Chapter 9 – As Quickly As Possible

“What does that mean?”

Attorney Shin Chang-ryul furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head.

The words Geum Nae-yeong spat out seemed to make no sense.

He wondered what he meant by “six hundred won if you do it yourself.”

Remembering the words “a really strange guy” he had heard from his classmate Jo Jin-seop a few days ago, he felt a momentary chill.

‘Am I going to be embarrassed in front of my friend?’

“Naturally, it is a method that is not a betrayal to your wife. Even if she did have suspicions, if you are already deceased, there is no way to check. It would just end at suspicion.

It is a way to legitimately leave money to the person you wish to donate to right now.”

Geum Nae-yeong spoke in a tone that lacked a single trace of hesitation.

“There is such a method?”

Park Hyeok-jae’s eyes widened. He looked at Attorney Shin Chang-ryul and asked with his eyes.

‘Is this a method you know too?’

But Attorney Shin also had no clue at all, so he had no choice but to show an ambiguous expression.

Geum Nae-yeong continued speaking with a cold expression.

“From what I heard, you said you’ve already prepared an inheritance plan for your family, right?

If so, the probability of your family giving up the inheritance when you pass away is almost zero. Your current wealth is not small either. Naturally, your family will take the inheritance left at the time of death, right?”

CEO Park nodded.

“If so, the only way to repay the past debt to Im Sin-yeong, whom you mentioned earlier, is to write a ‘loan agreement’.”

“…A loan agreement?”

When CEO Park questioned back, Geum Nae-yeong spoke decisively.

“Yes. As long as you consult with her, you can contract the amount you will leave in the form of a ‘loan’.”

“Wait, what does that mean?”

“Even if you didn’t actually lend it, you write the document as if you did. For example, that person lent you 100 million won in the past. You conclude a loan agreement in this way.

And you just need to take that agreement to the court’s registry office and get a certified date.

The fee is only 600 won, but from that moment, at least a public institution has verified the validity of this contract.”

CEO Park’s eyes were shining.

“After that…”

Geum Nae-yeong continued to unpack the contents organized in his head.

“If you really pass away, that person can demand the amount as a ‘creditor’. She can legitimately claim to get back the money lent.”

Instantly, Attorney Shin Chang-ryul clapped his hands and burst into admiration.

Clap!

“Ah, I didn’t even think of that.”

Geum Nae-yeong immediately pushed in one step further and presented the main point.

“Even more, our office will soon have a notary office. If we even get a notarization on the loan agreement?”

“If we get it?”

CEO Park urged.

“With that notary deed, the legal process becomes very simple.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s voice was low, but it hit the mark clearly.

“If you prepare the notary deed, she can get a successor execution clause later and apply for a provisional attachment on the inherited property.

If the family wants to object, they ultimately have to go to a lawsuit, but if it is a small amount, they are highly likely to hand it over without causing a dispute. Especially if you drop a hint in advance.

Furthermore, in a state where you are not present, judging the truth will not be easy.”

CEO Park urged Geum Nae-yeong’s next words, looking extremely interested.

“Is that so? Isn’t the procedure complicated?”

“Yes. It is simple. If you leave it to me, I will handle the procedure, drafting the contract, and notarization. Even if a dispute arises later, I will handle it cleanly on my end.”

“Then it’s good for me! Great!”

CEO Park smiled brightly. As his heavy worries melted away like snow, his face became much lighter.

“No, when did such a capable attorney join your firm?”

At his friend’s praise, Attorney Shin Chang-ryul felt good as well.

“Well… In the meantime, I only dropped by occasionally to meet my friend… This guy is no ordinary quick-witted person. I should move our company’s legal advisory to here once the contract ends.”

In the end, CEO Park even mentioned the company’s advisory contract as he liked Geum Nae-yeong.

‘A situation where trust had no choice but to grow since he cleanly resolved a worry that was hard to find a solution for.’

Geum Nae-yeong did not miss the chance and delivered the final blow.

“Then, if we go to my office, I will explain in more detail.”

“Let’s do that, let’s do that.”

CEO Park headed to Geum Nae-yeong’s office with highly excited steps, and Attorney Shin Chang-ryul spat out admiration as he watched his back.

‘They said he was strong in litigation… but his eloquence, calculations, and even digging into the loopholes of the law are extremely extraordinary.’

Like that, Geum Nae-yeong smoothly settled CEO Park Hyeok-jae’s first love problem, and won an advisory contract as a bonus.

It was something that happened in just one hour.

The next day.

Click-clack, click-clack—

“Hello, I am Cha Ra-ri.”

Arriving early at Teum Law Office, Cha Ra-ri greeted with a bright smile.

“Uh? Didn’t you come yesterday?”

Assistant Manager Kim’s eyes went round.

“Yes. I was told to start working from today.”

“Ah… from today?…”

Assistant Manager Kim guided her to the empty desk next to the Office Manager.

“You can sit here. When the Office Manager comes out, he will explain various things to you.”

Cha Ra-ri sat down with a grin.

Drrrr— as she opened the old drawer, a single Monami ballpoint pen rolled out lonesomely.

‘There is nothing.’

At that moment, someone approached. It was Office Manager Ju Yong-hae.

“I heard you are the newly joined person?”

“Yes, I am Cha Ra-ri.”

“I am Ju Yong-hae. I am Attorney Geum’s office manager.”

“Yes, please look after me.”

“By the way, how many years of experience do you have in this field?”

“Ah, this field is my first time. I originally did PR marketing.”

“…Your first time?”

Ju Yong-hae was momentarily speechless.

‘He hired a novice? What on earth is he thinking…?’

Just then,

Geum Nae-yeong arrived at work, and Ju Yong-hae greeted him first.

“Attorney, have you arrived at work.”

As the Office Manager finished his greeting, Cha Ra-ri also delivered a cheerful greeting.

“I’ve arrived at work, Boss.”

“Yes. Hello.”

‘Boss?’

The staff buzzed at the unfamiliar title, but the two passed by as if it were nothing.

“Yes, sort out your seat first, and let’s have a meeting in the afternoon.”

Geum Nae-yeong spoke briefly and went inside his office. Ju Yong-hae began to guide Cha Ra-ri through the office work.

“Then… Ra-ri-ssi, you must register as an office staff first.”

“Office staff registration?”

“Yes. You must register as an employee with the Bar Association to freely enter the court.”

Cha Ra-ri nodded.

“How do I do that?”

“First, you need to get a criminal record check from the police station, bring a photo, ID, and the employment certificate that Assistant Manager Park will write for you, and go to the Bar Association…”

At that moment,

“Excuse me, is this Attorney Geum Nae-yeong’s office?”

An unfamiliar man opened the door and entered.

“Yes, that is correct.” Ju Yong-hae responded.

“I came because I want to get a consultation.”

Soon after, other people entered one after another.

“Hello. I heard you do free consultations. Is his name Attorney… Geum… Nae-yeong?”

In an instant, people requesting consultations flocked in.

“Ah, yes. Just a moment.”

Flustered, Ju Yong-hae gestured to Cha Ra-ri with his eyes.

“Ra-ri-ssi, please guide these people to the consultation room. I will inform the attorney.”

“Yes, understood.”

While Cha Ra-ri guided the guests,

Ring, ring, ring—

The office phone rang without rest.

“Yes, hello? …Attorney Geum Nae-yeong? Yes, please wait a moment.”

From morning, calls looking for Geum Nae-yeong poured in like a flood.

The staff were out of their minds answering calls, and the office suddenly began to bustle.

Watching this scene from a distance, Director Kim Mi-yeong stood up from her seat and muttered to herself.

“My goodness… what is going on?”

With the constantly ringing phones and visitors entering one after another, Teum Law Office began to bustle to the point where chairs were lacking for the first time since its opening.

“Just a moment, please sit here… Ah, did this person come first?”

While the Office Manager ran around frantically trying to organize the flocking people, Cha Ra-ri, who was watching the situation from one side, straightened her waist.

Clap, clap, clap.

“Everyone, please focus for a moment.”

As an unexpectedly loud voice cut through the office, people’s eyes all focused on Cha Ra-ri at once.

“Since there are many people getting consultations, I will organize this without confusion. I will give you a number ticket, so you can get consultations in order.

Those who have numbers too far behind and have to wait a long time, please leave your contact info on this waiting list in order and go to the nearby Starbucks or Coffee Bean.

I will text you, and you can come in then.”

The moment she finished speaking, Cha Ra-ri began to hand out number tickets with concise movements from wherever she got them.

“Hey, I came first!”

One person raised his voice as if protesting.

Cha Ra-ri turned her head and cut him off decisively.

“Nope! This person came first.”

The man was speechless at her unwavering voice, and eventually accepted the number ticket.

Watching that scene, the Office Manager muttered in his mind.

‘Indeed, Attorney Geum Nae-yeong, is he something else? I thought he picked an employee carelessly, but she is quite something.’

Meanwhile, inside the consultation room, Geum Nae-yeong was calmly continuing his questions.

“So, you came because of a lease agreement, right?”

“Yes.”

“But how did you know about our office? Did you see LawTalk by any chance?”

“No, I came after seeing this.”

On the smartphone screen the man held out, a social media post was showing.

-Leaving a review.-

Do you remember my girlfriend who said she’d put the apartment under my name if I didn’t cheat?

I got the Gangnam apartment.

(RegistryPhoto.jpg)

This lawyer hyung is absolutely the real deal among the real deal.

He doesn’t just do the consultation, he even drops hints so you don’t cheat.

Thanks to him, I’ve become a good man for the first time in my life and I’m going to try and start well.

Money? Didn’t take any.

He even taught me the secrets of legal knowledge.

People with worries, go get a consultation.

You can learn life lessons for free, for real.

It was the review left by the client who had received the pre-marital consultation last time.

The view count… was terrifying.

‘But did I drop hints not to cheat??’

Geum Nae-yeong tilted his head, but soon nodded.

It was as expected. What spread fastest to the unspecified public was always social proof, internet word-of-mouth.

***

A few hours later.

The office was still bursting with people, and the line waiting for consultations showed no sign of shrinking.

Geum Nae-yeong was standing at the threshold of his office, scanning the situation outside to gauge how many more people were left today.

It was at that moment.

The door flung open, and a robust man who exuded a rough energy all over entered, his face crumpled in a grimace.

Instantly, the air in the office wavered subtly.

The staff’s eyes crossed, and while someone’s face stiffened, someone else tried to pretend not to notice.

The front staff’s face twisted slightly as if she recognized him, but she soon put on a forced smile and spoke.

“Oh… you’ve come?”

But the man didn’t even pretend to hear the greeting. He strode straight inside and barked briefly at the people sitting in the consultation chairs.

“Move.”

Just one word.

“Wh-What is it?…”

Startled by that momentum, people looked around and awkwardly gave up their seats.

The man who occupied the seat immediately tilted his chin toward the staff.

“Bring water. As quick as possible. Since I’m dying of heat.”

With that single word, the office froze.

The staff only looked at each other, hesitating over who would step forward.

“It is not ‘as quick as possible’ but ‘as quickly as possible’.”

It was Geum Nae-yeong.

“…What?”

The man whipped his head around and glared at Geum Nae-yeong.

“’Quickly’ is an adverb, so it must modify the verb. You learn this in the first year of high school grammar, in the parts of speech unit.”

A tone of voice spitting out words as if reading a textbook.

The staff’s faces turned pale in an instant.