You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 368

“The lawyer is here.”

After receiving Kim Chan-young’s call, I rang the doorbell of the hotel room, and he opened the door.

He glanced around briefly, then closed the door and pressed the ‘Do Not Disturb’ (DND) button.

Kim Chan-young, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, seemed more gaunt than before.

It was understandable, considering he couldn’t be comfortable leaving the ailing Kim Hwa-young with his uncle and living alone.

“I met Go Sang-jun yesterday.”

Kim Chan-young got straight to the point as soon as he sat down.

He explained why the two brothers tried to frame Kim Hwa-young for the crime and why they assaulted the housekeeper.

He said he was relaying what he had heard from Go Sang-jun.

“That’s all.”

[Truth]

I used my ability to confirm whether Kim Chan-young had really told me everything he had heard.

In the case involving Kim Hwa-young, there was no reason for Kim Chan-young to hide anything from me. However, the Kim Chan-young I originally knew wasn’t someone I could easily trust.

This was because he used questionable tactics to approach me in the first place, such as using his friends to instigate a fight with Kang Min-jae at a club.

But now, he seemed to think he could trust me completely, and there was nothing he was hiding anymore.

“Not even elementary school kids would go to someone’s house and beat up the housekeeper because they’re afraid their mom and dad will get divorced, right?”

Kang Min-jae laughed in disbelief after hearing the story.

To summarize, Kang Min-jae’s words were correct, but unlike ordinary people, there are many things that change if that family gets divorced, so I think they might have wanted to warn Kim Hwa-young.

But they shouldn’t have hit the person.

No matter how much they didn’t intend to kill, how could they so easily resort to violence?

Go Sang-jun probably already beat them to a pulp, but they’re the kind of people who won’t come to their senses until they sincerely beg forgiveness from the victim’s family.

“Your opinion is the same as the lawyer’s, that they’re trying to get a reduced sentence by claiming diminished responsibility [a legal defense claiming reduced culpability due to mental impairment].”

Kim Chan-young looked at me at Kang Min-jae’s words.

“Did you know?”

“Rather than knowing, what else could they do to reduce their sentence in that situation? There’s even a recording containing the entire situation of involuntary manslaughter.”

“They’re really not going to get probation, are they?”

“Leave that to the prosecutor. He’s a good person.”

At first, I thought it would be good to secure the video, but if I let slip the fact that they’re trying to get a reduced sentence for diminished responsibility, I think the prosecutor Park Young-gi chose will take care of it.

I need to get rid of this obsession that I have to do everything myself.

“…I don’t know what to do from now on.”

Kim Chan-young lowered his posture, resting his elbows on his knees.

He looked like he was deeply contemplating, but the word [Lie] appeared above his head.

This means he already has an idea of what he’s going to do in his head.

“Why are you saying you don’t know when you already know?”

Kim Chan-young smiled softly.

“Lawyer Kang, don’t lie to Lawyer Cha. You get caught every time.”

Then, he threw a joke at Kang Min-jae.

Then, Kang Min-jae said confidently.

“I don’t lie. I’m afraid I’ll die if I get caught. He’ll kill me with words. The lawyer doesn’t hold a bat, but he hits with words.”

Was I that bad?

Kang Min-jae doesn’t lie very often, and even when he does, I’ve let it slide a few times.

“I know what I have to do. But I wasn’t sure if it was the same as the direction you were thinking. I wanted to know what role you wanted me to play, and whether that would suit me.”

“So you’re willing to move according to what I want?”

Kim Chan-young chuckled at my words.

“Not unconditionally. It has to be in line with my direction. But I don’t think our directions will be different, do you?”

“Are you indirectly saying you want to work with me?”

Kim Chan-young nodded at my question.

“I’ve looked at countless people. How can I get the most dramatic revenge on Go Sang-jun? I can’t do it alone. There were many people who went up against Wooshin, but no one had as high a hit rate as you.”

The reason I took on Kim Hwa-young’s case was obviously because it was an incident that would stab Wooshin in the heart, but it was also a good opportunity to evaluate Kim Chan-young.

Kim Chan-young has been on my mind ever since I returned from my previous life.

He wasn’t an insider at Wooshin back then, but he was the one who made Wooshin’s internal documents public.

Of course, I didn’t have any direct involvement with Kim Chan-young in my previous life, so I didn’t have much information.

I knew about his family history, but that doesn’t mean I know the person himself.

But now I know.

Kim Chan-young’s anger towards Wooshin and Go Sang-jun is real.

His present and future have changed a lot compared to his previous life, but that has only solidified his anger.

“Go up high. As high as you can.”

“…Are you saying you’ll accept me?”

“It’s ambiguous to say whether I’ll accept you or not. It’s not like we’re an organization… But the only thing I can say to you is that.”

Kim Chan-young is an illegitimate child, but if he gains Go Sang-jun’s deep trust, he can rise high enough.

Once all the legitimate children are out of the picture, Go Sang-jun will only have Kim Chan-young left to choose.

And at the end of that, it would be a darkly satisfying picture if he was backstabbed by Kim Chan-young, whom he trusted, and collapsed.

“I know what you mean. I was thinking the same thing. It’s a relief. That we think alike.”

“I warned you before, but it will be a difficult path.”

It seems pathetic that Kim Chan-young, who finds it difficult to even face Go Sang-jun, is struggling to climb to a high position while catering to his whims.

But Kim Chan-young is not someone who will not do something just because I tell him not to, and he is someone who will eventually walk his own path and meet me again in the future.

It would be better to form the same front as Kim Chan-young from now on.

“I know. You lawyers are walking that difficult path right now, too.”

“Is that so.”

It’s so natural to me that I sometimes forget that it’s a difficult path.

Well, I’m not one to talk, since I even take medicine because anxiety has become a chronic condition.

“Ah.”

As I was about to leave the room, Kim Chan-young brought up a topic.

“Go Sang-jun is holding a press conference tomorrow at 9 o’clock.”

“What kind of press conference?”

“I’m sorry for disappointing the public. That kind of press conference. He’s been getting away with it without that kind of thing until now, but I guess Go Sang-jun thought it was time to do it.”

“I’ll have to check it out.”

“Yes. I’m already looking forward to it. Just thinking about that authoritarian man bowing his head.”

“I’ll be going now. Be careful.”

“You be careful too, lawyer.”

I shouldn’t be saying ‘be careful’ as a greeting.

I felt bitter as I remembered the time in my previous life when we always replaced ‘goodbye’ with ‘be careful’ to each other.

“Do you think Chan-young will be okay?”

Kang Min-jae asked worriedly as we came out of the hotel.

“He’s still young.”

“He’s got a sly fox inside him, what are you talking about.”

“Still.”

“It’s okay. It’s the path he chose. It’s better to move with us from now on.”

There’s not much Kim Chan-young, who is currently an employee of Wooshin Mulsan, can do right now, but at least Kim Chan-young is the only one who can meet Go Sang-jun directly.

He will be useful somehow.

“Where are you going?”

“I have to go home.”

“Yes. Then I’ll take you.”

The meeting place wasn’t too far from home, so it wasn’t long before I could see my house.

“Drop me off up there. I’ll walk.”

“Aren’t you going to eat dinner?”

“Dinner? I have to eat.”

“Then, while I’m here, should we order something at your place?!”

I knew he wouldn’t leave quietly from the moment he said he’d take me.

I sighed and nodded.

Even if I said no, he would grab my arm and whine, ‘Lawyer, ah, I’m bored if I go home. Huh? Huh?’

“Oh, there are a lot of flyers piled up in the wastepaper basket.”

Kang Min-jae, who came into the house and washed his hands, took the flyers from the wastepaper basket on the veranda and sat on the sofa.

Wasn’t there a delivery app yet?

I don’t order often, so I don’t know, but even if there was, I don’t think there would be many options.

“Is there anything you want to eat? Pig’s feet, braised spicy chicken, chicken…”

“Nothing.”

“Then what were you going to eat alone?”

“Just whatever’s there.”

At my words, Kang Min-jae went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

Without my permission.

“There’s nothing but canned beer in the refrigerator.”

“…Was there.”

“Wow, there’s no kimchi either. What do you eat at home?”

“I eat out and come in, so I don’t have much to eat.”

“Do you have ramen [instant noodles]?”

“I do.”

“Then let’s eat ramen. There’s no kimchi, but… Where’s the ramen?”

When I took out the ramen and pot from the kitchen shelf, Kang Min-jae looked at me as if he was dumbfounded.

“Wow, two. You’re kidding me, two people and two ramen?”

“There are two people, so there are two.”

“We have to cook three. What are you talking about. Seriously, I can’t believe it.”

Kang Min-jae opened the shelf where I had taken out the ramen earlier and took out one more.

“I’ll cook it, so you watch TV.”

“Okay, then.”

I left it to Kang Min-jae and sat on the sofa and opened my phone, and a message had arrived.

[Can I see you for a bit today?]

It was Jo Ah-young.

I didn’t know why she was contacting me like this when the case was all over.

[What’s the matter?]

[I have something to tell you. It won’t take long. I was wondering if we could meet at the park we met at around 9 o’clock, is that a good time for you?]

We’re not in a relationship where we meet for no reason, and Jo Ah-young isn’t the type of person to do that, so I thought she must have a reason and sent a short reply.

[Okay.]

It’s 7 o’clock now.

Kang Min-jae will probably leave by 9 o’clock.

After sending the reply, the smell of ramen filled the kitchen.

“Lawyer, come quickly! It’s getting soggy!”

I don’t know how he figured out my kitchen supplies, but a side dish and spoon were neatly placed, and a pot stand was in the middle of the table.

Kang Min-jae held the pot and placed it on the pot stand, then lifted the lid.

“Should I give you the lid?”

Kang Min-jae said, handing me the lid.

I shook my head.

“You know you’re really a young master style, lawyer.”

“Kang is the young master.”

“You act more like a young master.”

“Just eat quickly.”

After eating the ramen, Kang Min-jae even finished the dishes neatly and came out of the kitchen.

I just told him to soak them, but he didn’t listen.

Looking at it, he seems to be the type who pretends to listen but doesn’t listen well.

“Lawyer, do you want a beer?”

Kang Min-jae took out the remaining beer from the refrigerator and handed it to me.

I wasn’t planning on drinking it, but I was tempted to accept it when it was right in front of me.

With a ‘chik’ sound, Kang Min-jae held out his can, saying let’s cheers.

The moment we clinked, I remembered that Kang Min-jae had brought his car.

“Wait, don’t drink it.”

Gulp, gulp.

But before I could say anything, Kang Min-jae was already endlessly gulping down the beer.

I sighed.

He wasn’t planning on going home.

“I’ll call a driver later.”

But there’s a way.

Kang Min-jae, who is from a wealthy family, can’t say that the driver fee is a waste.

“I’m going to sleep over.”

“Who said you could?”

“As the former prosecutor intern pleases, as the current partner lawyer pleases.”

“You didn’t think about asking the homeowner’s opinion.”

“You were going to say no anyway. Wasn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

“Then…”

“I have an appointment later.”

At my words, Kang Min-jae narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

“With who?”

“Do I have to report that to Kang one by one?”

“I’m trying to gauge whether I can join you, depending on the situation. It doesn’t seem like it’s Jong-hyun or Bong-jun. Maybe a girlfriend?”

Kang Min-jae seemed to ask without thinking, but I felt really bad.

I’m lying to both parents that we’re dating, but I didn’t like the expression ‘girlfriend’ very much.

“No.”

“Yes, yes. Introduce me too!”

“I said no.”

“Then is the person you’re going to meet a woman?”

“…That’s right.”

“Wow, you have a girlfriend and you didn’t even tell me! Seriously, how can you do that.”

“I said she’s not my girlfriend. I don’t want to be involved like that.”

“…Hmm.”

Kang Min-jae looked at me with suspicious eyes, then even crossed his arms.

“Do you want to get fired?”

“…I’m sorry.”