Chapter 93 – Anyone Can See That Kim & Chang Is Number One

Coach Park Il-nam started the evening roll call at the exact time today as well.

It was an exceptionally tiring day.

“These bastards have completely lost their minds… They will only wake up if I turn things upside down properly…”

Park Il-nam originally had a sharp personality, but lately, he had been raising his hands against the players even more frequently.

He had always believed that the only way to make the hot-blooded college players snap out of it was to suppress them with force.

Furthermore, he was in an even worse mood today.

“Hey, Il-nam. If you can’t pull the kids up by next season, take responsibility and write your resignation. Got it?”

The words babbled by the head coach bastard, who was of a similar age, kept ringing in his ears.

“If only that bastard Bang Gi-yong hadn’t gotten injured, there would be no reason to hear such words. Fuck…”

In fact, the kids in this batch were particularly full of holes.

There was no way to make up for the slump of the past few years. No matter how much he badgered the kids, their capabilities only fell further behind other universities.

The ace who entered just in time was Bang Gi-yong.

Since he was the only one to trust, he pushed him to a somewhat severe extent, only for him to suddenly suffer a calf injury.

“Hey, Bang Gi-yong. Can’t you manage your body properly? The team’s slump is all because of you, bastard!

I don’t care whether you do well or not, so don’t cause trouble for the team and focus on recovering quickly.

Whether you get injections or eat whatever, find a way to play in the match right now!”

Park Il-nam had threatened Bang Gi-yong properly.

The sneering, offensive face of the head coach and the mocking face telling him to take responsibility as the representative if the grades dropped flickered before his eyes.

Park Il-nam nearly finished the roll call while thinking such thoughts.

Now was the last room.

Park Il-nam opened the door and walked into room number 8, which belonged to Bang Gi-yong and Jeong Seok-min.

Tak-

As soon as he turned on the light, he pulled the blanket off Bang Gi-yong’s bed with a jerk.

“Uh? Look at this…”

Bang Gi-yong was not there.

“Hey. Jeong Seok-min. Where did Bang Gi-yong go? Have you bastards gone crazy…”

His nerves were already on edge, so his words did not come out nicely.

Jeong Seok-min, the famous troublemaker who shared a room with Bang Gi-yong, stood up slowly. His brow was seen furrowing rudely. He was originally a guy who wasn’t even diligent but only had many complaints.

“…..”

There was no answer. He pressed Jeong Seok-min again.

“You bastard! You must know, right? Where did that bastard Bang Gi-yong go?”

“…Ah, how should I know?”

“What…? Look at this bastard’s attitude. How should I know?”

Park Il-nam’s hand struck Jeong Seok-min’s head before he knew it.

“Where did you learn to act like that?”

Thud!

“Hey, bastard! Where are your manners!”

Thud!

Upon being hit twice, Jeong Seok-min’s eyes turned fierce. Jeong Seok-min raised his arms to block Park Il-nam’s hands and shouted.

“Ah! Fucking hell! Stop hitting me!”

“What???”

Park Il-nam’s eyes rolled back in an instant.

Park Il-nam raised his knee and struck Jeong Seok-min’s solar plexus at once, then struck Jeong Seok-min’s nose with his fist.

“This bastard, that bastard, all of you to me!!”

Thud thud thud!!

“Where do you get off ignoring me?? How dare a young brat talk back to a coach?!!”

He could not remember how many times he hit him. When he came to his senses, Jeong Seok-min had lost consciousness, bleeding profusely from his nose and torn forehead.

Park Il-nam placed his trembling hand under Jeong Seok-min’s nose.

A faint breath was felt.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sound of his own heart beating rang loudly in his ears.

Park Il-nam put Jeong Seok-min into Bang Gi-yong’s bed and covered him with the blanket.

He also touched Jeong Seok-min’s bed to roughly shape it as if someone was there.

Suddenly, the clock came into view.

Park Il-nam turned off the lights in the dormitory and returned to his quarters quickly but calmly.

Along the path he always used.

And with trembling hands, he sent a text message to the captain to ‘check the rooms.’

***

Knock, knock.

The secretary opened the door, walked in, and bowed 90 degrees.

“Just now… it is said that he was acquitted.”

“Really?”

A smile spread across the face of Bang Gi-yong’s mother, Kim Hye-rin, who had been anxiously waiting for the results in her office.

“No, seriously, that lawyer is extraordinary. He said it would work if I just endured five times… Is it really an acquittal? Are you sure?”

“Yes. An employee just heard the sentencing, and they say the coach who fled during the trial was eventually caught at the main gate of the court. The police are investigating, and they say he confessed to most of it.

So, it seems it will end cleanly with absolutely no fault on the young master’s part.”

“Ha… Really? Are you sure the Chairman doesn’t know yet?”

“Yes. As far as I have checked, it seems the news has not reached him yet.”

“Yes… That is a relief. Since it ended with an acquittal, it didn’t leave a scratch on our Gi-yong…”

Kim Hye-rin let out a deep sigh.

“…By the way, an acquittal is truly amazing. Really! I should give that lawyer a really big present.

Oh, right! You can’t meet him right away unless you make a reservation, right? Contact them right now and set a reservation for late afternoon… No, wait. Send someone right now to stand in line.

And call the accounting manager.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Kim Hye-rin recalled Geum Nae-yeong, who had conjured a real acquittal, and praised herself several times for keeping the five endurances.

That afternoon.

A man neatly dressed in a suit ran into Law Office Teum and opened the door.

Following him was a woman wearing sunglasses, and next to her was a sturdy young man.

When the reception staff, Im Seon-hui, asked for her name, the woman replied with a smile.

“Oh Hye-rin.”

“Yes. You have a reservation at 5:30. If you go up, the staff will guide you.”

The three of them rode the elevator up and entered Geum Nae-yeong’s office under Cha Ra-ri’s guidance.

Click.

As soon as the office door closed, Kim Hye-rin took off her sunglasses and began to speak with a bright face as if she had been waiting. She seemed so joyful that she looked ready to grasp Geum Nae-yeong’s hand at any moment.

“Attorney, thank you so much. You really made an acquittal happen?”

Geum Nae-yeong replied in a calm manner.

“Yes, it is a natural result.”

The woman smiled with an extremely satisfied expression.

“Since you worked hard, attorney, it is only natural that I reward you for it.”

When Kim Hye-rin gestured to the secretary, the secretary opened a heavy briefcase.

Thud, thud.

Thick bundles of 50,000 won bills piled up on the table.

Geum Nae-yeong saw the money, he spoke up firmly.

“You cannot do this. A contingency fee agreement in a criminal case is void under Article 103 of the Civil Act.

Even if an agreement was not made in advance, receiving compensation in this manner because of an acquittal is also not permitted. Therefore, I cannot accept such a contingency fee.”

Kim Hye-rin laughed elegantly.

“Hohohoho. Attorney, it is just between us… Come on, take it.”

“It is impossible because I have to do the accounting processing.”

When Geum Nae-yeong spoke flatly, Kim Hye-rin chuckled.

“Okay. I already asked our company’s lawyer. They said a civil case can receive a contingency fee, but a criminal case cannot. So… I thought of another way too.”

“Bring it here.”

When the woman gestured, the secretary handed over a document.

[Advisory Agreement]

“Our foundation has decided to request legal counsel from you in the future. And the advisory fee is a two-year contract at ten million per month.”

Kim Hye-rin added softly.

“Do not refuse even this.”

Geum Nae-yeong accepted the advisory agreement with a blank expression.

“Ah! Advisory. If it is an advisory matter, it is always welcome. For the contract process, you can have a brief talk with the accounting director on your way out.”

“I wanted to give more… but this was the only way.”

At those words, the corners of Geum Nae-yeong’s mouth rose very slightly.

“If your articles of incorporation have a provision for the presence of an attorney during general shareholder meetings or amendments, it is also possible for me to attend.”

Kim Hye-rin nodded.

“Aha! There is such a thing? That is good. I will have them look into that too.”

‘He is smart… his brain rotation for making money is also really fast… Yes, there must be quite a few ways for a lawyer to make money other than retainer fees.’

Bang Gi-yong, who was sitting next to Kim Hye-rin, bowed his head.

“Thank you, attorney, for resolving my problem so well.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“I learned a lot from this opportunity. I will try to act more honorably as well.”

“Although this case is resolved, there are still things that have not been resolved. You must take responsibility for your secret yourself, Mr. Bang Gi-yong.”

When Geum Nae-yeong added one more word calmly, Bang Gi-yong bowed his head with a serious face.

“Yes. Thank you. I am thinking about it. In any case, I will snap out of it and work hard.”

Bang Gi-yong clenched his fists tightly, as if making a firm resolution.

“Since I am going to become number one with my own hands from now on. You must also become number one, Attorney Geum!”

Geum Nae-yeong tilted his head.

“Number one? I do not need to be number one, though.”

Bang Gi-yong replied with a bright face.

“Ah, number one in the industry! Right now, number one is Kim & Chang.”

“…Yes?”

“No one knows about Teum yet. But since everyone knows Kim & Chang, anyone can see that Kim & Chang is the number one law firm.

But since you are truly skilled and work hard, attorney, if you work just a little harder, this place will also become number one in the industry in no time!

I will also work really hard. Let’s do our best!”

Leaving behind that bright shout, Bang Gi-yong bowed deeply to Geum Nae-yeong once more and left the office.

Click.

The sound of the door closing echoed quietly in the office.

Geum Nae-yeong returned to his seat and sat down. Bang Gi-yong’s words echoed in his ears.

‘…..Anyone can see that Kim & Chang is the number one law firm rather than Teum.’

‘…..Anyone can see that Kim & Chang is the number one law firm rather than Teum.’

***

A few hours later.

“No, but… why did you postpone a few of Attorney Geum’s last-session consultations today to tomorrow?”

Ju Yong-hae tilted his head at Manager Yeom’s words.

“I don’t know. Ever since that client mother and son from the acquitted case visited earlier, he has kept the lights off in his office and has not come out.

Did something happen earlier? It feels like I heard some mumbling sounds too.”

“Did something happen? Is there even anything in this world that can affect Attorney Geum? He is a person who turns cases that could never get an acquittal into acquittals.

He is truly amazing. Isn’t he getting scouted from somewhere else again?”

Contrary to their expectations.

Geum Nae-yeong leaned back in his office chair with his eyes closed.

“So I am not… number one in the industry… I have never not been number one since high school… No matter what anyone says, the peerless number one has always been me.

But… anyone can see that Kim & Chang is number one… Anyone can see… number one is… Kim & Chang…”

Geum Nae-yeong’s eyes slowly opened. Some calculation began to run.

***

The next day.

Geum Nae-yeong called a morning meeting after a long time.

All the attorneys and staff of Teum gathered in the conference room.

Rustle, rustle.

Seong Seok-ju, who was flipping through the meeting materials, spoke first.

“So… you are saying we should keep the separate partnership system but redo the plan to ‘establish a corporation’ that we talked about last time?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Geum Nae-yeong said calmly.

“Usually, large law firms structure their corporate framework around partner attorneys. However, since we are still small to medium-sized, my point is to keep the individual profit calculation structure according to case acceptance but transition to the external form of a corporation and gradually grow the company.”

Seong Seok-ju nodded and asked.

“Yes… Well, we would need the consent of the other attorneys. First, for the initial representative attorney… what are you going to do?”

Geum Nae-yeong replied very naturally.

“For work efficiency, of course I should do it.”

“…Tsk… I can also handle work quickly, you know? Originally, it was my father’s plan too.”

At Seong Seok-ju’s grumbling, Geum Nae-yeong silently pointed to the wall.

In the middle of the wall, Seong Seok-ju’s ‘associate contract’ was still hanging nicely like a framed picture.

Seong Seok-ju frowned and shut his mouth tight.

“Hmm… Yes, I understand. First, we need to draft the articles of incorporation, so let’s look at them together.”

Only then did Geum Nae-yeong nod, and they handed a page of the meeting materials to Director Kim Mi-yeong.

“Director. Since there may be additional staff recruitment in the first half of the year, please tell me right away if the workload increases. Also, I will focus on major broadcasting appearances only.”

After the meeting regarding the new reorganization ended like that.

Director Kim Mi-yeong tilted her head and muttered.

“No… what kind of sudden greed for money has gotten into Attorney Geum that he wants to expand the work so much?”

Cha Ra-ri, who was drinking coffee, added a word.

“They say his gaze has been weird since yesterday… Seeing him earlier with his eyes flashing, it seems he got firmly hooked on something…”