- BEOMGYU -
Taehyun's father's trial was finally coming to an end. Beomgyu had luckily been able to convince his mother to attend the final day of the trial, explaining that he had a sudden interest in law. It was easy to lie to his mother, however, not so much to his father. Beomgyu had a plan in mind so that he could keep himself out of his father's suspicions, while also being able to be there for Taehyun. He requested to his mother that they were going to surprise his father with their presence, instead of announcing it to him before he went to court that day. His mother had agreed with him, not thinking much of it. If his father didn't know that they would be attending the trial until he saw them at the courthouse, then he wouldn't cause a scene trying to get Beomgyu home.
Beomgyu secretly hoped that his father forgot about Taehyun and left his disdain for him in the past. It wasn't like he knew that they were still around each other every single second. Beomgyu always explained that he was with Yeonjun, Huening Kai, and Soobin. His father never pressed him on it. It would be so much easier if his father could just accept Taehyun and not see him as a criminal like his father was. Of course, his father was very judgmental. It was one of the reasons why Beomgyu hadn't came out as gay to his parents yet. He was deathly scared of what his father's reaction would be if he did. He would probably bar him from hanging around the guys for the rest of his life. That would have to be a conversation for when Beomgyu was older and out on his own.
One of the worst things about going to court was that Beomgyu had to dress up. He had to go back into his closet and pull out the suit that he wore to one of his cousin's wedding and also fix his hair. If anything about his appearance was lacking, his father would be sure to let him know with a stern lecture once they got home.
The trip to the courthouse was a short one. When they pulled into the parking lot, Beomgyu noticed a considerable amount of vehicles parked. This was a lot more vehicles than he had seen the first time Beomgyu visited the courthouse for Taehyun's father's trial. A lot had changed since then, and Beomgyu was so lucky to have gone with his mother to drop off dinner for his father. What if they hadn't? Beomgyu wouldn't have reconciled with Taehyun and witnessed his father's actions towards him.
As Beomgyu walked up the courthouse steps with his mother at his side, he couldn't help but be overcome from those memories. That kiss in the rain held a special place in his heart. It was a mix of relief, realization, and love. Every time he saw Taehyun, he would imagine that exact moment where they both realized that it was meant to be.
Beomgyu found himself smiling before he quickly caught himself. Today wasn't going to be a day of smiling. No matter the outcome, he wouldn't be able to show emotion. If his father lost the case, he wouldn't be able to express his happiness with Taehyun's family. If his father won, though, Beomgyu for damn sure wouldn't be expressing any emotion even close to delight. He had to stay reserved, despite the results. He was so nervous; he could only imagine how Taehyun felt. Taehyun didn't speak much about anything regarding the trial. Beomgyu tried his best to take his mind off of it, but that didn't him help much. He could tell the emotion and fear in his eyes that Beomgyu desperately wanted to take away.
Beomgyu made his way into the crowded courtroom with his mother at his side. He peered over the heads of the individuals standing in front of him and noticed Taehyun sitting in the row behind his father's designated area. He was dressed in a nice black suit that emphasized his strong shoulders. Next to him was a girl, the same one Beomgyu had seen on the stand. Beomgyu presumed that it was his sister that he had lost contact with.
His mother began to set her pursue into a row of benches near the back of the court, but Beomgyu asked quickly, "Mom, shouldn't we get a better seat? I'd like to see dad in action."
His mother smiled slightly, nodding as they walked closer to the front. Beomgyu praised himself for his quick thinking. His mother picked a bench a few rows behind Taehyun on the opposite side of the courtroom on the plaintiff side. At least with this area, they could make casual glances at each other.
Beomgyu scooted into the bench before pulling out his phone. He navigated to his recent text messages, seeing Taehyun at the top. He quickly typed out a message before pressing send.
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BG: im here. behind and 2 ur right
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Beomgyu watched as it took a few moments for Taehyun to receive the message. He noticed Taehyun dip his head slightly before glancing around towards him. Their eyes met and Taehyun flashed him a small smile. Beomgyu returned the smile. Despite the smile and far distance between them, Beomgyu could see the emotion on Taehyun's face. He was so good at hiding his emotions that it was almost shocking to see him look so disheveled.
Beomgyu felt a buzz in his hand and he glanced down, seeing the new text notification. He unlocked his phone and stared at Taehyun's message.
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TH: Thank you for being here
-
Beomgyu felt a pang of hurt in his heart as he read over the message. He wish he could do more, but this was all he could, considering the consequences. Just as he was about to text back, a presence interrupted him from his thoughts.
"What the hell are you two doing here?" His father suddenly boomed, staring specifically at Beomgyu as he gripped the back of the bench.
Shit, he was doomed. So much for creating this plan and trying not to make a scene. He stared up at his father, at a loss for words.
"Oh hun, Beomgyu actually wants to learn more about law school and the process of becoming an attorney," his mother said with a proud smile, "Isn't that amazing, hun?"
Bless his dear, oblivious mother. The extra assistance gave Beomgyu time to think. This was not how he expected this situation to go down.
"Oh really?" His father glared a hole into him, not convinced in the slightest. "Is that so, Beomgyu?"
"Yeah, dad, I-I do want to learn more about prosecution," Beomgyu stumbled over his words, "Since I started working harder in school and getting my grades up, I've considered becoming an attorney."
Beomgyu tried to sound convincing, but he could tell that it wasn't working. He did tell the truth, sort of. His grades were higher than they ever had been, thanks to Taehyun's help. He fully expected his father to explode on him and send him home. Yet, his father leaned away from the bench and shook his head slightly from side to side.
"We'll talk about this all later," his father murmured before walking off towards the front where the rest of his law office coworkers were gathered.
Beomgyu exhaled a breath and relief and tried to avoid his mother's questioning gaze. He prayed that he could maintain his composure through the trial.
-
Beomgyu felt his heart beat faster as the panel of three judges returned back to their seats at the head of the court. The trial had gone by fairly quickly, despite how lengthy the whole case had been. The closing arguments presented by his father and Taehyun's father's lawyer detailed everything, giving Beomgyu the perfect summary. He didn't realize how many crimes Taehyun's father was up for. Taehyun, his sister, and his mother just innocent victims of corporate pressure.
It took a few moments for the judges to get ready to reveal their decision. Beomgyu sat in anticipation, tapping his foot. He snuck a glance over at Taehyun. He caught his gaze, staring back at him. Beomgyu tried to find hope in his pain-stricken face, but his search was inconclusive. He wished that he could be next to him, holding his hand tightly and whispering comforting words into his ear. Unfortunately, that could never happen in presence of his father. From what it seemed like, Taehyun's father was homophobic. Forcing his son to go to a gay conversion therapy proved that.
Beomgyu focused back on the three judges who whispered to one another in their seats. In cases with larger crimes, more judges presided over the case instead of just one. Beomgyu wondered if they had come up with a conclusion. It hadn't taken them long in the decision room. Now, it looked like they were ready to make a final statement.
Suddenly, the main judge spoke up and gave a brief summary of the case. He detailed the charges and summarized the arguments made by both parties. Beomgyu listened intently, focusing on any sort of sign that the judges were leaning one way or another.
The anticipation was driving Beomgyu insane. Couldn't they just get to the point? He felt his heart flutter in his chest as he tapped his foot anxiously. Finally, the judges began to speak again on the verdict.
"In this case, we find the defendant," the main judge announced, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Guilty on all charges."
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