The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 74

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

Episode 74

 

 

“…Sorry about that.”

 

In the end, that was all he managed to say.

 

“This is why I don’t come to this neighborhood often. Oh, how many years has it been… It feels so distant, so very distant. I haven’t come here even once all this time.”

 

He wasn’t expecting an answer from me.

It was more like a monologue.

 

Even so, I found myself staring at him helplessly.

Not because he was my superior. This was just.

 

“…Is it because of your friends?”

 

I had tried not to ask.

 

But this place took me back to the past as if it had cast some kind of spell.

Not because of Senior’s neatly groomed appearance, but because of the characteristics of this place called Goshi Village.

 

Though not as much as Senior, I too had lived here for quite some time.

 

“Yes… Kim Wook-han.”

 

Goosebumps ran from the back of my neck to the top of my head.

 

Damn it, my emotions are running wild.

As if responding to my thoughts, Sung Tae-hyun’s heart began beating a little harder.

 

This is a first.

The reason I was able to maintain my sanity despite experiencing the absurd situation of dying and coming back to life

was because my body’s reactions were minimal.

 

As if it was trying to protect my mind.

 

“You said you knew Wook-han too.”

“…Yes.”

 

I suddenly remembered the day I first met Senior after awakening in Sung Tae-hyun’s body.

 

I had told that lie to leave Haeil and come to Senior’s office.

That Kim Wook-han and I were close.

 

“What do you think of that guy?”

 

I hadn’t expected such a question to come up.

Not knowing that the dead person was right in front of him, was he trying to gossip about me?

I smiled gently at Ho-shin Senior’s probing tone.

 

“He was a good older brother. At least, to me.”

“I see… That guy Wook-han must have put on quite an act in front of you.”

 

As expected.

Ho-shin Senior burst into laughter and looked at me with an honest gaze.

 

“You might not know, but there’s someone called Chief Prosecutor Choi Yoon-ki.”

 

Ah.

…I see, Senior might not know yet.

 

Lim Do-hyuk witnessed me having a meal with Choi Yoon-ki,

and apparently tattled about it to Noh Hae-min.

 

“Yes.”

 

I didn’t bother to add anything.

Things would get complicated if Senior found out.

 

“That guy was friends with Wook-han. They were inseparable, in this battlefield.”

 

Yes, that’s how it was.

Enough for Ho-shin Senior to see it that way. There were days when Choi Yoon-ki was my only friend.

 

“…Was it a good enough memory to think about again?”

 

That question came out without my intention.

 

It was impulsive.

Though the Choi Yoon-ki I met recently seemed completely uninterested in our memories.

 

I continued to look at Ho-shin Senior while recalling Choi Yoon-ki’s cold expression.

This was like a negative factor that came with the characteristics of this place.

 

Senior slowly nodded his head.

 

“It was.”

 

Sung Tae-hyun’s face was reflected in the long-stewed, thick white broth.

 

“It’s a very old story. Now everything has faded so much that even recalling the memories takes effort.”

“…”

“But it was good. When I was young like you, I didn’t know. That it wouldn’t last forever.”

 

Senior had cloudy eyes as if groping through faded memories.

And how many minutes had passed?

 

“We’ve all changed completely, but this taste never changes. Haha.”

 

Ho-shin Senior took a spoonful of the now completely cold soup and rice and brought it to his mouth.

 

* * *

 

Kim Ho-shin was right.

 

Once upon a time.

I had thought that this damn life was worth enduring because I had a friend like Choi Yoon-ki.

 

“Why.”

“….”

“Why do you look half-dead again.”

 

A small 3-pyeong goshiwon.

 

The windowless room contained nothing but a desk and a bed that served as a chair.

Since clothes were a luxury, a few pieces of underwear and some spare clothes were crumpled on the shelf, and the remaining space was filled entirely with books.

 

“This month’s rent.”

 

After Mother passed away, even the title of Hankook University felt like a burden to me.

 

I had to be on full scholarship.

That meant being valedictorian, and I received scholarships as valedictorian for two straight years before taking a leave of absence.

 

My goals were money and the bar exam.

I tutored during the day and studied at night.

 

It was a time when the law subject lecture tapes that Choi Yoon-ki brought me were more important than life itself.

 

“You paid for it.”

“So what?”

 

My pride was hurt despite my situation.

 

Even knowing this about me, Choi Yoon-ki casually lay down on my bed and just wiggled his feet.

He was the famous eldest son of a wealthy family even in the Hankook University community, while I struggled to afford even one meal and survived on a single roll of kimbap per day.

 

Even that was a luxury item.

 

“Hey, Kim Wook-han.”

“What.”

“I told you, you bastard.”

 

When my voice grew low, Choi Yoon-ki suddenly sat up on the bed.

 

The 3-pyeong goshiwon was very cramped for two grown men to sit in.

But strangely, he always crawled in here, saying this was where he felt most comfortable.

 

“It’s an investment.”

“Investment my ass.”

“It really is an investment. I told you I’d hire you right away once you pass the bar exam.”

 

Bullshit.

 

Choi Yoon-ki pulled out several more tapes from the bag he had carelessly thrown on the floor.

The guy who bought cram school lecture tapes for me since I couldn’t attend the academy directly also threw me all the books that went with them.

 

On days when I refused because it felt like charity, twice as many books came back.

After that, I stopped refusing.

 

“So it’s an investment. Look, Kim Wook-han.”

“….”

“It’s only now that you treat me this well. Just try passing the exam.”

 

Choi Yoon-ki smiled smugly as if seeing some great hope.

 

“What are you-“

“Once you become some great judge, prosecutor, or lawyer, huh? A good-for-nothing like me won’t even be able to look at you.”

 

Yeah, he always spouted such nonsense.

 

“So pay me back in about ten years.”

“….”

“And don’t completely ignore me then, calling me stupid.”

“…Hey.”

“If you get all stiff-necked then, I’ll get upset, you know?”

“You’re disgusting, you bastard.”

 

Choi Yoon-ki giggled.

It was a side others never saw.

 

“We can still be friends later. Damn, why is this so embarrassing.”

“…Because you’re saying such things.”

“Whatever, just study hard. Your hyung will take care of the rest.”

 

When did that Choi Yoon-ki start to change?

 

“Father wants me to return to the family home.”

 

After failing the first bar exam, Choi Yoon-ki had said that.

 

“Why?”

 

Even to my question, he just shook his head meaninglessly and entrusted me to Ho-shin Senior, who we hung out with.

 

“Hyung, that bastard Kim Wook-han will definitely skip meals and only study, so please stop him when that happens.”

“…Yoon-ki.”

“It’s not like I’m going off to die. I’m just leaving Goshi Village.”

“….”

“When I return to school, I’ll buy you all meals, so let’s all get together sometime later.”

 

That’s probably what the conversation was like.

 

Two years in Goshi Village,

On the day I passed the bar exam, Choi Yoon-ki passed as well.

 

However, when I met Choi Yoon-ki again, he had somehow changed.

 

I slowly blinked my eyes.

I was having pointless thoughts.

 

“I can’t tell you how often I came to this soup restaurant.”

 

Ho-shin Senior was now practically drinking the soup and rice.

I slowly picked up my spoon and stirred the completely cold soup and rice.

I just couldn’t swallow it.

 

“Seeing you brings back those memories even more clearly.”

 

I didn’t answer.

Ho-shin Senior also seemed not to expect an answer as he put down his cleanly emptied bowl.

 

“It’s really not easy to resemble Kim Wook-han.”

“….”

“Ah, of course your face is different.”

 

Cough.

 

At Ho-shin Senior’s sudden words, a cough burst out.

I choked on the broth that went down wrong.

 

When the coughing wouldn’t stop even after drinking water, Ho-shin Senior apologetically handed me several tissues.

The violent coughing even brought tears to my eyes.

 

“That’s just what I think, Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun.”

“….”

“You really remind me a lot of Wook-han. Even though your face is different.”

 

Sorry for having a different face.

 

But Ho-shin Senior’s words were somewhat based on fact.

No matter how much I act the role of Sung Tae-hyun, I am Kim Wook-han.

So to Ho-shin Senior and Choi Yoon-ki, who know Kim Wook-han to the bone, Kim Wook-han would inevitably come to mind.

 

…Even if the face is different.

 

“So what I want to say is this.”

“…Yes.”

“Meet a good person.”

 

I was dumbfounded by the words that came out of nowhere.

When I just blinked, Senior burst into hearty laughter and continued.

 

“Our Wook-han died as a bachelor, so he must have become a bachelor ghost.”

 

This guy?

 

“So you, Sung Tae-hyun, should meet a good person. So you won’t feel wronged.”

 

I hadn’t felt wronged in my previous life either.

 

What kind of thought process is this.

The lonely and wistful atmosphere that had been hovering between us disappeared in an instant.

 

“Well then, shall we go meet the real client now?”

 

Ho-shin Senior jumped up from his seat as if he had never been lost in reminiscence.

 

“You should drink at least a glass of water before coming out. The dadaegi must have been a bit spicy.”

 

How many spoonfuls did I eat for this to be considered spicy?

Ho-shin Senior was talking nonsense as he grabbed the bill and headed to the counter.

 

And then I finally realized.

 

“…This is ridiculous.”

 

My face was wet.

 

* * *

 

“Hmm… is this the right place?”

 

Ho-shin Senior, who had forcibly pressed cash into the hands of the soup restaurant owner who absolutely refused to take money, walked ahead.

The XX Officetel where the client lived was only a five-minute walk from the main street of Goshi Village.

 

“It’s quite amazing. To see this building still here.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah, back then this building was the only new one. It was incredibly shiny, but now it’s aged too.”

 

That’s right. I was also trapped in the era Senior was talking about.

 

This neighborhood was that kind of place.

A place that, despite having changed so much, made you feel as if you had returned to the past.

 

We took the elevator and arrived at the house the client had mentioned.

 

“This is the right place, isn’t it?”

“…Yes.”

 

Unit 704, 7th Floor.

It had been a new building back then, but now it showed traces of time as much as the years I had swallowed.

 

Finding Unit 4 among the tightly packed front doors, I pressed the doorbell.

 

“Is anyone there?”

 

There was no response.

Ho-shin Senior seemed to be taking in the old building, stepping through time, and remained silent for a moment.

I pressed the doorbell again.

 

“Is anyone there?”

 

How many seconds had passed?

The door opened.

 

“…!”

 

It was a woman with a pale face.

Though it was bright daylight outside, inside the room the woman had emerged from, blackout curtains meticulously wrapped around all sides, not letting a single point of light seep in.

 

The small entrance light glimmered dimly.

Ho-shin Senior also looked unusually flustered, as if slightly startled.

 

“Who are you?”

 

The woman asked abruptly with an anxious face.

Could she have possibly forgotten the appointment we made?

 

I checked the messages from Section Chief Yoon from earlier.

Today’s date was correct. My memory of receiving the client’s call was the same.

 

“From Law Firm Ilchul-“

 

Just as I was about to hand my business card to the anxious-looking woman.

She turned even paler and covered my mouth with both her hands.

 

“…!”

 

Was she being chased by something?

The woman slammed the door shut with a bang,

then opened it again after just a few seconds.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

This time she didn’t cover my mouth.

The woman came out with a small notebook, closed her house door, and walked outside.

 

[I don’t think we can talk for long today.]

 

What does that mean?

The woman who had quickly written in the notebook turned to the next page and began writing again.

 

[The surveillance suddenly started again]

[It wasn’t supposed to be today originally… That crazy bastard will hear. So…]

 

The woman, who had been trembling as if cold, pondered for a moment, then continued her handwriting.

 

[Please wait just 10 minutes. I’ll see you at the 1st floor cafe.]

 

Soon after, the woman folded the notebook and went back inside the door.

 

“….”

 

Ho-shin Senior, with a serious expression, gently pulled my arm.

 

“She seems to have circumstances.”

 

Then he pressed the elevator button heading to the first floor.

 

“Well, I don’t have anything to do today anyway.”

 

How boastful.

 

“Shall we wait together?”

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