The Inspector Is Getting Promoted! [EN]: Chapter 113

Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyeon immediately averted his gaze, seemingly apologetic after speaking.

“I wonder if I’m asking for too much of a favor.”

Unable to lift his head, his cheeks flushed, and even his ears turned red.

“If it’s too much to ask, you can refuse right away. This is purely my own desire……”

However, I couldn’t hide the smile spreading across my face.

The perfect scenario filling my mind was literally causing endorphins to surge.

The more I dated Han Ji-yu, the more certain I became that I should marry her.

I’d probably be walking down the aisle with her next year.

In that situation, Seong Tae-hyeon dating Han Ji-su?

This was truly an unexpected stroke of good fortune.

Unless something extraordinary happened, Seong Tae-hyeon was destined to rise to the top of the country as the 22nd president.

To become in-laws with such a Seong Tae-hyeon, going beyond just being close acquaintances.

Being connected as family, beyond just being close friends, was a different dimension altogether.

It meant rising to a position where one could literally control the country.

Of course, if the two broke up in the middle, this dream would vanish like a bubble, but if it were to materialize, it would be more than hitting the jackpot in the lottery.

And for some reason, I had a feeling that they wouldn’t break up and would date well.

No, upon closer examination, there were plenty of reasons.

Han Ji-su was Han Ji-yu’s younger sister and the ideal type that Seong Tae-hyeon desired, and from what I had seen, she had a generous personality with no sharp edges.

Moreover, Han Ji-su’s ideal type was someone much older and highly capable. Someone to rely on, and from Han Ji-su’s perspective, Seong Tae-hyeon was exactly the person she wanted.

Wait a minute.

“Were you born in 1982, Assemblyman?”

“Yes, that’s right. The year of the dog.”

His age was exactly the *ttidonggap* [zodiac cycle of 12 years] that Han Ji-su had mentioned as her ideal!

When the two of us talked while Han Ji-yu was away, she said it wasn’t a joke, but she really wanted to meet a divorced man and have a relaxed relationship.

It wasn’t intentional, but Seong Tae-hyeon was also someone who had been in a relationship and was now single.

Even if it wasn’t for my own personal gain, I had to introduce them.

It wouldn’t be polite not to arrange a meeting when they both considered each other their ideal types.

It wouldn’t be a crime to hope with all my heart that they would get along well.

However, Seong Tae-hyeon, unaware of this fact, wore a guilty expression.

“I looked into it, and Han Ji-yu was born in 1993. Since she’s her younger sister, that means she’s at least *ttidonggap*……”

“Yes. She’s exactly *ttidonggap*. My sister-in-law was born in 1994, the year of the dog.”

“Yes, I know. I’m a thief.”

He let out a deep sigh.

“But I felt like I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t say this today.”

I smiled readily and replied.

“I’ll try to arrange a meeting.”

“Really?”

Seong Tae-hyeon’s eyes widened more than I had ever seen them before.

I immediately added a word.

“Of course, that’s if Ji-yu says it’s okay.”

“Ah, of course. Ji-yu and Ji-su’s opinions are very important.”

“I’ll try my best too. I know you’re a good person, Assemblyman.”

“Thank you.”

He bowed his head with both hands clasped together.

“It was a really presumptuous request, but thank you for readily agreeing……”

I smirked.

“I want to become family with you, Assemblyman.”

“Me too.”

Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyeon replied brightly.

“I hope things go well so I can call you *hyungnim* [term used by a younger male to address an older male he is close to].”

“Oh, no. If I hear you, who’s seven years older than me, call me *hyungnim*, I’ll probably choke while eating.”

He burst into a hearty laugh.

“*Euhahaha*, thank you.”

“But don’t get your hopes up too much. It’s not like it’ll happen just because I want it to.”

“Of course. Don’t feel pressured at all. I won’t be disappointed even if it doesn’t work out.”

“Looking at your expression now, it seems like you’ll be very disappointed if it falls through?”

Seong Tae-hyeon, as if his true feelings had been exposed, raised his thumb and index finger together.

“Just this much.”

“Hahaha, I understand.”

He raised his glass, his laughter not yet subsided.

“Shall we have a drink?”

“Sure.”

***

In-laws with the president.

It was a dreamlike story beyond compare.

I felt like I wanted to have a joint wedding with them, but I decided not to push it too much.

No matter how good it was for me, I couldn’t force someone else’s spouse.

Of course, I would appeal to them since they both seemed to suit each other, but I intended to keep my distance.

I cautiously brought up the story while having dinner alone with Han Ji-yu at her house.

“……So there’s someone who wants to be introduced.”

“Oh, really?”

She wore a more subtle expression than I expected.

It wasn’t unfavorable, but it wasn’t good either, a vague expression.

This is when it’s really difficult that Han Ji-yu is an actress. Because she can hide her expressions, I can’t read her mind.

She slowly nodded and opened her mouth.

“But if it’s someone in the same line as *oppa* [term used by a younger woman to address an older brother or male friend], wouldn’t they be too old?”

I knew she would worry about this.

“He’s young for someone in that line. He’s exactly *ttidonggap* with *cheoje* [term for wife’s younger sister].”

“Oh, really?”

Only after hearing those words did Han Ji-yu’s expression brighten.

“Then that’s a relief.”

“Were you worried that there would be too much of an age difference?”

“Yeah. But there are a lot of *ttidonggap* with Ji-su. I’d have to hear *cheohyeong* [term for wife’s older sister] from someone who’s 11 years older than me……”

“You probably know who it is. Seong Tae-hyeon, the assemblyman who was re-elected in Dobong-gu this time. I’ve mentioned him a few times, do you remember?”

“I was wondering who it was, but it was Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyeon. Of course, I know him.”

Han Ji-yu’s reaction was better than I expected.

“If it’s him, I think *oppa* said he was a really good person.”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’ve known him for a long time, and he really has a good and generous personality. That’s why I’m trying to introduce him. Even if he asked me to introduce him, I wouldn’t have introduced *cheoje* if he wasn’t a good person.”

“Then I welcome it. If it’s someone *oppa* approves of, I can trust him.”

She put down her chopsticks and started talking candidly.

“I was against it a lot at first, but after going on a trip, hearing stories from other people, and talking a lot with Ji-su, I realized that having a big age difference is her preference, so it seems like it’s hard for me to change it.”

Han Ji-yu chuckled and added.

“Even so, I don’t like it if it’s more than 20 years apart, someone around our dad’s age.”

“Hey, it would be hard for me to introduce someone like that. I’d be scared to hear *hyungnim* from someone who’s old enough to be my father, ya [term to show disagreement or scolding].”

“Hahaha.”

She burst into laughter and leaned towards me.

“Do you have a picture? I want to see it.”

“Just a moment.”

He was someone who appeared when you searched on portal sites, so I immediately searched and showed her the best picture I could find.

Han Ji-yu, after checking the picture, widened her eyes in surprise.

“If he’s *ttidonggap* with Ji-su, isn’t he 39 years old?”

“That’s right. Born in 1982, the year of the dog.”

“But he doesn’t look that old? He only looks two or three years older than *oppa*.”

“Are you dissing me?”

“Diss?”

She tilted her head for a moment, and then burst out laughing when she understood.

“No. *Oppa* looks exactly *oppa’s* age.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Instead, you’re very handsome. How much I usually look at *oppa* and……”

We naturally got lovey-dovey before returning to the original topic.

“Anyway, I’ll talk to Ji-su about it. Actually, without even asking, she’ll probably welcome it completely.”

“Okay. Assemblyman Seong is a good person, so he’ll suit *cheoje* well.”

“I hope so.”

She said that and suddenly remembered something, chuckling.

“Why are you laughing suddenly?”

“No, I just thought our mom and dad would be really happy if they heard. The first son-in-law is a prosecutor, the second son-in-law is a member of the National Assembly.”

“Hahaha, that’s true.”

Of course, it wouldn’t end there.

They might see a son-in-law who’s beyond a prosecutor, the Prosecutor General, and beyond a member of the National Assembly, the President.

***

“Department Head Kang Jung-sik?”

“Yes. It seems he’s been investigating the department head’s finances extensively.”

A prosecutor from the No. 1 line planted in the Public Security Department delivered the words with a troubled face.

“It seems like he’s been grinding his teeth a lot lately.”

I didn’t think he would just quit after doing it moderately, but I didn’t expect him to openly dig into my background like this.

“Okay, I understand for now. Keep an eye on Kim Pro a little more and report any unusual activity immediately.”

“Understood.”

Immediately after he finished his report and left the room, I called Reporter Lim Yu-na of Politics First, alone in the office.

Her voice was heard right away before the ringing even stopped a few times.

-Yes, Prosecutor. Hello.

“It’s been a while, Yu-na. Are you busy?”

-No. It’s okay. Please speak.

“It’s not something else, I just wanted to ask for a favor.”

-Please feel free to speak.

“Do you happen to have any close and capable reporters in the Busan branch of Politics First?”

-Busan side…… I do have one person.

Perhaps because the story of the incident in the conference room with Department Head Kang Jung-sik had spread, Lim Yu-na seemed to have immediately grasped what I was going to say.

-Is it because of Department Head Kang Jung-sik?

“Yes. There’s a rumor going around that he’s been digging into my background lately.”

-Ah, I see.

She continued with a troubled voice.

-I thought that might be the case, so I asked my colleague in the Busan branch, and it seems that his influence over the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office is so strong that he still has a firm grip on it.

“Is it that serious?”

-Yes. To be exact, it’s because Prosecutor General Park Jae-pil, who’s above Department Head Kang Jung-sik, was so great…… I’ll tell him to look into it further for now.

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

-Yes. It’s winter now, so take care not to catch a cold.

“Please take care of your health too, Reporter.”

-Thank you.

After hanging up the phone, a very bad feeling washed over me.

It’s the first time it hasn’t come out like this, even though he’s been digging for months.

This seems like the fight is going to get complicated.

***

“Ji-su seems to have a good reaction.”

“Really?”

As soon as I heard those words, I couldn’t help but show my delight.

“Assemblyman Seong seems to really like her too.”

That was actually the case.

Since both parties had high expectations even before meeting, I was worried that they might be disappointed, but Seong Tae-hyeon said that his real appearance was better than his picture, and his personality was also very good.

Listening to Han Ji-yu, it seemed that Han Ji-su was also very satisfied.

Because the age difference was large, he was mature, and he even had the tremendous job of being a member of the National Assembly.

“Listening to Ji-su, it seems like they’ve already met about three times?”

“Already?”

Three times in less than a week since I introduced them.

It seems like they’ve really hit it off?

It was like counting my chickens before they hatched if I was thinking about marriage before they were even dating, but my expectations were that high.

Becoming family with the president meant literally becoming the aristocracy of Korea.

“What if they hit it off and get married faster than us?”

“Wow, that would be really amazing too.”

“That would be a huge topic, wouldn’t it? It seems like citizens really like Assemblyman Seong Tae-hyeon these days too?”

“Ah, he’s been introducing a lot of good bills related to the younger generation this time. He’s young for a member of the National Assembly, so he communicates a lot.”

“I hope it goes well.”

I thought everything would be perfect.

However, December 2020.

The coldest winter of my life began.