#124. Ordinary 4.
“What did you say?”
“I guess the hospital is near the company. I can see you walked here.”
Assistant Manager Cha Ju-hyuk's eyes widened slightly.
And for about a second, the face and movements were frozen.
It was a natural freezing reaction that occurred when surprised.
“What are you? Are you following me?”
“No. It’s my first time seeing you at the office.”
“Are you kidding me? Then how did you know I went to work at the hospital?”
Woojin saw him as he sat down.
In the photo taken next to his mother, Deputy Cha Ju-hyeok was smiling brightly, but a short sigh escaped his lips as he looked at the photo.
And even the act of sweeping one's hair.
Also, the shirt hanging on the chair doesn't have any wrinkles, but the pants do have wrinkles.
It is not a material that wrinkles easily.
The appearance is not one of wrinkles from sitting on a chair for a long time.
It's a wrinkle that's been pressed down for a long time, but if you stop loosening it while walking, it'll be just that size.
There is other information too.
The scent and oiliness of the lotion he applied to his face were what middle-aged women prefer.
Woojin didn't have to, but he deliberately brought up the existence of Cha Joo-hyuk's mother.
“I found out when you were there. I think your mother is sick.”
A person who gives endless love regardless of the reason.
That is, when we think of family, our brain is deluded.
When you think of your loved one when you are with someone you don't know anything about, you will also feel good about that person.
For example, there is a saying like this:
They say that when you're in love, the world seems brighter.
There are times when everything seems positive due to the influence of hormones.
Woojin was guiding Cha Joohyuk's brain.
It was a surprise, it piqued my interest and it reminded me of my mother.
So that you can look at it with favor.
Even if you don't see an immediate reaction, your subconscious will react.
“By any chance… … . Who told you to investigate me? You’re not just some parachute, are you?”
Cha Joo-hyuk said, looking around with a suspicious look.
Woojin shook his head slightly and said.
“It was a lucky ‘parachute’. The agent smelled like a hospital. I had a feeling that his mother had been admitted to the hospital.”
“Really?”
"yes."
Cha Joo-hyuk chuckled.
Woojin didn't miss the moment before his expression loosened.
There was something he didn't want the company to know about.
Cha Joo-hyuk said.
“You’re quick-witted. Can I just say something?”
“Please speak comfortably. Please call me comfortably.”
“Did you bring your resume? Give it to me.”
Woojin opened his bag and handed over his resume.
After receiving the resume, Cha Joo-hyuk looked at Woo-jin's watch and then glanced at the entire suit that Woo-jin was wearing.
A watch that looks modern is a luxury item.
But the suit looked like some cheap, nameless piece of shit.
Cha Joo-hyuk, who had been thinking like that, opened his mouth.
“Does the watch look nice?”
“This is the ‘watch’ I received as a gift.”
Cha Joo-hyuk smiled and turned his gaze to Woo-jin's resume.
“Don’t meet the person who gave you that watch. He’s a swindler.”
“Salty… … .”
Woojin didn't object to his words.
Because it was better to let them think comfortably about themselves no matter what.
“Hey… … You’re on leave from S University and you speak five languages?”
"yes."
Cha Ju-hyuk stood up from his seat holding his resume and said.
“I’m not some random parachute dropped into a company… … . Stand by.”
Cha Joo-hyuk, who had been speaking lightly, went to see the director who looked to be in his early 50s.
The director wore a gold Rolex on his wrist, and his glasses were also luxury items.
The same goes for suits.
Cha Joo-hyuk handed Woo-jin his resume.
“This is the parachute resume that came to work today.”
The manager asked with a sly smile.
“How is your condition?”
“I think you have some sense.”
“You usually can’t be here without a second thought.”
The manager, who was reading the resume, spoke as if he was surprised.
“You speak five languages? Oh my… … . I guess I’ll have to use it. Take me with you when you go to meet Reporter Choi. Teach me quickly what kind of place this is.”
"All right."
“Go right now.”
"yes."
Cha Ju-hyuk bent his back and returned to his seat, putting on his jacket.
“Let’s go to work.”
Woojin followed Cha Joo-hyuk without saying a word.
So I got into the car in the underground parking lot.
“Do you know how to drive?”
“Yes. Should I ‘drive’?”
Woojin obtained his license a month before joining SH Strategy because he thought it would be necessary.
“No. I’ll drive today. Next time, you do it. Okay?”
"yes."
So the car left the underground parking lot and drove onto the road.
Cha Joo-hyuk said.
“Where do you think you’re going now?”
“I think I’m going to work.”
“Right. So what do you think you’re going to do?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
Cha Joo-hyuk smiled faintly at Woo-jin's words.
I thought it was just a parachute, but it has decent specs and is quite perceptive.
And it was funny because his confused appearance now seemed like looking at his past.
Of course, there is still some nagging from above.
“I’m going to meet a reporter.”
Woojin asked back in surprise.
“A ‘journalist’?”
“Yeah, you know Lee Yo-hwan?”
He was Lee Hye-rim's older brother.
“Oh, yes, I know.”
“I was caught leaving the hotel with the actress. I’m going to stop that. Now tell me why we’re going to meet Reporter Choi.”
“Are you going to negotiate?”
“That’s right. You’re going to silence them with money. Just remember this. We have to clean up everything that could harm the Shinwha Group. You could call them a kind of cleaner. A cleaner who receives a high salary.”
“Okay. Can I have the reporter’s name?”
“Choi Gi-bae.”
Woojin started searching for reporter Choi Gi-bae on his cell phone.
Cha Joo-hyuk glanced at the sight.
'It seems like there's work to be done.'
Woojin began to get to know reporter Choi Gi-bae, regardless of what he thought or did not.
Information was gathered through the character's profile and his SNS.
He is 37 years old and not married.
He likes drinking and seems to have strong political views, but he was an entertainment reporter.
“By the way, how did you get involved with SH Strategy?”
Woojin spoke as he had kissed Hye-rim Lee.
“I helped Ms. Lee Hye-rim when she was almost hit by a car. I also got her business card.”
Cha Joo-hyuk nodded as if he had nothing more to hear.
* * *
The coffee shop where Woojin and Cha Juhyuk were was quiet.
There was a shopping bag under Cha Joo-hyuk's legs, containing bundles of money.
Of course, the surface of the money was covered with clothes.
Cha Joo-hyuk frowned as he checked the time.
I was 15 minutes late, and I didn't get a call.
Cha Joo-hyuk muttered.
“Anyway, you little rags… … .”
There were a few people who followed the conglomerates around professionally like paparazzi.
Not because it was for the sake of the article, but because the money was coming.
The idea is to make a deal with a conglomerate that will be a hot topic of conversation.
If you pay, I'll give you the original, but if you don't, I'll put it in the article.
In most cases, the money was paid and the cases were covered up before they were published in the news.
Cha Joo-hyuk called Choi Ki-bae again.
I didn't get an answer this time either, what are you doing? No.
-hello.
“Reporter Choi, this is me. Deputy Cha. What happened?”
-Oh my… … What should I do? I forgot that I had something important to do today.
“Are you kidding me?”
-What are you kidding me about? This is really important.
“Do you think that’s not enough?”
-Look, Deputy Cha. It's not like I'm crazy about that. But… … But you know. The unit price doesn't seem right. Two is a bit… … Don't you think?
They were both referring to money as it was.
It was to avoid stepping into places that could easily become traps for each other.
“Where are you? I will go there. Let’s talk face to face.”
-Charge driver, just a moment! I have an urgent call. I'll call you right back.
When the call was abruptly disconnected, Cha Joo-hyuk furrowed his brow.
"Fuck."
The deputy manager, who was muttering curses, immediately called the manager.
“Sir, this is Assistant Manager Cha. Reporter Choi, I think this bastard is going to disappear.”
-what?
“It seems like they want to raise it more.”
-No, that kid… … . Tell him I’ll give you one more. And find out his location.
"All right."
This time, Cha Joo-hyuk called the place where Choi Ki-bae was affiliated.
“Oh, reporter, is reporter Choi Ki-bae at the company?”
-You didn't go to work today?
"All right."
Cha Joo-hyuk also made calls to other places.
“Detective Kwon. Can you help me locate a person? His name is Choi Ki-bae, and his number is 010 12… … .”
Woojin stared at Cha Joo-hyuk quietly.
Many people were involved, not just for Lee Yo-hwan's safety, but for the image of Shinwha Group.
They are all connected to money and are moving for money.
Deputy Cha Ju-hyeok spoke to several people other than detectives.
To get a handle on one person's whereabouts, I spoke to people from a wide range of occupations.
And then.
Reporter Choi Ki-bae received another call.
-Oh my… Our deputy Cha Joo-hyuk. It seems like you’re making a fuss trying to find me. Did you contact the detective too? What should I do? I have two cell phones. Two.
Cha Joo-hyuk rubbed his forehead with his fingers.
It seemed like he was well prepared to take pictures of Lee Yo-hwan and get a piece of the action.
“Where are you?”
-Here? The air is nice. Let's come together sometime. We can go fishing too.
The corners of Manager Cha Ju-hyeok's mouth trembled.
“It could be easy. I’ll give you one more. Or I’ll send you to a nice place. There, the food and lodging will be free.”
-Hey… …Am I being threatened right now?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
-No, I want you to decide on five within an hour. Otherwise, the article will be posted.
“How can you believe that?”
-What would happen if I received that and wrote an article about it? Would the group just sit still? How would they quietly deal with a mere reporter like that?
Cha Joo-hyuk wanted to shout, “He’s the one who knows that!” while swearing, but the other person was a reporter.
I couldn't help but be cautious.
-Just put it where I tell you to. The number is… … .
“You know, I can’t do that.”
Even after Cha Joo-hyuk said that, he called out the account number so that Woo-jin could hear.
Woojin could have memorized it, but he wrote it down on his phone.
After finishing the call, Cha Joo-hyuk muttered while washing his face.
“The fuck is really…”
“Mr. Cha, may I go to the bathroom?”
Cha Ju-hyuk's eyebrows furrowed at Woo-jin's words.
I thought he was a guy with some insight… … .
Cha Joo-hyuk waved his hand as if shooing away a fly.
“I’ll be back shortly.”
Woojin left the coffee shop and went outside.
And I looked around the building.
Reporter Choi Ki-bae, who focuses on reporting on celebrities' private lives.
Considering the content of the call, reporter Choi Ki-bae thinks he has the upper hand.
You might think it's obvious since I have the photos, but it was overconfidence.
The confidence that one knows everything and sees through everything.
Confidence that has always turned into arrogance leaves hints.
It's the same when you think about your job.
That hint caught Woojin's eye a little while ago.
Woojin immediately caught a taxi and told the taxi driver his destination.
“Please make a U-turn in front.”
"yes?"
“Please stop at the building opposite where I got on.”
Woojin got off at the building opposite the coffee shop where Cha Joo-hyuk was in just a few minutes.
And then headed to the billiards hall on the third floor.
widely!
I hear the refreshing sound of the ball hitting.
Woojin, dressed in a neat suit, went inside and picked up his cell phone to call the coffee shop he had been to earlier.
“Please take care of Mr. Cha Ju-hyuk at the coffee shop.”
A middle-aged man who had been playing billiards alone with his hat pulled down straightened his back and looked at Woojin's back.
Soon, Woojin's voice was heard by him again.
“I found Mr. Cha. It’s the billiard hall on the third floor of the building across the street.”
Woojin spoke to him while holding his cell phone.
“Hello, Reporter Choi.”
