“If you are not here to collect a debt, then I can’t help you.” And I have no desire to falsify documents to a prosecutor, so forget that service completely. It’s not like falsification is illegal, depending on how and what it is you’re trying to falsify… I’m glad I didn’t mention it outright.

“Wait-!” Wait? He suddenly grabs onto my wrist like I’m about to leave my seat. Did he think I was going to get out of here when I didn’t move an inch? Moreover, this is my office! You’re the one that’s supposed to storm out if you want to get rid of me so bad! “-I suspect my father is having an affair.” As much as I dislike other people touching me without my consent, the word ‘affair’ pricks my chest unpleasantly. 

It’s been over twenty years, and I still feel uneasy at the mention of married men. Specifically, I can’t stand straight, married, cheating men. But the most awful kind of them all is the straight, married, cheating fathers.

Nevertheless, the language Zhulong used is far too ambiguous for me to dissect.

“You suspect, or you’re convinced?” As expected of a lawyer, he picks his words incredibly carefully.

“Suspect.”

I shake off his hand and roll my eyes.

“Then, go hire a private investigator. I don’t deal with suspects or suspicions.” 

“........” He turns his head towards the window and purses his lips. The atmosphere is finally silent enough for me to notice the trickling rain again, but what's with that despondent look? What happened to my angry pomeranian? Who kicked my angry pomeranian? All I said was to go look for someone else’s services.

….Don’t tell me.

“....It can’t be.” I’m thinking out loud, but now I’m past morbid curiosity. Just who are you, Nuri Zhulong? Are you really just a prosecutor? “Have they all rejected you?” He glances in my direction, but doesn’t answer straight away. The brief flash of lightning brings out the deep, bright blue of his eyes. His disposition has been so distant and cold that I never noticed just how bright his eyes are in contrast to his suit. When he meets my gaze again, it’s as if the light dissipates and turns into a muddy black.

“...My father is an influential figure. No one wants to investigate his private matters.” That makes sense. I figured it had to be something like that, but his accusation doesn’t hold much weight without evidence. Is that why people have rejected him, or is there a different reason? I assume he’ll tell me the details if I take his case, but so far, I can’t go snooping on mere assumptions- I’m not suicidal. 

“I see. So, I’m a last resort?” That must not have been the right thing to ask, even if I was being tongue-in-cheek. 

“Be grateful you’re an option at all.” Unfortunately for him, this was definitely not the right thing to say to me either.

This pompous aristocrat looking motherfucker.

I slam my hand down against the desk and grab him by his tie to pull him closer. He might be taller than I am, and he might as well be stronger; but none of those things matter when you’re the one crawling on your hands and knees looking for scraps to feed an empty stomach.

“I think it’s time we make another thing clear. The one that should be grateful here is you. The fact I haven’t thrown you out already is a testament to not only my patience, but my kindness,” He isn’t trying to fight it. Maybe because it’s the first time someone’s scolded him in his entire life. In that case- It’ll be my pleasure to set an example. “-I deal in karma. I have no interest in running an investigation. Either you give me a clear-cut reason as to why I should help you, or you leave. What will it be?”

“How much do you need?”

It takes me an immense amount of self-restraint not to punch him flat on his ass. Why do rich people think they can get anything they want with money? Have they never encountered a problem money can’t solve? I don’t know whether to consider that a blessing or a bad omen. Nevertheless, I don’t get my hands dirty just to pull out a filthy dollar from your pocket.

I do it for the love of the game.

“....You think you can pay me off?” If you liquidated all your assets to compensate me, it still wouldn’t scratch the surface of my desire. What I want is priceless- a form of justice that money can’t buy. Zhulong Nuri, if you ever find yourself with a thirst that the ever-flowing well of your wealth can’t clench, I hope you can find a way to sate that thirst before you drown trying to drink from the sea.

“What kind of image do you have of me in your mind, Zhulong? Forget it. I’ll tell you exactly who I am.” I release him and wipe my hand on my vest when I’m done touching him. That’s sure to piss him off– I do it deliberately to wound his pride.

“Firstly, I’m not stuck in this poor neighbourhood. In fact, I like it here. The people treat me like a nightwatch of sorts, so it may be an unsafe place for the likes of you, but it’s practically a fortress for someone like me. I like being a reliable electric fence for my community. Second,” I rummage through my drawer to find my lighter and my cigarettes. If I knew he’d be so annoying, I would have lit one up ages ago. My drawers are a mess again- I should set some time aside to organize them. “-I’m not stuck behind these brick walls. I built them myself to keep people like you out. If the neighbourhood is my fortress, then my agency is my throne. My calling in life is collecting karmic debt from people the law is unable to touch. My methods aren’t important. All you need to know is that they’re not illegal, and I follow the law very closely.” I finally manage to spark a flame. I don’t even bother opening the window to air it out. I’m not in the mood to clear the table for the rain. 

“Lastly,” I rest the cigarette between my lips once it’s lit and shove the rest of them back into the drawer. Once that’s taken care of, I look for the ashtray. “-you’re pissing me off. I get the feeling you’re not serious about your desire. I hate wasting time more than I hate silver-spoon drooling children like you,” It’s not on my desk, but I’m so impatient I take a drag anyway and exhale a cloud of smoke to calm my nerves. Screw it. I’ll clean up later. I rest my fingers at my lips and turn to stare out the window. All I can think about now is that it’s going to be so damn stuffy in here. “-so, prove that you’re committed, or get the fuck out of my office.”

I hear the chair screech as if it’s been kicked back, but I don’t bother turning around. I suspect he’s trying to land a punch, but it’s whatever. I’ll let him do what he wants until he tires himself out and leaves of his own volition.

“Zhulong-! What are you doing!?”

I turn to face the man I’ve been scolding this entire time, only to spot him catching the burned bits of cigarette ash with his outstretched palm. When I look past his palm, I catch an unfinished painting of mine that’s due to another client. I must have pulled it out when I was looking for my lighter.

“Ha.” There he goes, being cute again. What a frustrating man. Having such a terrible personality with such a pretty face is criminal. “Is this how you show your resolve? Do you think that’s all it takes to win me over?” 

Did he do it to protect my painting? It’s not even finished. Who cares anyway? His little act is somewhat surprising, but I don’t mind starting another painting from scratch if necessary. However, what’s really unexpected is that he doesn’t flinch or show any kind of discomfort when the ash hits his skin. Instead of whining and sitting back down, he swipes the cigarette straight from my lips and crushes it with his bare fist.

A spoiled and sheltered kid like him shouldn’t be able to pull a stunt like that completely stone-faced.

Now, I’m even more curious…

“Hmmm…” I pick up my ballpoint pen and click it a few times. Do I write a proposal or do I just kick them out? It’s not like he has any other options left. I click the mechanical pen rhythmically to the sound of the ticking clock. I don’t intend to rush myself into making a decision on the fly while the cogs are still turning. It’s unlike me to ignore the fact he blatantly ruined my good mood by snatching something that doesn’t belong to him. Yet, all I can think about is the circumstances that lead to his appearance here. What sort of powerful figure is this father of his that would push everyone away? Moreover, it unsettles me that he’s here on mere suspicion of adultery. Do kids concern themselves with that nowadays? He’s an adult, so he should be independent. Maybe I’d understand it if he was a teenager that still lived with his family.

I stop clicking the pen and face him with my arms folded across my chest.

“How you tackle this next question will determine whether or not I’ll help you. So, think carefully before you give me your answer.” I’ve made up my mind. One wrong move, and he’s out. “What do you believe will happen if you don’t put a stop to your fathers adultery?”

There’s no lightning this time, but I catch another glimpse of that determined, bright, almost iridescent blue in his eyes. I’ve seen those eyes before– In the courtroom, he turns that still ocean into a tidal wave and buries his adversaries alive. It should intimidate me the way it intimidates those that oppose him. Instead, it gives me a strange sense of vigor– like he’s coming at me with the same force he’d come at someone that’s trying to drag him into the depths of despair. 

People like him won’t allow themselves to be swayed or walked over. They’re people with principles whose morals can rarely be compromised by outsiders.

Give me your answer, now.

“If I don’t put a stop to it,” Even if his eyes dim darkly with his answer, I’ll be searching for that blue glimmer like a lighthouse in the midst of a storm. If you want something bad enough, prove that you’re willing to search for it. “-I believe my father will try to kill my mother.”

Prove you’ll walk this path with me until the end.