Free Web Novel“Who’s this! Isn’t it Kim Muhyuk, harder to see than the President himself?”
I had decided to meet up with my friends after a long while. As soon as I arrived at the meeting place, Oh Hyunwoo teased me.
His words reflected what everyone else was thinking, and laughter broke out all around.
“Sorry. I’ve been neglectful.”
“As long as you know. Good you came.”
Starting with Hyunwoo, Yoon Jaeha and Han Minkyung also greeted me.
“Come on, let’s see each other more often.”
“Been a while. You’ve been well?”
After the greetings, Myungsoo lifted his glass.
“What’s with all the long greetings among friends? Let’s just drink first.”
He broke the air before it turned awkward, just as he always did. Myungsoo naturally carried the atmosphere of any gathering.
Hyunwoo picked up his glass as well, and soon everyone followed.
Hyunseong extended his glass to me. When I took it, he poured me a drink with a smile.
“You too, raise your glass.”
Ever since getting married, Hyunseong had become much more expressive.
I stared at him for a moment before nodding and raising my glass.
When Myungsoo confirmed that I had raised mine, he shouted loudly.
“To Muhyuk, who finally came back to a meeting after so long!”
“To him!”
The rest joined in, and everyone downed their glasses of strong liquor in one go.
Even the toast had been a jab at me, but I didn’t feel bad about it.
“Ahh, that hits the spot.”
“You drink every day with politicians, and you still want to drink here too?”
Hyunwoo scolded, but Myungsoo replied with a grimace.
“Hyunwoo, you’ve never drunk with politicians, have you? If you haven’t, don’t even start. You can’t tell if the liquor’s going into your mouth or your nose. You’d rather take the rotgut the prosecutors’ bureau chiefs pour down your throat.”
“Bullshit. What bureau chiefs pour isn’t liquor, it’s poison.”
While Hyunwoo and Myungsoo bickered, I approached Han Minkyung.
“Minkyung.”
“Mm. You been well, Muhyuk?”
“Of course. You’ve been seeing Hyunwoo, right?”
“So you know about that?”
A while ago, they had announced at one of our gatherings that they were dating. Everyone had suspected it before, but pretended not to until they said it themselves.
Making it official to our friends meant they were already thinking of marriage.
“Doesn’t that worry you?”
I pointed my chin toward Hyunwoo, who was still squabbling with Myungsoo, and laughed.
“Ha... men are all the same. I wonder when Hyunwoo will ever grow up.”
Minkyung sighed, but she smiled all the same.
“You’re thinking about marriage?”
She nodded shyly.
“Good. You two suit each other.”
Her life had completely changed since meeting me. The fact that it was in a positive way made me secretly proud.
Recalling the first day we met, I held out my glass.
“Congratulations. Let’s drink.”
“Sure. I made it this far thanks to you. Thank you, Muhyuk.”
“I told you, no thanks between friends.”
“Still, thank you. Meeting you was the greatest luck of my life.”
“If you think that way, then I’m grateful.”
As we clinked glasses, Hyunwoo came over, placed his hand on her shoulder, and teased me.
“What’s this? You show up after ages and start hitting on my girlfriend? That’s not right. Friends shouldn’t hurt each other’s feelings like that.”
“...Why is your way of speaking sounding more and more like Myungsoo’s?”
“Ha...”
Minkyung let out a deep sigh.
I finally burst out laughing, and Hyunwoo laughed with me.
“Just kidding. But really, Muhyuk, come to these meetings more often. You’re the one who wanted to make this group, and if you don’t show up, what’s the point? Isn’t that right, guys?”
Jaeha, Minkyung, Myungsoo, and Hyunseong all nodded in agreement.
Myungsoo slung his arm around my shoulder and shook his glass.
“I told him the same thing a few days ago. That’s why he finally dragged his heavy ass here today.”
“...Enough. I’ll attend as often as I can.”
Grinning, I gave the answer he wanted. Myungsoo released me and raised his glass again.
With more drinks, his dialect slipped out.
“You all heard that, right? Muhyuk said he’ll come often. I’m not the only one who heard it, right?”
“I heard it too.”
So much for saying he wouldn’t tease me. I shook my head and glared at him, raising my glass.
“Drop it and let’s drink.”
“All right, all right.”
The meeting grew warmer with drinks and chatter.
“Muhyuk. Let’s talk for a bit.”
Hyunwoo called me aside. I followed him out to the terrace, where his expression turned serious.
“The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s Central Investigation Department is investigating corruption among President Kim Hakgwon’s close aides.”
“What?”
“About a month ago, an anonymous letter came in. But it was so detailed that it had to be someone who knew the inner workings. They started a secret probe, and all the pieces are matching up.”
“What kind of letter?”
President Kim Hakgwon had already suffered from a scandal over his son’s bribe-taking.
If this broke, people would question his integrity all over again. Losing public trust would be a devastating blow.
“It said big corporations paid bribes in exchange for promises of loans from the Industrial Bank.”
“...I see.”
“When the CID chief reported it to the Prosecutor General, I thought he’d order it buried. But surprisingly, the Prosecutor General told him to proceed secretly. Since when does Hakgwon’s loyal dog act like that?”
“The Prosecutor General actually approved the investigation?”
“Yeah. So Department 2 of the CID is running it now. It’s still hush-hush, but the letter’s credibility is high. It’ll all be exposed soon.”
Lee Dongwoo, the current Prosecutor General, was Kim Hakgwon’s man. He had always run the prosecution to Hakgwon’s liking.
And yet, he suddenly ordered a secret investigation into Hakgwon’s aide.
What on earth was he thinking?
“So who’s involved?”
“Chief Secretary Ryu Honggi.”
“Ryu Honggi?”
“Crazy, right?”
I nodded slowly. This was the kind of fruit even the Prosecutor General would covet.
“If Ryu’s involved, then it’s without doubt the President’s orders.”
If true, this must have been Hakgwon’s way of trying to raise that $1 billion for Daehyeon Group.
But with the foreign exchange crisis, the chaebols’ coffers were frozen. They could never have raised the full hundred billion won.
So the failed plan meant whatever bribes were collected went straight into Hakgwon’s pocket.
“You’re not on the case yourself?”
“No, I’m in Department 1.”
“Then can you keep tabs on its progress?”
“I have a junior in Department 2. I can get updates through him.”
“Good. Once things take shape, tell me. Who’s heading the CID now?”
“Director Kim Woongrae.”
“How’s his relationship with the Prosecutor General?”
Hyunwoo shrugged.
“Terrible. Director Kim was in Chief Prosecutor Yoon Changho’s line, so he and Lee Dongwoo couldn’t possibly get along. No one knows what kind of deal Yoon struck with Hakgwon, but out of nowhere Kim Woongrae was appointed to head CID, and now he’s completely in charge there.”
“So the CID director’s Yoon’s man. Set up a meeting for me. I want to see him privately.”
Our friends called out to us mid-conversation.
“You’re planning to meet him alone?”
I nodded.
“If I like him, I’ll make him my man completely.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to him.”
I clapped Hyunwoo’s shoulder with a smile.
“Thanks. For telling me this, too.”
“Don’t mention it.”
As we walked back inside, I asked,
“How’s your grandfather? Haven’t called him in a while. He’s well?”
“Not just well, he’s bursting with energy.”
“Be good to him. Don’t leave regrets for later.”
Back among the group, Myungsoo frowned.
“Why so serious out here too? Work tomorrow, tonight let’s just enjoy.”
Hyunwoo smirked and agreed.
“Yeah, yeah. Drink up. Let’s get wasted tonight!”
Strangely enough, Hyunwoo and Myungsoo clicked well together. Watching them made me smile.
The glasses kept clinking, the talk flowing. Hyunseong, who had been quiet all along, suddenly spoke to me.
“Leeds—you really bought them.”
“It turned out that way.”
“Who are you planning to sign? The news says you’ve prepared big transfer fees. Want me to recommend players?”
“Why? Aren’t you a Liverpool fan?”
“I have to switch. My friend owns a club, how can I cheer for another team? Come on, tell me. Who are you signing?”
His words drew everyone’s attention. It wasn’t often the two of us whispered like this.
“What are you two talking about? Keeping secrets now?”
Myungsoo asked, but Hyunseong brushed him off.
“Important stuff. Go away.”
“That bastard’s always giving me shit. Muhyuk, smack him for me.”
For some reason it felt like being back in high school, and I laughed loudly.
“You two still fight like this?”
“Forget it. So what is it?”
“Nothing big. I bought a football club in England. Hyunseong happens to like football, so that’s what we’re on about.”
“I don’t care for football. No clue.”
Myungsoo lost interest quickly and turned back to Hyunwoo and Minkyung.
But Jaeha was different.
“A football club? In England—you mean Premier League?”
“You like football too?”
“Of course. Which team?”
“There’s one called Leeds United. Koreans don’t know it well.”
“Oh, the team that finished fourth last season?”
I nodded, sipping my drink. He knew a fair bit about overseas football.
“You’re pretty well-informed.”
“Jaeha, you like football too?”
Hyunseong asked him.
I’d never seen the two of them exchange words before, but football opened them up easily.
“Yeah. You too? What’s your team? I’m a Liverpool fan.”
“Seriously? Same here.”
“Really? Damn, it’s rare to ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) meet another European football fan here. How did I not know?”
The two of them got excited, talking about the Premier League. I just listened, nodding now and then as incomprehensible jargon flew past.
“I’ll head out now.”
After listening for a while, I checked the time and stood.
“Huh? Leaving already?”
Everyone looked at me with regret. I waved lightly.
“I’ll try to come next month too. Don’t worry if I can’t. Just enjoy yourselves.”
I left, waving goodbye.
Outside, Manager Ma, who had been waiting, opened the back seat door for me.
As soon as I got in, the smile I’d kept for my friends disappeared.
“They’ve all gathered?”
“Yes. They’ve all arrived at the Myeongdong office.”
“Then let’s go.” freewёbnoνel.com
He shut the door, got in the front seat, and the car set off toward Myeongdong.
“Who’s involved?”
“Every single one of them. Too much for one person to handle, so they all did it together.”
“Son of a bitch.”
My voice naturally carried irritation.
“There must still be a ringleader.”
“President Noh Ikseon.”
“Ha... this is really pissing me off.”
I cursed under my breath and closed my eyes.
Trying to suppress my anger only made the heat inside burn hotter.
Opening my eyes again, I spoke in a cold voice.
“Manager. I’m very disappointed in you too. You should always keep watch on the bosses in Myeongdong. They deal with money.”
“My apologies. My mistake.”
“Don’t let this ever happen again.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Of course, it wasn’t really Manager Ma’s fault. But if I didn’t show this kind of reproach, it would eventually come back to bite me.
“...Haa.”
I let out a long sigh. Give them a chance, and they take up an axe to chop at your foot.
“Seems people can’t really change. I give them one last chance, and this is how they repay me.”
The scenery outside sped past. Reflected faintly in the window, my eyes glimmered with a murderous intent.
