“Things will look better in the mornings” is an expression that clearly didn't work for Seungcheol. 

with a messy hair and dark circles under his eyes, he dragged his sore limbs at a tardy pace towards the tall marble building. 

Once inside and wandering around, debating whether he should call someone, a familiar voice stopped him

"Hey Seungcheol, are you here for Jeonghanie?" Seokmin recognized him from afar, greeted him with a wide grin showcasing all his pretty teeth.

"Yeah, hum, I just had a small question, but if he is busy, I can- "

The bright and always so cheerful student cordially interrupted his mumbling: 

"Not at all, everyone is in the lounge now, I am going there as well" signaling the latter to follow him. 

On their way there, Seokmin started:

"It is great to see you guys becoming friends, Jeonghan tends to be a little rude and distant to his admirers, but he is really nice when you get to know him."

"I know" lightly chuckled the law student "and it's all thank to Seungkwan"

"Yeah, Boo really seem to pair you up with Jeonghan, but you guys do look cute together so hopefully it will work out." Seokmin slipped him a word of encouragement before guiding him inside.

Krystal, sitting the closest to the door, yelled out: "Jeonghan, your husband is here!"

Indeed, naturally sociable and friendly, Seungcheol quickly became familiar with lots of students in their med student group.

After waving at a few new acquaintances, he found the one he was looking for with Jun clinging onto him like Koala trying to convince his roommate that it was his turn to do the dishes today. 

Jeonghan noticed him as well, and waved with his usual beautiful smile:

"Good morning, what brings you here so early?"

Feeling the younger's gaze on him, waiting, he awkwardly stood there staring at feet and murmured:

"Can I ask you something?" seeing all the eyes fixing at them, he specified "In private"

"Sure, let's go outside" The long haired boy stood up and leaded the way.

Once alone, Seungcheol hesitated about how to start it, after a few deep breaths, he began:

"You know I told you about the case I am working on right?" to which the latter nodded in response "I have been told by the hospital staffs that you were present at the moment of the incident as well."

Jeonghan waited for him to continue, the shimmering in his eyes slightly dimming down, 

"And they said that you... complied to the decision the hospital made."

"But you didn't probably know much about it or even forced to signed the paper, right?" Seungcheol nervously laughed, eager to defend the latter.

Yet moments later, all his hopes were crushed when Jeonghan calmly said:

"No, I perfectly understood the situation and agreed with it."

"You don't have to defend them if it is against your will, I am not going to tell anyone about this" reassured Seungcheol, desperate even for the latter to approve even just a tiny part of him that all those were involuntary. 

The long haired boy softly said:

"It was the only option we had."

Not hiding his anger almost turned to hysteria anymore, Seungcheol slowly clapped:

"Wow, I have seen everything today"

Jeonghan's tone raised as well and hurriedly said:

"He was contagious, and we didn't have enough room nor stuff that day, putting him with anyone could have lead to dare consequences and we cannot put any other patient at risk"

With all the calm he tried to keep gone, Seungcheol wasn't thinking clearly anymore and shout out:

"Therefore you accepted all these atrocities in front of your eyes, you knew that the kid would have died if you don't anything, he was a life just just as any others! Are you saying one life is worth more than another?"

"No, I didn't-" 

Seungcheol shook his head making a few steps back:

"You let them kill a freaking child in front of you and you just let it be? Myongji was their last hope, and the hospital did nothing, you did nothing?"

"It is not what you think, Seungcheol, I swear to God, listen to me for once!" Jeonghan grabbed his arm preventing him from leaving.

"No, I have listened enough today" on those words, he pulled his arm out and left the med student behind.  

Jeonghan, frozen on the place, let his numbed body freely sliding down the wall. 

A voice called his name from behind, and Jisoo was approaching at fast pace, 

"Hey, what's wrong?" Jisoo became worried about the paleness on his face once he got a closer look.

"Nothing" Jeonghan stuttered "I-I just don't know anymore if I should have chosen med school."

"Why are doubting yourself all of a sudden" Jisoo pulled him to sit down on a nearby bench "Did something happen in the clinic?"

"I really don't want to talk about it now." Jeonghan softly whispered, leaned on the latter's shoulder.

Jisoo thoughtfully asked nothing more, instead he drew his body closer and comforted him with soothingly caresses on his back.

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

Once Seungcheol got back to his own department, looking like a zombie, scaring half of his friends and worrying the other half.

After briefly explaining the story, Soonyoung exclaimed: "Dude, you should have at least give him a chance to explain himself" 

"I did, and look where I am now" The black haired student sighed in defeat. 

"It might be because it is his family's corporation that he needed to consider their name as well?" suggested Kihyun "I should have informed you in advance that Myongji was among the Yoon's empire of hospitals."

"Thank you for making it worse" groaned Seungcheol "Now he sounds like a doctor turned business man that doesn't care about anything else than reputation."

"Dude, I bet ten bucks that you'll regret it in no time" Hansol argued.

"Whatever, I can't lose focus now, the court date is in only two days." Seungcheol left his seat before heading back to his uncle's office.

Finally, the day to appear in court came,

the lawyer in apprentice didn't spare a glance at their opponents even when he felt a pair of eyes staring at him since he walked in.

Instead, he followed his uncle to the opposite side of the room to confirm some last minutes changes the parents of the victim.

Seungcheol has been coughing a little since yesterday, as he walked out to take a sip of water, someone he knew well followed behind.

"Here" a porcelain hand tended to him a throat-soothing candy "You'll need it."

"Aren't you afraid that it would make you guys lose faster?" He instantly regretted sounding so harsh, if he was in a drama, he is going to get slapped any second now. 

Yet, Jeonghan said nothing and his heels. 

When he got back, the mother of the child walked up to him, yet before she could say anything, the judge called out the start, so Seungcheol reassured her to not worry.

Even if his uncle warned him this case was more complicated then he believed, Seungcheol was still confident that all those nights of his work will pay off and they will able to avenge the innocent. 

The verdict came to the exact opposite, not only the hospital was not found guilty, the judge even dictated in that case, it was probably the best solution. Myongji's representatives still offered some monetary compensations out of compassion for the mourning family. 

Still trying to recover from the shock of the final results, as soon as they went out side, Seungcheol walked up to their clients and said: "Don't worry, we will appeal to a higher court, no matter how much time it will take, we are going to get the truly deserved conviction."

"There is no need for it" the lady stopped him, her voice still sad, yet perfectly calm "We have accepted the decision."

"Please don't lose hope now" Seungcheol encouraged them.

The mother shook her head: "No, we understood that doctors are not superheroes, they also have limits and this time, there was really nothing they could have done more."

The law student remained silent as she continued to explain: "Apparently our son had a disease called smallpox, and it extremely contagious and deadly for people that aren't vaccinated. At that evening, they only had one spot left in the pediatrics in ER, and it happens to be in the same room with the newborns where all of the children were too young to be vaccinated yet."  

"We would have to put all the children at risk for the sake of one, and that's incredibly selfish even for a mom that will give up anything for his son, he was such a sweet child, I am sure won't want to see mommy and daddy hurting others just for him." The mother bowed down her head, letting tear drops falling down onto her lap as her husband patted her shoulder. 

Once she gained her voice back again, she added: "And that doctor Yoon, I saw you talking to him before, you guys seem close, are you friends?" to which Seungcheol nodded with a certain uncertainty.

"He was the one that contacted us the other day, he offered a vaccination for both of us, even gave us a tour around the hospital showing us the difficulties they face everyday in ER and pediatrics."

Both of the parents then stood up and bowed towards the two of them, thanking them for their effort, before they walked out of the door, the lady turned around one last time and said:

"I don’t want to be indiscreet, but I saw you guys fighting before the appear, we are both really grateful towards your dedication in helping us, but don't put the blame on people that don't deserve the hate."

Then they left, leaving a speechless lawyer-to-be staring into the void.

"I really screwed up this time" Seungcheol buried his face in his hands, the guilt this time was a thousand time stronger than when Jeonghan's ginger head friend accused him for disturbing their life. 

"Then what are you doing here, you should be on your knees, begging for his forgiveness now" accused Soonyoung tapping his fingers on the table. 

"Like I didn't already" Seungcheol sighed, he looked absolutely miserable "text messages, phone calls, following him after his classes, but nothing is working."

"Man, I totally told you that you'll regret for not listening to him" Hansol, trying to hid his happiness that he successfully predicted something in front of his depressed friend, suggested: "now make it up to him somehow."

"I know"