Chapter 78 – How Do You Even Think of Such a Thing

In front of Courtroom 801 of the Seoul District Court.

In the corridor in front of the courtroom, college students with still youthful faces were gathered in groups of twos and threes.

Wearing neat jackets or outfits similar to suits, they had an excited atmosphere, as if they had come out on a picnic.

“Hey, this is so cool. It’s my first time coming to a court.”

“Is it true they’ll give completion points if we listen to this today?”

“Wow, watching a trial is also really nice?”

“But, do you know? The trial we are watching today is Attorney Geum Nae-yeong’s.”

“Who is Geum Nae-yeong?”

One student immediately took out a cell phone and turned on YouTube.

“Geum Nae-yeong is trash, that beggar is about 400,000 won…”

In an instant, giggles burst out among the students.

“Wow, this is really fun? This attorney is so cool?”

“Are we really watching this person conduct a trial? It should be fun.”

“Hey, let’s take photos and post them on Starstagram!”

At that moment, a red light came on the sign in front of the courtroom.

[In Session]

As the court bailiff opened the door, the students pushed inside, unable to hide their excitement.

Click. Click.

Intoxicated by the atmosphere of the courtroom they entered for the first time, the students began taking photos here and there.

Then the firm voice of the bailiff echoed.

“Photography is prohibited inside the courtroom. Please put your cell phones in your bags, and recording is also prohibited.”

In an instant, the students flinched, looked at each other, and hastily put away their cell phones.

In the midst of that, a professor looked around the front of the courtroom and nodded.

A moment later.

Other people began to enter the courtroom, and Seong Seok-ju and Geum Nae-yeong also walked in while talking about the trial.

Seong Seok-ju immediately recognized the professor, approached, and politely greeted him.

“Professor, I was waiting in front of that side, but you came in first. Thank you for making the long journey.”

The professor smiled warmly and replied.

“Well, since I was bored, this is great. The kids also get bored if they are only in the lecture room. Since they are students taking the Introduction to Law class, it would be good for them to experience a real courtroom once.”

At those words, Seong Seok-ju bowed his head and smiled.

“Yes. Professor, this is Attorney Geum Nae-yeong.”

At Seong Seok-ju’s introduction, Geum Nae-yeong bowed his head in greeting.

“Hello, Professor.”

“Oh my, I’ve seen you on broadcasts a few times. Nice to meet you.”

As the professor reached out his hand, Geum Nae-yeong smiled briefly and shook hands.

Seeing that, the students bustled again.

“Wow, the professor’s connections are no joke.”

“Hey, he is handsome. If a lawyer is at that level, he is like the main character of a drama.”

“What’s that, who is on the other side? His expression is completely stiff?”

The place where the students’ gazes moved was where Noh Si-an was standing.

With his arms crossed, he was staring straight ahead as if he were a person alone in a different world.

“Who is that person? He’s a lawyer but looks somewhat absent-minded?”

“But his face looks decent, doesn’t he?”

“Hey, that’s just the suit effect. Anyone here would look plausible.”

Noh Si-an glanced at the students whispering, and when Geum Nae-yeong seemed to have finished greeting, he approached the professor first to greet him.

“Hello, Professor. I am Noh Si-an.”

The professor paused for a moment.

“Uh… uh… who was it again?”

An awkward smile spread on Noh Si-an’s mouth.

“Ahahaha, I’m Noh Si-an. Previously… I was guided in international law by you…”

“Ah, yes, yes. Si-an… Since there are so many graduates. Hahaha… I forgot for a moment.”

The professor nodded. However, judging by his expression, it was certain that he did not remember Noh Si-an at all.

Noh Si-an’s expression stiffened, and around the time the greetings concluded like that, the voice of the court bailiff was heard.

“Everyone, please stand up.”

The students in the gallery stood up all at once.

The sound of taking documents out of bags and the sound of creaking chairs mixed together.

The sound of a ‘click’ taking a photo was heard from somewhere.

As the bailiff immediately gave a look, the student hastily put their cell phone in their bag.

Seeing the gallery packed, the presiding judge’s eyebrows rose slightly.

‘Why did so many people come? Was there a group observation…?’

The reporting judge looked at the plaintiff’s side and instructed.

“Now, then… please proceed.”

Geum Nae-yeong slowly stood up from his seat.

And without saying a word, he cast a look toward the tribunal.

Watching Geum Nae-yeong who was not saying anything, the associate judges tilted their heads at the same time.

‘Hmm?’

Noh Si-an also felt the abnormality and shifted his body anxiously.

‘Geum Nae-yeong. Why is he doing that?’

“Please begin your pleading, plaintiff’s side.”

As the judge mentioned it once more, Geum Nae-yeong slowly nodded his head.

And a single remark of his echoed in the courtroom.

“There is a similarity.”

In an instant, the courtroom fell silent.

“Excuse me?”

The judges looked at Geum Nae-yeong simultaneously.

A sentence missing a subject. The meaning was also ambiguous.

Seong Seok-ju felt a chill in an instant. He began to mutter to himself.

‘No, Attorney Geum… our juniors and the professor are also here… please, at least for today… restrain the things you want to say… just a bit…’

At that moment, Geum Nae-yeong opened his mouth again.

“The House of Habsburg was a dynasty that ruled medieval and early modern Europe, governing a vast empire including Spain, Austria, and the Holy Roman Empire.”

The judge furrowed his eyebrows.

“Does that have any connection with this case? Have you confused the trials, representative?”

“No. It is connected.”

Geum Nae-yeong raised one hand firmly.

A gesture of gathering his hand neatly with the palm facing up.

And then, with that hand, he politely pointed at a spot on the presiding judge’s face.

“The Habsburg jaw.”

“Pardon?”

A look of embarrassment flashed across the judge’s face.

Seong Seok-ju’s face flushed red.

‘Ah… what an embarrassment… why on earth is he doing that? What is that hand gesture, too…?’

Seong Seok-ju stared at Geum Nae-yeong with strength in his eyes, sending a sign to ‘stop.’

However, Geum Nae-yeong only stared at the presiding judge’s face.

“I am absolutely not evaluating your appearance. It is to explain the fairness of the trial and the validity of the grounds for our application.”

“….?”

“You… have a protruding chin. And your teeth alignment is disordered.”

In an instant, the courtroom was enveloped in silence.

The gazes of dozens of observing students simultaneously pierced the central judge’s bench, and they began to whisper among themselves.

“It does seem like a protruding chin?”

“Pfft, it does stick out a bit.”

“No, isn’t that more of a mouth protrusion?”

“Disordered indeed? Haha.”

“But can’t you hold a trial if your chin protrudes?”

“Hey, quiet!”

The whispering spread. The judge pursed his lips and frowned.

“What are you trying to do right now, representative?”

Geum Nae-yeong, on the contrary, calmly continued speaking.

“The plaintiff’s legal representative, pursuant to Article 41 of the Civil Procedure Act, wishes to file an application for the recusal of the tribunal due to circumstances where a fair trial cannot be expected.”

In an instant, the atmosphere of the courtroom changed somehow.

Noh Si-an’s face, who was standing on the opposite side, turned pale.

‘…Was I caught…?’

The presiding judge stammered.

“Re… Recusal?”

“Yes.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s voice was calm.

“According to my prediction, it appears that you, Presiding Judge, have a family member related by blood at Law Firm ‘Gangyeok.’

If my words are true, you must accept the recusal application, and if they are not true, you may proceed with the trial as is.”

The presiding judge’s expression stiffened, and sweat drops formed on his forehead.

‘…Where did it leak from…?’

He could have casually brushed it off by saying no.

However, the situation was that a Yeonje University professor he knew was looking on with an intrigued gaze from over there, and numerous junior students taking law classes at Yeonje University were watching intently.

‘If I say yes to this, it would be admitting that I am entangled with Gangyeok, and if I say no, in this day and age, even a single word going wrong on the internet would be a much bigger problem…’

The judge closed his eyes tightly for a moment, opened them, and then leaned toward the associate judges to whisper something.

Then he grabbed the microphone.

“Uh… the courtroom is too noisy and chaotic right now. We will recess for a moment. Would the representatives of both sides please see me separately for a moment.”

As the judges left the bench, the students looked at each other and whispered.

“Wow, it’s really amazing? But they said he is making a ‘gipi (recusal)’ application to the tribunal, what’s so ‘re-accusal’ about it?”

“I don’t know what it is, but it’s strangely fun.”

“That lawyer is really funny.”

“But… don’t you think you could actually grab that judge’s chin with your hand?”

“Let’s ask the professor what that was just now.”

***

Whish.

The judicial robe was thrown onto the table carelessly.

“Sigh… they said the defendant side wouldn’t know at all… how on earth did it get to his ears?”

Judge Ju Hyeong-gwon gritted his teeth and let out a sigh.

“Darn it… it’s a trial that would have ended quickly if I just proceeded once or twice… honestly.”

At that moment, a knock was heard.

“Judge, the attorneys have arrived.”

“Yes, tell them to come in.”

The door opened and Geum Nae-yeong and Noh Si-an entered.

The judge looked back and forth between the two, sat down in his chair, and spoke briefly.

“Have a seat.”

A brief uncomfortable silence flowed. The judge opened his mouth first.

“Well… there seems to be a misunderstanding, but I have no relation whatsoever with Law Firm Gangyeok.”

Geum Nae-yeong slowly nodded his head.

“Yes. I see. In that case, I must have analyzed it incorrectly.”

Geum Nae-yeong continued speaking with an unperturbed attitude.

“Then, you are saying that the recusal application will not be accepted? When the trial resumes, will you inform us of that fact immediately?”

Meanwhile, Noh Si-an was sitting right next to him, but he did not make a single sound of breathing.

On his face, there was even a look of resignation, like a person who had had everything exposed.

The judge hesitated for a moment and then corrected his words.

“Well… that… since we are already talking about it… there is no need to make things uncomfortable for each other.

Isn’t ‘Gangyeok’ such a large place? Since they have many affiliated attorneys, I cannot know all of who among my family or relatives might have a connection through someone else.

However, since the subject has been brought up… well, I think it would also be right to request a withdrawal to resolve mutual discomfort.”

At the judge’s words, which neither admitted nor denied it, Geum Nae-yeong’s eyes sparkled as he nodded his head.

“Aha, I understand. If a recusal application is filed by the legal representative, it could be personally burdensome for you, Presiding Judge. There could also be personnel issues.

So, while you will not accept the plaintiff’s recusal application, may I take it to mean that you will personally request a change of tribunal, that is, you will apply for withdrawal.”

Instantly, the judge’s face stiffened hard.

‘This… green young fellow never lets things slide reasonably! Talking back until the very end, without changing a single expression…

Let’s just let it slide roughly, seriously!’

Judge Ju Hyeong-gwon was lost for words. Because he knew that if he spoke any further, he would fall into a quagmire of his own making.

It was exactly as Geum Nae-yeong had said.

Judge Ju Hyeong-gwon’s younger brother, Ju Yeong-seok, was an affiliated attorney of ‘Gangyeok.’

When this case was assigned to Ju Hyeong-gwon’s tribunal, Seo Ki-ryong, who found out about this fact, even visited the main office to ask him to lead to a favorable trial.

Normally, since it fell under the grounds for disqualification, the judge himself should have filed an application for withdrawal to step down from handling the case.

However, they pretended not to know despite knowing all of this, and Gangyeok was confident that a favorable ruling would be issued.

It was a typical Gangyeok-style strategy that ‘as long as we win, the means do not matter.’

Noticing this, Geum Nae-yeong made sure the tribunal was replaced through a recusal application filed by the party to the case.

In the end, the trial that day concluded with only the pleadings prepared by each side.

However, the Gangyeok side still did not know Geum Nae-yeong well.

On the day Attorney Cha Eun-seok of Kim & Chang performed a full bow to Geum Nae-yeong and Seong Seok-ju in front of Teum.

The attorneys of Gangyeok were watching that sight with smiles in front of the building.

However, Geum Nae-yeong was also watching them.

Inside his head, a puzzle whose outcome was not yet known began to click into place.

The presiding judge’s impressive lower face, and the fact that the face of one of the Gangyeok attorneys who was watching was uniquely similar to the presiding judge’s.

The fact that chins and teeth alignment are heavily influenced by genetics.

And decisively, Noh Si-an’s excessive avoidance.

All clues connected into one.

‘I just need to test the probability.’

He tested his hypothesis in the courtroom.

Meanwhile, Noh Si-an silently looked at the back of Geum Nae-yeong, who was leaving the courtroom far ahead.

‘He didn’t just prepare the recusal application… but in preparation for the judge’s refusal, he even called students and a professor from his alma mater to create watching eyes…?

A plan that completely blocks even the escape holes…

What on earth… are you..’

***

As the trial ended, Seong Seok-ju approached Geum Nae-yeong with a smile from the corridor side.

“Attorney Geum, I really can’t figure you out. How do you even think of such a thing?”

“What kind of thought?”

“Even assuming you made a guess based roughly on the facial resemblance, blockading the escape path by even creating watching eyes so that the judge couldn’t say ‘no.’

Seriously… your thinking is different from that of a regular lawyer.”

Geum Nae-yeong replied calmly.

“It is just a strategy. For the client.”

Seong Seok-ju shook his head.

“Sigh… yes, I admit it.

Now, then, let’s go in my car. The lunch hour has long since passed, let’s have a meal together.”

Geum Nae-yeong shook his head.

“I will take care of my own lunch.”

Seong Seok-ju retorted with a smile.

“You remember the special agreement in the associate contract, right? The agreement to pay separately. Let’s do that.

We’re hungry too, and we have to look at the case together back at the office anyway. It’s good to talk while eating.”

Geum Nae-yeong thought for a moment, then opened the passenger door with a click.

“The menu is pork cutlet.”

“Sure. Sounds good.”

In that way, the two got into Seong Seok-ju’s car.

The car slowly left the court and entered the city road.

Dring, dring.

[This is a school zone. Please slow down to 30 km/h or less.]

When the guidance sound of the car navigation system rang, Seong Seok-ju reduced his speed.

In front of the crosswalk, as the green light came on, Seong Seok-ju brought the car to a stop.

It was then.

Honk—!

A horn sounded from behind.

“What is it? The light is green?”

Honk, honk—!!!

“How are we supposed to go?”

Seong Seok-ju furrowed his brow and looked at the side mirror.

Honk, honk, honk—!!!!

The car behind did not stop and kept honking the horn.

“Why are they doing that… honestly…”

Seong Seok-ju found it absurd and ignored it.

Tap, tap, tap.

Suddenly, at the sound of tapping on the driver’s side window, Seong Seok-ju and Geum Nae-yeong turned their heads at the same time.

Outside the window, a person who seemed to be the driver of the car behind was standing.

With his arms crossed, with an unpleasant face.