You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 541

So, others saw it that way too. Maybe I was being overly sensitive.

And if he’s really using drugs, it doesn’t seem like it’s just entry-level stuff like marijuana.

It hasn’t been that long since Son Jeongmin disappeared.

If there’s been that much change in that short time, it must be a pretty strong drug.

And the fact that Son Jeongmin was exposed to that drug, it’s highly likely that it was done by those who are holding him captive.

─Did they do it to make him dependent on them? I’ve seen a lot of guys ruin people’s lives by getting people addicted to drugs who had nothing to do with them.

Daecheol’s words were perfectly reasonable.

I’ve also seen many cases where people are tied down in that way.

Besides, isn’t South Korea in 2012 outwardly a drug-free country?

Even up to 2018, when I experienced it, it was quite difficult for ordinary people to get drugs stronger than marijuana.

But Son Jeongmin isn’t rich, and he’s a minor.

If Son Jeongmin is addicted to drugs, isn’t it obvious?

There must be a clear intention behind giving him drugs at the House of Angels.

What I can guess is, first, as Daecheol said, to make Son Jeongmin, who has difficulty getting drugs, obedient to them, who are the only drug suppliers.

Second, if Son Jeongmin gets out of their control and testifies to something, to undermine the credibility of his statements by claiming he is mentally or physically weak.

Or maybe both.

If I keep harping on Son Jeongmin’s safety, they can just say that the drugs were Son Jeongmin’s personal deviation and that they didn’t know about it.

“We need to find him as soon as possible. Before it gets more dangerous.”

─I agree…….

“Did you chase the van?”

─Yes, but…….

Daecheol trailed off uncertainly.

“Did you lose it?”

─I’m sorry. If I can make an excuse, can I?

“Keep it short if you’re going to.”

─It was such a common car that they were faking it while driving, so it was hard to tell. We could only move with one car, so we couldn’t stick too close without being noticed…….

“Faking it while driving means they noticed they were being followed?”

─I don’t know about that. But I don’t think they did. Because Kim Youngji reported to the director on the phone without any problems and returned to the House of Angels, and there was nothing strange about it afterward. If Kim Youngji knew we were following him, I don’t think he would have done that. We also fake it while driving even when we don’t detect anyone following us. Just in case. They might be doing that too. Especially since Son Jeongmin was exposed to us, they’ll be more careful…….

It stings to have missed the opportunity we barely caught, but there’s nothing we can do now.

“Okay, I understand. Keep a close eye on the House of Angels. Something might happen to Seongyoon.”

If only I knew where he was being held, I could report it to the local police station, ask Heo Minwoo for help, or use various methods to investigate.

“Oh, how did Seongyoon end up meeting Jeongmin?”

─Well, I didn’t hear everything clearly. It seems like Seongyoon is having some conflicts with the people at the House of Angels. And it seems like he strongly insisted on meeting Jeongmin.

“Really?”

─Yes. So, I think the House of Angels couldn’t ignore his request and let him meet Jeongmin. That’s the vibe I got.

According to the college students who volunteered at the House of Angels, Son Jeongmin and Eom Seongyoon were quite close.

And coincidentally, the House of Angels used both of them.

Did Eom Seongyoon know about Son Jeongmin’s situation?

So, was he involved in the framing plan to save Son Jeongmin?

I can’t be sure at this stage because there isn’t much information, but it seems certain that Son Jeongmin is the bait that brought Eom Seongyoon into this situation.

And, seeing that he’s having conflicts with the House of Angels, Seongyoon might be in danger too.

“Okay.”

─Yes. Please go in.”

As soon as I hung up, Jo Bongjoon let out a hollow laugh, as if he was dumbfounded.

“He’s really being a pain in the ass in every way.”

I’m getting tired of these sighs now.

We always end up feeling this way whenever we start investigating Wooshin.

“Seongyoon might be in danger. We need to contact him.”

Kang Minjae frowned as he spoke.

I feel the same way.

Without delay, I searched for the contact information and called the president of the volunteer club.

─Oh, Attorney. Hello. What brings you here?

I thought she might not be happy to hear from me since she only had bad memories of the House of Angels, but thankfully, she seemed pleased.

“There’s something I’d like to ask you.”

─Oh, please tell me anything. I have to listen to you if it’s a request from you, Attorney.

“I think there are still students who are in contact with the children at the House of Angels. If there are any students who are in contact with middle or high school students, I’d like to meet them.”

─Well, I’ve heard that some children contact them personally, but I’m not sure if they’re middle or high school students. I’ll check and let you know right away.

I hung up the phone and stood there, organizing my thoughts.

There were so many things to do.

I need to take care of a lot of things before the surgery starts, but there are so many tasks ahead of us.

Maybe it’s only natural.

I want everyone to be safe and sound.

Not only the people who are helping with this, but even those who have harmed me, I can’t stand them being sacrificed to Wooshin instead of the law.

I have to avoid all the traps that Wooshin has laid everywhere and restore all the abnormal situations they have created haphazardly.

I started this work hoping that no one would be harmed by Wooshin, so I can’t turn a blind eye and pass by with the thought that ‘I don’t have to save these people.’

That’s why everything feels so breathless.

No matter how urgent it is, I have no choice but to catch my breath and do the things I have prepared one by one.

“Attorney.”

Kang Minjae stared at me, who was standing still.

“Are you okay?”

It seems like I was out of breath without realizing it.

My chest was rising and falling noticeably.

I put my hand on it and took a long breath.

“I’m okay.”

“Are you really okay?”

At Kang Minjae’s question, I went back to the table and sat down, saying to the others.

“We need to be careful not to rush and make mistakes. We can solve everything if we do it step by step.”

To be exact, I was saying it to myself.

* * *

“Oppa.”

Seongyoon, who was watching the children strolling around the playground in groups of three or five after dinner, lifted his head at the sudden voice.

Yookyung was sitting next to him before he knew it.

She was a girl who had entered the facility around the same time as him, and she was one of the few peers who was friendly with Seongyoon, who didn’t have many close friends inside the House of Angels.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. You seem to have a lot of worries these days.”

“Why? Are you going to ask me why I did that too?”

Seongyoon glared at Yookyung.

Then Yookyung pouted.

“I’m not curious about that.”

“Then why are you bringing it up so strangely? Like you’re trying to sound me out.”

When Seongyoon reacted sharply, Yookyung sighed.

“I was just going to ask you to go get a hamburger with me after school tomorrow because you seemed to be in a bad mood these days, but never mind. I’m such an idiot for trying to spend my hard-earned allowance on you.”

As soon as Yookyung finished speaking, she jumped up from the bench, and Seongyoon hesitated for a moment before grabbing the end of her sleeve.

“No, that’s not what I meant……. I’m sorry. I guess I’ve been sensitive lately.”

“It’s okay. I’m mad at you. You’re really ignoring someone’s sincerity like this.”

“Ah, I’m really sorry. After school tomorrow, you said? Let’s go. I’ll buy you one.”

“You will?”

“……Yeah. I’m really sorry.”

“Then I’ll treat you to karaoke. There’s a place in front of the school that costs 5,000 won per hour. Do you know it?”

“No, I didn’t know……. But I can’t sing.”

“I don’t care, I want to go. Then let’s meet after school tomorrow. I’ll go as soon as school is over, so you come right away too. Oh, don’t tell anyone. Especially the teachers. The teachers are nagging us to come right away after school these days.”

Yookyung finished saying what she wanted to say and blended back in with the children who were walking around the playground again.

In fact, if he were to leave the facility, he was planning to give separate gifts to Yookyung and a few others beforehand.

Judging from the way things are going now, he doesn’t know when that will be, but even so, if he leaves suddenly, he might not even have the chance, so it would be better to do it in advance.

* * *

Meeting Yookyung in front of the school gate went according to plan.

However, Yookyung said she had to stop by somewhere for a moment and dragged Seongyoon, who was about to enter the fast food restaurant, to a restaurant he had never seen before.

He had never been to a place like this, let alone a family restaurant.

In fact, the only time he had been to a family restaurant was when he was inadvertently invited to his friendless partner’s birthday in middle school, and he was shocked by the prices on the menu.

If that’s what a family restaurant is like, how expensive would a place like this be?

Seongyoon looked at Yookyung with a flustered expression.

“Hey, I only have enough money to buy you a hamburger…….”

As he said that, he even took out a crumpled ten-thousand-won bill from his pocket and showed it to her.

But Yookyung didn’t care and led him inside.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to pay.”

“Hey, do you know how much this place costs? It looks really expensive…….”

“Ah, don’t worry, I said. Come on, hurry up.”

Yookyung said that and pulled Seongyoon inside.

Once they passed the checkout counter, it became awkward to go back out.

He didn’t know what she was trying to do, but he couldn’t help it because Yookyung was grabbing his sleeve and dragging him along.

She said he didn’t have to pay, and above all, Yookyung wasn’t the type of kid to do anything weird to him, so Seongyoon was puzzled but followed her quietly.

“Yookyung!”

And as soon as they went inside, they ran into familiar faces.

It was understandable that the children from the House of Angels, who were usually close to Yookyung, were there, but the most shocking thing was the sight of an adult sitting with the children.

It was one of the college students who had volunteered at the House of Angels.

Fortunately, it wasn’t Kim Hyunjong, whom Seongyoon had tried to frame, but he still felt a great sense of aversion.

To be exact, it wasn’t aversion, but embarrassment and guilt.

He was also aware that he had framed Kim Hyunjong as an abuser, so he didn’t want to see that club student even more.

“What’s going on?”

“Oppa, I’m sorry.”

“What’s going on?”

“The teacher asked me too much……. And you seemed to have a lot of worries too……. I know you’re definitely not that kind of person. I hope you don’t misunderstand…….”

“You said you didn’t have any intention like that. You just wanted to cheer me up because I looked like I was in a bad mood. Damn it, you’re the same too.”

Seongyoon, who rarely swore, came out harshly, and Yookyung seemed very surprised.

She didn’t know what to do and looked at the table where the college student and her friends were sitting.

Then the college student got up and approached Seongyoon.

“Seongyoon, I didn’t tell Hyunjong teacher because I thought you’d be uncomfortable. Don’t worry, and don’t worry about talking to the teacher either…….”

“The teacher isn’t supposed to be here if I’m not talking to him. That’s enough. I’m leaving anyway.”

Seongyoon gritted his teeth and turned around.

And as soon as he did, he almost bumped into two unfamiliar men standing behind him.

“Ah, seriously, what is it…….”

Seongyoon, who was already angry, looked up at them irritably.

“Hello.”

The man with the affable impression among the two greeted Seongyoon.

He was looking at them wondering what they were, since he had never seen them before, but the college student said cautiously.

“You don’t have to see the teacher, but can you talk to those two for a moment?”

“Who are these people? No, I’m not curious. I’m leaving anyway.”

Seongyoon tried to pass by the two men and go out of the restaurant.

The college student was about to grab Seongyoon, but the man who had greeted Seongyoon said.