Chapter 15

CEO Kang Myeong-cheol (2)

“Witness. Is it true that the defendant, Kang Myeong-cheol, ordered the night shift to eliminate their rest breaks and keep the machines running to meet the delivery deadline?”

The prosecutor's sharp voice echoed through the courtroom.

The factory manager sitting in the witness stand swallowed nervously and nodded.

“Yes, that's correct.”

“Is it also true that the defendant already knew the mixing machine's safety sensor had been disabled by wrapping it in tape?”

“Th-that······.”

The factory manager's anxious gaze shifted toward Kang Myeong-cheol, who was sitting in the defendant's seat.

And at that moment, Attorney Park, who had been leafing through documents, raised his hand.

“Your Honor, I object. The prosecutor is currently asking the witness a compound leading question. He is cleverly combining the defendant's ordinary 'instruction to meet the delivery deadline' with the 'unauthorized tampering of a safety sensor' that occurred on-site, presenting them as though they were part of the same order.”

The presiding judge nodded briefly.

“Objection sustained. Prosecutor, refrain from asking compound questions that combine two separate facts. Please question the witness again, addressing each matter separately.”

The prosecutor furrowed his brow before letting out a short sigh.

“······I withdraw the question. That concludes my examination of the witness.”

“Then, defense counsel, proceed with your cross-examination.”

The defense attorney approached the witness stand.

“Witness. Did the defendant, Kang Myeong-cheol, ever specifically instruct anyone to 'wrap tape around the safety sensor and operate the machine'? Whether verbally, in writing, or in any other form?”

“No, he never directly gave such an instruction.”

“Then whose decision was it to wrap tape around the sensor?”

The factory manager lowered his head.

“Well, if we met our quotas, we could leave work early······. It was something the shift supervisor and workers did voluntarily.”

“I take it that operating the mixing machine with its lid open considerably improves work efficiency?”

“Yes. Whenever the lid opens, the machine stops, which slows down the work······.”

“I understand. Then who instructed the workers to cover the bloodstains at the scene with cloth and continue operating the machinery immediately after the accident? Was it the defendant, CEO Kang Myeong-cheol?”

“N-no!! The CEO wasn't at the site when the accident happened. The customers started calling about their deliveries, and everything was in chaos······. So I instructed the workers to cover the area with cloth for the time being and keep the adjacent production line running.”

After hearing those answers, the attorney turned toward the judges.

“Your Honor. This was a truly tragic accident. I would also like to once again personally offer my condolences and pray for the repose of the late Ahn Byeong-yeong, who lost his life in this incident. However, we must strictly distinguish moral responsibility for an unfortunate accident from criminal responsibility. That is precisely why we are standing in this courtroom today. There is no objective physical evidence or testimony anywhere indicating that the defendant 'directly' instructed anyone to disable the safety equipment to increase production speed. Furthermore, no direct causal connection can be established between the defendant and the tampering with the accident scene afterward.”

It was a flawless display of showmanship, with no trace of the disgust he had shown while eating with Bareum.

Several more exchanges followed between the prosecutor and the defense attorney.

Then the presiding judge adjusted his microphone.

“It is acknowledged that a serious incident occurred at the defendant's workplace, resulting in the death of a twenty-three-year-old worker. It is also undeniable that the defendant bears a comprehensive duty to ensure safety throughout his workplace.”

The presiding judge's voice was dry.

“However, in a criminal trial, a finding of guilt must be based on strict evidence sufficient to convince the court of the truth of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Based solely on the evidence submitted by the prosecution, it is difficult to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant specifically instructed the safety sensor to be disabled, or that he knowingly tolerated and neglected the situation.”

And the breathing coming from the front row of the gallery was unbearably heavy.

“Furthermore, the possibility cannot be excluded that the tampering with the accident scene immediately afterward was carried out at the discretion of the on-site supervisor. Therefore, as the charges in this case have not been proven, the court finds the defendant not guilty pursuant to the latter part of Article 325 of the Criminal Procedure Act.”

—Bang, bang, bang.

“Not guilty? NOT GUILTY!!!! How can he be not guilty!! How the hell can he be not guilty!! My child's blood was all over that machine!! The demon who made them produce bread with that bloodstained machine is standing right here! How can he be not guilty!! HOW CAN HE BE NOT GUILTY!!!”

A heart-wrenching wail erupted the moment the verdict was announced.

Court officers roughly seized both arms of the elderly mother as she screamed as though her entire world had collapsed, trying to climb over the low barrier blocking her path.

At the defendant's table, Attorney Park Dong-yeop silently organized his documents with a rigid expression.

And Kang Myeong-cheol, the business owner sitting beside him, slowly stood up and bowed deeply toward the wailing bereaved family.

The reporters' hands grew busy.

People wearing matching organizational vests glared fiercely at Kang Myeong-cheol.

The judges leaving the courtroom.

The court officer's shouting.

And the heartbroken cries of the bereaved family.

Memories of that day several years ago overlapped with the scene before me without my realizing it.

The corridor outside the courtroom had already turned into a battlefield.

Dozens of reporters who had been waiting rushed toward Kang Myeong-cheol as he emerged after receiving his acquittal.

“CEO Kang Myeong-cheol, how do you feel about being found not guilty!!”

“You continue to deny any knowledge of the safety sensor manipulation. Do you feel no moral responsibility?”

“Please say a few words to the bereaved family as well.”

Microphones thrust forward like spears on a battlefield.

Kang Myeong-cheol stopped before them and bowed with impeccable composure.

“I respect the court's wise decision. However, I will live the rest of my life carrying the heavy burden of the tragic accident that occurred at our workplace. Once again, I humbly pray for the repose of the deceased.”

An apology so perfect it could have been printed in a textbook.

But would this man truly be found innocent under the stern Scales of Karma, rather than the judicial system of the Republic of Korea?

“You bloodsucking bastard!! Does it feel good to suck workers dry and use that money to hire a law firm and buy yourself an acquittal?”

“Arrest Kang Myeong-cheol immediately!! We refuse bread stained with workers' blood!!”

Civic organizations.

And people wearing labor union vests, their faces flushed with anger, pushed against the courthouse security guards who had formed a human barricade. Curses, shouting, and the incessant clicking of camera shutters filled the narrow corridor. The attendants surrounding Kang Myeong-cheol desperately struggled against the crowd to clear a path.

Utter chaos.

Amid it all, I quietly began moving.

The pressure from the people filling the corridor was considerable, but it wasn't much of a problem for me.

Only three steps remained before I could place my hand on Kang Myeong-cheol.

And at that very moment.

—Grab.

Someone seized my wrist.

“Bareum, what brings you here?”

It was Attorney Park Dong-yeop, carrying a briefcase in one hand.

A hint of surprise and delight.

“Didn't you go straight home after lunch earlier?”

“······.”

“Ah!! Did something I said at the end bother you, so you came to watch the trial?”

“······Yes.”

“You little rascal. If you were curious, you should've just said so. And hey, if you came, you should've at least said hello to your big brother. Were you planning to watch secretly and leave without me noticing if I hadn't spotted you?”

“You looked busy······.”

Attorney Park Dong-yeop nodded at my answer.

“Well, I am busy. Just because we won today doesn't mean we've won completely. They're definitely going to appeal, so we have to prepare our defense. Besides, right now I need to get our client safely into his car and out of this mess.”

“Then you should hurry along. Don't worry about me.”

“No, since we've run into each other like this, I'm going to see my client off, so you stay right here and don't move. We can have dinner together, and I'll finish telling you everything I didn't get to say earlier.”

“Pardon? You won your case today. Shouldn't you be having some kind of celebration party?”

“We won, sure, but it doesn't exactly feel right to throw a celebration party over a victory like this.”

Attorney Park gestured with his chin toward the corridor, where reporters, civic activists, union members, attendants, and courthouse security guards were tangled together.

“Ah······.”

“Anyway, wait right here. When we had beef earlier, I couldn't even have a drink with my meal because of the trial, which was a shame. Since it'll be dinner, a glass of soju would be perfect. Come to think of it, you've been in there ever since becoming an adult, so you probably haven't even had a proper drink yet. Perfect. I'll teach you proper drinking etiquette tonight.”

Without even waiting for my answer, he patted my shoulder a couple of times and walked into the chaos of reporters and the crowd.

But why was that? To my eyes, his footsteps didn't look like those of a victor at all.

____________

“Ahh, beef is great, but nothing beats pork belly with soju.”

A shabby barbecue restaurant, quite different from the upscale beef restaurant where we'd eaten lunch.

Both the prices and the table setting were incomparably modest, but Attorney Park, who had loosened his tie, looked far more relaxed than he had at lunch.

“Take your time eating.”

“Yeah, yeah. You take your time drinking too. This is how alcohol is supposed to be enjoyed, in a good mood. If you drink just to get drunk or to hide how miserable you feel, you're going to end up in trouble.”

“Your mood······ Are you all right?”

“Am I all right? Of course I am. Do you have any idea how difficult today's case was? Honestly, it's ridiculous that I was even the one who got to handle it. I only managed to land the case because that gentleman happens to enjoy watching the television program I appear on. It was the kind of case that would normally go straight to a major law firm.”

He spoke proudly before emptying another glass of soju.

“But are you sure this is really your first time drinking? How come your face hasn't changed color at all?”

“I guess it's just my constitution.”

“Ah, seriously, you. The more I look at you, the more I think you should've become a lawyer. You're smart, you can hold your liquor, and you're good with words. You're exactly the kind of talent suited to being an attorney. Ah, no. Come to think of it, your personality is so damn awful that you probably couldn't survive as a lawyer.”

“And you're a lawyer because you have such a wonderful personality?”

“Of course. Just look at today. Even in that shitty situation, I delivered customer satisfaction as my top priority. Now that's the perfect attitude, faithful to the very essence of the service industry. Don't you agree?”

“But Attorney Park, there's something I've been wondering about for a while. Why exactly did you take this case? Even from what little I've seen, you don't seem particularly pleased about it.”

“Kid, you'll understand when you're older. See whether you can go through life doing only the things you want.”

A bitter smile.

“Bareum, are you interested in the law by any chance?”

“Pardon?”

“Hey, you don't have to pretend to be so surprised. Yeah, of course you know. You can never become a lawyer. Even if the law itself doesn't prohibit it, something more frightening than the law stands in your way. Fuck.”

“No, that's not what I meant.”

Attorney Park downed the soju in front of him, then, as though that weren't enough, poured himself two more glasses in succession and emptied them.

“Bareum, hey!! JEONG BAREUM!!!”

His tongue was gradually beginning to slur.

His face had turned flushed.

“You come to our office tomorrow. Your big brother will. Huh? That fucking thing scarier than the law. That, huh? You little······.”

—THUD!!

Dong-yeop's head dropped onto the table.

And soon, the sound of steady breathing followed.

I wiped my hands with a wet towel from the table and quickly tidied things up.

I called a designated driver and loaded the attorney into the back seat of his car.

“Please take good care of him, sir.”

I handed the driver a tip and quietly closed the car door.

A few drops of rain had begun falling through the chilly winter night air.

After silently watching the attorney's car disappear into the distance, I glanced down at my wristwatch.

It was approaching midnight.

But my day's work was not yet finished.

'That gentleman? There's an upscale Korean-style entertainment establishment called Suryeon in Seongbuk-dong. The kind of place where real gisaeng entertainers come out and entertain you. He's probably there drinking with the hostesses. He even offered to buy me a drink, but I turned him down, saying I had to prepare for the appeal.'

Would the weight of his sins be judged innocent upon my scales as well?

It was time to find out.

© Myoyeop#12ipk

Author's Note

Thank you!!