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"What?"
"I killed both of them."
"...."
"Like my brother said, like the relatives said—because you two favored only him. I was so pissed off about that, I killed you! And I wanted the inheritance too. You had plenty of money."
"...."
"I didn't even appreciate the kindness of adopting and raising me!"
With that, Kim Yeonjun burst into loud sobs. Every word floating above his head had been a lie, without exception.
I stared at him, plunged into utter confusion. In the future, Kim Yeonjun was clearly convicted guilty and sent to prison. So what the hell was this? He was confessing with his own mouth that he'd killed his parents—out of resentment over favoritism, greed for the inheritance—and it was all coming up false.
[LIE]
Was my ability malfunctioning? No way. I'd tested it dozens, hundreds of times before—never once failed.
"Kim Yeonjun-ssi."
"...Is this the answer you wanted, Lawyer?"
He swallowed his sobs and asked.
"Just one more question."
"...Go ahead."
"Even if you didn't kill Kim Cheolhwan and Yeo Heesuk directly, didn't you drive them to their deaths?"
"I told you—I killed them!"
[LIE]
"No—Kim Yeonjun-ssi, you didn't kill them. Answer my question."
His eyes flew wide in shock. A storm of thoughts churned behind them. His relatives, his brother—they'd all insisted he'd done it. The world had turned against him. Police, prosecutors too. An emergency arrest meant he'd likely been caught red-handed. I might be the first person to flat-out declare his innocence.
"Did you do anything that led to their deaths?"
A long silence later, Kim Yeonjun replied.
"No."
[TRUTH]
"Sorry, but really—just one more."
"...Yes."
"Are you involved at all in the murder of those two?"
"W-well, I can't say not at all, but… it seems like my brother got provoked because of me…."
"What do you mean, 'provoked'?"
Come to think of it, before Kim Yeonjun confessed, he'd insisted his brother was the real killer. But the evidence was ironclad, so it got dismissed as resentment toward the biological son. Prosecutors and police kept it quiet from the media to avoid a stir.
"Are you saying right now that your brother is the one who murdered them?"
"Yes."
"Did you witness your brother killing them?"
"Yes."
[TRUTH]
A sigh escaped me involuntarily. The real killer was their biological son—the brother—and the adopted kid had taken the fall. Prosecutors hadn't believed it, hadn't dug it up. Cornered, the brother confessed to make it all go away. That was the future. My past.
"Lawyer… do you believe me?"
"Yes."
I stated it plainly.
"I will defend you, Kim Yeonjun-ssi."
Wrongs had to be righted.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"I left the house in Dogok-dong and was living in a goshiwon. The one in the building across from the cafe."
"Not far from Dogok-dong—why move out?"
"I told them it was to focus on studying, cut commute time… but really, it was my brother."
"What was wrong with him?"
"He'd come home drunk and go off on Mom and Dad—why adopt me and waste money, why donate to the orphanage, all that bullshit rampage."
Kim Yeonjun's voice cracked with tears.
"After that, I'd visit maybe once a week. Sometimes twice a month. But every time, he'd shove and hit Mom and Dad."
"Reason?"
"Don't know. Asked them separately, but they never said. He'd just rant about wasting money on adopting me while hitting them… Parents said it happened every time I visited. Never when I wasn't there…."
Only when Kim Yeonjun was around? Why? To put on a show for him? A warning—because of you, your parents get beaten; just vanish?
"I thought about moving out for good, but Mom and Dad said family has to eat together sometimes, so visit occasionally. That's why that day too… sniff. It's my fault. Huhuhu."
Tears broke free again; he lifted his head, blinking hard for a while. Then, in a trembling voice:
"I wanted to tell them to cut ties with him, but… my position. Adopted kid telling them to ditch the biological son? They'd misunderstand. Couldn't say it outright. Just… told him to stop. Should've stopped him properly back then…."
"At the arrest—why the baseball bat?"
"Police pounded the door yelling to open up. Brother shoved the bat at me. I grabbed it on reflex; he opened the door and suddenly yelled to them that I killed our parents—'save me'…."
"Only your fingerprints on the bat. Why?"
"D-don't know exactly. Total panic… tried stopping him, got beat bad too."
Kim Yeonjun undid his prison uniform buttons, revealing dark bruises across his torso.
The bat was definitely the murder weapon. Only his prints? Kim Hyeongjun either had none—or wore gloves. No time to wipe them in the chaos. Gloves it was.
"Brother's name?"
"Kim Hyeongjun."
"Right. You don't know why Kim Hyeongjun killed your parents?"
"No. Think he just swung wild… accidentally…."
Even Kim Yeonjun didn't know the motive. My job: uncover Kim Hyeongjun's motive—and proof he was the killer.
"I'll dig more. Come back with progress."
"...Yes. But… possible?"
"What?"
"Proving innocence. No one's on my side…."
His face twisted with hope and doubt—raw, unfiltered. Bad at hiding emotions, apparently.
"That's my worry. You just focus on getting out. Need bail money? Say the word."
"Ah, no—Uncle already deposited plenty."
"Uncle?"
"The cafe owner."
Figures—the guy bawling that it couldn't be true for someone caught red-handed. Wealthy building owner skimping on bail for his favorite? Nah.
"Then I'm off. Few more visits ahead."
"...If it helps your investigation, come a hundred times—grateful. Thank you for even coming here."
"Don't stress. Bad for your head."
"Yes. Safe travels, Lawyer."
Heading back after the interview, my phone buzzed. Hwang Youngchan.
📞 Hwang Youngchan
"Yes, Team Leader."
"Cha Pro—no, Cha Lawyer. You holding up? Rough? Said I'd send a wreath when you open your firm—no word till now, but damn if you don't hear fast on this."
Today I'd fired the public defender, filed for new counsel. Word had hit the prosecutors already.
📞 Hwang Youngchan
"No. Not rough."
"But taking the Kim Cheolhwan couple suspect? What's the angle? Keeps feeling like you've got an ulterior motive. Just me?"
My mood? Yeah, right.
📞 Cha Juhan
"Do I report client picks to you now?"
📞 Hwang Youngchan
"You know it's our jurisdiction, Cha Pro."
📞 Cha Juhan
"Unrelated to me now."
📞 Hwang Youngchan
"Bumping heads on your first case? Not cool."
📞 Cha Juhan
"Thought you called 'cause you're worried I'll suffer defending unpopular clients from here on. Guess not."
Everyone knew I was Hwang's protégé. Had to say something. Venting 'cause his spot got awkward.
📞 Hwang Youngchan
"Hurt feelings. No need to take it that way."
📞 Cha Juhan
"Out investigating—gotta go."
I hung up, parked in the lot. Grabbed a juice set from the nearby convenience store, entered the apartment complex.
This place: two units per floor. News said the neighbor reported it first….
Ding-dong.
"Anyone home?"
—Who is it?
"Got some questions. Lawyer."
Door cracked open soon after. A housewife peeked out, wary—half-open, head only.
"If it's about next door, told the police everything?"
"Won't take long."
I handed her my card. She scrutinized it, glanced around warily. Like someone might overhear.
Next door's empty—still a crime scene.
She flung the door wide.