The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 96

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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 96

 

 

The current representative of .

Roh Tae-sung, the investor who had transformed Kim Ho-shin’s office to look brand new and Noh Hae-min’s father, had collapsed.

 

“Is it serious?”

 

I took the steering wheel in place of Noh Hae-min, who looked like he could barely stand properly, let alone drive.

After the call with his mother, Noh Hae-min had been anxiously gripping his mobile phone.

 

“I don’t really know yet…”

 

His complexion didn’t look good.

This meant I was starting to worry that Noh Hae-min might collapse too.

Since it was rush hour and traffic was starting to get congested, I took a detour through the alley.

 

I’ve become quite familiar with this neighborhood too.

I kept asking questions to keep Noh Hae-min’s mind anchored to reality, buying time.

 

“What did they say at the emergency room?”

“They think it might be a cerebral infarction…”

 

Cerebral infarction.

Should I consider it fortunate that he was immediately taken to the emergency room?

 

In times like these.

It was often difficult to reach the emergency room within the golden time.

 

“You said Mother is with him, right? As the guardian, I mean.”

“Yes, yes. That’s what she said.”

 

Even when we arrived at the emergency room, there probably wouldn’t be much Noh Hae-min could do.

 

Fortunately, by taking only the less congested roads, we were soon near our destination.

The emergency room where Noh Hae-min’s father had been urgently transported was the largest university hospital in the neighborhood.

 

From a hundred meters before arrival, the road was completely blocked with several vehicles including emergency transport vehicles.

When we finally arrived at the emergency room, only Noh Hae-min’s mother was outside alone.

 

“Hae-min—”

“Mother, where’s Father?”

“They said they need to do some kind of injection procedure, so he went in.”

“…Injection?”

“Yes! Injection! Oh my! I can’t live like this. Really, it’s fortunate that I got your father here quickly… right?”

 

At least that’s fortunate.

 

The fact that an injection procedure was administered meant they had arrived quickly before the symptoms really worsened.

If it was cerebral infarction, I was somewhat familiar with it since Court Chief Park Gil-young had almost collapsed from it once before.

 

As Noh Hae-min collapsed to the ground as if his legs had given out, I was finally able to face his mother.

 

“I’m Sung Tae-hyun.”

“Oh my, oh my. Goodness. I’m so out of my mind—”

 

Noh Hae-min’s mother avoided her son who had collapsed on the ground like an obstacle and grasped my hands.

It was an awkward greeting with Noh Hae-min positioned between us.

 

When I bowed my head while holding her hands, Noh Hae-min’s mother was startled and gently patted my shoulder.

 

“You said you’re Sung Tae-hyun, right? Our son talks about you all the time, so I know.”

 

…Talks about me all the time.

My words and actions toward Noh Hae-min flashed by like a panorama.

 

I don’t think there was anything particularly wrong.

My face grew hot from someone’s warm gaze, quite different from when I was with Kim Wook-han.

 

“What did the hospital say? Is Father okay?”

 

Even warm moments become awkward if they last too long.

 

Just then, as if strength had returned to his legs, Noh Hae-min jumped up, instantly creating distance between his mother and me.

Judging by Noh Hae-min’s mother’s reaction, it seemed they had arrived within the golden time, so it wasn’t the worst situation.

 

“Your father? I’m really bursting with frustration. It’s all because he only eats salty food and works until late every night—”

“Mother!”

“…What do you mean okay? They said he needs to be hospitalized for several days.”

 

If there was anything fortunate, it would be the fact that his life wasn’t in danger.

Just as the waiting room was about to burst from the endless stream of people, a nurse approached to brief us on the situation.

 

“Guardian, the procedure went well. He’s been moved to the intensive care unit now.”

“…Oh my, yes. Yes. Of course.”

“Visiting will be difficult today. We’ll help you check on his condition tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, thank you…”

“You can complete the payment and go home~”

 

A storm-like time had passed.

During those few hours, Noh Hae-min’s face had become haggard as if he had been to hell and back.

His mother sighed and patted Noh Hae-min’s back.

 

“Who does he take after to become so gaunt from worry…”

 

Noh Hae-min, who was usually faint-hearted, seemed to have been properly shocked by the news about his father.

He still hadn’t come to his senses and was staggering as he walked, looking like he might fall over.

 

Instead of his worried mother, I grabbed Noh Hae-min’s arm and gently stopped him.

 

“Huh?”

“I’ll drive your mother as well, so let’s just take my car.”

“Oh… should we?”

 

Light returned to his dazed eyes.

The guy who had been muttering only ‘taxi… taxi…’ like a soulless zombie regained a human-like appearance.

 

“I feel bad for imposing on you this much…”

 

All the steam had escaped into the cold air.

In this kind of weather, and since we’re not strangers, I couldn’t just let him go.

 

“Usually I’m the one who owes you favors.”

“…Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun does? Oh my, that can’t be… Our son isn’t that sharp of a person…”

 

That’s just empty words.

 

However, I exercised the social skills I had learned and kept my mouth shut.

Noh Hae-min got into the passenger seat with an awkward laugh.

 

“Ah, right. Let’s have a meal before you go. The house isn’t that far anyway.”

 

In the now warm atmosphere, Noh Hae-min began to doze off.

I was about to decline, but Hae-min’s mother, who seemed unexpectedly strong-willed, quickly caught on and shook her head.

 

“I feel sorry, you see. It’s also my way of asking you to take good care of our son.”

 

Was it because the tension had been released?

Noh Hae-min had now fallen asleep with his head drooping.

 

“…Really, I’m such a failure.”

 

Hae-min’s mother reached from the back seat to adjust his neck comfortably and spoke in a small voice.

 

“He’s like a child his whole life.”

“…Still, he does quite well at the office.”

“Oh, really? That’s a relief then… but the child has such a tender heart.”

 

I knew that better than anyone.

Watching the mother caring for her sleeping son with warm hands throughout the drive made me feel strange.

 

My ‘real’ mother had passed away long ago.

Sung Tae-hyun’s mother was different too.

She was more like an overbearing boss at work rather than a mother.

 

“…”

 

In the car where only sleeping Hae-min’s breathing could be heard, I suddenly realized.

My heart was constricting unpleasantly.

 

…Whose emotion is this?

 

Kim Wook-han’s?

Or the owner of the body I’m currently borrowing?

 

“Ah… are we here?”

 

As we entered the area near his house, Noh Hae-min woke up like a ghost and muttered.

Hae-min’s mother, who had been carefully watching her son, instantly changed her tone and smacked his back.

 

“Ow!”

“You’re sleepy? You’re sleepy?”

“Ah, why!”

“Instead of thanking the colleague who came with you, you sleep in the passenger seat. Did your mother raise you like this?”

 

She was right on target.

As I swallowed the laughter that was about to escape, Noh Hae-min grumbled as if wronged.

 

“Sorry. Lawyer Sung, no, Tae-hyun. I’ll buy you a meal next-“

“It’s fine. It’s not like this is the first or second time you’ve done this, Senior.”

 

At my teasing response, Hae-min’s mother became furious.

 

“What? Hae-min, you’ve been imposing on people like this all the time?!”

“Ah, Mother! That hurts! No!”

 

He was no different from a little child.

Though he had learned to show some edge recently.

In front of his mother, his defenses crumbled and he instantly became a little child.

 

I finished parking while ignoring my naturally constricting heart.

It was obvious that both Hae-min and his mother were making every effort not to be consumed by the serious situation.

 

* * *

 

“Come in.”

 

I was silently admiring.

 

The old detached house was as worn as its age, but it was well-maintained.

As we entered through the fence and iron gate that seemed to be several decades old, well-tended garden trees lined up to greet us.

 

“Oh dear, I haven’t cleaned the house. Please take that into consideration.”

 

Hae-min’s mother said as she led the way.

We passed through a lawn garden that would have glowed green in the sunlight if it were daytime, and followed a stone wall path until the door of a huge mansion opened at the end of the path.

 

I knew intellectually that Noh Hae-min was a rich family’s young master.

But seeing it with my own eyes like this, I felt like I was confirming that we lived in different worlds.

 

My mother, whose memory has now grown dim… no, let’s stop.

I am now a new human being in an ambiguous state, neither Kim Wook-han nor Sung Tae-hyun.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

I answered briefly and stepped through the open door of the mansion.

As expected, the scent of aged wood, deepened by time, pierced my nostrils beneath the neatly arranged entrance.

 

The interior was the same.

If there was anything noticeable, it would be the furniture.

 

“Are all of these products from ‘Wooa Furniture’ that Father runs?”

 

When I asked, Noh Hae-min nodded.

Under the wood interior that hadn’t changed for years, only the furniture smelled brand new.

 

“Father sometimes uses furniture he likes at home like this.”

“I see.”

“This one was really changed just recently. It hasn’t been released yet, just a new product made for testing.”

 

No wonder the design seemed unique.

The design that emphasized lines and surfaces while falling softly harmonized with the wood to create a unique atmosphere.

Should I call it a harmony of modern art and tradition.

 

“You said it’s a product that hasn’t been released yet?”

“Yeah. Right, Mom?”

 

Noh Hae-min shouted at the top of his voice as if confirming once more.

 

“What? The furniture?”

“Yeah! Didn’t you say this is something Dad hasn’t released yet?”

“I don’t know~”

 

Her voice from the kitchen now echoed and spread widely, making it hard to hear properly.

Noh Hae-min shrugged and began taking me to every corner of the house.

 

Had he found it amusing?

It was quite interesting in its own way.

 

The opportunity to see unreleased designer furniture directly wasn’t common.

Above all, the design itself was unique and enjoyable to look at.

 

“Ah, this is Dad’s study room.”

 

Is this a hinged door?

As the door opened smoothly, a new space appeared.

 

Beyond the large, round window, a garden bathed in moonlight was reflected.

It was a scene like a single Oriental painting.

 

On the dark wood desk, documents that someone hadn’t finished reading were scattered messily, even spilling onto the ground.

 

“…Come to think of it, you said he collapsed in the study room.”

 

Oh my.

Noh Hae-min sighed and began picking up the documents scattered messily on the ground.

 

“Wait a moment. I’ll clean up quickly… Huh?”

“What is it.”

 

Noh Hae-min’s movement stopped.

He blinked with a bloodless face as if all the blood had drained from his body.

 

“Did you see something strange?”

 

I slowly approached him.

I hate entering someone else’s study room without permission.

His wide-open eyes looked like they would melt from shock at the slightest touch.

 

I approached Noh Hae-min and snatched the paper he was looking at.

 

[The Return of Emotional Design! Viga Furniture Representative Yoon Sang-do, First Award at International Furniture Exhibition]

 

It’s just an article.

 

“What is this…”

 

Ah.

I slowly blinked.

A product with the same design as the display cabinet in one corner of the study room was inserted in the article.

 

And.

 

“…The others too…”

 

Noh Hae-min continued with a trembling voice.

 

“These are new products Father made for testing.”

“…”

“Here, all of these products.”

 

The products that decorated the article, claiming they won awards at the international furniture exhibition.

I slowly examined them as Noh Hae-min pointed.

So all of them.

 

“…I see.”

 

Even to me, a non-expert, they were too similar.

With the prototype products I had seen when entering Noh Hae-min’s house just moments ago.

Every single unique pattern was exactly the same.

 

“…This can’t be.”

 

Noh Hae-min’s eyes were filled with shock.

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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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