Y/N

The air in the courthouse was thick with tension, the hum of whispered conversations and the clatter of footsteps echoing through the hallways. Today was the day—the day that could change everything for Jongsuk. I had spent the past week delving into secrets, talking to people, piecing together fragments of a shattered story. But today, I had to stand in front of the judge and make a final stand for him.

As I walked through the heavy doors of the courtroom, my heels clicking sharply on the marble floor, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of nerves and cautious optimism. The weight of the past week had pressed down on me with every step, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. This case was more than just a career-defining moment—it was about justice. It was about proving Jongsuk's innocence.

I sat down at the defense table, my papers and evidence neatly arranged before me. My hands, though shaking slightly, were steady as I reviewed everything one last time. Two weeks ago, I hadn't believed I could win this case. I had no proof, no strong evidence to counter the claims made against Jongsuk. But now, things were different. The discovery of his twin brother, Suhyeon, the strange circumstances of his disappearance, and the odd behavior of his mother had all raised questions that couldn't be ignored anymore.

Jongsuk and his mother would testify today, and I was hoping that their words would give us the leverage we needed to push the truth to the surface. I had to believe it was enough.

The courtroom slowly filled with people—prosecutors, witnesses, and a few reporters sitting quietly in the back. I glanced over at Taehyung, who was sitting in the audience today. His presence was reassuring. We had come so far together, through the roughest patches, through the doubts and the confusion. Today, we were one step closer to finding the truth.

The judge walked in, his black robe sweeping the floor as the room stood in respect. He took his seat, adjusted his glasses, and called the court to order.

"Today's trial will proceed as scheduled," the judge announced in a voice that commanded authority. "We will hear the defense's arguments and testimony before moving to the prosecutor's side."

I took a deep breath, standing up as the room grew silent. My heart pounded in my chest, but I held my head high as I turned to face the judge.

"Your Honor, I will now present the testimony of my client, Lee Jongsuk, and his mother, Mrs. Lee," I said, my voice steady despite the nerves that tugged at me. "We have new evidence that casts serious doubt on the accusations against my client."

The judge nodded, signaling me to proceed.

I turned to Jongsuk and his mother, who were sitting nervously in the witness stand. I could see the anxiety on their faces, especially Mrs. Lee, whose eyes had been red from lack of sleep. But despite that, there was a glimmer of hope in her expression—hope that perhaps this time, they would be believed.

I called Mrs. Lee to the stand first, her hands trembling slightly as she took the oath.

"Mrs. Lee, could you please explain to the court the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of your son, Suhyeon?" I began, keeping my tone calm and measured. "And why you didn't disclose this information earlier?"

Mrs. Lee looked at me with a mixture of guilt and grief in her eyes. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice thick with emotion.

"Su... Suhyeon was my firstborn. He was only five when he disappeared. My husband and I... we searched for him everywhere, but no one ever found him. It was as if he vanished into thin air." She paused, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I didn't want to bring it up, because every time I did, it felt like I was reliving the pain. But... Jongsuk is right. It's important. And I should've told you everything from the start."

The room was silent, the weight of her words settling on everyone present. I could feel the tension mounting in the air, the eyes of the courtroom shifting between Mrs. Lee and the judge, waiting for the next move.

"But why did you keep it hidden from us, Mrs. Lee?" I pressed gently, my voice soft but firm. "You've been so sure of Jongsuk's innocence. Was there a reason you didn't want to talk about Suhyeon?"

Mrs. Lee lowered her gaze, looking down at her hands as if she were reliving the pain of her past.

"Because of what happened after Suhyeon disappeared," she whispered. "My husband and I... we drifted apart. My husband became obsessed with finding Suhyeon, and I was left to raise Jongsuk on my own. It was too much. I thought it would destroy him to know the truth, and I didn't want to lose him, too. I couldn't lose both my sons."

The courtroom was hushed as Mrs. Lee's words sank in. This was a new side to the story. A side that no one had heard before. I glanced over at the prosecutor's table, where their faces had hardened. They weren't going to like what they were hearing. But I had to keep pushing.

"So, you're telling us that Jongsuk and Suhyeon were twins?" I asked, my voice clear.

Mrs. Lee nodded slowly. "Yes. They were twins. But after Suhyeon disappeared, everything changed. Jongsuk was never the same again. He became withdrawn, distant. And I couldn't bring myself to talk about it. I couldn't let him know the full truth."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lee," I said, turning to the judge. "Your Honor, I would like to submit evidence that corroborates Mrs. Lee's testimony. There is a chance that the man who was seen near the crime scene was not Jongsuk, but his twin brother, Suhyeon. This discovery is crucial to understanding the circumstances surrounding my client's case."

I saw the judge's eyebrows raise at this new information, and the prosecutor stood up, ready to object.

"Objection, Your Honor!" the prosecutor called out. "This is mere speculation! There is no evidence to support that the defendant has a twin brother, let alone that he had any involvement in the crime. We have already established that Jongsuk was seen at the scene of the murder."

The judge nodded, turning his gaze toward me. "The objection is noted. But please continue, Ms. Y/n."

I motioned for Jongsuk to take the stand, and he rose slowly, walking toward the witness box. The moment he sat down, the room fell silent again, all eyes on him. I could see the tremor in his hands as he raised them to take the oath, his eyes avoiding everyone's gaze.

"Jongsuk," I began gently, "do you recognize the man in the photograph I gave you—the one from the night of the murder?"

Jongsuk's eyes flickered for a moment, and he nodded slowly. "Yes... that man... he looked like me. But it wasn't me. I swear, I wasn't there that night. I didn't kill him."

I pressed further. "You're certain it wasn't you?"

Jongsuk hesitated, then nodded again, his voice shaking. "I'm certain. I don't know who he was, but it wasn't me. I've never seen him before, but he looked so much like me—like Suhyeon... my brother."

The weight of his words hung in the air. The courtroom was so still you could hear a pin drop.

The judge leaned forward, his fingers steepled together as he considered the testimony.

After a long silence, he finally spoke.

"Thank you, Ms. Y/n. Thank you, Jongsuk. Based on this new testimony, I believe there is enough doubt to warrant a third and final trial. However, I must state this for the record: even if the defendant is convicted at that time, he will not face the death penalty. He will be given a life sentence."

I felt my heart skip a beat at the judge's words. It wasn't the full exoneration I had hoped for, but it was a step in the right direction. Jongsuk was safe from the death sentence, at least for now.

I looked at Jongsuk, who seemed to deflate in his seat, the faintest glimmer of hope returning to his tired eyes.

It wasn't over. Not by a long shot. But for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to feel a flicker of optimism. We still had a chance. Two weeks. That's how long we had to gather everything we needed for the final trial.

And I was going to make sure that, this time, we would win.

-------------------------------

TAEHYUNG

The courthouse doors slammed shut behind us as I stood there, waiting for Y/n. The buzz of voices around me was deafening, but my focus was entirely on her. I had never seen her like this before—not since I had met her, at least. Today, for the first time in weeks, she looked... lighter. Almost as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Y/n had just stepped out of the courtroom after the trial, and the reporters had immediately swarmed her for interviews. I stayed a few steps back, leaning against the stone pillars outside the courthouse as I watched her talk to them with a calm, composed demeanor. The way she handled herself always amazed me—she was strong, unwavering, even when everything around her seemed to crumble.

As the interview came to an end, I saw Y/n turn away from the reporters, making her way toward me. Her gaze immediately found mine, and she walked over with purpose, her eyes sparkling as if a fire had been ignited inside her. I couldn't help but smile when I saw her expression—it was the first time I had seen her genuinely smile in a long time.

She didn't say anything at first; she just reached me, and without any warning, she threw her arms around me.

I froze for a second. Her sudden embrace took me by surprise, but I quickly wrapped my arms around her in return, feeling the weight of the hug settle over both of us. Her head rested against my chest, her breath coming out in soft, relieved sighs. I could feel her heartbeat—a gentle rhythm that matched mine.

For a moment, everything else faded away—the noise of the courthouse, the case that still loomed over us, the darkness that had been following Y/n for so long. In that moment, there was just us. And it felt like... peace. Something neither of us had had in so long.

I tightened my arms around her, not wanting to let go. The warmth of her body against mine, the faint scent of her perfume, everything about the moment felt... different. It wasn't just a hug of congratulations. It felt more like a recognition of everything we had both gone through, the shared tension and exhaustion, the fear and the hope.

I didn't say anything at first. I didn't need to. My heart was saying everything that my words couldn't express. But after a beat, I pulled away slightly, just enough to look into her eyes. There was a raw vulnerability there—something I hadn't seen before. Maybe it was because we were getting closer, or maybe it was because she truly felt like the case was turning in her favor, but whatever it was, it was unguarded. She was letting me in, and it made my heart beat faster.

"You did it, Y/n," I said, my voice low but full of pride. "You really did it."

Her smile widened, and I watched as the relief washed over her. She had worked so hard for this, pushed through so much doubt and danger, and now there was hope. There was a chance she might actually win this case and save Jongsuk's life.

"I'm not done yet," she said, her voice still a little shaky, but the determination was there. "But I feel... I feel like we're finally on the right track. It's not over yet, but it's getting closer."

I nodded, feeling the same hope rise in me. The worst part of this whole nightmare was the uncertainty—no one knew for sure whether Jongsuk was innocent or guilty. But with each passing day, more and more pieces were falling into place. The truth was starting to come out, even if it meant a slow and painful unraveling.

She pulled back from me then, her hands still resting on my chest, as if grounding herself, and I realized something: I was proud of her. I was proud of how far she had come in this case, proud of how much she had fought, even when everything seemed to be against her.

"You're amazing, you know that?" I said quietly, my gaze softening. "I don't think I've ever met anyone like you."

She tilted her head slightly, studying me with those sharp eyes that seemed to see straight through me. A glint of amusement flashed in her eyes as she spoke, her voice teasing.

"I think you've said that before," she said with a smirk. "And I remember you weren't exactly thrilled with me when we first met."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Yeah, well... I've come around," I admitted. "You've changed the way I think about things. About this whole case. And about you."

Y/n's smile softened, and I saw something flicker in her eyes. For the first time in a long time, I saw her let her guard down just a little bit. She didn't have to hide behind that tough lawyer façade. She didn't need to be the perfect professional right now. She could just be herself—someone who cared, someone who wasn't afraid to show her emotions.

"I'm glad you're here," she said, her voice quieter now, but still strong. "I don't think I could've done it without you."

I felt my chest tighten at her words. Maybe I was being selfish, but in that moment, all I could think about was how much I wanted to protect her. How much I wanted to keep her safe from everything that had been thrown her way.

"You don't have to do it alone anymore," I said, my voice low, and this time, there was no mistaking the sincerity in it. "I'll be here, Y/n. Every step of the way."

Her eyes softened, and she nodded slightly, as if the weight of my words had settled in her chest, bringing her some comfort.

For a moment, we just stood there in the courtyard, the noise of the courthouse fading away, the weight of the world seemingly lighter between us. We didn't need to say anything else; we both understood. Something that had been growing over the weeks. Maybe it was the way she trusted me, or the way I found myself wanting to protect her, to keep her safe from whatever dangers this case would throw at her.

I knew we were in this together. And no matter what happened with the case, I wasn't going to let her face it alone.

The world around us might still be uncertain, but at that moment, in that hug, in her smile, I felt something more certain than anything else: maybe—just maybe—we were going to make it through this. Together.

And that thought alone gave me hope.

-------------------------