You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 222

You Have Been Defended – Episode 222

The person who signed was Lee Jung-chan and his driver.

The handwriting also matches Lee Jung-chan’s.

In my previous life, I had seen a contract for a live-in housekeeper at a chaebol’s [large conglomerate] house, and seeing all sorts of clauses attached again made me frown.

“I’ve confirmed it.”

“Before we start talking, may I ask why you reported this to us? We need to be clear, both us and you, sir.”

In response to Choi Jong-hyun’s words, the driver spent about an hour telling us how he had been living as Lee Jung-chan’s driver.

He said that he started as a driver after driving a model taxi [a taxi driven by someone who is also a celebrity or model] and receiving an offer from a housekeeper of a chaebol family who was a passenger.

Then, he quit due to some circumstances, and after a while, he was introduced by the chaebol family and entered Lee Jung-chan’s house.

He drove Lee Se-hyung’s commuter van.

However, unlike what he seemed, Lee Se-hyung was a very nervous person, and even though they only met during commuting hours and when going out, Lee Se-hyung vented all his anger on him.

However, in order to earn his college student daughter’s tuition, he kept telling himself to bear it a little longer until his daughter got a job, and already three years had passed.

“Then, one day, Lee Se-hyung said he was going to Germany for surgery. He said he would be back in a month or two, and he probably wouldn’t need a driver anymore around that time. So, I was already stressed out from work, and my daughter got a job, so I decided to quit. In the end, I took Lee Se-hyung to the airport on the day he went to Germany, and I finished work as I left work.”

“When was the day Lee Se-hyung went to Germany?”

“Last Friday.”

“…So, you’re saying that Lee Se-hyung didn’t go to Germany for surgery a month ago?”

“No. He didn’t even go to Germany, and he didn’t even have surgery in Korea. He just lived as usual.”

Jo Bong-joon and Choi Jong-hyun let out a hollow laugh as if they were dumbfounded.

“He must have coordinated with the foundation, just by looking at it. Erasing the attendance record and ordering the foundation people to keep quiet.”

Choi Jong-hyun tapped the contract with the pen he was holding.

Then the driver nodded.

“And, just in case it helps…”

Then he shook out the paper bag he had brought onto the table.

Several recorders poured out of it.

“What is this, sir?”

“Just in case, I’ve been recording every time Lee Se-hyung took me to and from work from May of this year until I quit.”

Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon were surprised to see something they hadn’t expected.

To be exact, it was half surprise and half joy.

This was the same for me.

“As I said before, I spent years listening to Lee Se-hyung’s abusive language. At first, I heard it and let it flow, but as time went on, every time I heard such words, I felt pathetic, like a loser, like trash. It was like I was brainwashed… Really, honestly, there were more than a few times when I wanted to die because of Lee Se-hyung… So, I thought I should reveal who was to blame if I died, so I recorded it…”

The driver started to cry as he finished speaking.

Jo Bong-joon pulled out a few tissues from the tissue box nearby and handed them to him.

From May until he quit, that means the conversation I had with Tae-shik when I was eavesdropping is also included.

When Tae-shik suggested releasing the eavesdropping recordings, I said no, but I was the one who wanted to use them the most.

I just decided to bury it because I thought that if it was released, ethical and legal problems would be raised on our side and the essence would be blurred.

But here’s an opportunity.

“But sir, we’d love nothing more than to broadcast this since you’ve exposed it, but are you okay? I see there’s a confidentiality clause here.”

Jo Bong-joon pointed to the contract and said to the driver, who had calmed down to some extent.

“Anyway, my children are all grown up, and I’ve decided not to work as a driver anymore. As for the confidentiality penalty… I asked around, and no one I know who has been interviewed on current affairs programs has ever paid a penalty…”

The driver trailed off.

“I was secretly happy that the reporters revealed Lee Se-hyung’s hidden side. I was very surprised because I didn’t know that guy’s legs were fine. Anyway, I thought that guy’s true identity was finally being revealed, but everyone around me is old, so they all believed Minwoo Party’s explanation. There were even a lot of people who felt sorry for Lee Se-hyung, so I was so frustrated.”

“I understand what you’re saying. I understand why you made this decision.”

I cut him off at that point so that the driver wouldn’t have to speak so hard.

I got the impression that he was making unnecessary excuses to us to prove that there was no other intention behind his actions.

He is a grateful person who gave us courage, not someone who has to make excuses to us.

“I’ve only looked at the contract briefly, but it probably has no legal effect. Especially in your case, Lee Se-hyung and Lee Jung-chan clearly acted illegally, and you exposed it to correct it. But if they bring up this contract and cause problems, I will handle it as your agent. I won’t charge you a retainer fee either.”

“Really? No, even so, the retainer fee…”

He looked at me as if he didn’t know what to do.

If he’s so worried about it, there’s nothing I can do.

“These two will pay the retainer fee. Thanks to your report, we were able to prove Lee Se-hyung’s scam more clearly, so they should do that much as a sign of gratitude. Isn’t that right?”

When I turned to Jo Bong-joon and Choi Jong-hyun and said that, the two answered as if they had been waiting.

“Of course, sir. We’ll take responsibility. You took the courage to come here, so we have to take responsibility for the aftermath. If you don’t believe us, we can even write a memorandum!”

Choi Jong-hyun made such a loud noise, but he glanced at me as if asking if I was really going to get the money.

At first, I just said that to reassure the driver, but when he asked me that, I wondered if I should have them buy me a meal.

I shrugged as if I didn’t know.

After receiving the evidence from the driver, we picked out the things that could be played on the show.

There were many comments that revealed Lee Se-hyung’s true nature, with no trace of manners, but the most important thing right now was Lee Se-hyung’s scam.

There were many things we wanted to reveal to the world, but we decided to release them gradually, and in the end, what we chose was the conversation I heard when I was eavesdropping.

* * *

[ApolloBeliever: Wow, Bong-joon hyung is a huge media company ㄷㄷ The informant goes straight to Bong-joon hyung without even going to the broadcasting station]

[ChoiJonghyun’sWig: Jonghyun hyung is from the social affairs department of Iljung Daily, so he’s trustworthy. Do you think he came to see Jo Bong-joon? lol]

[BringBackTheHandsomeLawyer: Don’t fight over that. You both did well;]

“Lee Jung-chan, Lee Se-hyung, and Minwoo Party. We’ve given you enough time. Honestly, I wanted to turn on the broadcast earlier, but I gave you enough time to think because it’s not something you can decide in a day or two. But all we got back was ignorance, and in the end, we had to reveal it like this.”

“Well, everything is cause and effect. The puzzle is all put together. Lee Se-hyung has never had surgery, and he was planning to pretend to have surgery overseas. But even this was canceled as the incident broke out. Well, we think of ourselves as the media in our own way. Of course, you can call us B-class media. Anyway, I think the media’s job is up to here. We’ll leave the next step to the investigative authorities. The investigative authorities can find out whether the evidence here is true or not just by checking the plane ticket reservation.”

“Thank you once again to the driver for his courage, and we’ll end the broadcast here today. I hope the next broadcast will be about celebrating the fact that the national authorities have started a full-scale investigation.”

“That’s right. Well. That’s all we have prepared for today. Guys. Then the hyungs [older brothers/male friends] are leaving. And finally, thank you, JonghyunADon’tCutYourPoop, for the 1,000 moon balloons [a form of digital currency/donation on the broadcast]. I keep shooting moon balloons even though I said I wouldn’t react. Well! Then I’m really ending the broadcast. Goodbye!”

As Kim Jung-woo pressed the broadcast end button, Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon stretched as if they had planned it.

“Ugh, I’m dying.”

“Cha Attorney, did you see the reaction? How is it?”

“There are a lot of articles. Ah, Kim Jung-woo. It would be good to upload the recording data that was played on today’s broadcast to the broadcasting station’s archives so that it can be spread around.”

We didn’t use the broadcasting station’s functions properly, but there were many people who accessed the broadcasting station.

The bulletin board where viewers could freely post was covered with posts from people looking for Jo Bong-joon and Choi Jong-hyun on days when there was no broadcast.

“I’ll upload it now.”

“Ha, I wonder if the driver knows that we played the data?”

“He probably knows. We told him what time we would start the broadcast. Didn’t his daughter show him on her laptop?”

“He’s going on an overseas trip for the first time in 10 years, so I hope he just forgets about this and stays comfortable.”

A few days ago, I handed the driver a plane ticket to Thailand because he was getting anxious as the date of the evidence release approached.

He had suffered a lot for a long time, so it was meant for him to rest with his family at a resort for at least about ten days while things were noisy.

Roaming was still expensive in 2010, so I didn’t think he would do it, but just in case, I told him not to roam.

This is because if this broadcast goes out, Lee Jung-chan’s side will definitely call him like crazy.

Kang Min-jae has a membership in a global hotel group, so he said he had booked a good resort, so I hope he doesn’t worry and enjoys it comfortably.

I looked at the two people in front of the laptop to check the broadcast reviews and came outside.

Then I called Park Young-gi.

-Oh, Cha Attorney. I saw the broadcast.

“The two of them worked hard. What did I do?”

-What are you talking about? You did everything yourself?

“I didn’t do everything myself. Ah, Chief. Have you checked the prosecution’s reaction?”

-It’s a mess. I think the guys who got Lee Jung-chan’s line are probably gathering right now? Their heads will explode trying to figure out what to do.

“What’s your outlook, Chief?”

-Of course, they’ll start an investigation. They can’t just let this go. First of all, I’m scheduled to meet with Lee Se-hwa, the representative of the Free Justice Party, tomorrow. Ah, that’s right. I was going to contact you anyway. I think it would be good for Cha Attorney to see her too.

“Me?”

Meeting the party leader directly.

I can meet her, but it’s a bit burdensome.

The reason I started this case was to reveal Lee Jung-chan’s corruption, prevent him from running for president, and expand the Myunghwa Pharmaceutical case.

It’s not like I did it for the Free Justice Party.

“Does Lee Se-hwa know that I made this case?”

-No, I didn’t say it. But I think it’s good for Cha Attorney to get to know Lee Se-hwa. I know what you’re thinking. I don’t mean to tell you to enter politics. If you want to catch Wooshin, you can’t help but get help from the political world. And right now, Wooshin is pushing Lee Jung-chan and the Minwoo Party, right? It’s not bad to temporarily ride the same boat. Once you’re done, you can get off the boat.”

I know what he means.

Besides, since I’m getting help from Kang Kwan-woong, it’s the same as being in a cooperative relationship with the Free Justice Party, where Kang Kwan-woong’s influence is strong.

It wouldn’t be bad to get to know each other.

Besides, to catch Lee Jung-chan and Myunghwa Pharmaceutical at once, it is true that we need the power of the Free Justice Party, the main opposition party, as Park Young-gi said.

“Okay. Let me know the time and place, and I’ll attend.”