7


Tao’s facial expressions were already having cramps, and he couldn’t help but fidget in his seat. "Hello Mrs Yoon," Tao greeted as he tried his best to politely greet his client, and all he could do was nod his head, listening to her screams and complaints from the other side of the line. "Alright Mrs Yoon. I'll come in the afternoon, don't worry," Tao forced out another smile and hung up, then tossed his phone on his desk, murmuring incoherently to himself.

Sohyun looked up from her desk and pointed a finger at herself. “You need me?” she asked, blinking. "I'll pick you up. Just follow me," he said and dashed out of the firm.

Kris looked up from his desk, observing Sohyun as she looked at the door, blinking. Then quickly going back to her work. Kris silently chuckled and shook his head in amusement. *This girl is always so blur.*

When it was time for lunch time, Sohyun slowly walked out of the firm, looking left and right. Kris tapped her shoulder and she turned back. Kris forced out a smile and greeted Sohyun while she warily took a step back and bowed. “Hello, mentor,” she greeted, trying hard not to raise an eyebrow at Kris.

He bit his lip and stood at an awkward position as he scratched his head, quite puzzled actually. “Aren’t you mad at me?” he asked while Sohyun blinked in surprise and quickly shook her head. “No, of course not. Actually I should be the one that’s suppose to be sorry..” She hung her head while Kris tilted her head up.

“You, alright?"

"Sohyun! Over here!" Tao whispered as he dragged Sohyun away from Kris before Sohyun could even react.
 
"Sorry Kris, she's the only one who can save me from Mrs Yoon," he whispered and quickly entered the lift.

"Tao? Is that you?" Sohyun asked, as she took of his surgery mask and sunglasses and got into the car. She gaped at the lawyer. "Why are you dressed like this? And it's summer, why are you wearing a coat?" she asked, odd how Tao is acting.

"I don't have a choice," Tao panted. Even though he hardly moved, the surgery mask and the coat were already making him sweaty and he could hardly breathe. He quickly took off the mask and the coat, then drove off. "Later when we reach the police station, just follow where I go and don't say a word alright?" Tao instructed. "What? The police station again?" Sohyun sighed and nodded, time to time stealing glances at how odd he look.

When they got off the car, Tao wore his coat again and put on his mask, and before he went into the police station, he applied sun tan lotion on his face and arms, then walked in. "Tao what is wrong with you? Applying sun tan lotion and wearing a coat? Are you insane?" she hissed, walking beside Tao as his skin slowly started being itchy, and he scratched his arm and face, then shook his head while following behind the police officer, leading him into the cell.

Tao coughed, and he weakly sat down, while Sohyun gave him the weird look, warily sitting down beside him, facing Mrs Yoon.

"Sorry Mrs Yoon, I came late," Tao coughed as he scratched his arm, while his client just rolled her eyes, and her gaze slowly travelled to his arm and face. "Why are you all wrapped up? And why is your skin so red?" she asked, leaning backward, wary of Tao, while he just shook his head sadly. "I don't know Mrs Yoon. When I woke up, I felt weak and cold, my face was already this red and there even spots! I had to cover up my face," Tao explained, coughing in between, while Sohyun raised an eyebrow at him. *Seriously?* she thought.

"Ah yes, we can discuss about your murder case-"

"I think I need to switch lawyers, you look so sick and- urgh. Forget it, I'm changing lawyers. You look so incompetent. How about the girl beside you? Can she handle my case?" she asked.

Tao shook his head while Sohyun pointed a finger at herself with a surprised face.

"She can't. She is still an intern." Tao explained.

Mrs Yoon looked at Tao in disgust and sighed. Annoyed, she spoke,"I think you better stay at home and rest, in case you spread some weird disease to me, go out." She scoffed in disgust, as she looked at him up to down and shook her head.

Tao's eyes rounded in surprise as he shook his head and coughed. "I'm alright Mrs Yoon, I really can help you defend for you-"

"I said I want to change lawyers! Officers! Send him out!" she shouted and, went back into the cell, while Sohyun dragged Tao out, and he stopped his shout pleadings. His frowns slowly turned into a smile, as he laughed and clutched onto his stomach, controlling his laughter, while Sohyun didn't understand, as she just raised an eyebrow, confused.
 

Tao controlled himself, and ruffled her hair. "Don't you get it?" he asked, while Sohyun just shook her head, waiting for an explanation. "That Mrs Yoon was found charged with murder, and I'm her defense counsel-"

"Don't tell me you're defending for her!" Sohyun shouted and pointed a finger at him, while he rolled his eyes and smacked her finger away. "Of course not."

He sighed and walked out of the police station, taking out his coat as he explained, "I know that Mrs Yoon was guilty, just that she just kept denying, I of course can't do a single thing. I can decline cases, but it’ll will put me in a bad light, so I made her chose another lawyer for that case." Tao dusted the dust off the coat and kept it, while he took out his sunglasses and mask.

Sohyun finally understood as she clasped her hands together. "No wonder you pretended to be sick. You wanted her to change lawyers." He nodded his head. "That's why I applied sun tan lotion to have those red spots popping out. I'm allergic to them."

"But, why did you actually need me?" she asked, pointing a finger at herself while he grinned and slung an arm around her shoulder. "Because I have a feeling that Mrs Yoon has a crush on me. I want her to give up on me when she sees me with you, as my girlfriend," he explained, swiping his bangs and cracked a smile. Sohyun shook her head in amusement and laughed. "To be honest, you're not that charming," she replied honestly and he shot her a look. "Yeah yeah, I know I'm not as charming as your mentor."

Sohyun nodded her head and tapped her chin, then frowned. "But since your face and arms are so red now, how are you going back to the firm?"

Tao smacked his head and groaned. "I totally forgot about it,” he groaned. She cracked a smile and shook her head, while Tao just grinned.

"Actually," Tao spoke up. "Kris isn't what you think he is," he said, and looked at Sohyun. She stopped in her tracks, and looked down at her feet.

"Kris isn't a corrupted or unscrupulous lawyer. He has principles," Tao explained, and felt the tension rising. 

"YongShik, the founder of this firm, only hires lawyers that help the innocent. We won't help those murderers that were found guilty to get off the hook, unless they really are being maligned," he clarified, and Sohyun pursed her lips."Actually, I overheard your conversation with Kris about Juwon's case, I understand why he wanted to help Juwon and of course I can't blame him. I actually misunderstood him and his intentions." she fiddled with her fingers, biting her lip.

--

"Ah yes, why did you even wonder around so late? It's quite dangerous for a girl like you to be wondering about," Baekhyun frowned and asked. "But lucky you met me."

Sohyun couldn't help but sigh out loud, as she clasped her hands together. "I was just thinking, recently I misunderstood my mentor because of my judgement of a case even though I didn't check the case properly, what should I actually do?"

Baekhyun quirk his lips and tapped his chin. "Well, just apologize." She shook her head sadly. "That can't be just it. He won't accept it. He's my mentor, and I even shouted at him, you think he would really accept my apology?" she asked, burying her face in her palms.

"You two are protege and mentor, he can't be mad at you forever right? Sometimes you just need to have the most sincere apology, and that's all it matters because he can feel it," Baekhyun said,  his teeth, then grinned.

Sohyun looked up, and smiled back, nodding.

--

“Just apologize, it’s the most sincere thing to do,” he said. Sohyun looked up at him and blinked, then smiled. "Why are you smiling?" he asked, confused. It was either he said the wrong thing or Sohyun was crazy.

“Nothing, just that a friend of mine told me the same thing,” she explained while Tao scooted nearer to her. “A girl? Why don’t you introduce her to me?” he asked while Sohyun rolled her eyes. “It’s a guy.”

Tao once again slung an arm around her shoulder and push her into the car. "Come on, we need to meet your mentor now, for your punishment," he joked and laughed out, while Sohyun sighed and nodded.
-----