The Devil Judge [Bl Version] - Chapter 18: The Final Judgement of Young-Min

Sun-ah, the master of deception, masked her true intentions behind a veneer of innocence as she continued to dangle the bait before Ga-On. Her words were laced with subtle intrigue, and her tone gave nothing away.

\”Oh,\” she began with feigned innocence, her gaze steady and her voice soft, \”you\’d be surprised at how different Yo-han is from his public image.\”

Ga-On couldn\’t help but be drawn in by her seemingly innocent remark. His curiosity was piqued, and he leaned in slightly, his interest fully engaged. \”Different in what way?\” he inquired, his voice mirroring the hushed and conspiratorial tone of their conversation.

Sun-ah maintained her facade of innocence, her eyes revealing nothing of her true intentions. \”In public, he\’s the charismatic and composed judge,\” she continued, her words carefully chosen, \”but behind closed doors, he\’s a man with secrets, a man who wields power in ways that go beyond the courtroom.\”

She hesitated for a moment, savoring the suspense, before bringing up the fire. \”I\’ve been thinking a lot about that fire,\” she said. \”It was such a tragedy. Isaac had died in the fire, but Yo-Han had miraculously survived and you know what was the first thing he did after that?\”

\”What?\” Ga-on asked.

\”His first order of business had been to withdraw Issac\’s impending donation to the SRF by submitting documentation claiming Isaac wasn\’t of sound mind at the time.\”

Seeing Ga-on shocked expression she continues, \”What do you think really happened that night? Was it really an accident? Or was there something more to it?\”

Sun-ah walked away leaving Ga-On\’s mind with many questions.

As Ga-On and Yo-Han drove back from the ceremony, the atmosphere inside the car was palpably tense. Ga-On sat in silence, his thoughts weighed down by the revelations and intrigues he had encountered at the event. He wore a gloomy expression, reticent in the face of the complexities that surrounded them.

The silence inside the car grew palpable, the tension between Ga-On and Yo-han remaining unbroken. Yo-han, sensing Ga-On\’s discontent, decided to address the matter head-on.

\”Are you upset because of what I said back there?\” Yo-han asked, his voice carrying a hint of concern.

Ga-On remained silent, his grip on the steering wheel unwavering. He continued to drive, his gaze focused on the road ahead, refusing to meet Yo-han\’s eyes.

Impatience began to well up within Yo-han, and in a moment of recklessness, he yanked the steering wheel sharply. Ga-On\’s response was immediate and entirely justified; he panicked as the car veered dangerously into another lane.

But rather than expressing regret or worry, Yo-han erupted into raucous laughter. His amusement echoed through the car, a stark contrast to the fear that had gripped Ga-On moments before.

Ga-On, still trying to steady his racing heart, couldn\’t help but feel a mixture of emotions. His irritation was now tinged with disbelief at Yo-han\’s seemingly reckless behavior. \”Are you trying to get us killed?\” he exclaimed, his voice a mixture of frustration and concern.

Yo-han\’s laughter gradually subsided, and he turned to Ga-On with a playful glint in his eye. \”Sometimes,\” he remarked cryptically, \”you need a little chaos to shake things up.\”

The exchange between them continued, with Ga-On finally voicing the thoughts that had been troubling him. \”Is this what the true face of the world looks like?\” he mused, his tone tinged with a hint of disillusionment.

Yo-han, ever the enigmatic figure, offered a different perspective. \”No,\” he replied, his voice calm and measured. \”That\’s the true face of rich people, not the world. But in the face of temptation, we\’re all equals.\”

***********

As Ga-On parked the car upon their return to the mansion, Yo-Han\’s eyes fluttered open, and he reached out to gently touch Ga-On\’s cheeks. His voice, barely more than a whisper, held a hint of uncertainty as he spoke, \”Is it really you, or am I dreaming?\”

In that moment, images of Issac flashed before Yo-Han\’s eyes, a haunting memory that seemed to linger in the corners of his consciousness. Ga-On, sensing Yo-Han\’s unease and confusion, couldn\’t help but wonder why he was acting so strangely.

To ease the tension that hung in the air, Ga-On suggested, \”We\’ve arrived. You can get out now.\”

Without hesitation, Yo-Han complied, exiting the car with a simple, \”Good night,\” as he turned away. As Ga-On watched him walk away, he couldn\’t help but sense that something was amiss. It was as if Yo-Han\’s mind had momentarily betrayed him, replacing Ga-On with the ghost of Issac.

As Ga-On watched Yo-Han walk away into the shadows of the mansion, a profound sense of confusion settled within him. It was a feeling that had become all too familiar during their time together.

In the presence of Kang Yo-Han, Ga-On had encountered two distinct personas — one, the charismatic and composed judge who commanded respect and authority in the courtroom, and the other, a man haunted by the ghosts of his past, burdened by memories and emotions that remained hidden from the world.

It was a perplexing duality, a stark contrast between the public facade and the private vulnerability. Ga-On couldn\’t help but wonder which of these personas was the true Kang Yo-Han. Was it the enigmatic judge who ruled with precision, or the tormented soul who bore the weight of his past with every step?

As he pondered this question, Ga-On couldn\’t escape the realization that the answer might be far more complex than he could ever imagine. In the intricate web of secrets, power, and deception that they found themselves entangled in, the true nature of Kang Yo-Han remained elusive, leaving Ga-On to navigate a path filled with uncertainty and intrigue.

The Next Morning,

Ga-on and Soo-hyun visit the ex-detective in charge of the fire case 10 years ago. The man tenses when Soo-hyun asks if a donor event was happening in the cathedral that day. She hasn\’t been able to find a list of attendees. 

In an attempt to ease the tension in the room, Ga-On interjected, \”We\’re looking into the details of that story to promote Judge Kang Yo-Han publicly and prepare for interviews. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.\”

The former detective\’s demeanor remained cautious as he began to speak. \”The cathedral was an old building, originally a school before it became a place of worship. As for the fire, we never determined its exact cause. It was a chaotic and devastating incident.\”

He continued, \”Unfortunately, Judge Kang Yo-Han, being a young boy at the time, couldn\’t recall much when the police interviewed him. Trauma can have a way of clouding memories, especially for someone so young. We did our best to investigate, but the lack of concrete evidence made it difficult to establish the cause.\”

Ga-On and Soo-hyun exchanged glances, realizing that the mystery surrounding the cathedral fire was as elusive as ever. Despite their efforts to dig into the past, the truth remained shrouded in the ashes of that fateful day, leaving them with more questions than answers.

They turn on the live trial and watch Young-min\’s father plead for leniency. He laments that they as parents didn\’t provide the love or discipline Young-min needed. He turns on the waterworks, contending that it\’s not right to isolate \”twisted\” kids from society either.

On TV, Yo-han smiles that he\’s found an effective punishment befitting the crimes that won\’t burden the taxpayers. \”Flogging,\” he announces to the nation\’s shock. 

Ga-On couldn\’t help but let out a weary sigh when the former detective began to praise Kang Yo-Han and even suggested he should be the next president. It seemed that even in their quest for information, the aura of Kang Yo-Han\’s public image loomed large.

However, Ga-On pressed on, determined to uncover the truth. \”I appreciate your admiration for Judge Kang Yo-Han,\” he said diplomatically. \”But there are some aspects of his past that we\’re trying to understand. For instance, we\’ve learned that he canceled Isaac\’s donation to a certain organization. Do you happen to know anything about that?\”

His inquiry was met with a vehement response from the former detective, who seemed to take offense at the suggestion that Kang Yo-Han might have taken any action that could be perceived as negative. \”Slandering the great Judge Kang Yo-Han, who gives hope to the people? How dare you question his actions!\” the ex-detective exclaimed.

It was clear that Kang Yo-Han\’s reputation as a beacon of hope and righteousness had deeply influenced this man\’s perception, making it challenging to explore any aspects of Yo-Han\’s past that didn\’t align with his public image. Ga-On and Soo-hyun exchanged a knowing look, realizing that their quest for the truth would require navigating a landscape where Yo-Han\’s image was as powerful as any evidence they might uncover.

As Ga-On and Soo-hyun prepared to leave, the atmosphere in the room still charged with the ex-detective\’s unwavering admiration for Kang Yo-Han, Soo-hyun couldn\’t resist making a subtle but pointed remark. 

She leaned in and casually mentioned, \”You know, it\’s quite remarkable how you managed to turn your life around after leaving the police force. You resigned just two months after that mysterious fire, and suddenly, your gambling debts were resolved, and you opened a new restaurant. Your severance pay must\’ve been incredible.\”

To be continued….