Chapter 85
Im Hyeong-o scowled. Then, before long, he started chuckling.
"What the hell... You guys aren't Yangjin Group lawyers. You're Jeong Yeong-jun, right? That fucking bastard thinks I leaked the video? Huh?"
His demeanor flipped in an instant, and he started bellowing at the top of his lungs. I let out a sigh, while Kang Minjae scooted closer to him, trying to calm him down.
"Mr. Im Hyeong-o, that's not it. Please hear us out."
"Bullshit! What do you mean 'not it'? If someone filmed and spread a video like that, it'd have to be someone that bastard made an enemy of in his life. And you're saying it's me? He must know it himself—how dogshit his actions were. That's why he sent you to me. Right?!"
"So, did you film the video?"
I cut straight to the point. What mattered to me was the timing to use my ability. I'd already heard the backstory; now it was time to find the truth.
But Kang Minjae shot me a look and shook his head. He seemed to think a direct question like that would only make things worse.
"Video? Fuck yeah, I filmed it. So what."
He thrust his face right up to mine like a madman, pulling a ridiculous expression. He flicked his tongue out and cackled.
"And? You gonna throw me in jail? Yeah, please do. They say they feed you three squares a day and let you exercise, right? I'm going. I filmed it! Yeah! I did it!"
I gave a small chuckle. That only seemed to piss him off more, and Im Hyeong-o shot to his feet, barking at me.
"Why're you laughing, you prick? Am I funny? Huh? You think it's a joke? I told you I filmed it! Go tell Jeong Yeong-jun to sue me. Let's see that smug bastard's face!"
"Since you say you filmed it yourself, let me ask: how many women did you hire to make that video?"
"...What?"
"I'm asking how many you hired. You planned the video yourself, so you should know. With your mom's illness and the settlement money for your little brother draining your finances, you must've scraped together every last won to hire those women. So you should remember the exact number crystal clear."
"... "
At my question, Im Hyeong-o clamped his mouth shut like a clam.
"Don't you remember?"
"Uh, four? Yeah, four or five!"
"I see."
"Yeah. I was so broke my asshole was tearing, thought you couldn't do it? Fuck, I hit a jackpot at the casino once, so I figured it was my shot and got right to it. Whatcha gonna do about it?"
"Kang, let's head back to Seoul. Wrong lead."
I stood up. Kang Minjae, who'd been firmly holding back his arm to prevent any outbursts, cautiously released him and rose as well.
"Where the hell you going? I did it! I filmed it!"
"Looks like you still have some lingering affection for Jeong Yeong-jun, Mr. Im."
"...What?"
Im Hyeong-o snorted in disbelief at my words.
"You don't seem to have watched that infamous video yourself. If it were me, and someone I hated that much ended up as the victim in a sex tape, I'd track it down and watch it somehow. Or at least I'd get a kick out of seeing Jeong Yeong-jun getting trashed by the whole nation over it. Guess you didn't even check the news comments."
The fact that nearly ten women appear in that video is something anyone could learn just from skimming the comments—no need to watch it.
"On the way here, I saw a PC bang in Sabuk charging 600 won an hour. Surely you can afford that much."
Something told me there was a misunderstanding between the two. If Jeong Yeong-jun had truly abandoned him like Im Hyeong-o claimed, I wouldn't be defending him to the end, insisting he wasn't that kind of guy.
I slipped on my shoes by the door and said,
"We've covered your overdue rent. No need to worry about billing. Hope you pay off the rest of your debts soon."
As we left the motel, a thought crossed my mind. Maybe the real reason behind Im Hyeong-o's false claim of filming the video was what he let slip later: "let's see that smug bastard's face." He'd begged Jeong Yeong-jun for help twice and been turned away both times without even meeting him. Deep down, perhaps he couldn't believe Jeong had truly abandoned him. This could have been his chance to confront him properly. Hadn't Im Hyeong-o said he thought of Jeong like a blood brother?
"Lawyer."
"What."
The car Kang was driving slid out onto Sabuk's nighttime streets. He hesitated a moment, then spoke with difficulty.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding between them. Shouldn't we tell Jeong Yeong-jun?"
When I didn't respond, Kang quickly added,
"I know you hate getting involved in clients' personal stuff, Lawyer. But it's kinda sad, isn't it? If something got twisted between them, Jeong might've helped Im Hyeong-o out. Then maybe Im Hyeong-o wouldn't be this messed up. Ah, of course, I'm not saying tell the already confused Jeong right now... Maybe slip it in casually once the case wraps up a bit?"
Kang trailed off, gauging my reaction. I still didn't answer.
I flipped open my phone and texted Jeong Yeong-jun.
I confirmed the send, snapped the phone shut, and gazed out the window.
"I didn't answer him."
"Huh?"
"I said I didn't answer. He can figure it out himself."
"Got it! I'll handle it! Haha. So, wanna grab some buckwheat noodles? With potato pancakes and a big ol' pitcher of makgeolli?"
"Planning to drink and drive?"
At my question, Kang Minjae's face fell instantly.
"Oh, right. Then just noodles and pancakes..."
"I'll eat your share too."
"What? You're gonna down makgeolli solo?"
"Don't talk till we get to the noodle place. Need to rest my eyes."
"No, Lawyer, come on. That's no fun. No ordering booze, okay? No booze."
"Then dongdongju."
I pulled a blanket from the glovebox and draped it over myself as I replied.
"Dongdongju's booze too! Ah!"
"Eyes on the road. It's dark out there. Wouldn't want a roe deer jumping out."
"The doorbell's a bit loud, huh? Tried to adjust it but couldn't figure out how, so I just left it."
The chime we'd just rung outside was still blaring noisily inside the house. I said it was fine, and Jeong Yeong-jun gave an awkward smile as he sat on the living room couch.
We took seats across from him, and without any small talk, he got straight to business.
"Ah, I got the diagnosis... Will this do?"
Jeong Yeong-jun set an envelope on the table and slumped into the sofa. It had been a while since we'd seen him, and he looked even more worn out than before. He'd said it was hard to go out, so we'd come to his officetel.
The place was pretty upscale, but the inside wasn't.
"Ah, it's a bit messy, sorry. I tried cleaning, but..."
He was right. It wasn't even full summer yet, but houseflies buzzed around the kitchen. There were signs of cup ramen and delivery food everywhere, but it didn't look like he was eating properly. He'd lost even more weight since last time.
I skipped the chit-chat about his daily life and just picked up the diagnosis he'd offered.
"Let me take a look."
It was from a neuropsychiatry clinic, noting symptoms of social phobia, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression.
"Did you get meds prescribed?"
"Yeah, but... Finding the right psych meds takes trial and error, you know? This one's not cutting it. Doesn't feel like it's working great."
Jeong Yeong-jun raked back his shaggy hair as he answered. His voice was heavy with sighs.
"Actually, this wasn't my first time at a psych clinic. Started going about two years after marrying Jina. Stopped when we wanted kids, just in case the meds affected things."
"Stress from your in-laws?"
"Yes."
How could anyone endure that level of contempt from their in-laws and come out unscathed? If anything, it seemed natural.
"You said to think about who might hate you, right? But the more I think, the more even minor arguments make me suspicious. Nobody lives without conflicts. I've had plenty. So now I'm thinking maybe someone with real anger issues got pissed over something small and decided to smear me. Feels like paranoia..."
He hung his head as he spoke.
I'd asked Taesik to check out his exes from before marriage, but he said there weren't any serious ones. Jeong Yeong-jun confirmed the same: Go Jina was his first real relationship. Before her, just bland flings—people with the girlfriend label, but no deep love.
"Jina was my everything first. I gritted my teeth through the humiliation from her family all for her. Solely because of Jina. Because she wanted it."
At this point, it was impossible not to suspect the in-laws, just like when we first met. And Jeong Yeong-jun was thinking the same.
"It's them. My in-laws. No matter how I look at it, it's gotta be my father- and mother-in-law. Turns out even with the video blowing up, the 24/7 convenience store acquisition's no issue."
"How'd you confirm that?"
"From Yangjin Retail's CFO. He used to be in F&B. He's been really supportive. I was worried the stock drop from my scandal might kill the deal, but he said flat-out no problem."
If the 24/7 Korea branch acquisition was unaffected, Yangjin Group faced zero losses. The stock had hit bottom last week but was climbing back. A top-seven conglomerate wouldn't crumble from this. Even if it were the chairman himself in a sex-for-hire tape, it'd blow over quick. Hell, acquiring 24/7 would pump the stock as positive news.
"Should I just confront the in-laws head-on? They might not be honest, but you never know..."
"That's not a good idea. Letting them know we're suspicious does us no favors."
"Then how the hell do we uncover it? Unless we tap their phones, there's no way!"
"Even tapped calls wouldn't hold up as evidence. We'll find a way."
The NIS deadline was approaching. Tomorrow, I'd have the video in crystal-clear quality. We could pinpoint who's in it then. If Yangjin was behind it, they wouldn't outsource to randos. Likely handled by the chairman's shadowy secretary office. Spot that trace in the footage, and proving it would be straightforward.
"A way... How exactly? How long? That damn lawyer Jina hired is probably scheming how to cleanly divorce us right now! And the longer this drags, the more set in her mind she'll get. Even if proof of my innocence comes later, her heart might be gone by then. Then I'd be..."
Jeong Yeong-jun's emotions spiked. Kang Minjae tried to calm him, but I held him back. Venting at the lawyer didn't bother me. Lots of clients did. Back as a prosecutor, victims' families would storm my office demanding when we'd catch the perp. Oh Yanghun tried blocking them like Kang now, but unless I had a schedule, I'd let them in. They needed an outlet for their rage and injustice.
"Mr. Jeong, how far is your parents' place from here?"
Kang Minjae asked. Jeong Yeong-jun, face twisted in suppressed fury, lifted his head slightly.
"...My parents? Why?"
"Doesn't seem good for you to be alone right now. Looks like you're skipping meals, and per the diagnosis, you're psychologically unstable. Being around supportive people would help."
Kang was right. Solitude offers freedom, but it can deepen depression. A silent space with nothing but TV noise, no one to talk to. Unless I call someone or invite them, no one speaks to me here. No talk means thoughts burrow deeper. Those thoughts often spiral into delusions, as Jeong said. No telling how far they'd drive him.
"I get why you're saying that, Lawyer. But I don't want my parents seeing me like this. They'd worry. I'll tough it out. Don't worry about me. I got too emotional, sorry. It's not your fault..."
Jeong Yeong-jun managed a faint smile. I decided not to mention the video enhancement. If no clues emerged, the despair would crush him.