Suddenly, a vibrating sound resonated from an indistinct source. Zing, zing—it was a nearby vibration that caught Min-seo’s attention. She turned her gaze to Yi-soo’s pants pocket, realizing that the sound emanated from her phone. Concerned that it might disturb the other patients, Min-seo reluctantly retrieved the device.
Uh…? Yoon Hyun-seong?
Min-seo blinked when she saw the caller ID on the screen—a simple six-letter name, ‘Attorney Yoon Hyun-seong.’ Yi-soo seldom spoke about Hyun-seong, especially at work, where curious ears abounded. She usually kept her private matters under wraps. While they were aware that the two of them were engaged, it left Min-seo wondering why he would call during office hours.
After a moment’s hesitation, Min-seo pressed the green answer button. Just as she was about to greet him, Hyun-seong’s voice reached her ears.
“Prosecutor Seo.”
“Uh… Hello, senior.”
“…Who is this?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Hyun-seong’s tone grew sharper. Min-seo furrowed her brow in confusion. Had she responded too abruptly?
“Um… This is Yi-soo’s phone. Inspector Seo’s phone. She couldn’t answer right now, so I picked it up.”
“Are you in the middle of a trial? Could you tell me your relationship with the owner of this phone?” Hyun-seong asked.
“Ah, I’m a friend of Yi-soo’s from Criminal Division 7. My name is Choi Min-seo… Have you heard of me?”
“…Is your father Prosecutor Choi Hyuk-min?”
He knows, after all. Min-seo nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. They had crossed paths a few times during law school, but it seemed like he had completely forgotten about her existence. Was her presence truly that inconspicuous?
While entertaining these idle thoughts, Min-seo responded, “Yes, we were nearly engaged. I introduced Yi-soo as my senior… but that’s not important right now. Yi-soo collapsed while working. She’s in the emergency room at the moment. I’ll make sure she calls you back when she wakes up.”
“Collapsed? What happened?”
“Oh, it’s nothing serious. It’s vasovagal syncope. The attending physician said she should wake up in an hour or two, so don’t worry,” Min-seo replied nonchalantly, glancing at her wristwatch. However, Yun Hyun-seong didn’t seem entirely convinced.
A low voice emanated from the speaker.
“Where are you, Choi Min-seo?”
***
“A short while ago, Chairman Kwon placed a call, inquiring about the possibility of a meeting tomorrow and seeking to pinpoint the time. He stressed the urgency of the consulting matter and urged us to arrange it at the earliest convenience. …Uh, Attorney Yun Hyun-seong, are you paying attention?”
“Kang, let’s set it for tomorrow morning. I’ll make an early start.”
“What? Did the world turn upside down overnight? It’s not even 4 PM yet, and you’re already planning to leave?”
Tae-jun strolled into the office, adjusting his glasses and knitting his brows. While their official schedule for the day had concluded, there was still a substantial workload pending.
Hyun-seong, who had been quietly engrossed in paperwork, was now packing his briefcase with an unusual sense of urgency. It was evident that he had received an unexpected summons.
“Where on earth are you rushing off to? Did something come up with a client? Get back here immediately!”
“No, it’s regarding Seo Yi-soo.”
“Seo Yi-soo? Inspector Seo? What’s happening? Is she in trouble? Should I go pick her up?” Tae-jun inquired.
“Secretary Kang.” Hyun-seong, now donning his suit jacket, looked up at Tae-jun. A faint sigh escaped his lips. “You’re asking too many questions.”
“No, then start from the beginning and explain properly. You always cut to the chase and complain about too many questions. Just give me a one-sentence summary about Seo Yi-soo. How would I understand?” Tae-jun expressed his disbelief as he brushed aside his front hair. While he didn’t forget that they were in the Yoon & Kang building, his voice instinctively rose.
Clutching his phone and car keys, Hyun-seong brushed past him almost as an afterthought, his furrowed brow signaling the gravity of the situation.
“We’ll talk later. I can’t go into details now,” he hurriedly muttered.
“Alright,” Tae-jun agreed. “Call me once everything’s settled, Attorney Yoon Hyun-seong.”
“Of course.”
With this concise exchange, Hyun-seong swiftly moved forward, his lengthy strides carrying him to the nearest elevator on the 10th floor. As he pressed the button to descend, the floor numbers gradually climbed up to 25.
Collapsed…
Today, the elevator seemed to move at an even more sluggish pace than usual. Hyun-seong winced and rubbed his forehead in frustration.
What could have possibly happened to Seo Yi-soo? The thought of not seeing her face right now was almost unbearable.
After what felt like an eternity, the elevator doors parted on both sides, and Hyun-seong promptly selected the 1st floor. Overwhelming worry and a possessive concern had temporarily paralyzed his rationality.
Hyun-seong stared intently at the LED numbers, as though attempting to absorb them, while he regulated his breathing. Finally, a low, ponderous sigh escaped his parched lips.