Chapter 77 – You Graduated from Eagle University, Didn’t You

Seo Ki-ryong snorted cynically.

“Geum Nae-yeong. He is not an easy opponent. Everyone doesn’t know well because they haven’t faced him directly. He has a very extraordinary side…

But if the outcome of the trial is already decided, that would be a different story.”

As Seo Ki-ryong finished speaking in a low voice, the eyebrows of Attorney Kim Hong-seok, the owner of the office and a junior partner of Gangyeok, twitched slightly.

‘His pride is still intact despite pocketing 1 billion won. If he came to ask for a favor, he should be a bit humble.’

“Then I’ll get going. Have a good lunch. Keep up the good work.”

As Seo Ki-ryong raised his hand slightly, lowered it, and turned to walk out, Kim Hong-seok immediately raised the corners of his mouth and let out a smirk.

Then he reached his hand toward the telephone on the desk.

“Oh, you must still be in the office. Then, come to my room now.”

A brief reply was heard over the phone, and Kim Hong-seok waited for someone while leaning back comfortably in his chair.

A moment later.

Knock, knock.

“Yeah, come in.”

The door opened and a man entered.

It was Noh Si-an.

After being thoroughly defeated by Geum Nae-yeong, he was transferred to Gangyeok’s small claims litigation department, almost as if he were kicked out. Since then, Noh Si-an kept a low profile and watched for another opportunity. And to seize the opportunity, he was persistently lining up with his school senior, Kim Hong-seok.

“What is the matter, senior!”

Kim Hong-seok waved his hand at him, who greeted him with a 90-degree bow with a deliberately bright expression.

“You don’t have to stand on ceremony when it’s just the two of us. Have a seat.”

He slowly stood up from his seat and walked to the center table.

And, click.

He opened the lid of the glass jar on the table.

Crunch, crunch.

Kim Hong-seok took out a candy, chewed it, and glanced at Noh Si-an.

“An opportunity has finally come. For you too.”

“Yes? …An opportunity?”

Kim Hong-seok slid the documents on the table toward him.

“It’s a small claims case. It’s not even 100 million won. It’s an appeal. But the opponent is that guy. Geum Nae-yeong.”

As Geum Nae-yeong’s name came out of Kim Hong-seok’s mouth, Noh Si-an’s eyes began to shake.

‘Geum Nae-yeong…’

“Don’t worry. The tribunal is Division 3. You know what that means, right?”

Kim Hong-seok’s tone and voice were subtly low.

Noh Si-an nodded and took the documents from Kim Hong-seok. He flipped through the documents page by page.

“We won the first instance. The appeal is naturally a hundred percent as well.”

Kim Hong-seok leaned back obliquely on the sofa and looked at Noh Si-an.

“How long are you going to stay stuck in the corner? You should build up one by one, even starting with small things, and return to your position.”

Kim Hong-seok stood up smoothly, approached Noh Si-an, and patted him on the shoulder.

“You know why I’m looking after you, right? No one survives here without a line. It’s not just because you’re my junior. You can do more, and it’s a waste to let your performance be buried like this.”

“…..”

“I will go with you on the first pleading date, so don’t worry. Let’s see what that famous guy’s face looks like.”

Noh Si-an bowed his head deeply, containing emotions close to sincerity.

“…Thank you, senior.”

Kim Hong-seok smiled with satisfaction. A low voice flowed from the tip of his tongue as he rolled the candy.

“You have to fight properly. Guys who anxiously move back and forth with litigation documents like cowards eventually cannot escape and become stagnant water. Like Seo Ki-ryong at the branch office.”

He smiled coldly.

***

Dream J Hair Salon Damages Case Appeal — First Pleading Date.

Geum Nae-yeong sat at the plaintiff’s seat, laid out the trial documents, and was reflecting on the grounds for appeal in his head once more.

Since it was the first date, there would be no complicated battles.

Today was a procedure to confirm the grounds for appeal, and the judge was also highly likely to just ask about the factual relations briefly and move on.

On the defendant’s side, Noh Si-an and Attorney Kim Hong-seok whispered to each other with their heads close together.

Occasionally, Noh Si-an’s gaze directed toward Geum Nae-yeong, but whenever their eyes were about to meet, he quickly turned his head away.

On the other hand, Kim Hong-seok was examining Geum Nae-yeong piece by piece.

‘He looks… like a fledgling whose face is just decent enough to be used for broadcasting, doesn’t he?

Why is everyone making such a fuss about that guy. Besides, in such a small claims case, under conditions where we will win perfectly, worrying that we might somehow lose… Seo Ki-ryong is worried? We even won the first instance.’

Kim Hong-seok’s corners of the mouth rose.

Seeing Geum Nae-yeong’s decent face, a sense of relief flooded in even more.

However, Noh Si-an was different.

He turned his gaze to a completely different place so as not to make eye contact with Geum Nae-yeong and stared at only one spot with his arms crossed.

Honestly, he was a bit anxious.

Geum Nae-yeong saw everything while pretending not to look. He did not miss even a single subtle expression or movement of the opponent, and accurately picked out the hidden lies within like a ghost.

If so, he had to avoid giving any pretext in the first place.

“Everyone, please stand up.”

The voice of the court bailiff echoed, and after a moment, the tribunal entered calmly.

Rustle, rustle.

As the presiding judge sat down, they checked the case number.

“Case number 20**Na 10922, damages case. Plaintiff’s side, please state your case.”

Geum Nae-yeong bowed slightly to the presiding judge, stood up from his seat, and began his pleading.

“The plaintiff, as described in the grounds for appeal, regarding the damages suffered while operating the hair salon according to the lease agreement of this case…

That is, the defendants, as joint tortfeasors who violated their obligation to maintain the building of this case in a state necessary for use and profit, have an obligation to jointly compensate the plaintiff for damages.”

When Geum Nae-yeong’s calm pleading finished and he sat down, Noh Si-an on the defendant’s side slowly stood up.

And then he began his pleading with a cold attitude.

“…Our defendant, regarding the plaintiff’s claim…”

Geum Nae-yeong tilted his head slightly and watched the sight silently.

Seeing that, Attorney Kim Hong-seok gained more confidence.

‘My goodness… We would win even without a cheat key. Shrinking back in fear over something that doesn’t even amount to 50 million won, Seo Ki-ryong is really something… Next trial, it will be enough for Si-an to come out alone.

My appearing as well makes it look… not great..’

In that way, the first pleading date of the appeal concluded without any particular dispute of opinions.

As the trial ended, Noh Si-an quickly left the courtroom without even looking toward Geum Nae-yeong.

Geum Nae-yeong’s GQS (GNY’s Question Score), who was staring intently at Noh Si-an’s figure, went up with a ding-dong sound.

‘…There must be some variable.’

***

That day’s lunch break.

The staff gathered in groups of twos and threes, busy boasting about their packed lunches.

“This is a newly released instant budae-jjigae. If you microwave it for just four minutes, the taste is exactly the same as the budae-jjigae sold in restaurants, I tell you.”

At Cha Ra-ri’s boast, Office Director Kim Mi-yeong raised her head with interest.

“Really? You know I have picky taste, right? Especially if it’s budae-jjigae, it must at least match the toes of Songtam Budae-jjigae. I even went directly and ate there with Ha-yul over the weekend last week.”

“Oh, that is a fully famous authentic restaurant.”

“They put a bunch of long-cut green onions, boil it thoroughly, and then put exactly one ladle of garlic at the end, you know? That completely catches the greasy taste. A subtle sweetness also rises from the garlic, and I even pretended not to notice when a hair came out in the soup while eating there. Because it was so delicious, hoho.

Surely a commercial product wouldn’t yield that soup taste?”

“Really? It sounds delicious just hearing about it… I haven’t eaten Songtam… But try this first anyway! I made it at home too, and my mom also gave it a generous score.”

At that moment, Ju Yong-hae entered the breakroom, sat down while patting his waist.

“Oh dear, good job, Ms. Ra-ri. I wonder what wind blew today, a ton of people came. It’s about time for the broadcast effect to slowly wear off too…”

Cha Ra-ri shook her head with a smile.

“Office Manager, there is something we completely miscalculated.”

“Miscalculated?”

“The scary thing about broadcasting is that once you shoot it, it keeps being rebroadcast! The elderly think the rerun is yesterday’s broadcast and call the office, and they come for consultations after watching the reruns… I want to ask the broadcasting station to stop airing reruns.”

“Ah… reruns…”

Ju Yong-hae let out a deep sigh.

Ding.

The microwave finish tone rang. Cha Ra-ri set the well-heated budae-jjigae down on the table with a thump.

“Wow, it would be perfect to mix it completely with white rice and eat.”

Just as everyone was about to taste a bite,

Knock, knock.

The door of the staff breakroom opened and Geum Nae-yeong poked his head in.

“Do you happen to have chopsticks?”

“Oh, Attorney! You left your chopsticks behind for the first time in a while. Come on in, hoho.”

Office Director Kim Mi-yeong took out wooden chopsticks from the drawer and handed them over.

Geum Nae-yeong received the chopsticks, looked around inside, sat down quietly in a spot he liked, and began to eat.

The staff, as if accustomed, just glanced at Geum Nae-yeong’s side dishes and licked their lips, but they did not ask for any.

“Attorney Geum’s mother is really diligent. Packing side dishes that you like every time. Today we got lucky eating in the office and you got chopsticks too, hoho.”

“Yes. That is true.”

Without much reaction, Geum Nae-yeong calmly put a well-grilled piece of ham on top of the rice and took a big bite.

While the awkward yet strangely comfortable mealtime continued,

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Geum Nae-yeong looked at Cha Ra-ri.

“Ms. Ra-ri, may I ask you something?”

“Oh, a question for me from the attorney? What is it?”

When Geum Nae-yeong brought up the question, the staff’s attention was focused.

“There is someone I used to know. First of all, from the moment we met, they stared intently at me, or glanced and observed my actions from afar, or had people around me find out about me, or looked for a way to trouble me.”

“Ah—, the type to watch from afar.”

“Yes. They are definitely someone who has an interest in me. But.”

“But?”

The staff’s ears perked up.

“Today, I saw them for the first time in a while, but they didn’t even look at me. Even though we were in the same space and they clearly recognized me.”

“In terms of interpersonal relations, why would they act like this? Although I assume it to be a structural variable, I don’t know the reason at all.”

Cha Ra-ri pondered for a moment, then her eyes sparkled.

“Ah! I get it.”

“What is it?”

“That is! Right! They like you, Attorney Geum.”

“…They like me?”

“Yes. You know how kids who are bad at expressing their feelings when they’re young do that. They hover around because they like you and even bully you, and when their feelings grow deeper, they deny it… and eventually can’t even make eye contact. That is definitely

a signal that they have come to like you!”

Office Director Kim Mi-yeong chimed in.

“Indeed, just looking at Attorney Geum’s face, there would be a lot of people like that. As for personality… well, since we don’t know until we get close. But if they can’t even make eye contact, that’s almost confirmed, hoho.”

Office Manager Yeom slightly added a joke.

“Oh my, before the divorce, during the honeymoon, Office Manager Ju probably couldn’t even look Director Kim in the eye? Haha.”

“What does an old bachelor know! Honestly!!”

Kim Mi-yeong grumbled and glared.

Hearing Cha Ra-ri’s words, Geum Nae-yeong quietly rolled his thoughts.

‘…Noh Si-an, me? …Hmm…’

***

The next morning.

After arriving at work, Geum Nae-yeong summoned Seong Seok-ju.

“Attorney Seong, you… graduated from Eagle University, didn’t you?”

Seong Seok-ju blinked for a moment.

“Eagle? Ah, yes. I graduated from Yeonje University. Both undergraduate and law school.”

“Right.”

Geum Nae-yeong nodded and continued.

“By any chance, do you have anyone you know or a professor in the undergraduate department?”

“Undergraduate?”

Seong Seok-ju tilted his head.

“Hmm… my former teacher is still in the graduate school. As for the undergraduate side…”

“Then, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“A favor?”

Seong Seok-ju smiled slightly.

“Oh, a favor from Attorney Geum? What on earth is it?”

Geum Nae-yeong replied with a blank face.

“Yes. I am. asking. a favor.”

“Hahaha, alright. Please tell me.”

“I would like to suggest trial observation to undergraduate students taking introductory law classes or law-related subjects during their general education courses.”

Seong Seok-ju asked back, puzzled.

“Suddenly observing a trial? Hmm… for what purpose…”

“If possible, about twenty to thirty people would be good.”

Seong Seok-ju thought for a moment, then nodded.

“I will ask my former teacher. Since it is during the semester, there will be many students who can observe. I will look into it right after I return from the morning trial.”

“Oh, but Attorney Geum, there must be many students at Hanguk University as well… why go out of your way to…?”

Geum Nae-yeong replied calmly.

“I need Yeonje University, not Hanguk University.”

At those words, Seong Seok-ju’s expression stiffened for a moment.

And then, as if realizing something, he wore a subtly pitying smile.

“Ah… I understand. Then.”

As he left Geum Nae-yeong’s office, he muttered to himself.

“No doubt… it’s because he has no close friends at Hanguk University… I don’t know why he’s asking for them… but I should look into it well first.”

Click.

As the door closed, Geum Nae-yeong wore a meaningful expression.

‘Thomas Mathiesen’s Synopticon.

When the many watch the few, power is kept in check,

and under the watchful eyes, the truth eventually reveals itself.’