You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 37

You Have Been Defended – Episode 37

[Injunction against Denied…]

A week later, the main portal page was plastered with articles about the rejection of the injunction against the broadcast.

Despite it being a predicted outcome, Na Eun-sung couldn’t hide her unease.

Before filing the injunction, we had emphasized multiple times that it would be rejected.

However, she seemed to have been hoping that a broadcast ban would actually be issued.

Because of this, Kang Min-jae spent a lot of time attending to her emotional state.

Na Eun-sung felt more comfortable with the affable Kang Min-jae than with me, so that role was more suitable for him.

You might think we were wasting a promising talent on menial tasks, but in any trial, the client’s emotions and will are the most important.

And Kang Min-jae was well aware of that fact.

“Fortunately, Na Eun-sung is holding up well,” Kang Min-jae said as he entered the office.

He had met Na Eun-sung for a meal, briefed her on the upcoming plans and current public opinion, and emphasized that the situation wasn’t bad.

There were no alarming signs.

We were concerned that Blue Island Media might approach Na Eun-sung, so I told Tae-shik to keep an eye on her, but there was no such movement.

The same was true for Sung Min-jung.

Of course, since we hadn’t disclosed the witness yet, it was to be expected, but you never know.

Even Yoo Jung-won would assume that if I were to choose a witness from Jung Hye-jin’s assistant writers, I would naturally pick Sung Min-jung, who had completely left the drama industry.

Of course, even after explaining the risks to Sung Min-jung, she said there was no problem.

After that, she came to the office once to review her potential testimony.

As if there were words she hadn’t been able to say, she ate sweets again and vented her frustrations.

I’ll spare you the description of how the place she left behind looked like the middle of a battlefield where all the soldiers had died – a complete disaster.

I think she was so determined that even if we hadn’t asked her to testify, she would have stepped forward and spoken at the trial.

“No news from Tae-shik yet?”

I shook my head.

And I cross-referenced the original script and the revised script that Tae-shik had sent me to check the changes again.

The original script was about the female lead’s house catching fire when she was young, resulting in her mother’s death and the loss of all her family’s wealth.

At that time, the male lead, who was passing by, saved the female lead, creating a savior narrative.

It was the episode where the fact that the two had a connection in the past was revealed, and at the same time, the archetype of the female lead’s trauma was revealed.

It matched Na Eun-sung’s scenario.

However, in the changed script, the male lead is kidnapped by kidnappers who are after money and is imprisoned in an abandoned house near where the female lead lives.

The female lead sees this and saves the male lead, which was revised to be the past connection between the two.

Originally, in Na Eun-sung’s scenario, the female lead, who was swept up in the fire and poisoned by carbon monoxide, loses her memory and doesn’t recognize the male lead.

However, Jung Hye-jin’s scenario still doesn’t explain why the female lead lost her memory, why the female lead’s mother died, or why the father became an alcoholic.

It seemed like she was trying to gloss over things without properly resolving the so-called ‘plot points’ and go for a happy ending.

There are plenty of dramas like that, so it wouldn’t be strange if Jung Hye-jin didn’t resolve a single plot point.

“The judge has been assigned!”

While I was deep in thought, Kang Min-jae, who had been standing in front of the office door, ran inside.

It was a registered document from the court.

The important thing is the judge.

But it doesn’t seem like the judge assignment was fair…

It’s a subsidiary of Wooshin Group, and they wouldn’t send a cash cow drama that could build several buildings for Blue Island Media to the battlefield without armor. [This implies Blue Island Media is a valuable asset to Wooshin Group.]

“Who is it?”

“The presiding judge is Judge Kim Hong-gil. The associate judges are Han Ji-yeon and Lee Kyung-min. Do you know any of them?”

“No.”

“I’ll look into it.”

At Kang Min-jae’s words, I nodded heavily.

“Focus on Presiding Judge Kim Hong-gil.”

The associate judges are just rookies anyway, and the final decision is up to the presiding judge.

It was most important to understand Kim Hong-gil’s tendencies.

“Do you think it will go to trial?”

“It will if Tae-shik can’t find the printed copies of Na Eun-sung’s script.”

To manage Na Eun-sung’s mental state, we shouldn’t drag out the trial for too long.

She’s just holding on, not completely fine.

That’s why it’s even more important to find the history of Na Eun-sung’s script being printed at the printing shop.

Otherwise, there’s a high possibility that this matter will be prolonged.

* * *

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang.

It had been an hour since I ordered delivery food, so it must be that.

Na Eun-sung opened the front door.

“…Who are you?”

But the person standing at the door was not a delivery driver.

Na Eun-sung asked with extreme caution.

Men and women in suits stood side by side and bowed to Na Eun-sung.

“Are you Na Eun-sung?” the woman asked with a smile.

Na Eun-sung frowned and thought.

I heard that if men and women in suits suddenly ask for directions, they are proselytizing for a cult, but those people don’t come knowing your name.

-Na Eun-sung, if Blue Island Media tries to contact you, tell them to talk to your lawyer and don’t have any conversation with them.

At that moment, Attorney Cha Joo-han’s voice flashed through her mind.

Kang Min-jae had also emphasized that point several times.

Na Eun-sung clenched her fist and said, “Did you come from Blue Island Media?”

“Ah, yes. I’m Yoo Jung-won, an attorney at Taekwang Law Firm.”

Yoo Jung-won handed over her business card.

But Na Eun-sung didn’t accept it.

“Talk to my lawyer.”

“Ah, Na Eun-sung. I was just about to talk about that. You didn’t come that day.”

Yoo Jung-won smiled affably, tucking her hair behind her ear.

She had a good impression, and she was trying to ease her guard with that because she was the same gender.

Na Eun-sung looked at her and the associate lawyer standing behind her with trembling eyes.

“Can we go inside and talk for a moment? If you’re uncomfortable, just me, not my friend here.”

Yoo Jung-won asked, raising her index finger as if once would be enough.

Na Eun-sung bit her lip.

I heard that Blue Island Media offered 300 million won [Korean Won, approximately $250,000 USD].

Of course, Na Eun-sung told her to refuse even if they offered more than 1 billion won, so Attorney Cha Joo-han didn’t handle it wrong.

But I hadn’t heard that there was anything to clear up misunderstandings.

Because it wasn’t a misunderstanding in the first place, it was all Jung Hye-jin’s fault.

“And personally, I’m wondering if you looked into Attorney Cha Joo-han in detail before hiring him.”

At Yoo Jung-won’s words, Na Eun-sung’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What do you mean?”

When she, who had been silent, answered, Yoo Jung-won smiled triumphantly.

“Do you know that Cha Joo-han has a short career as a lawyer? This case is only his second.”

“I know that! But he’s a former prosecutor, and…”

“Then, you must also know that he was originally a prosecutor in the criminal division? Copyright litigation is a first for him, Na Eun-sung. I’m a copyright professional.”

Yoo Jung-won said, slowly moving towards the front door.

“That’s why he was so rude when we met for mediation that day. I was so surprised.”

“What are you…”

“I’m just wondering if Na Eun-sung is being swayed by such a person and wasting money and time…”

As Yoo Jung-won trailed off, Na Eun-sung, who had a blank face for a moment, shook her head wildly.

“Don’t try to drive a wedge between us for no reason. I’m not someone who’s fooled by that!”

“Na Eun-sung. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have done this. Isn’t it enough to just win the trial? I’m confident I can do that.”

Yoo Jung-won said firmly.

“Do you know what Cha Joo-han’s reputation is like in the legal profession? It’s also a bad habit of the legal profession… Na Eun-sung, you probably know this. Once a lawyer is disliked, it’s very difficult to win a trial.”

Yoo Jung-won took out a copy of a post related to Cha Joo-han from the legal community from her bag.

“Take a look at it slowly. And I’d like to talk in more detail. We are attorneys for Jung Hye-jin, but the job of a lawyer is to make sure that the defendant and the plaintiff, the accused and the accuser, pay and receive the appropriate price for what they have done. We don’t intend to unconditionally side with Jung Hye-jin. Our goal is to reveal the truth and make them pay the price according to that truth.”

Before she knew it, Na Eun-sung was engrossed in reading the copy of the post.

“…I won’t believe this kind of thing.”

As Na Eun-sung crumpled the paper, Yoo Jung-won sighed.

“Didn’t you notice that Cha Joo-han is just chasing fame?”

Yoo Jung-won looked around Na Eun-sung’s house.

A small studio apartment.

The furniture is also mostly basic, functional pieces.

She didn’t seem to have a lot of money, so in order to do this big trial, the key was not only selecting a lawyer but also the attorney’s fee.

Yoo Jung-won looked Na Eun-sung in the eye and asked.

“Perhaps, Cha Joo-han didn’t charge Na Eun-sung much for the attorney’s fee, understanding that Na Eun-sung couldn’t afford a large payment?”

“…”

“Na Eun-sung. These kinds of trials charge a large attorney’s fee, even for lawyers with little experience. But Cha Joo-han is not a philanthropist… Isn’t it strange that he took on this case with such a small amount of money?”

Na Eun-sung couldn’t speak.

Attorney Cha Joo-han said he would only take 3 million won from her, who said she only had 5 million won.

Of course, he did ask for a success fee… [A bonus paid if the case is won.]

“If he likes charity work that much, he should have done a lot of pro bono work [Legal work undertaken without charge]. Or become a public defender. But he didn’t. Isn’t this also strange?”

“Th, that’s…”

Looking at the confused Na Eun-sung, Yoo Jung-won gestured for the associate lawyer to go downstairs.

And she came into the entrance and closed the door.

“Shibal [A Korean swear word, equivalent to ‘fuck’].”

Sang-gil, who was standing on the emergency stairs of her house and watching the situation, quickly took out his cell phone from his pocket.

And he quickly started typing a text message.

[Female lawyer broke into Na Eun-sung’s house, don’t know what she was saying, she was fluent and badmouthed Attorney Cha a lot, anyway Na Eun-sung seems to be wavering, fucked!!!!!!]