Case 002: Attorney Kim (Trial and Error Series)

15

Some days when he missed your presence, he would drive by your old house and park outside for a good hour or so.

A part of him wished you were still inside, just hiding from him. He was slowly getting all the things he once dreamt of, but sadly, he had no one to celebrate his wins with now that you're gone. All he has left are happy memories of you in a slowly dilapidating house.

He hopes that someday when you cross paths, you're both proud of one another – him becoming a lawyer, and you the pre-school teacher you had always dreamt of. And hopefully, just wishful thinking, both of you have resolved your own issues and are good enough for another chance. But then again, second chances are once in a lifetime and only happen in movies.

During your time apart, you and Taehyung had grown your own differences when it comes to coping with sadness, that's for sure, but the thing you both did in common during the blurry years was exhausting yourselves with work.

'I wish I held her longer if I knew our time would be cut short.' All the sighs he had breathed out went into the void.

The day he went back to the mansion without you, his step-mother threw him to the edge of his overthinking with the thought that you must have found someone who was better than a sore loser like him. Out of all the insults she threw, this was the only one he had agreed to be true.

Six years went by like the pile of paperwork that passed by Taehyung's desk. One settlement case after the other, mostly easy cases that can be sorted out within days, sometimes weeks if the client pushes further.

On more horrible news, his stepmom never missed a single roast whenever he visited the mansion. She still compared him to his brothers and father, who topped no less like he did and questioned his bar results and the cases he had been handling at work, saying he doesn't take serious ones because he couldn't do it.

He knew he could, but being the greatest lawyer of all time wasn't in his long list of things to accomplish.

The reason why he wanted to be a lawyer, aside from proving himself that he can do something on his own, was to help people in the best and most honest way – something his father, an incumbent judge himself, isn't doing.

Sure he could take any high-profile case that would guarantee him a thick pocket, but he stands true to what he pledged at the oath-taking and plans to keep his conscience clean as possible. The world of law is such a small and dirty space. There are only a handful of good lawyers who stay true to their virtues and Taehyung is one.

Today might be his lucky day...or not.

Today's meeting will decide his fate. He stares at the screen blankly as he tries to assess the case that's being presented. His gut tells him something else, but he couldn't point his finger.

As Namjoon went on with the case brief, all Taehyung could think about was 'What was this guy thinking, and decided to have a beef with Han Dong-Il?' He remained silent as he listened to his co-workers' questions and concerns. He understood why nobody wanted to represent Jungkook – Han Architecture, Inc. is the largest architectural firm in the country, and knowing that Han Dong-Il isn't helping. The old man is filthy rich! So rich he could buy the truth.

"No one wanted to do the job. As you all know by now, we have the liberty to turn down cases. In Engineer Jeon's case, his complainant is a very influential man. No one wants to rub him the wrong way," Yoongi says as a matter of fact.

"Han Dong-Il? Didn't you briefly work for him?" he asks.

"Keyword, briefly. We're not friends nor acquaintances," Yoongi clicks his tongue.