Chapter 74 – Not the Sixth Sense, but the Seventh or Eighth Sense

When Noh Eun-jae said she would present a psychopath test in the form of a psychological quiz, the panels focused simultaneously.

“Now, then, I will give you the question.

You entered the bathroom in your house.

You looked in the mirror, but for some reason, you disliked it very much.

What is the reason?”

The studio went quiet for a moment.

While the panels and the couple pondered seriously, the lights dimmed slightly, and the camera captured their faces one by one.

Among the couple who appeared today, the husband opened his mouth first.

“Hmm… because of my angry facial expression.”

The wife followed immediately.

“Because I look too ugly?”

The comedian panel said with a laugh.

“Because I feel like I’ve gained a bit of weight compared to before?”

Noh Eun-jae nodded and smiled.

“Good, they are all natural answers that reflect yourselves.”

Now, it was the last turn.

The camera aimed at Geum Nae-yeong.

He said briefly without his expression changing for a moment.

“Because the bathroom mirror is not clean.”

The studio was silent.

Noh Eun-jae hesitated slightly, but soon regained her smile and spoke.

“Ah, yes… well, that’s a very realistic answer.

As expected of the cold-headed attorney. Haha.”

After Noh Eun-jae’s comment, the video played again.

She looked at Geum Nae-yeong with a subtle expression, then proceeded with the recording without adding any further words.

The recording of ‘Noh Eun-jae’s Couple Counseling’ concluded with the couple, who received counseling on the program, acknowledging each other’s faults and finding clues to reconciliation.

After all the recording was finished, Dr. Noh Eun-jae approached Geum Nae-yeong and spoke to him.

“Attorney Geum, thank you for your hard work on today’s broadcast.”

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work too, Doctor.”

Noh Eun-jae looked at Geum Nae-yeong and spoke.

“Although I cannot judge you hastily, Attorney, I definitely want to tell you this.

…Just because someone is a psychopath doesn’t mean they all become antisocial figures.”

Geum Nae-yeong looked at Noh Eun-jae expressionlessly.

“……”

“There is a brain science theory called the ‘Three-Legged Chair Theory.’

Decreased brain function, a mutated gene, and experiences of neglect or abuse at home.

It is a theory that when these three factors exert influence, a psychopath causes problems in society.

In conclusion, even if one has psychopathic tendencies, if parents raise their child with sincere interest and care in a good environment,

that child can fully grow into a fine member of society and contribute to it.

In that sense, your parents are truly wonderful people, Attorney.”

And Noh Eun-jae added one more word.

“I think you will become an even better attorney in the future. I will root for you.”

Hearing Noh Eun-jae’s words, Geum Nae-yeong fell into thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Thank you.”

***

Sometime later.

“Older sister my foot! Go to the washing well and do laundry.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s mother was watching ‘Noh Eun-jae’s Couple Counseling,’ where her son was said to appear, intently.

“But why did our Nae-yeong only appear briefly at the beginning and then stop showing up? Will he appear a lot in the latter part?”

At that moment, the shop door opened and Geum Nae-yeong entered.

“Oh, Nae-yeong, you’re here? You’re late today.”

“Yes, I had quite a lot of work.”

“Mom stir-fried some spicy pork separately. It turned out even tastier and better stir-fried today of all days. Try it.”

He wrapped a mouthful of the stir-fried pork, which had glistening chili oil and was sprinkled with savory sesame seeds, in a wrap and put it in his mouth.

The smoky aroma brushed the tip of his nose, and the spicy flavor stimulated his appetite.

His mother watched her son eating delicious food with satisfaction, and then opened her mouth as if suddenly remembering something.

“Oh, Nae-yeong. Since our shop is doing well, the building owner asked to raise the monthly rent.”

“Rent? By how much?”

“They want 1.5 million won more than now.”

“1.5 million won?”

His chopsticks paused for a moment.

“That is a violation of the Commercial Building Lease Protection Act.

The landlord can raise the rent only when the converted deposit exceeds 900 million won.

Since the law doesn’t apply in that case, they might raise it by more than 5% according to the surrounding market rates.

However, if the converted deposit is 900 million won or less like ours, there is a legal ceiling, so they cannot raise it by more than 5%. Exceeding that is illegal.”

“Right? Then we don’t have to raise it for them, correct?”

“Yes. If you give me their contact information, I’ll call and handle it.”

“No. I also thought it was strange and asked. ‘Isn’t this a sudden, nonsensical increase?’ And do you know what the owner said?

He told me to get out if I didn’t like it. My goodness, it’s so absurd.”

His mother shook her head and said.

“So I cut him off and said, ‘Our son is a lawyer who graduated from Hankook University, so I’ll ask him.’ Then he suddenly hesitated and shut his mouth.

That man must have known you were a lawyer when we signed the contract… I wonder if he forgot in the meantime. Isn’t he funny?”

At his mother’s words, Geum Nae-yeong fell into thought for a moment.

“Sigh, this kind of thing hasn’t happened just once or twice.

Someone from the district office came because of a sewer problem and brought up a fine, so I told him it wasn’t our fault, you know?”

But that man insisted until the end.

So I said it again.

‘Our son is a lawyer who graduated from Hankook University. If you talk nonsense for no reason, I will ask my son and file a lawsuit!’

Then he became quiet. Hohoho.

Should I just write it and post it on the shop door in the future?

Like this: ‘Our son is a lawyer. Nonsensical bullshit is forbidden.’ Hohoho!

You have no idea how proud I am because of you, Nae-yeong.”

His mother smiled and placed more spicy pork on Geum Nae-yeong’s spoon.

“Where is Dad?”

“Ah. That too, oh dear, do you know how absurd it is?

Just because the weather got a bit cold and Eun-yeong coughed a little, he went to a pet supply store saying he must buy and dress him in a thick dog coat immediately.

Once he made a huge fuss not to even bring him into the house because of allergies…”

Geum Nae-yeong quietly listened to all of his mother’s stories, then put down his spoon.

“Ah. I have to go back to the office. Please pack up the shop later and go home with Father.”

“Oh dear, why not go together by car?”

“There’s something I need to check by tomorrow, and some materials are supposed to arrive. I’ll just check them and take a taxi.”

Geum Nae-yeong left the shop in a hurry.

Before closing the door, he looked back for a moment.

His mother was waving her hand from inside the shop.

Geum Nae-yeong looked at her hand gesture, then nodded slowly.

***

Bzzzt. Whirrr, whirrr.

Click, clack.

“Ah, it’s too slow. Can’t you do it faster?”

“Just a moment, please. If I give it to you right away, the barcode might smudge.”

“Ha… it’s frustrating. Why does a young person have such poor work sense? Is there a problem with your intelligence…

Knowing that people like us, whose time is money, are attending. Then shouldn’t you have printed them out in advance?”

When Cha Ra-ri handed over the completed pass, the neatly dressed woman snatched it and hung it around her neck.

And then she changed her expression in an instant, and headed to the event venue with an extremely benevolent smile.

“Oh my, Dean. It’s been a really long time. You’ve become even younger in the meantime!”

Watching that, Cha Ra-ri muttered bitterly.

“Really, her attitude is completely polar depending on the person.”

Today, Cha Ra-ri was working part-time at the annual symposium of a science society.

It was a job she had applied for without much thought, but it was quite exhausting since it had been a while.

‘Sigh… Daily wage of 150,000 won. I should have come to my senses when I was making good money. But what can I do? You have to take responsibility for what you started…’

Tap, tap.

“Miss, what are you doing? Aren’t you giving me the pass quickly?”

While sorting out her thoughts, another voice mixed with annoyance flew at Cha Ra-ri.

“Could you show me your ID or invitation?”

“Sigh… Why the ID? Who do you think you are to ask for my information?”

“To enter here, identification is—”

“Well, this is absurd. You don’t know who I am? You’re a part-timer from the agency, right? I am an awardee here today. Last year, I received the ‘Ediar Science Award.'”

“Yes, well… but still, my job is to check identification, so in any case…”

“Hey, who do you think you are?”

“Pardon?”

“What is it with you talking back continuously? I just told you who I am! If you don’t know, read Science magazine once in a while!

Sigh… Since your head is empty, you must be printing things like this here…”

Plop.

The man took his ID out of his wallet and threw it on the table.

Cha Ra-ri’s face stiffened.

If this place were ‘Teum’… Attorney Geum would have already stepped in to repel the nuisance. With a blunt yet unshakeable posture.

Or Office Manager Ju Yong-hae would have smiled with the friendliest expression in the world and slipped that person into the consultation room.

Suddenly, she missed Teum.

“Here it is.”

“Do your job properly!”

He made a final comment while snatching the name tag.

‘Sigh… I can’t do this.’

Even so, Cha Ra-ri said to herself.

‘Get a grip, Cha Ra-ri. You’re a woman who does what she sets her mind to.

Even the geomancer teacher, who was famous for not accepting disciples, eventually opened his heart to your friendliness.

So, live even harder from now on.

Fighting.’

Having composed her mind like that, Cha Ra-ri glanced at the man who had just taken the pass once more.

At that moment, the agency president approached.

“Did you say your name is Cha Ra-ri?”

“Yes, Boss.”

“You seem to be the type to zone out while working. How can our clients be satisfied with that? Smile a bit more. Brightly.”

“Yes. I am currently wearing a service smile… but if you demand me to smile more, it could constitute coercion. Under labor law…”

“What did you say? Ah… you said you worked in a legal office or something, right?

You’re an incredibly tiring style. Then go to the back and organize the luggage. Since this is the front desk, we don’t really like people who can’t smile and manage their expressions.”

“Yes…”

Moved to a harder position, Cha Ra-ri thought while organizing the IDs that people had thrown around.

Although Geum Nae-yeong’s personality was a bit strange, he at least treated employees as equal human beings.

He was fair in every aspect, and there were standards in the words he spoke.

While working at Teum, she had achieved one of the items on her life bucket list that she had thought was impossible.

Was it because of that?

She developed the confidence that she could do anything, and the dream she had forgotten came to mind again.

Only then did Cha Ra-ri realize.

how good of a boss and colleagues she had worked with.

***

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Ju Yong-hae was holding the receiver and making a phone call somewhere.

“Sigh… That’s really strange. Why isn’t he answering the phone? Is he ignoring it on purpose?”

I did exactly as Attorney Geum instructed… but there’s been no contact since. …No, I should look into it.”

Ju Yong-hae put down the office phone, picked up his cell phone, and soon dialed somewhere.

“Hey, Yang Ho-cheol! How are you?”

“Huh? Ju Yong-hae? It’s been so long, what’s up? What, do you have news of remarriage or something? Haha.”

“What remarriage… Anyway, why is everyone so busy teasing me? Haha.”

After a conversation mixed with laughter went back and forth for a moment, Ju Yong-hae’s voice lowered slightly.

“Hey, let me ask you something. Do you happen to know Kim Ae-ri? Looking at her resume, she was from there.”

“Kim Ae-ri?… Wait, is it by any chance that Kim Ae-ri? Did you hire a new employee?”

“Yeah. I guess you know her?”

“….Sigh…”

“Why, what is it? Tell me. Why are you sighing?”

“..Her… nickname is ‘Format Kim.'”

“What? Format Kim? What does that mean?”

With a stiffened face, Ju Yong-hae continued the call for a long time.

“Uh, uh, yeah, okay.”

Click.

After hanging up the phone, Ju Yong-hae put down his cell phone and muttered something blankly.

Office Manager Yeom, unable to contain his curiosity, dragged his chair over to Ju Yong-hae while sitting.

“No, why? Did something happen?”

“Well… Attorney Geum really, how should I put it… has not just a sixth sense, but a seventh or eighth sense.”

“Eighth sense??”

Seeing Ju Yong-hae tilt his head without answering, Office Manager Yeom’s voice grew louder.

“Oh dear, keeping me in suspense. Sigh… Really. Seeing this, I can tell why you got divorced.”

“Stop beating around the bush and say something, what is it!”

As his voice rose, Director Kim Mi-yeong nodded and chimed in.

“See. That man is someone who would get divorced and couldn’t live even if he married a man. It’s frustrating.”

Ju Yong-hae silently searched through a pile of documents and pulled out a note to show him.

Successful Applicant: Kim Ae-ri (79 points)

* When notifying of acceptance, check first if registration as an administrative staff at the Bar Association is immediately possible.