Tension hung in the air inside the courtroom. Despite the ominous atmosphere floating, the courtroom was lit up by the rays of sun that streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the sides of the room, giving the courtroom a grand appearance. Ji Woo sat at the spectator area in the back, lightly tapping his polished shoe on the wooden floors anxiously. It was separated with a partition from where all the action happened.
Prosecutor Yang, as well as Seo Hyun's court-appointed lawyer, had just finished their opening statements. It was the time to delve into the heart of the criminal trial: Witness Testimony and Cross-Examination. It was the opportunity for each party to present its key evidence to the judge. Prosecutor Yang fixed his moon-shaped glasses on the sharp bridge of his nose, eyeing the paperwork in his hands. "May I call to the stand, Dr. Kim Tae Wook."
Dr. Kim crossed the barrier that separated the onlooker area from the rest of the court, his eyes momentarily shooting Seo Hyun a poignant look. After taking the oath that swore him to integrity, he began to recount his side of the story. "Mr. Ahn came in with a broken wrist. My schedule was reserved at that time. Despite being his neurologist ergo, Dr. Min operated on him. When she finished, I gave her the list of medications he was taking since he suffered Multiple Sclerosis. On the day she administered him the medicine, we did meet up, but it was a brief chat that was nowhere near work-related. Dr. Min approached me later in the afternoon, asking me to update his medication list and explained that his symptoms had worsened. The next morning I went to check on him, and that was when I found him dead."
"A series of CCTV footage will display on the screen behind me, supporting Dr. Kim's testimony." The projected screen behind Yang played the key scenes that Dr. Kim had previously explained. "Now Dr. Kim, can you tell us your whereabouts during the evening after Dr. Min had given Mr. Ahn the medicine. Why didn't you check on Mr. Ahn?"
"There was a critical surgery that lasted 6 hours, so I had appointed Nurse Kang Aera to check on him and his vitals when she served him lunch and dinner. After she reported to me at around midnight, I had written up a new prescription for him and decided to visit him in the morning since I may disturb him."
Prosecutor Yang nodded, a glint sparking at the edge of his lens as his eyes held a serious tone. "I collected the two prescription lists that Dr. Kim had written and verified it with a neurologist from another hospital to make sure it wasn't dangerous to Mr. Ahn's health." Prosecutor Yang promptly walked to the middle, presenting a report and waving it to the judge before setting it on the table. "Unfortunately, Nurse Kang is currently ill, but we interrogated her, and she provided written testimony."
Prosecutor Yang is just stacking evidence upon evidence to support the witness, a smart move to rule out Dr. Kim once the lawyer tries to cross-examine him. Ji Woo sighed, his thoughts blaring with Yang's skills; it awed and scared him at the same time. His eyes flickered to Seo Hyun, who sat on the other side of the room with a stone-cold expression. Her face was void of anything. She was dull like an unsharpened knife, but Ji Woo could still see the fire kindling in her midnight eyes as she glared at the prosecutor determined to indict her.
"Defending side, you may now begin the cross-examination." The judge's voice thundered throughout the room that had been caught in dead silence.
"Dr. Kim..." the public defender began, a calm expression highlighting his features apart from Yang's deadly one. "The autopsy that had been conducted determined that Mr. Ahn died at around 5 in the morning, correct?" Dr. Kim only offered a timid nod. "As Prosecutor Yang had mentioned, your prescription indeed was correct for Mr. Ahn considering his health status. So why did the dosage Dr. Min administer become deadly to him?"
Ji Woo scoffed in disgust, vexed at the so-called lawyer the court had selected. What kind of stupid question is that!? "Well, you see, if you take even a pill higher than the dosage, it can poison a person, and we don't know for sure how many pills Dr. Min gave Mr. Ahn." Just as I thought. Ji Woo swept his fingers through his silky hair, frustrated. He couldn't tell whether this was a sick joke or whether Seo Hyun was begging to wear a brown jumpsuit.
"The CCTV Footage indicates that Dr. Min Seo Hyun offered Mr. Ahn the drug at 11:32 am. Why did it take so long for it to poison him?" Dr. Kim went still, unsure as to what his next statement should be.
"I cannot answer that question. Even if it were only a pill higher than the recommended dosage, Mr. Ahn would've been out cold by dinner time." The public defender ended his dull cross-examination at that moment, but Ji Woo knew that it was the only thing he could point out that might potentially save Seo Hyun from being behind bars.
"Before I rest my case, I would like to introduce another crucial evidence." Prosecutor Yang sauntered to the middle once again just as Dr. Kim stepped off the podium. He laid a ziplock bag down that contained a small white prescription bottle. "This is the drug that was found to have killed Mr. Ahn with high toxicity. Forensic analysis has a definite conclusion that the only fingerprints found on the bottle were those of Dr. Min, no one else." Yang dumped the report on the table with such confidence, before turning back to his side.
It was the most daunting evidence that held Seo Hyun by the throat, choking her to the point of having no space to breathe. With all the shreds of evidence painting her as a criminal; only luck could whisk her out of this painful situation.
Prosecutor Yang's lips coiled to a lopsided smirk as his eyes fleetingly touched the paper he was holding. He was retaining the upper hand today, and the glint in his eye didn't fail to show his confidence in winning the case. "To start my closing argument, let me illustrate a simple timeline. Dr. Min had performed surgery to relocate Mr. Ahn's broken wrist. Of course with many witnesses, she may have been smart enough not to kill him right then and there. However, we were lucky to have another set of evidence that points at the suspect. She entered his room to check on him, and mind you, Mr. Ahn was the last patient she visited before ending her rotations that morning. After drugging him, he did not take any more medication. With the CCTV footage, reports, and forensic analysis to back up these claims, isn't it clear who the master behind this foul play is?"
White knuckles from clenching her fist too hard, and gritted teeth from the effort to remain silent, Seo Hyun's face was red with suppressed rage at the fact she couldn't do anything to clear her name. "It is unclear as to what Dr. Min's motives are based on the evidence alone," he paused, a sardonic grin pinned on his lips as he made eye contact with Dr. Min from across the room.
"But all we need to know is that she killed him, and the evidence perfectly executes that concept."
Seo Hyun's hands were shaking, and she tried to hold herself back from slamming her balled fist on the table to stop it from quivering. Control yourself, don't put on a show as the bad guy. After ending his compelling statement, the judge gestured for the defense attorney to voice out a response. "Your honor, despite the number of evidence that portrays Dr. Min as the murderer, the little evidence that contradicts this is significant. For instance, the estimated time of Mr. Ahn's death is too far off from when Dr. Min administered the drug to him. This is much more than just a mere coincidence, and this should be taken into consideration. There is also an unclear motive for Dr. Min to poison Mr. Ahn. He is a respected attorney at a law firm yet, there are no records that connect him to Dr. Min. There is no real relationship between Dr. Min and Mr. Ahn, hence no strong purpose as to why she would end his life. This highly suggests that Dr. Min may be framed--"
"Objection." Came Yang's sharp voice that cut the defense attorney's statement. All eyes snapped in his direction. He was quick to cut him off that one would think he was waiting for that exact moment. "Your honor, the defense attorney's last statement is based on speculation and lacks sufficient evidence to back up his claims. There is no other potential suspect that could've set this elaborate plot to frame Dr. Min."
"Sustained. We shall rule out the possibility of Dr. Min conceivably being set up by another person in this situation." Ji Woo sighed and shook his head. The argument had come to a brief end, and it was time for the judge to deliberate a conclusion.
Everyone was entangled in a moment of suspense, awaiting the final verdict of the judge. The painful anticipation wracked up Seo Hyun's nerves, and she could feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest, each accented pulse resounding in her ears. The anxiety was devouring her mind, almost pulling her into a psychotic abyss. She could only grasp on to the thin line of hope before it could slip right past her fingertips.
At last, for what seemed like a lifetime, the judge finally cleared his throat. "During this criminal trial regarding the death of Mr. Ahn Myung Pil, the court has now reached a verdict after intense deliberation." Seo Hyun felt her breathing hitch inside her throat as the judge began the statement.
"The court has found the defendant, Dr. Min Seo Hyun, guilty as charged in the incident. Concluding that she is responsible for the death of Mr. Ahn Myung Pil." The judge turned to Seo Hyun with a cold expression. "We shall hold a second trial to investigate further whether his death is intentional or an accident before we reach a final decision to the sentencing. The court is now adjourned." The judge swacked the wooden gavel on his towering podium, resonating a sharp sound throughout the room as he finally stepped down.
"No, you can't do this!" Seo Hyun screeched as the police officer picked her up from her seat. "I swear on my grave I am innocent! Please!" she argued, her helpless pleas falling on deaf ears. Seo Hyun wrestled against the officer who tried to drag her away. Prosecutor Yang scoffed, rolling his eyes discretely as he watched the doctor humiliate herself. Why do criminals always try to put up an innocent ruse? How useless and disgustingly pathetic.
Seo Hyun's mind was starting to fail, like an engine that turned over and over, never kicking into action. She couldn't formulate a thought. Every action could lead to more pain, and there was no way out of this situation. Her eyes went to the walls, the windows, and doors, her vision blurry and shaky. The fear was consuming her entirely, swallowing her into an inescapable abyss.
Ji Woo stared at her, sympathizing with the pitiful doctor. Why can't I shake off the feeling she's innocent? Shit, cut the crap Ji Woo, you saw it yourself, she's a damn criminal. "Please!" she called out, desperate for anyone to pull her out of this hell. Her eyes connected with Ji Woo's as she stood by the exit. He felt a jolt of current electrify his nerves as he saw the wildfire burning in her eyes. Before she was finally pulled out of the court, she finally uttered one final word, defeated.
"I'm not a criminal."
The doors shut with a bang just as she finally left. The viewers that witnessed the commotion finally began to disperse, quiet gossip swirling in the air. Ji Woo sat there, stunned for a moment. Usually, he felt indifferent to any trial he witnessed. Keeping his opinions to himself, always believing the judge would deliver the best decision. Was it because he interacted with Seo Hyun? Was it because her claims felt genuine? But he couldn't accept that he did a shitty job, perfectionism was his aim, and the anxiety of missing a piece was shaking his conscious. I've checked over and over again, what other evidence could I gather that doesn't condemn her a murderer?
The mobile phone in his pocket vibrated momentarily, snapping Ji Woo out of his dazed thoughts. He slipped it out of his slacks and unlocked the phone with ease. "Wait, what's this?" Ji Woo furrowed his eyebrows as he noticed a message from an unknown number.
Investigate the CCTV footage again...
* * *
"Yes, I've asked the hospital management for the umpteenth time in the past 2 hours!" Ji Woo grumbled through the phone. Eun Ho was scolding him from the other line, annoyed at the missing presence of his crime investigator.
"Ji Woo are you crazy? Why the hell are you wasting time in that useless case! Get over it!"
"Look, you don't understand," Ji Woo seethed, trying to hide his annoyance from the people who were filling up the lobby. "Just find something useful to do, bye." Ji Woo abruptly ended the call, disregarding the threats Eun Ho was roaring down the phone.
"Now, where was I?" He turned around, and his gaze fell on the receptionist who looked away the second Ji Woo turned to him. Raising an eyebrow, Ji Woo was quick to decipher that he must've been watching him. Unless he too was captivated by my looks... how flattering, yet I doubt that. Ji Woo straightened his coat and sauntered to the desk. He cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of the lobbyist whose eyes shifted from the computer screen to him.
"Hello sir, how can I help you?" He blinked a couple of times, the professionalism in his tone betraying his facial features. He's nervous, look at the way his eyes shift so frantically. Ji Woo paused, giving him an intent look as if waiting for him to spill.
"Can you let me know when I can talk to the authorities behind the security system in this hospital? I need to review some footage regarding a case; I'm the crime investigator in charge."
"I'm sorry sir, but you'll need to fill in a request form from the police station and a letter of permission. And once we process your request after a week, you can then discuss what needs to be collected." A grimace was plastered on Ji Woo's face, and he held himself back from letting out a disgruntled noise.
"I don't have that kind of time, okay? I need to meet them asap before the next trial."
"My apologies, but they aren't available right now in the office."
"Fine, then I'll wait." Ji Woo kept his cool, trying not to intimidate the lobbyist. As he turned to sit in the waiting area, the man paused, then called out to him.
"I know why you're here." Ji Woo stopped in his path, raising an eyebrow as he slowly looked over his shoulder. "Dr. Min's older brother came earlier and made a hopeless attempt at searching the patient's room." Well, that explains why he wasn't at the trial earlier... not that I'm disappointed he wasn't there.
"So you know about Dr. Min?" Ji Woo inquired. He knew it was a dumb question, but he needed something that will forward the conversation into revealing more answers. His eyes dropped down to the nametag clipped on his chest. Moon Ji Han, I should take note of that.
"Who doesn't? Besides, Dr. Min has been nice to me ever since I started working here." Ji Han's lips twitched a bit to form a small smile. Ji Woo wanted to roll his eyes, but he knew it wouldn't help him at the moment. Let's just give this guy a moment to be all lovey-dovey, I'm the one in need of evidence, I can't be impatient. "My shift is going to end in five minutes. I'll take you someplace that I'm sure will be very useful. But you need to wait for me at the south entrance."
After quite some time of idling, Ji Woo caught a glimpse of Ji Han passing by him. He motioned for Ji woo to follow, tilting his head to the side without speaking a word. The receptionist effortlessly glided through the crowds and up multiple stairs and turns, with Ji Woo following behind at a distance. Finally, they entered a secluded area away from doctors or staff that were scurrying around. Ji Han jolted a silver key into a black door with a bold sign that read 'personnel only' and ushered Ji Woo inside.
"Looks like I've reached off limits..." Ji Woo noted as he realized they were inside the security control room. A couple of screens were blaring with halls and rooms where people were swarming. He was expecting to find the room where Mr. Ahn had died in, but couldn't recognize it.
As if Ji Han read the crime investigator's thoughts, he finally blurted, "After searching for some time now in the control rooms, I was able to retrieve the CCTV footage in Mr. Ahn's room that had been corrupted. It's strange how it ended up here." He sat down on a chair in front of a computer and scrolled down the thousands of files that were littering the screen. "I wanted to show this to Dr. Min's brother, but he left before I could catch up to him." Ji Han's glasses reflected the blue light as he was scanning the files. "Take a look at this, you won't believe it." After double-clicking the mouse, a video started to play on the monitor. Ji Han moved a bit to the side, allowing Ji Woo to have a clear view of the events play out on the screen.
"No way..." he found himself muttering under his breath. There was a moment where his face washed blank with confusion, like cogs in his brain couldn't turn fast enough to take in the information from his wide eyes. Every muscle of Ji Woo's body just froze before a smirk slowly crept onto his face.
This is perfect. This incriminating evidence is all I need. Looks like there is a divine power watching over me.
Hello dear readers! Here's a treat for you! A lengthy chapter to fill your stomachs this week! It was honestly so difficult to write this! But I hope it entertained you all! I am quite insecure of whether it was boring or not very good. I did some research because I felt like it would be stupid if I made everything up, I did want to have some heavy scenes while still playing a balance with reality. Please let me know what you guys think becauss I enjoy reading your comments! And I am always welcoming any critique with open arms. Please don't forget to press that little star to make it shine! Have a great day everyone, cheers~