𝕿𝐇𝐄 𝕯𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋'𝐒 𝕸𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 | 𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐍 | The Devil Judge

Chapter Nine

The prosecutor gave a small smirk, pointing off to his right. "Do you mean him?" Just as witness Kim Sung Hoon entered the the courtroom.

"Please have a seat at the witness stand." The prosecutor instructed.

Once the witness took his seat, Yo Han asked, "Is there anything you would like to say?"

The witness took a deep breath looking at Young Min, then spoke, "I don't want the defendant to be punished."

Shock spread through the audience, including the associate judges, but if Yo Han and Ji Eun were affected, they weren't showing it. They only seemed mildly curious.

"Witness Kim Sung Hoon, you've filed a petition many times, asking the court to severely punish the defendant." Yo Han said.

"I have," he admitted.

"May we know the reason why you've changed your mind?"

"I just..." he gave another heavy sigh. "Wanted to end it all."

"Why?" Ji Eun demanded, her tone sharp.

"In life, all kinds of things happen. It's not like I got injured. I'll pretend nothing happened."

Ji Eun's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. She put the pieces together, guessing that either someone close to him was in danger or his restaurant.

"Is that so?" Yo Han asked softly, ignoring the prosecutor's smug smile.

"As none of the victims want the defendant punished, the prosecution is forced to withdraw all charges."

Forced, or happy to? Ji Eun wondered, thinking distastefully that the prosecutor would at least have the decency to look less happy about it.

"Excuse me, your honour." Young Min spoke up, pretending to sound hesitant. "Could you please give me a second?" He asked, already getting up.

"Well..." he turned to the witness and vowed at a perfect ninety degree angle. Ji Eun felt a very irresistible urge to march over and kick his rear. Even Jin Joo seemed unimpressed by this display as Young Min apologised to the witness, very little sincerity in his voice.

Ji Eun didn't miss the way the witness's face contorted in anger, but held himself back, fists clenching under his desk. But instead of seeming put out or disappointed, Yo Han and Ji Eun seemed slightly amused.

"This concludes today's trial." The prosecutor announced.

"Prosecutor." Yo Han spoke.

"Yes?"

Yo Han got up and began moving to side to come down to the floor, Ji Eun doing the same on the other side.

"What do you call it when someone repeats the same thing?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about." The prosecutor smiled, confused.

"Didn't you learn about cases where the same crime is repeated?" Ji Eun asked, her voice even and void of any emotion.

"By any chance, are you talking about repeat offenders?" The prosecutor asked hesitantly.

"If this we're a normal assault case, the defendant wouldn't be punished-"

"But what is this were a reappear case?" Ji Eun finished Yo Han's sentence as both of them made their way down the steps.

"Then it'd be different. But there's no evidence he is a repeat offender..."

"How many times has he assaulted someone and settled?" Yo Han asked sharply, standing in front of the prosecutor as Ji Eun moved forward to join him.