You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 204

“…….”

Kang Min-jae didn’t answer.

He simply lowered his gaze slightly, fidgeting with his hands as if deep in thought.

I waited silently for him to respond.

“What did I do wrong?”

The answer that came back after a long while was completely unexpected.

The thought that occupied his mind during the time he didn’t answer wasn’t resentment towards me for suddenly giving him a notice of dismissal, but rather introspection directed at himself.

“That’s not it.”

“……But I don’t understand why you’re suddenly saying this. I know the office finances well, so if there’s a problem I don’t know about, I’ll just take less pay. If not, if you think I’m not capable enough…,”

“It’s not a financial issue, and your skills aren’t lacking. I actually think you’re doing very well.”

After opening the office, until Secretary Oh came, Kang Min-jae and I handled cases alone.

I often think that if it weren’t for Kang Min-jae, it might have been difficult to get this far without major difficulties.

Of course, thanks to him, I had a connection with former President Kang Kwan-woong, but even setting that aside.

The passionate attitude he brought to cases, and the numerous clues he obtained as a result of his efforts.

And the way he treated vulnerable clients with humanity.

I think it was Kang Min-jae’s attitude that allowed clients to comfortably share their situations.

He has good social skills and excellent empathy.

Wherever he goes, he will be loved by his superiors and be a source of strength to his colleagues.

I hesitated a lot before saying this, and didn’t I feel bad about it?

He is a talent who would be welcomed in any law firm.

“But I don’t understand why you’re telling me to quit. Please just tell me honestly. You’re good at that, aren’t you, Attorney? I’ll listen without getting hurt.”

He said he wouldn’t get hurt, but his face already looked like it had been scratched a lot.

Facing such a face, it was not easy to open my mouth.

Until this morning, Secretary Oh and I had discussed for a long time how best to talk to Kang Min-jae.

We had differing opinions, and neither I nor Secretary Oh was wrong.

I said it would be better not to tell Kang about our purpose, and Secretary Oh argued that we should inform him and listen to his opinion.

My concern was that Kang Min-jae, who is still young, might easily commit to this and regret it later.

If I told him that I started the law firm to take down Wooshin and that I would do anything to achieve that goal, Kang Min-jae would say he would join me.

And whether that would be an answer he would give after thinking deeply, and whether Kang Min-jae would regret that answer later.

That’s what I’m worried about.

He is still vibrantly young.

Unlike Secretary Oh, Jo Bong-joon, and Choi Jong-hyun, who are a bit older.

Kim Chan-young is from the Koh Sang-joon family, and I already saw what he does in the future.

But I have no idea what Kang Min-jae did in his previous life.

So, I can’t change his entire life because of one variable, meeting me in this life, especially in a way that might be bad for him.

That’s why I can’t easily talk to him.

“Kang, do you remember what you said when you first came to our office?”

“What are you talking about…….”

“You said you came to me because you wanted to learn something, and I told you to leave when there was nothing left to learn. Now is that time. The time when there’s nothing left to learn.”

“No, Attorney. You told me to leave when I felt there was nothing left to learn, and I still have things to learn…,”

“Kang, you’ve learned enough. I don’t think I have anything more to teach, and….”

“And, yes. And?”

“For the sake of your career, you need to go to a bigger place now. Even if it’s not Taekwang, there are more than one or two big law firms in our country.”

Kang Min-jae bit his lip.

As if thinking about what to say again, he opened his mouth again after a long, long silence.

“……You may think you have nothing more to teach me, but I still have a lot to learn. I was thinking yesterday about when I could become like you, Attorney, and I think I still have a long way to go. It’s the same with school, isn’t it? Even if I complete the course, if I feel I’m lacking, I go to graduate school to learn more, isn’t it?”

“Usually, graduate school is for getting a degree. You don’t necessarily go there to learn more, do you?”

“No, that’s true……. Still, it’s too much. It’s too sudden, and I, I like working with Secretary Oh and you……. If you don’t need me or anything, can’t you just keep me?”

He seemed genuinely hurt.

When he spoke in a tone that seemed to resent me, it was always a set with a playful glare.

This time it was different.

“I can write you a recommendation letter if you need it. I don’t know if my recommendation letter will be useful, but it would be better than nothing to show how you did in your previous job. I think you’ll do well wherever you go. I think you’re more outstanding than other peers with the same experience.”

“Attorney!”

I felt like he would fall apart immediately if I said, ‘You’re useless,’ but I couldn’t say that.

Because I realized once again today what kind of person I am to Kang Min-jae.

If I told him that he was not needed or that his abilities were not outstanding, I thought he would really think of himself that way.

“…….”

Kang Min-jae sighed deeply.

His face was a little red, as if he was very angry.

Everything was within the expected range.

I was prepared to accept everything, even if Kang Min-jae got angry and argued, asking how I could do this and whether he hadn’t avoided prosecution thanks to him.

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“……What words are needed?”

“You and Secretary Oh are trying to take down Wooshin, aren’t you? That’s why you’re trying to exclude me.”

It was an unexpected remark.

I couldn’t answer easily.

I wondered for a moment how he knew.

Could it be that Kang Kwan-woong or Chief Kang let it slip?

“Do you not trust me? Am I not trustworthy enough, so I’m too lacking to do such a thing together?”

“Kang.”

“I know too. But if you teach me a little more, I can really do my part.”

“I was actually very anxious. I was afraid you would say you didn’t need me. But since you didn’t say anything, I thought it was a monitoring stage. So I waited for you to tell me the truth, but you didn’t say anything……. I thought I was too lacking, so I decided to work harder and waited.”

It was only a few days ago that I had an open conversation with Kang Kwan-woong.

But Kang Min-jae’s words sound like he had noticed it even earlier.

“But, Attorney, if I really don’t have anything more to learn from you, if I’m really an excellent lawyer, why can’t I work with you? Because I have shortcomings, you decided to exclude me. So please tell me.”

I can’t deny it here.

Anyway, I’ve become a noticeable person, and even if that’s not the case, Kang Min-jae can check what I’m doing.

It’s not appropriate to lie in this situation.

I sighed.

If it comes to this, I have no choice but to tell him honestly, as Secretary Oh said.

“It’s a dangerous job.”

“…….”

“Kang. Can you imagine what it feels like to have a black car following you wherever you go? Would you be okay even if you faced threats beyond imagination, beyond what I received from the prosecution investigation? You could die. Would you still be okay?”

“……Attorney.”

“You’ll think I’m exaggerating. But it’s not.”

More people than you think have died at the hands of Wooshin.

There are occasional cases that have been reported to the public, and cases that have been suspected, but the reality is more than that.

If that’s what’s known, how much has been covered up?

It’s nothing for Wooshin to cover up such things.

Surprisingly, this is the 21st century, where national sovereignty and democracy are established, not the Japanese colonial period.

That’s why I’m moving with such a great determination, as if I were a secret society.

I’ve already died once, and I don’t want to miss this unbelievable opportunity that seems like it will never come again.

“Yes, you might do it for a while and quit in the middle because it’s harder than you thought. But wouldn’t the remaining people be anxious? We’ve shared and worked together on many situations, and if you say you’re quitting because it’s too hard, we’d be worried about information leaks. Once that trust is broken, the remaining people will have a hard time too. So, you have to think carefully before starting the job. Everyone started that way. Was it easy for Secretary Oh to quit the prosecution? He must have thought about it for a long time. He barely came to our office after raising all his children. That was almost two years after I quit the prosecution. He thought about it during that time.”

Kang Min-jae, who had been listening to my words silently, soon opened his mouth.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time too. I’m telling you after thinking about it for a long time. Ever since Wooshin touched you about the Ko Yoon-sung case, I’ve been thinking that maybe you’re going to fight Wooshin in earnest. Then, I was convinced when I saw you and Secretary Oh preparing for the Myung-hwa Pharmaceutical case. ……Ha, I didn’t mean to see it. It just happened that I took out scrap paper from there right after Secretary Oh used the copier. I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

“I don’t misunderstand.”

“……I’ve been thinking about it long enough, so I’m telling you. I can’t say I’ve seen you for a long time, but it’s already been three years since I’ve been close to you. So I know. How seriously you’re thinking about this. And I’m just as serious. And if you’re worried about me being in danger, still……. I’m the former president’s grandson. I won’t die. At least.”

[Truth]

The word floating above his head was telling the truth as much as his expression, but I couldn’t nod easily.

Am I underestimating him too much?

That he’s a young master who doesn’t know the world, that he’s still young.

“If you still don’t trust me, I’ll even write a contract.”

“What do you think your grandfather would think? Kang could be in danger, would he be happy about that? Kang knows that his grandfather is helping me. I’d be embarrassed if I dragged Kang into a dangerous path.”

“My grandfather supports what I want to do. If it’s not the wrong path.”

“Haa…….”

“How many times have I told you? I like it here so much more than when I was at Taekwang. I like taking care of the vulnerable in crisis like this, rather than taking care of the honor of being a Taekwang lawyer while defending criminals. I don’t know the inside story of why you’re trying to catch Wooshin, why you’re even willing to risk danger……. I’m increasingly feeling how much of a corrupt company Wooshin is, how much it’s eating away at justice.”

“Kang.”

“……I’m not rushing in without knowing anything. I can’t dare to say that I’m as good as you, but I had a reason for becoming a lawyer. I grew up under a grandfather who lived with the guilt of not creating the world he promised the people. I became a lawyer with the thought of fulfilling that dream instead. In the end, I joined Taekwang as my overprotective grandfather wanted……. After meeting you, I thought I had found my place.”

“…….”

“If this is not enough, I will be of use. Even if my abilities are lacking, I have my grandfather……. So even if you think you’re using me,”

“Kang. Stop it. Your abilities are enough. Even if you weren’t the grandson of former President Kang Kwan-woong. Your abilities alone have been proven enough.”

I couldn’t find a way to stop him anymore.

Just as there was trauma he experienced in the United States as a child behind his bright appearance, he may have another story and have a more mature self than I thought.

I thought I had thought about it for a long time and came to a reasonable conclusion, but was I too complacent?

“I understand your thoughts well.”

“Attorney……. Then, I, I don’t have to leave? Can I keep going to the office?”

His expression improved noticeably.

Seeing him like that, unable to hide his emotions, I thought Kang Min-jae was still young.

But I didn’t realize that he had already noticed my goal and had been waiting anxiously for a long time.

Suddenly, I have this thought.

Maybe he doesn’t not know how to hide his emotions, but he doesn’t hide them in front of me.

And that’s because he trusts me.

He trusts me more than I trust him.

“Yes.”

“……Really?”

“Yes. I actually needed Kang.”

Watching him like a child at my words, I somehow felt relieved.

Maybe I wanted Kang Min-jae to insist on staying, even though I thought I should let him go.

“I’m really going to work harder in the future. And I’ll even work overtime every day if you tell me to. And also,”

“That’s enough, finish your meal.”

“My determination is not over yet? And I’ll take all the client consultations from now on. So you can focus on your work. And…….”

Kang Min-jae started chattering again.

I ignore him and focus on my meal again, but I don’t know why I’m laughing.

Kang Min-jae is still talking noisily without noticing.