When Marie entered the storage room, she found DooSan lying on the ground and crying. Seeing him like that scared her a lot. Especially when she noticed him squeezing the phone at his chest, which made her kneel next to him. Then, touching his arms, Marie shook him and tried to make him react by asking, „DooSan, what’s wrong? What happened?”

She didn’t receive an answer from her son because DooSan didn’t have the power for something like that. All he could do at that moment was cry and murmur strange words. He also shuddered with all his body because of the powerlessness felt inside, the one born in his soul the moment he realized that all he believed in all those eight years had been a lie in fact, and that all he knew wasn’t the truth but someone’s invention. Particularly, it had been a lie all he had thought about SolHi, truths that he had found out one by one, so unexpectedly that he felt it as though a hammer hit the top of his head. DooSan started to feel all that after the day Min Hiok told him that YuSan had been in love with SolHi and that this had been love at first sight for his brother.

„Something I can’t believe,” murmured DooSan through sobbing, allowing his mother to hold him to her chest. Then, sticking like a child to her chest, he cried all those tears he hadn’t been able to cry all those eight years of pain or that last year of terror, which he spent away from SolHi.

His tears and nonsense muttered words scared Marie a lot. Because of this, she insisted on finding out from him what happened and finding a way to help him. Yet, although she’d been asking him for minutes in a row what happened, DooSan said nothing. He just kept talking to himself, blaming himself for things she didn’t understand. Even so, Marie was aware that if her younger son suffered so much and cried all the pain from his chest like that, it was because something serious had happened.

Eventually, when DooSan calmed down a little and only tears were bathing his cheeks, although he stopped shaking, Marie touched his cheeks with her palms and forced him to look into her eyes. By doing this, Marie finally noticed the phone DooSan squeezed in his hand. Yet, she didn’t pay too much attention to the black object but to her son, to whom she said, „DooSan, stop it! Don’t scare me like that and tell me what happened! Talk to me, son! It’s the only way I can help you with this!”

DooSan said nothing, not even this time. He kept silent for a long time, trying to hide at his mother’s chest, listening to the melody of her heart, a melody that had always calmed him down when he was still a child, which was a beloved melody at that moment too. Then, when he finally managed to calm down and order his thoughts, DooSan decided that he had to choose the words he’d say to his mother while trying to explain why he cried. Why exactly? Because he knew how much Marie suffered because of YuSan’s death and didn’t want to hurt her more. In the end, DooSan said, „Just… I didn’t know that the truth would hurt like that.”

Marie frowned. „The truth? What truth?”

„About…” DooSan kept silent again after that, not finishing his thought. Then, to hide the cruel truth that he found out that night, he decided to change the subject and focused his glance on SolHi’s things, asking Marie, „Why are they here?”

This question made Marie look at him for a while, stunned. By doing this, she was probably wondering if her son had lost his mind or if he was still lucid. Seeing the determination in DooSan’s eyes and that he was pretty calm, although he seemed to be a human ruin only minutes ago, Marie took her eyes off DooSan and looked at the stuff he pointed with his finger. Stuff that seemed strange to her because she remembered only a woman’s purse, which she found among YuSan’s things after his death, not the rest. A purse whose content she hadn’t ever checked, thinking that this would tear her apart. She also didn’t do that because she tried to respect YuSan’s personal life even after his death. That’s why she simply gathered all the things she found in his room and took them into the storage room. By doing this, Marie tried to avoid another truth: to find out that YuSan was with So Su Yon again because she thought the purse might have been hers. A woman Marie wanted to avoid at any cost because she knew how much he suffered when they broke up and whom she was sure that she wouldn’t ever be able to forgive for her betrayal, not even after YuSan’s death.

At that moment though, Marie understood that maybe she rushed to make those decisions. Yes, she undoubtedly rushed to hide those things without checking them. If she had done that, she would have probably found out some truths and that not YuSan had a relationship with SolHi but DooSan. Yet, Marie ignored everything and this hurt her so much because „I really thought that these were Su Yon’s things,” she murmured eventually, confused. „I thought that these might have been gifts he gave her while they were dating, things he received back after their breakup, which he couldn’t throw away.”

„When did you find them?” DooSan asked, frowning.

„Eight years ago. Right after his death.”

„In his room?”

„Yes. Honestly, if I’m not mistaken, he took them from his car. I clearly remember this because he asked me if it wasn’t mine, the purse. I didn’t pay attention to this fact at that moment because… before I could answer, he said to forget it and that it was nothing.”

DooSan frowned again. „He found all this in his car? Do you remember when this happened?”

„Of course, I remember. This happened a few days after your birthday. And, if I’m not mistaken, you took YuSan’s car that night.”

DooSan looked at her, thunderstruck. „Did I take his car that night? This can’t be because…”

Suddenly, DooSan kept silent. This happened the moment he remembered that he left his car at the car service, a few days before his birthday, because of a strange sound heard from inside the engine. It’s when he asked YuSan’s permission to use his car because he knew that his brother generally used the company car or Marie’s vehicle. That’s why it wasn’t anything strange for him to have used YuSan’s car that night when he took SolHi out of the club and they spent the night in a motel room after that.

Even if he remembered this, DooSan said nothing about that. The reason? He felt ashamed to accept in front of Marie that he had used his elder brother’s car to take a stranger to a motel, with whom he spent hot moments after that. A stranger whom he thought that he wouldn’t ever see again, but who entered their life that night to stay there forever. A stranger who made him both happy and miserable, someone whom he had hated with all his heart in the last few years after YuSan’s death.

A single video has been enough to make him change his opinion. This even demonstrated to him that he had been hating the wrong person all that time because SolHi seemed to be just another victim in that story. And yes… Han DooSan hated SolHi a lot, although he also loved her, right from the first moment he’d seen her sitting at the bar and talking to a friend.

Such thoughts made him hate himself so much. Feeling all this, DooSan suddenly shuddered. Yet, once he realized that there was no point in complaining about what he did, he knew that it was time to control himself and do things right at least once in his life. For the moment, he had to act quickly and impede San DuSik from reaching his target - to get the judge’s acceptance to kill SolHi when she would have been arrested again.

When he remembered San DuSik’s obsession with SolHi, DooSan suddenly stood up. Then, staring at Marie, who did the same at that moment, and she did that because she didn’t understand what was going on with her son, DooSan asked in a shaking voice, „Did SuJin leave already?”

„The young man that came with you?” DooSan nodded. „Yes, I think he left. No, wait, I saw him waiting for you by the car.”

Saying nothing else, DooSan simply turned his back to his mother and left. Only in the hall did he say to Marie, „I have to go!” He said that in a rush, something that seemed like rudeness even to him. Yet, he didn’t have time to explain his deeds to Marie. If he had done that, he had to tell her about the video he found too, something that he wanted to keep secret, at least for the moment.

***

Leaving the storage room and taking YuSan’s phone and SolHi’s stuff with him, DooSan got out of the house and headed toward the car that was parked not that far away from there. Next to the car, he found SuJin as Marie had told him. The young man had been waiting for DooSan because he didn’t know what to do. Yet, this didn’t mean that he wasn’t pissed off that DooSan left him waiting for so long. DooSan even saw that SuJin had been about to scold him because he’d been missing for so long. Yet, SuJin kept his mouth shut eventually, and he did that when he understood that DooSan cried, and this had only one reason - he watched the video Han YuSan left behind. And, understanding this, SuJin told himself that it would have been wise on his part to keep silent and wait for instructions.

Nevertheless, DooSan said nothing when he got by the young man. He even seemed not to rush to give SuJin some explanations about his delay, just as he didn’t rush to tell SuJin if he saw the video and if it had something important. Even so, SuJin didn’t insist on finding out an answer to all the questions that spun in his head but waited, convinced that DooSan would tell him at least something eventually.

This hadn’t been at all a wrong thought because DooSan said, in the end, „You know, SuJin, I think that we should keep our mouths shut and work from the shadows from now on. If we don’t do that, SolHi’s life might be in danger.”

SuJin frowned. „Nuna’s life? What do you mean, Prosecutor Han?”

„Just… thoughts, which I want to keep for myself only, for the moment. When I find out more about this, be sure I’ll tell you too. I’ll tell you that for sure because… I’ll need help. Now just… keep your tongue behind your teeth and make sure nobody finds out the truth. Especially, don’t tell anyone about this USB’s content, which I need you to duplicate and hide in several places.”

Even more confused than before, SuJin scratched the back of his head. He had no idea what Han DooSan was talking about. Even so, the boy didn’t ask for an explanation. The reason? He knew what Han DooSan could do when he was mad, and the last thing SuJin wanted at that moment was to have the prosecutor as one of his enemies. That’s why he decided that if DooSan asked him to keep his mouth shut, do it silently. And, even if he wasn’t pretty convinced that DooSan’s plan was the best, he still stretched his hand and took the USB from the prosecutor’s hand, which he hid in his pocket right away. Then, at DooSan’s command, he took a seat on the passenger’s side while DooSan got behind the wheel, leaving that place in a rush.

SuJin didn’t keep his mouth shut only because DooSan asked him to do that but also because he had one more reason to do it. What reason? SolHi’s fate, whom he had sworn, even if only imaginary, to do whatever he could to keep her away from problems, and, if it was possible, away from those cold bars that kept him away from her that long year.

***

After that night when he and DooSan visited Marie, on the sly practically, Yu SuJin hadn’t been seen at the office for days. He hadn’t even stopped by home for a while, something that could be considered weird or that he got into trouble and he was hiding because of that. Even so, no one had been worried about his missing, especially Yu, who continued working as though nothing had happened, and his son’s disappearance was a simple routine or something that made him feel peaceful.

All these were a simple mask though, and a well-made plan at the same time. Who took care of this to happen? Han DooSan, who had also been the one who sent SuJin „with work” far away from that place, giving him clear instructions on what they had to do after they left Marie’s house.

Then, a few days after SuJin’s disappearance, a strange video turned the world upside down. Particularly, the video started a big fuss online, driving internet users crazy because thousands of commentaries were seen under the video. All those weren’t only comments about good things but also spicy or mean, related all to one single name - Ian SolHi, and the same subject, that „Nobody can trust the Korean Justice.” The reason? The decision of sentencing an innocent person to death.

Honestly, after publishing that video, internet users split into two or many camps. Part of them were on SolHi’s side, feverishly asking, „What the hell is going on here?” „How could they fall so down and sentence an innocent woman to death without solid evidence?” or „Is she really innocent?” The second group, a little more evil than the first one if not cruel, got to call prosecutors and police officers with the name of „brainless beasts.” One of the internet users even asked, „Have they tortured her to get the confession of the two crimes?” And, right under that question, the world got crazy for the second time.

Actually, not only the online environment was turned upside down because of the video but also normal people or traditional media. And, as was expected to happen after such a „virus” used to „feed” the press later, a single title appeared on every single newspaper’s front page written with capital letters, „An innocent soul was killed. Whom should we blame for this? The corrupt people who govern us!” Other newspapers, whose journalists were braver than the rest, even got to write that „Criminals spend their time in warm places, drinking wine from expensive cups while normal people get behind bars for the rich and influential ones have something to brag with.”

Such titles came to drive San DuSik crazy. He even got to feel at one point that his head was about to crack because of thoughts and that his ears rang because of all the gossip that started circulating inside the prosecution’s building, faster than the air. How not feel all this when, even if indirectly, he was targeted by all those titles?! Yet, the only one to be blamed for that was himself because he decided to be interviewed by an important Media Trust, a few hours before the video was published online. In that interview, San DuSik asked for the citizens’help and support to catch „The miserable criminal named Ian SolHi and cut her head as to a snake.”

After that interview, people didn’t find it difficult to understand who the press targeted with all those outraged titles, which were, directly and indirectly, also blaming the Prosecution for what happened and considering the prosecutors as being useless people. And, barely controlling himself because of anger, DuSik threw the whisky glass, which he poured to calm down, against the wall. In contact with the wall, the cup broke into pieces, splashing everything with yellow drops and fragments of anger.

This didn’t calm DuSik though. On the contrary, he felt even more outraged than before, yelling after that, „Bastards! Useless people who have no idea what is going on. All they want is to blame innocent people for this story. Always-hungry crows, who look to break innocent people into pieces just to have something to feed themselves with! Yes, they are crows, all those who accuse others without evidence, even if those souls don’t deserve that. I don’t deserve this!” DuSik yelled eventually, making his small office resound.

His madness wasn’t related only to the accusations and indirect hints read in the newspapers but also to the General Attorney, who called him only a few moments before his madness started. And, right after DuSik answered the phone call in a shaking voice, the General Attorney hissed through his teeth, „Move your ass to my office, useless! Now! If not… I swear I’ll kill you!”

This „I swear I’ll kill you!” let DuSik understand that his reign was about to end. Yes, his days were counted already because he knew very well what his boss could do when he was mad. And, knowing very well how the General Attorney behaved in such moments, San DuSik generally avoided looking into his eyes. Not at that moment though because he knew that this would have made things worse for him.

Honestly, DuSik knew that he had to go and see his boss not only because his absence would have gotten things worse but also because he owed a lot to the General Attorney. He had received a lot of favors in the last few years to let that one down eventually. At the same time, he knew that he triggered the „bomb” by being stupid when he gave that interview, something that targeted the General Attorney directly because San DuSik told everything to the press without his boss’s permission. Even so, even if DuSik declared all that without the General Attorney’s permission, he was sure of one thing - his boss wouldn’t accept his guilt but would turn him into the patsy. For this not to happen, DuSik knew that he had to turn himself again into an obedient puppy, who was always waving his tail in front of his boss, licking his shoes and the hand of the one who fed him. The General Attorney not did only this to San DuSik, but he also watched his back out on several occasions.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

„Even so, this doesn’t guarantee me that I’ll still have my head on my shoulders when this is over,” murmured DuSik eventually. He was sitting on the couch at this time, supporting his head with both palms. He wasn’t at all calm but tormenting himself by injuring the skin of his hands with his nails, which he deeply stabbed into the flesh. Even his lower lip was bleeding at that moment, and this happened because he bit it unto blood in a fit of anger.

San DuSik wasn’t only furious at that moment but also damn scared. He felt all that because he realized that nobody was by his side in that story. How not feel lonely when all his colleagues considered him a useless person, a „criminal,” and a „dirty prosecutor,” who deserved to be blamed and scorned by others?! Yet, knowing all this and the reason why he was scorned by everybody, DuSik felt that he was wronged and that he didn’t deserve to be the center of the hurricane in that story.

Because of this, he yelled at his colleagues that morning when he came to the office and heard them whispering to each other while wondering if everything that was written in the press about DuSik was real. Accusations that made DuSik yell at them with hatred, „Keep your mouths shut if you don’t know what is going on! What are you staring at me? Didn’t you see normal people or what? Return to your work and stop talking about others, now! If not, I swear I’ll send all of you behind bars! I swear!”

Hearing him yelling like a crazy person, people stopped in the middle of the lobby and looked at him for a while, stunned. Then, part of them started to whisper to each other again, wondering if San DuSik had gone crazy or if it was just another play. Others… seeing DuSik shaking like hell and seeming to be a crazy man, who ran from the hospice, smiled. And, in half a voice but still loud enough to be heard by him, they said, „Has he lost his mind or what? What’s wrong with him that he screams like a madman in broad daylight?” Then, caring less about his fit of anger, people just moved away to continue their work because even if the play was good, they still had to work that day.

The mockery felt in their voices and the contempt seen in their glances made DuSik yell like the jackal after a fight he lost. Then, seeming scared, he looked around, feeling how others pointed their fingers at him, blaming him for everything that happened. DuSik even seemed at one point that he had visions and that SolHi was somewhere there, among people, mocking him and happily laughing when she saw how miserable he was at that moment.

Eventually, DuSik winced when he heard, somewhere behind him, „All this is your fault!” Looking over there, he saw Iun Min Hiok heading toward him. This made DuSik growl some words barely heard. Even so, Iun Min Hiok understood that those words were said to „bless” him, something that made him smile eventually. Thus, he managed to drive San DuSik crazier than he was already. Especially, DuSik hated the superior look seen in Iun Min Hiok’s eyes, who seemed so confident while heading toward him, staring at him and having his hands poked into his pockets.

Seeing his colleague so confident and heading straight toward him, DuSik started to shake slowly. His mind worked at the speed of light though, trying to make the best decision ever, something that could have helped him to get out of problems. DuSik wanted so badly to find that solution, aware that all of his colleagues kept an eye on him, waiting as the crows next to a fresh body to see him falling and taking his place. That’s why he yelled in his head at one point, „Stop this, San DuSik! Control yourself at once! If not, this jackal will understand what you’ve done and will hunt you until seeing you dead!” After that, deeply breathing in, he turned toward Min Hiok. Not only did this DuSik, but he also used that innocent look, trying to seem more confident than he was.

Seeing DuSik acting like that and using the mask of the „innocent lamb,” Min Hiok smiled. He did that because he knew very well what kind of masks his colleague could use because he learned all of them all those years they had worked together. And, once the words couldn’t deceive Iun Min Hiok, the same happened to DuSik. Yes, DuSik couldn’t deceive Min Hiok, even if he kept staring into his eyes, trying to seem calm and indifferent. All this made Min Hiok whisper in his head, „If he acts like that, it means he has something to hide. If it hadn’t been like that, he would have yelled like a mad person at me, accusing me of injustice in front of him. Then, he would have hit the pike. He doesn’t do that now though. He even seems pretty calm, as he always looks when he has something to hide. Yet… why am I even surprised?! Not when I know that he has always been the General Attorney’s puppy, in front of whom he is always wagging his tail when that one throws him a good bone to chew. He even licks his hand, even when that hand slaps him.”

Thinking about all this, Min Hiok decided that it was time to allow DuSik to boil at a low heat. That’s why he passed by him eventually, heading toward the elevator, in front of which he stopped. He didn’t press the button to call for the elevator but kept staying with his hands in his pockets and waiting for something. Even so, Min Hiok wasn’t indifferent but kept spying on DuSik past his shoulder while trying to see what that one was doing. Thus, he saw that his colleague was hesitating, even if he was staring at the elevator and him.

Eventually, San DuSik approached him. None of them said anything though. They just stood side by side for a while. Then, understanding that at least one of them should have done something to chase that awkward feeling away, DuSik pressed the button to call for the elevator. Yet, nothing happened after this because the elevator seemed to be stuck somewhere on the 15th floor.

Seeing DuSik’s insistence on pressing that button, Min Hiok smiled. „He wants to get rid of me,” he thought after that. Then, staring at DuSik, who kept pressing that button, Min Hiok calmly said, „It’s broken! It’s the reason why it doesn’t come.”

DuSik glared at him. Yet, he didn’t say anything, not even at that time. Only when he saw the elevator coming down, DuSik hissed through his teeth, „It’s not broken! Look, it works! Someone has kept it there… probably the cleaning woman.”

„Or someone who did everything for you not to protect yourself,” said Min Hiok, smiling.

DuSik grinned. „I’m not in the mood for your jokes right now.”

„Does it look as if I’m joking?”

„Honestly, yes because… you also don’t seem to be serious right now. I know you.”

Min Hiok squinted at him. „You know me? How well?”

„Pretty well, actually,” DuSik growled through his teeth. „I know you enough to realize that you aren’t more than a jackal that has smelt blood and looks for prey everywhere. And… it’s not funny at all to hunt for your colleagues who are in trouble.”

„Something I’ve been aware of since long ago,” Min Hiok calmly replied, turning toward his colleague, and, hands in his pockets, he kept staring at DuSik. „I can’t say the same thing about you, San DuSik. Why? Because… I know very well how you behave when you pretend, and now… you are acting! So, knowing all this, I tell you this: stop playing the role of the innocent lamb and accept responsibility!”

Such words made DuSik feel hurt. Then, swallowing hard and staring with hatred at his younger colleague, he said through his teeth, „To accept responsibility? What the hell are you talking about, Iun?”

„Ian SolHi and everything you did to her to get promotions, San DuSik! This is what I’m talking about! And… I’m also talking about all the bad things you’ve done in time. So, if you still feel ashamed sometimes, you’ll withdraw the claim you submitted to the Court where you asked for Ian SolHi’s death. If not, we’ll break you into pieces, I swear!”

San DuSik burst into laughter, even if he wasn’t in the mood for that. Yet, it was his best option to hide his nervousness. Then, hands into his pockets, which he felt slowly shaking, he stared at Min Hiok, whom he said sharply, „Withdraw my claim? Of course not! I’m not stupid. Something I can’t say about you, Iun Min Hiok because… you have definitely lost your mind if you beg mercy from me. No, I won’t do that. Not until I see you and Han DooSan on your knees in front of me, asking for forgiveness for that bitch. Only then or when I see you crawling like worms in front of me, I’ll think about this… if I do that or not.”

It was Min Hiok’s turn to burst into laughter. „To crawl in front of you?” He calmly asked. „I don’t see why we should do that. I mean… why we should humiliate in front of a dog, who’ll still wave his tail eventually while fulfilling this order.”

„Keep dreaming, Iun Min Hiok! Why? Because… I’m not a dog to wave my tail in front of you or please you. Even so, you have the right to sit on your tail and wait… forever, for something that won’t ever happen!” Then, when the elevator doors opened, which was empty at that moment, San DuSik entered. Yet, he didn’t allow Min Hiok to do the same but told him, „You’ll wait for the next one because… I’m in a hurry! Plus, I don’t think that worms like you have the right to stay around me.”

„If you say so!” Min Hiok, of an impressive calmness, replied. Then, he took a step back and, pointing with his head toward the elevator, let DuSik know that he was free to go. Seeing Min Hiok pulling back from that fight, DuSik rushed to press the button, trying to close the door.

DuSik’s nervousness made Min Hiok smile. Then, with his hands in his pockets, Prosecutor Iun headed toward the stairwell. At this time, Min Hiok didn’t keep silent but said, „Keep dreaming that you’ll get out of problems this time too, San DuSik! I assure you that this won’t happen. Not as long as we are all after you… we - the worms, those who can destroy even the most durable tree, one that even the wind couldn’t knock down ever. That’s why I suggest you protect yourself from worms, San DuSik because we are the ones who’ll teach you what it means to crawl through life!”

When he said that, Min Hiok was damn calm. Yet, it was only a mask, something he got to use often in front of others, whom he didn’t want to let know what he was really thinking about. Thus, he often managed to keep his enemies on a leash and have his mind clear, even in the most difficult situations. Actually, this was Min Hiok’s strongest feature, something that helped him to be feared by his enemies, especially by those who worked with him. At the same time, this also helped him to be respected by others because everybody knew already that Iun Min Hiok was that kind of silent enemy who worked from the shadows and that it wasn’t the best option for them the mess with him. Not if they cared about their life and didn’t want to be thrown in the cage with lions when they less expected that.

***

After leaving Iun Min Hiok on the first floor and while the elevator got to the 20th floor where the office of the General Attorney was, DuSik felt that he was boiling in low heat. He didn’t feel this because he was afraid to see his boss but because of the hatred that sneaked into his soul, hatred that had two sure targets at that moment - Iun Min Hiok and Han DooSan. A growing hatred, in fact, something that made DuSik kick the elevator’s wall at one point, hissing through his teeth later, „Good-for-nothings! Bastards and idiots! What? Have they decided to declare war on me just to take that bitch Ian SolHi out of prison? Of course not! I’ll never give them the satisfaction of seeing her out of that cage. I won’t do that, not even dead!”

His determination wasn’t something he suddenly felt but something he had decided long ago. When exactly? The day he slapped SolHi in DooSan’s office, and she „dared” to stay against him. It’s when DuSik decided to crush her under his feet like a bug as soon as he would have had that chance. Chance he had a few months ago when he managed to obtain a death sentence for her. Yet… not all of his plans got to materialize because the implementation of the death sentence was late as it always happened in such cases.

Yes, Ian SolHi’s death was delayed but not his because, as soon as he entered the General Attorney’s office, a flying object landed on his forehead - a wooden cube. After hitting DuSik’s head, the flying object fell with a bang on the floor, remaining the same accessory it had always been on the G.A’s desk. And, still staring at the cube that hit his head, DuSik felt himself shuddering. Moreover, he felt that after he touched his forehead, and felt it wet. Staring at the point of his fingers, DuSik shuddered again, seeing it stained with blood. The man even screamed like an idiot after that, „Blood! It’s blood, Prosecutor An! Blood!”

„Keep your mouth shut!” The General Attorney hissed through his teeth, staring at DuSik as though he was a pitbull thirsty for blood. His yell made DuSik throw himself on the floor. Knelt in front of his boss and rubbing his palms while staring into his boss’s eyes, he started to beg for mercy.

„I’m a sinner and I accept that!” DuSik suddenly yelled. „I’m definitely a sinner and I deserve death for betraying you! Even so, boss, have mercy on me because I don’t deserve suffering! Please, Prosecutor An, I swear that if you give me one more chance, I’ll do everything as I’ve promised!”

Seeing his underling on his knees and ready to repent, An Te Sun suddenly calmed down. Then, sitting at his desk, he stared at DuSik, who kept worshiping in front of him as in front of a God, hissing through his teeth eventually, „Take a seat!” Yet, seeing that DuSik kept begging and begging, Te Sun grabbed a file and threw it toward DuSik, yelling at him again, „I told you to take a seat, dog!” A yell that convinced DuSik to jump to his feet. Then, shaking like hell, he sat on the couch, barely daring to watch his boss when this one asked him, „What the hell happened?”

„Nothing important, boss!” DuSik mumbled, staring at the ground. „I mean… Nothing of that I can’t handle. And… Prosecutor An, I swear I’ll handle this alone!” Saying that, DuSik finally dared to look at his boss. Yet, seeing Te Sun’s eyes sparkling because of anger, he looked at the ground again. And, bowing his head for the umpteenth time, he murmured, „Guilty! Yes, I’m guilty of not checking every detail of the case! I missed one.”

An Te Sun frowned. „Just a detail? Which one?”

„That… that…” DuSik kept stuttering. „That… it seems she’s innocent and those dogs have evidence that she didn’t kill anybody. Ian SolHi, I mean.”

„Ian SolHi? Who the hell is she?” The General Attorney suddenly yelled, making DuSik wince and then shudder.

„The one judged for Han YuSan’s death,” murmured DuSik.

„The detective?” Te Sun asked, frowning again.

„Yes, sir! Yet, there’s a thing here.”

„Which one?”

„That… she’s someone we must keep in jail no matter what. Even if others prove she didn’t kill anybody, we can’t release her. We must also rush her death and make sure that this happens right after we catch her. These are orders from above, boss!”

This „orders from above” was definitely something An Te Sun disliked. Because of this, he swore at one point, cursing everybody in his mind. Yet, aware that he didn’t have any other choice but to do that, just as San DuSik was doing because those orders weren’t something to be discussed, he looked with hatred at DuSik, hissing through his teeth, „This is already something you’ll handle alone. To fulfill the orders, I mean. If you can’t do that, at least… take care of her not to be ever caught but be found dead. Otherwise, the one who goes to jail is you. Did you get me?”

„Yes, boss!”

„Now… get the hell out of here and never appear in front of me again, not with such cheap excuses, or I swear I will kill you with my hands! Out!” An Te Sun yelled eventually.

The General Attorney’s yell made DuSik jump to his feet again. Then, crawling back like the crabs and bowing in front of Te Sun as in front of a God, DuSik headed toward the door. He did that while mumbling and begging for forgiveness and mercy for „daring to bother his dear boss.” Once next to the door and still shaking like hell, San DuSik carefully closed it behind him because he knew that if An Te Sun hated something, it was to hear someone slamming the door of his office. Something San DuSik would have done at that moment just to show his boss that he was also pissed off.

Leaving his boss’s office and staring at the closed door, San DuSik suddenly calmed down. He even straightened his back while proudly looking around. Not seeing anybody there, he breathed a sigh of relief because „Nobody witnessed my shame! What a release because I really didn’t want someone to see me in the role of the dog waving my tail in front of the boss!” Saying this, DuSik headed toward the elevator.

While heading toward the elevator, DuSik kept gnashing his teeth. He even felt his nails injuring the skin of his palms and heard the soles of his new shoes scratching the floor. DuSik didn’t do only this. Once arrived in front of the elevator, which was late to climb again, he started to bite his fingers and break his nails because of sudden nervousness. He didn’t do that because of An Te Sun and of the shame that he suffered inside his boss’s office but because he was afraid of death. Yes, DuSik feared death as hell. Especially, he felt that when he remembered the phone call he had to make - one that could have been the last one for him if he had said a single wrong word.

Yet, once he had no other choice than to do that, he gave that phone call. He gave it earlier than he should have done that. DuSik could have waited until getting to his office. Nevertheless, understanding that it was a better choice to give it there, he took his phone out of his pocket and, with a shaking hand, gave that phone call. He even held his breath until he heard „What do you want?” at the other side of the wire.

„To… to see you!” DuSik stuttered, seconds after hearing the bark of his interlocutor.

„What for?” The stern and angry voice asked after a few moments of silence.

„It’s because of Ian SolHi,” DuSik whispered this time, looking around, scared. „We have to meet and plan what should we do for her not to return ever. If not, we’ll get behind bars in her place.”

Poor DuSik’s blood froze in his veins after saying those words because, a second only after his whisper, a frightening growl was heard at the other end of the wire. DuSik was even forced to move the phone further from his ear to make sure he wouldn’t go deaf. Thus, by moving the phone further from his ear, it had been clearly heard in the hall, „Take care of this not to ever happen and that bitch never be caught! If this happens, you are dead, San DuSik! You are dead for sure!”

The sound of the disconnected call made DuSik stare at the screen of his phone. He was shaking like hell at that moment, aware that he had just signed his death sentence. Then, finally realizing where he was at that moment, he carefully looked around to make sure nobody listened to him talking by phone. Yet, even if he looked around for a good while, he saw nobody there, something that calmed him down. After that, still afraid, he insistently pressed the button until the elevator didn’t stop at the floor where he was, entering it as soon as the door opened. DuSik even made sure to close those doors before someone else could enter too.

Doing this, DuSik didn’t see the one who had lurked on him from the shadows all that time - no one other than Iun Min Hiok. Yes, Prosecutor Iun had been there all that time. He didn’t only listen to how DuSik planning SolHi’s death but also the conversation he had with the General Attorney. This made him smile eventually and say, „Still, you are so predictable, San DuSik, even when you dig your own grave. Yet… it’s still something I like, you know?! If this happens, you are out of the story without us staining our hands with your blood.” After that, slowly whistling to show his satisfaction and still hands into his pockets, Min Hiok headed toward the stairwell because climbing and descending the stairs was Iun Min Hiok’s great passion, something that always gave him the chance to clear his mind and find solutions even for the most complicated problems.