Through the Glass k.th [HYYH pt.1]

49

After passing everyone, they sat in the front row on the prosecution side, behind Mrs. Park and Mr. Lee, and next to Seokjin, Kyung-mi and Yoongi.

They all looked beyond words for a full minute, all wide eyed, except for Yoongi who raised an eyebrow, "Had a feeling that wouldn't kill you, Pumpkin-head."

Before anyone could say anything else, Jungkook held a finger to his lips, "I don't know about you, but I want to see that smug-ass look get wiped off Dr. Park's and Jae-hwa's faces when they see the surprise."

It was quiet for a moment, everyone thinking that over, then Seokjin reached over and hugged Taehyung, squeezing hard, and his hands holding tissues he probably used to wipe tears. "Tell them what happened, okay? Don't be afraid, we're all here for you."

Soon after Seokjin hugged him, everyone else did too, all tight and warm and full of...he could place the emotion now, it was love, it had always been love. You all care, all of you, the world isn't full of people who can only hate, it isn't what I thought. It isn't. Yoongi was the last to come over to Taehyung, and he didn't hug him, just punched him on the shoulder playfully. But even then, Taehyung couldn't help the smile coming to his face, though he looked down to try to hide it, he was almost grinning. I can do this, I have to, they did so much for me.

"...I call Kim Taehyung to the stand." Mr. Lee said. Taehyung would have missed it, but by now the courtroom was eerily silent, and the words had left the room tense.

Dr. Park laughed, shaking his head, "Your honor, surely we don't hold séances in court? This is ridiculous."

Taehyung frowned, looking up at Dr. Park. He still hadn't looked back, just sitting at the table over by the Defense side, a big smile visible on his face even from on the other side of the courtroom. Mr. Kwon looked like he wanted to strangle Dr. Park for opening his mouth.

"You sound so sure, Dr. Park." The Judge said, same monotone she had before, though she was looking right at Taehyung, her expression was blank.

Since the Judge was looking at him, Dr. Park glanced back too. Then he double took, then he stood up, his mouth moving, but not a single word coming out, then he pointed at Taehyung, still trying to say something but failing.

"Don't point, Dr. Park." The Judge said calmly.

"I-it's not possible! This is a trick, he can't be--that can't be... She's pulling some kind of trick!" He gestured over to Mrs. Park frantically, though she was only sitting at the Prosecution side, a folder of evidence in her hands, not the least flustered by his accusation, "You can't allow this! She's pulling some kind of trick! He died! We all saw it, he can't, not after--."

"Why can't he, honey?" Mrs. Park asked, not looking up from her evidence. "Why not, Mr. Park? What happened to Kim Taehyung to make you think that?" Her voice was full of venom, but her actions were calm, deliberate, slow. Eomma...

Dr. Park gestured wildly to a spot on the floor, his eyes looking as frantic as his actions, "Who could survive that?!"

The judge gave one sharp bang of her gavel, making everyone jump in their seats and become suddenly deathly quiet, "Order!"

For a while, it was quiet and nobody moved at all, and Taehyung just stared at Dr. Park and he stared back, him with a look of utter shock, Taehyung with not much more than a blank expression.

Then the man in the uniform that looked similar to a police officer's went beyond the gate and stood by the row Taehyung was sitting at, holding out a hand for Taehyung to take to help him stand up.

Taehyung exchanged a look with Jimin, then with Jungkook, they both just nodded, so Taehyung took the hand offered to him to stand up, and the man led him slowly through the short wooden gate and up toward the stand for the second time that day.