You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 419

You Have Been Defended – Episode 420

As soon as Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon returned to Korea, they came to my house.

Having contacted Kang Min-jae on their way from the airport, Kang Min-jae arrived at my house around the same time as Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon.

Before I could even ask how it went, Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon started playing the recording.

Both Kang Min-jae and I listened to the recording without saying a word.

And as soon as the recording ended, Kang Min-jae held his forehead.

“It was real… It was real.”

The moment Kim Seung-hee’s testimony proved that the sex bribery case, which had only been a conjecture, was real, it was a heavy shock to Kang Min-jae and me, and it was a time for Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon to reconfirm their pent-up anger.

I knew that Wooshin was a company that committed all sorts of heinous acts, but I couldn’t get out of the shock because I had never imagined in my previous life that they would take children from orphanages and force them into sex bribery.

I asked Choi Jong-hyun.

“So, are six people, including Lee Ga-yeon, on the run and living in hiding now?”

“That’s right. They can’t come to Korea, and they can’t get a decent job in Japan… Even if we support them with the fines so they can enter Korea, it’s obvious that they’ll be caught by Wooshin before that, so they can’t do anything. All we could do was listen to their stories.”

“Those sons of bitches!”

Kang Min-jae shouted.

It wouldn’t be strange for any curse word to come out.

There is no word in any language in this world that can adequately condemn their wickedness.

We have already suffered great pain through the comfort women during the Japanese colonial period, and it still remains an unresolved issue.

But now, Wooshin, which is called one of Korea’s leading conglomerates, is taking the lead in creating a similar tragedy.

Even while sending Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon to Japan, I hoped it wasn’t true.

If this matter becomes known to the world, Wooshin will certainly not be able to remain unscathed.

I want Wooshin’s destruction more than anything else, but that doesn’t mean I wanted Wooshin’s evil deeds to be more than what I knew.

I wish it had ended with laundering money and creating slush funds through L&B, as far as I knew.

“Should we ask Detective Heo first? If there’s a way to help.”

“Detective Heo won’t be able to do anything right now. It seems like the police can only move after all the facts are revealed. This is a fact that Wooshin tried to hide even to the point of trying to kill me. It seems like the entire police force has to move to barely save them.”

“I guess so. Sigh.”

Jo Bong-joon sighed and leaned back on the sofa.

To get the entire police force to move, the case has to be blown up.

The whole country has to be interested in this case to prevent Wooshin from doing anything reckless and to transparently save them.

If we move carelessly now, it’s obvious that only we will be in danger and nothing will get better.

“My heart aches so much. There must be more people running away besides those six… The reality that there’s nothing we can do right now makes me feel so helpless.”

“We’ve secured testimonies, but it seems difficult to present those who testified as witnesses. More than anything, we need more evidence to let people know about this. It seems like more investigation is needed.”

“But how can we get evidence of something that’s being done so secretly? What can we get as evidence? Recordings? Photos? Documents?”

“I think they would have thoroughly controlled recordings or photos. Isn’t this something that Japanese high-ranking officials and Wooshin conspired together?”

“Still, isn’t there a way?”

“It would be nice, but right now, we need to think more about the direction of the investigation.”

“Isn’t Lawyer Cha close [친한] with Lee Se-hwa? Can’t we pull some strings with the President?”

“I’m not close [친한] with her. And even if the President moves, we need even more solid evidence.”

“I know, I’m just saying it because I’m frustrated.”

A heavy silence fell.

“First of all, the House of Angels seems to be the key. Let’s dig into the House of Angels a little more. We don’t know what else might come out.”

“Okay.”

“Go back and rest today. You must be tired from traveling overseas.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to rest, not with this feeling.”

I feel the same way.

However, there’s nothing we can do right now, so it’s not a good idea to gather meaninglessly and express our anger.

“Lawyer, you should rest too. We’ll be going now.”

Kang Min-jae said, taking his coat and getting up.

I habitually grabbed my stomach and got up.

Then Kang Min-jae waved his hand.

“Don’t see us off. You’re not fully recovered yet.”

“I’m just going to get some beer.”

“…Ah, I see.”

“We’ll be going. Let’s each think about it and meet again.”

Choi Jong-hyun, Jo Bong-joon, and Kang Min-jae left Cha Joo-han’s house.

“Hyungs [older brothers/male friends], please get some rest.”

“Okay. Min-jae, be careful going in too.”

After parting with the two, Kang Min-jae entered the parking lot, started the car, and sat in the driver’s seat, lost in thought for a moment.

What can I do?

What should I do?

With countless worries, he headed home first.

“You’re back so soon?”

As he entered the house, Soo-il, who was sitting in the living room, greeted Kang Min-jae.

Kang Min-jae took off his coat and gave it to the housekeeper who came to greet him, then approached Soo-il.

“Where’s Grandpa?”

“He’s in the study. But you don’t look good? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing happened… Or should I say something did happen.”

“What is it?”

“I’ll talk to you after I see Grandpa.”

Cha Joo-han thinks of getting help from Kang Kwan-woong as if he owes him a debt, but anyway, privately, Kang Kwan-woong is Kang Min-jae’s grandfather.

Of course, at this stage, it seems like nothing will change even if I tell my grandfather, but at least I can ask for advice on what to do.

Kang Min-jae stood in front of the study and took a moment to catch his breath.

He didn’t want to show his grandfather an agitated appearance.

Because there is a possibility that his grandfather might misunderstand that Kang Min-jae is being swayed by emotions.

—Come in.

Then, Kang Kwan-woong’s voice was heard from inside the study, as if he had sensed Kang Min-jae’s presence.

Kang Min-jae eventually opened the door and went inside.

“I’m back.”

First, he greeted him since he had gone out and returned.

However, Kang Kwan-woong was a person who could grasp everything just by looking at Kang Min-jae’s expression.

If it were normal, Kang Kwan-woong would have just said, ‘Okay,’ but this time, he said something different.

“Sit down.”

Kang Min-jae hesitated for a moment, then sat across from Kang Kwan-woong.

Kang Kwan-woong closed the book he was reading and took off his glasses.

And waited for Kang Min-jae to speak.

“Grandpa.”

“Yes.”

“I found out something too terrible.”

“What terrible fact?”

“Wooshin is taking children from the House of Angels orphanage to Japan under the guise of sending them to study abroad and making them do sexual favors [성상납].”

Kang Kwan-woong paused [침음] just as Kang Min-jae finished speaking.

“Did you know?”

Kang Min-jae asked, his eyes widening at Kang Kwan-woong’s reaction.

“So?”

Kang Kwan-woong didn’t answer and instead asked back.

“…I’ve met people who went to study abroad, and I’ve met people who have done sexual favors [성상납] in Japan. Everyone gave their testimonies, but my heart aches so much because there’s nothing we can do right now. And I don’t know which direction to continue the investigation. Testimonies alone are not enough to let the world know about Wooshin’s actions.”

The more he spoke, the more Kang Min-jae was gripped by a sense of helplessness.

Kang Min-jae drooped his head.

Then Kang Kwan-woong said to Kang Min-jae.

“Was Lawyer Cha’s accident also because of that?”

“Probably. We found out about the paper company we were using for money laundering, but we just thought they were trying to kill the lawyer because they wanted to cover up the slush fund issue. But now that I see it, it seems like they were trying to kill him in advance because that company was related to sexual favors [성상납] and they were afraid he would find out.”

At Kang Min-jae’s words, Kang Kwan-woong slowly nodded.

“Most of the children who went to Japan from the House of Angels end up doing sexual favors [성상납] to high-ranking Japanese officials. Is that something that can happen in the 21st century? I really don’t understand. How can people have the face to do such a thing?”

Kang Min-jae couldn’t hide his excitement.

Kang Kwan-woong stared intently at Kang Min-jae.

“Are you going to tell me not to get excited?”

“No. It’s something to get excited about.”

“Right? I’m not overreacting. How can they do such a thing…”

“You’ve dug deep into Wooshin. You’re going to be in more and more danger. Are you still okay with that?”

Kang Kwan-woong asked.

Then Kang Min-jae asked back as if he didn’t understand.

“What do you mean by okay?”

“I mean you being in danger. You might think you’re safe because you’re the grandson of the former president, but you know now. Wooshin doesn’t care about that. There’s no guarantee that something like what happened to Lawyer Cha won’t happen to you.”

“I guess so. But I don’t want to give up. I don’t want to turn a blind eye to the people who are suffering because of Wooshin, and I don’t want to live with my eyes closed and ears shut when there are people who are eating away at our society.”

At Kang Min-jae’s words, Kang Kwan-woong got up from his desk and approached the window.

Kang Kwan-woong stared out the window without a word.

Kang Min-jae looked at Kang Kwan-woong and asked.

“What should I do? How can I save those people? I’m not asking as a lawyer, but as your grandson. Just… How can I help those people?”

Kang Kwan-woong was silent for a long time.

Kang Min-jae quietly waited for Kang Kwan-woong’s answer.

And after a while, Kang Kwan-woong opened his mouth.

“Tell Lawyer Cha that I want to see him in three days.”

“Lawyer Cha?”

“Yes. Just tell him that. And you know that too.”

On Kang Kwan-woong’s face, which Kang Min-jae couldn’t see, a certain determination flashed by.