You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 326

You Have Been Defended – Episode 326

The music Kang Min-jae had selected flowed from his newly bought speakers.

It was classical music, the kind you’d typically hear in a hotel lobby or before a banquet, creating a pleasant atmosphere without being intrusive.

The long party table Kang Min-jae had purchased was laden with catering, featuring a menu he’d personally curated. A cake bearing the office logo, also commissioned by Kang Min-jae, sat prominently on one side.

“Oh my, the office is so chic! Sophisticated and stylish? That painting is fantastic too. Who did you hire for the interior design?”

It was Yoon Se-yeon, arriving even before the scheduled start time.

Kang Min-jae had mentioned handing her an invitation only after she promised not to report on the attendees. Still, I couldn’t shake the worry that she might have a tiny camera hidden somewhere in her handbag.

“I discussed the interior extensively with the design company president. I carefully chose things like the painting and the lighting. Isn’t the lighting great? Interior design is all about the lighting, you know.”

Kang Min-jae, appearing as if from nowhere, quickly attached himself to Yoon Se-yeon and began explaining every detail of the office’s interior design.

Yoon Se-yeon looked slightly taken aback but smiled and listened attentively.

“Lawyer Cha, do you know how many invitations you sent out?”

Office Manager Oh approached me, asking the question.

“I’m not sure exactly. I expect about ten people, not including family.”

That would likely include Choi Jong-hyun, Jo Bong-joon, Kim Jung-woo, Deputy Director Park Young-gi, Lee Ye-jin and her husband, Dong-jin, and Yoon Se-yeon.

I’d also sent invitations to Tae-shik and someone from the National Intelligence Service, but they both declined, saying formal occasions like this made them uncomfortable and gave them the creeps.

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, nothing…”

Instead of answering, Office Manager Oh glanced towards the office entrance.

People in black suits were streaming out of the elevator.

There were no other offices on the 20th floor besides ours.

“Deputy Director, this is the 20th floor.”

The rigid hierarchy of the Judicial Research and Training Institute [a prestigious law school in South Korea] was on full display.

It was a scene I’d often witnessed in the prosecutor’s office elevator.

The most junior person in the group held the elevator door open, watching the seniors disembark before cautiously following behind with a very polite posture.

It was probably the same when getting on the elevator.

The thought of them lining up in the parking lot, bickering over who should enter first—”Deputy Director, please go ahead,” “Prosecutor, please, you first”—already exhausted me.

To navigate that social minefield, you’d need to know everyone’s training institute number, which was virtually impossible for someone like me.

Besides, age wasn’t always a reliable indicator, which further complicated things.

I’d even seen situations become incredibly awkward when someone from the same university, a few years senior, encountered someone with a lower training institute number.

“Prosecutor, you must have been talked about a lot behind your back when you took the elevator alone first in situations like that. Do you remember?”

Office Manager Oh said, watching them approach in a numbered line, led by Park Young-gi.

I didn’t know if I’d been the subject of gossip, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

Even when I was newly assigned, a senior had taken me aside to teach me elevator etiquette.

I agreed that it was proper etiquette to defer to someone of high rank, like a Deputy Director.

But seeing people of similar rank engaging in such displays always made me sigh.

“Have you arrived, Deputy Director?”

“Yes, Lawyer Cha. Congratulations. The office is very impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“Deputy Director, allow me to escort you inside.”

“Oh, Lawyer Kang. You look radiant. You seem very happy.”

“Of course, Deputy Director. How could I not be? Hahaha.”

Outwardly, we downplayed the fairly solid friendship between Park Young-gi and me, but some connections were inevitably apparent.

I had worked under him in the Western District Prosecutor’s Office, and we’d collaborated on the Myunghwa Pharmaceutical case that he directed.

Besides, Park Young-gi had always positioned me favorably during briefings, so anyone paying attention would have noticed.

There was no reason to hide our friendship by not inviting Park Young-gi.

Perhaps that’s why the incredibly lavish and tempting wreath he sent had been the first to arrive at the office.

“Deputy Director, let me give you a tour of the office.”

As Kang Min-jae led Park Young-gi into the office in a friendly manner, the prosecutors who had been maintaining a polite distance relaxed and approached me.

“Wow, Prosecutor Cha has really made it. Setting up an office like this after only a few years.”

“Why are you acting like this? Lawyer Cha is a celebrity now. You can’t even compare him to ordinary prosecutors like us.”

“Well, that’s true. By the way, you look much better in person. You seemed a little pale when I saw you on the news.”

“Hey, Prosecutor Kim. Why are you bringing up unnecessary things like that?”

“Ah, I’m just kidding. Haha. I apologize for showing up like this without contacting you beforehand. You know it wasn’t intentional, right?”

I tried to recall when I had met the many prosecutors who were now acknowledging me.

The faces were familiar, but the names and ranks didn’t quite match.

“Lawyer Cha, congratulations on the incorporation.”

Lee Ye-jin, who had been talking to Office Manager Oh, approached me and offered her hand.

As I took her hand, she gave me a light hug and said,

“I knew Lawyer Cha would do well from the moment I left. Is there an opening by any chance? Take me in.”

“Why are you saying that, Prosecutor Lee? You’re doing so well?”

As other prosecutors chimed in, Lee Ye-jin grabbed a glass of champagne from the table, downed it in one gulp, and exclaimed,

“I want to be free too! And make a lot of money! Ugh, prosecutors are all talk, and I’m just tired of that top-down command system. Ugh, it’s boring, really. I might as well just go down to a small district prosecutor’s office and become the district prosecutor.”

“Huh? Prosecutor Lee, the Deputy Director is nearby. He might hear you?”

“Deputy Director, I was just kidding.”

Although I didn’t remember all their names, I definitely remembered that most of them had been friendly to me.

There were a few who weren’t, but if I didn’t recall them well, it couldn’t have been a significant issue.

Of course, I hadn’t invited them personally, but I think I understood why Lee Ye-jin and Park Young-gi had brought them all together.

When I first opened my office and left the prosecutor’s office, no one had properly congratulated me. Instead, there were only people making a fuss, accusing me of attacking my own kind from the very first case.

I had harbored a lot of resentment in the legal profession, hearing gossip from various small newspapers and lawyers.

Perhaps the situation had been further exacerbated by Hwang Young-chan’s behind-the-scenes maneuvers, as he was skilled in manipulating public opinion.

Today’s splendid turnout was likely a collaboration between Lee Ye-jin, who was trying to repay her debt even now, and the prosecutors who couldn’t even contact me because they were intimidated by Hwang Young-chan’s fierce momentum.

“That’s why Lawyer Kang ordered so much catering.”

I said, looking at the overflowing table.

I had wondered about the excessive amount of food, which seemed like we wouldn’t even be able to eat half of it with the number of people we had predicted, and whether Kang Min-jae’s wasteful tendencies had resurfaced.

“Everyone left work together today, and Hwang Young-chan couldn’t say anything.”

As other prosecutors began to gather in groups of three or five, Lee Ye-jin whispered to me.

“Of course, he looked uncomfortable. But who cares? We’re aligned with the Deputy Director.”

Lee Ye-jin smiled and glanced at the wreaths lined up at the entrance.

Already, other prosecutors were gathered in front of them, checking the senders and whispering amongst themselves.

“As expected, former President Kang Kwan-woong’s wreath has arrived. Min-jae said that he even had the office logo inscribed on it?”

“Well, his only grandson invested in a law firm, so he must be in a good mood.”

“No. You know how much he dislikes being in the spotlight. After Lawyer Kang left Taekwang [a fictional conglomerate], he prevented funds from Taekwang from being withdrawn, fearing it would cause speculation. He knew that sending a wreath here and even including the office logo would generate a lot of talk, but he still did it. He must care a lot about Lawyer Cha.”

Even Lee Ye-jin, who wasn’t aware of my relationship with Kang Kwan-woong, seemed to think so, which made me feel like he wanted to publicly declare that Kang Kwan-woong was now my ‘backer.’

Lee Se-hwa had also been elected, and Park Young-gi, his most cherished disciple, had been appointed to a key position in the Central District Prosecutor’s Office, so if he had the desire to directly intervene in politics, his house would have been swarming with people.

But if he had made the decision to support me, rejecting such overtures, it meant that he also believed that this timing, with Lee Se-hwa taking power, was the right time to confront Wooshin [another fictional conglomerate].

Showing support for me was also a way to pressure them to stop pretending and actively move when the time was right.

“President-elect Lee Se-hwa’s wreath has also arrived? I heard rumors that Lawyer Cha was on his radar, wow. The wreaths are really fancy, fancy. How can a law firm with just two lawyers have this kind of lineup?”

Of course, looking at it this way, it seemed like a considerable… Free Justice Party [a fictional political party] endorsement, but.

“Wow, is this a Hanyoung Group wreath?”

Fortunately, that impression was somewhat mitigated by the Hanyoung Group’s wreath.

I assumed it was sent by Chief Bae in Chairman Seol’s name.

I had been somewhat involved in the Dongjin case before, but it would have been inappropriate to invite him to this kind of event, and we weren’t that close, so I hadn’t bothered to contact him. I hadn’t expected him to send a wreath.

“How do you know the Hanyoung Chairman?”

“It just happened that way.”

“It’s funny, really. Naeseung [a fictional company] is trembling, but you’re friends with all the powerful people.”

“It’s not that extensive.”

“I have to spread this rumor. I have to take a picture!”

While Lee Ye-jin was snapping photos of the wreaths with her cell phone, a familiar voice echoed from the doorway.

“Juhan!”

My father and mother, dressed in suits, awkwardly entered.

“Have you arrived?”

“There are more people than I thought.”

“I didn’t expect so many people to come either.”

“Where’s Min-jae?”

As my mother began to scan the office, Kang Min-jae, who had been chatting with other prosecutors, popped his head out and rushed over.

“Have you arrived? Wow, Mother, you look so beautiful today. You look like a wealthy socialite.”

“Really? I’ll take it, even if it’s just flattery. Haha.”

“Father, you look like a movie star. The color of your tie is so striking.”

Lee Ye-jin wasn’t surprised by Kang Min-jae’s flattery, and neither was I.

Kang Min-jae smoothly guided my mother and father inside.

“This is Park Young-gi, Deputy Director of the Central District Prosecutor’s Office. He was your direct superior when you were in the Western District Prosecutor’s Office.”

“Oh, is that so? Hello. I’m Juhan’s father.”

“Oh, Father. Hello. My name is Park Young-gi. You must have traveled far. Was the trip comfortable?”

“Yes, it was comfortable. I am grateful, as the father of a son who still has much to learn, that the Deputy Director has graced this occasion.”

“Oh, no, Father. I consider Lawyer Cha a truly wonderful friend and colleague. You must be proud to have such a son. My son is still a student, but I hope he grows up to be like Lawyer Cha. Haha.”

Ah, these kinds of events are truly uncomfortable.

“Ah, ah. Ah, ah.”

The time was already past 8 o’clock.

Kang Min-jae tapped the microphone he had prepared and bowed deeply to the guests, beginning his address.

“Hello. I am Lawyer Kang Min-jae, class of ’36 of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. Because our representative lawyer, Cha Juhan, is rather shy, I, as a junior, have taken the liberty of grabbing the microphone. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the guests, including the esteemed seniors and juniors, who have honored us with their presence. Our law firm, Jungdo, is comprised of Cha Juhan, class of ’29 of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, myself, Kang Min-jae, class of ’36, and Office Manager Oh Yang-hoon, who played a significant role in the Central District Prosecutor’s Office. I would like to ask for a round of applause for our law firm, Jungdo, as we embark on this new beginning.”

The sound of applause filled the office, and soon Kang Min-jae raised a glass full of champagne.

“Now, a toast from Cha Juhan, the representative lawyer of the law firm Jungdo.”

Suddenly?

As Kang Min-jae gave me a playful look, all eyes turned to me.

“…….”

Lee Ye-jin started nudging me, urging me to hurry.

I’ve never given a toast at a company dinner, nor have I ever really listened to one, so I’m not sure what to say.

Especially since opening my office, I’ve never even had a company dinner with a toast.

“Lawyer Cha Juhan?”

Ha.

I’ll just say something appropriate.

I raised my champagne glass.