The next day.
Attorney Seo Il-hwa, who had been pessimistic when the presentation first began, finally took a gamble.
Deciding that we needed more personnel, he brought in Yoon Yi-hoon.
Frankly, with the increased scale of this case, I, too, desperately needed an associate.
“In that sense, Attorney Yoon, you’ll have to step up a bit.”
“Huh, me?”
“I think so too, Attorney Yoon.”
“Since even Attorney Ahn says so, I guess I have to go.”
Attorney Yoon puffed out his chest and said.
“Here’s the industry list I received from Ah-eum, Attorney Yoon. I’ll contact each company in advance before you go.”
“Haha, typical Secretary Kim. So reliable!”
“Don’t mention it. I’m grateful to you for readily stepping up when you’re so busy.”
“Attorney Seo Il-hwa probably assigned me to you to do this kind of work.”
Attorney Yoon Yi-hoon winked and tucked the list into the file.
“Honestly, at first I was a bit unsure, but Yoo-hee, your ability to read a case and strategize is quite remarkable.”
“I feel the same way, Attorney Yoon. It was true when I first received the materials, but this is beyond what I expected.”
“You’re both flattering me.”
If it were another lawyer, they wouldn’t be this cooperative.
Just persuading Attorney Seo Il-hwa was difficult enough, requiring Attorney Ahn to step in, and it was only barely resolved after mobilizing research and presentations.
“Not at all, Yoo-hee. I’ve been grateful to you all this time. What kind of secretary helps with associate work to that extent?”
(Meanwhile, someone else would come trying to hand off work even after quitting time.)
Indeed, Attorney Yoon Yi-hoon has a different character.
Perhaps Attorney Seo Il-hwa also had this in mind when he assigned Attorney Yoon to us.
“Attorney Seo Il-hwa seems to think highly of Attorney Ahn.”
“I think so too, Yoo-hee. Even if we were the only ones who offered a good opinion, she readily accepted my proposal.”
The highest profit distribution ratio.
Although she called us a two-person bandit group, Attorney Seo Il-hwa immediately accepted Attorney Ahn’s proposal.
That must mean Attorney Seo doesn’t want Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun to be dismissed like this.
I never imagined Attorney Ahn’s accumulated virtue would shine in a situation like this.
“Then I’ll look for a professor to consult with Attorney Seo.”
“Attorney, since it’s a matter related to the human body, please try to find someone from a medical graduate school if possible.”
“Alright. The childcare product precedent you gave me also utilized the advice of a medical professor.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
All three of us gathered in the conference room were busy people, so we held the meeting while eating lunch boxes during lunchtime.
“Wow, Yoo-hee, where is this place? This lunchbox is absolutely delicious!”
“Hehe. It’s my secret list, Attorney Yoon.”
“Oh, are you not going to tell us?”
“Isn’t that better than being called a ‘solo’?”
“Cough.”
At my words, Attorney Yoon Yi-hoon, who was eating beef bulgogi, choked and quickly grabbed a bottle of water.
“Wow, Yoo-hee, I didn’t see you that way. You hold a grudge.”
“Solo? Grudge? Did something happen between you two?”
“It’s nothing, Attorney.”
Attorney Yoon, gulping down water, quickly waved his hand.
“Hmm, that’s suspicious. I had a case like that before. So, among the cases I handled three years ago…”
“Oh, Attorney Ahn, you seem to have finished your soup. Please have some of mine.”
“It’s fine. Yoo-hee, you should eat too.”
“No, I don’t usually drink much soup.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll gladly have some.”
A precedent meeting almost broke out during our conference time.
I breathed a sigh of relief and picked up a pajeon.
‘Did we just avert some kind of crisis?’
‘Yes, that’s right. We almost choked while eating.’
Attorney Yoon, sensing something strange, mouthed a question.
I also whispered to Attorney Yoon, who was sitting next to me, in a barely audible voice.
“Oh, Yoo-hee, and about the Lee Chil-hong case.”
“Yes, Attorney.”
“His son and daughter-in-law will be here this afternoon.”
“I see.”
Lee Kang-ho and his wife, the perpetrator’s son and the victim’s parents, are finally coming to Lee & Yeon today.
After the meeting for the Food Sanitation Act violation case, Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun called me into his room separately.
“Yoo-hee, can I ask you a favor?”
“Please tell me, Attorney.”
In fact, I know what Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun is going to say.
Lee Chil-hong was one of the most distinctly remembered clients from my past life.
“As you’ll know from the records, Lee Chil-hong’s son and daughter-in-law are not in a good state of mind right now.”
“They… wouldn’t be.”
“So, I’d like you to join the meeting and help out a bit.”
“Yes, I understand what you mean.”
I nodded heavily and left Attorney Ahn’s room, returning to my desk.
And to myself, I said, ‘Search window.’
As expected, a blank white window appeared.
With a hopeful mind, I silently spoke what I wanted.
‘Lee Chil-hong case details.’
It works.
I don’t have to type the search term; the details appeared, just like last time.
Lee Chil-hong
[Suspect: Lee Chil-hong (73)
Incident Location: Minnak Samgeori, Gyeonggi Province direction
Victim: Lee Ha-eum (8)
Charge: Accidental Homicide (Previously: Accidental Injury)
Disposition: 1 year 8 months imprisonment (taken into legal custody)]
The victim, Lee Ha-eum, is Lee Chil-hong’s only granddaughter.
“Haa…”
When I returned, she was already in the intensive care unit.
And after some time passes, the prosecutor will correct the charge.
Exactly as it appeared in the search window.
‘From accidental injury to accidental homicide.’
Accidental injury, as the name suggests, is causing injury by accident, but currently, Lee Ha-eum is in critical condition and unconscious.
And accidental homicide.
Ha-eum, who was in the intensive care unit, never woke up and tragically passed away.
“Ohh, huhuhuhuh.”
The reason Attorney Ahn asked for my help:
Lee Chil-hong’s son and daughter-in-law were in such a bad state that they couldn’t even speak.
I quietly sat next to the wife and offered her a tissue box.
Because right now, silently listening is the best thing to do.
“I’m sorry to show you such a sight.”
“No, it’s alright.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
I silently patted Ha-eum’s mother’s shoulder.
She then wept even louder.
“Our Ha-eum is such a kind and good child.”
“Yes, I saw the photo. She was a really beautiful child.”
“Sniff. It’s unbelievable that such a beautiful child is in the ICU right now. I can’t believe this is happening.”
“The child will be fine. We will all earnestly pray for her recovery.”
Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun spoke with a sincere expression.
But I couldn’t add any more words.
Because I knew a different future.
“Yes, that way, our father will also live.”
“Yes, she’s his only granddaughter.”
To Lee Chil-hong, the Mr. Lee Kang-ho in front of us was his only child. And Mr. Lee Kang-ho has two children: a son and a daughter, Lee Ha-eum.
“Attorney, our father is being treated unfairly. He was just looking after his grandchildren for us, struggling to make ends meet.”
“Yes, Mr. Kang-ho. I understand that very well.”
Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun nodded with a somber expression.
“But accidental injury? Even though our child became like this because of the accident, this is absolutely not my father’s fault.”
“I agree. However, he kept insisting it was his fault at the scene, didn’t he?”
“From my father’s perspective, he couldn’t help it. He was the one driving.”
“Hoo-eup.”
From beside me, another mournful sob was heard.
It was Ha-eum’s mother.
“It’s all my fault. If only I hadn’t worked just to earn a little more money, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“That’s not true, Mother.”
“No, it is. Even if we only ate wild greens, I should have taken care of her myself.”
“Sniff… Honey, I’m sorry. It’s all because I’m inadequate.”
As his wife cried bitterly, Lee Kang-ho finally burst into tears.
“My small publishing business went bankrupt during the IMF. From then on, to pay off debts, we left the children with my father and both of us worked desperately.”
From serving in restaurants to cleaning, driving, and delivering.
The couple literally hadn’t done anything.
“We did it all for the children… I never knew things would turn out like this.”
The son and his wife hugged each other and began to cry.
I pushed the tissue box between them and barely managed to hold back my own tears.
“This is not Attorney Lee Chil-hong’s fault, nor is it either of your faults. This was literally just an unfortunate accident.”
At my words, the couple wailed even more intensely.
“I’m sorry for always showing you this side of me. But… Attorney, I’ve also looked into it. I heard that such cases require a considerable amount as an initial retainer.”
Criminal cases tend to have higher retainers than civil cases.
Moreover, there was a high possibility that Lee Chil-hong would be arrested upon discharge from the hospital, and indeed, in the previous life, an arrest warrant was issued.
This meant that this case would have to go through a legality review of the arrest before the defense.
We had to prevent Lee Chil-hong from being detained.
And above all…
I watched Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun reassuring Lee Kang-ho and his wife.
“You don’t have to worry about that. I will only accept the retainer if the prosecution does not indict or if the court issues a not-guilty verdict.”
“Thank you. Thank you very much, Attorney.”
The son and his wife repeatedly bowed their heads, expressing their gratitude.
We had already agreed to accept less than the usual retainer.
But Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun’s declaration was practically the same as saying he wouldn’t accept it at all.
This was because, in the previous life, the prosecution not only indicted Lee Chil-hong but also received a prison sentence in the verdict.
And Attorney Ahn Gyeong-hun was not unaware of that possibility.
‘There has only been one case of sudden unintended acceleration recognized in South Korea.’
That was the accident caused by Lee Chil-hong, which was a sudden unintended acceleration accident.
The probability of the party involved in this case winning was virtually zero.
Because even in South Korea, just before I died, sudden unintended acceleration was still rarely recognized.
‘But this life is different.’
Unfortunately, this cannot be won by legal theory alone.
Because the burden of proof for a sudden unintended acceleration accident lies with the driver involved in the accident.
How can a mere individual win against a huge company with specialized knowledge?
Moreover, it is now the early 2000s.
It’s an era without smartphones, let alone social media.
It is virtually impossible to wage a public opinion battle against a large company.
‘If only I had returned earlier.’
I tightly held the hand of Ha-eum’s mother, who was sitting next to me.
And I said with sincerity, “I will definitely help you this time.”
“Ohh, thank you so much.”
Her fragile shoulders trembled delicately.
She had already cried so much that she didn’t even notice that my words were a little strange now.
‘This time, I will definitely get an acquittal.’
Ha-eum, I came back late, so I couldn’t save you…
But I will definitely save your grandfather.
I cried silently in my heart.
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