A CLASH
BETWEEN
JUDGE AND
LAWYER
A CLASH
BETWEEN
JUDGE AND LAWYER
When Bong Sang Pil closed in on the fixer (broker) the latter was thoroughly exhausted and gasping for breath.
The fixer, unlike the lawless team, did not have toughness and staying power. He was dragged into another car.  
Their next target of the lawless team was the courthouse. The lawless car had definitely seen better days as many things had fallen apart. They had to arrive at the unveiling ceremony in style. No poor car owners or ruffians would be allowed to step into the hallowed halls of the courthouse. It was logical to assume then that getting a new car was in order.
Judge Cha Moon Sook was taking centre stage again. She gave a speech seemingly in tribute to her father but it turned out to be some sort of self-promotion as well.
The gist of her speech was her father was ignorant of everything except law and justice. He had advised her that a judge’s priority was to look after the powerless and the weak. She should stay out of the limelight and not crave power or titles. Judge Cha declared that she had always tried to abide by his teachings and do what was right.
         
She deemed that she was undeserving of all the praise and respect heaped on her.
It was no laughing matter; no sniggering was heard. But those in her inner circle and those in the know seemed to be silently smirking at her hypocrisy or possibly, trying to look suitably adoring.
She dramatically paused, turned away to stifle her sniffles. Impressed, the crowd roared their approval.
  
Ahn Oh Joo tried to hog the limelight by urging the crowd to cheer for her. The other members of her inner circle weren’t too impressed with the gangster businessman. He divulged, none too humbly, that his Ohju Group had been commissioned to produce the golden statue and have it displayed in the Ki Seong courthouse.
  
Then, in a lightning move, he announced that he, Ahn Oh Ju, a son of Ki Seong intended to run for Mayor of Ki Seong. He promised to give his all to the city.
And the foxy Ahn Oh Ju was well-prepared. His cheerleading team had probably arrived by the busloads. They were loudly chanting his name. Many of his supporters, who must have been richly rewarded for their efforts, had been planted among the crowd to give the impression that the gangster Chairman was very well supported.
And since Judge Cha had pointedly refuse to campaign for him in the fish market, he had decided to bring his campaign to her courthouse. It certainly looked as if he was publicly supported by Judge Cha.
A publicity stunt that succeeded. What brilliant chess moves! His talent in self-promotion was his crowning glory. Ahn Oh Ju had pulled the rug from under Judge Cha’s feet. He had usurped what should have been her moment of triumph.
                      
The lawless team arrived. They didn’t stand on ceremony. They
bulldozed their way into the foyer, dragging the fixer with them.
         
Bong Sang Pil strode up the stairs where Ahn Oh Ju was standing. Ahn Oh Ju's cheerleading team, who had come out in full force, were stunned. So was everyone else.
Bong Sang Pil stared mockingly at Judge Cha Moon Sook. Bong Sang Pil’s strong presence commanded the attention of the properly assembled audience.
After introducing himself, he apologised for his bad manners, bowing in deference to Judge Cha.
       
Then, with a flamboyant display of drama and oratory, Bong shouted for Prosecutor Kang Yeon Hee to show herself. After confirming her presence, Bong declared that he had brought her the fixer, a middleman, who had arranged for the hitman to murder the former Mayor, Lee Young Soo.
He cleverly pointed out that it was Prosecutor Kang Yeon Hee’s responsibility to uncover the truth.
Bong did not name the hirer of the hitman but Ahn Oh Joo seemed visibly shaken.
    
Tae Kwang Soo pushed the fixer roughly into the arms of the law. The confused Investigator Min was compelled to arrest the man.
Bong Sang Pil had made sure that none in the police and judicial departments would be able to wriggle off the hook that easily. If they did not handle the matter justly, it would do irreparable damage to their reputation.
Both Judge Cha and Ahn Oh Ju had been upstaged by the lawless lawyer.     
Ahn Oh Ju had enough and he guided Judge Cha away from the prying
eyes of the public.
The lawless lawyer would not let the two off easily. The battle
between Bong Sang Pil and the evil team picked up steam. He followed the two.
Ha Jae Yi tried to stop him.
But, he would not abort his plan. He urged her to follow him
and brace herself for an unpleasant confrontation. She told him that there were
other ways to solve the matter.
His cold eyes bored into hers. When she realised that he was
pulling out all stops, she almost froze.
Judge Cha was furious with Ahn Oh Ju for upstaging her and
hijacking her father’s unveiling ceremony. She took off her gloves and
smacked him. Then she used her glove to smack him further. When he handed her
his red handkerchief, she used it as her weapon to swipe at him.
                                                                                        
Then, she remembered Bong Sang Pil. He had also made her blood boil.
The gangster boss revealed that Bong Sang Pil was the son of Choi Jin Ae. Irritated, she told him to leave.
      
Bong Sang Pil arrived unannounced. She rebuked him for inviting himself to the ceremony. He was unashamed and goaded her that he, although unwelcomed, was the star of the ceremony.
She demanded to know why he had ruined the ceremony.
     
Without hesitation, he told her that he knew that she wanted to destroy Wu Hyeong Man for whatever reason and also use her power to make Ahn Oh Ju the mayor but he would not allow it.
As long as he got to stand before the law court, innocent people would not be murdered by the law anymore.
        
Judge Cha, by then, had understood that Bong Sang Pil was a law unto himself. She mentioned his mother’s name. He resembled his mother in the sense that both were bold and reckless.
‘Don’t ever mention my mother again!’ he emphasized grimly.
    
‘Do you think you’re the first one to confront me in this way?’ she asked haughtily.
His chilling response was, ‘I’ll be the first one to show you how it all ends!’
Telling her that was, to all intents and purposes, the same as saying he was going to destroy her.
Would such an open confrontation provoke a backlash?
           |