𓈒 𓈒 𓈒 EPISODE TWO !
⇘ the leader debate.

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㆐ꗃ ›› CRYPTIC CAM.

the second episode begins where it left off. . . YAZHU trying to murder ASHTON, JASON sacrificing himself, and everyone else around them either laughing or munching on 'their' candy. the camera shifts to MARCUS who is peacefully eating candy at the witness stand.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
okay! okay. YAZHU, that's enough.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
you've scarred ASHTON enough I'm sure he got the point you were attempting to make.

𝕝 𖤐 YAZHU ⸃⸃
I wasn't 'attempting.' I most certainly did make my point known.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
[ rubs neck ] uh huh. sure you did, rude a—

e/n : not even a minute in I
swear. these boys are
something else.

━━━━━━━━━

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㆐ꗃ ›› CRYPTIC CAM.

the seven boys have now shifted positions. it's now JASON's trial, with MINJAE being the judge, ASHTON the defense lawyer, YAZHU the prosecutor, ASH and SHAWN being the clerks, and MARCUS being the witness (again).

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
[ emotionless ] CHEON SEONGJUN?

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
it's actually JASON, but that works too.

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
??? your name is is literally that. JASON is
your stage name.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
[ nervous ] ha-ha. . . huh? where'd you get
that idea?

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
[ sighs ] listen young man, you're not pulling
a brian with me here on this day.

ASHTON laughs at the reference while JASON looks lost.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
you can't seriously be that uncultured. . .

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
. . .

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
BOI-

e/n : nothing happened. I just
wanted to make you think
something did.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
anyway, JASON is here today as he has
been accused of being a bad leader.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
sounds pretty personal. can't relate.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
but I am a good leader! I cook, clean,
do their laundry, hell I even-

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
hush old man, it's not your time
to speak. [ pauses ]

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
yet.

JASON gives a look of disgust and disbelief to MARCUS who just smiles cheekily in response before going back to eating candy at the witness stand.

the camera shifts to ASH and SHAWN at the clerk stands, where ASH shows his whiteboard to the camera in front of him. it reads :

❛ FOR ONCE I AGREE WITH MARCUS. ❜

ASH pokes his head around the whiteboard and smiles before the camera continues where it left off.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
the prosecutor may state his claims.

𝕝 𖤐 YAZHU ⸃⸃
[ cracks hands ] oh its on.

𝕝 𖤐 YAZHU ⸃⸃
I, HUO YAZHU, want JASON to be sentenced
guilty for being a bad leader as he is not only
someone who picks favourites. . .

the camera cuts to the TV next to YAZHU, showing pictures of text messages from the CRYPTIC groupchat as well as pictures of the two boys being clingy and close with one another.

e/n : the pictures are most
definitely taken out of
context.

𝕝 𖤐 YAZHU ⸃⸃
but sometimes he even refuses to feed us,
or even bakes for other people and never
leaves any for us! how unfair is that?

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
[ stands up and slams hands on table ]
I object!

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
whenever I ask you, you always reply with
'I have my own money.'

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
therefore I don't make food for you.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
no but– YAZHU has a point with the baking
thing.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY
SIDE?

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
WELL FOR THIS IM NOT BECAUSE
I AGREE. YOU BAKE FOR JISU ALL
THE TIME AND LEAVE US SCRAPS!

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
[ squints ] you did not just expose me
about JISU and my baking.

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
well, he did now can we move on?

𝕝 𖤐 YAZHU ⸃⸃
yes please.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
okay. . . do you object to any of the claims,
defendant?

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
I DO! all of them.

𝕝 𖤐 SHAWN ⸃⸃
well, of course you would deny all charges
because you want to be innocent.

𝕝 𖤐 SHAWN ⸃⸃
the question that remains is. . . does
MINJAE think you are?

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
[ whispers ] why am I even here.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
MARCUS, please state your stance
on JASON. this position is taking up too
much of my mental capacity.

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
so much for not putting me on the spot.

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
well, I guess I agree with JASON in the
sense that he does indeed cook and clean
for us. . .

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
but I agree with YAZHU in the sense that
he picks favourites and also doesn't bake
for us.

JASON bears a look of betrayal as his mouth is left wide open at MARCUS' words.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
I'm literally the one preventing ASHTON
from throwing you in the han river. so I
feel like I should get some level of respect.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
I ALSO. I also make sure no one calls
you the CRYPTIC sacrifice.

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
you're doing a pretty bad job at that.
ASHTON literally called me that a
few days ago. . .

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
you just got exposed. . . again.

𝕝 𖤐 SHAWN ⸃⸃
I'm sure his ruling is obvious.

MINJAE holds up his hand and silences the room. ASHTON looks like he's about to burst out laughing, but holds it in so the judge can finish his sentence.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
I sentence JASON as guilty because
both YAZHU and MARCUS make good
points.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
this was enough social interaction for
today.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
THAT'S SO UNFAIR??

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
this show is rigged.

e/n : no, it's not. you're just guilty.

━━━━━━━━━

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the episode continues with ASH's trial; MINJAE remaining as the judge, much to his displeasure, ASHTON being the prosecutor, SHAWN being the defense lawyer, YAZHU and MARCUS being the clerks, and JASON as the witness.

ASH turns to SHAWN and whispers to him something, but fails to realize that his microphone picked up everything :

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
you know I'm not guilty. . . so can you
pull the maknae card for me?

𝕝 𖤐 SHAWN ⸃⸃
I may be your defense lawyer but it doesn't
mean I agree with your tactics. you're gonna
turn into LEE YOOBEOM with this attitude.

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
who??

𝕝 𖤐 SHAWN ⸃⸃
you uncultured human being! you're going to
make me side with ASHTON at this rate and
I'm sorry, but that boy is an idiot sometimes.

ASHTON turns to SHAWN and ASH and just stands there, the camera zooming into his face, to which he's blinking slowly.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
I didn't ask to be ATTACKED today for my
intelligence level, thank you very much.

𝕝 𖤐 YAZHU ⸃⸃
. . . he's not wrong though.

𝕝 𖤐 YAZHU ⸃⸃
[ adding on quickly ] SHAWN is. why would I side
with ASHTON?

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
you dare disrespect by best friend??

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
suddenly this concept feels like its just
all personal attacks on each other.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
can we just, move on with it? I'm tired.

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
sleep then and risk getting no screen-time.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
good idea. wake me up when y'all are done.

MINJAE lays his head down and turns it, closing his eyes. much to the disappointment to MARCUS, the camera crew focus on MINJAE because he looks good even when he's 'sleeping.'

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
. . . MINJAE, you're the judge–

e/n : he woke up, don't worry.

────────────────────────

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
[ yawning ] KIM JUNSEO?

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
that's me.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
you're here today for. . . [ squints ]

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
not using your dedicated time to write in your
journal and instead play league of legends.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
whoever wrote this has terrible penmanship.

e/n : that was me. the audacity.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
I would like to start this, if you may.

ASHTON doesn't even wait for confirmation by MINJAE, and instead begins speaking his side.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
[ points to TV ] as you can see, this picture
clearly shows ASH abandoning his journal
and is instead glued to his computer. . .

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
. . . and guess what his screen is showing?
that's right, league of legends.

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
I object!

MINJAE says nothing and instead yawns, which leaves ASH to continue.

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
first of all, that was taken without my consent!?

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
second of all, that was also taken prior to my hour
spent working on my journal. if you had looked at
my journal, which you wouldn't be able to because
I lock it, you'd know that I indeed wrote in it for the
hour I was supposed to.

𝕝 𖤐 SHAWN ⸃⸃
[ smiles ] yeah! what he said.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
sounds like someone is deflecting. . .

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
I literally almost went to school for law you
imbecile. I know what I'm doing.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
yet you became an idol and debuted in the
group CRYPTIC. so much for law school.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
oooooooooooooo

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
wish I had popcorn but I don't.

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
[ points to candy ] I have candy if you
want some.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
I'm 99.9% sure that isn't your candy.
you entered the shoot without any food
so. . .

𝕝 𖤐 MARCUS ⸃⸃
you might want to get your eyes checked
then, because I certainly did.

𝕝 𖤐 SHAWN ⸃⸃
[ pouts ] speaking of candy, I don't know where my
candy went. I swear I brought it with me.

𝕝 𖤐 JASON ⸃⸃
[ 👁👄👁 ]

━━━━━━━━━

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
you're just salty im a better league player
than you.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
I DON'T EVEN PLAY LEAGUE.

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
OKAY SO THEN WHAT GIVES YOU THE
CRITERIA TO RULE ME AS GUILTY??

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
BECAUSE YOU'RE ASH. NAME STEALER.

𝕝 𖤐 ASH ⸃⸃
I'm about to pull a YAZHU on you, boy.
get prepared-

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
can y'all like. stop?

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
this is giving me a headache.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
[ sighs and clears throat ] so, let me get this
straight. ASH claims he's innocent as the
picture was taken before the hour, and that
he did in fact write in his journal when he said
he would. and ASHTON claims he didn't. . .
using the photo that was debunked.

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
and SHAWN. . . just sat there and looked cute
which is fine. you're doing great.

the camera pans to SHAWN :

𝕝 𖤐 MINJAE ⸃⸃
okay, I sentence ASH as innocent. he has more
solid evidence rather than just saltiness and a
photo.

𝕝 𖤐 ASHTON ⸃⸃
HOW CAN I BE SALTY IF I DON'T EVEN PLAY.

the episode ends with ASHTON yelling in frustration to ASH over the fact that he doesn't play league of legends, MINJAE taking a nap in the judge's seat, JASON blinking in confusion as he wasn't even asked for his witness statement, SHAWN also confused but mildly flattered at MINJAE's comment, and MARCUS. . . one word : candy.

e/n : that still isn't his.

END OF EPISODE TWO.

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᯽─ ACTIVE CHECK (LME ONLY)𓈒 𓈒 𓈒
— comment your oc(s)' names here
and your thoughts on the episode!

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᯽─ RUNE'S_NOTE𓈒 𓈒 𓈒
— hehe I had a lot of fun writing
this episode! I kind of just went
ham on the words and who would
say what, but still tried to make it
as accurate as possible to the
CRYPTIC boys' characters! I hope
you enjoyed reading this episode
and I can't wait for the next one!
last trial (shawn and marcus r
rlly just combined, so I need to
figure that out), and the new
adventure for the boys!