You Have Been Defended - Chapter 271
Exactly one hour later, the two of them pulled up in front of Kang Gwanung's mansion. When the housekeeper mentioned she'd opened the gate for them, Kang Minjae and I went out to the front entrance to greet them. I'd gotten lost in the garden of this place myself, so I could only imagine how they felt.
"……Why are you two dressed like that?"
They'd shown up in suits—completely unlike their usual style—with wax in their hair to boot. Even their shoes were polished dress ones, not the sneakers or slippers they normally wore.
"We're visiting a former president's mansion. Can't just roll up in our everyday clothes, right?"
"……Wow, Minjae. You lived in a place like this all the time?"
The two of them gawked at the garden lights dotting the grounds here and there. Kang Minjae scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and grinned.
"Lucky me, meeting the right grandpa……."
"I've only ever seen houses like this in movies. First time in real life. Feels like an art museum."
"You reeking of country bumpkin? Act amazed all you want, just keep it down. That'll get you halfway there."
"Guilty as charged. Lived my whole life not knowing places like this existed—what else you gonna call that?"
Jo Bongjun ran his hand over a sculpture in the garden and asked, "This thing worth like 1 billion won?"
"Who knows? Probably not that much."
"Can I even call you Minjae? Should I go with 'young master'?"
"Come on, that's ridiculous, hyung."
"Drop the formalities with me too, then. Just Bongjun."
"Ugh, no thanks."
While Jo Bongjun laid on the flattery with Kang Minjae, Choi Jonghyeon strode right up to me and started scanning me head to toe.
"Hair looks like you washed it properly, as usual. Face is handsome, as usual. Tall, as usual. Dressed sharp. Gut…… Oh, right, you never had one to begin with, did you, Cha?"
Having swept over me like a scanner, he clapped a hand on my shoulder and let out a deep sigh.
"You're in one piece."
"This kind of thing isn't shrinking my height anytime soon."
"True, but still…… glad you look fine. Figured you'd brush it off like nothing, but people are people—inside's a different story. Even you, Cha."
Choi Jonghyeon slapped my back heartily. He wasn't wrong. They thought I seemed unaffected because I wasn't showing it, but it wasn't that simple. Wooshin had tried to kill me once already, and now they were framing me as a vicious criminal. I was furious. That's why I always found it odd when people around me asked why I seemed so unbothered. I was bothered. I just didn't show it. I might look relaxed, but I wasn't. My mind was racing, churning through thoughts nonstop.
"Ahem, come to think of it, I've been gawking too much when you're in this mess, Cha."
Hearing Choi Jonghyeon, Jo Bongjun finally approached and grabbed both my hands.
"Honestly, figured you'd be fine. You're not the type to bawl and beg for mercy."
Jo Bongjun let out a booming "Kuhaha!" and marched ahead toward the open mansion door. Kang Minjae hurried after him, and Choi Jonghyeon watched them go before adding,
"He talks big, but Bongjun was worried sick about you."
"Is that so?"
"Soon as he saw the breaking news, he must've called you like a hundred times. Even went to your place 'cause he was so worked up. Didn't go with him, so not sure, but who knows—maybe he shed a tear in the car on the way?"
I appreciated the concern, but tears? Pass. In any case, the housekeepers, having heard guests were coming, had prepared tea and desserts in the dining room. Led there, the two sat ramrod straight at the table like they were on a blind date at a fancy restaurant.
"……By the way, don't we need to pay respects to your grandpa?"
Jo Bongjun broke the silence. Kang Minjae took a few sugar cubes from the bowl and set them in front of me as he replied,
"Nah, it's fine. He's probably asleep early or reading."
"Damn, really? Still feels rude showing up this late…… Should've brought something."
"No need, lawyer. Put sugar in this tea. Makes it taste better."
Kang Minjae pushed the sugar dish closer—I'd shoved it aside earlier.
"Don't like sweet stuff."
"Minjae, you lucky bastard."
"Huh?"
"Sure, crisis hit, but thanks to it, you're hanging with the Cha you love, respect, and think about nonstop."
"Pfft, still better if it ends quick. Can't even go outside, and wanna dive into cases with you but can't."
I sighed, watching Choi Jonghyeon and Jo Bongjun cackle.
"Let's pick up where we left off. About someone being at my place around 11 a.m."
"Right, yeah. Tested it out at home with my brother—same model interphone as yours."
They'd spent nearly an hour experimenting at their place. Jo Bongjun mashing the doorbell outside while Choi Jonghyeon hung up inside. Neighbors complained about the noise, but they ignored them and kept going, yelling back defiantly. Result? No pop sound ever unless someone was actively listening inside.
"Someone was definitely there. For sure. And you were home yesterday, right, Cha? No sound then."
"Yeah."
If it'd been left in a spot I rarely check, they could've snuck in earlier. I barely do anything at home besides shower and sleep. But leaving evidence that could be discovered anytime when I wasn't constantly away? Doubtful. Bigger chance: someone slipped in right when Jo Bongjun visited.
"So Jonghyeon-hyung said check the officetel CCTV. Not sure if they'll show it, though."
"CCTV?"
"Gotta see if anyone visited around then."
"They'll show it if you push with some excuse. Back at Taegwang, handled a sexual harassment case—no cops needed, just asked and they handed it over."
"Heard there's interphones now that snap a photo when the door opens. You got one?"
"Nope. Building's pretty old."
Choi Jonghyeon crossed his arms and spoke up.
"Don't think there were cameras per floor. Elevator ones, then?"
"Gotta rewind from morning till the search—don't know when they went in."
"Shows the floor too?"
"Yeah. Rear camera."
The two nodded at Kang Minjae's words.
"But would that prove anything? 'Someone entered right before the search'—that's all CCTV shows till we ID them. Won't fly."
"No. And with me in hiding, no one's arguing it for me. Can't even use a proxy."
"So even if we snag the footage, useless till we know who."
Couldn't push it through a lawyer after I vanished. That's why I was ready to turn myself in—appoint Kang Minjae as counsel to plead my innocence from detention. But I'd agreed to hide, so no blaming now. Still, limited my options till things shifted.
"Time to use broadcasting again after so long."
After deep thought, I spoke.
"Our show?"
"Yeah. Neither I nor counsel can step forward. Cops' claims won't stick either. But we need to keep highlighting the suspicious bits of me being pegged as the perp. Media's portraying me as the clear suspect, so opinion's tilting that way."
"Hmm, true."
"Won't seem odd. I've been on your show before—our connection's public."
"Heavy responsibility on us, huh."
Jo Bongjun shrugged.
"Oh Yanghun and Kang lawyer dig one way, you two the other. Base the broadcast on that—keep raising doubts. 'Is he really the killer?' Done right, stations'll bite like with Myungwha Pharma."
Internet age meant 'netizen detectives' swarmed every case, uncovering what cops missed. Mostly conspiracy fodder, but sometimes flipped investigations. Here, they'd play that role.
"Our show's fine saying Wooshin framed it. Nonbelievers won't buy it anyway, but believers exist."
"Yeah, our viewers vibe with us."
"Started over Myungwha anyway—no issue sinking teeth into Wooshin."
And if my innocence surfaced, their show'd ride another wave. They'd been bored post-Myungwha.
"Cops claim they have a witness who saw me kill Lee Jeongchan."
I shared my talk with Oh Yanghun. He'd probe the witness; they'd probe too. Split efforts for speed.
"Wooshin laid the board perfectly."
"But proves you're hitting right."
Choi Jonghyeon downed his cold tea in one gulp, having listened gravely.
"Means you're a massive thorn in Wooshin's side. Spot on target."
"Fair point."
"Plus, one more thing to look forward to."
The spark of it all. Something I hadn't secured yet.
"While handling this, let's think how to find the data Lee Jeongchan meant to hand me. Might be a clue somewhere. After all, that's why we met that day."