Episode 191. Dumb (3)
Early moning.
60-45 Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. The old two-story detached house was the home of Cheon Joo-hee, a strong presidential candidate.
Cheon Joo-hee came out of the living room wearing a simple black trouser suit.
At the table in front of the kitchen, her husband, Jeong Han-cheol, was eating breakfast prepared early in the morning by a helper.
Cheon Joo-hee’s aide Lim Gyeong-sook, who was standing on one side of the living room, casually recited today’s schedule.
“… In the morning, there was a lecture for 3rd graders of Cheonil Middle School and a visit to a shelter for single mothers, and in the afternoon… … .”
Despite the continued muttering, Cheon Joo-hee looked back and forth at her reflection in the full-length mirror with a calm expression. After making sure that her makeup was well done, she turned her head toward Lim Kyung-sook.
“Did you really have to include middle school lectures at the same time as now?”
“… yes?”
“What’s good about lecturing to kids who are close to voting and not even voters… … .”
“This is an event that interested parents can also participate in.”
Upon hearing the explanation, Chun Ju-hee nodded.
“Yeah, good job. Ah— your skin looks a little dry today.”
“Should I make an appointment with Dr. Kim, the dermatologist for the evening?”
“That’s Okay. Wandering around useless places and getting into big trouble—”
At her murmur, Lim Kyung-sook checked other schedules and spoke to Jeong Han-cheol.
“Your husband and Youngsik can attend the charity meeting tomorrow afternoon, as we told you beforehand.”
“… Did you hear?”
“I took the time in advance.”
While Jeong Han-cheol was answering, his son Jeong Se-won walked out while using his cell phone.
“Sewon, didn’t you have time tomorrow afternoon too?”
“… … .”
Despite Cheon Joo-hee’s question, Jeong Se-won was busy using his cell phone.
“Jeong Se-won!”
“huh? What did you say?”
“tomorrow afternoon!”
“Ah—I have an appointment tomorrow.”
Chun Ju-hee’s eyebrows furrowed at Jeong Se-won’s answer.
“Didn’t your mother tell you not to make appointments on the weekend until the polls are over?”
“Anyway, there are only a few days left! Now come and say something to mom!”
“Did you already forget the last time you were in an accident?”
A violent current flowed between the two.
Jeong Se-won sighed in irritation.
“What have I done! At that time, that bastard was frustrated first, so it’s like that.”
“So you blind him? What would have happened if there had been an eyewitness? Aide Lim and the chief of the jurisdiction managed to collect CCTVs around the area, so we survived!”
“ah! I don’t know! All you have to do is not know, why do you care so much!”
Jeong Se-won, who continued to be annoyed, moved his steps toward the front door to the sofa and lay down as if collapsing.
“Are you not going to school?”
“Tell me you can’t go because you’re sick!”
“Do you want to cut off your pocket money?”
“and-! My mother, a former judge, is even threatening her only son.”
While the two were arguing, Lim Kyung-sook, an aide, checked the watch.
“Sir, you must leave now.”
“all right.”
Cheon Ju-hee finished organizing her clothes and went out with Lim Gyeong-suk.
As I crossed the threshold of the front door, people were passing past the cars parked in front of me.
Seeing them, Cheon Ju-hee’s expression immediately changed to mild.
“hello! Enjoy your day!”
At her bright greeting, everyone smiled and waved their hands or slightly bowed their heads.
Then, Cheon Joo-hee climbed into the back seat of the car and left.
Lim Kyung-sook, who was sitting in the seat next to her, held out her tablet to Cheon Ju-hee.
“The funds sent by Ten Tsubasa have been transferred to the foundation without any problems.”
“How much?”
“It was a total of 2.5 billion in diversified accounts. It seems that the other side also took care of using a borrowed name so that the account would not be traced.”
“It’s good. Then wash them clean and give the 10 copies to Prof. Jang, who Se-Won worked hard for this time.”
It is a case about a classmate whose son Jeong Se-won turned into a vegetative person. They were originally close friends, but at the time, they pushed their backs while playing in an abandoned construction site.
In the absence of witnesses, Jeong Se-won contacted her mother, Cheon Ju-hee, to cover it up.
“I will take care of it.”
“thank you.”
Chun Joo-hee said that, and after thinking for a while, she opened her mouth again.
“You don’t have any plans tonight, right?”
“For now, there is none.”
“Then, please make an appointment with Minister Cha. To a quiet place.”
“Are you referring to Minister of National Defense Cha Jun-seong?”
“that’s right. It doesn’t matter what time it is, so hold on.”
Lim Kyung-sook was about to say something at that instruction, but then stopped.
“All right.”
With the answer, Lim Kyung-sook called the Minister of National Defense’s office. The call didn’t take long and was disconnected.
With the sound of the call ending, Cheon Ju-hee waited for Lim Kyung-sook to speak.
“I made an appointment at a villa in Deoki-dong, Ilsan because it was possible at 9:00 PM.”
“all right.”
In the meantime, the car headed to Cheonil Middle School, where the lecture was scheduled.
.
.
.
Suddenly, the day was over.
After completing the schedule, Cheon Ju-hee arrived at the villa in Paju by car driven by Lim Gyeong-suk, her aide.
The car of Minister of Defense Cha Jun-seong, who arrived first, was parked there.
As the doors of each car opened, only Cheon Joo-hee and Cha Jun-seong got out.
“long time no see. Minister.”
“That’s right. candidate. I was surprised by the sudden contact.”
After saying goodbye, the two entered the villa and sat down.
Cha Junseong sighed deeply before speaking.
“You must be busy because the campaign is over. Why did you ask to see me?”
I only knew him, but I rarely met people from the Ministry of Defense.
Since he asked to see him in such a relationship, Cha Jun-seong was very suspicious.
Cheon Joo-hee hesitated a little until then, then parted her lips. I couldn’t overcome the curiosity that had begun to settle deep in my brain.
Besides, I also felt uncomfortable. For some reason and method, Yoon Jae-seung, who said he had a strong chance of winning even before the vote, entered prison.
“… Do you know about Han Kang-soo, CEO of Camo Investment?”
For a moment, Cha Jun-seong wanted to make a subtle expression, but then became calm.
“There is no one who doesn’t know that name these days. Anyone with even the slightest interest in the economy would know.”
“Don’t you know that.”
It was an answer that revealed his true intentions.
In fact, it was because Cheon Ju-hee had heard a more detailed story from Yoon Jae-seung than what he had told Kamikura Horyuji.
However, most of it was speculation because Yoon Jae-seung was not sure how he had suffered.
Chun Ju-hee came to see the Ministry of Defense, the starting point, to check the information.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Um—don’t you understand what’s going on? Do you think I came to ask you a question without knowing anything?”
In an instant, the smile on Cha Jun-sung’s face disappeared.
It was because he knew Chun Ju-hee’s intention better than anyone else.
“Then I guess you don’t understand what I’m asking.”
“… yes?”
“If a person draws a line, it means to keep that line.”
At the same time, Cheon Ju-hee was dumbfounded.
“Is it difficult to understand where you are now? Don’t you know who I am?”
“Ha— I guess you want to act like you’ve already entered the Blue House.”
“You have to admit that even the Minister will admit it.”
Of course, Cha Jun-seong was well aware that Chun Ju-hee’s presidential election was secretly influential.
Even before the vote, people who wanted to make friends with Cheon Joo-hee lined up every day.
Even so, Cha Jun-seong did not give up.
“You use power only after being elected. Not yet, is it?”
“… Can you not regret what you just said?”
“You will regret it. You will probably regret it greatly. However, if you really cross the line, I think you will have less regret than candidate Cheon Ju-hee.”
Cheon Joo-hee’s eyebrows twisted. I felt something twisted in the long conversation.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to do just enough?”
“That’s what you’re doing now.”
As the conversation went on and on, Chun Ju-hee’s doubts only grew. At the same time, I became more curious about the character Han Kang-soo.
“Isn’t it something I will find out when I go to the Blue House anyway? Even the minister knows that. What the hell is the Ministry of National Defense hiding about Han Kang-soo?”
“… You will really regret it.”
“Tell me.”
Cha Junseong flicked his fingers on his thighs while thinking. After making a decision, he made eye contact with Chun Ju-hee and said,
“After— Underground Bravery Team. There was a special unit under the direct control of the Special Warfare Command that operated covertly abroad, called UBT for short.”
“Are you talking about the secret special forces from a movie or something?”
“Similar. And all missions performed by UBT are strictly confidential.”
In fact, it was within the range that Cheon Joo-hee had expected. And I wasn’t too surprised because Yoon Jae-seung tipped me off a little.
“I did something… Nothing special.”
“Didn’t I just tell you? entire… It was treated as a top secret.”
“Does it matter that it is top secret?”
“The moment the contents of the designated operation are leaked to the outside, the seat you are trying to sit as president may disappear. Wouldn’t that be a problem?”
Only then did Cheon Ju-hee’s expression harden little by little.
“What kind of operation was it?”
“… Check that out yourself after entering the Blue House.”
“If this is the case, isn’t the story in place?”
“instead… Han Kang-soo was the best member of UBT. If I am proud of myself, I can say that it is the best in the history of land, sea and air.”
Cha Jun-seong’s explanation was mixed with sighs.
In the meantime, Cheon Joo-hee began to understand why Yoon Jae-seung was trying to coax Han Kang-soo. This is because Yoon Jae-seung was a person who, in addition to power and money, was also very greedy for talent.
“That’s what Rep. Yoon Jae-seung knew.”
“Perhaps.”
“If you do— is that Han Kang-soo who made Congressman Yoon the way he is now?”
It was a serious question from now on. Jaeseung Yoon said it himself, but there was no evidence or trace.
In addition, it was difficult to think that an individual with a special career would destroy a presidential candidate who was likely to win.
“I don’t even know that far. Did Congressman Jae-Seung Yoon say that?’
“They say it’s certain. I do not believe in all of them.”
“Do you honestly think it makes sense? I know that Assemblyman Jae-seung Yoon said that an organization like a vigilante secured evidence and exploded it.”
Cheon Joo-hee knew this well. The corruption of Yoon Jae-seung, which was revealed there, was enormous.
Just looking at the scale, as Cha Jun-seong said, it was impossible to find out by moving an individual.
“But what if what Senator Yoon said is true?”
“Do you believe that?”
“Rep. Yoon is a man mad with power, but lies… Oh, that’s a lie. Even if you lie like you’re eating rice, you’re not a great person to say nonsense about things like that.”
Cha Jun-seong stared at Cheon Ju-hee who said that.
“I don’t think I have anything to say about it.”
“You really don’t know anything?”
“I do not know. So excuse me.”
After greeting Cha Jun-seong, he went outside. I could see the car leaving through the living room window.
After that, Lim Gyeong-suk, her aide, came into the villa and stood next to Cheon Ju-hee, who was sitting alone.
“… Aren’t you going back?”
Chun Ju-hee was still thinking.
Voting in just a few days. And the existence of a man named Han Kang-soo, whom I came to know out of curiosity. Yoon Jae-seung’s advice, etc… … .
Of course, if he becomes president, he has nothing to shy away from.
But I had a hunch of something ominous.
“Let’s go back at once.”
With the answer, Cheon Joo-hee went outside and got into the car.
Returning life of a retired S-class mercenary