You Are Defended - Chapter 539



Only Noblemtl

Episode 539

“You’re saying he was locked up? And why did you say he failed and was actually kept alive?”

“If that plan had worked, it would have been known that I received that email, went to Munyeok, and got into an accident. Then Son Jeong-min would have been criticized for saying, ‘I just didn’t want to study abroad, and I asked for help because Cha Ju-han didn’t seem to be on good terms with Angel’s House.’ Those guys probably thought that if I died, there would be no more threats, so they thought that was the end of it.”

“Of course, if it was successful, there would be no reason to kill him. But since the lawyer didn’t die in the end, from their perspective, shouldn’t Son Jeong-min be alive any longer? If Son Jeong-min is defeated, he might run to you. It would be less troublesome to kill him.”

“Since their plan failed, they must now prepare to face a backlash. That’s why we can’t kill them for fear that they will try to make things worse by using Son Jeong-min.”

Isn’t this the reason why Ko Sang-jun was skeptical about killing me?

It’s a classic high risk, high return.

It was so obvious that I would bite you the moment you failed, so rather than risk it, I would have chosen to stop myself in some other way.

But now, with Onodera, the time has come to take risks.

They will feel that they should not create more trouble.

“That makes sense.”

Kang Min-jae put down his chopsticks and slowly nodded his head as if he understood.

“Actually, the best way to stop feeding me is to just send Son Jeong-min back to the Angel’s House. Then it’ll be like nothing really happened.”

“That’s right. In fact, it would be easier to have them go to school and come back right away so that we can keep watching them… … . It wouldn’t be suspicious to others. Well, if it seems dangerous to send them to school, you could make them look like they’re sick and not send them. As you said, there was a more natural way.”

“That’s right. But I didn’t do that. I think it’s because if I leave it in Angel’s house, the other kids might tell me what I did while I was away, and considering all the other circumstances, I think it’s more dangerous.”

Besides, right after the accident, wasn’t it still the time when the volunteer club students were coming and going from Angel’s House?

As long as we can show that Son Jeong-min has returned safely, there is at least no need to prepare for a fight over Son Jeong-min’s life or death.

They probably knew that too, but there’s a reason they didn’t do it.

“And there’s another reason why they shouldn’t kill Son Jeong-min. Even if we question Son Jeong-min’s life or death, they can immediately clear their suspicions by just proving that Son Jeong-min is alive and well. Rather, it becomes a card that will drive us into delusional patients. That’s why we can’t leave him in the Angel’s House, and if we can’t kill him, the only answer is to confine him.”

“Oh, so that’s why there are sightings popping up all over Seoul… … . It’s true that they have Son Jeong-min with them, and they’re intentionally making it so that we can’t pinpoint where he is, so they’re making it so that he’s being seen here and there?”

“That’s my guess. But when I heard the eyewitness accounts, there was no mention of the child’s condition being bad, so I don’t think he was abused at least.”

“But.”

Taesik, who had been listening to our conversation silently, opened his mouth and nodded.

“I’m just asking because I’m curious. Kang Byun almost died because Son Jeong-min did that bait thing. But are you that worried about Son Jeong-min?”

“I’m worried. Of course, he knew he was doing something dirty, but he didn’t know it was going to kill people. And he grew up in an orphanage, so he probably worried that if he didn’t do what he was told, it would be a disadvantage for him.”

“You should be punished only to the extent of what you did wrong. You don’t deserve to be locked up and killed just because you acted like a bait.”

“That’s true. I think so too. But somehow, I think the lawyers hate him more than I do.”

I have no personal feelings towards Son Jeong-min.

I’m just upset that a minor had to be a part of their dirty plan.

And I think as an adult, as someone who has the ability to help that child, I have the responsibility to ensure that the child’s safety to the extent possible.

Kang Min-jae also seems to have no disagreement on that point.

“I was going to say that they wouldn’t do anything bad to children, but when I think about it, I’m worried because they’re the ones who do the most bad things to children. I think we need to find them quickly… … .”

* * *

“How much longer do I have to wait?”

Seongyoon’s voice echoed loudly in the counseling room.

As a child who rarely raised her voice, Kim Young-ji couldn’t hide her surprise at Seong-yoon’s change in attitude.

“Seongyoon, the teacher said, just wait a little longer… … .”

“Do you know that it’s already been a month since those little things came together? Didn’t I ask you to send me away right away? Is it that hard to just let me meet Jeongmin once?”

Seongyoon got up, kicking the chair away with a grunt.

As it seemed like he was about to leave the counseling room, Kim Young-ji quickly ran to Seong-yoon and grabbed his wrist.

“Seongyoon, can you calm down a bit and talk?”

“If I told Teacher Hyun-jong that I hit him, he said he would let me and Jeong-min live together. He said that if I said I would do it, he would start preparing right away. If you think about it, it’s been over a month since then. Do you understand?”

“It’s not as easy as you think to make the documents. Jeongmin and you are both leaving the orphanage when you are not old enough to be independent. If you don’t want to cause problems later on.”

“Yes, I know. That’s why I didn’t say I wanted to leave right away. I said I’d wait. But before that, I wanted to see Jeongmin face to face. Why can’t I do that? I haven’t heard the explanation yet?”

Seongyoon clenched his fist.

Since they were young, Jeongmin and Seongyoon promised to live together when they left the orphanage.

It is very common for students at that age to have romantic notions about living alone.

This is true for children born and raised in ordinary families, but it is especially romantic for children in orphanages who have to live in groups with dozens of people all day long.

You wouldn’t have to listen to teachers’ nagging like you do now, and you wouldn’t have to mix with kids you don’t get along with.

Being able to be assured of freedom and not having to worry about what other people think was the greatest happiness Sungyoon could think of.

The problem is, waiting until you become an adult won’t bring you that future.

This is because the amount of self-reliance support provided to children who have to leave orphanages as adults is woefully insufficient.

It is difficult to make a decent deposit for a studio apartment with that amount of support money, so living in a goshiwon is the most realistic way.

To such a person, Eom Seong-yoon, the promise to find a studio apartment where he could live with his best friend Son Jeong-min and to provide him with enough living expenses until he could find a proper job was a very sweet temptation.

To the point of betraying the teachers in the volunteer club who always took care of him like an older brother.

“Are you afraid that the teachers won’t keep their promise?”

Kim Young-ji placed a Choco Pie in front of Seong-yoon and asked.

Although it was his favorite snack, Seongyoon was upset that he thought this was all he could do to appease his feelings.

“You keep putting it off without even giving me a plausible reason, so of course you’re worried. And you also have evidence that I did the show alone, Mr. Hyun-jong. Then of course you’d think I’d be the only weird one and that I wouldn’t get anything out of it.”

“I see. I understand Seongyoon’s feelings, too. I think you would have thought the same thing, too.”

Even though Seongyoon was young, he seemed to know what mission Kim Youngji had been given.

It has always been Kim Young-ji’s job to act affectionate and thoughtful and calm the children down in conflict situations.

But Kim Young-ji herself seems to not know very well.

Her tone may be affectionate, but her expression is extremely stiff.

“If you understand, please solve this problem. You must be annoyed that I keep doing this. You said you would wait quietly if I let you meet Jeongmin, so why do you keep putting it off?”

“I don’t get annoyed by any of the teachers.”

“Ha… … . Can’t you understand what people are saying?”

“Seongyoon-ah. There are many circumstances in life. If it were easy, Teacher, you would have done it for me a long time ago. But realistically, it’s difficult… … .”

“No, shit, who the hell wants me to keep repeating the same thing? What’s so hard about it in reality? What’s the reason you can’t meet Jeongmin? Just tell me this, why do you keep talking nonsense? It’s like talking to a wall, really.”

Up until now, Kim Young-ji has been dealing with Seong-yoon’s complaints in this way.

However, Seongyoon had no intention of going back and saying he understood as usual.

“What are you talking about with your teacher these days?”

“Do you know where Jeongmin is right now? No, is Jeongmin okay right now?”

“What are you talking about? You talked to Jeongmin on the phone last week.”

“How can you figure out everything based on a short 5-minute phone call? You didn’t do anything weird to the kid, did you? What did you make Jeongmin do? You made me do things like Teacher Hyunjong’s life. You made Jeongmin do the same thing, didn’t you?”

“Seongyoon, what are you talking about? The teachers said. There was a reason they kicked out the students from that club. But if they kicked them out without a reason, the image of Angel House would be bad, and other kids would avoid it, so I asked Seongyoon to do it… … .”

“You really think I’m a fucking idiot. Do you think I said I would do it because I’m stupid? It’s all for fucking money. I just turned a blind eye because you gave me money. Do you really think I don’t know anything because I’m a kid?”

“… … .”

“If you keep doing this, I’ll just go to Teacher Hyunjong and tell him everything. That the director told me to do it. That he promised me this and that, and that he even let me talk to Jeongmin. I don’t know where Jeongmin is, but it seems like the teachers at Angel House are taking him. If I just tell him everything and apologize to Teacher Hyunjong, I’ll feel better.”

Kim Young-ji, who had always acted like a nice person, hardened her expression in response to Seong-yoon’s words.

Of course, he did it, but Seongyoon also thought a lot.

I wonder if it’s okay for me to threaten like this.

Rather, I am afraid that the threat will come back to me and make my future life even more difficult.

But if the situation is like this, shouldn’t we try our best?

If it becomes difficult to stay here, you can look into a youth shelter.

I’m 18 years old, so I don’t need to stay long.

Even if you don’t find a place to settle down, if you wander around a few places for a short time, you will soon become an adult.

School, if you drop out, isn’t that the end of it?

Since I wasn’t interested in studying anyway, I could just take the GED exam later when I need a diploma.

“Oh, decide quickly. Should I go to Teacher Hyun Jong?”

“… … Wait a minute, Seongyoon. I’ll discuss it with the principal. Just wait until tomorrow.”

Kim Young-ji bit her lip.

If it were normal, I would have locked him up somewhere until he couldn’t even think of doing anything… … .

I’ve been telling my kids not to have personal contact with college students, but I know that it’s not possible to completely stop it.

If Sungyoon is not seen in the current situation, he will smell it soon.

* * *

“Seongyoon-ah.”

The next day was the day after school.

As soon as he left the school gate, Kim Young-ji blocked Seong-yoon’s path.

“Why is the teacher here?”

“I contacted you. Didn’t you see me?”

In response to Kim Young-ji’s question, Seong-yoon took his cell phone out of his pocket.

Then she quickly snatched the cell phone from Seongyoon’s hand.

“What is it!”

“Follow me.”

“No, what is it? Why did you take my cell phone away?”

“Jeongmin said he wanted to meet me. Let’s go.”

“… … Really?”

“okay.”

Kim Young-ji headed to the alley behind the school.

Seongyoon followed behind silently.

As he turned the corner, he saw a black van and two large men.

“What is it… … . Are you really going to meet Jeongmin? Who are these men?”

Seongyoon asked with a trembling voice, as if he was a little scared.

Then Kim Young-ji pointed to the forklift.

“get on.”

“Are you really going to meet Jeongmin?”

“If you don’t believe me, don’t ride. I asked you to meet me, so I’ll let you meet me. What do you want me to do?”

“… … You’re not doing anything weird to me, are you?”

“What on earth were you imagining… … Ha, that’s enough. I knew you were suspicious of the teachers, but I didn’t know it would be this bad. If that’s the case, why are you in our facility? Just go out and live.”

“Don’t you think that the teachers who made you doubt like this are the problem?”

When Seongyoon shouted, Kim Youngji touched her forehead in annoyance.

Without saying a word, she knocked twice on the van window.

Then the window opened slightly, and someone stuck his face through it.

“Seongyoon hyung, what’s wrong? It’s me.”

Jeongmin, whose eyes were darkened, was laughing heartily.