You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 165

“Heh heh. What about you makes me want to help you?”

Kang Kwan-woong narrowed his eyes.

“I suddenly recall your inauguration speech. You said you wanted to create a world where the weak are not trampled by the strong.”

“I did say that.”

“Nearly 30 years have passed since your term ended. But unfortunately, the world you desired has not yet come. As evidence, I, a weakling, am being slandered by the strong Koh Sang-joon brothers and Taekwang [a powerful law firm], and the clients I defended were also people trampled by the strong.”

Kang Kwan-woong raised his chin slightly, as if telling me to continue.

“The reason I became the target of the Koh Sang-joon brothers is simple. It is because I stopped them, the strong, from trampling on the weak and exposed all the facts.”

It was obvious without having to ask how much of an eyesore I would be to them, who had been dealing with people who were always stepped on.

That’s why they went to such lengths to indict me.

“It’s a textbook story, but lawyers exist to realize justice. However, Taekwang, the legal group representing Korea, is taking the lead in solidifying the positions of the strong. Most of the lawyers I faced in court were affiliated with Taekwang, so there’s no need to explain it at length. Every year, dozens of outstanding legal professionals flow into Taekwang. Everyone is too busy trying to survive.”

“Continue.”

“The reason I left the prosecution is because I realized that the prosecution could not protect the weak. The prosecution has already rotted from the inside. Someone has to squeeze out the pus from this infected area and stop the current situation.”

“And that’s you?”

Kang Kwan-woong asked with a hint of a smile.

He seemed to be wary of my arrogance.

“Not necessarily. But I think it’s necessary to show that people like me can survive, so that more people can have that mindset. In fact, there are already many people who feel the same way as I do. But haven’t they already been trampled, or haven’t they seen the light of day?”

I, in my previous life, was also one of those who had been trampled.

It was also proof that the limit I could reach with my abilities alone, without any backing, was up to that point.

“Attorney Kang said that he left Taekwang because he no longer wanted to defend bad people. He came to me out of the blue and said he wanted to learn from me. To be honest, I was very embarrassed at the time… But now I think I know why Attorney Kang did that.”

Kang Kwan-woong is also a politician from a legal background.

He was first appointed as a judge and started his career as a member of the National Assembly in his 30s.

Even he had not been in the political arena without a break.

After his first presidential election defeat, he retired from politics and taught law at a university.

I was also one of the generations who studied with the books he wrote.

Politicians usually value practicality the most, but they still have ideals in their hearts.

Kang Kwan-woong was like that.

Some criticized his goals as too utopian, but I didn’t dislike his dream.

In this world where everyone is busy trying to survive, I thought that at least one person should dream, even if it feels somewhat absurd.

“I want to show that being stepped on doesn’t mean being easily trampled. To do that, I started to covet the image that you mentioned.”

Kang Kwan-woong nodded slowly.

And he paused for a moment, fiddling with his teacup.

“Yes. I understand your thoughts well.”

After a while, Kang Kwan-woong opened his mouth in a subdued voice.

And he stood up, supporting himself on the table.

I, Kang Min-jae, and Chief Kang stood up at the same time.

The time Kang Kwan-woong had allocated to me seemed to be over.

He walked towards the second-floor stairs, attended by Chief Kang.

Kang Min-jae seemed to want to call him with a look of regret, but I shook my head.

At that moment, he put one foot on the stairs and suddenly turned to look at me.

“I like that you answered honestly. I was a little annoyed earlier.”

“If you felt offended, I apologize again.”

“Take care.”

And he began to climb the stairs without hesitation.

As soon as he disappeared completely, Kang Min-jae slumped his shoulders and sighed.

“I’m sorry, Attorney Cha. I’ll apologize on his behalf. He’s my grandfather, but sometimes he’s really cold.”

Kang Min-jae walked to the sofa and sat down as if collapsing.

“No. To be honest, there’s no reason for him to help me.”

“……Thank you for thinking that way. Ah, I’ll take you home. I saw that your car wasn’t in the garage when we came. You didn’t bring your car, did you?”

Kang Min-jae told the housekeeper to bring his car keys.

“Ah, I usually have to smoke a cigarette after eating, but I couldn’t because of my grandfather. Have one before you go.”

And he led me to the terrace on one side of the garden.

I hadn’t seen it before, but seeing a few law-related books piled on the table, it seemed to be a place he frequented.

He skillfully took out an ashtray from under the table and placed it down.

The ashtray looked like some kind of fraudulent porcelain worth millions of won [Korean currency].

“Um, but Attorney Cha, are you perhaps angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“……Because I hid that I was your grandfather’s grandson.”

“Attorney Kang. Do you really think I didn’t know?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not like there’s no one who knows that Attorney Kang is the grandson of former President Kang Kwan-woong. If I really wanted to know, I would have already found out. I just pretended not to know because Attorney Kang didn’t want to reveal it.”

“Then, what about now, after you found out?”

“What.”

“Has your opinion of me changed, or anything like that?”

He asked in a cautious voice.

It seemed that he had encountered many people whose attitudes had changed after learning that he was the grandson of the former president.

“No. Ah, it was a little surprising that you couldn’t hide your overreaction even in front of your grandfather.”

“Overreaction? It was a sincere action!”

“Please, stop overreacting, it’s disgusting.”

“Ah, you don’t understand my heart. I did it on purpose because I was worried that my grandfather might be mean to you.”

I looked at him and put out my cigarette in the ashtray.

“Still, I’m grateful to Attorney Kang. I don’t know if your grandfather will help, but it’s true that I was released from the investigation thanks to you.”

“It would be even better if the charges were completely dropped.”

“Stop talking about me to your grandfather. And I can take a taxi, so go inside and rest.”

“No way. I’ll take you!”

“Okay. See you at the office tomorrow.”

I walked across the wide lawn towards the gate.

“Attorney Cha!”

Just as I was getting a little further away from the terrace, Kang Min-jae called me from behind.

When I turned around, Kang Min-jae shouted loudly.

“The gate is on the other side!”

Ah, it’s my first time in such a big house.

I moved towards the direction Kang Min-jae pointed.

* * *

[The prosecution has issued a non-indictment decision regarding Attorney Cha’s tax evasion charges and speculation in the new city development area in northern Gyeonggi Province. The double ledger found in the accounting firm was also found to be a faulty copy mixed with other data, causing confusion in the investigation. Also…….]

The news was playing on the TV in the meat restaurant.

I left Kang Min-jae, who was begging me to drink with him to celebrate Friday, and came to meet Choi Jong-hyun.

Because there was still a story left between him and me.

Kang Min-jae was sulking, saying that he would go to a club if we didn’t hang out with him, but I wonder if he’s having fun.

“It’s a news item that seems like it will only come out once, but they’re talking about it longer than I thought. Attorney Cha, you must be a bigger figure than I thought.”

Choi Jong-hyun kept glancing at the screen and said.

I’m not a big shot, but the reason my story is being covered so extensively in the news is because of Kang Kwan-woong’s fiery personality.

He not only pressured them to receive a non-indictment decision, but also arranged for my innocence to be reported several times on golden time [prime time] news channels so that my image would not be tarnished.

Once he decided to help, he helped properly.

The non-indictment decision was made four days after the day I met Kang Kwan-woong.

Prosecutor Kim Dong-soo sneered to the end even while informing me of the non-indictment decision, but I brushed it off appropriately because he was someone I wouldn’t have to see again.

The one who liked this news the most was none other than Kang Min-jae.

Kang Min-jae happened to be next to me when I received the non-indictment call, and he also seemed to have not heard anything from Kang Kwan-woong.

He was smiling all day, saying that he would have to act cute to his grandfather as soon as he got home.

[The Elder says he will watch Attorney Cha a little more. We look forward to seeing good things in the future.]

He didn’t seem to know anything about the message Chief Kang sent me.

Although there was some confusion for a while, we quickly regained our original pace.

Han Young-sun’s civil trial also ended smoothly, and I heard that the two nurses were welcomed and transferred to Myungdae Hospital.

Every time I finish a case, I feel the flow of time like flowing water.

It feels like just yesterday that we celebrated the end of 2009, but the second quarter of 2010 has already begun.

“Now, that disgusting Ko Yoon-sung case, and even the derivative cases, have been perfectly concluded.”

Choi Jong-hyun poured me a glass of soju [Korean distilled beverage] and said.

“I brought my car.”

Choi Jong-hyun glared at me, who was only holding the glass.

“Call a driver.”

“I don’t really feel like it today. I’m going to go home and rest.”

“Well, I can’t force someone who’s been through a lot to drink.”

Choi Jong-hyun poured the soju into his mouth in one gulp and frowned.

“So, have you made up your mind?”

“What mind are you talking about?”

“The Ko Yoon-sung case, isn’t that the test the reporter gave me? A test to see if I can trust you or not.”

At my words, Choi Jong-hyun chuckled.

“How can I not trust you? How many people can show more than this? If I don’t trust someone who was framed and went to the prosecution because of the work I asked for, I’m too much of an asshole.”

“That’s a relief.”

“It must have been a difficult request, but thank you for readily accepting it. I’m sorry for the trouble you went through. But this trap seemed quite difficult to get out of, but Attorney Cha, you’re more capable than I thought?”

I didn’t think it was necessary to tell him that I had received help from Kang Kwan-woong, so I didn’t answer.

“But that Attorney Kang Min-jae in Attorney Cha’s office.”

“Yes.”

“He seems to follow Attorney Cha well, what kind of relationship do you have?”

“He was my trainee when I was a prosecutor.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

Choi Jong-hyun pouted his lower lip and nodded.

I get the feeling that he wants more of a story.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, there’s no problem. I don’t think Attorney Cha knows… Do you know what kind of family Attorney Kang Min-jae comes from?”

“…….”

I thought that there were more people who didn’t know about Kang Min-jae’s family than those who did, but it seems that I was the only one who didn’t know, at least around me.

At this point, I began to understand why Kang Min-jae was watching me on the day I was invited to Kang Kwan-woong’s house.

He must have felt sorry for making it so obvious that he didn’t want to talk about a story that many people knew, only in front of me.

“Well, anyway. What are your plans for the future? I’m going to keep digging into the House of Angels.”

“I have many plans. I haven’t even started yet.”

I suddenly looked at the calendar hanging in front of me.

I feel that the time is approaching.

The starting point of the incident that made me who I am now.