You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 386

The news that Cha Joo-han had applied for the experienced prosecutor recruitment spread like wildfire.

Even though the recruitment period wasn’t over and the exam hadn’t been taken yet, a Ministry of Justice employee had already leaked the information to a close legal contact.

“Is it true that Cha Joo-han applied for the experienced prosecutor position?”

“What? That Cha Joo-han? The one who started that firm, I think it was called ‘Jeongdo’ or ‘Jeongsu’?”

“I heard it too, and I was going to check with Prosecutor Kang, but it seems even Prosecutor Kang doesn’t know? Oh! Here comes Prosecutor Lee. Prosecutor Lee is close to Cha Joo-han, let’s ask her.”

One of the prosecutors who was talking pointed at Lee Ye-jin, who was approaching.

“Prosecutor Lee really hates it when people badmouth Cha Joo-han. A lot of junior prosecutors have been scolded for that.”

“That’s for juniors. We’re colleagues, not juniors. And this isn’t even badmouthing, so there’s no reason we can’t ask.”

“Is that so?”

“Prosecutor Lee! Prosecutor Lee!”

He waved his hand at Lee Ye-jin, who was walking while looking at her phone. She raised her head.

Then, she put her hand on her chest as if asking if he was talking to her, and mouthed, ‘Me?’

“Yes, Prosecutor Lee. Come over here.”

“Why?”

As Lee Ye-jin approached, the two pulled her closer.

Lee Ye-jin frowned as if she was displeased by the sudden pull, but they didn’t care and asked.

“Is it true that Cha Joo-han applied for the experienced prosecutor recruitment?”

“What are you talking about?”

“No, Prosecutor Lee, you’re close to Cha Joo-han. I was wondering if you had heard anything.”

Lee Ye-jin scoffed as if she had heard something absurd.

“There’s no way. It hasn’t been long since he started his law firm, and it’s doing so well. Cha Joo-han has probably made more money than we’ll ever see in our lives. And he’s currently handling the chief prosecutor’s son’s case, right? Why would he apply for an experienced prosecutor position?”

“I guess so?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I haven’t heard anything. And it’s not like Cha Joo-han reports everything to me, so even if it were true, I wouldn’t know.”

“Well, what’s Cha Joo-han lacking that he would return to the prosecution? That’s strange too. It must be a rumor.”

“What kind of rumor is that? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Why doesn’t it make sense?”

Lee Ye-jin tried to laugh it off and pass by, but she stopped at the deep voice.

“Ah, Chief. Hello.”

“Hello.”

Hwang Young-chan was standing there.

Hwang Young-chan looked around at them with an indifferent face, taking out a cigarette from his inside pocket.

“It seems the rumor has already spread? Well, Prosecutor Cha is so famous, so it’s possible.”

At Hwang Young-chan’s words, Lee Ye-jin’s face showed that she had heard something she shouldn’t have, and she involuntarily raised her voice and asked.

“Then are you saying that Cha Joo-han really applied for the experienced prosecutor position?”

Then the prosecutors who were smoking all turned their heads towards them.

Then Hwang Young-chan answered nonchalantly.

“Yes. He said he had something to discuss with me a few times, and that’s what he was talking about. It must have been tough, being a lawyer. He’s had a lot of hardships.”

Lee Ye-jin shook her head in disbelief at Hwang Young-chan’s assertion.

“That can’t be…….”

“I got a message this morning saying he applied. Should I show it to you?”

“……No, thank you.”

Lee Ye-jin closed her mouth.

Although she didn’t talk about everything with Cha Joo-han, Lee Ye-jin was the closest senior prosecutor to him.

But she didn’t know.

And if it were true, Kang Min-jae wouldn’t have failed to tell her.

He would have at least said something like, ‘Cha Joo-han is returning to the prosecution, please take care of him.’

“I’ll go first.”

Lee Ye-jin greeted Hwang Young-chan and walked quickly away.

Then she called Cha Joo-han.

-The customer is not answering the phone…….

But the call was cut off before the ringtone even played a few times, as if it had been diverted.

Lee Ye-jin hesitated for a moment and then called Kang Min-jae.

She couldn’t understand why Cha Joo-han was suddenly returning to the prosecution.

Besides, hadn’t Secretary Oh even written a resignation letter to follow Cha Joo-han?

Kang Min-jae also left Taekwang [a large law firm or corporation, name can be changed if needed] to follow Cha Joo-han.

But he was returning to the prosecution alone, leaving those two behind?

Then was Kang Min-jae also returning to the prosecution?

Then what about Secretary Oh?

Shaking off the thoughts that were constantly swirling in her head, Lee Ye-jin waited for Kang Min-jae to answer the phone.

-Senior! What’s going on? Why are you calling at this hour?

Kang Min-jae answered the phone cheerfully.

This made her feel even more uneasy.

If Kang Min-jae had also applied for the experienced prosecutor position, he would have immediately said, ‘Ah, I applied for the experienced prosecutor position!’

“Kang, did you hear the news?”

-What news?

“The news that Cha Joo-han applied for the experienced prosecutor position.”

-……What?

“It’s a big deal right now that Cha Joo-han applied for the experienced prosecutor position. They’re currently accepting applications. It seems the word leaked from the Ministry of Justice.”

-What are you talking about? Why would the lawyer apply for the experienced prosecutor position?

“I heard that and thought it wasn’t true, but Chief Hwang Young-chan, you know? Hwang Young-chan said it was true, and that Cha Joo-han had consulted with him about it several times, and that he even received a message from Cha Joo-han this morning saying he had completed the application. What’s going on?”

-Isn’t Hwang Young-chan lying? Even if the lawyer applied for the experienced prosecutor position, would he consult with Hwang Young-chan?

“I thought so too, but Chief Hwang Young-chan is so adamant.”

-It can’t be. There’s no way. We’re currently working on a case, and besides, how long has it been since the lawyer established his law firm? And if he was going to apply for the experienced prosecutor position, he would have at least told me and Secretary Oh in advance.”

“Right? It’s a false rumor, right?”

-……It must be.

Kang Min-jae’s voice became less and less confident.

Lee Ye-jin ruffled her bangs and leaned her head back.

“Wow, if this is true, what is Cha Joo-han? He suddenly stabbed us in the back.”

-That can’t be. I’ll check when the lawyer comes.”

“He’s not here yet? It’s 12 o’clock.”

-He said he wasn’t feeling well and would be a little late today.”

“Ha…… Okay. Let me know when you confirm.”

-Yes, I will. But don’t worry. How much does the lawyer hate Hwang Young-chan? He calls him Wooshin’s lackey. If he consulted with that Hwang Young-chan, it doesn’t make sense.”

“……That’s right. Yeah, it can’t be. Cha Joo-han is so famous, he must be suffering from false rumors. Anyway, let me know. I have to go in.”

-Okay.

Lee Ye-jin sighed as she hung up the phone.

If Kang Min-jae doesn’t know, it means there’s a high probability that it’s not true.

Of course, it’s not that Cha Joo-han shouldn’t return to the prosecution.

But it’s a problem that he only confided in Hwang Young-chan and returned.

Doesn’t it completely deviate from his actions so far?

It means that a huge change has occurred in his mind.

It also means that he will no longer deal with Wooshin.

No, it’s almost the same as saying he’ll be on Wooshin’s side.

* * *

After the call with Lee Ye-jin, Kang Min-jae sighed deeply.

“There’s all kinds of nonsense. There’s no way the lawyer would apply for the experienced prosecutor position. There’s no rumor more absurd than this.”

He said as if to reassure himself and called Cha Joo-han.

But he didn’t answer the phone.

“What is it, really?”

“Lawyer?”

At that time, Secretary Oh peeked her head out, knocking on Kang Min-jae’s open office door.

“Ah, what’s going on?”

“What’s going on? We have to go to lunch.”

Secretary Oh seemed to know nothing.

Kang Min-jae took a step towards Secretary Oh to talk to her, but lowered his hand as if it was nothing.

“I’m not feeling well today, so I’m going to skip lunch. Secretary, please go and eat.”

“You’re not feeling well? Did you drink last night?”

“No, I’ve just been like this since this morning.”

Cha Joo-han might come to the office while they’re out for lunch.

He can’t get through on the phone, so the fastest way to confirm whether the rumor is true or not is to meet Cha Joo-han in person.

“Take some medicine. Then I’ll go eat alone.”

“Yes. Enjoy your meal.”

Secretary Oh left, and Kang Min-jae sat anxiously at his desk, waiting for Cha Joo-han to come.

About 30 minutes passed.

The sound of the elevator opening was heard from outside the office.

Since Law Firm Jeongdo was the only one using this floor, Kang Min-jae involuntarily raised his head.

Cha Joo-han was entering the office.

With a face that was no different from usual.

Kang Min-jae jumped up from his desk as soon as he opened the door.

Then Cha Joo-han passed by him and asked as if it was strange.

“Why are you sitting there? Didn’t you go to eat?”

“Ah, yes. I’m not feeling well. And I was waiting for you, lawyer. Why aren’t you answering the phone?”

“Oh, is that so? Why are you waiting for me? Do you have something to report?”

Cha Joo-han looked at Kang Min-jae, brushing it off as if it was nothing.

Then Kang Min-jae hesitated for a long time before cautiously opening his mouth.

“No, ha……. I heard a strange rumor about you, lawyer.”

“A strange rumor about me? Is that the first time such a rumor has spread?”

All sorts of rumors had circulated about Cha Joo-han.

There were rumors that he seemed to be homosexual because he had everything—face, height, wealth, and job—but he was still not married, and there were also stories that he was Wooshin’s hidden son who held a grudge because he was so aggressive towards Wooshin, and there were countless other stories that could not be mentioned.

It was no different from a celebrity.

“It’s not that……. Lawyer, that…….”

“What is it?”

“You might feel bad, but I’m just telling you the rumor, so you can’t get angry at me.”

“Tell me.”

“You consulted with Hwang Young-chan and then applied for the experienced prosecutor recruitment…….”

As Kang Min-jae spoke in a barely audible voice, Cha Joo-han seemed to be thinking about those words.

Kang Min-jae thought that Cha Joo-han would laugh in disbelief and say no.

But he couldn’t stand the long silence.

He opened his mouth again as if urging him.

“Lawyer, really…….”

Then, Cha Joo-han cut off Kang Min-jae’s words and answered as if it was nothing.