You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 343

“…What?”

An employee from Umi Gallery contacted them?

After searching so hard, they suddenly appear?

And on Kim Hwa-young’s side?

Everything felt disjointed and illogical.

“Umi Gallery employee, you mean the butler’s boyfriend, right?”

-Yes.

“So, what did they say?”

-First, I said we needed a way to confirm that he was the Umi Gallery employee we were looking for. Then he wrote the time and date on his palm and sent a picture of his face.

“Was the contact information the same as what we knew?”

-No. It seems to be a different phone. Anyway, comparing the photos, it was him.

“So how did the conversation go?”

-He said he knew the real culprit. But he told me not to tell Wooshin about it. If Wooshin finds out, he threatened to cut off contact and disappear. He said the phone is a burner [a disposable phone], so they won’t be able to trace it.

It seems the gallery employee saw someone from the Go family killing the butler.

Otherwise, there’s no reason to tell them not to tell Wooshin.

On the surface, Wooshin should be trying to catch the real culprit.

How frustrating would it be not to know who dared to do such a thing in their own house?

So, one might think they might even receive a large reward if they told them.

Nevertheless, the fact that he said not to tell Wooshin means that the moment they know someone saw a Wooshin family member kill the butler, his safety cannot be guaranteed.

“Meet him.”

-With you, Attorney Cha?

“No, it’s difficult for me to meet him. If he even breathes a word to Wooshin, it will be difficult for my mother. First……”

-I’ll call him to my house. Maybe if that Umi Gallery employee shows his face outside, Go Sang-joon might catch him. It would be better to disguise him as a delivery driver and bring him into the house.

“Would it be okay if I were there too? Like last time.”

-Yes. Of course. Then I’ll call him to my house first.

“If we’re meeting today, we’re in Yeouido [a large island on the Han River in Seoul]. It’ll take a while.”

-Okay. Then I’ll ask if we can meet today, and if it’s possible, I’ll schedule it after the attorneys arrive.

As soon as he hung up, Kang Min-jae clenched his fist and shouted.

“Jackpot! Jackpot! Wow, I never thought the Umi Gallery employee would show up first. Crazy, how could this happen…… Things are going so smoothly. This is really awesome.”

“The question of why he contacted us now remains.”

Isn’t that right?

If he was going to reveal that he knew the real culprit, why didn’t he do it sooner and reveal it now?

“Did he feel guilty seeing Kim Hwa-young being framed as the culprit…….”

“Maybe.”

“First, he reported the murder with a photo, and he thought the culprit would be revealed if they investigated, but only Kim Hwa-young is being suspected…….”

“Hmm, well. That makes sense. Kim Hwa-young has been getting a lot of hate lately as the case broke in the media. He might have appeared because of that guilt.”

If that’s the case, then everything will work out perfectly.

It won’t be difficult to get a witness statement.

The fact that he appeared even though he could have stayed hidden means that he’s willing to give a witness statement, right?

[We’ve decided to meet at my house in 2 hours.]

And soon after, a message arrived from Kim Chan-young.

“Things are going smoothly. Our first case…… well, it’s not our case. Anyway, it’s our unofficial first case, and the signs are good.”

Kang Min-jae drove to Kim Chan-young’s house in a good mood.

* * *

“You’re here?”

Kim Chan-young was the only one who greeted us.

Kim Hwa-young had been depressed since morning, so her uncle took her to a private spa he frequented, and she said she would be back on time.

Still, the fact that she can go out even if she uses a car to go to the spa means that she seems to have improved to some extent.

“It seems like you attorneys have been busy, but I keep bothering you in many ways. Even if Tae-kwang ends up handling it, please let me know how much the retainer fee will be. Really.”

“Hey, no. We’re not doing it for the money. Attorney Cha has a lot of money. You know that, right?”

“Haha, still.”

I’ve never even thought about the retainer fee, but still, who decides that?

“Weren’t you uncomfortable when you were in the closet last time? Our closet is a bit big, but you’re tall, so I thought it would be a bit uncomfortable.”

“It wasn’t that long. It was harder being huddled up when Go Sang-joon opened the door.”

“Haha, but this time that won’t happen. I think the closet is still a bit, I think it’ll be okay. But it’s a bit…… to fit both of you attorneys in.”

Kim Chan-young looked at Kang Min-jae and tilted his head.

“You seem taller than when I first saw you.”

He said, putting his hand from above his head towards Kang Min-jae.

“Really? I’m 185 [centimeters].”

“No. You’re similar to Attorney Cha?”

“Oh, then I must have grown. Do you grow at this age?”

“……Stop the small talk. First of all, it seems difficult for both Kang Attorney and I to go in here, so Kang Attorney, just stay outside.”

“Ah, why? I want to see too.”

“Let’s do this. You can turn on the computer cam here and check in another room. My mom and I will sit here, and if we sit that Umi Gallery employee here, we can see all three of them. Why hide in the closet uncomfortably?”

That’s difficult.

You can’t judge truth and lies through the screen.

“There’s a delay on the camera screen, so it might be a bit uncomfortable if we need to give feedback from time to time. I might have to send you a text message to tell you what additional questions to ask. I’ll watch from the closet, so Kang Attorney, watch from another room.”

“Okay.”

“And your mother shouldn’t be there.”

It’s too dangerous for Kim Hwa-young to hear it directly.

If my prediction is correct, the Umi Gallery employee will talk about one of the Go family members.

It could be Yoon Seong-hee, it could be Go Sang-joon, or it could be a third party.

When they first met me, Kim Chan-young and Kim Hwa-young thought Go Sang-joon was the culprit.

That’s why they came to me.

After that, when the possibility that it was Yoon Seong-hee’s doing was presented after meeting me, what were the two people’s reactions?

They were indignant that Go Sang-joon had driven Kim Hwa-young to her death to protect his family.

They once again dismissed the legal team that Go Sang-joon had set up and expressed their intention to entrust the case to me.

Even while preparing for what would happen with Go Sang-joon.

This time, the Umi Gallery employee will point out someone from the Go family as the culprit, and they will be indignant again.

After that day, Kim Chan-young’s thoughts leaned towards the employee in the CCTV being the culprit through his conversation with Go Sang-joon.

Of course, in his head, he also put Go Sang-joon in as the real culprit, and Yoon Seong-hee in as well, leaving the possibilities open, just like I did.

Anyway, he listened to my words to receive Tae-kwang’s defense, hoping that Go Sang-joon would not use his mother as a shield to protect his family.

But what if the person who is a witness here definitively says that it was the Go family’s doing?

Kim Chan-young might refuse Tae-kwang’s defense.

No, Kim Chan-young might be smart enough to think that it would be better to put forward a fake real culprit for his mother’s safety.

The problem is Kim Hwa-young.

She will feel intense anger that Go Sang-joon sacrificed her for his family.

No matter how much I say that entrusting the case to Tae-kwang might be a better choice for her, she won’t do it.

“……I understand what you mean. Then I should tell my mom to come in slowly.”

Fortunately, Kim Chan-young understood my words without much explanation.

“Who do you think is the real culprit, Attorney Cha? You said the Umi Gallery employee isn’t the culprit. I still think the Umi Gallery employee might be the culprit. Even if I don’t know the details. But you don’t seem to think so. Then, do you think it’s Yoon Seong-hee’s doing?”

Except for when he first heard about the case, Kim Chan-young didn’t talk about the real culprit that often.

Of course, finding the real culprit is the easiest way to clear the innocence, but it’s also the most difficult way at the same time.

That’s why, in this case, I told him to adopt Tae-kwang’s method, which goes against my method, for Kim Hwa-young’s safety first.

Therefore, Kim Chan-young only needed to focus on whether the fake real culprit was properly prepared, and he didn’t need to know who the real culprit was.

Our topic was naturally focused on whether the fake real culprit would really be prepared, and whether Go Sang-joon’s words to prepare the fake real culprit were really a lie, rather than revealing who the real culprit was.

But who the real culprit is, is the most fundamental question.

I’ve been putting it off since the moment I knew the truth.

“Well.”

“I feel like you’re specifying it to some extent right now.”

Kim Chan-young was quick.

“I think you’re deliberately not saying it.”

“What I think isn’t all the truth.”

“But it’s probably the conclusion you’ve drawn through the most reasonable reasoning. The reason you’re not telling me that is…… because you think my mom’s safest way, the way Tae-kwang can do but you can’t, you won’t use that method? And you think it’s your fault?”

“…….”

“You think the culprit is among those people in that house, right?”

“If that’s the case, you’re not going to get Go Sang-joon’s help?”

“I think it’s best to leave it to Tae-kwang in my head. Honestly, truth? Justice? It’s not important to me.”

“…….”

“My mom is important to me. I’ll do whatever my mom wants to do. If my mom says she’ll get help from Tae-kwang, I’ll get it. If she doesn’t like Tae-kwang, I’ll ask you.”

“You can induce your mother’s choice.”

If I don’t tell her who the real culprit is, she won’t do anything else.

Of course, if I reveal the case after everything is finished with their permission, she will know, but since she is already free, her safety will be fine.

After that, if she decides to break up with Go Sang-joon, that’s her choice.

I have no reason to keep her from breaking up with Go Sang-joon.

“Anyway…… If it’s the doing of those people in that house, I want to choose to screw over that house. Only if my mom is okay.”

“Think about it a little more. You don’t know what the results will be.”

With those words, Kim Chan-young went to the computer to set up the camera.

And the appointment time was approaching.

Ding-dong.

When the doorbell rang, Kim Chan-young went out of the room.

Not long after, he came into the room with a person wearing a thick jumper and helmet.

-Oh, it’s hot wearing a helmet.

The man took off his helmet and put it on the table, and then his face was revealed.

It’s the Umi Gallery employee I confirmed in the photo.

-You must be very heartbroken about Madam’s situation?

The Umi Gallery employee said to Kim Chan-young, who was sitting across from him, as if he was pitiful.

Then, unlike before, Kim Chan-young made a face as if he had a very weak heart and said carefully.

-……Yes. So, if you tell me in detail who the real culprit you saw is, it would be a great help. I was really…… really surprised when I first got the call…….

-Yeah……. Ah, but I’m just asking out of curiosity, how much does a house like this cost?

The Umi Gallery employee looked around the room.

The tone is somewhat poor.

The signs are not good.

-……Yes?

-Ah, I’m just curious.

-Just, well…….

-It’s probably worth about 3 billion won [approximately $2.5 million USD]?

-I don’t know, that.

-Then, maybe…… If I testify who the culprit is and help with the evidence, can you help me with the overseas settlement costs?

Overseas settlement costs.

Does that mean he’s going to run away from Wooshin’s eyes?

The thought process isn’t that strange.

His girlfriend is dead, he has to reveal the truth, but he’s afraid of retaliation if he just does it.

-I think I’ll have to discuss that with my mom.

-Hmm……. Is that so?

-And above all, I need to see with my own eyes whether you really saw it and whether there is evidence to give you a definite answer. Even if you tell me now and show me the evidence, I can’t use it anywhere unless you hand over the evidence to me. There’s nothing I can take to trial. Even if I say that the real culprit you told me is the culprit, no one will believe it.

-That’s right.

Kim Chan-young also seemed to feel that the gallery employee’s condition was somewhat poor, and he seemed to have abandoned the image he had initially pushed for.

He started to speak quite firmly and logically.

-Then I’ll tell you the real culprit first. Listen and decide.

-Yes.

The Umi Gallery employee had a very confident expression.

He said without hesitation, very firmly.

-Go Yoon-ho and Go Yoon-seok killed him. Go Sang-joon’s second and third sons. I saw it with my own eyes. I also have evidence.

[Truth]