”I think we should get to know each other even more,” is the first thing Inhye tells Taeyong the next time they meet. There’s a way too long queue at the cafe, so the two of them compromised that yes indeed; a walk in the park sounds a lot better.

They met occasionally these days. If it’s because Inseong now has a track app on her (which makes her hella nervous all the time), because she wants to earn Taeyong’s trust and hurry up and finish this case, or if it’s just out of pity for the boy; she doesn’t know. But he isn’t pushing her away either; it’s obvious that he is seeking for company. Sometimes, she imagines that he appreciates her for doing this. 

”Isn’t meeting almost everyday a part of your ‘bonding thing’?” Taeyong doesn’t look fully convinced, giving her a look as if telling her that she’s doing a terrible job.

”I think it worked fine? But I mean like, smaller stuff. What’s your favourite colour, for example?”

”Black,” Taeyong is quick to answer. Inhye wants to ask why that is, but Taeyong is quicker. ”Yours?”

”Green, probably.”

Taeyong scoffs, but it doesn’t feel like he’s mocking her. ”Yeah, no, you do look like your favourite colour is green.”

Inhye raises an eyebrow. ”Is than an insult? What about you, Mr. Black? Is black even considered a colour?”

”Well, yeah? When people ask me what hair colour I have I answer black, right?”

. He has a point. ”That’s irrelevant.”

Taeyong actually laughs, and Inhye can’t point out how she feels about it. It was short, quiet, but it was indeed a laugh. Her heart skipped and she felt... Almost relieved? Many times before had Inhye been reminded of how pure the boy is, forgetting the fact that he’s considered a murderer. But this time, it felt different. Because the laugh was stiff, like he hadn’t laughed for ages. Not only two years, but many years.

Taeyong probably felt uncomfortable, because he clears his throat and speaks again; waking Inhye up from her deep thoughts. ”Now that you know, are we done with this ‘get to know’ bull?”

Inhye shakes her head drastically. ”I want to know more about you!”

”My name is Lee Taeyong, I’m 20 years old and a murderer. You don’t need to know more than that.”

”Aw come on, you’re so boring!” Inhye, out of pure habit, gives him a light push. He’s shocked by it, but doesn’t point it out. He doesn’t look bothered, either.

”Hey, hey, we had this discussion before. I’m the most interesting human and you’re the most boring, Mrs. Lawyer.”

”... That’s also irrelevant.”

Another laugh, but not a laugh like the first one. This one is more of an exhale, with his lips up-curved, only slightly parted. Eyes sparking. Inhye looks away just as Taeyong speaks. ”But I’ll give in to your whines. Ask me a question and I’ll answer it. The only deal is that you have to answer it yourself too.”

”Wow, that’s one hella bad deal,” Inhye shakes her head. ”No fun in that one.”

Taeyong snorts, clicking his tongue in a faked annoyance. ”You lawyers are all up-tight as .”

”Are you making up a fact based on me only?”

”Irrelevant.”

•  •  •

Inhye returns home after that little walk. She met Taeyong almost every day these days; preferably their meetings would be long, but sometimes just a quick meet-up was enough. Inhye never thought that she’d enjoy the boy’s company. The first time she met him, she didn’t know how she was even supposed to pretend to support him in court. Now, she doesn’t know how she’s supposed to lock him in again. 

As if on cue, her brother walks down the stairs. ”Why are you home so early?” he asks, frowning with his study glasses on. Before, Inhye used to think that he looked absolutely adorable in those. Now she doesn’t. She doesn’t know when she stopped thinking that, but it has certainly come to an end.

”Glad to see you too,” Inhye answers with a glare, gently petting their dog. ”I met Taeyong, we spoke and then we parted. Happy?” Inhye kicks off her shoes and pulls off her jacket, not really expecting Inseong to answer. But he did.

”No? You’re not keeping an eye on him, Inhye! If you keep this up, you’re forcing me to take away your role as a lawyer.”

”I’m doing my role as a lawyer perfectly, it’s just my role as his babysitter that’s not working. What exactly do you want from me?” Inhye and Inseong rarely fought. In their family, they always stood up against their strict parents together. But these days, their relationship changed. Inseong changed. Inhye can feel it.

”Do you know why he’s waiting with the sue? Because he wants to get close to you. Two years ago, he was proven guilty, because the lawyer admitted his murderer. Because the lawyer didn’t believe him.”

Inhye frowns. ”So? What’s your point? If it’s like that, shouldn’t I do as her and avoid him?”

Inseong groans, as if he’s speaking with someone in another language. She hates that with her brother; how he always has to pretend that he’s much smarter that her. ”Because, if you two don’t get close he won’t trust you and he won’t sue anyone and he will get another ing lawyer. How hard is that to understand?”

Inhye has a lot to say to him. Why don’t you do it yourself then, why does it have to be me, what happened between you and Lee Taeyong, why are you so ing desperate, what are you hiding from me. But she can’t. She thought it was because it’s her brother, because she loves him. But when she thinks about it a little more, it’s not because of that. It’s because she’s afraid of the answer. She doesn’t want the answers to the questions she wants to ask. Her mind is complicated. 

Inhye just sighs. ”I will meet him tomorrow. I’ll try to stick to him a little more.” She doesn’t know why she gave in. Like she did with the track app. Or actually, she does know. It’s because she’s the youngest in the family, she grew up by the principe to always listen to her father, mother and brother. Sometimes, it felt like she couldn’t take own decisions. Hell, going to law school wasn’t even her decision.

”Good, I’m counting on you. Don’t let him out of your sight, got that?”

”Just get out of my sight already before I take it back.”

So Inseong listens, gets out of her sight; back into his room. It’s not really that she disliked Lee Taeyong’s company, it’s just that it feels so plastic when Inseong forces her to meet him like this. Somewhere inside of her, she wondered if it was wrong of her to think that maybe, only maybe, he wasn’t the murderer of Min Dabin? 

•  •  •

Lee Taeyong just got out of the shower when he hears the buzzing of his ringing phone. While drying his hair with a towel, he picks up the phone to check the name on the display. A smile creeps on his lips as he sees the familiar name.

”If it isn’t my Ji Hansol hyung,” he answers, sits down on his couch with a loud sound. He can’t stop a grin from going across his lips.

”Well what a ing you are,” is the first thing Hansol spits, his Busan accent a given. ”First, you become a murderer and get into prison, not coming to Busan for two summers; then you get discharged and you don’t even call me? Sorry, but you lived in my house and ate my food and ing breathed my air for three long months?”

”Did you miss me?”

”What the , of course I did? Do you even know how badly I third-wheeled Ten and Johnny for two whole fricking summers? Fortunately Taeil came over and played with us a few times, but when he didn’t I really wished you had crashed the tractor into the tree that one time. Remember?”

Taeyong shudders. ”How could I ever forget?” Never before had Taeyong been so close to death. 

Taeyong literally heard Hansol shudder as well from the other side of the phone. That summer was hectic. 

”But honestly, Yongie,” oh no, not that cringey nickname only Hansol used. ”This summer, you can’t escape this once. Don’t commit another murderer only because you want to escape from Ten and Johnny, got it?”

”I make no promises,” Taeyong jokes. Hansol knows he’s innocent. Just like Ten, Taeyong feels comfortable speaking with him. ”But honestly, I’m a little busy, I don’t know if I can stay the whole summer.”

”You just got out of prison how the frick frack is a post-murderer, ‘just-released-from-prison’-guy busy?”

Taeyong tries to remind himself that the guy is from Busan and their humour and way to speak is kinda odd. Then he speaks again. ”Well, I’m in the middle of a sue.”

”Oh no, did you kill someone again?”

”Shut up, you ing , I’m suing, not getting sued. Those who accused me; I’m going to sue them for false information.” And also a murderer.

”Oh... Then what are you waiting for?”

”My lawyer to kind of get the situation. You see, if I lose this case; I think I might have to spend a little more time in prison.”

”Well hurry the up and make the lawyer get the situation. Is the lawyer good?”

”I don’t know yet, she’s a newbie. But she really tries to get to know me, oddly wanted to know my favourite colour.” Not that he had anything against that. He liked it, but would never admit it; not even to himself. It’s just, the society didn’t care about his interests and likings; the only thing they cared about was his name and his past. He was a murderer. That was what he was. But Inhye wanted so much more than that. It made Taeyong flustered. 

”Maybe she has the hots for you,” Hansol jokes, making Taeyong smile.

”Yeah, you know how lawyer just loves murderers? Like how angels love devils, or sheep loves foxes?” Taeyong states with an obvious hint of sarcasm in his voice. ”But she’s young, though. Around your age, I’d guess.”

”Is she hot?”

Honestly, Taeyong never really thought about Inhye’s appearance. Only the whole aura that she gives off, and how she will help him in court. That’s the most important thing for him right now; how good of a lawyer she is. He thinks a little, about the long dark hair that frames a little familiar face; but he can’t put his finger on where it comes from. He thinks about how all her teeth show when she laughs, all completely straight with the exception of one canine tooth that’s super slightly angled. It’s the closest to unnoticeable, so faint that getting braces isn’t worth it. 

He’s surprised with himself. When he first met Inhye, he hated her. Because she was a newbie, inexperienced. And afraid of him. Never had he thought that he’d look forward to their meetings, smile slightly at her jokes and speak comfortably with her.

”She’s alright.” Taeyong answers, shrugging even though Hansol can’t see.

”Then I have first dibs,” Hansol declares.

Taeyong laughs. ”Good luck dating a lawyer. They’re boring as .”

”You should take her with you to Busan, everyone’s real sides comes out in Busan. Especially at our midsummer party.”

”God, don’t mention that horrible thing. That’s a terrible tradition.”

”Well, that’s not what you said two years ago? Remember? You were drunk and tried to cook us food but you ended up-”

”I’m hanging up.”

The two of them say their byes, and Taeyong promises to call Hansol (sometimes, kind of seldom. Maybe never). Because they’re childhood friends. Because the summer in Busan with Ten, Hansol and Johnny is still his best memories of life. Because that summer in Busan, felt like the only time he actually was alive.

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