- And… I hate to say this with sincerity. Journalist, please be careful as well. They are ruthless and persistent individuals. If they find out that you’ve handed over the files, they will harm you too. Avoid trouble as much as possible, even consider going abroad. …Well, it’s a piece of advice.
- Mr. Shin Min-yeol, please don’t do this, and please reconsider once again…
- It’s tomorrow at 11 a.m. I’ll just hand over the USB and part ways. Don’t follow me. I’ll end the call now.
Min-yeol’s notification marked the conclusion of the call. After Yi-soo hung up, she furrowed her brow, contemplating the situation with a grave expression.
Could the modified business card found in Shin Min-yeol’s diary be the reason behind all this? The brief conversation strongly hinted that the secure USB originally belonged to him.
Did Min-yeol gather internal company information and pass it on to Su-jeong, who could expose it to the public? The words echoed in Yi-soo’s mind as she grappled with the unsettling revelation.
He mentioned being threatened… And in the end, both of them were killed.
A lump formed in her throat, and Yi-soo, clenching her lower lip, lowered her gaze to the now darkened screen of her phone.
Min-yeol, with the intention of exposing Yoon & Kang’s secret, succumbed to the ongoing threats, relinquishing his resolve. Instead of completely erasing the file, he entrusted it to journalist Park Su-jeong. Consequently, the USB now found itself in Yi-soo’s possession.
Joo-won’s uneasy testimony, coupled with his recent hesitancy to move freely, suddenly gained unquestionable credibility. The depth of the forces at play in this incident became more apparent than ever.
Yi-soo massaged his temple, concluding his contemplation. Puzzle pieces fell into place, yet the full picture remained elusive. Grasping the complete narrative proved to be a challenging task.
Just as Yi-soo pondered the complexities, the closed bedroom door swung open. Reflexively, she glanced up to identify the person entering.
“Ah… Attorney Yoon.”
“You’re awake. How’s your body feeling?”
“Now that I think about it… I’m not at home.”
It dawned on Yi-soo that she wasn’t in her own house. Before fully processing her surroundings, a call from Ahn Se-young had interrupted her thoughts. Across from her, Hyun-seong was attired in a black shirt and black cotton pants.
Despite his more relaxed appearance, his excellence remained evident. In fact, his current demeanor exuded a more rugged and appealing charm than a full suit with a vest and jacket. Unbuttoning the left shirt button and rolling up his sleeves to the elbows, he took a seat at the edge of the bed, casting a gaze toward Yi-soo.
“I’ve prepared a meal. Shall we eat?”
“Well, I don’t usually get hangovers… I do get tired at times, but it’s not that bad.”
Yi-soo, as if ready to depart, rose from the bed and followed Hyun-seong. Confronting his half-and-half countenance, memories of the previous night flooded back like a storm.
Perhaps it would have been better if the film had completely snapped. A sigh escaped her as she trailed him to the kitchen.
“I’ve made bean sprout soup for now. I’m not sure if it suits your taste, but you need something to kickstart your recovery,” Hyun-seong remarked.
“I’m not drunk…” Yi-soo muttered. “But sure, I’ll eat.”
“Alright. When do you get to enjoy a meal cooked by Seo Yi-soo?”
“I don’t dine out frequently, and I’m not good at regular cooking. At most, it’s ramen or kimchi fried rice…”
Seated at the dining table, Yi-soo directed her gaze downward. In a white ceramic bowl sat a serving of rice accompanied by a bowl of bean sprout soup. Arrayed alongside were side dishes of spinach and bean paste, along with braised tofu.
Catching Hyun-seong’s gaze fixated on her for no apparent reason, she softly uttered her gratitude while raising a spoon, “Thank you for this meal.”
Beginning with a sip of the bean sprout soup, which contained finely chopped green onions, a warm and paradoxically refreshing sensation enveloped her as she swallowed the clear broth, imparting a comforting heat to her body.
Using chopsticks to pick up bean sprouts from the soup, Yi-soo, typically not one to be shy, found herself locking eyes with Hyun-seong, who observed her intently. Although she prided herself on usually handling emotions with ease, in his presence, a sense of unease crept in. The intensity of his wordless gaze made her feel strangely self-conscious.
“…This is delicious. By the way, if you’ve got something on your mind, spill it out. Quit staring like that without saying anything.”
“Doesn’t Prosecutor Seo have more to share than me? You’re not going to claim you’ve completely forgotten about yesterday’s incident, are you?”
“…True. I haven’t forgotten everything, of course. I don’t usually indulge in much drinking, but for some reason, I felt the urge for a drink yesterday. I apologize for calling you while you were working,” Yi-soo expressed regret.
“That’s not what I want to hear, Seo Yi-soo.”