You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 397

Finally, he had a clue about where Yerim was.

Heo Minwoo left the hospital and urgently called Angel’s House.

– Yes, this is Angel’s House.

“Hello, this is Detective Heo Minwoo from Gangnam Police Station. I’m calling about a missing child.”

– Ah, yes.

“I heard that a child who lost her memory at Gangnam Wooshin Hospital the day before yesterday went to Angel’s House. She’s a 7-year-old girl… Her parents are desperately looking for her. Is she at Angel’s House now?”

– We don’t have a 7-year-old child with memory loss at Angel’s House… I think you have the wrong information.

“What? I heard from the hospital that she went there directly… She might have recovered her memory. Her name is Jeong Yerim.”

– Yerim…

The sound of keyboard typing was heard over the receiver for a long time.

Heo Minwoo swallowed hard.

She has to be there, she has to be!

– Hmm, I think the hospital might be mistaken? I’ve searched, but there’s no such child.

The employee’s firm tone made it seem like she really didn’t go to Angel’s House, but the hospital clearly said she went to Angel’s House.

He didn’t know who to believe.

Neither Wooshin Hospital nor Angel’s House had any reason to lie to Heo Minwoo.

Heo Minwoo ruffled his hair and replied.

“Ha, then can I go and look for her myself? I’m not doubting you, but I’m trying to be careful just in case.”

– Ah… Yes, please do.

“Thank you.”

Heo Minwoo headed straight to Angel’s House.

It was a bit late, but the nurse’s testimony that Yerim was at Angel’s House was the only clue to finding Yerim right now.

He thought it was impossible for the staff not to know a new child in the orphanage, but you never know.

The staff member might have been away that day, and Yerim might have come in during that time without them knowing.

Of course, it’s natural to list and share all the new children, but Heo Minwoo didn’t want to give up hope.

Since she came in the day before yesterday, she might not have been added to the database yet.

The sun had already set, and Heo Minwoo finally arrived at Angel’s House.

There was no one in the playground in front of Angel’s House because it was dark, and the inside of the building was brightly lit.

Worried that the staff might have left work in the meantime, Heo Minwoo hurried into the building.

“Hello, this is Detective Heo Minwoo from Gangnam Police Station.”

“Ah, you’re the one I spoke to earlier… Hello, I’m Kim Youngji, the case worker.”

Kim Youngji got up from her seat, received the business card Heo Minwoo handed over, and handed over her own business card.

Heo Minwoo reflexively checked Kim Youngji’s face.

It was to check if she had a large red spot on her face, as the nurse had mentioned.

‘She has it.’

It became clear that someone from Angel’s House had taken a child presumed to be Yerim.

But why are they saying no?

Heo Minwoo decided to ask in more detail.

“Is it that there are no new children, or that there are new children but not Yerim?”

Heo Minwoo asked as he walked down the hallway with Kim Youngji, who said she would guide him to where the children were.

“There are no new children.”

It’s rare to have a large red spot on your face.

And the probability of that person working in an orphanage is also low.

But they’re still saying no?

“I heard that Yerim lost her memory, so Wooshin Welfare Foundation paid for her hospital bills because they couldn’t find her guardian.”

“Ah… that’s not my responsibility, so you’ll have to contact the Welfare Foundation. Let’s go this way for now.”

Following Kim Youngji’s guidance, they went inside, where the children were gathered, preparing for dinner.

It was easy to check their faces as they sat side by side at the table under the guidance of the childcare teacher.

“Is this everyone here?”

“Yes.”

Heo Minwoo took out the flyer, checked Yerim’s face, and compared it with the children’s faces.

He checked the faces of countless children, but Yerim was really not there.

“Is Yerim here?”

Kim Youngji, who was watching Heo Minwoo checking the flyer and the children alternately, asked.

Heo Minwoo shook his head.

“She’s really not here.”

Unless Angel’s House had separated Yerim, it seemed like Yerim was really not here.

Could they really have separated her?

But for what reason would Angel’s House separate Yerim?

The orphanage was established to protect children who have nowhere to go and to create new families, but on the other hand, it was also created to find parents.

The police came directly and said they would take the child because she has parents, so the orphanage, which already has to reduce the number of mouths to feed, would have no reason to refuse.

His head became complicated again.

Heo Minwoo shook his head from side to side and bowed to Kim Youngji.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“You’re welcome.”

“If Yerim comes here, please contact the number on the business card.”

“Okay.”

In the end, Heo Minwoo returned to the police station without any results.

But what was certain was that the report from the mentally ill person was not a false report, the victim was a young child, the child was taken to Wooshin Hospital, and sent to Angel’s House after losing her memory.

That child might not be Yerim, but in this situation, he couldn’t think that it wasn’t Yerim.

‘What the hell is going on? It seems like Case Worker Kim Youngji brought her here.’

The possibility that she came to Angel’s House and was sent to another orphanage due to some problem cannot be ruled out.

It’s late today, so it’s not a good time to make calls now, but it would be good to call orphanages nationwide from tomorrow.

“Did you get anything?”

When he returned to the police station, a fellow police officer looked at Heo Minwoo and asked.

“The hospital said that Wooshin Welfare Foundation paid for the hospital bills, so I went to the orphanage run by Wooshin Welfare Foundation, but she wasn’t there. I think I’ll have to call orphanages nationwide from tomorrow.”

“Is it certain that the child sent from the hospital to the orphanage is Yerim?”

“It seems like it’s Yerim, but it’s not certain. I have to find her anyway. I got a clue.”

From the next day, Heo Minwoo and his fellow police officers started calling orphanages nationwide.

If there was a child presumed to be Yerim, they checked the photos, and if it wasn’t far, they went directly to see her face, but it was all not Yerim.

Yerim’s mother called almost every day to ask about the progress, but Heo Minwoo had nothing to say.

He just replied that he was searching orphanages nationwide.

Three more days passed like that, and then he received a call from Kim Youngji, the case worker at Angel’s House.

– Detective, this is Kim Youngji from Angel’s House.

“Ah, Case Worker. Did you find Yerim?”

– Ah, no. It’s not that, but you asked if Wooshin Welfare Foundation paid for the hospital bills at Wooshin Hospital before, right?

“Ah, yes, that’s right.”

– I was bothered by what you said at that time, so I checked and found out that Wooshin Welfare Foundation did pay for it, but she didn’t go to the orphanage.

“The hospital said she went to the orphanage.”

– Well, she didn’t come to our Angel’s House anyway.

“We have secured testimony that Case Worker Kim Youngji took that child from the hospital. But you’re still saying no?”

– What are you talking about…

“Are you perhaps hiding the child?”

– We have no reason to do that.

Kim Youngji’s words are also correct.

What could be the reason for hiding a child they took from the orphanage?

Unless they abused the child or the child’s condition is not good…

Abuse. Abuse, huh…

– Is there anything else you need to check?

“No.”

– Okay, then I’ll hang up now.

Angel’s House is suspicious.

The thought that they seem to be hiding Yerim for some reason turned into conviction.

‘Should I raid them this time?’

He contacted them before, but this time he’s going to barge in without any prior notice.

If Angel’s House intentionally hid Yerim, he might be able to find Yerim before they can hide her.

Heo Minwoo drove back to Angel’s House.

He prayed and prayed to a god he didn’t even believe in that Yerim would be there this time.

“…”

Heo Minwoo deliberately parked a little away from Angel’s House and walked in.

It was because he thought they might hide Yerim in a hurry if they knew Heo Minwoo’s car was coming.

“Hey, stop it!”

“This is mine!”

As he entered the inside of Angel’s House, he saw many children running around and playing in the playground.

Heo Minwoo sat on the bench in front of it and started scanning to see if Yerim was among the children playing.

“Should I go inside?”

Yerim is not among the children playing in the playground.

This number of people will not be all the children that Angel’s House is in charge of, and some will be indoors.

Should I go in?

“Excuse me.”

As he was about to get up from the bench, a shadow suddenly fell over Heo Minwoo.

When Heo Minwoo looked up, the man asked.

“I think you came here before, what brings you here? It doesn’t seem like you’re volunteering.”

“Ah, are you a staff member here?”

“No, I’m a reporter.”

The man said, handing over his business card.

It said ‘Choi Jonghyun, Iljung Daily’.

“Ah, I’m Detective Heo Minwoo from Gangnam Police Station. I came here because of a missing child.”

“Missing child?”

Thinking that the other person might be helpful since he’s a reporter, Heo Minwoo told Choi Jonghyun about Yerim.

Then Choi Jonghyun asked.

“Do you have a picture of the child?”

“Ah, of course.”

Heo Minwoo took out the crumpled flyer from his pocket and showed it to Choi Jonghyun.

Choi Jonghyun stared at Yerim’s appearance in the flyer for a long time, then handed the flyer back to him and said.

“I’ve seen her.”

“Yes?”

“I saw her here, at Angel’s House.”