Chapter 10
With the money earned from taking my first case, I finally had some breathing room.
I went to the office in a light mood.
The security guard, who usually greeted me cheerfully, was sitting in the security booth today with a serious expression.
“Good morning.”
I greeted him first.
The guard, who had been looking through documents with a magnifying glass, slightly lifted his cap and returned the greeting.
“Oh, good morning. Attorney Yoo Hyun-jae from Room 804?”
“Yes, that’s right. How do you remember that?”
There were more than ten law offices in this building. Including tax accountants and legal scriveners, there were over fifty offices in total.
I was a little surprised that he remembered my name.
“I remember everyone who comes to work here.”
The guard smiled.
But somehow, his expression looked darker than usual.
“Aren’t there Attorneys Kim Chang-su, Park Hyun, and Um Ji-seong in your building?”
“Yes, that’s right. Your memory is amazing.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
He scratched his head and dropped the pen he was holding.
The pen rolled toward me.
As I picked it up and stood, I saw an old man’s ghost standing behind the guard.
He was an elderly country man wearing traditional old Korean clothing, leaning on a cane, and seemed to be following the guard.
—“Huh? That old man looks really angry. Scary.”
The red eyes whispered.
Looking closely, the old man did seem extremely angry.
I handed the pen back and glanced at the paper the guard was holding.
It was a foreclosure initiation decision.
“What are you looking at?”
I asked casually.
“Well… there’s been a problem.”
The guard stammered.
“Can I help with anything?”
“I’d appreciate it if a lawyer could look at it, but… I feel embarrassed asking.”
“It’s fine. Let me see it.”
He handed me the documents.
I stood there flipping through them.
“Is this your house?”
“Yes. It’s been in our family since my great-grandfather’s time. But suddenly it’s being auctioned.”
“Why?”
“Ah… my son used it as collateral for his business loan. I told him this house was off-limits, but I think he stole my seal and used it without permission.”
The guard’s shoulders slumped.
Looking at the foreclosure notice, the debt exceeded the property value, meaning even after the auction, the debt would not be fully repaid.
Because his son had forged his seal and made him a guarantor, even his salary was at risk of being seized.
“This house is in the outskirts, so it isn’t worth much. But I would never sell it. Please look at this photo.”
The guard showed me a picture.
It was an old hanok that had been patched and repaired many times over the years.
Though small and modest, the pine tree in the yard looked dignified, marked by the passage of time.
“Wow, that tree is impressive.”
“Right? It’s been there since before I was born. Probably even before my father was born. I said I would never let this house go, but now it’s all ending up in auction… I’m furious.”
“I’ll think about how I can help.”
“I’d appreciate it, but… I don’t have money to pay you.”
I quickly scanned his aura.
“It’s fine. I’ll take a look for free.”
“Really? Thank you so much…”
The dark cloud on his face cleared slightly.
As I entered the office, the red eyes followed and complained.
—“You said you’ll do it for free? Are you crazy? You should be making money, not wasting time.”
‘I wouldn’t get paid anyway. His salary is already about to be seized.’
—“Lawyers sell time. If you don’t get paid, don’t waste time working. Are you really in a position to be sympathetic?”
‘I’m not being sentimental. I read his aura.’
—“Aura? What about it?”
‘At first glance it was brown. But that’s because of his current anxiety. Under it, there was rose and jade mixed together.’
—“What does that mean?”
‘It means he’s not someone who betrays easily. He’s loyal. And someone like that always tries to repay kindness somehow.’
—“Repay it? So what, like an investment?”
‘Investment? Hahaha. Let’s call it that.’
The red eyes still looked suspicious, but it didn’t argue further since it had seen me read people’s auras before.
I immediately opened the court auction website and searched the case number from the notice.
The house had been auctioned off by a loan company called Core Money.
It was a secured loan using the house as collateral.
After understanding the case, I called Core Money and set up a meeting.
We agreed to visit at 7 PM, when the guard finished work.
Then Attorney Park Hyun called.
“Hello, Attorney.”
—“Hyun-jae, are you free today?”
“Yes. What is it?”
—“Can you attend a trial in Ansan District Court as my substitute? Something urgent came up with my daughter’s school, so I can’t make it. It’s a simple case. I’ll transfer the appearance fee immediately.”
“Yes, I understand. What time?”
—“2 PM. I’ll submit the delegation form in advance. Thanks.”
He hung up.
When lawyers cannot attend court, they send substitute attorneys and receive a daily fee. I had only heard of it before, but this was my first time doing it.
“Attorney Yoo, Attorney Park asked me to deliver this.”
Soon after, his assistant Oh brought the case file.
It was a civil case.
A landscaping worker, Choi Young-mok, was suing for damages because expensive ornamental trees he had planted died due to a nearby construction site.
Today, I only needed to explain the evidence points as Park had prepared. The trial would proceed as expected.
The office felt unusually empty today.
Both Attorney Park and Attorney Um Ji-seong were out.
Attorney Kim Chang-su hadn’t spoken to me much since the last company dinner.
No one had reason to talk to me, so the office was quiet—almost eerily so.
I decided to go to the courthouse early and eat at the court cafeteria.
I grabbed the case file and left.
Court Cafeteria
Today’s menu was jajang rice, seaweed soup, braised fish cakes, and seasoned vegetables.
I sat down with my tray and was about to take a bite when someone called my name.
“Yoo Hyun-jae!”
I looked up.
It was my middle school classmate, Lee Sang-jae.
“Oh, Sang-jae.”
It felt nice seeing him after so long.
He was the one who had introduced me to “Law Firm Woojeong.”
“What brings you here?”
“I’ve got a trial at Ansan District Court this afternoon. I stopped by the office and they said you’d be here.”
—“Isn’t this the guy from Taeyoung who always acted superior? He used to look down on you for going to Korea University.”
The red eyes sat beside him.
Sang-jae had graduated from a prestigious law school and now worked at Taeyoung Law Firm, one of the top ten firms in the country.
“I should’ve waited. I should’ve called you first.”
“It’s fine. Sit down. I’ll grab food too.”
He quickly returned with a tray.
“I heard you took your first case. It’s been all over the place.”
“Not really…”
It was probably Kim Chang-su who spread the rumor.
He and Sang-jae were seniors and juniors from the same prestigious university.
“How’s your mother?”
Sang-jae had visited my house in middle school and knew my mother and Yeon-hee.
“You were the only friend I ever brought home.”
“She’s doing well.”
“And Yeon-hee? She’s in high school now?”
“Second year.”
“Already? Time flies. How’s her studying?”
“She’s doing okay.”
“She would be smart if she takes after you. She must’ve grown up pretty. She had big eyes even when she was little…”
“She still looks like a kid.”
We talked while eating.
“Is Taeyoung okay to work at?”
“Well, I’m just a rookie associate. I just do research and errands. Basically a runner. Today’s trial is just attendance check. If you want to handle a whole case, you’ve got a long way to go.”
He said it modestly.
“But you still get a high salary. Associates there earn over 100 million won a year, right?”
“Well, it is Taeyoung. If I can’t even do that much, what’s the point?”
“I guess so.”
“Still, I’m in a different position than you. Boutique firms are basically like solo offices.”
Even though we were friends, it was clear he saw us as different.
—“Look at this guy. Acting like a 100-million salary is normal just because he works at a big firm.”
The red eyes glared at him.
“Want coffee before the trial?”
Sang-jae suggested it.
We still had about 25 minutes.
We had time.
We went to the courtyard and sat on a bench with coffee.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No.”
“Ever since you got your license, don’t marriage agencies keep calling you?”
“They do. I’m not thinking about marriage yet. You?”
“I’ve got someone in mind…”
“Someone?”
“The youngest daughter of our firm’s managing partner.”
“The managing partner’s daughter?”
“Yeah. She doesn’t even work at Taeyoung, but she’s also a lawyer. There’s a power struggle between the partner’s son and daughter right now, so she can’t just join casually.”
“So how did you meet her?”
“At a birthday party last year. Our fathers are close.”
“You’re telling me Lee Sang-jae couldn’t even approach a girl he likes?”
Sang-jae had always been popular—tall, handsome, rich background, elite education. People called him “noble-born” in school.
He was the perfect high-value match.
“I have her number, but she ignores calls and texts. I was going to give up, but it’s a bit frustrating. I heard she doesn’t even have a boyfriend.”
“Maybe she’s just proud because she’s from a top law family?”
“Not just proud. She’s brilliant too.”
“Funny how the world is full of people like that.”
“If I’m upper class, she’s royalty.”
At law school, people with legal or elite backgrounds were called “royal families.”
A wall you couldn’t cross through effort alone.
Even Sang-jae, someone I had known for years, talked like that.
—“Royal family? Noble class? What nonsense. Born with golden bones or something? These people act like they’ll stay on top forever. Should I smack him?”
The red eyes growled, glaring at Sang-jae.
