You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 9

You’ve Been Defended – Episode 9

‘What?’

“I killed them both.”

“…….”

“Like Hyung [older brother] said, like our relatives said, I usually resented them for favoring only Hyung. I was so angry that I killed them! I’m also greedy for the inheritance. They had a lot of money, you know.”

“…….”

“I didn’t even appreciate the grace of them adopting and raising me!”

With those words, Kim Yeon-jun began to cry loudly.

The words floating above his head were all lies, without exception.

I was in great confusion as I watched him.

Clearly, in the future, Kim Yeon-jun would be convicted and serve time.

But what is this situation now?

Even though Kim Yeon-jun confessed to killing his parents himself, saying he killed them because he was being favored and was greedy for the inheritance, it’s all judged as false.

Is this ability malfunctioning?

No, that can’t be.

I’ve tested it dozens, hundreds of times, and it’s never happened before.

“Mr. Kim Yeon-jun.”

“……Is that the answer you wanted, Attorney?”

Kim Yeon-jun asked, swallowing his sobs.

“I have just one more question.”

“……Go ahead.”

“Even if you didn’t directly kill Kim Cheol-hwan and Yeo Hee-suk, didn’t you cause their deaths?”

“I told you I killed them!”

[False]

“No, Mr. Kim Yeon-jun did not kill them. Answer my question.”

Kim Yeon-jun’s eyes widened as if surprised by my words.

He seemed to be deep in thought.

Since the relatives and his brother had all said he killed his parents, he must be full of distrust for the world.

The police and prosecutors would have been the same.

Being arrested on the spot meant there was a high possibility he was caught red-handed.

I might be the first person to assert that he didn’t kill them.

“Is there anything you did that led to their deaths?”

Kim Yeon-jun answered after a long pause.

“No.”

[True]

“I’m sorry, but really, just one more question.”

“……Yes.”

“Is Mr. Kim Yeon-jun even slightly involved in the murder of the two?”

“Well, I can’t say I’m not involved, but I think my brother was provoked because of me…….”

“What do you mean your brother was provoked?”

Come to think of it, Kim Yeon-jun seemed to have insisted that his brother was the real culprit before confessing at the time of the incident.

But the evidence was so clear that Kim Yeon-jun’s words were treated as just a reaction to his adoptive parents’ biological son.

Worrying that public opinion would become noisy, the prosecution and police did not disclose the fact to the media.

“Are you saying now that your brother, Kim Hyeong-jun, is the real culprit who killed the two?”

“Yes.”

“Did you directly witness your brother killing the two?”

“Yes.”

[True]

It was an answer that made me sigh involuntarily.

The real culprit was the two’s biological son, the brother, and the adopted son was framed as the culprit instead.

The prosecution didn’t believe it, didn’t reveal it, and the brother, who was constantly being pushed, eventually gave up everything and confessed that it was his doing.

That is the future, or rather, what happened in the past for me.

“Attorney, do you believe me?”

“Yes.”

I asserted.

“I will defend Mr. Kim Yeon-jun.”

Wrong things must be corrected.

* * *

“I came out of the Dogok-dong house and was living in a Gosiwon [a type of small, inexpensive room often used by students or those studying for exams]. It’s in the building across from the cafe.”

“Why were you living away from home when it’s not far from Dogok-dong?”

“I told them at home that I wanted to reduce my commute time to focus on studying… But the truth is, it was because of my brother.”

“What was wrong with your brother?”

“When he came home drunk, he would throw tantrums at Mom and Dad, asking why they adopted me and wasted money, why they were donating to orphanages.”

Kim Yeon-jun answered, choking up.

“After that, I only went home about once a week. No, sometimes it was twice a month. But every time I went home, my brother would push and hit Mom and Dad.”

“What was the reason?”

“I don’t know. I asked Mom and Dad separately, but they wouldn’t tell me. My brother only said, ‘Why did you adopt him and waste money?’ when he hit Mom and Dad… According to my parents, my brother was like that every time I came to that house. They said he didn’t hit them when I wasn’t there…….”

He only did that when Kim Yeon-jun was there?

Why? To show Kim Yeon-jun?

A warning to just disappear because his parents are getting beaten because of him?

“So I was thinking of living completely separately, but Mom and Dad said that the family should still sit down and eat together, so they told me to visit even if it’s just occasionally. So that day too… sob. It’s probably because of me. Sniff.”

As if the tears he had struggled to stop were bursting out again, Kim Yeon-jun raised his head and blinked for a while.

And he continued in a trembling voice.

“I wanted to tell my parents to cut ties with my brother, but my situation… As you know, since I’m adopted, I thought I would be misunderstood if I told them to cut ties with their biological son. So I couldn’t bring myself to say that, and I just… I just told my brother to stop. At that time, I should have stopped him properly…….”

“When you were arrested, why were you holding a baseball bat?”

“When the police knocked on the door, telling me to open it, my brother handed me the baseball bat. I took it without thinking, and then my brother opened the door and suddenly told the police that I killed my parents, begging them to save him…….”

“Only Mr. Kim Yeon-jun’s fingerprints were found on the baseball bat. What’s the reason for that?”

“I, I don’t know. I was almost in a panic too… I was hit a lot while trying to stop my brother.”

Kim Yeon-jun unbuttoned his prison uniform and showed the bruises on his upper body.

The baseball bat is definitely the murder weapon, but if only Kim Yeon-jun’s fingerprints were found?

Kim Hyeong-jun either had no fingerprints or was wearing gloves. One of the two.

In the meantime, there wouldn’t have been time to remove the fingerprints.

I’m leaning towards the gloves.

“What’s your brother’s name?”

“Kim Hyeong-jun.”

“Okay, so you don’t know why Kim Hyeong-jun killed your parents?”

“Yes. I think it happened by mistake while he was beating them so badly…….”

Kim Yeon-jun also doesn’t know Kim Hyeong-jun’s motive.

What I have to do is find Kim Hyeong-jun’s motive and evidence that Kim Hyeong-jun is the culprit.

“I’ll investigate a little more first, and I’ll come back when there’s progress.”

“……Yes. But is it possible?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Proving my innocence. I won’t have anyone on my side…….”

Kim Yeon-jun’s face was stained with many emotions.

Expectation and disbelief.

The two conflicting emotions were clearly revealed on his face.

It seemed like he was the type of person who couldn’t hide his emotions well.

“I’ll worry about that. Mr. Kim Yeon-jun, just think about getting out. Tell me if you need commissary money.”

“Ah, no. The ahjussi [a respectful term for an older man, like ‘uncle’ or ‘mister’] already put in a lot.”

“Ahjussi?”

“The cafe owner.”

Well, he was the one who cried, saying that Kim Yeon-jun, who was arrested on the spot, couldn’t have done that.

He’s a wealthy man who owns a building, so wouldn’t he have put in some commissary money for someone he cares about?

“Then I’ll be on my way. I think I’ll be coming a few more times.”

“……If it’s something that helps the attorney with the investigation, I’d be grateful if you came hundreds of times. Rather, I’m just grateful that you’re coming all the way here.”

“Don’t worry too much. It’s not good for your mental health.”

“Yes. Goodbye, Attorney.”

On the way back after the interview, the phone rang immediately.

It was Chief Hwang Young-chan.

“Yes, Chief.”

-Cha Pro. No, Cha Attorney. Are you having a hard time?

He was the one who said he would send a wreath when I opened my law firm later, but he was incredibly quick to hear about this kind of thing.

I had him dismiss the public defender today and write a new attorney appointment application.

The news had already reached the prosecution.

“No. It’s not particularly difficult.”

-But what’s with the Kim Cheol-hwan couple case, defending the suspect? I keep thinking there’s an ulterior motive. Is it just me?

“Do I have to report my client selection method to the Chief?”

-Cha Pro knows that’s our jurisdiction, right?

“That’s no longer relevant to me.”

-It’s not polite to clash like this from the first case.

“I thought you were calling because you were worried about me, who will be struggling to defend clients who are against public opinion in the future. I guess not.”

Everyone who needs to know already knows that I’m someone Hwang Young-chan raised, so it seems like someone said something.

In the end, he’s trying to vent his anger because his own situation has become difficult.

-I’m disappointed. There’s no need to take it that way.

“I’m out investigating right now, so I have to hang up.”

I hung up the phone and parked the car in the parking lot.

I bought a juice set from a nearby convenience store and entered the apartment complex.

This apartment has only two houses per floor.

The news said that the neighbor was the first to report it to the police…….

Ding-dong.

“Are you there?”

-Who is it?

“I have a few questions to ask. I’m an attorney.”

Soon, the door opened, and a housewife came out.

She only opened the door halfway and peeked out, as if wary.

“If you’re here because of the neighbors, I’ve already told the police everything.”

“It won’t take long.”

I handed the housewife my business card, and she stared at it for a while, looking around.

She seemed conscious of someone listening.

‘Either way, the neighbors’ house is currently empty as it’s a crime scene.’

She soon opened the door wide.