Doyeon, Haeryung and Soohyun are already waiting for Inseong in Doyeon’s basement. Their usual meetings are there, and have always been there. The four of them became inseparable in High School. And the thing that brought them together was none other than Lee Taeyong. That was the reason the meetings in Doyeon’s basement started. And why they have been on hold for two years.

”You’re late,” Haeryung informs him as he takes of his jacket; throws it onto the couch.

”Good observation, Sherlock,” Inseong spits sarcastically. ”What have you said when I was gone? Did you manage to get Inhye into the system?”

Haeryung sighs, pulling a hand through her hair. ”My older brother is the heir of the law firm, so he somehow managed to sneak her in for me. He isn’t a big fan of Taeyong either. He said that she’s young, that’s a plus for us. The younger ones are cheaper; Taeyong is pretty broke right now, and have fewer clients so we can easily give her to Taeyong. But if we get caught we can’t blame my brother at all, okay?”

”We won’t get caught, you pessimist,” Inseong sighs and takes the seat between Doyeon in the cough. ”Besides, what we’re doing isn’t bad. No one in school liked Lee Taeyong, no one even cared when he went into prison, and no one defended him in court. Him being on free feet makes people anxious.”

Doyeon nods. ”Agreed, but if he manages to prove himself as innocent; we’d be the ones in trouble. Even your sister, she’s faking her identity, right? The penalty for that is prison, Inseong-ah.”

”Right,” Inseong sighs, a louder sigh than before. ”You know how much I value my sister, I’d never let her do something I know would put her at risk. This is idiot proof; so even Soohyun can be able to do it.”

”How was I needed in that sentence?!” Soohyun breaks out, but the other three ignore him and his protests. 

”But...” Haeryung starts. ”This means that we’ll have to face him in court again, after all this time apart.”

All four of them shudder. ”I wonder how he is now.”

•  •  •

The fact that Lee Taeyong is burning with hatred is a given. Of course, getting out after two years makes him a lucky guy; but that’s just because those who accused him didn’t count with the fact that yes; he was of age when the whole roller coaster began - but the whole murder scene was from when they were minors. That makes Taeyong extremely lucky, or else he’d be sentenced for another eight years. At least.

And the thing he’s doing now may put him at risk. Even if the accusers wanted to stay anonymous; Taeyong knows who they are. Even if the whole city despises him - he knows exactly what group of four, previously five, hated him to the extent to put down this much time and effort to make him look like a murderer.

Those four were the ones he went out the most on.

Of course; now Taeyong regrets it. But back then, he was a kid. He only thought about himself, he didn’t want to be the kid being picked on again. So he turned the tables, and also turned into someone he didn’t want to become - someone who wasn’t him. 

His apartment is empty. No one left roses outside of his door. No one celebrated that he got out of prison. No one even texted him. They probably don’t know, Taeyong tells himself as he sits down in front of the desktop in the only room; scribbling on a paper with various pens to find a working one.

When he finally does, he searches up a number; writes it down to then dial it. 

”Na’s law firm,” it says on the other side.

”Hello?” Taeyong speaks. ”My name is Lee Taeyong, and I’m looking for a lawyer.”

•  •  •

”The number you have dialed cannot take your-”

Inhye throws the phone into her bed, glares at it. As if it was her phone’s fault that Nakamoto Yuta can’t answer her calls. It’s time to forget him, Inhye thinks for herself. They haven’t seen each other in almost 8 months now; there’s no way he still thinks of her.

”I shouldn’t care,” Inhye tells herself and turns her chair back to the desktop where the law book is opened. ”He doesn’t care so why should I? Besides, I have other things to think about.”

Like how she somehow agreed to become a criminal and fake her identity, fake being a lawyer and fake almost everything about herself? This is illegal, what she’s doing is illegal. She’s just as illegal as the murder she’s going to ‘defend’. Or something. Inhye can’t stop wondering. Why is this man too dangerous to get a real lawyer? Why does it have to be her? And why is he so desperate to prove him guilty? If anything; a real lawyer would do it better than her. If not...

Inhye shakes the thought out of her head. It’s her brother, for God’s sake. Her brother that she’s known for 18 years, that has always been by her side. Especially now, when even her boyfriend - or whatever he was to her - is abounding her, she realises how great it is to have Inseong.

Speaking of which, there’s a knock on her door. Before she gets to answer, Inseong pokes in. 

”Are you busy?” he asks.

”Just studying,” Inhye sighs. ”I don’t know if I’m able to do this.”

Inseong sits on the edge of her bed, picks up her phone. ”Anything from Yuta?”

”No,” Inhye answers, totally forgets how she was going to talk about this illegal issue with Inseong for a moment; getting distracted only by his name. The name isn’t filled with love as it was before. She doesn’t love him anymore. She hates him. So she gets back to her senses. ”But seriously, this is illegal, Inseongie.”

Inseong shrugs, his palm against her phone screen. ”Well, too late now. You got assigned as his lawyer today.”

”What?!” Inhye exclaims. ”Wait, how, when, why? Can he call me whenever? Can a murderer call me whenever?”

Another shrug. ”Yeah, probably.” Inseong hands her a plastic pocket. ”Here’s his case file. Study it well. Haeryung and I got the most fixed for you, don’t worry too much.” He ruffles her hair. ”This is good for you, forget love and just focus on your client.”

Inhye slaps away his hand, then puts her palm in the air turned upwards. ”I need some money for that.”

”Already put some money into your account. As long as you’re his lawyer, you won’t run out of money, don’t worry. Or well, as long as you don’t buy yourself a Porsche or something.”

”How did you know,” Inhye jokingly states. ”Get out, I’m trying to learn the whole law book by heart.”

”Good girl,” Inseong leaves the room, shutting the door.

First things first, Inhye checks her account. Indeed, her brother put in a lot of money. He isn’t working, but he got a scholarship; plus the fact that he just has to bat his eyelashes to their parents once and they give him everything he wants.

Next, she opens the case file. A picture of a boy staring into her is the first thing that relieves itself, a big text reading ‘Lee Taeyong’ on top of the page. His gaze is no joke; it’s like he is standing right in front of her. Based on that picture; the boy looks dangerous. His jaw is strong, nose bridge high and defined - the lips thin but still plump. Though, he looks skinny, almost fragile, and his hair somewhat worn out. He’s without doubt handsome, straight up beautiful, but so incredibly dangerous.

Seeing the picture; Inhye isn’t sure if she has got the courage to meet him in real life. She flips a few more pages until she finds his crime. 

She kinda just looks at the text, but catches up a few words that she read out loud. ”Murderer ... Classmate Min Dabin ... Pushed off the school roof ... Witnesses anonymous... Evidence: witnesses matching stories, other students saw Lee Taeyong on the rooftop from the ground... Previous bullying, Min Dabin being one of the biggest victims... Suspected being the reason for many suicides... Known for his violent behaviour and - ... This is brutal?”

He killed a high school student? When he himself was a high school student? Inhye suddenly feels dizzy and sick. The money wasn’t worth this. She just graduated from High School and yes; bullying occurred, but no one was ever murdered or committed suicide. 

She’s awaked (and startled) from her deep thoughts by her phone vibrating; the noise filling the quiet room. With hands that Inhye didn’t know were shaking; she picks up her phone and unlocks it - reading the message that automatically opened up.

‘Hello. My name is Lee Taeyong. I would’ve called you, but I thought you may be asleep. Either way, I just signed you as my new lawyer and would like to meet you for a discussion. Are you free tomorrow, or maybe the day after that? Text me back when you see this.

- TY’

Inhye held her breath while reading. Why is she afraid? He’s free now, he got out after two years. Even if he was a minor; if the crime were big enough, he’d be sentenced for more years, right?

Never before had Inhye felt afraid of a human. Inhye is someone who isn’t afraid of stuff, rather she tries to find something to cure her from her scare. Her heart beating this fast is rare, Inhye is almost afraid that she might get a heart attack if her heart doesn’t take it easy.

Slowly, she types in an answer. ‘Hello. I’m Kim Inhye, your lawyer. I’m free tomorrow. Is 3 p.m. alright for you to meet?’

Just as Inhye breathed out her holden breath, another answer flashes on her phone. ‘Yes. I’ll see you then. Good night.’

Inhye doesn’t answer, she doesn’t know why - since the boy is harmless, at least over the phone. But neither does she know why tears are falling down her cheeks.

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