Yoon Bum x Reader: In-Justice

Chapter 14: Verdict

Bum sat in the large plush leather chair and the noisy crowd of people became muffled when you closed the door behind you.

"Are you okay?" You asked him delicately. He was silent. "...That one lawyer was really mean to you, huh..." He frowned down at his hands folded in his lap.

"I'm so sorry..." He whispered.

"Hm?"

"You must hate me..."

"What? Why would you say such a thing, Bum?"

"It's... my fault that you're here..." Only moments ago he had been rejoicing in the fact that you cared enough to spy on him, but after hearing his uncle threaten you, a fresh wave of guilt had come over him. Your future was in jeopardy, and all because he was too weak to fight back. Why should a majestic lioness stumble because a pitiful gazelle can't fend for itself? What you were doing for him was definitely against the laws of nature.

"Stop it, Bum."

"Eh?"

"You should never blame yourself when someone else hurts you." But it was as if your comforting words fell upon deaf ears. He had only fixated on your stern tone and his spiraling mindset emerged. He hung his head in dejection.

"P-please... tell me how to make it up to you..."

"You can do one thing for me, Bum."

"What is it?! I'll do anything!"

"If you get called up there again, I need you to tell the truth." You immediately noticed the fear flicker across his eyes.

"But... what if... we lose?"

"We've already won, Bum."

"What do you mean?" He cocked his head to the side.

"I have evidence enough to put him away for good." You smiled with absolute confidence. Bum didn't return it.

"But... you could still... go to jail because of me..."

"First of all, what I did was a misdemeanor and not a felon-"

"We're ready to start again." Your lawyer peeked his head in to inform you. You sighed and turned back to your favorite mistreated boy.

"Guess we should get back in there..."

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"I would never hurt my dear nephew."

Bum's uncle had been called to the stand now, and his sickening lies brought bile to the back of your throat. He continued to deny each and every instance of abuse, making up stories of self-harm and bullying. You simply sat there, biting your tongue until your lawyer finished cross-examining him. Finally, he arrived at the point you'd been waiting for.

"Evidence presents Exhibit B." He turned to the public to address them. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, I must ask any of you with weak constitutions to leave the room now. The contents of this tape are extremely graphic and are not suitable for all audiences." The man who pulled out the teddy bear from before wheeled in a sizeable screen to face the jury. Your lawyer pulled out a stack of papers from his briefcase and handed it to the judge. "Your honor, I'd like to begin by showing proof that this footage has verified predicate. For the jury members that don't know, that means we can verify that the two people on this tape are indeed Mr. Yoon and his nephew. Forensics has proven that this footage is raw and has not been tampered with." The judge flipped through the pages before gesturing him forward.

"Proceed."

"Play the tape."

A series of loud crashes and bangs echoed through the loudspeakers before Yoon Bum's voice rang through, clear and undeniable.