You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 76

“…Um, well.”

Kang Min-jae is frozen stiff right now.

“You are Mr. Jung Young-joon, correct? You’ve come to us to, well, request a case, is that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

And me as well.

“Let’s go inside first.”

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t taken aback.

“Oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend], let’s go in quickly.”

Jung Young-joon, held by his sister, awkwardly entered the office.

During his marriage, whether long or short, the only law firms he would have visited would have been giant ones.

He seemed fascinated by the small law office, looking around for a long time even after sitting on the sofa.

In contrast, his sister, who seemed to have dragged Jung Young-joon here, had a look of conviction in her eyes.

She even poked Jung Young-joon’s thigh, who was suspiciously examining the office.

“Here, please have some drinks.”

Kang Min-jae, handing them aloe juice, sat next to me with a more nervous look than usual.

Then, he said to me in a very small voice.

“He probably came because of that video, right?”

“Be quiet.”

Video or not, he probably came to ask us to handle the divorce lawsuit.

Although Jung Young-joon or the Yangjin Group haven’t made any official statements yet, this video has ultimately made Jung Young-joon a divorcee.

A divorcee with absolutely nothing.

In fact, Jung Young-joon faced a completely irreparable situation as the ‘perverted’ sex video spread to the world, greatly tarnishing the reputation of his wife and her family.

As far as I know, the Yangjin Group wanted him to just get a divorce without any conditions, and Jung Young-joon wanted to protect his family.

Of course, he ended up being criticized by the media and the public and had to agree to a divorce.

Wasn’t it almost the first case in the 21st century where the public took the side of a chaebol [large, family-owned conglomerate]?

Even to me, who usually doesn’t side with the Koh family, Jung Young-joon shouldn’t even think about a lawsuit.

It would be stranger if he didn’t want to divide the property when divorcing a chaebol, but it seems like he should quietly sign the divorce papers when they let him go nicely.

“I’ve heard of the lawyer’s reputation. But I don’t think you’ve ever handled a divorce case…”

Jung Young-joon carefully opened his mouth.

Unless they were planning to be real enemies with the Yangjin Group, most large law firms wouldn’t want to defend Jung Young-joon.

From Chairman Koh Sang-kyung’s point of view, he brought in a son-in-law from a humble background who he didn’t like in the first place, only to have him repay his kindness with a perverted sex video.

It wouldn’t be enough to retaliate with all his might, and there’s no way he would allow Jung Young-joon to resist the divorce with the help of a famous law firm.

“Oppa, it’s only been a year since they opened, so they can’t have much experience.”

“…Inah, that’s what I’m saying.”

“Is this the time for you to be picky?”

“I know, I know…”

He was just dragged here by his sister, and he doesn’t seem to want to entrust the case to me.

I gestured towards the veranda to Kang Min-jae.

“Well, it seems like you two have something to talk about, so shall we step out for a moment?”

“Ah, it would be polite for us to go out and talk…”

Jung Young-joon bowed his head as if he was very sorry, and Kang Min-jae waved his hand and stood up.

“It’s okay. Please talk comfortably, and let us know when you’re done.”

Kang Min-jae and I went out to the veranda.

And as soon as he closed the veranda door, he lowered his posture and put his ear to the door.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to eavesdrop on what they’re saying.”

Kang Min-jae whispered.

I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up, handing him a cigarette.

Smoke rose from the shared cigarette, and Kang Min-jae crossed his arms and muttered.

“It seems like the sister brought the brother here, right?”

“Looks like it.”

“The sister probably brought him here because our office is famous anyway, but Jung Young-joon seems to want to entrust it to a bigger law firm.”

“He probably got rejected by big law firms and ended up here, eventually.”

“…Probably? It’s been a while since that video was released, and seeing that the Yangjin Group hasn’t done anything yet, it seems like the Yangjin Group has abandoned Jung Young-joon. No, it’s like they’re not just abandoning him, but also hoping he gets screwed over.”

Not to disregard Kang Min-jae, but even a lawyer with such little experience knows this.

None of the major law firms will take Jung Young-joon.

On the internet, it was a hot topic that Jung Young-joon, a son-in-law from a humble background, was being sacrificed to cover up Chief Secretary Ji Myung-ho’s sex bribery case.

Everyone knew that the Ji Myung-ho case was more important, but they were busy talking about Jung Young-joon.

-Lawyer, we’re done talking.

Soon, the sister’s voice was heard from inside.

Kang Min-jae and I put out our cigarettes and went inside.

“Sorry. We were rude, right?”

The sister said with an awkward smile.

“Not at all.”

“Oppa, tell them quickly.”

Jung Young-joon, having been persuaded by his sister, looked at me cautiously.

“Um, where should I start… My name is Jung Young-joon. I’m the husband of Koh Jin-ah, the daughter of Koh Sang-kyung, the chairman of the Yangjin Group. I think you know, but to tell you… Recently, my sex video was leaked and became a hot topic. The content is somewhat stimulating, so I’ve been labeled as a pervert.”

Jung Young-joon said, his face reddening.

The sister sighed next to him.

“The in-laws are demanding a divorce, and I want to protect my family. Because… I still love my wife. I have never had a relationship with another woman of my own volition since I married my wife. I don’t know how that video came about, but… Honestly, I know you won’t believe it. Really, I…”

[Truth]

The letters floating above his head made me flinch slightly.

This was an unexpected situation.

If he hasn’t had a relationship with another woman since he got married, then what is that video?

“Then what about that video?”

“I don’t know either. I don’t even remember. Honestly, it seems like the person in the video is me. Because it looks so much like me even when I see it. But… I don’t know when it was filmed. I have no memory of it. I don’t have such hobbies, and I’m not a pervert!”

Jung Young-joon shouted as if he was wronged.

Still, the word truth was floating above his head.

Perhaps in his previous life, when he eventually agreed to a divorce, he went to several law firms like this time, appealing his innocence.

But there were few people who believed him, or even if there were people who believed him, they were insignificant lawyers.

In the end, wasn’t he branded as a pervert with such hobbies and disappeared after the divorce?

“…You don’t believe me, do you? I understand. Honestly, there were some lawyers who said they would take my case, but no one believed me. There were more people who coaxed me to just agree to a divorce, saying I could be honest with them. So, I don’t have much expectation.”

Jung Young-joon lowered his head as if he had given up.

“You just said that you have never had a relationship with a woman other than your wife of your own volition. Then are you saying there was one against your will?”

After Jung Young-joon became the son-in-law of the Yangjin Group’s only daughter, he became the managing director of Yangjin F&B, a subsidiary of the Yangjin Group.

As the position is what it is, there must have been many people who tried to entertain him.

If he unwillingly went to a second round of drinks at that entertainment event, he might think of it as a relationship against his will.

From my point of view, only being ‘forced’ into a relationship against one’s will, that is, rape or sexual assault and molestation, can be defined as a relationship against one’s will.

If the usage of language is different, there may be a difference between what I am asking and what he is answering, which may be misinterpreted.

Anyway, my ability is to judge the truth and lies that the speaker is thinking.

“By against my will, I mean that video. There’s nothing else. I’m in it, but I have no memory of it at all. Really, not even once.”

“Then are you saying you don’t remember because it happened while you were drunk?”

“Maybe… I think so. Because I do drink. I’ve drunk so much that I’ve completely lost my memory. But I swear I’ve never done anything like that just because I was drunk!”

“You’re saying there’s no such thing, but there’s a video left. That’s strange.”

At my words, Jung Young-joon closed his mouth tightly.

The veins in his hand holding his knee stood out.

“You don’t believe me either, do you?”

“No.”

“If it’s just a platitude, it’s okay. You don’t have to.”

Jung Young-joon closed his eyes tightly.

“Honestly, the murder case from last year, the one you took on. No one believed the adopted sibling, but you were the only one who believed the adopted sibling and proceeded with the case. I read it in an interview article. So, I had a little expectation…”

He grabbed the arm of the sister sitting next to him.

When the sister looked up at him as if embarrassed, Jung Young-joon pulled her arm.

“Get up. Let’s go somewhere else.”

“Oppa…”

Kang Min-jae hurriedly approached Jung Young-joon, who seemed somewhat agitated.

And he said carefully, as if trying to appease him.

“Well, don’t get excited… Our lawyer is a bit straightforward. So,”

“Mr. Jung Young-joon.”

I knew where he was angry.

It must have been my addition of ‘That’s strange’ that upset him.

I said it because I literally thought it was a strange thing, but he was deliberately listening as if I was being sarcastic.

Of course, I don’t not understand his sharp reaction.

He has already been heavily criticized by public opinion for a long time, and his face, which was not well known, has become recognizable to the entire nation.

He is being ridiculed as a ‘national pervert’, and none of the many lawyers he has met so far have believed his words.

“Do you have anything else to say?”

Jung Young-joon retorted sharply.

The sister kept telling Jung Young-joon not to be rude and to calm down, and Kang Min was at a loss.

“I know that Mr. Jung Young-joon didn’t lie.”

“…”

“The reason I said it was strange that the video was left was not to mock Mr. Jung Young-joon’s claim. I was just wondering why such a video was left when Mr. Jung Young-joon’s claim is correct.”

“Then…”

“In fact, when I heard Mr. Jung Young-joon’s words, the first possibility I thought of was a composite [digitally altered video], but since you didn’t mention it, it seems like you’ve already confirmed that it’s not a composite.”

“…”

“Then we should also consider the possibility that someone deliberately took Mr. Jung Young-joon, who was drunk, and left such a video in order to slander him.”

At my words, Jung Young-joon opened his eyes wide as if surprised.

“…Are you really saying you believe my words? Not just saying it?”

“If Mr. Jung Young-joon doesn’t lie, why wouldn’t I believe him?”

When I asked back, this time Kang Min-jae looked at me with a horrified expression.

Is he thinking that I’m judging too hastily?

He quickly came to my side and poked my waist slightly.

It seems like it’s too early to say such a thing, but it’s not early at all.

“Why? …Why do you believe my words?”

“You criticized me when you thought I didn’t believe Mr. Jung Young-joon, but why are you asking me why I believe you this time?”

At my question, Jung Young-joon slumped down on the sofa as if he had lost his strength.

“…That’s right. That’s right, I am. I’m sorry.”

Jung Young-joon took a sip of aloe juice, calming his flushed breath.

“The reason why I believe Mr. Jung Young-joon is not important. What’s important is that I believe you.”

“…Yes.”

“You said that what you want is to protect your family, so your wife, who wants a divorce, will file a lawsuit.”

Jung Young-joon nodded heavily.

“That’s what will happen. My father-in-law and mother-in-law didn’t like me from the beginning, so maybe they’ll think they caught something and it’s a good thing… My wife, I don’t know about my wife…”

He swept his hair back with a troubled face.

It was only now that I saw his eyes, which were red with bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept properly for days.

In fact, if I were a really good lawyer, I would fully consider the client’s position and proceed with the conversation in an appropriate way…

If I could do that, I wouldn’t have needed Kang Min-jae from the beginning.

I don’t intend to deny it if you feel that I’m being rude.

It’s hard to even count how many times I’ve been told I’m rude in my life.

But I know how to compensate for such rudeness.

“I will take on the case. Ah, of course, if Mr. Jung Young-joon wants me to.”

That is, to bring the client the desired results.