Early morning, as the faint light of dawn began to creep over the horizon.
Having completed their statements, Seok-won and his companions exited the police station alongside Attorney Seok Chang-geun.
"Since it was a clear case of self-defense, with solid witness testimony, and we've confirmed that the weapon — the jackknife — was something one of the attackers habitually carried, there shouldn't be any problems," Seok said calmly, holding a briefcase in one hand.
He glanced briefly at Baucus, whose solid build was hard to miss, and continued,
"Even though the attackers were seriously injured, if self-defense is recognized, there won't be any criminal punishment. As for a civil lawsuit, it's unlikely, considering the perpetrators are children of U.S. military personnel."
"You mean the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) command wouldn't want this incident to spark public outrage over crimes committed by U.S. soldiers and their families," Seok-won said, hands casually tucked into his pockets.
Seok nodded slightly in agreement.
"Exactly. There's already mounting criticism over the unequal SOFA agreement. An incident like this could further fan the flames of that movement."
The SOFA — Status of Forces Agreement — grants the U.S. military jurisdiction over their personnel and dependents accused of crimes in South Korea, often limiting Korean authorities' ability to prosecute.
"Then I suppose custody and investigation of the offenders are already being handled by the U.S. Army's CID?" Seok-won asked.
CID — short for Criminal Investigation Division — was responsible for handling such matters within the U.S. Army.
"That's correct," Seok replied.
"And if it stays in U.S. hands, they could conduct the trial themselves?"
"We'll have to see how it unfolds, but that's definitely a possibility," the attorney said.
Seok-won looked at Seok and asked,
"If the trial takes place in Korea, what kind of sentence are we looking at for those punks?"
Seok, a former chief prosecutor, thought for a moment before replying,
"Since they're both under 19, they'll be tried under the Juvenile Act. Even for serious crimes, minors generally receive much lighter sentences compared to adults. Realistically, even if they're convicted of attempted murder, it would be difficult to get more than one year of imprisonment. More likely, they'll receive a suspended sentence."
"Even for attempted murder, that's all they'd get?" Seok-won said, frowning deeply.
Seok nodded gravely.
"Yes. If they were adults, a conviction could bring a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. But for juvenile offenders, unless the victim actually dies, the courts are extremely lenient."
Seok-won's expression hardened.
"So unless someone dies, they basically get a slap on the wrist? What an absurd law."
"Even if it doesn't make sense, the law is the law," Seok said bitterly.
He recalled a painful memory from his time as a prosecutor — a minor who had committed a violent crime, only to receive a suspended sentence, later went on to commit a brutal murder.
Seok-won continued coldly,
"If this incident starts attracting media attention, the U.S. might just ship them back home before things get messy, right?"
"That's quite possible," Seok agreed. "As you said, the U.S. military has nothing to gain from this becoming a public scandal."
"Then maybe we should give the press a little nudge," Seok-won said with a faint smile. "Get the story out there, stir up some headlines. Would that be doable?"
Seok gave him a slightly puzzled look.
"It's certainly possible. But if the media picks it up and the pressure mounts, the U.S. could invoke SOFA and insist on prosecuting them back home. Are you sure you're fine with that?"
Seok-won grinned.
"That's exactly what I want."
Attorney Seok Chang-geun furrowed his brows slightly, not understanding.
"If the trial is held in the U.S. instead of Korea, under their laws, the sentence would likely be far harsher."
"While it's true that the U.S. imposes strict penalties for criminal acts," Seok said with a skeptical tone, "this crime happened in Korea and involves American citizens. Ironically, that might actually result in a lighter sentence. Plus, if the trial takes place in the U.S., the physical distance and, more importantly, the financial burden would make it difficult for the victim to participate. The case might quietly be buried."
It was a logical concern — even in the U.S., favoritism could come into play when it involved their own citizens.
But Seok-won simply brushed it off.
"If it's a financial issue, I can take care of it. Just secure a letter of consent from the victim authorizing us to act on their behalf."
"...Are you saying you intend to support the victim?" Seok asked, his face showing genuine surprise.
"That's right."
"..."
Seok stared at him for a long moment, then finally asked, still unable to hide his confusion.
"Pursuing a case like this in the U.S. would cost a fortune. May I ask why you're going this far?"
Behind him, Joo Geun-seong, who had been standing with Baucus, also looked curious.
Although he didn't fully understand the situation, he thought that saving the victim from being stabbed should have been enough.
Seok-won answered quietly,
"Because it doesn't sit right with me."
"I'm sorry...?"
Seok's brows narrowed slightly.
"If we hadn't happened to be at the store last night, what do you think would've happened to the victim?"
"...!"
Seok-won's voice turned cold and heavy as he spoke of the likely outcome.
"Most likely, he would've been brutally stabbed to death in that bathroom — never even understanding why he was being attacked."
Seok's face darkened, and he let out a low sigh.
"After taking a life, those bastards would walk away with barely a slap on the wrist just because they're minors."
Seok-won gave a cynical shrug and continued.
"And if they're sent back to the U.S. before being prosecuted here, they might end up facing no punishment at all — living their lives shamelessly, as if nothing happened."
"..."
"Meanwhile, the victim would be left with lifelong trauma, haunted by that night."
Having spent his career in the legal world, Seok had seen far too many cases where victims suffered more deeply than perpetrators ever did. He gave a heavy nod.
"If someone commits a crime, they should face proper consequences."
"I completely agree," Seok replied sincerely.
A tinge of shame crossed his face — shame at himself for almost accepting that these criminals might get off lightly, despite having once served as a chief prosecutor.
"In the U.S., even juveniles can get sentenced to more than ten years for attempted murder."
"It depends on the specifics of the case, but yes, that's generally true," Seok confirmed.
Seok-won's eyes gleamed coldly.
"If they get sent back to the U.S., they may laugh at the Korean police and prosecutors who let them go — but it won't be long before they realize they've walked straight into their own hell."
Though there were many hurdles to pursuing a trial in the U.S., Seok felt confident:
If anyone could overcome them, it would be Seok-won.
'There's nothing money can't solve — especially in America,' Seok-won thought.
Now understanding Seok-won's true intentions, Attorney Seok Chang-geun looked at him with a renewed sense of respect.
"If that's how you feel, then we'll proceed as you wish."
Seok-won nodded in satisfaction, then let out a small yawn.
"Staying up all night has worn me out. Let's meet again later to discuss the details."
"Of course. Whenever you're ready."
As Seok-won descended the stairs first, Seok Chang-geun offered a slight bow before straightening up.
Seok-won climbed into the back seat of a large black Mercedes sedan parked in a corner of the police station's outdoor lot.
A few moments later, as the Mercedes glided smoothly out through the station's front gate, Seok Chang-geun watched it leave and murmured to himself,
"I've met plenty of third-generation chaebol heirs, but this one's truly different."
Yet even as he said it, his expression was not one of annoyance —
It was one of quiet excitement.
***
The next morning.
Arriving at his office, Seok-won followed his usual routine, unfolding the neatly stacked morning papers on the side of his desk and leisurely skimming through the headlines.
[Two American Teenagers Wield Knives in Itaewon Incident
Two days ago, an incident occurred at a hamburger restaurant in Itaewon where two American teenagers attacked a university student with knives in the restroom while the victim was dining with his girlfriend.
The victim had no prior connection to the assailants...
According to the SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement), investigations involving U.S. military personnel, their dependents, or individuals receiving over half their living expenses from the military are to be handled by U.S. authorities, not local police...
As such, the current investigation is being conducted by... ]
Seeing the article featured so prominently, Seok-won gave a satisfied nod.
"Not bad. They handled it well."
Now that the incident was being picked up by the media, the U.S. Forces Korea would certainly feel the pressure to swiftly repatriate the two perpetrators to the U.S.,
eager to bury the incident before it grew bigger.
"Before I returned to the past, the U.S. military only relinquished investigative authority because the victim had been brutally murdered."
Had that not been the case, they would have stubbornly held onto jurisdiction to avoid setting a precedent.
"If I want to prevent them from sweeping this incident under the rug, I'll need to hire a law firm so influential that even the Pentagon can't ignore it."
Pentagon — the nickname for the U.S. Department of Defense, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
"Since Landon used to be an attorney, he should know exactly which firm would be best.
I'll give him a call and put him on it."
Just then, the pager vibrated, and Seok-won reached for his phone on the desk.
He pressed the call button, and the familiar voice of Branch Manager Porter came through.
[It's me, boss.]
"You must have received the option profits by now, right?"
[Yes. Each of the brokerages deposited 1 billion each, totaling 4 billion dollars.]
Porter's voice had a hint of amusement.
"As we discussed before, please transfer the funds to the New York headquarters account."
[Understood. And what should we do about the article regarding the options contracts?]
"The stock price, which had dropped significantly, seems to be showing slight signs of recovery, right?"
[Yes. All the brokerages are reporting a reduction in the drop, and towards the end of the market yesterday, we saw some buying interest coming in at lower prices.]
Seok-won put down the newspaper he had been reading and leaned back in his chair.
"Just in time, since the short positions have been fully built up. Let's not hesitate and release the article immediately."
[As you say.]
After a brief exchange, Seok-won ended the call and moved his mouse to display the stock charts of Japan's four major securities firms side by side on the monitor.
The short-selling positions were paying off, as the stock prices had dropped significantly.
"It's bad enough that they lost money on the options contracts. If the stock prices crash even further and shareholders start protesting, it's going to be a nightmare for them."
But what can you do? They'll just have to accept it.
Seok-won smirked, curling one corner of his mouth upward.