You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 15

It was around the tenth time I was calling Yeo Hee-sook’s manager.

“I’m back.”

Kang Min-jae, who had left for the Lyline Fashion factory in the morning, opened the office door and came in.

“Ah, you got the autopsy results? Escitalopram oxalate, bromazepam, propranolol hydrochloride… What are these components?”

“Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. There’s also a sedative component.”

“Was Yeo Hee-sook seeing a psychiatrist?”

“Looks like it.”

“Did she go to Yaein University Hospital?”

“She probably hired a private clinic. I’m trying to find out where…”

Just in case, I inquired at Yaein University Hospital, but received a negative response.

Since the manager is intentionally avoiding my calls, it’s difficult to determine the truth yet.

He must have been instructed by Kim Hyung-joon not to contact me.

It wouldn’t have been difficult for him to find out my cell phone and office numbers.

“Kang, give me your phone.”

“Why?”

Even while asking why, he readily hands over his phone.

The sliding phone, a feature phone, is one of the things I still haven’t gotten used to since using smartphones.

“Who are you calling?”

“Shhh.”

Ring- Ring-

The connection tone rang a few times, and not long after, I heard a voice.

-Hello?

“This is a postal delivery worker. I have a registered letter for you. Are you at home?”

-Ah, I’m out right now. Where is the registered letter from?

“Seoul District Court.”

-The court? Ah, is that it?

The manager muttered softly, as if he had an idea what it was.

Since he was close to Yeo Hee-sook, I figured he would be called as a witness for the prosecution, so I threw it out there, and sure enough.

-I think it will take a while for me to get home. Could you possibly come a little after 6 PM?

“Ah, I think I’ll be in another area by then. Where are you located now? If it’s in my area, I’ll stop by on the way.”

-Ah, I’m near Yaein University Hospital right now. If it’s too much trouble, I’ll just receive it tomorrow or the day after.

“Yaein University Hospital? I’m nearby right now. This is a same-day express delivery, so it’s a bit difficult to postpone it until tomorrow. It’ll take about 30 minutes after I finish my rounds, though?”

Yaein University Hospital, huh.

The reason he went there, with Yeo Hee-sook not even there, is obvious.

He went to see Kim Hyung-joon, who was hospitalized.

-In that case, I’ll pick it up at the entrance of Yaein University Hospital. 4:30 PM, right?

“Yes. See you then.”

I grabbed my coat.

Kang Min-jae, who had been eavesdropping on the phone call, also jumped up.

“Who is it?”

“Yeo Hee-sook’s manager.”

“What’s Yeo Hee-sook’s manager so guilty about that he’s avoiding you, Attorney?”

Kang Min-jae is quick-witted.

He seemed to have grasped the situation immediately after hearing me lie about being a delivery worker.

Considering how much I scolded him during my probation, he must have been slow back then.

If he’s developed this much in two years, he’s quite a useful asset.

“Kim Hyung-joon must have told him to keep his mouth shut. I’ll be back.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Kang, you stay and organize the information from the factory.”

“It’s all in my head. I have to report it to you anyway. I’ll do it on the way. And we’ll need my phone to contact the manager anyway.”

No sooner had the elevator stopped on the parking floor than Kang Min-jae dashed out.

A silver-gray BMW responded to his remote key.

“I’ll drive. Yaein University Hospital main gate, right?”

Kang Min-jae said as he quickly sat in the driver’s seat.

Even though it’s only been a year, he’s been eating prosecutor’s food, so his actions were sharp.

“Nice car.”

As I fastened my seatbelt, Kang Min-jae replied nonchalantly.

“My grandfather bought it for me to celebrate passing the bar exam. By the way, let me tell you what I heard from the factory. It seems Kim Hyung-joon had a hard time silencing the factory manager too. If you had gone, Attorney, you wouldn’t have gotten anything. From the atmosphere, it seemed like he even showed them a picture of you and warned them.”

After listening to Kang Min-jae’s report for 20 minutes, we arrived at the main gate of Yaein University Hospital.

Located in the city center, and at a time when many people were passing by, the surroundings were quite crowded.

However, there was only one man looking around and waiting for someone.

“Give me the phone.”

“Here.”

As I called again, the man who was watching us took out his cell phone.

-Yes, where are you?

“I’m almost there. The one wearing a black t-shirt, right?”

-Yes, yes.

I got out of the car and slowly approached him.

He didn’t seem to recognize me yet and was looking around in the wrong place.

“Wearing jeans. Hair dyed.”

-Yes. I don’t see you. Which direction are you coming from?

“Hello.”

As I stopped in front of the manager, he took the phone away from his ear and looked at me.

“Who are you?”

“I’m a delivery worker.”

Only then did he realize it, and his face instantly contorted.

“Aish!”

And he started running like crazy.

I immediately chased after him.

The manager ran wildly through the crowd like a thief caught stealing.

He seemed to be trying to escape into the alley behind the university hospital, and I chased him relentlessly.

I don’t know how much Kim Hyung-joon scared him, but I’m quite fast.

The prosecutor with the most field experience in the Criminal Division 3 is me.

Even with the body of a lively 30-year-old now.

“Ugh!”

I soon grabbed the manager by the back of his neck.

Losing his balance and flailing, he glared at me.

“Aish!”

“You need to receive your registered letter.”

“Hah, hah, I’m going crazy, really. Aish, really.”

At my words, the manager continued to catch his breath and snort.

Then, he pushed me away with all his might and started running again.

But that direction is…

“Hmm, not good.”

Screech-

A car instantly blocked the entrance to the alley.

The manager panicked and stopped reflexively, and I leisurely walked over and grabbed him again.

Then, the passenger seat window opened, and Kang Min-jae’s voice was heard.

“Manager, where are you going in such a hurry?”

Kang Min-jae, who had said a word, was looking at me with a face that seemed to say, ‘Hire me.’

* * *

“The hospital is closed. They’re not answering the phone.”

Kang Min-jae said, putting down his cell phone.

In the end, the manager, who was caught by me, revealed where Yeo Hee-sook was going to see a neuropsychiatrist [a psychiatrist specializing in the nervous system].

He even begged me not to tell Kim Hyung-joon that he had told me.

“The smell of the real culprit is radiating from Kim Hyung-joon, my nose hurts. Still, if we can secure testimony from the doctor tomorrow, that would be great. It would be nice if we could get some physical evidence too.”

Kang Min-jae smiled pleasantly.

I nodded slowly, organizing the documents.

The reason Yeo Hee-sook went to see a psychiatrist must have been because of Kim Hyung-joon.

Even matching it with the manager’s words, the time when Yeo Hee-sook first went to see a psychiatrist was not long after Kim Hyung-joon started abusing the couple.

As a doctor himself, he would have known best that he shouldn’t hide anything to get an accurate diagnosis.

If so, he would have told the psychiatrist about his situation.

“Should I help you with the paperwork? It’s an application for a witness and supporting materials. That’s why it’s hard when requests come in so late when the trial date is near. There are quite a few people who wander around Taekwang [likely a local legal term or location] and come late, so the office managers suffer a lot.”

As Kang Min-jae was about to sit down, unfolding his laptop, I shook my head.

“No, I can do it alone.”

“I’ll help you too. I have nothing to do even if I go home.”

“Go home.”

“Well, then I’ll see you tomorrow. You’ll need me when you go to see the doctor, so don’t go alone.”

“Why?”

“Well, you’ll tell them to testify stiffly like a robot again, and the atmosphere will be very cold. Someone with a good personality like me should do that kind of persuasion.”

I think he just dissed me indirectly.

“Haha. Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night.”

Kang Min-jae, who was receiving my gaze, quickly left work.

After finishing organizing the documents, I went out to the small veranda attached to the corner of the office and lit a cigarette.

The trial is the day after tomorrow.

Even if we secure testimony from the doctor that Kim Hyung-joon was the main perpetrator of the continuous abuse, we still don’t have any physical evidence.

If we can find another clue through the meeting with the doctor and get physical evidence, that would be the best.

There’s not much time.

Tomorrow is the check point.

* * *

The next day, I went to the hospital to match the business hours.

Since the trial was tomorrow, I didn’t have enough time even if I divided today into seconds.

The hospital that Yeo Hee-sook went to was quite far from her living area.

I can feel her heart that she didn’t want to be caught by anyone.

“Can we get physical evidence today?”

After today, there was only tomorrow left.

If we can’t secure physical evidence by tomorrow, we can’t guarantee victory in this trial.

If we don’t bring the real culprit to court, Kim Yeon-joon will get a reduced sentence at best.

Of course, we can make the court suspect Kim Hyung-joon even without physical evidence.

There were many suspicious things about Kim Hyung-joon, and there was also a strong motive for murder.

But that was the end.

The court wants a criminal with solid evidence, and in this state, that’s Kim Yeon-joon.

“We have to get it.”

“The trial is at 10 AM tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Should I write the application for postponement of the trial date in advance…?”

“Since I took the case after the indictment, it can’t be postponed for reasons of preparing the defense.”

“So you should go abroad, Attorney. Say it was scheduled urgently…”

Kang Min-jae closed his mouth as if he thought he had made a mistake after saying that.

“I’m sorry.”

He also seemed to think that it would be difficult to win this trial unless we got physical evidence from the doctor right away.

Even if we can get a clue from the doctor and do another investigation, time is running out.

“How can you be so calm in this situation, Attorney?”

As I looked at him, Kang Min-jae sighed deeply.

“You keep saying there’s no time, but you don’t seem very anxious. I’m not even the defense attorney, but I’m going crazy like this.”

Not anxious?

He’s not wrong.

It’s true that I’m busy because time is running out, but I know very well that such a mindset will not be of great help in the trial.

‘How much experience did I have in the prosecutor’s office?’

…That would be a bit funny for a 5-year-old to say.

In reality, it’s been 15 years, though.

“There will be countless things like this in the future. You can’t be trembling like that every time, can you?”

“…You’re still my senior. I respect you.”

[Truth]

Ah, I habitually used my ability.

But it’s a bit unexpected that Kang Min-jae sincerely respects me?

“The director has finished his examination. Please go in.”

About an hour after waiting, a nurse approached and said.

Kang Min-jae had already listened to my words and controlled his mind, or he had returned to his original lively face.

“Let’s go.”