You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 424

You Have Been Defended – Episode 425

#425

Kang Min-jae called Kang Su-il every hour to ask about Kang Kwan-woong’s condition, but each time, Kang Su-il replied that it was the same.

Eventually, Kang Min-jae seemed exhausted and stopped calling, saying he felt like he was bothering Kang Su-il.

I didn’t want to show that I was also uneasy, as it would make Kang Min-jae even more concerned, so I lay on the single bed, facing the wall, pretending to sleep.

Around 11 PM, Kang Min-jae turned on the news at a low volume and smoked a cigarette. Around 12 AM, he seemed to think he should shower and went into the bathroom.

However, what came from the bathroom wasn’t the sound of water, but the sound of crying.

I glanced at the closed bathroom door and sighed.

Even though Kang Su-il was there, Kang Kwan-woong was Kang Min-jae’s only remaining relative.

He probably didn’t think the elderly Kang Kwan-woong would live forever, but he didn’t expect the time to prepare his heart would be now.

His feelings were understandable.

Kang Min-jae finally came out of the bathroom after an hour.

And he just stared blankly at the Yongin Wooshin Hospital building visible through the window.

“…Lawyer.”

Kang Min-jae’s subdued voice came from behind me.

It was such a small voice that I wouldn’t have heard it if I had been asleep.

I didn’t answer and continued to pretend to sleep.

Kang Min-jae would need time to sort out his feelings, and if he knew I was awake, he wouldn’t be able to sleep because he would be talking.

“Haa…”

Kang Min-jae sighed softly and seemed to lie down on the bed next to me.

The bedding rustled, and soon the lights in the entire room went out.

I pretended to stir and turned towards Kang Min-jae.

Kang Min-jae was lying on his side, with his back to me.

I could see the light from his phone, as if he was doing something with it.

He seemed to be looking up articles about Kang Kwan-woong and checking if there was any new information about the suspect.

Then, Kang Min-jae put down his phone.

And around 2 AM…

I heard the sound of even breathing.

He seemed to have fallen asleep from exhaustion.

Only then did I get up.

I went into the bathroom and checked my phone, and there was a message from Kang Su-il.

[Lawyer. How is Min-jae doing? Min-jae says he’s okay, but I’m worried.]

The message was sent 30 minutes ago.

Kang Su-il seemed to be taking naps and constantly monitoring the situation.

[He’s having a hard time, but he just fell asleep.]

I sent a simple reply and checked the messages I hadn’t replied to yet.

Choi Jong-hyun, Jo Bong-joon, Manager Oh, Yoon Se-yeon, Lee Ye-jin, Dong-jin who seemed to have seen the news late, and even my parents had sent messages asking how Kang Min-jae was.

I replied to them in order and sat on the edge of the bathtub, holding my forehead.

‘Is it really Wooshin’s doing?’

It’s hard to completely exclude emotions, but I think it’s a pretty reasonable guess.

But personally, I hope it’s not Wooshin’s doing.

It’s not that I’m worried about the karma Ko Sang-joon is accumulating, but I’m sick and tired of the pain of people being harmed by Wooshin in real-time.

I hope Kang Kwan-woong doesn’t die, but because I always have a habit of assuming the worst-case scenario and thinking about alternatives, my head is getting more and more complicated.

There are too many tasks facing me, no, facing us.

The accumulation of slush funds through L&B and the prostitution using the children of the Angel House.

There are so many things to uncover.

These are problems that must be revealed at all costs.

But if Kang Kwan-woong really dies, will I be able to reveal that this is Wooshin’s doing?

I don’t think my success so far is because of my outstanding abilities.

Of course, I have solved cases without future knowledge, but now the size is growing uncontrollably.

Anyway, I’ll only know if I try.

But at this moment, if the person who gave me my second life is a god, I had no choice but to ask that god.

Whether I can break through this adversity.

“…”

After being lost in thought for a long time, I decided to get up.

I took off my clothes and went into the shower booth.

I thought it would be better to wash up and go out, as I couldn’t be looking so disheveled.

I took a quick shower and was drying my hair with a hairdryer when I heard Kang Min-jae’s voice from outside the bathroom.

─Lawyer?

I looked at the clock in the bathroom and it was only 4 AM.

I turned off the hairdryer and opened the bathroom door.

“You’re already up? Was the hairdryer too loud?”

“No, I just woke up. I’m also thirsty…”

Kang Min-jae opened a bottle of water and answered.

“Go back to sleep. The sun hasn’t even risen yet.”

“I don’t think I can sleep anymore. And I’ve slept enough.”

I knew he had only fallen asleep around 2 AM, but I couldn’t argue because I had been pretending to sleep.

I replied that I understood and continued to dry my hair.

“Why did you shower so early, Lawyer?”

“I went to bed early.”

“You weren’t sleeping.”

Kang Min-jae said with his arms crossed.

Did he know?

But I didn’t bother to confirm it.

“I was sleeping.”

“I can tell whether you’re sleeping or not just by listening to your breathing, Lawyer.”

“Are you a stalker? That’s a bit creepy.”

“Geez. Anyway, I woke up early, so I’m just going to shower and go to the hospital. You should have breakfast or something.”

“Kang.”

“I don’t think I can eat anything.”

“Then I won’t eat either.”

“Why? What if you don’t eat either, Lawyer?”

“Chief Kang probably ate a piece of bread. You eat something too, Kang.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Then I don’t want to either.”

Kang Min-jae looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it.

Kang Su-il’s intention in asking me to be with Kang Min-jae was probably not just to be there, but also to take care of him.

But I couldn’t send him back to the hospital, having not eaten or drunk anything other than water and canned coffee since hearing the news yesterday.

If Kang Kwan-woong wakes up today, it might be okay, but if he has to stay in the hospital for a long time or something happens, Kang Min-jae really wouldn’t eat for days.

“Ha, really, why are you doing this? I feel uncomfortable because it seems like I’m causing you trouble, Lawyer. That’s why I told you to go home…”

Kang Min-jae trailed off, glancing at me as if he was embarrassed.

I covered the bowl of porridge and crossed my arms.

“If something like this happened to my parents, you would have been even more over the top and made a fuss, right?”

“I’m originally that kind of person, but you’re not, Lawyer.”

“How do you know, Kang?”

“I’ve known you for years, Lawyer, geez.”

“You still don’t know me well enough.”

I said, drinking my Americano.

In fact, I had never taken care of someone like this before.

But I felt like I had to do this.

Whether it was because Kang Su-il had repeatedly asked me to, or something else, I don’t know.

“I’m done eating. Should we check out now?”

“Open the lid.”

“Why?”

“Open it.”

Kang Min-jae pouted and opened the lid.

About half of the porridge was left.

“Eat it all.”

“Ah, I don’t feel well.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Eat it all.”

“I really don’t.”

“3.”

“…”

“2.”

“Aish.”

Kang Min-jae picked up the spoon again and emptied the bowl.

I got up from my seat.

“Let’s go.”

“It’s really unfair that you count numbers, Lawyer.”

“It’s more unfair for you to skip meals, Kang.”

“Why is that unfair?”

“You have a good appetite, but if you suddenly don’t eat, I get worried.”

“Are you worried about me?”

Kang Min-jae asked with a smirk.

What does he think of me?

“Then I won’t? Get dressed.”

After checking out, we headed back to the hospital.

The sun hadn’t risen yet, probably because it was still cold, and there weren’t many people passing by.

It took 15 minutes to get here last time, but maybe because I let him sleep and fed him, it didn’t take long to arrive at the hospital.

As we entered the intensive care unit hallway, Kang Su-il, who had been leaning against the bench and sleeping, woke up with a start at the sound of footsteps.

“Oh, Min-jae. Why are you already here? Did you get any sleep?”

“Yes, I also ate. How is Grandpa?”

“He’s still the same. Why didn’t you rest more?”

“It’s okay. I’m also on pins and needles. If you forced me to rest at the hotel, at least give me a break here, Hyung [older brother/friend]. You should go somewhere and get some sleep. The head of the security team is here anyway.”

“I slept a bit. There’s still a long time before visiting hours, you know. What are you going to do until then?”

“I’ll just pray here that Grandpa gets better, or something.”

Kang Min-jae smiled slightly and approached the window of the hospital room where Kang Kwan-woong was lying.

And he looked inside the hospital room for a long time.

“Lawyer Cha.”

While Kang Min-jae was doing that, Kang Su-il spoke to me in a low voice.

“Did you get any sleep? You replied late at night.”

“I didn’t sleep.”

“You should have gotten some sleep.”

“It’s okay.”

“You’re suffering because of us.”

“It’s nothing.”

After being there for a long time, dawn began to break.

[Lawyer, is there any improvement in the elder’s condition?]

At that time, a message came from Manager Oh.

Manager Oh also seemed uneasy and had woken up early.

[It doesn’t seem like there’s been much improvement yet.]

[Oh dear… He needs to wake up soon. Ah, should I keep rejecting the inquiries coming into the office?]

[Please do so.]

[Yes. But did you get any rest, Lawyer?]

[Yes.]

[I’ll also stop by the hospital this afternoon.]

[Okay. I’ll let Kang know.]

After sending the reply and leaning back on the bench, I started to feel sleepy.

“Kang.”

“Yes?”

“I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit.”

“Yes. Ah, should I ask if there’s a comfortable place to sleep?”

“No. It’ll just be for a bit.”

I closed my eyes.

After staying up all night, I quickly became drowsy.

And I fell asleep.

─Beep beep beep!

I woke up with a start at the loud noise.

I momentarily looked around.

Suddenly, I heard hurried footsteps in the intensive care unit hallway.

Medical staff were running like crazy from the corner.

Kang Min-jae also jumped up from the bench at the same time as me and ran to the hospital room window, and Kang Su-il, who had been leaning against the wall, did the same.

The medical staff quickly rushed into the hospital room.

“Doctor, what’s wrong!”

Kang Min-jae frantically asked the medical staff who were trying to close the hospital room door, but the medical staff closed the door without answering.

I went next to Kang Min-jae and looked through the window.

The beeping sound, presumably coming from inside the hospital room, continued, and the medical staff began to surround Kang Kwan-woong.

Kang Kwan-woong’s figure was not visible, obscured by them.

And soon, the sound of an announcement filled the intensive care unit hallway.

─GS ICU Code Blue, Code Blue.

Code Blue.

A code activated when cardiopulmonary resuscitation is needed due to cardiac arrest.