You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 266

After Kang Kwan-woong entered the room, Chief Kang approached me.

“We should show you to your room first. This way, please.”

I followed him into the hallway on the second floor.

It wasn’t my first time in this house, but it was my first time accessing the second floor.

The hallway, which wrapped around the courtyard that started on the first floor, was structured in a ‘ㅁ’ shape, ensuring privacy even on the same floor.

“This mansion is quite impressive, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“I think you’re the first guest to come up here in almost ten years, at least for Attorney Cha.”

“I’m causing a lot of inconvenience in many ways.”

“Not at all.”

I heard Chief Kang’s soft laughter as he walked ahead.

“I still don’t know if this is the right thing to do.”

Thinking about Park Young-ki’s words, I could guess how much Woo-shin had influenced the prosecution and police.

Woo-shin had been fooled by me more than once, so he must have been preparing meticulously to avoid being caught by the same trick.

But I wasn’t sure if avoiding detention right now was the right move, or even if it was, whether hiding in Kang Kwan-woong’s private residence was the best choice.

If Kang Kwan-woong got involved, it wouldn’t end as just my problem; it would escalate into a political issue, leading to conflict between the ruling and opposition parties.

Even though Lee Jung-chan had been expelled from the ruling party, he was ultimately a leader within it, and Kang Kwan-woong was a former president from the current opposition party.

The moment Kang Kwan-woong, who had been living quietly and respected after his retirement, got caught up in this case, it would spiral out of control.

Lee Se-hwa’s almost certain election victory could also be jeopardized.

Ultimately, I had agreed to help Lee Se-hwa’s election, but I could end up becoming an obstacle.

“Even if he dotes on his grandson, do you think the elder [Kang Kwan-woong] would just hide you without any consideration simply because Min-jae is being stubborn?”

“It’s not that, but isn’t it better to control the risks as much as possible?”

“How can you control all the variables?”

Chief Kang said with a chuckle.

“You’re just as Min-jae described you, Attorney Cha.”

“What did Kang say?”

“He said you have an obsession with controlling all the variables. How can a person, not a god, do that? Oh, I wasn’t badmouthing you. I meant it in the sense that you’re like a god because you’ve been able to do that until now.”

…He really said all sorts of things.

“You’ve been on a winning streak until now, haven’t you? So, think of this as taking a break. You’re Attorney Cha, who has brilliantly solved even the most impossible cases, aren’t you? It will be the same this time.”

Since I haven’t told anyone that I’m living my second life, people’s expectations of me will only become more exaggerated.

And until now, I was able to meet those expectations because I knew future information.

But Lee Jung-chan’s death, and being suspected of his murder, were scenarios that didn’t exist in my previous life.

So, I don’t know where evidence to save me will pop up, or conversely, where evidence to incriminate me will appear, or even if such situations will be manufactured.

There is a method that comes to mind now.

Control the situation as much as possible to avoid political involvement, hide here for a few months, and aim for after Lee Se-hwa is elected president.

The early days of a presidency are when the president’s influence is strongest, assuming there are no other complications, and when things are bustling with other issues.

Woo-shin will have no choice but to be mindful of Lee Se-hwa, even if only for a short time.

If I create the right situation then, it won’t be difficult for me to get off the suspect list.

Of course, that’s only if Lee Se-hwa helps me.

“Oh.”

It seemed Chief Kang had stopped walking.

Lost in thought, I bumped into Chief Kang.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”

Chief Kang looked at me and grabbed the doorknob.

“I can’t help but have a lot on my mind.”

“For now, get some rest today. As you saw on the way here, there’s an embargo in place, so nothing has been reported yet. The police will be moving discreetly for the time being. So, I recommend you rest easy today.”

As he opened the door, the inside of the room was fully revealed.

It was a large room.

A king-size bed was placed in the center of the wall, and in front of the large window overlooking the garden at the back of the mansion, there was a desk.

The room also had a bathroom attached, so it seemed I could take care of most things in here without having to go outside.

“This is a big room for a guest room.”

“It’s a room that someone used to live in. There are guest rooms, but since you’ll be staying for a while, I thought it would be uncomfortable for you there.”

“Who did?”

“Who do you think?”

At Chief Kang’s knowing expression, I ended up letting out a sigh-like laugh.

“I was taking the elder back when I got a text from Min-jae. That guy is really something. Oh, the room wasn’t cleaned yet because it was suddenly given to you. If you come up after dinner, I think the madam will clean it in the meantime. Let’s have dinner first.”

“It’s okay. It looks clean enough. And I don’t have much of an appetite.”

“That won’t do. You saw it earlier, right? Min-jae told me to make sure you eat. If he finds out you didn’t eat, he’ll throw a fit.”

“…”

The reason Kang Min-jae told me to stay here might not be for my safety.

…Maybe he just wants to feel like a friend is over and sleeping over every day?

In any case, due to Kang Min-jae’s insistence, I sat down at the table.

The housekeeper moved busily, placing dishes on the table.

Looking at the steaming food, the situation I was in felt distant.

This absurd situation where I became a suspect in the murder of a powerful politician and am now hiding to avoid arrest.

“Min-jae says he’s going to be a bit late because of traffic.”

Chief Kang said as he entered the dining room.

“If you haven’t eaten, join me.”

“Min-jae told me not to steal yours.”

“How can I eat all this alone?”

Eventually, Chief Kang sat across from me.

We started eating quietly without any conversation.

About ten minutes passed.

“How has Min-jae been lately?”

“In what way?”

“Just, how is he as an employee, from a superior’s perspective?”

Every time, I could feel that Kang Kwan-woong, Chief Kang, and Kang Min-jae had great affection for him.

He was bullied at school in the United States and lost his parents, so wasn’t this the reason he was able to live brightly?

“I even wonder why Kang keeps trying to stay in my office.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Of course.”

When I decided to nudge him towards other opportunities, I thought he would be welcomed at any law firm, even without his grandfather’s influence.

He showed a strong will to join my plan, so I eventually accepted him, but even now, if he were to say he would resign to pursue his own stability, I would gladly accept it.

In my previous life, I parted ways with many colleagues.

The reason was death, but there was also conflict.

In this life, I plan to find those members one by one again, and some have already done so.

Parting always brings a sense of loss, but since I’ve experienced it once, I have some immunity and preparation.

But since Kang Min-jae is not a person I experienced in my previous life, I would feel regret if I were to never see him again in any way.

So, paradoxically, I wanted him to leave from under me.

“I’ve wondered why Min-jae follows you so much.”

“I wonder too.”

“Does he like handsome people?”

“…”

“I’m just kidding. Min-jae says he wants to be like you.”

At those words, I let out a small laugh.

There were times when I was envious of Kang Min-jae.

At first, I was envious of his lack of cynicism.

I was too exhausted, and I was about to jump into that fire again.

I was envious of not having the sense of duty that I had to pursue even by whipping myself with a thorny whip.

My resentment and hostility towards Woo-shin were so great that I sometimes thought it was foolish of me to not let go, even though the reasons for having those feelings had all disappeared.

But when I learned about his past, I became envious of his strength to be bright even in a situation where he could have been depressed enough.

And I was envious of the little bit of innocence to be able to blindly follow someone, and the mental余裕 [mental capacity] to be able to treat everyone warmly.

Kang, who has so much, wanting to be like me is no different from wanting to be a degraded version of himself.

“Kang has plenty of advantages without becoming like me.”

“No one is satisfied with themselves. But I don’t dislike that Min-jae has someone he follows so much. He’s had a vitality that I didn’t see when he was at Taekwang. He didn’t live very hard back then.”

Chief Kang continued, busily using his chopsticks.

“He was always busy going to clubs and hanging out with his friends. You know, those kids who aren’t worth anything. He wouldn’t come home sometimes, and even if he did, he would come home drunk. We always had hangover cures stocked at home. He was always late for work because of his hangovers. So, the elder had to forcibly eat hangover soup every morning. Haha.”

Now, he’s even out earlier than me sometimes, and he even scolds me if I’m late.

He seems to like drinking when he asks me to go out for dinner, but he hardly ever comes to work with a hangover.

“He went to work so carelessly, but he had a good personality and got along well with people, so that was the only good thing.”

That’s completely different from the Kang Min-jae I knew.

“It’s surprising, right? It’s an unimaginable sight now. When I see him getting up early in the morning and going to work, I feel so proud. It’s all thanks to you, Attorney Cha.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You may think so, but the elder is very happy to see that Min-jae has changed. He didn’t say it, but.”

Chief Kang whispered as if he were telling a secret.

“So, while you’re staying in this house, you don’t have to feel like you owe us anything. To the elder and to me, you’re the one who made Min-jae who he is.”

As soon as Chief Kang finished speaking, I heard footsteps approaching the dining room.

I could tell who it was just by those rhythmic footsteps.

“I’m home.”

Holding plastic bags full of something in both hands, Kang Min-jae appeared.

He checked the table and turned his head sharply towards Chief Kang.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], why are you stealing Attorney Cha’s food?”

“Hey, you’re funny. Can’t I eat a little? All you have to do is put the rice down. Attorney Cha can’t eat it all alone either.”

“Ah, really. I think Hyung ate more?”

Kang Min-jae checked the plate in front of Chief Kang and said.

“That’s enough, what did you buy so much of?”

“Toothbrush, toothpaste, pajamas, loungewear, socks, and stuff like that for Attorney Cha to use.”

“We have extras at home.”

“They might not fit. And toothpaste, you know how picky people are about the taste. So, I bought all kinds.”

He handed the plastic bags to the housekeeper and returned to the table.

“But what were you guys talking about?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Chief Kang said, waving his hand.

He probably wouldn’t like it if I told him we were talking about this.

“Attorney Cha, what did Hyung say?”

“He said Kang has two nostrils.”

“…That’s obvious!”

“He also said he has two ears.”

“That’s obvious too!”

“Ah, he said he has one mouth. It would have been better if he didn’t have one at all. Then it would be less noisy.”

“Aish! Hyung, what did you say to Attorney Cha! Huh? What did you say!”

Only Kang Min-jae’s frustrated shouts filled the dining room.