Chapter 136: Evil Begets Evil (4)

That evening, after plotting with the members of the mom café, **Lee Mi-so** returned home. As she tidied up her husband’s clothes after he came back from work, she asked in a subtle voice:

“…Honey, you know Min-woo’s tutor, right?”

“The high schooler? Why?” **Kang Dong-cheol** responded indifferently.

Even though he always came home exhausted, his appearance was never disheveled. As a public official, he firmly believed that maintaining one’s outward appearance was important. People around him often described him as someone who wouldn’t flinch even if stabbed with a knife. Loosening his tie, he gave his wife a look that said, *Get to the point.* The way she was beating around the bush wasn’t typical of her.

“Well, you see…”

Earlier during the meeting, the women had said something that weighed on her mind. If she wanted to influence the **disciplinary committee**, she needed to convince her husband as soon as she got home. Many of the wealthy wives in Gangnam carried the title of “their husband’s wife.” While some were successful career women in their own right, the majority, who spent their afternoons sipping tea, were housewives whose power derived from their husbands.

Their influence came from their spouses.

So, **Kang Dong-cheol** needed to be persuaded.

But knowing her husband’s strict personality, Lee Mi-so couldn’t just blurt out her request. Yet, she also couldn’t back down—this was about their only child.

Their beloved **Min-woo**.

Knowing how much brighter her son had become under Kim Hyun-seong’s tutoring, she gathered her courage and spoke:

“Min-woo’s grades have improved so much thanks to that tutor. He’s really amazing. I mean, how can a high school student teach so well? And his own grades—he ranked first in the national mock exams. I’m sure he’ll be the top student at **Korea University**.”

She skirted around the issue.

She couldn’t bring herself to jump straight to the main point.

“But I heard the tutor is in some trouble recently. Given how much he’s helped us, I can’t just turn a blind eye. So earlier, I met with the moms from the café and we discussed…”

“Mi-so.”

“Yes?”

Kang Dong-cheol cut her off abruptly, his gaze now cold as he looked at her.

“So what are you trying to say?”

* * *

The trap was set.

With her husband sensing something was wrong, **Lee Mi-so** had no choice but to press on.

“I’ll be honest. The tutor is facing a **disciplinary committee**. I know him well, and there’s no way he’d hit someone without a reason, right? He probably got picked on because he transferred in as the top student. The other kids must’ve been jealous and provoked him, leading to trouble. Can’t you help him? You know how the law works. If this goes badly and we lose his tutoring, Min-woo might not get into **Korea University**.”

Her voice was desperate.

Tears welled in her eyes as she pleaded with him. **Kang Dong-cheol** let out a long sigh before speaking.

“I know how much effort you’ve put into Min-woo’s education. Even when my mother criticized you, I didn’t say a word when you spent a fortune on his studies. But what do you think my job is?”

“…You’re a prosecutor.”

“That’s right, I’m a prosecutor for this country. The salary and power I’m given aren’t for fulfilling personal desires. If I abused that, the state would strip me of my title. I guess I’ve been too indifferent until now. You know me well enough to realize that asking me for something like this must mean you’re really worried about Min-woo. But even if Min-woo doesn’t get into **Korea University**, that’s fine. I’ll talk to my mother and tell her to stop pressuring you, so let’s not talk about this anymore.”

“…Okay.”

Lee Mi-so bowed her head, her voice deflated.

She looked dejected, and **Kang Dong-cheol** wore a bitter expression.

Coming from a prestigious family in the legal world, he had turned down advances from women of similar backgrounds, but had insisted on marrying Lee Mi-so. His parents had supported his decision, trusting their son’s judgment, but many people had not viewed their marriage positively.

Some claimed he had been blinded by her beauty, saying that someone unworthy had entered their esteemed family. While **Lee Mi-so** had her own respectable qualities, the comparison to her husband was inevitable. Because of that, she had fixated on their son’s success, determined to prove her worth, not just to her in-laws, but to herself.

Knowing this, **Kang Dong-cheol** had refrained from interfering with their son’s education. But asking him to cross the line into his role as a prosecutor was a different matter.

He realized now that he had been too detached.

This wasn’t right.

“I’ll tutor Min-woo myself.”

“…What?”

“After work, I’ll tutor him. So please, don’t make me uncomfortable by asking for this kind of help again.”

That was it.

As a husband, he could be supportive, but as a prosecutor, he couldn’t intervene.

* * *

Three days before the **disciplinary committee**, **Jin Kyung-hee** found herself in a difficult position.

Calls were coming in nonstop.

“[A disciplinary committee? Isn’t that too harsh? The kid just transferred and might’ve made a mistake adjusting. How are you going to treat a third-year high school student like this? What if his grades drop? Who’s going to take responsibility for that?]”

“[From what I’ve heard, the other student provoked him first. Shouldn’t this be resolved with a lighter touch?]”

“[There’s something suspicious about the way you handled the **Go Dong-su** case too. Your motives are questionable.]”

“[We’ll attend the disciplinary committee ourselves to ensure there’s no unfair treatment.]”

The calls came from all sides, and none of them could be ignored.

These weren’t just any parents; they were the powerful mothers of Gangnam. Even if they were connected to Golden Circle, **Jin Kyung-hee** couldn’t afford to provoke them directly. Still, she wasn’t backing down. While she kept her tone polite, she made no room for negotiation.

Speaking mechanically, she answered each call, “Yes, yes. You’re welcome to attend the disciplinary committee and confirm that everything proceeds fairly. See you then.”

She hung up the phone.

Leaning back in her chair, **Jin Kyung-hee** smirked.

“Is that all they’ve got?”

She found it amusing.

When **Kim Hyun-seong** first mentioned the disciplinary committee, she had been concerned about what kind of powerful backers he might bring in. After all, despite Golden Circle’s influence, she was the one leading the charge. And if the conflict escalated, she might suffer as well.

But now?

All he had was a bunch of **mom café** members.

Mothers and housewives?

Even if they came in truckloads, she wouldn’t flinch. The relationship between teachers and parents was symbiotic, but cutting ties with these mothers wouldn’t create a serious problem. Whatever they offered, Golden Circle could provide.

“How naive. He thinks what worked in **Dae-san** will work here.”

Now that she could see Kim’s plan, she was at ease.

This was enough.

A naive child’s scheme would crumble before the harsh reality of Gangnam.

Opening her desk drawer, she took out a cigarette and looked out the window.

*Click-click.*

She was in her office, but no one dared tell her not to smoke.

Taking a deep drag, **Jin Kyung-hee** relished the taste of corruption.

* * *

Finally, the day of the **disciplinary committee** arrived.

Just as expected, **Lee Mi-so** led a group of café members who swarmed the meeting.

“Vice Principal, please ensure a fair decision.”

“We’ll be watching closely. If there’s any sign of unfairness, we won’t stay silent.”

Even before the committee began, there was an uproar.

Ignoring the commotion, **Jin Kyung-hee** opened the session.

With everyone seated, she began.

“We’ll now begin the **disciplinary committee**. **Teacher Jang Won-gi**, please explain the situation.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As everyone’s attention focused on him, **Jang Won-gi** stood up, his heart pounding.

The prominent attendees made him nervous.

“This incident began when **Yoo Yeon-ho** threw an eraser at **Kim Hyun-seong** during class. Yoo was upset over the situation with his friend, so he provoked Kim. In response, Kim physically attacked him immediately after class. Several students witnessed the one-sided assault, and unfortunately, Yoo Yeon-ho has now sustained a permanent disability due to this incident.”

“Permanent disability?”

“Oh my…”

The room erupted with murmurs.

Everyone had expected violence, but the term “permanent disability” shocked even **Lee Mi-so** and the mothers.

**Jin Kyung-hee** glanced at a man seated nearby.

“The victim’s lawyer, do you have evidence?”

“Yes, here is the medical report. As a result of repeated blows to his face, three of Yoo’s teeth were knocked out, two of which cannot be repaired. This is no small matter. Due to Kim’s unprovoked assault, the victim will now live with permanent physical discomfort. He is also undergoing psychiatric treatment for the trauma caused by the event. Vice Principal, I urge you to impose a strict punishment to ensure this never happens again.”

The victim, **Yoo Yeon-ho**, sobbed for all to see.

With his head hanging low, his body shook, and a man who appeared to be his father patted his shoulder comfortingly.

It was perfect.

**Kim Hyun-seong** was clearly the assailant.

And they had one more weapon ready to seal the deal.

The lawyer spoke again.

“We’ve also gathered signatures from concerned parents of **Daeseong Mirae High School**. They are calling for **Kim Hyun-seong** to be expelled to prevent any future incidents like this. While many of these parents couldn’t attend today, they are deeply troubled by the violence their children might be exposed to.”

It was all very blatant.

The **disciplinary committee** was supposed to hear both sides and come to a reasonable decision. But under **Jin Kyung-hee’s** guidance, the lawyer was driving the narrative unilaterally. There was no room for counterarguments. With the mention of **Yoo Yeon-ho**’s permanent injuries, psychiatric treatment, and the petition signed by parents, the case was practically closed.

Checkmate.

It was over.

Whether the medical report was genuine or not didn’t matter.

With this committee’s decision, everything could be resolved in one fell swoop.

**Lee Mi-so** felt desperate, her feet shuffling in frustration.

She wanted to help, but there was nothing she could do.

Yet something about the situation made **Jin Kyung-hee** uneasy.

Things were going exactly as she planned, but it felt *too* smooth.

‘Something’s off. Where’s that lawyer I saw before?’

**Park Jong-su**, was it?

He had come to the office previously, presenting flawless logic, but today he was nowhere to be found. They had even hired **Yoo Yeon-ho**’s lawyer as a precaution against him, preparing medical reports and more, but there was no sign of resistance.

**Kim Hyun-seong**’s seat.

It was empty, the spot for a guardian conspicuously vacant.

‘Kim Hyun-seong, what are you planning?’

The boy had been watching the entire proceedings, unnervingly calm.

He didn’t look like someone facing a crisis.

**Jin Kyung-hee** spoke.

“**Kim Hyun-seong**, you may make your statement now.”

She handed him the floor.

Suppressing the unease she felt.

Whatever **Kim** had prepared, it wouldn’t be enough to turn the tide now.

Everyone’s eyes turned to **Kim Hyun-seong**.