You Have Been Defended - Chapter 62

I arrived at the cafe in front of Korea University and scanned the surroundings. Kim Daesung's face, which I'd seen on Cyworld, wasn't hard to spot nearby.

"Hello. I'm lawyer Cha Juhan."

"Ah, yes. Hello."

Kang Minjae had set up the meeting through a note with a brief explanation of the situation and proposed time, and Kim Daesung had gladly accepted. From their short conversation when arranging it, I'd already confirmed a few personal details. He'd graduated from Korea University's Department of Education, but his career path wasn't teaching—it was something entirely different. He was currently preparing for a job at a private company. It was a relief; the conversation wouldn't have been as smooth if he'd gone into teaching.

"That said... what exactly did you want to talk about?"

Kim Daesung asked cautiously. He might have thought I was here to hold him accountable for something that happened during his student teaching stint. Reading the anxiety in his eyes, I gave a simple answer.

"There was a student named Lee Hyeokmin in the class you handled last year. Do you remember him?"

"Of course. How could I forget?"

Kim Daesung replied without hesitation. Even after spending just a month together, more than a year had passed, and there were nearly 40 students in the class. If he remembered the name right away, it meant the kid had left quite an impression on him too.

"Actually, I found you because I saw you'd left a comment on Lee Hyeokmin's Cyworld from your own profile."

"A comment?"

"Yes."

Kim Daesung pondered my words for a moment, then smiled and replied.

"Well, he was a student I taught once, and he left a comment on my profile photo asking me to check it out. So I did."

"Do you still keep in touch?"

"No, not at all. Right after my student teaching ended, we exchanged some greetings on Cyworld, but nothing since. He wasn't a student I particularly liked anyway. Haha."

I nodded, eyes fixed on the word hovering above Kim Daesung's head. Nothing from today's conversation would reach Lee Hyeokmin's ears.

"Then let me ask: What stood out most about student Lee Hyeokmin?"

Kim Daesung answered readily.

"He was the king of the class. The kids crawled at his every word."

"By 'king,' do you mean he was what they call a delinquent leader?"

"It's a bit ambiguous. He was too good at studies to be a straight-up delinquent. What impressed me was how he used the real delinquents like his limbs."

"Did student Lee Hyeokmin ever get into any trouble or misbehavior?"

Kim Daesung let out a long sigh. He took a sip of his cold coffee, then drummed the table as if sifting through memories. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠After a long pause, he finally spoke.

"He did cause trouble. But no one could touch him. It felt like he had extraterritorial rights or something. That's the impression I got. He didn't cause outright incidents, but after school, he'd smoke, drink... lots of delinquency."

"Did you witness any of that yourself?"

"Hmm, I saw him smoking once. A teacher and I were talking late and leaving together when we spotted Hyeokmin in an alley near school. But the teacher told me to pretend not to see and dragged me the other way. I was pretty shocked."

"Anything else?"

"I didn't see it myself, but that teacher let it slip. Oh, wait—that wasn't all."

Kim Daesung's voice rose a bit, as if something had just clicked.

"He was the ringleader of the bullies."

"Did you see that directly?"

"No, not that... but there was this one incident."

That was exactly why I'd come here. Kim Daesung fiddled with his coffee cup as he continued slowly.

"There was a kid named Hanjun in the same class as Hyeokmin. He'd been bullied by the other kids even before I started my student teaching. But Hanjun barely came to school, so I don't have much to say. Still, his parents stormed the teachers' office, demanding a school violence committee. That I remember clearly—it happened in my first week."

"Did the committee convene?"

"No. By the end of my practicum, the kid had transferred. Such a shame."

Kim Daesung clicked his tongue.

"Hanjun's parents spread photos of his bruises all over the office, demanding they bring in Lee Hyeokmin. One photo landed right in front of me, and... it was horrific. Not like kids fighting—it looked like they meant to kill him...."

Kim Daesung's expression darkened.

"I don't know the full details as just a student teacher, but the parents threatened to go to the education office and tip off the media if no committee was held. They did some kind of investigation, but in the end, no committee. We student teachers speculated that Hyeokmin's parents must've spread a ton of influence money. Poor Hanjun. I heard he transferred ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to somewhere in Jusan-gu. Good school district there—hope he's doing better...."

"I see. By the way, what was Hanjun's family name? Han as in the surname, and Jun?"

"Ah, no. It was a two-syllable surname... Namgung, Seonwu, that sort...."

"Two-syllable surnames like Dokgo, Sagong, Hwangbo...."

"Right, Hwangbo. Hwangbo Hanjun."

No [TRUTH] had ever wavered above Kim Daesung's head so far. He wasn't downplaying or exaggerating the incident. Student teachers are neither students nor full teachers in a school—they're outsiders. If they'd tried to dig into any incident, they'd just get told to stay out.

That was why I'd met him: to get the transferred student's name and info. The details could come straight from the kid himself.

"Thank you for your time today."

"No problem. But... is something going on? A lawyer coming all this way to ask.... Did Hyeokmin do something again?"

"Lawyers can't freely disclose that sort of thing. Sorry."

"Ah, no worries. Just curious. Take care."

We exchanged light goodbyes, and as I got into the car, I called Jang Taesik.

I sighed and hung up.

The next afternoon, as expected, Taesik delivered Hanjun's contact info, school, and all other details. In my past life, I'd once asked how he dug up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this stuff, and he'd replied, "You don't wanna know—you'll get hurt." Probably illegal channels. As a lawyer pursuing justice, it wasn't exactly welcome, but I couldn't afford not to use it. I resolved not to ask again and sent him off.

"Kang."

"Yes."

After being told to step back from the case, Kang Minjae had stuck to office work. Not at my insistence—he seemed to be reflecting in his own way. He'd checked in with Jincheol's mother now and then; Jincheol was doing well, thankfully. His violent tendencies weren't fully gone, but down to mere irritation. No swearing was progress enough.

"And Jincheol's homeroom teacher is coming to the hospital tomorrow. Around 5 p.m."

He mentioned it casually. I glanced at the calendar. Time had flown.

"Contact Hwangbo Hanjun's parents." I set down the memo with the contact info Taesik had written on his desk.

Thud! As my hand lifted, Kang snatched the note.

"Set up a meeting right away if possible?"

He paused dialing and asked.

"Why ask the obvious?"

"Just in case I screw up."

He scratched his neck sheepishly. I sighed. Had being sidelined hit him that hard? He'd been quiet when Taesik visited earlier, no usual chatter.

"Make it morning or right after lunch. Got the hospital in the afternoon."

"Got it. What should I do while you meet Hanjun's parents?"

He wedged the receiver between shoulder and ear, tearing off a memo.

"Not coming?"

"......Huh?"

"Need a driver. Too tired to drive."

"Wha—! Driver! I can do that! I'm great at it! I can come? For real? Hello? Ah, is this Hwangbo Hanjun's mother? Haha, yes. It's about...."

Kang Minjae bounced excitedly, then instantly composed himself to take the call. Leaving the beaming guy behind, I stepped out to the balcony. Leaning on the railing, I lit a cigarette. Thoughts crowded in.

Jincheol's homeroom teacher was coming to the hospital tomorrow. No contact with Jincheol's mother yet. Clearly planned to discuss the investigation results then. Whether there really was a helpful student in that class would reveal itself tomorrow.

'At least one, probably.'