Chapter 75. Words and Actions Don't Match
After the female lawyer patiently talked him down, Jo Jin-young finally left her alone and walked out of the building entirely.
On his way out, he spotted me.
His expression made it painfully obvious that he wasn't happy to see me.
I deliberately pretended not to notice, but it didn't work.
Sure, I'd been following him around, but that glare was a little excessive.
And now that I was suspicious of him, it even looked like the eyes of a murderer.
After Jo Jin-young left, the female lawyer continued rubbing her temples as though she had a headache before eventually returning to the office.
I slowly followed her inside.
"How can we help you?"
The moment I entered, the employees inside gradually came out to greet me.
I'd entered right after the female lawyer, yet she herself was nowhere to be seen.
"I'm Do Jun-hyeok, CEO of Universe Entertainment. I wanted to ask a few things regarding the script for 〈Good Pro〉."
"〈Good Pro〉...?"
The moment I mentioned 〈Good Pro〉, the employees looked uncomfortable.
Viewers were already associating the lawyer from the film version of 〈Good Pro〉 with the attorney from Silver Law Firm who had handled the real case.
Their public image should have improved quite a lot because of it.
Still, perhaps the excessive public attention had caused them plenty of trouble, because they didn't seem particularly pleased.
"The real case ended up becoming so similar to the script that we're probably going to revise the terrestrial drama version. There are a few things I'd like some advice on. It suddenly became a sensitive issue for us too, so we're having a bit of a headache."
Honestly, my side was benefiting quite nicely from all of this.
But in situations like this, showing sympathy was usually the best approach.
Still, judging by their faces, they seemed ready to refuse me.
Then the female lawyer from earlier opened the door to the director's office and poked her head out.
"You're saying the terrestrial version is going to change?"
"Yes. Originally, because we adapted it into a romance, the terrestrial version was going to reveal that the older brother character was actually the real culprit. But we can't exactly turn a real victim into the murderer..."
Once I said that much, the lawyer invited me into her office.
I wasn't sure which part of my explanation had caught her interest.
But things were going smoothly, so that was all that mattered.
Inside the office, I immediately noticed a nameplate on the desk.
[CEO Lee Eun-bit]
It wasn't anything important, but at least now I understood why the firm was called Silver Law Firm.
"So because the script has become sensitive, you're trying to be careful with the adaptation?"
"That's right."
"Could you tell me a little more about this terrestrial version that's supposedly more romance-focused? Ah, would it be difficult to discuss the script with an outsider like me?"
Lee Eun-bit started talking about how much she loved the drama, apparently trying to persuade me that she wasn't just being nosy.
From what she said, she really did watch it.
But I'd heard every word of the conversation between her and Jo Jin-young earlier.
Despite the friendly facade, there was something overly businesslike in her tone.
It told me she wasn't a particularly straightforward person.
She wanted something from me too.
Praising the drama wouldn't exactly make me feel better, but I'd intended to explain the script anyway.
In the film adaptation, the character we could conveniently call "Jo Jin-young" was completely innocent.
But for the drama version, the story had been changed for the sake of the romance between the prosecutor and the lawyer.
In other words, they wanted a dramatic scene where the prosecutor rescued the lawyer.
So Jo Jin-young had been rewritten as the actual culprit.
I explained in detail why that change had been made and how the revised version was supposed to unfold.
After hearing the full explanation, Lee Eun-bit's expression stiffened.
"Even if all the attention has been positive, the media interest probably hasn't been pleasant for you, has it? I saw that you've even done interviews recently. I understand how exhausting that must be. That's why we'd like the drama version, at least, to distance itself from the real case."
"I see."
Eun-bit thought for a moment before speaking.
"I expected the story to change because the drama version has a stronger romance angle. But I never imagined it would change like that."
"We're probably going to return it to something closer to the film version. But since the drama is still much more romance-heavy... if we do that, I think public attention toward you may actually grow even more. That's why I wanted to ask your opinion."
I'd given her everything I could.
Now it was her turn to give me information.
I quietly waited for her next words.
"I don't think you should make him the real culprit."
"Oh? That's what you think?"
"Yes. The film version brought a lot of attention to the real case, and in some ways it even served as a kind of documentary, so there were benefits. And the prosecutor who handled Jo Jin-young's case is currently preparing an appeal. The matter is still ongoing, so I think creating another change in public perception would be more dangerous."
Eun-bit said all of that calmly.
In other words, she was willing to endure all the excessive attention directed at herself.
Honestly, I had no real reason to seek script advice from her.
On the surface, I'd come because I was worried the revised drama might accidentally stir up some still-hidden truth in this case.
But what useful advice could she possibly give me?
The case was already over.
She knew nothing about the script.
And I wasn't even Go Won-hee.
In practical terms, I hadn't learned any new facts from her.
But I had learned one thing.
She was hiding something.
Suppose my loose suspicion was correct and Jo Jin-young really was the murderer.
Then she would naturally be reluctant to see the real culprit she'd helped acquit exposed again.
And if a hugely popular drama aired a storyline saying Jo Jin-young had actually been the murderer...
If public attention returned to the case, the truth might come out.
And that could damage her own career.
"Understood. Honestly, if you're fine with it, then we don't really have any reason not to proceed that way."
"..."
I said that and stood up.
Then Lee Eun-bit stopped me.
"Wait. Could I have one of your business cards?"
Did she have any reason to contact me again?
Apparently, she did.
Most likely because even she, despite being the lawyer, had no solid basis to determine whether Jo Jin-young was truly innocent or had simply been falsely accused.
I handed her my card and left the law firm.
I had a feeling I'd be hearing from her before long.
I didn't get much useful information from her immediately.
What I did learn was this:
Jo Jin-young was bothering Lee Eun-bit.
For some reason, Lee Eun-bit had pushed Jo Jin-young's appeal onto another lawyer.
And the prosecutor who had handled Jo Jin-young's case was preparing an appeal.
If an appeal was being prepared, Jo Jin-young's one-man protest made more sense.
He was probably trying to build even a little more public credibility around his innocence.
That might even have been something Lee Eun-bit suggested.
Partly out of goodwill.
And perhaps because if he spent his time protesting, he couldn't spend it following her around.
Lee Eun-bit and I had reached a loose agreement that the drama should follow the Watflix version.
Not that our agreement had any actual force.
