Chapter 57
The [Truth] hovering above Lawyer Kang's head made me pause and look at him for a moment. Now I understood why he'd been so reluctant to take this case. It must have been uncomfortable for him to handle Jincheol's situation, which mirrored a past he wanted to forget. Sure, he probably wanted to help Jincheol, who was in the same boat, but this was work that couldn't be done without dredging up old trauma.
"...I don't know what kind of bullshit this is right now. I'm not some kid who suddenly buys into obvious lines like that. Go peddle it somewhere else."
Jincheol, who had seemed shaken for a second, shot back coldly. He must have taken Kang's words as manipulative lies meant to win him over.
Kang Minjae looked at him and let out a short sigh. He took off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeve, pointing to the round scar near his wrist.
"This is from the bullies putting out cigarettes on me. The others faded over time, but this one stuck around."
Jincheol bit his lip hard, staring at the arm thrust in front of him.
"Getting bullied when you didn't do anything wrong. You know that feeling better than anyone, right? Yeah, okay, maybe I messed up a little too. But even so, did I deserve to get beaten and mocked like that? I still wonder."
Kang Minjae pulled his sleeve back down as he spoke. I hadn't imagined the always-smirking guy had a past like this.
Since he was digging up his own buried wounds to connect, I decided to stay out of it and watch.
"Does it still feel like a lie? Fine, I'll tell you more details. This has nothing to do with me wanting to help you—well, aside from that. Bottom line, we need you to trust us for this to work."
Confusion flickered across Jincheol's face for a moment. But his eyes still screamed disbelief. Stubbornly hiding his expression, he glanced at Kang Minjae.
"When I was 17, I went to study abroad in the States. Ended up at some private school there, and I was the only Asian kid. Everyone else was white, from decent families."
Kang Minjae spoke with a complicated expression.
"I was pretty good at studying, but to them, my English probably sounded awkward, my accent funny. I felt rejected from day one."
"......"
"That's how I got through school, all alone. I was in homestay back then, no family in the States. Once, I called home because it was too much, but they said it was normal after transferring and to just focus on studying."
Jincheol's eyes wavered at Kang Minjae's words. It made sense now, the attitude he'd shown toward his mother earlier. Kang Minjae had been through the exact same thing.
"Then exams rolled around. I did pretty well. I'd studied hard back in Korea too."
Kang Minjae gave a wry smile. Jincheol stared at him sullenly before looking away.
"Guess that pissed someone off. This guy in class who'd been okay to me called me aside. After that, it went just like you'd expect. School turned into hell. Mocked openly for being Asian, beaten after classes. No healthy days. This wrist scar happened then too. But you know what was worse?"
Jincheol still had his head turned, but he was hanging on every word. His devastated expression showed he knew the answer to that question.
"Telling the teachers did jack shit. They were on the bullies' side. Turns out later, that teacher hadn't even wanted an Asian kid like me and only took me reluctantly. So when I asked for counseling, he brushed it off like no big deal. Don't know about your homeroom teacher... but that's how it was for me."
I quietly pictured Jincheol's homeroom teacher in my mind. She hadn't struck me as bad when we met in the ER, but I doubted she was clueless about the bullying. Her insistence to Jincheol's mom that everything was fine at school felt suspicious too.
And it looked like I was right. If she'd been proactive or truly unaware, Jincheol would have reacted with some surprise to Kang Minjae's story. But he didn't.
"No one to help, so I endured. A few months later, my dad finally came to the States. That's when he learned everything—including the assaults."
Kang Minjae paused to catch his breath.
Jincheol slowly turned to face him and asked quietly.
"...Your dad knew. What happened?"
"Like I said, nothing proper came of it. Dad tried through his own channels to get the school investigated, but my word meant nothing. Why? Those white kids who tormented me were from big-shot families in that state. Even if Dad had been president, those teachers would've bowed to local power players."
Jincheol let out a hollow laugh at the answer.
"So even when an adult knew, it was useless."
"No, Dad wanted to push harder—throw money at it, get lawyers. But I was too burned out, didn't want to stay in that country anymore. Told him to drop it, came back to Korea."
"So... you're okay now?"
Kang Minjae smiled faintly at Jincheol.
"Yeah. Coming back to my old school felt good. But funny thing—it only lasted a bit."
"...What do you mean 'a bit'?"
"It was my school, with my friends... but even tiny squabbles I'd have ignored before, or if they seemed a little off, I'd get crazy anxious."
"......"
"Had nightmares of my friends turning into those white kids, lynching me. Seeing the scars hurt. Lots of regrets. I should've stuck it out, watched those bastards get screwed. Should've listened to Dad about lawyers."
Kang Minjae took a deep breath and smiled faintly.
"Held on for about ten years, it faded some. But recently, I heard the guy who tormented me worst graduated Harvard Law, landed at the top firm in the US. Made my stomach turn. Who the hell does a prick like that defend? If I'd sued back then, he wouldn't be thriving like that."
I sighed too, listening. I knew that gut-wrenching feeling of watching your destroyers live it up.
"Jincheol, we don't want you living like that. You explain your side, then us lawyers handle the rest. We know your situation best, so we'll protect you. Make those kids pay, make sure they never do this again."
Jincheol pressed a trembling hand to his forehead at Kang Minjae's words. He stayed silent, lips clamped, for a long time. We waited.
"...Can you really keep that promise?"
When he finally spoke, his voice shook. His nose red, head down, he caught his breath.
"Promise no harm comes to me?"
Kang Minjae looked at me. I nodded once.
"I promise."
"Ha, fuck... really..."
Jincheol turned away, sobbing. He awkwardly wiped tears with his bandaged hand, but it wasn't enough to stop the flood.
Finally, in a voice thick with tears, he said,
"That bastard Hyeokmin... he... every day, every fucking day, makes my life hell, torments me, turns me into a joke. Beats me like a dog, treats me like a fucking retard, ugh, sob."
Jincheol broke into wrenching sobs. I nodded at the tissues on the side table. Kang Minjae got it and handed him some.
"Ha..."
After a long cry, Jincheol blew his nose and calmed. Kang Minjae watched pityingly.
I'd stayed silent till now, but turned to Jincheol, who was ready to talk. He'd figured out priorities.
The methods Kang Minjae's dad had wanted to use—but couldn't because of his refusal. Those methods had walked right up to Jincheol, begging to be used.
"Jincheol, this lawyer here used to be a criminal prosecutor. Handled juvenile cases too."
Kang Minjae said. Had I? In criminal division, it wouldn't be weird. Maybe when Kang Minjae was interning. A few years ago for him, over ten for me. Memory fuzzy.
"He's my boss, kinda prickly personality. Cut him slack. But skills? Best in Korea. If he's too harsh, badmouth him to me. I'll join in."
Jincheol let out a small laugh. Mood lightened; he was ready to open up. Time for real investigation.
I finally spoke.
"Jincheol, tell me now. Why exactly did you fall from the classroom?"