Unlike prosecutors, lawyers often found themselves in different courts depending on their cases, so it wasn’t entirely implausible for her to encounter him at the Southern District Court. However, Hyun-seong couldn’t help but feel uneasy. His brow furrowed subtly, and the ends of his neatly arched eyebrows twitched. Yi-soo’s expression seemed to question why he was reacting this way, and it was clear he was expressing discomfort.
“What’s the matter?” Yi-soo inquired. “Are you not on good terms with him, Attorney Yoon?”
“It seems you don’t know who that man is,” Hyun-seong mumbled.
“Of course, I don’t. I’ve never seen his face, even during law school.”
At that very moment, the traffic light switched from yellow to red. Hyun-seong applied the brake and ran his left hand across his face, a gesture of unease.
“He’s Kang Cheol-min’s son.”
“Ah… He’s the vice-president’s son.”
Was he attempting to exert pressure? Hadn’t there been talk that in Yoon Min-sik’s absence, the vice-president harbored ambitions for the owner’s position? If that were the case, it would explain why Hyun-seong appeared so perturbed by Jin-won.
“He’s quite a character. You didn’t give him your contact information, did you?” Hyun-seong inquired.
“Of course not. I didn’t share my number with him. If he needs it, he’ll find a way…” Yi-soo muttered.
He had mentioned having a colleague in the Detective Division. Given the relatively small legal world, it wouldn’t be overly challenging for professionals to unearth each other’s information. But to label him a “bad guy”… Yi-soo mused with a perplexed expression.
Though she spoke in a volume that could certainly be heard by Hyun-seong’s ears as well.
He didn’t strike me as a bad guy, to be honest. He was polite, well-mannered… His candor was both an asset and a liability. It differed from Hyun-seong’s own straightforwardness; Jin-won’s directness leaned more towards a polite and courteous tone.
It felt like catching a glimpse of someone attempting to win hearts without resorting to flattery. Hyun-seong smoothly transitioned from the brake to the accelerator pedal, and the car continued forward without a hint of hesitation.
“He’s a calculating individual, just like his father. He may appear kind and humane on the surface, but beneath it all, he’s someone who plans every move meticulously,” Hyun-seong asserted.
Although Yi-soo didn’t share any emotional attraction to Jin-won, she found it challenging to completely disagree with Hyun-seong’s assessment. Hyun-seong was not one to make baseless claims. In an attempt to alleviate the increasingly tense atmosphere, Yi-soo playfully raised her shoulders and teased him.
“Could it be that you’re jealous of Attorney Kang?”
“Jealousy?”
“It does sound a little like jealousy.”
Before they realized it, a convenience store near Yi-soo’s residence came into view. They hadn’t even programmed the address into the navigation system, yet they had effortlessly arrived. As Hyun-seong marveled at her sense of direction, he sighed.
“I hope I’m not so lacking as to feel jealousy towards someone like him, Attorney Seo.”
“Your self-esteem is quite high,” Yi-soo quipped.
“I’ve been told I’m good at self-objectivity. Should I drop you off here?”
Hyun-seong parked the car on a side street since Yi-soo’s one-room apartment was tucked away in an alley, making it difficult for the car to navigate further. She nodded and unbuckled her seatbelt.
Just half an hour ago, her mind had been in turmoil. Yet, as she exchanged a few words with him, it was as if her conscience had momentarily faded, like a distant memory. However, it might return to haunt her as she lay alone on her bed.
“Thank you for today. Take care, Attorney Yoon.”
“Seo Yi-soo.”
“Yes?”
As Yi-soo prepared to step out of the car and close the passenger door, she lowered her head slightly and met Hyun-seong’s gaze. He tapped his index finger on the steering wheel and spoke with a serious tone.
“Kang Jin-won, I’m not joking when I say he’s a truly unsavory character. If he acts strangely again next time, contact me immediately.”
“I understand. You’re emphasizing it quite strongly; he must be really bad. I’ll remember that. Goodbye.”
After a casual shrug, Yi-soo shook hands with Hyun-seong. Shortly after, his car vanished from her sight.
The moment she realized he had left, an unexplainable sense of loneliness seeped into Yi-soo’s heart. She was accustomed to a life of solitude, but feeling this lonely without Hyun-seong’s presence was unexpected. When had he become such a significant presence in her life, capable of affecting her like this? The rapid changes in such a short time were astonishing.
I should have just had dinner with him… she lamented, though regret was futile now. Letting out a deep sigh, Yi-soo stood beneath a streetlight. It seemed that autumn had arrived; the evening air was noticeably cooler than it had been a few days ago. Whether it was due to her complicated emotions or the changing temperature was unclear.
It hadn’t even been five minutes since they parted ways, but Yi-soo already missed Yoon Hyun-seong. As she felt the deepening blue melancholy creeping in, Yi-soo raised her head slightly. There was no time to be consumed by these negative emotions.
Suppressing the ever-present stress, she walked toward the entrance of her officetel. Tonight, she promised herself that she would take a long, relaxing bath and get a good night’s sleep.