Chapter 165
"Heh heh. What is it about you that makes me want to help?"
Kang Gwanung narrowed his eyes.
"Your inauguration speech suddenly comes to mind, sir. You said you wanted to create a world where the weak aren't trampled by the strong."
"I did."
"Nearly thirty years have passed since your term ended. Unfortunately, the world you dreamed of still hasn't arrived. As proof, here I am now—a weakling—being slandered by the powerful Go Sangjun brothers and Taegwang Law Firm, and the clients I've defended were all people crushed by the strong."
Kang Gwanung lifted his chin slightly, as if to say, go on.
"The reason I've become a target of the Go Sangjun brothers is simple. I've blocked their attempts to trample the weak and exposed all of it."
To people who'd crushed others underfoot time and again, I was obviously a thorn in their side—no need to ask directly. That's why they'd gone to such lengths to get me indicted.
"It's textbook stuff, but legal professionals exist to uphold justice. Yet Taegwang Law Firm, representing the elite of Korea's legal world, is at the forefront of solidifying the strong's position. Most of the lawyers I've faced in court were from Taegwang—no need to elaborate. Dozens of outstanding legal talents flock to Taegwang every year. All desperate just to survive."
"Continue."
"I left the prosecution because I realized I couldn't protect the weak within that organization. It's rotten from the inside out. Someone has to drain the pus from this festering sore and stop the current state of affairs."
"And that's you?"
Kang Gwanung asked with a hint of amusement, seemingly wary of my arrogance.
"Not exactly. But I do think we need to show that people like me—with that mindset—can survive, so more will dare to have it. In truth, plenty already do. But they've either been crushed already or never saw the light of day."
In my previous life, I was one of those crushed. It proved the limits of rising on talent alone without backing.
"Kang Byeon said he bolted from Taegwang because he didn't want to defend bad people anymore. He showed up out of the blue saying he wanted to learn from me. I was pretty flustered at the time... but now I think I get why."
Kang Gwanung was a legal professional turned politician himself. He'd started as a judge, then entered politics in his thirties. Even he hadn't stayed in the political arena nonstop. After his first presidential loss, he'd stepped back and taught law at a university. I was one of the students who'd studied his books.
Politicians prioritize pragmatism above all, but they still harbor ideals in some corner of their hearts. Kang Gwanung did. Some criticized his goals as too utopian, but I didn't hate that dream. In a world obsessed with mere survival, at least one person needed to dream big, even if it seemed far-fetched.
"I want to show that we're not so easily crushed. To do that, I'm starting to covet the image you spoke of, sir."
Kang Gwanung nodded slowly. He toyed with his teacup, lost in thought for a moment.
"Alright. I understand your thinking well enough."
A long pause later, he spoke in a subdued voice and rose, bracing against the table. Kang Minjae, I, and Kang Siljang all stood at once. It seemed his time for me was up.
He headed toward the stairs to the second floor, attended by Kang Siljang. Kang Minjae looked regretful, about to call out, but I shook my head.
Then, with one foot on the stairs, he turned back to me suddenly.
"I like that you answered honestly. You were a bit annoying earlier."
"If I came across as rude, I apologize again."
"Take care."
He climbed the stairs without another glance.
Once he was gone, Kang Minjae slumped his shoulders with a sigh.
"Sorry, Lawyer Cha. I'll apologize on his behalf. He's my grandfather, but man, he can be so heartless sometimes."
Kang Minjae flopped onto the sofa.
"No. Realistically, he has no reason to help me."
"...Thanks for understanding. Ah, let me drive you home. I didn't see your car in the garage when we arrived. You came without it, right?"
Kang Minjae asked the housekeeper to fetch his car keys.
"Ah, I always have a smoke after eating, but couldn't because of Grandpa. Let's have one before you go."
He led me to a terrace on one side of the garden—a spot I hadn't noticed before. A stack of law books on the table suggested he frequented it. He deftly pulled an ashtray from under the table and set it down. It looked like an antique worth millions.
"Mm, Lawyer Cha, you're not mad, are you?"
"Why would I be?"
"...For hiding that I'm Grandpa's grandson."
"Kang Byeon. You think I really didn't know?"
"What do you mean?"
"Not everyone doesn't know Kang Minjae is former President Kang Gwanung's grandson. If I'd wanted to know, I would've found out ages ago. I played dumb because you didn't want it advertised."
"So now that you know...?"
"What?"
"Has your opinion of me changed or anything?"
He asked cautiously, as if he'd dealt with plenty of attitude shifts after people learned his background.
"Nope. Ah, it was just surprising you couldn't hide your fawning in front of your grandfather."
"Fawning? It was genuine!"
"Please, it's creepy—cut the overacting."
"Ah, you don't get my feelings at all. I was just worried he'd be scary to you."
I stubbed out my cigarette in the ashtray, eyeing him.
"Still, I'm grateful to you, Kang Byeon. I don't know if he'll help, but I did get out of the investigation thanks to you."
"It'd be even better if the charges were fully dropped."
"No more talking about me to your grandfather. And I'll just take a taxi, so go rest."
"No way. I'll drive you!"
"It's fine. See you at the office tomorrow."
I crossed the vast lawn toward the gate.
"Lawyer Cha!"
As I got some distance from the terrace, Kang Minjae called from behind. Turning, I heard him shout,
"The gate's the other way!"
Ah, first time in a house this big. I headed the way he pointed.
The news flowed from the TV in the pork belly joint.
Having shaken off Kang Minjae—who'd insisted on drinks for Friday—I'd come to meet Choi Jonghyeon. We still had unfinished business.
Kang Minjae had grumbled about hitting the clubs if we didn't hang out; hope he was having fun.
"A news blip that seemed like it'd fizzle out quick, but they're dragging it on. Cha Byeon must be a bigger deal than I thought."
Choi Jonghyeon kept glancing at the screen.
I wasn't a big deal, but the news coverage was heftier than expected thanks to Kang Gwanung's bold style. He'd not only pressured for the no-charges decision but ensured my innocence aired repeatedly in prime time to protect my image. Once he decided to help, he did it thoroughly.
The clearance came four days after I'd met him. Kim Dongsu had snarked till the end when notifying me, but since I'd never deal with him again, I let it slide.
Kang Minjae had been the happiest to hear it. He'd been with me when the call came, and apparently gotten no heads-up from his grandfather either. He'd spent the day beaming, saying he'd go play cute at home.
He'd seemed clueless about the message Kang Siljang sent me too.
We'd had some chaos, but quickly regained our rhythm. Han Yeongseon's civil trial wrapped smoothly, and word came that the two nurses had been welcomed to Myeongdae Hospital.
Each case's end reminded me how time flowed like a swift current. 2009's finale felt like yesterday, yet Q2 of 2010 was already here.
"Now that godawful Go Yunseong case and all its offshoots are perfectly wrapped up."
Choi Jonghyeon poured me a shot of soju.
"I drove."
He shot me a look as I just held the glass.
"Call a designated driver."
"Not drinking much today. Heading home to rest."
"Fair enough. Can't force it on someone who just went through hell."
Choi Jonghyeon downed his shot in one go, grimacing.
"So, have you made up your mind?"
"About what?"
"The Go Yunseong case—that was your test for me, right? To see if you could trust this reporter."
He chuckled at my words.
"How could I not? How many people can show what I have? If I can't trust the guy who got framed and prosecuted because of my request, I'd be a real bastard."
"Good to hear."
"Thanks for taking on such a tough favor so readily. Sorry for the hardship too. But that trap seemed tough to escape—turns out you're even more capable than I thought, Cha Byeon."
No need to mention Kang Gwanung's help, so I stayed quiet.
"Speaking of, that Kang Minjae lawyer at your firm."
"Yes."
"Seems to follow you closely. What's the connection?"
"He was my intern back in my prosecutor days."
"That's it?"
"Yes."
Choi Jonghyeon pursed his lower lip and nodded. He seemed to want more.
"Any issue?"
"Nah, no issue. Just... Cha Byeon doesn't seem to know. Do you know what kind of family Kang Minjae comes from?"
"......"
I'd thought more people didn't know about Kang Minjae's family than did, but apparently, I was the only one in my circle. It started making sense why he'd eyed me nervously the day I was invited to Kang Gwanung's—embarrassed to bring up a story everyone knew, except in front of me.
"Anyway. What's your next plan? I'm gonna keep digging into Angel's House."
"Plenty of plans. Haven't even started."
I glanced at the calendar on the wall opposite. I could feel that time approaching.
The incident that had shaped me was about to begin again.