Legally Blond | ym

Chapter 5

Jimin sits in his Public Law course, his usual cheerful aura nowhere to be found as he still tries to recover from the heartbreak that is Sangmin being engaged. To preserve his sanity, he focuses all of his attention on writing every single thing on the board down as Professor Choi Seunghoon walks around the front of the room, enthusiastically waving his arms around to emphasize the importance of his words. He and the rest of the class look up when the door opens, interrupting the lecture.

"Sorry to disturb," the man who has just entered says. "I just have a little announcement for our incoming first years." He smiles over the group, and Jimin thinks the older male's gaze lingers on him a bit longer but convinces himself he imagined it as he continues speaking. "My name is Choi Youngseok, and I'm here to tell you all about an internship opportunity that my own personal firm provides to students every year. Each year, we offer four of the top first year students the opportunity to intern for us and gain experience in working on real cases. So, study hard, and maybe you'll be one of the chosen four." Youngseok then turns to the professor and gestures for him to carry on before exiting the lecture hall.

"Okay, back to our regularly scheduled torture." Professor Choi jokes as he picks up the class roster, everyone in the class preparing as they know he's about to randomly call on someone. "Park Jimin~" Jimin looks up from where he had been doodling in his notebook ever since Youngseok had begun talking about the internship opportunity. "Would you rather be representing someone who has committed a crime malum in seor malum prohibitum?"

Jimin thinks over how to respond, considering he isn't even sure what those terms mean. "I'd rather represent someone who hasn't committed a crime at all." Some of his classmates snicker at his response, but instead of shying away, he chooses to stick with it. "As a lawyer, I would want to make sure justice was brought to whoever deserves and protect those who are wrongfully accused as opposed to trying to get actual criminals off free."

The professor nods contemplatively at Jimin's answer. "That is a very hopeful outlook to have, and the kind of thought process that one would hope a lawyer would have. However, it is inevitable to end up representing someone who's guilty at some point in your career." He then looks back at the class roster to call on someone else for their opinion. "Yoo Jeongyeon~"

Jeongyeon glances over at Jimin with a smirk before answering. "Malum prohibitum, because those crimes are generally smaller infractions and easier to get a client out of." She sends Jimin another look as she moves to rub Sangmin's shoulder, her engagement ring catching the light.

"So, winning is more important than justice." Jimin comments, sending Jeongyeon a look. "That's good to know." If anyone notices the tension between the two, they don't comment on it as Professor Choi continues on with the lecture.

And it's at that moment that Jimin decides to follow Seokjin's advice.

~

Jimin spends the next couple of weeks conveniently placing himself near Sangmin's favored hangout and study spots as a way to garner the male's attention. It seems to be working for the most part, Jimin's ex enjoying whenever he's around and only hiding his excitement whenever Jeongyeon is around. Jeongyeon, on the other hand, is more than happy to show her discontent towards Jimin.

One day, Jimin walks up to their table in the library during their research period with a bag of snacks and his textbooks in hand. "Hey, guys!"

Sangmin originally greets Jimin enthusiastically, but quickly cuts himself off when he remembers Jeongyeon is right across from him. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I came to join the study group!" Jimin exclaims, holding up his bag. "I even brought fuel to keep us going!"

"Nope, you can't~" Jeongyeon is quick to respond. "Our group is already full."

Jimin gives her a fakely sweet smile. "I didn't realize there was a limit on who could study with who."

Hyunjung, Jeongyeon's friend, speaks up. "Well we have to in order to keep ignoramuses out." She raises her eyebrow at Jimin. "I mean the goal is for us to be chosen for the internship. It wouldn't be fair to you, seeing us be so successful."

Jimin scoffs a bit. "I don't see how it would be unfair, considering I could very easily get that spot too."

"Jimin, sweetie~" Sangmin stops, earning a glare from Jeongyeon at the pet name. "You may have been a straight A student at Hanyang, but that was in dance. Not law. Do you honestly think you'll make the same grades here?"

"Yeah, I do. You don't?" Sangmin doesn't respond to Jimin's question, instead looking back down at his textbook. "Well, then~" He says under his breath, blinking away tears. "I'll see you in class then." Jimin walks away from the group.

"Don't listen to them~" Jimin looks up and sees a familiar head of purple hair sitting a few tables away from the group. "They're just a bunch of pious cunts who belittle anyone who doesn't fit their grotesque standards to feel better about themselves."

Jimin snorts at Yoongi's statement. "If you say so~" He continues on his journey to leave the library and go back to his apartment to wallow in self-pity.

~

Jimin lounges on the couch, shoveling spoonfuls of ice cream into his mouth as a random drama plays on the TV, mainly serving as background noise. He's debating kicking Yeontan off his lap so he can go get another tub of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream when the door bursts open, a stumbling couple who can't separate from each other appearing. "Before you start stripping, you should probably know that I'm right here."

Taehyung pulls away from Jungkook and starts screaming at Jimin in excitement. "You're not gonna believe what just happened!" He drags Jungkook over to the couch and flops onto it as Jimin sits up a bit. "Jungkook just proposed to me!" He wraps his arms around his now fiancé and presses a kiss to his cheek, Jimin taking notice of the silver band with a vibrant blue stone that matches the male's hair now taking home on his left ring finger.

Jimin feels a tug at his heart with the announcement but forces a smile on his face because despite the fact that his own love life is going down the drain, he is very happy for his best friend. "That's great! What happened to your plan or whatever?"

"Screw the plan!" Jungkook responds. "I'm in love with Taehyung and want to spend the rest of my life with him and I wanted to take that next step."

Taehyung nods, staring at Jungkook with heart eyes. "And the plan was just talk because I was sure Kookie wouldn't ever grow the balls to propose to me and that I would have to be the one to do it. But he surprised me!" He presses his lips to Jungkook's once more, and this time Jimin's smile falters.

Jungkook notices the slight change in the older male's expression and pushes Taehyung away slightly. "Oh shit, Jimin, we didn't-"

Taehyung's eyes widen as he speaks over his fiancé. "I'm the worst best friend ever! Gloating about my engagement when..." He trails off, and Jimin is quick to shake his head.

"No, no, don't think that! Don't feel like you have to hide your excitement just because I got dumped!" Jimin wills away the tears he feels pushing at the backs of his eyes, not wanting to make Taehyung feel even worse. "You just got engaged! Celebrate all you want!" Silence stretches between the three of them until Jimin shifts to get up. "But I did have a long day, so I'm gonna head to bed."

"Sleep well~" Taehyung calls out as he makes his way to his bedroom. Only when he is in the comfort of his room, curled up on his bed does he allow the tears to fall.

Tears for the engagement he desperately wanted. Tears for Sangmin's current relationship status. Tears for how no one takes him seriously. When his tears finally dry, it's past midnight and Jimin finds himself wondering if it's even worth all the heartbreak he's suffering. He turns on his lamp and grabs his laptop from the bedside table, opening it and planning on emailing the registrar to withdraw from classes.

His hands hover over the keyboard, refusing to type out the email. Quitting would just be letting them win, right? And Jeongyeon did say that winning was most important, didn't she? He closes out of the email window and heads to his course portal, downloading all of the extra notes his professors had provided. He moves to his desk and pulls out his notebooks and textbooks, settling in to review everything he's learned in his courses so far and then some. After all, success is the best revenge.