Chapter 133
Sighing deeply, he finally nodded reluctantly. His wife looked flustered too, as if hearing the story for the first time.
"Mr. Oh Sanghyeon, we're here to help you. If you lie, it won't just hurt us—it'll hurt you too."
Reprimanded by Kang Minjae, Oh Sanghyeon nodded with a complicated expression.
"I'm sorry... But compared to what I went through, what Go Yunseong got barely counts as getting hit. I didn't want to be treated like the perpetrator just for landing a couple of blows."
I knew staying a one-sided victim would be more comfortable in many ways. The union official he'd first reported to must have been even more outraged hearing he'd been unilaterally beaten by Go Yunseong. That outrage would have held until news spread that Go Yunseong had filed charges against him.
But in the end, the only one now labeled a suspect was Oh Sanghyeon.
Even if Oh Sanghyeon had hit Go Yunseong, I doubted it was anything serious. Sure, he might have some build from past exercise, but with six bodyguards around, how hard could he have hit? It would likely fall under legitimate self-defense or grounds for mitigation.
"I get your feelings. But you have to tell your lawyer everything exactly as it happened. What if we argue in court that you never laid a finger on Go Yunseong, and they pull out decisive proof that you did? What then?"
"......"
"If you're upfront now, we can prepare reasons why you had no choice but to hit him. Even if they bring evidence to court, we can neutralize it. Besides, the damage you've suffered is far greater anyway."
Oh Sanghyeon nodded weakly.
"Alright, I'll trust you won't lie anymore. Let's pick up where we left off. After kicking Go Yunseong with your foot, what happened next?"
"......With both my arms pinned, I struggled and lifted my leg to kick him in the face. I aimed for his chest, but he ducked his head at that moment."
Hearing he'd kicked him in the face explained why he'd hidden it. If that broke Go Yunseong's nose, it could cross into excessive defense. Kicking the chest to push away is passive defense, but breaking a nose bone looks like excessive active defense.
But there was that Supreme Court precedent where a victim under group assault swung a utility knife from a nail clipper, inflicting a week's injury, and it was ruled self-defense. That case involved a special nighttime situation, of course.
Even if the nose was broken, we could argue he hadn't intended to target the face and couldn't even see properly. It might still qualify as self-defense. Assuming we could prove it, that is.
"Go Yunseong fell backward. The alley was narrow, so his head hit the back wall, and he got a nosebleed."
"Did his head hit hard?"
"No. He winced in pain, but it wasn't severe."
A blow to the back of the head could cause concussion in the worst case. He said it wasn't bad, but that's just Oh Sanghyeon's perspective. We'd need to see Go Yunseong's medical report for sure, and even if no concussion, they might have faked it.
"......But by then, I was beyond nosebleeds—I could barely open my eyes. Kicking his face was the only way I could resist with my free limbs in that assault. I targeted Go Yunseong right in front of me, and honestly... I had no intention of hitting his face."
"I understand. What happened next?"
"The bodyguards beating me all rushed to Go Yunseong. Their grip on me loosened a bit. So, well, I shouldn't have, but... I lunged at Go Yunseong and grabbed his collar."
"And then?"
"I wasn't in my right mind either. I'd taken so many hits I could barely stand. Blood was streaming down my face. But I couldn't contain my rage. I couldn't just take it lying down from trash like that without landing even one punch. So I swung at him."
Among the timid clients I'd met, Oh Sanghyeon was a new type. Facing Go Sangjun's youngest son with a mob beating him, most would freeze in fear.
"I landed one or two. But it probably didn't even hurt. I could hardly control my body. Anyway, while hitting him, I yelled that I wouldn't stay quiet—that I'd report it to the union and take legal action."
"How did the bodyguards and Go Yunseong react?"
"The bodyguards grabbed me again, cornered me, and stomped away. And Go Yunseong... he was a madman. Nothing else fits. He spat curses at me, saying, 'You mad? Then hit me.'"
Recalling the memory, Oh Sanghyeon clenched his fist. His trembling hand was enveloped by his wife's.
"He shoved the bodyguards aside and stomped me himself. But I'd already been trampled senseless and couldn't get up. He told them to lift me and hold me properly, then kicked my stomach and jaw. That's when I blacked out."
I nodded slowly.
"So, his claim that the bodyguards hit him is a lie?"
"......Yes. But doesn't it seem off? Go Yunseong's lying in the hospital claiming 8 weeks' injury. Does a face kick and a couple jaw shots cause that? I'm at 7 weeks myself. Unless he self-harmed, it doesn't add up."
He wasn't wrong. Unless Go Yunseong had a pre-existing condition or some incurable clotting disorder, 8 weeks from that was impossible. Even if the kick caused a wall-hit concussion, same issue.
Go Yunseong had clearly exaggerated his injuries. His hospital was undoubtedly a Wooshin one, and inflating diagnoses was child's play for them.
But this was just speculation. We'd need the case file first. Scrutinizing it might reveal tampering clues.
Normally, conflicting claims like this would lead to mutual assault charges, but prosecutors prejudged Oh Sanghyeon's story as lies. That needed challenging too.
They called the decisive proof the CCTV of a bloodied Go Yunseong being carried out by a bodyguard, but strictly speaking, it wasn't ironclad.
"Lawyer."
"Yes."
"Will you take the case?"
Oh Sanghyeon asked cautiously. Kang Minjae, who'd been silent, looked at me too.
As always, my criteria were clear. The client must be innocent— I had no interest in defending the guilty. And if the opponent was tied to Wooshin, I usually took it.
Oh Sanghyeon fit both.
"Yes. I'll take it."
"Thank you, Lawyer. Truly. Um, about the fees..."
"Don't worry too much about fees. The office manager will contact you with details. Discuss it with him and sign the retainer agreement together."
We set fees appropriately, considering he'd already hired one lawyer and lacked funds. After the civil suit, we'd take a percentage of damages as success fees, which satisfied Oh Sanghyeon. He'd paid 3 million won upfront to the previous lawyer, but if it meant righting things now, it wasn't a waste.
The next day, after the retainer, Office Manager Oh immediately requested case file review and copies. Time was short, so we needed docs fast.
Plenty to do. Verify the CCTV closely, check if we could flip it to mutual assault. Secure any possible witnesses too.
Go Yunseong had likely coached his six bodyguards for favorable testimony. Not random bystanders but his close aides, so their words might carry weight. Still, better than no witnesses. More evidence is always better.
"Let's head to the scene first."
I checked my watch and said. Still daytime, so the site would be bustling. The assault happened in an alley hidden from workers, but prior events unfolded in plain view. Might salvage something.
"I'll come too."
Kang Minjae grabbed his coat and stood.
"Office Manager, we're heading to the scene."
Calling to Office Manager Oh at the fax machine, he showed me the freshly arrived fax.
"Lawyer."
"The indictment."
"Yes. But there's a problem."
Office Manager Oh's face hardened. Skimming the indictment, I spotted the handling prosecutor's name on the right.
"This is handled by Yang Hansuk from Criminal Division 3."