Chapter 18 – There are Many Problems with Her Character

Jeong Geum-hui was half-doubting.

However, since there was not a single attorney willing to take a lawsuit against Gankyeok, she ultimately decided to entrust the case to Geum Nae-yeong.

Once Jeong Geum-hui’s consultation ended, Attorney Seong Seok-ju looked at Geum Nae-yeong, who immediately began writing the case documents, and tilted his head.

“By the way, Attorney Geum, why do you take such troublesome cases? Even if you won one, Law Firm Gankyeok is not an easy place. Actually, isn’t it a fight between David and Goliath?”

To Seong Seok-ju, who asked with an inquisitive expression, Geum Nae-yeong answered expressionlessly.

“To compare to David and Goliath… since I am much closer to Goliath. In terms of probability, the chance of winning is over 80%.”

“…Pardon? Aren’t you David, Attorney Geum…?”

“In terms of intellectual superiority, I am Goliath. In a field where skill rules everything, how many lawyers a law firm has is not essentially important.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s answer was unexpected to Seong Seok-ju, who asked back in bewilderment.

Moreover, Geum Nae-yeong’s interpretation was flowing in a completely different dimension.

“David will have to try desperately. To defeat a Goliath with high intelligence like me.

But Goliath won’t stay still in the meantime either. If a Goliath who is already in an overwhelmingly superior position tries harder, the probability of David winning will decrease noticeably.”

The words sounded plausible, but it was a strange logic somewhere.

‘Indeed, communication doesn’t work…’ Seong Seok-ju let out a light sigh and looked back at the documents he was reviewing.

It was then.

Office Manager Ju Yong-hae opened the office door slightly and poked his head out carefully.

“Attorney?”

“Yes?”

“Um… another client against Gankyeok has come. Would you be able to consult?”

“Ah, really? I can.”

Beyond a face showing worry, Office Manager Ju Yong-hae said with an expression of having given up on everything now.

“But… it is not just one person, there are about ten people.”

“Ten people? Then guide them to be consulted one by one.”

Hearing the talk, Seong Seok-ju shook his head.

‘…Ten consultation cases against Gankyeok? Is he in his right mind… Gankyeok is a law firm that, even if only one case is entangled, suppresses and defeats the opponent by any dirty means, to the point of being terribly ill-mannered…’

His worries deepened. Did Geum Nae-yeong even know what kind of crisis he was in.

But whether Geum Nae-yeong knew Seong Seok-ju’s feelings or not, he wore his usual cold smile and peacefully continued the litigation consultations.

***

A few days later, lunch hour.

In the consultation room, Director Kim Mi-yeong, Ha-yul, and today even Assistant Manager Kim joined together to eat lunch.

“Assistant Manager Kim, what’s up? You didn’t go out to buy lunch?”

“I ate ramen yesterday too, and I don’t want to eat it again… the price of food is also too expensive, so sometimes I just want to pack and eat. Ah, Cha Ra-ri-ssi praised that the Director’s side dishes are delicious?”

“Really? Indeed, the price of food in Seocho-dong is truly no joke. Even gimbap at a snack bar costs seven to eight thousand won.”

Director Kim Mi-yeong shook her head. Assistant Manager Kim said a word to Ha-yul, who was rummaging through the side dishes.

“By the way, Ha-yul, why do you eat lunch here? Won’t you get scolded by your teacher if you don’t eat school lunch?

If we went out to eat other things during lunch hour back in our days, we really got beaten up a lot.”

“Huh? Why would the teacher beat me up just because I go out to eat?”

“Hey, don’t you get scolded if you play hooky?”

“What is playing hooky? Anyway, to eat school lunch you have to stand in line, and there are tons of kids who spill rice and kids whom you can’t communicate with, so it’s tiring. That’s why I told Mom I would eat here and go.”

“Really? You are quite unique.”

“And today, the handsome attorney oppa, Geum Nae-yeong, said he would teach me how to study. Eating, studying, completely a huge gain.”

“Studying? What studying?”

Ha-yul’s mother, Director Kim Mi-yeong, asked back.

“Daddy said if I want to go to the K-pop dance academy, I have to get all 8th grade. So I asked the attorney oppa to teach me how to study well, and he told me to bring books.”

“Oh my, really? Oh, my daughter did really well.”

Director Kim Mi-yeong felt excited at the thought that an attorney who graduated from Hankook University was teaching her daughter study methods for free and doing 1:1 tutoring.

‘My daughter is only bad at studying but she is smart? To get a tutor, those from Hankook University are expensive and hard to find, but Attorney Geum is teaching her directly… awesome.

Since he is from Hankook University, there is nothing he can’t do in all subjects, right?’

Ha-yul grinned at her mother’s proud hand stroking her head.

Creak..

At that moment, the consultation room door opened powerlessly.

“Ugh… I’m dying.”

Office Manager Ju Yong-hae trudged in powerlessly, with dark circles hanging under his eyes.

Being happy about the high salary was only for a moment; due to the collaboration of Geum Nae-yeong and Cha Ra-ri, the amount of documents and work to handle had become terrifyingly large.

“Office Manager, come quick. You haven’t even eaten lunch, right? The consultations were massive in the morning too.”

“Sigh… don’t even talk. I was happy that the salary was high… I thought if I taught Cha Ra-ri-ssi, although she has no experience, the hands would be less and it would be comfortable… but she keeps bringing in cases…”

Having no appetite at all, Office Manager Ju Yong-hae poured water into his rice, put a pickled perilla leaf on a spoonful of rice, and barely managed to take a bite.

“But why are there so many consultations?”

“It seems Cha Ra-ri-ssi is possessed by a ghost that died from not being able to accept cases. Once she goes out, she brings back a bunch of cases. And all of them are Gankyeok cases.

Is that a small law firm? It is a law firm counted among the top in our country, but she seems to bring in every single case of Gankyeok’s opponents.”

“Really? Where does she bring them from so well?”

“I don’t know. Since she is rarely at her seat, I couldn’t even ask.”

Ha-yul, who was watching the listless Office Manager Ju, asked.

“Daddy, if I get 8th grade this time, you’ll send me to the dance academy, right?”

At his daughter’s words, Office Manager Ju nodded.

“Yeah, my daughter… do whatever you want, whether dance or whatever. Daddy is so busy right now he doesn’t even have time to spend money. I’ll earn and let my daughter do everything she wants.”

His daughter put a sausage in her mouth and smiled widely, and hearing that, Director Kim Mi-yeong subtly pushed the beef jangjorim side dish in front of Office Manager Ju.

So lunch hour passed.

As soon as it became 1:00 PM, Geum Nae-yeong came out of his office holding documents and spoke to Ju Yong-hae.

“Office Manager Ju, I will go to Jeong Geum-hui-ssi’s defamation case. Since there is a witness questioning today. I will be a bit late, so please schedule consultations after 5:00 PM.”

“Yes, understood.”

Having given the instruction and packing the trial documents to leave, Geum Nae-yeong turned his steps back into the office as if he thought of something.

“Office Manager Ju, you are very busy lately, right? Since Cha Ra-ri-ssi is rarely at her seat and is also unskilled at work…”

“Ah, yes… well…”

When Office Manager Ju Yong-hae answered evasively, Geum Nae-yeong wore his chilling smile.

‘Civil Act Article 105, matters agreed upon by the parties are respected even by law.’

“Employee Seong Tae-gyu, teach him the work starting today and make him organize the documents.”

“Pardon? Seong… Tae-gyu-ssi?”

“Yes. Since he is my brother. Think of it comfortably as teaching a child who knows nothing, and you can assign all kinds of tasks to him.”

Then he turned his head, made eye contact with Seong Tae-gyu, and added.

“Tae-gyu brother. Since we have many new cases entering, organize all the case envelopes and materials in order. While I am away at the trial.”

Finishing his words simply, Geum Nae-yeong walked out of the office without even listening to the answer.

The remaining staff’s eyes focused on Seong Tae-gyu simultaneously.

“…Damn it, seriously… that bastard…”

Hot anger welled up inside Seong Tae-gyu.

Moreover, unlike his brother, he had one more deficit.

It was the fact that he did not write a set period in the agreement stating ‘calls Geum Nae-yeong Hyungnim’.

***

Seoul District Court, Criminal Courtroom 203.

The prosecution’s witness questioning in Jeong Geum-hui-ssi’s case was in full swing.

“What was the witness’s relationship with Jeong Geum-hui-ssi?”

“She is a high school classmate and neighborhood friend. We’ve been close for over 30 years.”

“On September 12th, did you meet the defendant Jeong Geum-hui-ssi at a coffee shop?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Please tell us the conversation you shared that day.”

Oh Yeong-ja opened her mouth with a blunt face.

“…That day, among this and that talk, the story of Gong Chun-hui, who is receiving trial for violating the election law, came up. I said ‘No way, the opposing candidate framed her,’ but Jeong Geum-hui said in a loud voice:

‘Since Gong Chun-hui’s usual behavior is not good, that’s why such rumors are circulating.’”

Jeong Geum-hui stood up and shouted.

“You! Why are you telling stories that don’t exist! When did I ever say such words!”

But Oh Yeong-ja did not blink an eye.

“Defendant! Be careful.”

At the judge’s warning, Jeong Geum-hui turned red, crying in her grievance.

“Witness. What does ‘behavior is not good’ mean?”

At the prosecutor’s question, Oh Yeong-ja replied with a cold attitude.

“She said Gong Chun-hui originally had a complicated relationship with men, wagged her tail here and there, and her behavior was not very good.”

“That is all.”

The prosecutor sat down with a confident smile.

It was Geum Nae-yeong’s turn.

The cross-examination began with his usual calm expressionlessness.

“Oh Yeong-ja-ssi, you remember the incident in the past when the defendant Jeong Geum-hui-ssi diverted the savings club money at her discretion, right?”

“Yes, I remember.”

At the story Geum Nae-yeong brought up, Jeong Geum-hui was momentarily flustered and seized with anxiety.

‘Why… why does he bring up my savings club money story? It’s not even related to the case…?’

“At the time, Jeong Geum-hui-ssi, who was the club leader, took out the money saying it was her own circumstance, and eventually the club broke, causing damage to other club members, right?”

“That’s right. Everyone was struggling, but she spent the money because she was in a hurry.”

“Whose turn was it originally at the time?”

“…It was mine. My husband had a chronic illness and we were trying to go to a large hospital, but she said her daughter was sick…”

Tears welled up in Oh Yeong-ja’s eyes.

“Your trust in Jeong Geum-hui-ssi must have been broken.”

“…Yes. It was beyond words. A few years after that, my husband died.”

At Oh Yeong-ja’s testimony, the air in the courtroom sank heavily.

“Even after that, the defendant did not fill in the money, but came out to the alumni association, ate meals, and talked and laughed without caring at all, right?”

“Of course. If Jeong Geum-hui had repaid the money, I would have forgiven her. But she didn’t put the money in and went around as if nothing happened. Sometimes she even talked about widows in front of me as a joke.”

“Destroying a family and having a ruined character… she is a brazen person.”

At Geum Nae-yeong’s words, Oh Yeong-ja nodded vigorously.

“Of course. There are many problems with her character. That’s why she also badmouths Gong Chun-hui.”

Looking at Geum Nae-yeong questioning the witness, Jeong Geum-hui’s face collapsed in despair.

“I knew it would be like this… where is a lawyer who defends you for only one hundred thousand won… it’s my fault for believing a person who gave me a business card with a drink on Seocho-dong street…”

Her legs lost strength, and she slumped down on the spot.

At that moment,

Attorney Han Si-hun of Gankyeok, the complainant’s attorney who was in the gallery, suddenly stiffened as if he realized Geum Nae-yeong’s move.

He quickly raised his hand slightly as if telling Oh Yeong-ja not to answer, urgently making hand signals, opening his mouth wide, and speaking with exaggerated silent mouth shapes.

‘No, no! Leading question, absolutely do not answer.’

But Oh Yeong-ja did not notice at all.

“If the crime of Jeong Geum-hui-ssi diverting the savings club money at her discretion at the time is examined, it corresponds to embezzlement. If it is possible to have Jeong Geum-hui-ssi punished for embezzlement even now, do you have the intention to file a complaint?”

Oh Yeong-ja on the witness stand answers without hesitation.

“…Yes, if possible, it would be good to punish her.”