“Another day filled with cases of the weak and powerless,” Prosecutor Lee Na-eun from the Incheon Central District Prosecutor''s Office Criminal Division 3 muttered under her breath.

    At some point, she had been relegated to cases that seemed unimportant—cases unlikely to generate any money. Other prosecutors passed such cases onto her as well.

    "Well, that’s because... I’m sorry. It’s just that you never consider who the suspect is..."

    "Why should that be something for you to apologize for, Clerk Yoo?"

    This was another form of harassment, a way to ostracize someone who refused to blend in and preferred to stand alone. It was like they were saying, "You’ll do things by the book anyway, and you wouldn’t accept bribes or anything like that, so just handle these irrelevant cases."

    "Prosecutor..." Clerk Yoo sighed, looking at the stacks of paperwork piled high. These papers were why Prosecutor Lee Na-eun had to come in on Saturdays. Once she finished this mountain of files, another pile would surely arrive by Monday morning. It was an endless paper trail.

    "But... because she’s the prosecutor, I can bear it!"

    Clerk Yoo had a hard time too, but he endured it. He admired Prosecutor Lee Na-eun, and he wanted to be there for her.

    The only hope in this rotten prosecution...! He was willing to suffer for her.

    “Prosecutor, you must be getting hungry.”

    Lee Na-eun checked her watch. It was lunchtime.

    “...Already?”

    “I know a great place for noodle soup—”

    “Sorry, maybe next time. I have a prior engagement.”

    “Oh... You have other plans...”

    His spirits sank. Even though he’d made a brave suggestion, Lee Na-eun didn’t even glance his way.

    ...A perfect wall. Her strict rule of cutting ties with family, avoiding friends, and not dating was well-known. She wouldn’t create any weak points. Yet, despite knowing this, he couldn’t help but feel disheartened by her utter disregard for his efforts.@@@@

    +++

    While Clerk Yoo ate a solitary lunch, Prosecutor Lee Na-eun met with reporter Yoon Ha-young, who showed her a video on her laptop.

    “Send me the video. Then bring this case to our office, and I’ll request the head prosecutor to let me handle it.”

    “Prosecutor...”

    Yoon Ha-young looked at her with a mixture of awe and worry, and Lee Na-eun patted her shoulder reassuringly.

    “Thank you, Reporter Yoon Ha-young.”

    +++

    “She met with a prosecutor? Did she really go and tell them everything that happened yesterday?”

    “It seems so. Otherwise, there’d be no reason to meet a prosecutor now.”

    “What an insane woman...”

    I muttered without thinking.

    “Maybe she’s a psychopath. Her superior gets raped because of her, and she goes spreading it around. It’s like a disease.”

    Reading the surveillance report on Yoon Ha-young, I had to admit I was impressed. I had expected her to obsess over the case, playing detective, but she went straight to the prosecutor she knew.

    "Did she even check in on her team leader?"

    "Not a word. She knew what happened, but she didn’t even make a courtesy call.”

    “...”

    Hyun-joo looked down, speechless.

    She wasn’t exactly protecting Yoon Ha-young by choice, but there had to be some regret, considering what she’d gone through.

    “And she let herself get fucked by me again today... What a mess. So, who’s the prosecutor she met?”

    “Lee Na-eun. She’s known for being unyielding. They say she’s untouchable by bribes and disliked by the powerful.”

    “Hmm... So she went running to her?”

    “That’s what it looks like. But it’s odd; a prosecutor can’t just choose cases like that.”

    “Maybe she asked for advice or support?”

    “That’s also strange. Normally, journalists and prosecutors shouldn’t be that close. Prosecutors like Lee Na-eun, who are known for sticking to principles, don’t usually get friendly with reporters.”

    Soo-ah tilted her head in thought. It seemed odd but also not entirely unreasonable.

    “Maybe there’s something deeper going on here?”

    “With Yoon Ha-young?”

    “No, with the prosecutor. My intuition honed from my police days is ringing alarm bells about her.”

    I see. But, aren’t you a corrupt cop?