You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 28

Kang Min-jae seemed incredibly curious about who we were going to meet.

As soon as I entered the address I gave him into the navigation, he drove the car at a crazy speed.

I even grabbed the handle above the car window without realizing it.

The place we arrived at was a shabby building.

A commercial building with peeling paint and worn-out signs plastered everywhere.

I stopped in front for a moment and smiled bitterly.

I was struck again by the thought that I was gradually changing the future I knew.

In the future I lived in, I had already proven Kim Yeon-joon, who was serving a life sentence, innocent.

If we win this trial, writer Jung Hye-jin, who had been steadily rising as a star writer, will also suffer a significant blow.

And the person we are about to meet now.

I feel like I’m prematurely dragging a guy who would have lived comfortably for the next two years into my work.

“Which floor is it, Attorney?”

“Second floor. Let’s go.”

It was an old-fashioned building without an elevator.

On the second floor, small surgical clinics, pharmacies, and Chinese restaurants were lined up along the hallway.

At the end, there was a dilapidated sign that read “[Ilseong Investigations]”.

As I headed that way, Kang Min-jae hurriedly followed and said,

“Are we going to a private investigation agency now?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it someone you know?”

“Yeah.”

“You know a private investigation agency? I thought your nickname was FM [Field Manual, meaning by-the-book] Robot. I never thought you’d use something like this. How do you know them?”

I didn’t answer his rapid-fire questions and just pushed the door open.

Kang Min-jae seemed scared, as he hid slightly behind me and followed me in.

Some guys in black suits were sitting around on the sofa, eating jajangmyeon [black bean noodles].

FM isn’t me, it’s a word that describes this scene.

Doesn’t it look like the first appearance scene of private investigation agency employees in a movie?

“Oh! Welcome, customer. Are you here for a consultation?”

As soon as the bell on the door rang, one person jumped up.

The others didn’t even look at us and were too busy eating jajangmyeon.

I think that guy’s name was Dae-cheol.

When I first met Dae-cheol, he had a few underlings, but now he seems to be the youngest.

“Dae-cheol, where’s Tae-shik?”

“……Huh?”

“I’m asking where Tae-shik is.”

As I approached the guy eating jjambong [spicy seafood noodle soup], he spilled the soup, startled.

He was angry that he spilled it himself, slammed the jjambong bowl on the table, and stood up.

“Hey, who are you calling our boss by his first name? Are you a cop?”

“Hyeong-shik, I’m not a cop, so don’t worry and bring your boss here when I’m asking nicely.”

“……If you’re not a cop, how do you know my name! Shit, you’re a cop. Hey, guys!”

When Hyeong-shik shouted, all the guys sitting on the sofa got up.

There were faces I didn’t recognize and guys whose names I couldn’t remember.

They clearly mistook me and Kang Min-jae for police officers, and they became very wary, preparing to use anything around them as a weapon.

“Attorney, what do we do!”

Kang Min-jae hid behind me and whispered.

“Where’s Tae-shik?”

“Damn it, it’s none of your business!”

“Tae-shik, where are you? You should be holed up in your office playing Sseotda [a Korean card game] on your computer.”

As I approached the room with the sign that read “Boss’s Room”, the guys rushed over and blocked the door.

“Hey, how do you know our boss is playing Sseotda! How do you know he’s losing 3 million won [~2,300 USD] a month on Sseotda!”

“I never said he was losing 3 million won.”

“……Sh, shi, whatever! Why are you looking for our boss?”

Bang!

Before Dae-cheol could finish speaking, the door to the boss’s office was violently opened.

It sounded like it had been kicked open.

The guys who were guarding the front of the boss’s office like congressmen blocking legislation were hit by the door and let out a groan.

“What is it? What’s all the fuss about!”

A beast-like guy came out of the boss’s office.

The muscular arms, as big as a person’s face, were covered in tattoos, and his face was scarred here and there.

It’s Tae-shik, the guy I was looking for.

“Gasp, Attorney. What do we do? He looks like a boss [referring to a gangster boss].”

Kang Min-jae, who was still hiding behind me, whispered, surprised by the visual.

It’s a good thing Kang didn’t get assigned to the criminal division when he was a prosecutor.

The criminal division is full of guys like that, and it would be a problem if he was always so timid.

“Which son of a bitch is making a fuss!”

Tae-shik shouted again and began to scan his subordinates.

I was a little far away because the underlings were waving their arms to keep me in check, so he didn’t seem to find me.

“It’s me, you son of a bitch.”

“……Oh, oh. Prosecutor?”

When I responded playfully, Tae-shik quickly found me and rushed over.

He kicked his subordinates, who were fiercely checking him, as a bonus.

“Oh, Prosecutor. What brings such a humble person to this precious place, no, such a precious person to this humble place?”

I don’t know if Tae-shik made that slip of the tongue because he was stupid or if it was intentional.

“What are you doing, you bastards! Clear the table and bring the prosecutor something to drink!”

“There’s a colleague here too.”

When I stood Kang Min-jae, who was still hiding, next to me, Tae-shik shouted again as if he was honored.

“Bring something for this person too! Hurry! And why does the office smell like Chinese food! Aren’t you going to ventilate it right now, you bastards?”

“Yes, boss!”

The beast-like guy treated him with respect, and Kang Min-jae finally seemed to relax.

He naturally followed me and sat on the sofa in front of the neatly cleared table.

“Were you playing Sseotda?”

“Oh! No, Prosecutor. Even if I’m this kind of guy, I found a new life thanks to you, so how dare I do illegal Sseotda…”

“I thought you were doing it on NetX [online Sseotda platform], but you were doing illegal Sseotda.”

“……No, Prosecutor.”

He’s avoiding my gaze, so it seems like I’m right.

Well, it’s none of my business.

I’m not a prosecutor anymore.

Besides, in my past life, I dug into Woo-shin’s corruption and even wiretapped and tailed people, so I didn’t completely avoid illegal activities.

“I’m not a prosecutor anymore. Don’t you watch the news?”

“Huh? You’re not a prosecutor? Ah, shit, I was scared for nothing.”

“If I’m not a prosecutor, are you thinking of defying me?”

“Oh, no. I was just reflecting on whether I was too scared. Of course.”

Before I knew it, two glasses of aloe juice appeared and were placed in front of Kang Min-jae.

Aloe juice, is it a trend I don’t know about?

“Anyway, if you’re not a prosecutor, what brings you here?”

“I’m a lawyer now.”

“Ah, a lawyer. Then this person must be from the same law firm.”

“Not a law firm, I just opened a lawyer’s office.”

“Yes? You, Prosecutor? Why?”

“There were circumstances. We’ll talk about that later. Let me ask you for a favor.”

At my words, Tae-shik sat up straight and subtly took out a calculator.

“It depends on the type, but if you suspect your wife of having an affair and want to tail her, the price is about this much.”

Tae-shik subtly showed me the calculator he was tapping.

“I don’t have a wife.”

“Then if you want information because your child is being bullied at school, the price is about this much.”

He tapped the calculator again and showed it to me.

“I said I don’t have a wife?”

“You might have illegitimate children.”

“It seems like you’re underestimating me because it’s been a while since you’ve seen me. You’re even talking nonsense.”

“Gasp, no. I’m sorry. No, what are you asking me to do?”

Kang Min-jae, who had been watching our conversation with a curious expression, cleared his throat at my gesture.

“It’s not that, what we want to ask you is…”

“Just say it without being scared.”

“…Yes. Tae-shik? Boss? What should I call you?”

“Call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Th, then Tae-shik…”

As soon as Kang Min-jae opened his mouth, Tae-shik’s eyes flashed sharply.

“No, I’ll call you Boss. Anyway, there’s a company called Blue Island Media. They’re producing [Children’s show title] which is currently airing.”

“Ah, that one. It’s really fun. All my kids gather around to watch it.”

“…That’s, they plagiarized our client’s work, so we’re going to file a lawsuit.”

Kang Min-jae briefly explained the client’s situation to Tae-shik, who opened his mouth in surprise.

“Ah, so you’re asking me to find a printing company that does business with Blue Island Media? Without Blue Island Media knowing?”

“Yes.”

“Is that all?”

At Tae-shik’s question, Kang Min-jae subtly poked me.

“I don’t know if that’s all. First, find the printing company, and then if there’s anything else you can do, I’ll ask you for that too.”

“How much are you thinking of paying?”

“Nothing.”

“Yes?”

“I said nothing.”

Tae-shik was dumbfounded, and even Kang Min-jae looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Tae-shik. When the prosecutor let you go so you could live a clean life. Was it all a lie that you said you’d repay the prosecutor’s kindness?”

“…Ah, no. But the prosecutor said it was okay back then.”

“That was then. Now is now. Right?”

“Ah… Yes, that’s right…”

“Then what should we do? Should we use the abacus [meaning calculate the cost], against the prosecutor?”

“…No.”

“Then find it and contact me.”

I took out a business card from my wallet and handed it to him.

Kang Min-jae also gave him his business card.

I suddenly wondered when Kang had printed our office business cards.

“I understand. Then I’ll visit your office as soon as I find it.”

“Okay. I’m leaving now. Go back to your illegal Sseotda.”

“Ah, it’s not illegal… Anyway, be careful on your way back!”

“Be careful on your way back!”

As Tae-shik shouted, bending over 90 degrees, the underlings quickly followed him and bent over.

“Oh, I thought I was going to die of fear…”

As soon as we came out of the office, Kang Min-jae clutched his chest.

I think Tae-shik has a visual that’s good enough to do that.

Looking at his arms as big as other people’s faces and his tough hands, it feels like he could bend rebar with one hand.

He’s definitely strong enough to make that possible.

“But can we trust him?”

“He’s quite skilled.”

“How do you know him? Judging by the look in your eyes, it seems like you got that Tae-shik guy out after he was arrested.”

“When that guy was living as a gangster, he took the blame for someone else’s crime and went to jail. I caught the real culprit and reformed him and let him go.”

I didn’t think it was necessary to tell him the details, so I answered vaguely.

Kang Min-jae nodded.

“Then I understand why he’s so polite to you. But I’m a little doubtful whether we can trust people like that… Is it okay?”

“I told you, you don’t have to worry.”

Tae-shik is the guy I used for 8 years, from 2 years later to 2018.

So I know everything about him.

But there was no way to explain that to Kang Min-jae.

“…Hmm, you say so, Attorney. He must be trustworthy. He’s a little scary, though.”

And as if to prove my words that he could be trusted, I received a call from Tae-shik the next day.