The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 15

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

Episode 15

 

 

Of course, it’s still too early to judge.

 

Thanks to Kim Wan-gil, Kim Jae-yoon’s father, the case was receiving public attention.

The main narrative was that, contrary to what we had discovered so far, Kim Jae-yoon had been a victim of school violence.

 

It was a despicable act.

 

“The police must have already known about this.”

 

At my words, Deputy Yoon Ha-young nodded with a serious expression.

 

“Probably. Of course, the police haven’t made any announcements so far, but…”

“Because Kim Wan-gil made the first move.”

 

Kim Wan-gil is a figure who has consistently promoted school violence campaigns.

Even though his son died, if it were revealed that he had been a school violence perpetrator who bullied a friend for a long time, it would naturally damage his reputation.

 

So conversely, he must have made the first move to capture public attention.

An image planted in advance wouldn’t easily disappear.

 

“Even if we reveal this, in the actual trial, the serious level of school violence that Jung Seung-jun suffered will likely be pointed to as one of the motives for the crime.”

 

It was truly a dirty case.

 

The photos that Deputy Yoon Ha-young showed me were horrific.

Even compared to the criminal cases between adults that I had handled before, the severity was no less.

 

I returned to my seat and began organizing the documents I had received from Deputy Yoon Ha-young.

 

[I will lose.]

 

Sung Tae-hyun’s Diary still hadn’t been updated.

It was only pointing out once again that the situation was unfavorable to me.

 

“14 days until the trial date.”

 

It was tight.

 

Jung Seung-jun’s case had more entanglements than expected, so even though the trial date had been changed once, there wasn’t enough time.

I tapped the logo of Sung Tae-hyun’s Diary with my finger and fell into thought.

 

What remained now was Park Hyung-il, and the pre-scheduled meeting with Jung Seung-jun.

 

The crime scene, Old Man Jung’s house at the fruit store, would have been cleaned up after all evidence was collected, but I needed to visit there once more.

 

“Too much to do.”

 

And no time.

 

Well, thinking about my previous life, it shouldn’t be that difficult.

Before complaining, do one more fact-finding investigation – that was something I used to say often to the research staff.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

[I went to the address that Deputy Yoon Ha-young gave me.]

[However, Baek Jun-tae refused to talk.]

[They said he was close with Jung Seung-jun, but just hearing the name made him have a seizure, so I couldn’t even have a proper conversation.]

 

With a faint vibration, the diary began generating new text.

 

“…Huh.”

 

It was a new update after several days.

I let out a hollow laugh as I examined the text that had appeared like magic.

 

[I will lose.]

 

Despite the new text update, the final words specified my defeat once more as if telling me to wake up from my dreams.

However, I didn’t feel bad about it.

 

“So this is how it works.”

 

That [I will lose.] was welcome in a different sense.

 

The diary could change.

So perhaps I could use those damn words to find evidence that could lead to victory.

 

Sentences like [I will definitely win.] might appear.

 

“Baek Jun-tae…”

 

Come to think of it, that was another new name.

 

Even while cursing that I would lose, the determination to inform me about tomorrow’s events was evident.

I smiled at the corner of my mouth toward Sung Tae-hyun’s evil spirit that might be dwelling in the diary.

 

“Baek Jun-tae? I think I’ve heard that name somewhere.”

 

The answer came from elsewhere.

Noh Hae-min, who had been unusually calm, widened his eyes and walked toward me.

 

“Do you know that name?”

“Yeah. Oh, it’s been really long since I heard it. I wonder what he’s up to these days.”

 

Noh Hae-min, who seemed uninterested in his surroundings, surprisingly knew the neighborhood affairs inside and out.

 

The same was true with the fruit store owner.

Noh Hae-min recognized the old man as soon as he saw him and even politely escorted him on his way out.

 

Anyway, this office was peculiar.

 

There was the Representative who was absent from his seat every day, and Noh Hae-min who was polite despite his terrible attire as a lawyer.

And even Deputy Yoon Ha-young, who claimed to be famous online and capable of background investigations rivaling an errand center.

 

“How do you know him?”

“In the past, when Seung-jun was in middle school, I think. He was a friend I met often back then.”

 

…Baek Jun-tae was?

I briefly lowered my gaze to the diary, then looked back at Noh Hae-min.

 

“Do you know where he lives?”

 

The diary said Deputy Yoon Ha-young would provide the address.

However, if I got the address from Noh Hae-min, wouldn’t that [I will lose] change even a little?

 

Well, it would be fine if the line above it changed too.

Perhaps this diary was expecting some change from me.

 

“Hmm… I don’t really know that far…”

 

Noh Hae-min shook his head.

I figured as much.

I gave up my expectations and asked a different question.

 

“According to the fruit store owner, victim Kim Jae-yoon and Jung Seung-jun were close since elementary school.”

“Yeah, well. That’s right.”

“Then Park Hyung-il and Baek Jun-tae were also part of that group, weren’t they?”

 

Suddenly, Noh Hae-min’s eyes lit up belatedly as if realizing something.

 

“Oh, oh! Right. That’s how it was! Back then I wasn’t even a lawyer yet, so I was commuting to graduate school.”

“And then?”

“This fruit store was the cheapest… ah, my dad cut off my allowance because my grades were bad.”

 

I’m not curious about that.

I said with a coldly hardened expression.

 

“Leave out the tangents.”

“Leave out tangents? Hmm… anyway, I went to a study cafe around here so I knew the local situation pretty well.”

 

He’s definitely a peculiar person.

What does he mean by knowing the local situation well just because he went to a study cafe?

However, Noh Hae-min continued speaking with a nonchalant face as if it were natural.

 

“I often ran into them at the fruit store. Seung-jun and Jun-tae. Well… back then those two seemed really close. They stuck together every day.”

“You said you haven’t seen them recently.”

“Right? I think I haven’t seen them since Seung-jun entered high school…”

 

Did they go to different schools?

 

However, the diary urged me to visit Baek Jun-tae as if he had some connection to this case.

Yet it also added that I would lose, so I don’t know what kind of smokescreen this is for.

Still, it would be better to confirm with my own eyes.

 

“Let’s go.”

“Huh, what? Right now?”

“No, tomorrow.”

 

Noh Hae-min rolled his eyes as if flustered.

 

If it’s Noh Hae-min, who’s unexpectedly gentle despite his appearance, he might successfully lead a conversation with that new boy Baek Jun-tae.

 

Moreover, since they knew each other until a few years ago, Baek Jun-tae would be less wary of him than of me, a complete stranger.

 

The situation where I was refused conversation didn’t specify any particular conditions, but what if I add the variable called Noh Hae-min?

It was right to use everything I could use.

 

“Tomorrow?”

 

Even at the word tomorrow, Noh Hae-min rolled his eyes as if perplexed.

 

“But we don’t even know his address?”

 

Deputy Yoon Ha-young will tell us.

 

I turned my gaze with firm belief.

Following my gaze, Noh Hae-min was also looking at Deputy Yoon Ha-young.

 

Deputy Yoon Ha-young, who was picking up several delivery boxes on her desk as if about to leave work, made eye contact with us.

 

“…If it’s student Baek Jun-tae’s address, I’ve already sent it to both lawyers by text.”

 

See that.

How could such talent possibly exist in Ho-shin Senior’s office of all places?

 

‘If only she were my research staff.’

 

I felt regret naturally.

 

Now I could understand without asking where Noh Hae-min’s trust in Deputy Yoon Ha-young originated from.

I could naturally understand why Ho-shin Senior kept Deputy Yoon Ha-young by paying her salary regularly in an office with no work.

 

“How did you find out the address?”

 

At my courteous question, Deputy Yoon Ha-young smiled with relief for the first time.

She was already holding the office door as if about to leave work.

 

“It’s a secret.”

 

Noh Hae-min nodded.

Those online connections must work on his end too.

 

Let’s not dig any deeper.

I turned away from Deputy Yoon Ha-young who was leaving work and spoke to Noh Hae-min.

 

“Since it’s the weekend anyway, let’s meet tomorrow morning at the entrance of the apartment where Baek Jun-tae lives.”

 

* * *

 

“Who is it?”

 

It was Saturday morning.

 

When I rang the bell of the apartment I’d found using the address Deputy Yoon Ha-young had given me, a woman in her late forties who appeared to be Baek Jun-tae’s mother opened the door.

 

I hadn’t expected her to open the door so readily.

I stepped back a few paces so the woman wouldn’t be startled and handed her my business card.

 

“This is…”

“I’m Sung Tae-hyun, a lawyer with Law Firm Ilchul.”

 

Noh Hae-min, who was standing right next to me, also handed over his business card.

He was already fidgeting with excitement, as if something made him incredibly happy.

 

“Is Jun-tae home right now?”

 

Of course.

 

Noh Hae-min was wearing a bright, cheerful smile as if he’d come to visit an old friend’s house rather than for a case.

Thanks to that, his previously cold impression instantly crumbled and changed to look somewhat naive.

 

Before I could stop him, Noh Hae-min thrust out his hand first and shook hands with Baek Jun-tae’s mother.

 

“What-“

 

After being momentarily flustered by his attitude, like that of a large dog, Noh Hae-min continued speaking with reckless cheerfulness.

 

“Sorry for dropping by without any notice, Mother.”

 

What?

 

“It’s been so long that I even lost Jun-tae’s contact information.”

 

They were close enough to share contact information?

I looked at Noh Hae-min with bewilderment, like a dog owner who’d lost hold of the leash.

 

However, whatever meaning she interpreted from Noh Hae-min’s attitude, Baek Jun-tae’s mother’s expression had softened completely from her previous wariness.

 

“…Jun-tae’s friend… are you?”

 

Though she still seemed confused since Baek Jun-tae and Noh Hae-min didn’t seem the right age to be friends, her bewilderment was evident.

 

“Ah, I’m like a neighborhood older brother. We used to run into each other often before.”

“Oh my, really? But you became a lawyer?”

“Ahaha, yes.”

“My goodness, your parents must be so proud.”

 

The conversation flowed like water.

 

Perhaps thanks to Noh Hae-min’s warm attitude, Baek Jun-tae’s mother instantly lowered her guard and allowed entry into the house.

 

I was momentarily speechless watching Noh Hae-min quickly take off his shoes and enter the house.

This kind of ability was quite… not bad for what I’d considered a risk.

 

“I’d like to have a conversation with student Baek Jun-tae. Is he home right now by any chance?”

 

Even to my question as a stranger, Baek Jun-tae’s mother, whose guard had been lowered, smiled faintly.

Noh Hae-min, who had broken the ice, was already sitting at the table drinking the mix coffee she’d served him.

 

Not bad for a first start.

 

I slowly looked around.

An ordinary family home.

Family photos hung in the living room and the interior was also neat.

 

The only slightly unusual thing was that all the room doors were open except for one tightly closed door.

 

“Jun-tae…”

 

Baek Jun-tae’s mother, who had also served me a tea cup with mix coffee, sat at the table and carefully opened her mouth.

 

“He’s home right now.”

 

Then that closed door must be Baek Jun-tae’s room.

 

When Baek Jun-tae’s mother briefly closed her mouth, the house instantly became quiet.

Noh Hae-min’s voice must have been audible.

 

I took a sip of mix coffee while glancing sideways at the closed door.

 

Even with the appearance of someone who knew his name, the room door didn’t budge at all.

As if no one had been there from the beginning.

 

“But I’m sorry, you might not be able to meet our Jun-tae.”

 

The woman gave an awkward smile as if apologetic.

 

“It’s already been over a year since I last stepped outside that door.”

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