Chapter 90

“… Ah, come to think of it, the call came through the company’s phoneli‒..”

The ‘duty’ was received but failed to be fulfilled. Si-Jin’s expression turned fierce like never seen before.

“Then what about the police station?”

“Sorry?”

“Is she at the Songpa police station? Or maybe the nearby district police office?”

“……”

“You didn’t hear about that either?”

These words were the same as berating him “You didn’t even ask that?”. Put in a tight spot, Hyung-Wook nervously brooded over it, when a delightful revelation came to mind.

“…But, then, can you not contact Ms. Na-Yool directly on her cellphone?”

“I can’t, which is why.”

Si-Jin’s answer was brief, but the omitted “if I could, for what crazy reason would I have run back here” subtext was obvious. Or maybe Hyung-Wook just imagined things…

“You can’t?”

Nope, not imagining things. Hyung-Wook had barely replied two words when Si-Jin’s cold expression grew even colder. It was a face that said, “Am I that stupid?”.

“It’s turned off.”

“Aah, she probably switched it off for now. After all, she is being investigated at the police station so having it on is a bit…”

“Alright, forget it. Go to your desk right now and find the contact information.”

“Ah. Understood.”

To begin with, how could Si-Jin be so sure that Na-Yool had called with another phone and not her own phone? Thinking that Si-Jin was probably wrong anyway, Hyung-Wook mindlessly nodded under Si-Jin’s convinced gaze. This type of person was born to order people around. Such being the case, it was better for Hyung-Wook to agree right from the start readily, and then prove to Si-Jin afterward that there was no need for such a request.

Unfortunately, Hyung-Wook had never yet gained a sense of secret victory over Si-Jin.

“You better message it to me before I leave the parking lot.”

Secret victory or not, Hyung-Wook nodded eagerly and started walking ahead of Si-Jin. But then, someone from the opposite side spotted Hyung-Wook and walked over with a bright smile. Of all people, it had to be Seung-Jae, the one man who could not read the room. Hyung-Wook wordlessly shook his head to signal that now was not the moment. Alas, Seung-Jae did not get it and quickly walked up to him.

“Team manager Yoo! I was looking for you.”

Naturally, he did not forget to bow to Si-Jin upon noticing him behind Hyung-Wook.

Hyung-Wook raised his hand to wave him away.

“Seung-Jae, later.”

“I just need a minute. Has Ms. Na-Yool called you? She has not come to work yet, and I have not been told that she would take a leave today. This has never happened before—”

“Fuck off, kid.”

The air stilled in an instant, Seung-Jae struck speechless, while Si-Jin strode through the silent corridor with his long legs. Seung-Jae unconsciously abided by the order and obediently moved aside to let him pass, blinking his eyes with a brain empty of what he wanted to say.

Hyung-Wook and Seung-Jae simultaneously stared at the bone-chilling aura of Si-Jin’s back head. If there was a moment when one’s unspoken mood could instead be even more precise, this was probably it.

“…Did, did I just get cursed at by the President…”

“Just now, I heard him cursing, right?”

They both asked for each other’s confirmation in unison, and an awkward silence carried on for a few minutes. A vague sense of fear and the shock of having their established understanding turned upside down in an instant.

“…The President indeed cursed. 100%.”

“……But why did I get cursed at? Did I bother you a lot? Why? He could have just passed by my side, so why…?”

While Seung-Jae had forgotten all about Na-Yool and stammered in confusion, Hyung-Wook was already busy returning to his seat, leaving him behind.

“Huh? Team manager Yoo!”

“Do it later, later!”

What was the deal with Kim Na-Yool? And what the heck was going on between the two… A strange suspicion began to grow but shaping and solving it will have to wait. Hyung-Wook started running.

Chapter 23 – Killjoy Friday

[TL disclaimer: A lot of legal lingo in this chapter. All you need to understand is that Na-Yool wants to sue Sang-Hoon, but the detective tries to persuade her to somehow forgive him and sign a monetary agreement instead. The nerves!]

“…First, the charge of attempted rape cannot be recognized. You expected it, right?”

“But he did try.”

“Again, that’s not how it works. This is just your, the victim, one-sided suspicion that he intended to drag you into the house and rape you. It can’t be accounted for.”

“But we gave you the evidence, Detective. My friend recorded him saying with his own mouth—”

“These are not enough to charge him with attempted rape. To begin with, the both of you were dating not that long ago. From what is on the recording, it can also be considered that he tried to reach an agreement with you as your former lover—”

“Reach an agreement? By forcefully dragging me, then hitting me out of options?”

Na-Yool snorted, and the old police detective opposite her sighed.

“Obviously, the assailant is absolutely at fault for hitting you. This incident is naturally terrifying and scary from the victim’s point of view, however, as you can see, aren’t there no real consequences?”

“……”

“The law revolves around the outcome. My point is, if you really want to sue him on this basis, the punishment might not be as significant as you currently think. Ultimately, you did not go inside your apartment together, and there’s no evidence that the assailant took off the victim’s clothes or molested her—”

“He got hard and rubbed against my body.”

“…Sorry?”

“Didn’t you hear it in the recording? He got an erection on his own and rubbed it on my body.”

At Na-Yool’s bluntness, the detective’s face, which was almost drowning in fatigue, subtly got tainted with embarrassment.

“…Strictly speaking, this is only a minor sexual assault, so it’s qualitatively different from attempted rape—”

“He said he would strip me in the hallway to screw me until I can’t even lift my face.”

“This is just a threat. Did he actually do it? No.”

Na-Yool bitterly lowered her head to hide her face, where you could read that she would rather just bite her tongue to death than talk to him. She somehow understood why so few women would report. It truly was meaningless. This enlightenment hit her with anger and despair.

“Whether it will just end with scaring me, or will I really get raped… From the perspective of the woman being held captive, how do you expect her to tell the difference?”

“Of course, it’s not that I don’t understand your feelings, Ms. Kim Na-Yool. What I mean is—”

“Besides, the intent was clear, and if my friend hadn’t reported it, I would have been dragged into the house and be done for. He had already snatched my key and opened the door. As soon as I walked in, it would have been the end of me.”

“But it did not happen, did it?”

“……”

“That is the main point. What would happen to this country if everyone got punished for something that did not happen?”

Na-Yool had finished testifying long ago, yet the conversation kept going in circles. From the beginning, she could tell that the detective was indirectly persuading her to settle. Just that he did not say it openly. He did not consider this case a major issue, anyway. After all, they were even ex-lovers, who probably had done all that is done between lovers… He seemed to think it was such a good excuse! And looking into his eyes, Na-Yool could somewhat sense him judging her for making a mountain out of a molehill.

As for her, she was in the middle of fighting each argument back with gritted teeth.

“In that case, Detective, will you help me only once I’ve been raped by him?”

“No, Miss. You can’t say that!”

“That’s how it sounded to me.”

Sarcasm slashed in Na-Yool’s somewhat spiteful tone, and the detective painfully drew on a gentle expression.

“I am wholly speaking from the perspective of the victim. I only mean to point out the best way to handle it. I know right now just hearing the word ‘agreement’ makes your blood boil, but—”

“Yes, it’s boiling. Seems like you can see it.”

“—To begin with, it is difficult to sue him for the charges that you reported. If it was up to us, we want to tune it to your advantage, but this is not how the law works.”