The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 98

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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 98

 

 

Master craftsman Noh Jung-do.

 

He was famous for his unique patterns created by skillfully combining traditional and modern art.

I remembered him from an interview he once gave as a judge at an International Craft Exhibition.

 

“…That person is really your grandfather, Senior?”

“Yeah.”

 

Do they look alike?

I can’t tell.

 

Among the materials Noh Hae-min had stacked up, Master craftsman Noh Jung-do, who was supposedly his grandfather, was smiling with a calm expression.

 

[Beyond technique, dreaming of harmony between past, present, and future generations….]

 

Noh Hae-min’s gaze, which had lingered on Master craftsman Noh Jung-do’s interview photo for a moment, slowly reached me.

 

“Tae-hyun.”

“What is it, Senior.”

“…I’m absolutely not going to let this slide.”

 

Has he finally made up his mind to do something?

As I silently looked at him, Noh Hae-min added with a voice that had somehow become firm.

The person who seemed like he would fall apart from the surging sense of betrayal was no longer there.

 

“Father even collapsed because of this.”

“…That’s right.”

 

This change was even surprising.

It was an expression I thought I would never see from Noh Hae-min.

 

He’s been surprising people continuously since yesterday.

Past Noh Hae-min, Manager Yoon Ha-young’s gaze reached me.

 

She seems worried too, doesn’t she?

 

“Whatever circumstances Uncle Yoon had, I will definitely find out.”

“…That side?”

 

I thought he would immediately talk about revenge.

Well, it would be strange for Noh Hae-min to say something like that.

 

“Yeah. First I’ll listen, then I’ll definitely make him apologize to Father.”

“And then?”

“…More?”

 

It would be nice if everything could end with apologies and forgiveness, but there are situations where that’s not possible.

For instance, wouldn’t this be like a necessary preventive shot for Noh Hae-min?

 

I slowly opened my mouth.

 

“What if Yoon Sang-do’s actions were intended to damage Wooa Furniture’s reputation or harm your father, Senior?”

 

Usually that’s the case, isn’t it?

It’s something you can’t pretend not to know even if you want to.

If we keep digging into this matter, it might become a fact that Noh Hae-min will inevitably have to face as well.

 

“…Then….”

“Tell me. What would you do? Could it just end with an apology?”

“…Demand… corresponding… compensation….”

“Good.”

 

Lawyers follow their clients’ decisions anyway.

Though this case was ambiguous to consider as a formal request.

Most importantly, what mattered most was the opinion of Noh Hae-min’s father, the Representative of Wooa Furniture.

 

“…Yeah.”

“In life, there are days when friends become enemies. Senior.”

 

Noh Hae-min, Sung Tae-hyun, and Manager Yoon Ha-young were still young.

They were infinitely younger compared to me.

 

And.

 

“You need to know how to let them go too.”

 

That was advice for Noh Hae-min, who seemed infinitely young, but it was also something I was saying to myself.

 

“…Why are you talking like a Law School professor….”

“Maybe being a professor is my calling.”

“….”

“Anyway, if we let this slide with good intentions, there might be similar victims again.”

“…Right.”

 

Moreover, the design that Yoon Sang-do copied in this case was Master craftsman Noh Jung-do’s unique pattern.

It also meant that the chances of winning if it went to litigation had increased somewhat.

 

“…Let’s organize the materials first and request an assessment from a patent law firm.”

 

Design isn’t my area of expertise anyway.

So we needed to send everything – Biga Furniture’s design, Wooa Furniture’s design, and Master craftsman Noh Jung-do’s original creative patterns that became the basis for Wooa Furniture’s design – to get an assessment first.

 

Once the assessment was complete, we could compile the evidence and choose between blackmail, negotiation, or litigation against Biga Furniture.

 

“Yeah, got it.”

“And Senior, how much do you know about Wooa Furniture?”

“…Father’s company?”

 

Noh Hae-min wore a troubled expression.

That phrase from Sung Tae-hyun’s diary yesterday – […All betrayals are bound to leave traces.] – was bothering me.

 

No matter how much Noh Hae-min knew, he probably didn’t know everything about his father’s company.

 

“Hmm… I’m not really sure. Father just changes the furniture at home occasionally?”

 

As expected.

 

“I understand. When Representative Roh Tae-sung is available for visits, I think we should request an interview within the company.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

“Then let’s call it a day and go home.”

“…?”

 

As if I had made an unexpected statement, Noh Hae-min froze for a moment.

 

“Go home? I just got to work.”

“Yes. Anyway, there’s nothing to do right now-“

 

Section Chief Yoon Ha-young chimed in with perfect timing.

 

“There isn’t. The consultation cases that were scheduled for Lawyer Noh Hae-min have already been processed and delivered to the clients.”

“You heard her? Senior, go home.”

 

Something tearful began to well up again in his eyes as he looked back and forth between me and Section Chief Yoon Ha-young.

 

We desperately avoided that gaze.

Eventually, Noh Hae-min grabbed the coat I had practically thrown at him and began putting it on.

 

“Hehe, thank you.”

“That’s disgusting, Senior.”

 

Did he catch something weird from Lee Seol-rok?

 

Section Chief Yoon didn’t even bother to respond anymore.

The office was peaceful as always.

 

“The hospital is nearby too. Besides, Senior, you can’t concentrate on work right now anyway.”

 

Just as Noh Hae-min was being pushed toward the front door, Section Chief Yoon Ha-young’s voice followed.

 

“Lawyer Noh Hae-min.”

“…Huh? What is it?”

“I thought you might not have seen it.”

 

She picked up a white envelope that had been placed on Noh Hae-min’s desk and held it out to him.

 

I see.

Noh Hae-min had been so busy putting documents on the table in the middle of the office as soon as he arrived that he hadn’t even made it to his own desk.

 

“This.”

“…!”

 

That envelope contained consolation money that Section Chief Yoon Ha-young and I had pooled together after contacting Ho-shin Senior last night.

Of course, everyone knew how well-off his family was.

We also knew that the amount we had collected would be nothing more than pocket change to Noh Hae-min.

 

So this was ultimately about the sentiment.

It was also a way to let him know that he wasn’t alone during his most difficult time.

 

“…Section Chief Yoon…”

 

Oh no, Noh Hae-min’s voice was trailing off.

He spread his arms as if trying to embrace both of us at once.

 

But we hadn’t accumulated all that experience for nothing.

 

When Section Chief Yoon Ha-young and I skillfully dodged and split to either side,

he let out a hollow laugh but answered brightly.

 

“Thank you all, really.”

“It’s nothing.”

 

Section Chief Yoon Ha-young’s brief response followed again, and I rubbed my arms, which were starting to get goosebumps, as I opened the front door.

 

“Go on, Senior.”

“…I can never tell if you’re warm or cold…”

“Go and rest well.”

“…Hot bath, cold bath, hot bath, cold bath. Is that what this is?”

“Oh, you do need to come to work tomorrow.”

 

The door closed.

 

* * *

 

And now.

 

“…Biga Furniture International Furniture Exhibition Award Commemoration… This is the right place.”

 

I finished parking near the showroom on the first floor of the Biga Furniture headquarters building.

 

This was after I had left Section Chief Yoon Ha-young to handle contacting the patent law firm.

Biga Furniture’s recent award wasn’t a topic that attracted public attention.

As a result, it was only known to people who were already interested in furniture design.

 

The information that Section Chief Yoon Ha-young and I found through our searches wasn’t much either.

It was just Biga Furniture’s award details, the furniture line that won the award, and an interview with Biga Furniture’s representative Yoon Sang-do.

 

“Biga Furniture headquarters is currently holding a special exhibition to commemorate the award.”

 

Without Noh Hae-min around, there was no need to hesitate.

I came straight to Biga Furniture Headquarters with the address that Manager Yoon Ha-young had given me.

 

“Welcome.”

 

It was an entirely white exhibition hall.

 

The first floor landscape surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass was impressive enough to match the title of being Wooa Furniture’s competitor.

The pine trees elegantly planted in front of the headquarters building also added natural charm.

 

“I heard there’s a special exhibition, so I came.”

 

Perhaps because it was an awkward time, there were no people around.

 

At a glance, Biga Furniture’s exhibition hall didn’t place furniture as part of a house or office.

Instead, the space allocated to each piece of furniture was staged as if it existed solely for that one piece.

 

Here, furniture wasn’t the background but the subject of the space.

It was a clever arrangement, as if emphasizing the premium line, making anyone who ‘purchased’ this feel the pride of owning a work of art.

 

“Ah, yes, that’s correct.”

 

A calm-looking employee greeted me and approached.

Even this employee seemed part of the staging, wearing a white suit that perfectly matched the space.

 

“Could I hear some explanation about this award-winning work?”

“Of course. Please, come this way.”

 

But it’s not Yoon Sang-do.

According to the information Manager Yoon Ha-young gave me, Yoon Sang-do should be stationed at this exhibition.

 

Should I probe a bit?

I naturally altered my path and asked the employee who was leading me to the first piece.

 

“This award-winning work seems a bit different in style from Biga Furniture’s previous pieces.”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s a new work that our representative developed over several years.”

 

He began answering smoothly.

 

“The characteristic is a modern reinterpretation of traditional carving techniques. It’s no exaggeration to say that this table in the center is the heart of this line, given how much effort was put into it.”

“I see. It’s certainly beautiful.”

“Exactly! The surface shines smoothly under any lighting, but it’s never glaring. Would you like to take a closer look from this side?”

 

It was that table I had seen at Noh Hae-min’s house.

 

The 8-person dining table.

The man changed the pre-installed lighting this way and that, illuminating it.

 

While he continued his explanation, I looked at the name tag on his chest.

 

‘Lee Jin-seop.’

 

An unfamiliar name.

After following his explanation around the exhibition hall for quite a while, I asked as if something had just occurred to me.

 

“Actually, I was hoping to meet Representative Yoon Sang-do, who directly developed this furniture line for this exhibition.”

“Ah, I see.”

 

The employee, Lee Jin-seop, answered with a gentle smile.

 

“Our representative is of course stationed here during the exhibition. However, this morning he had some personal matters come up…”

 

The employee’s words trailed off.

 

Personal matters came up? Well.

Personal matters that suddenly arose, preventing him from attending to customers at a pre-scheduled special exhibition.

 

Only one thing comes to mind.

He must have heard the news that Wooa Furniture’s Representative Roh Tae-sung collapsed yesterday.

 

If he really was a close friend of Roh Tae-sung as Noh Hae-min said, and had received help from him several times, he might have been somewhat shocked.

He would naturally know that what I did was the cause.

 

Humans are this complex.

 

“I see. That’s unfortunate.”

“Yes…”

 

Nevertheless, Lee Jin-seop faithfully fulfilled his role.

After finally completing a full tour of the exhibition hall, I pointed to a storage cabinet I had already spotted earlier.

 

“I’ll order that one.”

 

It was a storage cabinet with a sliding structure using grooves instead of handles.

It could be used for display or storage, and its size was just right for placing in an office.

 

“Ah, that’s truly an excellent choice. It’s like the pride of our Biga Furniture. This signature pattern is also most beautifully expressed in it.”

 

Lee Jin-seop immediately responded and led me to the reception table in front of the exhibition hall.

 

“Now, please write your name, address, and phone number here… Ah, how would you like to handle the payment?”

 

The price is a bit expensive.

 

I had no interest in this kind of furniture, so I didn’t know.

I couldn’t tell how many zeros were added to the price of one small storage cabinet.

 

I took out my corporate card and handed it to him.

 

“Lump sum payment.”

“Thank you, customer.”

 

The employee’s eyes gleamed with enthusiasm.

 

It was a sample purchase for evidence collection anyway.

I also wrote down the office address on the customer card information.

 

[Seoul ■■ District ■■-dong ■■■-■■, Second Floor. Law Firm Ilchul. Attorney Sung Tae-hyun.]

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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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