If you don’t get out of the box you’ve been raised in, you won’t understand how much bigger the world is.
-
"I can't believe you?!" Rias shoved her away looking distraught, tears in her eyes. "You knew I loved him yet you –"
"I'm sorry! I honestly didn't mean to, we jus–"
"I don't want to hear it!" Rias cried and turned around.
"Rias wait!" Momo reached for her to turn her around.
"Don't touch me!" Rias shouted back and pushed Momo, she stumbled a bit, "I can't believe I trusted and befriended such a– such a whore!" She screamed.
The girl was gravely hurt, though she knew she was in the wrong she grabbed Rias. "I didn't want to hurt you, that's why I hid it from you!" Momo cried, desperately pleading, "I'm sorry Rias!"
"What is going on here!" Taemin started running towards them. Rias' eyes went wide with tears.
"Let me go!" Rias screamed and shoved her away, a little too harshly.
"Rias!" Momo screamed attempting to reach out as she stumbled back but watched Rias fall, slipping on the icy ground below her, has her head collided harshly onto the ground, soaking the white snow in Crimson.
"Rias!"
-
Aera cried as she spoke, telling the story of what happened that night. The room stilled and none of them knew what to do. This was more devastating and complicated then they thought, but it all made sense now.
"It ruined all of us, our friendship our relationships. Everything. We used to all be so close, a weird bunch of friends that no one would have ever thought would be." Aera cried, "Rias was my best friend, my only friend that never left my side."
"Rias really liked Taemin, but Momo and him were going out secretly and I kept begging them, telling Momo she needed to tell Rias before she found out some horrible way." Aera covered her face with her hands, Jin passed Hana a box of tissues which she then passed to Aera. All of them just intently listened to Aera's words.
"I knew something bad was going to happen but not this bad!" Aera continued to sob as Hana rubbed her back soothingly. "Kai and I were looking for Rias that night until we heard a scream, we searched for it and we found her and them. She was already dead, and Momo was uncontrollably crying. I have nightmares of it every night."
Hana looked up at everyone who had very strained expressions, how tragic this all had ended.
"We knew this was an accident. We all knew that but Kai shouldn't have listened to Taemin! We should have just told the police but it was because of me."
Hana waited until Aera could speak again through her cries. "Aera, what do you mean its because of you?" She tried to ask as softly and gently as possible.
"Its because I was there, at the scene of the crime that Kai did what he did. He knew that because I was there this changed the entire scenario, that someone like me would be blamed and framed for the murder of Rias because of the reputation I had."
Aera looked up at Hana, "Kai was the one that staged the accident, hoping that we could all get away from it but we knew deep down that we couldn't. So he took the blame, he didn't care about his career, he didn't care about himself. He just wanted to protect me, and Momo and Taemin."
The room went quiet again, it was pin drop silent. Each mind was processing the information, unable to swallow the bile that was rising in their throats of how completely devastating and heartbreaking the situation truly was.
"But then why did you take Rias' place in the competition?" Yoongi asked.
"I didn't want to. I really didn't want to take it but Taemin convinced the dean to put me in. He wanted to keep all of us close." Aera bit her lip.
"But how did he manage to do that?" Yoongi pressed on.
"Its because Taemin is the son of the Dean of Zeus."
That was another blow to them. All this information was just crazy.
"Jesus christ." Namjoon swore.
That was when Jimin arrived and they filled him in but they didn't know what was going to happen next now that they knew this.
"So what do we do?" Jimin asked, his mind still processing everything.
"Please." Aera started, "just please help Kai get out of this. I will do anything in my power but I can't do this alone." She begged looking at everyone.
Namjoon and a few of them were skeptical now, this was going to be much harder, much more difficult that they thought.
"When's his trial." Jungkook asked.
"Next week, on Friday." She said.
Namjoon swore again, "Thats literally less than a week from now. How the hell could we get enough evidence to prove his innocence!"
"We can." Aera spoke up. "Taemin he-
"He has the voice recording from that night."
Jungkook snapped his head up at her, "why does he have that."
Aera looked away pained by the question. "It was mine. I secretly recorded it incase something bad happened, at least we had some form of proof that none of us meant to do it but Taemin found out I did. He confiscated it from me."
"I didn't have a choice."
Jungkook fumed. In fact all of them did.
"None of this would have happened if Taemin and Momo came clean to the police." Hana announced what they all were thinking.
"Yeah but he was just doing what Kai did for me, he's just trying to protect Momo." Aera reasoned but Hana abruptly got up from the seat.
"But Momo is obviously not okay with this! If he was protecting Momo then I wouldn't have found her-" Hana's voice faltered cracking, "I wouldn't have found her attempting to commit suicide in the bathrooms of our school auditorium" tears rolled down her cheeks, she didn't have to ever bring this up again but she still kept her expression stern and serious even if her voice trembled and tears fell.
"Hana that's enough." A soft voice was heard in her ear that immediately calmed her. It was Jungkook and he held her tightly.
"We need to get that recording from Taemin, so we can finally fix all of this." He announced while holding onto Hana tightly.
"But he won't hand it over, I tried. I really tried getting it from him." Aera replied, her eyes not betraying her words.
"Then we will try. Because its not just you anymore who is fighting for this. We all know the truth now too and Taemin wouldn't have a choice but to hand it over." Yoongi spoke up.
"Why. Why are you all wanting to help." Aera wearily asked around, watching all of their determined expressions.
"Because like you, we wouldn't be able to live with ourselves knowing someone's taking the blame for another's actions, accident or not." Namjoon announced.
"Momo shouldn't have to suffer like this anymore. She obviously wants to tell the truth but I have a feeling something is stopping her." Jungkook spoke up.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Hana looked up at Jungkook who still held her close, he wasn't letting go so she smiled to herself.
"Let's go find them then."
-
Hana and Jungkook ran up to the nurses counter at the hospital.
"Excuse me, but were looking for the patient Hirai Momo." Hana enquired but the nurse looked at both of them suspiciously.
"And what is your relation to her?" The nurse asked.
Hana was about to speak but Jungkook cut in instead, "She was the one that found Momo during the incident. She's been worried since, I'm here for moral support." Jungkook hugged Hana with one arm.
The nurse nodded and placed a book in front of them. "Please write your details here, then I'll show you to her room."
Hana and Jungkook smiled, "thank you very much."
The others decided that it would be best that only Jungkook and Hana go to see Momo, that left the others to find Taemin.
He lived a few doors down and Aera helped point it out. Jimin and Yoongi were the two to go up since they befriended him during the aptitude test.
They rang the doorbell and someone else answered the door.
"Hi, how may I help you?"
The guy looked around their age as well, realising this was probably one of Taemins housemates.
"Hi, were friends of Taemin. Is he in?" Jimin asked kindly.
"Yeah he is, he's in his room currently. You're the other contestants from the competition right? Jimin and Yoongi?" The guy noted.
"Yup thats us." Jimin smiled widely, "its nice to meet you." He held his hands out.
"I'm Onew, nice to meet you too." The guy introduced and greeted the both of them. "Amazing performances by the way." He added.
Jimin laughed bashfully, "thank you very much." Yoongi too gave a curt nod in thanks.
Onew lead them up the stairs to Taemin's room.
"Yo, Taemin your friends are here to visit you." Onew called out.
They could hear someone walking towards the door before opening it, revealing Taemin.
"Oh hey guys." His bright pleasant smile beamed at them, "what brings you here."
"Can we come in?" Yoongi asked and Taemin looked a little surprised but opened the door wider.
"Yeah of course, come in."
He ushered them into his room. It was really modern, much like the Dionysus house but more on greyscale side.
"Wow nice room you have." Jimin awed at the place earning a chuckle from Taemin.
"Its a little cold if you'd ask me but, it calms me after a long day." Taemin added and sat down on his bed. "So what can I do for the both of you?" He enquired.
This was a sudden visit but Jimin and Yoongi had a mission.
"We know what happened."
Yoongi spoke up loud and clear and Taemin visibly stiffened but kept a smile on his face.
"Sorry but I dont understand. What exactly do you know of?" It was obvious that Taemin was playing dumb, keeping his pleasant oblivious exterior to ween them off, but Yoongi wasn't having it.
"Taemin, we know what happened that night with Rias. And we need to know your side of the story."
Taemins eyes visibly widened and suddenly his demeanor changed. That pleasant smile on his face slipped, now replaced with a deep scowl and dark hooded eyes and he stared forward at them menacingly.
"And why should I tell you."
His voice had now lost all that flutter, now laced with cynicism.
"Because we're going to help you.
"All of you."
-
"You only have fifteen minutes." The guard told the two of them.
Aera and Namjoon were allowed into the room, shortly after a tall man entered the opposite side of the room, only a wall and glass divided the two as he sat down.
"Aera, why is he here." The man sneered.
"Kai, calm down. Namjoon and his friends are here to help us." Aera sternly said at him but Kai just laughed.
"Help? Why would they help a killer." Kai chuckled.
"Because we know you didn't kill her." Namjoon spoke up. "We know it was all an accident and were going to get you out of here."
Kai was stunned, looking up at Namjoon before snapping his head back to Aera.
"You told them." His voice fierce. "Why did you tell them!" He shouted.
"Because you didn't do it! I can't stand the idea of you taking the blame of a murder you never committed!" She shouted back at him.
"I need the both of you to calm down. Your time has been cut down to five minutes because of that." The officer barked at them making Namjoon curse under his breath.
"Look. Were here to just tell you were looking for all the evidence to get you out of here. We want to help because no one deserves to be locked up for life for something they didn't do." Namjoon cleared up. "You may have fucked all of us over before but none of us think you're some cold hearted killer now let's go Aera, were done here."
Kai didn't know what to say, he just watched as Aera smiled sadly at him before leaving with Namjoon.
"Wait." He called out making Namjoon and Aera stop momentarily.
"Thank you."
Namjoon's lips turned up, "don't thank me yet." And then they left.
-
"Father."
Jin greeted as he entered the doors to a room of a large corporate building.
The handsome middle aged man looked up from his desk of stacks of papers and documents.
"And what brings my son to finally visit his old man." Jins father looked back down at a document.
"I need your help." Jin stated.
His father slowly taking off his glasses, placing it on the table. A smile adorned his face.
"And what is it? A new home? A new school? Wanting a vacation? What is it this time son." His fathers voice was void of care or comfort, thinking that paying for anything Jin wanted all his life was sign of caring.
"I need you to be the defence lawyer of a case."
What left Jins mouth surprised him, he leaned forward on his desk.
"I didn't think my son would ever commit a crime for me to-"
"Its not me that needs it father." Jin interrupted him. "Its the case of Yoo Rias, I'm sure you heard about it."
Jin father leaned back in his seat.
"And why do you want me to help out? The kid already admitted to his crimes."
"Its because he didn't do it. We found out it was all an accident and he's covering for his friends." Jin explained but his father's eyes grew dark.
"Jin, I thought I explicitly told you that I didn't want you to be involved in these kinds of things. Its why I was happy to know you didn't choose law like your father." His dad barked at him.
"Dad please. You're the best lawyer around." Jin pleaded and even went down on his knees in a low bow that they only did for when things were dire.
His father stood up, "son lift your head. Do not bow to me." He demanded and Jin looked up.
"I'll do it."
"Really?" Jins face lit up as he stood back up on his feet.
Jins father sighed deeply before looking back to his desk where a photo frame lay, a family picture.
"Your mother would have been mad at me if I didn't help." He looked back at his son with a rare smile.
-
That left Taehyung. However Taehyung had the toughest of tasks as he rang the doorbell of a small home. He had a large bouquet of flowers in hand as a frail middle aged lady opened the door.
"Hi, sorry for the sudden visit but are you the mother of Yoo Rias?" He said as kind and as sweet as possible.
The lady looked up at him warily, her eyes looked red and distraught. The eyes of a mother who had lost their child.
"Yes, that would be me. Sorry are you one of her friends?" She asked.
Taehyung gave her a sweet comforting smile, "My name is Kim Taehyung and I'm one of the contestants of the competition she was supposed to partake in. Although I never had the chance to know the girl, I thought I'd come and pay my respects." He bowed politely and the lady was touched.
"Oh please come in, its cold outside." She offered and opened the door widely to let him in.
Their home wasn't anything special. It was small but comfortable, it smelled like lavender, calm and pleasant. The interior was of very classic taste, lots of floral, lots of rugs.
"Please have a seat. Ill make you some tea." The lady offered.
"Thank you Mrs Yoo, but don't worry about me." Taehyung bowed in thanks.
"Oh no dear please, its the least I could do for you to come all the way out here." She made her way to the tiny open kitchen, all the while Taehyung walked around the livingroom, observing the family photos and portraits of Rias smiling wide for the camera as she held a lot of medals up.
"I see Rias was a very talented figure skater." Taehyung smiled up at her mother.
Mrs Yoo smiled brightly and placed a mug of hot tea on the coffee table.
"She was. My husband and I thought that she was going to continue skating but she found other passions in life. She decided to take up ballet and even music production at Atlas. At first my husband was against it but Rias managed to convince the both of us it was what she really wanted to do." She smiled sadly at the sweet picture of the girl.
Taehyung took this moment to hand the beautiful bouquet of flowers to Mrs Yoo.
"I thought I'd give this to you, since Rias hasn't had a funeral yet." He mentions.
"Yes, were planning of having it during spring. Winter is too cold and dreary for that girl, she would have wanted to be surrounded by flowers." Mrs Yoo was starting to tear up again, even Taehyungs heart tugged as his eyes wandered to the sweet smiling girl in numerous photo frames around the room.
"I wish I could have known her." He said honestly.
"And I'm sure she would have loved to know a handsome man like you." Mrs Yoo chuckled.
Taehyung smiled widely before he sobered up, knowing why he came here today.
"Actually Mrs Yoo, there's something I need to discuss about with you. Its also another reason why I'm here today " he took a seat and motioned her to have one too. She started to look worried at his expression.
"It has something to do with your daughters death, you see." He faintly heard her mothers breath hitch. "I just want to clarify, Rias wasn't murdered."
Mrs Yoo's eyes widened.
"It was truly an accident. And my friends and I have the evidence to prove it."
-
A/N: hiii sorry for the long chapter. I do hope I didn't confuse anyone. If I did then I'm sorry! Maybe I didn't explain it well. Please let me know if you are confused anywhere, it would help me improve my writing a lot !