You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 119

I tried to subtly steer the conversation toward the Bureau Chief by asking if Kim Jung-woo had encountered any difficulties at the company, but I couldn’t get a single word out of him.

It seemed he was unwilling to confide in Choi Jong-hyun.

If he had been stuck as a rookie reporter for years because of a close senior colleague’s situation, his internal struggle must have been immense.

He could have abandoned his principles and blindly followed the Bureau Chief’s orders, or he could have confided in Choi Jong-hyun even now.

His concern for Choi Jong-hyun seemed unusually strong.

That’s likely why Choi Jong-hyun was so devastated for years after losing him.

“You must have gone through a lot.”

“…Well, yes, but I can’t complain when I think about my brother.”

Considering he was suffering from severe depression, forcing him to recount stories he didn’t want to tell seemed counterproductive.

Since we had time, I decided to wait until Kim Jung-woo felt comfortable enough to open up.

Even if I heard the whole story right now, I couldn’t immediately devise a way to counter the Editor-in-Chief’s pressure.

The most pressing issue was preventing a Zolpidem overdose.

“First, bring me all the pills you have.”

Choi Jong-hyun, who had calmed down somewhat, brought up the topic directly.

Kim Jung-woo widened his eyes, startled.

“Why would I do that…”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? You’re taking eight times the normal dosage, and you’re experiencing side effects. Are you expecting me to stand by and watch?”

Kim Jung-woo hesitated to respond.

He likely recognized the severity of his problem.

But giving up the pills seemed difficult.

“…Sunbae [senior colleague/mentor], I can’t sleep at all without Zolpidem.”

“I’ll give you one pill before bed. No more than that.”

“I’ve built up a tolerance, so one pill won’t do anything.”

As expected, Kim Jung-woo was reluctant to reduce his medication.

Choi Jong-hyun sighed and said.

“If you’ve built up a tolerance, doesn’t that mean eight pills won’t help you sleep either? Besides, clinical trials show that taking more than one 10mg pill doesn’t increase its effectiveness.”

“…”

“Honestly, I want to tell you to stop taking them altogether, but since it’s the weekend, you can’t get a new prescription. So, I’m telling you to take only one. Now, bring them to me before I lose my mind with worry.”

Kim Jung-woo eventually rose from his seat and went into the bedroom.

He returned shortly with a large plastic bag.

Choi Jong-hyun held it upside down and shook it over the table, spilling a pile of pill packets.

“Are there any pills here that you absolutely need to take besides Zolpidem?”

He had already researched all the pill packets found in the trash before Kim Jung-woo woke up.

None required special attention besides Zolpidem.

Kim Jung-woo pointed out a few, and Choi Jong-hyun nodded, putting them back in the bag.

“I’ll give them to you later before you go to bed. You’re not hiding any others, are you?”

Choi Jong-hyun, about to leave with the bag, suddenly stopped and asked.

Kim Jung-woo shook his head.

“Really?”

“…Yes.”

[Truth]

I was relieved to see the word floating above his head, but Choi Jong-hyun remained skeptical.

“Turn all your pockets inside out.”

Only after searching all of Kim Jung-woo’s pockets did he seem satisfied.

If Kim Jung-woo had hidden pills and secretly taken them, confiscating the others would have been pointless.

“Let’s go to the hospital together on Monday. Tell the doctor you’re addicted to Zolpidem and get a new prescription.”

“…Yes.”

In reality, I suspected Kim Jung-woo had already tried this.

You have to keep trying until you find a psychiatric medication that works.

Just as Jung Young-joon couldn’t control his depression despite consistent psychiatric treatment early in the case, Kim Jung-woo must have faced similar challenges.

To overcome Zolpidem addiction, you have to endure a period without medication, and I wondered if he had failed during that process.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing, Sunbae? It’s my problem.”

“I think I was too indifferent.”

“No. Really, it’s not.”

Kim Jung-woo waved his hands, but that didn’t seem to ease Choi Jong-hyun’s guilt.

He would only find relief if there was a positive outcome.

After securing Kim Jung-woo’s promise to seek treatment for his Zolpidem addiction, Choi Jong-hyun didn’t bring it up again.

Kim Jung-woo also seemed burdened by the topic, and his mood improved when they discussed other things.

Time passed quickly, and night fell again. As promised, Choi Jong-hyun gave Kim Jung-woo one Zolpidem pill and his other medications.

Kim Jung-woo took the pill with a worried expression and went to the bedroom with Choi Jong-hyun.

Choi Jong-hyun texted me, urging me to keep a close watch on Kim Jung-woo because he falls into a deep sleep once he drifts off.

I replied that I understood, then lay down on the sofa and covered myself with a blanket.

Hoping that Kim Jung-woo wouldn’t experience any side effects tonight.

“…”

I think I dozed off for a moment.

I woke with a start at a loud noise.

Having stayed up all night yesterday, it was inevitable that I would doze off, but I felt uneasy and quickly sat up.

I worried that Kim Jung-woo might have gone out.

“Oh, Attorney?”

I made eye contact with Kim Jung-woo, who was carefully closing the bedroom door.

“Kim Jung-woo.”

A bright light emanated from the cell phone in his hand.

The loud noise was his cell phone ringtone.

“I got a call. Did I wake you up?”

“No. Please answer it.”

“Oh… I think I’ll have to step outside to answer. It’s a private matter. I’ll just go downstairs briefly.”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“…My brother.”

“Don’t go too far. It would be best to answer in front of this building. I’m worried about side effects.”

“Okay. Thank you for your concern.”

He said with an awkward smile.

I nodded.

He put on his shoes and went out the front door, answering the phone.

I immediately went to the veranda.

Looking down, I could see him.

I couldn’t hear Kim Jung-woo’s voice, but he seemed to be talking on the phone as he wandered around the alley in front of the building.

Judging from the snoring still coming from the bedroom, Choi Jong-hyun seemed to be sound asleep.

“…”

I followed his movements with my eyes.

I was ready to run down immediately if I saw anything amiss.

The call lasted longer than I expected.

I glanced at the clock and saw that it had been over 40 minutes.

Is it something serious?

-So, what the fuck do you want me to do!

As I waited and smoked a cigarette while leaning against the railing, Kim Jung-woo suddenly shouted, his voice echoing through the neighborhood.

I was so startled that I dropped my cigarette.

-So, should I just hold hands with you and Mom and die like Mom wanted? Huh? Die? Would that be okay, you fucker?

The shouting continued, and a light flickered on in one of the villas across the street.

A resident stuck their head out the window and looked around.

-Just be reasonable. She’s her mother’s daughter! Her fucking dad is dead! Who would spend money to hire a hitman to kill a mom like that? What is Mom! What is Mom? What the fuck is Mom!

Kim Jung-woo shouted in an aggressive tone I had never heard before.

-Some people are trying to sleep! Please be quiet!

The neighbor who had leaned out the window couldn’t take it anymore and shouted.

-Go back to sleep, you son of a bitch!

Kim Jung-woo reacted unexpectedly.

I couldn’t leave him like this, so I started to head downstairs when I heard Kim Jung-woo’s voice again.

-Just die instead of burdening your children!

Kim Jung-woo ended the call with those words.

-Sniff… Sniff.

He sat down by the wall and began to sob.

I stopped going downstairs.

Since he had ended the call, I decided to observe him a little longer.

He would feel uncomfortable if I revealed myself.

I confirmed that he had hung up, and the protesting neighbor had also closed the window and turned off the light, so it should be safe.

“…”

I sighed as I watched him bury his face between his knees, stifling his sobs.

Night is a terrifying presence for people with depression.

Not only because of hormonal imbalances, but also because the strange atmosphere of the night amplifies feelings of despair.

Above all, even if you want to confide in someone, it’s a time when everyone is asleep, further isolating you.

It’s no different for those who keep their struggles to themselves, whether it’s day or night.

Activity decreases sharply at night, exacerbating depression.

Kim Jung-woo was in that situation.

I watched him cry for a while longer.

About 20 minutes passed.

“…”

Kim Jung-woo got up.

He seemed to be heading home, toward the entrance of the villa.

I went back to the sofa and lay down.

I planned to pretend to be asleep because he would feel awkward if he knew I had been watching him.

‘What is it?’

Even though enough time had passed for him to reach the front door from the first floor, I didn’t hear any movement.

I wondered if it was my imagination, so I checked the clock, and over 5 minutes had passed.

There’s no way it would take 5 minutes to climb four floors.

Is he sitting down and crying?

‘This is ominous.’

I jumped up and looked down again.

Kim Jung-woo was nowhere to be seen.

“No way…”

I quickly burst out the front door.

I grabbed the railing and shouted down to the lower floors.

“Kim Jung-woo!”

No answer.

Anxiety washed over me.

I stared at the stairs leading to the upper floors.

‘It can’t be.’

Even as I thought, ‘No way,’ my feet carried me upward.

The floor directly above the 4th floor was the 5th floor, but I couldn’t find Kim Jung-woo there either.

I ran up one more floor.

The rooftop.

Old pieces of furniture were piled high, as if being used for storage.

At the far right, I saw a rusty iron door.

I forcefully threw it open.

Creak!

The heavy iron door opened with a screech of rusty hinges.

“Kim Jung-woo!”

And I saw Kim Jung-woo’s back, standing precariously on the rooftop railing.