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School was-
Well, actually it was quite all right.
Of course there were the still whispering peers and the tons of rumors surrounding his disappearance. Some of them were absolutely ridiculous, and others too close to the truth. Something about Jimin running of with an Ex-boyfriend...
But Jimin no longer cowered at their gazes, no longer lowered his eyes, no longer stuttered when someone talked to him or even blushed.
Because he had faced far worse than them. And he won. And he had Jungkook and the boys and his brother and the forgiveness and acceptance of his parents and there was absolutely no reason to be afraid anymore.
The teachers were absolutely thrilled to have him back, welcoming him with open arms and wide smiles, saying it would have been a shame for the school to loose such a talent.
Okay, maybe he did blush then.
And the biggest surprise was Mrs. Kayen coming up to him and saying the lead role for the Culture Café performance in three weeks was still his if he could catch up with the training and felt up for it.
Things couldn't have been better and he spend the smaller breaks talking to his classmates, especially Taemin and Kai, well, and obviously Hoseok and the midday break practicing in his little practice room while Jungkook watched him, offering advice here and there while staring at him utterly transfixed.
Yes. He loved dancing for Jungkook. Would always love it the most. There could be a room filled with a thousand people, but nothing could compare to knowing one of them was his boyfriend.
But despite the pleasant surprise of school turning out to be rather nice, the upcoming trial had him fiddling with his hands nervously and his mind drifted off more than once.
It was a mess of emotions that swirled inside him when thinking about Seong-Min.
Part of him just never wanted to see him again. Never even think of that piece of shit.
The other part was thrilled and couldn't wait to see his face when the sentence was spoken. Chung-Ho was counting on at least ten years, but he said court was always up for surprises and the trial might draw out over several weeks with a lot of hearings until the judge made a decision.
Part of him was also scared. Not for himself, but Jungkook. This would be the first time he saw him as Seong-Min not Hyun-Sik. What would it do to him if he saw the face of the boy who had pretended to be their friend, laughed and joked with him even as he made Jimin's life a living hell?
But he knew there was no way in hell Jungkook would agree not to go.
So after their classes had finished, Jungkook drove them home to get changed until Chung-Ho knocked on the door and told them it was time to go. He looked elegant again in his tailored suit and the glasses on his face: intelligent, educated and perhaps a little ruthless, but they needed that today.
Jimin had gone for a simple, almost innocent outfit, white fluffy shirt and beige pants, while Jungkook pulled off his usual black swagger.
The others were already waiting for them in front of the court house, everyone looking tense yet determined. They looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement. They would stick to the truth till the very end- until the part where Chung-Ho had told them about Seong-Min pretending to be Hyun-Sik and the video he used as blackmail.
Jimin... well Jimin would have to lie a lot more, but he had his story straight.
He glanced up at Jungkook.
Well, seemed like that was the only straight thing about him...
The court house was massive and made of marble, the air cool and the atmosphere almost heavy as they made their way inside, led by Chung-Ho who had been here a few times before for other cases.
Jimin had only seen a court room in movies or on television shows, but standing inside one was more than a little intimidating.
"Are you gonna be Okay?" came a soft whisper at his temple and he turned to Jungkook. The boy looked worried, his eyebrows drawn into a frown, so Jimin leaned into him, putting his hands on his chest to pat him in comfort, before he nodded and whispered back: "Are you?"
Jungkook let out a long, deep breath before answering.
"Not sure, to be honest. I know I have to sit in the back while you're up in the front alone, next to that monster."
Jimin didn't care about the rest of the people filling the room as he reached up to caress his cheek.
"I won't be alone. My brother will be by my side. And I'll know you're just a few seats behind me."
Jungkook sighed and gently stroked over his head, letting his hair run through his fingers, his expression softening a little-
And then a movement behind him caught Jungkook's eyes. He looked past him and his expression turned to absolute rage, his body going rigid.
Jimin didn't have to look to know who just entered the court room.
He quickly grabbed Jungkook's hands and squeezed the trembling fingers tight.
"JK! Don't let him have this. Don't let him bait you into making a mess of things. Hey," he snapped, then forced Jungkook's head down by grabbing his jaw, making the younger look at him. He spoke in a low whisper, but his voice was urgent and clear.
"I know you hate breaking your promises Jungkook. And you promised me you would not let Seong-Min have the satisfaction of seeing you getting thrown out of this room for punching him. He's not worth it. This will be the worst day in his life. And you know how we can make it even worse?"
And then Jimin smiled at him: the little wicked, inner devil smile that had Jungkook forget all about the monster in the room, seeing nothing but Jimin as he stood on his tip-toes and kissed him.
Kissed him deeply and soundly, with Jungkook's arm coming around his back to pull him a little closer.
And only when a little growl of satisfaction rumbled in the taller's throat, did Jimin break away and turned.
Seong-Min was staring at them, the loathing in his eyes flaring bright and he was fuming while his shackled hands in front of his body were balled into fists so hard, his knuckled were turning white.
Seong-Min had always been conscious of his appearance, always wearing designer clothes and colors which complimented his dark hair and tanned skin.
Now he was wearing and ugly, orange jumpsuit, and the color was so similar to the apron from the diner he had worn that day he decided to come back into his life. It seemed like fate was finally smiling down on Jimin. Yet the policemen and lawyer by Seong-Min's side kept him from smiling in glee, and instead stumble a step back, into Jungkook's chest who immediately put reassuring hands around him in comfort.
Seong-Min's expression darkened even more.
"Are you having fun, Jimin? Feel like you're doing the just thing, pretending and lying?" he snarled, but the man in the suit next to him turned to Seong-Min with a whisper, probably telling him not to say anything that could further incriminate him.
Seong-Min still looked like he wanted to say something- or scream it, but he was only lead past him, to the desk with two chairs on the left.
Jungkook squeezed his arms once, leaned down and whispered: "Show him who he messed with," and then let him go to take the seat behind the little barrier.
Chung-Ho was by his side the next second, leading him to the desk on the right.
The judges and jury came in next from a door behind the massive, raised stand at the front, all of them dressed in black robes.
The judge was a woman in her late forties, her hair turning grey at the roots and her face set to a stony expression as she took a seat at the very middle, grabbed the hammer in front of her and in a loud, booming voice announced the trial to commence.
And for the first two hours, he only sat on his chair as Seong-Min's lawyer battled Chung-Ho, the two of them handing in evidence after evidence, calling out witnesses and providing the necessary proof to support the witnesses testimony. All his friends came up and just like they practiced, they kept to the truth up until Chung-ho's appearance.
Then there was Jungkook, his eyes never leaving Jimin's. Probably because he was afraid he might loose his shit if he looked at the boy in the orange jumpsuit.
Jimin was in awe as he watched his brother navigate the trial.
He knew what he would do the moment he was back home.
He would take that damn flash drive and flush it down the toilette.
His brother was brilliant- made for this.
Jimin had never seen him in action as a lawyer, only remembered his naturally born affinity to wrap people around his finger. To make them believe anything, even if it was absurd and have them stare at him in utter transfixion. He did that now. Only so much better. He used the right tone of voice, the perfect expression and even his gestures were playing right into the heads and minds of everyone present. He made it sound so believable and underlined every one of his claims with evidence and hard proof, even Jimin was starting to believe it. Maybe that's why when he was called to the stand, he wasn't afraid at all. Chung-Ho had lain the path for him already.
He made himself tremble as he sat on the raised platform, looking out over all the people present.
The judge asked him questions and he left no loose ends, portraying the poor, innocent victim. It got a little harder when Seong-Min's lawyer was allowed to talk to him. His questions were harder to answer- risky and dangerous.
He asked why the camera set up in Seong-Min's house only started recording the night before. Who set it up? Because Seong-Min had alibies, proving he hadn't been at the house at the time.
Jimin told the court the camera had been there all along. That he had no idea where the rest of the feed was. That maybe Seong-Min had downloaded them to a computer or somewhere else or there simply was an error with it, but he had no idea why it only recorded that night.
Seong-Min's lawyer smiled, like he had Jimin by the throat.
And the Chung-Ho stood. Oh... he really hadn't been joking when he said he had prepared everything, squaring his shoulders now and called: "Objection!"
"Granted," the judge let out and Seong-Min came forward, handing her a piece of paper.
She looked at it and Chung-Ho stood proud and tall as he turned to everyone.
"We inspected the camera. It had a frame length of 72 hours, before it deleted the feeds and started recording again, much like some surveillance camera's do. Seong-Min was probably worried that if someone did find it, it could be used against him. Whether he saved those videos somewhere is not impossible, even if we haven't found them yet."
Perfect! It all added up. And if the grim expression of Seong-Min's lawyer was any indication, it wasn't looking good for his client.
Jimin was allowed to go back down to take a seat next to his brother.
The video was shown then, depicting everything according to Jimin's story and while he pretended to be horrified by the recording, Seong-Min let out a rough laugh, like he couldn't believe how well Jimin had played him.
Other offenses were brought forward. All the blackmail and the illegal recoding of Jimin and him in the past and of others too.
Jimin glanced to the side and his heart beat more forcefully in his chest because of the growing horror on Seong-Min's face, his lawyers grim set of his mouth and the shaking of his head.
They were loosing.
Then it was Seong-Min's turn.
Jimin wasn't sure why he had hired a lawyer in the first place, because he was doing just fine defending himself, crying and shaking, begging them to believe him. He admitted to the blackmail and the videos.
Said he regretted it and it was a terrible thing to do, but he loved Jimin. Had wanted to be with him. And this was their revenge, planting the camera, playing him, making it look like he tied him up even though he never touched him.
Truth. He was actually telling the truth and yet no one believed him. No one's face flashed with sympathy as it had done when Jimin had spoken.
It was almost a comical play of fate: the boy who always lied and manipulated suddenly telling the truth but no one believing him now.
Seong-Min was told to go back to his chair.
Then the hammer pounding onto the desk, the judge announcing there will be a break while the judges and jury will discuss and try to pass a sentence.
Jimin scrambled to his feet, turning to Chung-Ho.
"They're passing a sentence already?"
His brother shook his head. "Not necessarily. It's unlikely they come to a decision on the first day of trial. Like I said, this could draw out over a few weeks. But we're doing good, Jimmy."
He was about to add something, when the defense lawyer suddenly made an appearance.
"I would like to make a proposal for clemency," he politely proclaimed.
Chung-Ho didn't change his face as he stared at him and simply shook his head with a: "Clemency denied."
An angry flash shot over the lawyers face, his jaw clenching but he said nothing else as he walked away, over to the other side of the room back to his loosing client.
"What was that?" Jimin asked, not well versed in law speech and terms.
Slowly Chung-Ho turned and a broad smile slipped onto his face.
"That was proof they are loosing and they know it. An offer of clemency is where the lawyers of each party come to an arrangement of the sentencing. It can still be denied and overruled by the judge, but it usually represents a fair solution."
"I just want him to rot in hell."
"I know. That's why I denied it. We already have the upper hand."
"How long do you think he'll get?"
Chung-Ho thought for a moment before he said: "Maybe twenty years? If it continues like this, maybe even more."
Twenty Years? That would... be a lot. And as much as he hated Seong-Min- loathed him with all of his heart, hearing that number finally called up a tiny bit if guilt.
But thinking back, Seong-Min had done the things he was accused of. His chains in that beach house may have not been visible, but it was kidnapping in any other sense. Not with a threat of his own life, but the person he loved. And he would have taken Jimin by force if he hadn't given in, he knew that. If only to try and prove to Jimin he still wanted him. He'd been delusional and obsessed and he wouldn't have stopped. He would have never stopped until it broke Jimin so completely, he might have actually gone into the ocean and let himself sink to the dark, cold sea-floor, just to make the pain stop.
He had to do this.
To be happy.
To finally be free of him.
And if he would be released after his time... well, that would be a bridge they had to cross when it was time. Now it only mattered that he got convicted.
Twenty minutes later, the door behind the raised stand opened once more and the jury and judge reentered the court room, their faces giving away nothing.
Jimin's heart was pounding so furiously, he had troubles catching his breath as the judge sat and the boom of the hammer echoed through the large hall.
"Would the accused liked to make a last statement before the sentence is announced?"
Jimin froze at the words, his mouth gaping open, then snapped around to his brother, but only found a similar expression on his face.
"D-does that mean.... they're sentencing him now?"
Chung-Ho swallowed hard and stared back at him, then bobbed his head slightly.
He looked to the side toward the other desk, Seong-Min's lawyer shaking his head in defeat and Seong-Min...
There was panic in his eyes as he looked from the judge over to Jimin and his face crumbled.
"Don't do this to me, Jimin. Please. I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry! But you can't do this! This isn't you! You loved me once, don't you remember?"
Tears streamed down his face as he begged Jimin- as he got to his knees and rubbed his hand in plead.
Jimin hated the guilt rise in him. He knew this was an act. He wasn't sorry for what he had done. He was only afraid of going to prison and loosing.
"And would the victim like to have the final word?" the judge went on and training her eyes on Jimin.
This was it.
The last chance to say something to the monster who had ruin his life not once, but twice.
He turned to Seong-Min.
And then spoke the truth. For once, only the truth.
"I have nothing to say to him."
Seong-Min howled and cried harder, shaking his head hard and his black hair bounced around him.
Jimin, against his better judgment, had to lock the picture of a beautiful, dark haired boy from his past deep, deep into a box so he wouldn't feel the flicker of remorse and shame.
For Jungkook.
For his future with him, he would do this and not back down.
"All right. Then here is our sentence." The judge announced, leaning back in her chair as she read the paper in front of her aloud. Jimin wasn't breathing the entire time.
"Lee Seong-Min. You have been found guilty of rape and sentenced to 13 years in federal prison. You have been found guilty on the charges of kidnapping and physical abuse, which adds 10 years. And lastly, you have been found guilt of blackmail and illegal recording of sexual relationship without the other persons consent or knowledge for which you will be sentenced to 2 more years in federal prison."
The boom of a hammer sentenced his fate.
Jimin was so baffled at the numbers, his head wasn't adding them up until Chung-Ho whispered incredulously.
"Twenty-five years."
He glanced to the side at him, his face changing from surprised to realization to utter triumph as he jerked forward and grabbed his shoulders shaking him as he yelled. "Twenty-five years, Jimin! We actually did it!"
The court room fell into chaos.
His friends jumped from their seats in cheers and happy screams and before he even had time to turn in their direction, something large and warm engulfed him.
"We did it, Jimin," Jungkook breathed against his air, lifting him into the air and spinning him around the way he had when Jimin agreed to move in with him.
Finally, his perplexed state of mind changed.
They did it.
"Oh my God, it's over," Jimin found himself whispering excitedly and then flung his arms around Jungkook's neck, holding on tight as everyone else came to congratulate them.
The air was heavy with relieve and satisfaction and Jimin felt the weight that had been the threat of Seong-Min lift off of it, making his heart beat easier and lighter.
Jungkook set him down, smiling happy and bright.
"You! You will never have him!"
All their heads snapped around towards the hate-filled scream. To Seong-Min standing a few feet away, still in shackles, a policeman behind him, his expression wild and hate-filled.
It happened too fast.
Too fast for anyone to react as Seong-Min rammed his elbow into the gut of his guard, the man doubling over and Seong-Min going for the gun on his hips.
He raised it.
But not towards Jimin.
To the boy standing next to him.
To the boy who was his world.
"At least we'll both be in hell, Jimin," Seong-Min snarled- and then pulled the trigger.
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For like the entire chapter:
Wohhoo, we're getting a happy ending....
Last couple of sentences: