, steep alleys.”
“That’s fine.”
When Section Chief Yoon Ha-young answered reliably, the employee smiled and nodded.
“Ah, our director will be participating as well.”
That’s fortunate. Park Hyun-joo was also participating as scheduled.
“If your movement route happens to overlap with the director’s, a few more photos might be taken for articles, so please understand that in advance.”
“Yes.”
Photos are fine.
I wonder what expression Choi Yoon-ki would make seeing a photo with Park Hyun-joo and me in the same frame.
Brushing away useless thoughts, I walked following the guidance.
“Everyone, please gather over here~”
The steps of the employee in the fluorescent vest finally stopped.
I could see a truck loaded with what looked like thousands of coal briquettes.
Volunteers and staff had gathered together in front of the vehicle parked in the position where the banner was most visible.
“Oh, and our Director will be taking a group photo with everyone.”
The employee said while looking around at the various volunteers.
“Um, those in the front center row, please smile a bit brighter!”
A stage for Park Hyun-joo.
Park Hyun-joo hadn’t shown herself yet, and only the Foundation’s employees were moving around.
The black sedan parked a few meters ahead must be her car.
Judging by the reporters waiting there.
Before long, the car door opened.
“Those in the front row, please spread out a bit to make some space~”
Finally.
A woman in sportswear slowly got out of the car and began walking over.
“…Park Hyun-joo.”
Just as Noh Hae-min tilted his head at my persistent stare.
Park Hyun-joo, who had been heading to the front row, turned her gaze toward the third row where I was standing.
“…”
A gentle curve formed at the corners of her mouth.
Park Hyun-joo was looking directly at me and smiling.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
