You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 42

“These are the scripts for episodes 19 and 20 of that were aired,” I said, pointing to the scripts that Kang Min-jae had placed under the lens.

“And these are the scripts for episodes 19 and 20 that were filmed in advance but not aired.”

A neatly bound script was placed next to it.

Immediately, Jeong Hye-jin and Yoo Jeong-won’s expressions twisted.

It was only natural.

This was evidence that had been deliberately omitted from the prepared statement.

From the moment they included the inspiration notes in their response, I thought it would be best not to reveal this in advance.

“Objection! This is evidence that was not submitted in advance.”

“I submitted the documentary evidence today, and I will resubmit it in writing after the trial. May I continue?”

“Continue.”

If I had presented it as hastily prepared evidence, the judge would have immediately dismissed it.

His expression was very displeased.

It was already confirmed that the judge was not cooperative, so there was no need to express dissatisfaction anew.

“It is known that films the following week’s episodes in advance the week before. However, episodes 19 and 20 were filmed urgently, and the actors were on set until the day of the broadcast.”

Next, the filming schedules of the cast members were displayed.

Soon after, a screen capture of a message board where people were arguing that the loose ends hadn’t been tied up appeared on the screen.

“Episodes 19 and 20 were hastily revised after the plaintiff stated their position. And as a result, the so-called loose ends, or foreshadowing, that were frequently exposed in the drama up to episode 18 were not properly explained in the ending. The aired episodes 19 and 20 are clearly different from the plaintiff’s script. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the childhood salvation narrative between the male and female leads disappears….”

I picked up the previously written scripts for episodes 19 and 20.

“However, the originally filmed episodes 19 and 20 follow the plaintiff’s script exactly. The female lead of says, ‘Was it you? Were you the one who pulled me out of the pitch-black glacier back then?’ And in the plaintiff’s script, the female lead says, ‘Was it you, CEO? Were you the one who pulled me out of the thick, solid flames like a glacier?'”

I put down the script.

It is not common to compare flames to a glacier.

Unless it’s compared to something like hell.

I explained that part and continued my argument.

“And if we had gone with this content, the foreshadowing would have been perfectly explained and completed. However, the defendant did not do so. Rather, it even seems like a ploy to restart the already finished filming and change the core past narrative even now. And one more thing here.”

A heavy silence flowed through the courtroom.

I looked at Jeong Hye-jin and Yoo Jeong-won and slowly opened my mouth.

“The defendant said that the manuscript submitted to the contest was rejected in the first round and they didn’t see it. The plaintiff also never released the script except for the contest. But how could the defendant know that the content was the same as the plaintiff’s script and hastily revise it before the broadcast?”

The reporters sitting in the audience slowly began to nod.

“The defendant must have seen the plaintiff’s script in advance. They kept plagiarizing, thinking they wouldn’t get caught, but when the plaintiff announced that they would sue in the later part, they hastily revised the script.”

As I finished speaking, the reporters quickly began to write something in their notebooks.

Some were rapidly typing on laptop keyboards.

I sat down again, and Kang Min-jae leaned towards me and whispered softly.

“You’re awesome, Attorney.”

Soon after, Yoo Jeong-won stood up from her seat.

Her associate lawyer quickly went to where Kang Min-jae was and busily prepared the documents under the lens.

Meanwhile, Yoo Jeong-won glanced at me after scanning the documents in her hand.

Her lips were forming a strange curve.

Now is the time for that evidence to come out.

A trial where several prepared documents are exchanged is nothing more than a place to confirm the evidence that has already been presented.

Would it have been better not to know?

I still don’t have a clue how to counter that evidence that I haven’t solved the mystery of yet.

“Your Honor. The plaintiff’s attorney’s argument is nothing more than absurd speculation. From the beginning, the defendant began writing the original draft of before seeing the plaintiff’s script. Please see Exhibits Eul No. 2 and No. 3.”

The evidence that was already familiar from being submitted came up on the screen.

The synopsis creation log made with the PD [Production Director], and the inspiration notes.

“If you look at the synopsis creation log file, the file creation date is July 2006. Also, as confirmed in the inspiration notes, the defendant happened to pass by Iyang-gu Samchang-dong, the setting of , around September 2006 and described this scenery in handwriting in the notes. The defendant said that they started properly writing the detailed settings of the drama, which only had a rough outline, from this day.”

It was a copy in the response, but what was visible on the screen was the original.

‘2006’ was written on the cover of the notebook.

When I turned to the September page marked with a flag, the part where I visited and described Iyang-gu Samchang-dong was revealed.

What on earth happened?

It doesn’t seem like paper was inserted in the middle with the naked eye.

Even if we assume that they used a method of melting the notebook’s binding glue, inserting the paper, and then hardening it again, it’s strange.

Since some time has passed, there should be a slight stain on the paper.

However, judging from the fact that even the ballpoint pen ink from the previous page has spread, it seems like a diary written sequentially.

Then it doesn’t make sense that it’s 2006.

“In particular, the defendant, who was greatly inspired by the red color that is often seen in the night view of Samchang-dong, asked that the drama also utilize a lot of red tones, and the drama was actually produced that way.”

The screen changed to show drama scenes that made a lot of use of red tones, but I didn’t pay attention to them.

My eyes were only on that inspiration note.

“Also, here is a video proving that this note is really the note that the defendant actually used in 2006. It’s Exhibit Eul No. 9.”

The associate lawyer played a making-of video of a drama written by Jeong Hye-jin that aired in 2006.

Jeong Hye-jin, who visited the filming set, was talking to the director, and she was holding that notebook in her hand.

The notebook in the video had a lot of signs of use, such as folded marks, stains, and ballpoint pen scratches on the corners.

And that was the same as the one that was presented as evidence in court now.

“The plaintiff submitted the script to the Blue Island Media contest the following year, in March 2007. Therefore, we argue that the defendant could not have plagiarized the plaintiff’s script from the beginning.”

* * *

The internet was plastered with stories about the trial.

Tired from the long trial, I was sitting on the office sofa with my legs on the table, and Kang Min-jae was running around the office like crazy.

That sight was annoying, so I finally opened my mouth.

“Just stay still.”

“…I have a bad feeling.”

“About what? Did the articles come out badly?”

“No? It’s just that the ratio of articles that seem to have been paid for by Blue Island and articles that say we’re pitiful is about the same.”

“So?”

“The trial ended in a *jjipjjip* [unpleasant or unresolved] way. In the end, we only raised an objection to whether that inspiration note could be proper evidence and whether there was a possibility of manipulation, and the judgment date was set… Ah. I’m going crazy, really.”

I closed my eyes and recalled the evidence note I saw in court.

Even without using my ability, I knew that the evidence was manipulated, but I still had no idea how to prove it.

“Attorney, are you sleepy now? The judge is already on their side! How can you sleep like that knowing how the judgment will turn out?”

“I’m not trying to sleep, I’m thinking, so be quiet.”

“People who are caught trying to sleep always say they’re thinking.”

Kang Min-jae grumbled.

He’s even talking back now that I’ve been watching him for a while.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Anyway, the key point will be to reveal that the note is manipulated.

I requested a copy of the inspiration note with the intention of applying for a resumption of the argument, so they will send it because they don’t want to show that they are feeling pressured.

“…And Tae-shik, that bastard…”

Thump!

At that moment, the door suddenly slammed shut.

Kang Min-jae, startled, looked towards it, and I also raised my body from lying down and turned my head towards the door.

“Go see who it is.”

“Yes.”

When Kang Min-jae opened the office door, a large figure was standing in front of it.

It’s Tae-shik.

“Boss?”

“No, well, what is it. I was going to come another day because it seemed like the lawyer was in a bad mood….”

“Come in.”

I said, pulling myself onto the sofa.

I took off the jacket I hadn’t taken off yet and loosened my tie a little.

I was tired, but anyway, there was something to settle with Tae-shik.

“The trial was a bit, not good, I see.”

Tae-shik asked cautiously as he sat across from me.

Kang Min-jae told him in detail what happened at the trial instead of me, saying, ‘Don’t even mention it.’

“Is this all happening because I couldn’t find that printed copy?”

Tae-shik asked carefully, as if feeling guilty, which didn’t suit him.

I shook my head.

It would have been really nice if there was a printed copy, but it wasn’t that I didn’t consider the possibility that there wouldn’t be one.

Even excluding that, I should have pressed them properly today.

That inspiration note. If it wasn’t for that inspiration note.

“Tae-shik.”

“Yes, Attorney.”

“Do some driving. Kang Attorney must be tired, so go home.”

I rummaged through the pile of documents piled high on the desk and picked up a copy of the inspiration note that I had secured in advance.

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Kang Attorney, but no matter how I thought about it, this inspiration note was suspicious, so I was going to go to Samchang-dong myself.

As Tae-shik nodded and got up in confusion, Kang Min-jae followed us and asked.

“Where are you going?”

“I told you to go home.”

If I told Kang Attorney that I was going to Samchang-dong again, he would think that I didn’t recognize his ability.

That wasn’t actually the case.

Anyone can make mistakes, and they can miss something in the process.

I just want to check if there were any such things.

“Come along.”

When I threw the car keys to Tae-shik, Kang Min-jae also nodded without arguing further.

I thought he would insist on following me to the end, but what’s wrong with him.

He must be very tired too, so it wasn’t that I didn’t understand.

He’s been running busily enough all this time.