‘So the members of jury, do you find the prisoner, Lee Sungyeol, guilty or not guilty of ually harassed Miss Kim Taeyeon?’ The judge turned to towards the row of juries seated on his right hand side, where one of them stood up with a solemn face, representing the rest of the nine jury.

‘Guilty.’

Sungyeol just stared blankly in front of him. He only felt numbed as he glazed up to the gallery to find his parents and brother sobbing uncontrollably when the judge passed the sentence he had to serve. He looked at Taeyeon, who was looking back at him with a scared look, slightly trembling and a guy whom Sungyeol had never seen before in his life comforting her, smirking in Sungyeol’s direction. Four years. Four Years. Those two words remained indelibly fixed in his mind. Four years of his life were going down the drain, along with all the hard work he had accumulated over the years since he was born.

The police officers pulled him into a standing position and he realized that the judge and almost everyone had left the room, except his parents and brother who were now standing in front of him, and god knows how they got here.

‘Hyung…’ Daeyeol looked at him with red eyes as he quickly wiped away some tears rolling down his cheeks. A true man wouldn’t cry and Daeyeol admitted that he was, but he wasn’t when his hyung was gone. ‘I believe you didn’t do it. I believe you won’t in anyway. You’ll never do such thing.’

‘S-Sungyeol ah, take care of yourself okay? We’ll visit you every week.’ His mother cried even harder when she said that and his father held her tightly to comfort her before giving Sungyeol the look and Sungyeol was close enough to his dad to understand the art of speaking through the eyes.

I believe you.

Sungyeol smiled a little, before the police officers dragged him out of the room and placed him in a car, going somewhere called The Gwacheon Prison, the hole he was going to spend four precious years of his life in there. Sungyeol fell asleep without he himself knowing it, since he was really tired. Really. The next moment he knew, he was shaken awake to get off the car and entered the black gates one by one. They entered the first one and it shut closed with a ‘thud’ sound before the second one was opened. The sound the gates made echoed in his hollowed heart, shutting the gates of his heart and his eyes turned a little colder when each gate closed off.

‘Lee Sungyeol. I’m sorry lad, but four years aren’t much so as long as you behave, you’ll get out of here sooner than you expect.’ The prison officer seated at the reception had worn a I-pity-you-but-I-can’t-do-anything look. ‘You won’t be held in the single cell, since you’re no longer on remand but you’ll be sharing a cell with someone. I’m putting you in block 1 room 107. He should be nice enough.’

Another officer took over and led Sungyeol to a long corridor, entering a room labelled ‘STORES’

‘Prisoner 2708.’ The officer said to another who was in the stores which Sungyeol assumed that it was the store manager, he had heard it from others before.

‘Strip. You won’t be wearing any of the clothes you’re wearing now until you’re out of here.’ The store manager said and Sungyeol obliged.

The store manager handed him almost everything he needed for his daily life in prison. Clothes with undergarments, toothbrush, toothpaste, head-to-toe body wash, shaver, mug, plate and utensils for eating meals, and even a jumper for him to use, except the fact that they didn’t provide him with dental floss and mouthwash that he used during his hygiene routine at home, but nevertheless, it was better than not having anything since he always thought that prison would just give you some clothes with black stripes (which surprisingly they didn’t, his clothes were in black color).

‘You’ll come back for clothes every three days. The store will open until four p.m. every day. Bring your dirty clothes along.’ The store manager said to him before walking off and the officer who brought him here led him to another level of the building.

‘This will be your cell.’ The officer opened a thick metal door in the corridor and led him to one of the rooms labelled 107 and he shut the door.

Sungyeol inspected the room while standing in front of the locked door. There was a toilet bowl in the prison, it didn’t smell and there were two beds, with pillows and blankets on them. Both blankets neatly folded. A black haired guy was seated on the table, writing something down, when he finally realized that there was a newcomer, he turned and stood up.

‘Kim Myungsoo.’ He held out his right hand and Sungyeol blinked before slowly extending his hand to shake Myungsoo’s hand.

‘Lee Sungyeol.’ Sungyeol finally said.

‘Well, that’s your bed. I don’t have any particular rule so just make yourself comfortable, of course, you can’t touch my diary.’ Myungsoo smiled a little before pointing to the bed nearer to the wall, indicating that that was Sungyeol’s bed.

‘Okay.’ Sungyeol only replied simply and placed all his things on the bed.

‘What are you in here for?’ Myungsoo sat at the brim of his bed, and looked at Sungyeol.

‘ual harassment.’ Sungyeol simply answered, he didn’t even bothered to say that he was innocent since he was already stuck here.

‘How long?’ Myungsoo asked again and Sungyeol started to feel that his new cellmate was asking too much questions.

‘Four years.’ Sungyeol started folding his clothes nicely and placed them beside his pillow.

‘Well, that’s considered short.’ Myungsoo pondered and Sungyeol looked up to glare at him.

‘Short? You call spending four years of my life in this hole short? I didn’t even do anything to deserve this!’ Right, if this Myungsoo guy was trying to rub him up in the wrong way, he definitely had done it in the right way because Sungyeol, being the short-tempered boy since young, was starting to get irritated and annoyed.

‘Hm. You know, ual harassment can get you up to ten years of imprisonment, the minimum of years that judge has to give you is four, so that’s considered short buddy.’ Myungsoo pointed out calmly.

‘What. You’re saying that the judge is being lenient or something?’ Sungyeol snorted. ‘How do you know so much? You’re in here for the same reason?’

‘Well, not exactly. I’m in here because of a mistake in a court case.’ Myungsoo lie down on his bed with his hands supporting the back of his head.

‘You’re a lawyer?’ Sungyeol asked.

‘Yep. Unfortunately, I ended up here. I don’t think I was at fault but since my client decided to sue me because I lost on the case. I regretted taking his case until now.’ Myungsoo looked at the ceiling.

‘Oh.’ Sungyeol couldn’t find a word to say. ‘How long have you been here?’

‘About a month.’ Myungsoo replied.

‘How long more to go?’ Okay, maybe Sungyeol was a little too sensitive before.

‘Around a month and a half?’ Myungsoo turned to look at Sungyeol. ‘Why? Interested in me already?’

‘No. Just curious how long I have to bear with you.’ Sungyeol scoffed and went back to packing his stuff, tidying everything while Myungsoo just shrugged.

‘You know, maybe you can tell me a little on your case.’ Myungsoo broke the silence.

‘What’s there to say? I’m framed and end of story.’ Sungyeol smiled bitterly.

‘I maybe able to help you get out of here sooner when I get out of here you know. I’m a lawyer afterall.’ Myungsoo looked at Sungyeol. ‘Moreover, I’m bored and maybe studying your case can entertain me so that life won’t be so boring.’

‘Fine.’ Sungyeol sighed. He didn’t have any other better things to do as well, and there’s someone to talk to, so why not? ‘You see, I’m a doctor.’

‘Uh-huh. Carry on.’

‘I have come across a lot of patients but there was this patient that always bugs me. She came for check up every week, she has nothing wrong with her, so at first I guess that people nowadays have too much money to spend and decided that checkups would do them good and stuff. Anyway, she came for blood test, almost everything. The patient’s name is Kim Taeyeon. I always found her familiar and I only recalled where I had seen her before when I was at the dock. She was one of my middle school classmate. She began getting closer to me, I wasn’t very comfortable since, well, my ual preference isn’t female.’ Sungyeol stopped suddenly and looked at Myungsoo, realizing what he just said.

‘Go on. I’m not going to judge you because I’m gay myself.’ Myungsoo nodded.

‘So I told her to stay away from me, but we’re alone in the room, I didn’t know where the nurse had gone to. She suddenly invited me to a party, saying that all the middle school friends would be there, even Woohyun, one of my best friends, was invited too. So I agreed and she wrote down some club address I’d never heard before. I tried to called Woohyun before I left for the party that night but his phone was turned off and I figured that it might had ran out of battery, you know, he loved to play games on his phone.’ Sungyeol paused for a little while and his tongue ran though his dry lips before he continued.

‘That’s where everything went wrong. When I reached the club, I didn’t see a single familiar faces but only Taeyeon, she just smiled and stated that the rest hadn’t arrive yet, that I should get started and know new people instead. She handed me a drink, I gladly took it, which was mistake number two, ‘cause I’m a er when it comes to alcohol intake. I wasn’t even sure whether I’m drunk, before I was being dragged into a room and my memory stopped there. When I woke up, I felt my head hurts and I felt something weird. I found out that I was and beside me was Taeyeon who was too, I panicked of course. She woke up too and she started crying and a girl ran into the room and threw me out, along with my clothes and I could only hear Taeyeon screaming inside the room and the girl comforting her. They called the police and yup. You could’ve guessed the rest.’ Sungyeol sighed.

‘Didn’t they ran through a test to check for your acid phosphatase level?’ Myungsoo knotted his brows.

‘Yeah. They did. But I don’t know why, somehow that wasn’t being brought up during the inspection of evidence that I her.’ Sungyeol frowned. ‘All they used was the test result that they ran on her, saying that my was found in her and blah blah blah.’ Sungyeol frowned.

‘Wait. That isn’t normal. You see, usually we will use test results from victim and the criminal.’ Myungsoo pointed out his doubts but Sungyeol only shrugged.

Sungyeol noticed something for the next few bored-to-death hours. Myungsoo wasn’t talking to him anymore ever since he told him his case, but instead, Myungsoo was seated on the table again and scribbling something down onto a notebook, occasionally rubbing his nape as he looked at the paper, Sungyeol figured out that it was something that Myungsoo would do when he was thinking. Sungyeol continued observing the younger (well, he guessed that Myungsoo was younger cause he looked younger than he was), Myungsoo had sharp features angled perfectly on his face, making him very handsome. Sungyeol wondered how could someone look like a model in the prison clothes. Nevertheless, Sungyeol had to admit that Myungsoo was very charming, especially when he focus on whatever work he was doing.

‘Done. I think you should stop looking at me for a while. I bet your eyes are tired. Go and take a nap or something.’ Myungsoo said while writing and Sungyeol’s eyes widened before his face burnt with embarrassment.  Myungsoo knew!

Sungyeol lie down on the bed and turned to face the wall, trying to sleep while Myungsoo wore a smirk and hid his smile.

‘Sungyeol. Sungyeol. Wake up.’ Someone shook him and Sungyeol slapped the person’s hand away, groaning.

‘Oh come on. Don’t you want to be out of here? Get up this second!’ Myungsoo was getting frustrated.

‘What?’ Sungyeol sat up angrily, glaring at Myungsoo who disturbed his sleep.

‘Your case. I’ve been analyzing you know. I found that there’s a lot of things that the police officers shouldn’t miss out, or at least your lawyer shouldn’t. Look at this list. Did they say any of these in the court?’ Myungsoo handed him a piece of paper and Sungyeol scanned it quickly, before shaking his head.

‘I knew it. Something’s fishy about your case. Hang on.’ Myungsoo banged on the metal door and soon, the small window on the door was opened.

‘Yes Myungsoo? Something happened?’ The officer looked gravely concerned which surprised Sungyeol a little since, well, no officers would treat a criminal with such polite manner.

‘Sir, I would like to call for my colleague.’ Myungsoo started.

‘Which?’

‘My brother. Kim Sunggyu.’ Myungsoo said.

Kim Sunggyu?! Wasn’t that one of the top lawyer in Korea? Myungsoo was his brother?

‘Sure. I would inform him. But if he doesn’t want to visit you, it’s your problem.’

‘He’ll come. I told him that unless I ask for him, he don’t need to visit. Don’t worry. Just tell him that Myungsoo want to meet up and oh! Ask him to bring his and my suitcase that we bring to the court along too. Thanks.’ Myungsoo retreated back to his bed and Sungyeol eyed him suspiciously.

‘Kim Sunggyu, as in the famous lawyer in Korea Kim Sunggyu is your brother?’ Sungyeol asked.

‘Yeah. He’s my inspiration to this career path.’ Myungsoo blinked innocently.

‘Oh right. I can’t imagine myself sharing the same cell with the famous lawyer’s younger brother.’ Sungyeol snorted again.

‘Well, now you’re going to live with me for a while so you don’t have to imagine, just live with it.’ Myungsoo laughed, throwing his head backwards when he did so and Sungyeol grunted which earned an even louder laughter from Myungsoo.

__________________________________________________________________________________

‘Hyung.’ Myungsoo stood up when Sunggyu arrived the visiting room that Myungsoo had requested.

‘How’s life?’ Sunggyu asked and wore a handsome smile.

‘Same. I’ve got a new cellmate though. Something related to him that I want to speak to you.’ Myungsoo ran a hand down his hair, messing it up a little.

‘Related to the case of your new cellmate?’ Sunggyu was still wearing that smile. ‘Who is he? Name?’

‘Lee Sungyeol.’ Myungsoo stated and Sunggyu let out a little gasp.

‘Hang on. Lee Sungyeol? Is he a doctor from Seoul Hospital?’ Sunggyu’s eyes widened.

‘Yeah. How did you know?’ Myungsoo looked confused.

‘Ahem. Nothing. I just know. I heard the name before.’ Sunggyu was definitely trying to hide something from him, Myungsoo concluded but he decided not to push it since he needed his brother’s help and pissing his brother might not be the best option now.

‘Okay. Anyway, I think he’s innocent. He didn’t do anything to be hear. He doesn’t deserve it and I’m pretty sure that there’s something fishy about the investigation.’ Myungsoo frowned a little as he reached out for the case that he owned and he asked his brother to bring.

‘What’s he in here for? Time?’ Sunggyu asked.

‘ual harassment. To be more accurate, . 4 years here.’ Myungsoo took out the laptop and turned it on.

‘Wow. I believe he’d do no such thing to be honest. Someone who is close to him was always complaining that Sungyeol will do no such thing since he’s gay or something.’ Sunggyu nodded.

‘Yeah. I believe so too. So I need your help to find out the people who investigate the case and apply for appeal for me. I want to help him.’ Myungsoo said.

‘You fell for him, huh?’ Sunggyu smirked.

‘Nope. I’m just trying to do charity work. Not really interested in having a relationship.’ Myungsoo hesitated a little before answering.

‘And pigs can fly.’ Sunggyu snorted. ‘Anyway, I shall not waste time arguing whether you love him or not. I’ll just go to my point. So I’ll have to dig out whoever that was involved in his case, right?’

‘Right. And find out about the acid phosphatase test result of Sungyeol’s. According to him, they didn’t use that for evidence to defend him and I want to know why, since both side didn’t even bring the matter up. Find out who the attorney.’ Myungsoo agreed and listed out all the things Sunggyu needed to help him. ‘In anyway, I’ll pay you back.’

‘Nah. Anything for my brother. By the way, I won my case over Chunji today.’ Sunggyu added, hoping that it would be helpful to Myungsoo.

‘Congrats.’ Myungsoo said plainly. ‘Thanks Hyung. By the way, Don’t be so mean to Chunji, it’s not really his fault that I’m here you know. And I don’t hate him, he was just doing his job like you and I.’

‘Aigoo! My brother has grown up!’ Sunggyu smiled brightly as he ruffled Myungsoo’s hair, earning a cry from the younger that he was messing up his hair before packing everything and left.

Meanwhile, Sungyeol was totally bored in the cell, he had nothing to do, without Myungsoo, he had no one to talk to, he couldn’t talk to himself either since that would look crazy. Sungyeol jumped up when the door was opened once again and Myungsoo entered.

‘Hey. How’s your meeting with your brother?’ Sungyeol asked almost immediately.

‘It’s good. Why? I only left for half an hour and you already miss me?’ Myungsoo was getting more open with Sungyeol.

‘Obviously not. I’m just bored.’ Sungyeol scoffed then pouted. ‘Anyway, tell me about the life here.’

‘Hmm… Bored. Like you say. Life become interesting because you came.’ Myungsoo tapped his chin.

‘Yeah yeah.’ Sungyeol believed that Myungsoo was mocking him. ‘Anyway, what did you and your brother talk about?’

‘Something about myself. Why? Wish to know more about me?’ Myungsoo smirked and Sungyeol, for no reason at all, felt his heart beating faster at the sight.

‘Nope.’ Sungyeol shook his head frantically which Myungsoo found him cute.

‘I’ll tell you one thing though. I’m single.’ Myungsoo winked.

‘And? That’s not really my business.’ Sungyeol tore his eyes away from Myungsoo.

‘Really? You don’t find me attractive at all? Not even a small bit?’ Myungsoo looked a little shock.

‘Maybe just a little, but not enough to fall for you.’ Sungyeol replied dryly.

‘You er. You just insulted my charm and my handsome face.’ Myungsoo grumbled.

‘Haha! Glad to do it.’

‘I hate you.’ Myungsoo pouted and pulled the blanket over his head, pretending to be angry, but actually, he was thinking about why he was trying to help Sungyeol.

Myungsoo had to admit that Sungyeol was nothing like his previous cellmate who got transferred to another block since he got into trouble. His previous cellmate had been giving him stares here and there, plus cursing at every single thing, even his own socks. But when Sungyeol came into this cell, he felt that Sungyeol was different, he was nothing like the previous one and put it simple, Myungsoo found him attractive. Tall, slim with perfect features standing proud on Sungyeol’s face, he could feel the pain in Sungyeol and his heart just… wanted to help him to get out of here. He was actually quite surprised when Sungyeol told him that he ‘’ someone, Sungyeol didn’t look the type. He looked like the vulnerable type who would get instead.

Myungsoo wasn’t a nice person and yes, he admitted it. No lawyer in this world was nice, they were all realistic people, who earned lots of money and lost sleep just to earn those. Myungsoo was handsome, but at the same time, he was scary. He was an angry and powerful attorney, until an unreasonable client accused him of cheating the client’s money which Myungsoo didn’t do it of course. His frame was destroyed but nevertheless, his talent was still there. The police took in those fake evidence but Myungsoo had no way to prove that they were fake so there he was, living in the prison to complete his two months statement.

Right now, he thought about what his brother said. His brother might be right. It might be love at first sight. Maybe. Or else, why would the realistic and cold-hearted Myungsoo help the vulnerable Sungyeol?

Sungyeol went out of the cell the next day, since there were two person who wanted to meet him and Sungyeol was pretty sure that one of them was his mother and another was Woohyun.

‘Sungyeol ah. Are you living well? Did you eat properly? Did your cellmate bully you?’ Hi mother bombarded him with numerous question at one go but Sungyeol smiled and told her that he had been well, the cellmate was nice too (maybe, Sungyeol added in his mind since he didn’t want to worry his mother). They walked for a little while before his mother recalled that she had to attend a wedding dinner.

Much to Sungyeol’s surprise, the next person who visited him wasn’t Woohyun, but someone he didn’t meet before.

‘I believe you’re Lee Sungyeol.’ The guy smiled and his eyes disappeared like magic.

‘Yeah. Who are you?’ Sungyeol asked.

‘I’m Kim Sunggyu and I’m in charge of your appeal.’ Sunggyu sat down.

‘K-Kim Sunggyu? You’re the top lawyer?’ Sungyeol’s face had disbelief written all over.

‘Yup. Anyway, I will not be the person to defend you in court and I’m so sorry to inform you that the appeal will only be carried out a month later. So bear in here for a little longer. I’m pretty sure that you’ll get out of here.’ Sunggyu laughed at Sungyeol’s expression.

‘Oh. May I ask who will be my defense lawyer? I mean, I have to pay him right?’ Sungyeol was still a little confused with the situation.

‘You’ll meet him during the appeal date. So don’t worry.’ Sunggyu smiled. ‘I’m just here to inform you that the appeal had been a success, that’s all.’

‘Oh-kay.’ Sungyeol said hesitantly.

‘Well, I shall take my leave now. See you soon, Sungyeol ssi.’ Sunggyu stood up and left, and Sungyeol was brought back to the cell again, Myungsoo was still asleep.

‘Yah, Myungsoo.’ Sungyeol shook him but the younger didn’t bulge so Sungyeol tried harder.

‘Yah! Kim Myungsoo!’ This time, the younger groaned and suddenly sat up, knocking his forehead onto Sungyeol’s nose.

‘Ouch!’ They yelled together.

‘Why did you wake me up?’ Myungsoo asked, rubbing his forehead, damn, Sungyeol sure has a strong nose.

‘You brother visited me!’ Sungyeol covered the lower half of his face with his right hand and he had a nasal sound since he was pressing onto the bridge of his nose.

‘Oh? Really? Well, good for you then, Anything else? If not, I’m going back to sleep.’ Myungsoo raised his brows, totally unamused and his expression was telling Sungyeol that he was more interested in his sleep than talking about his brother.

‘No! I want an explanation! Why on earth will your brother visit me? He doesn’t even know me! Moreover, I didn’t ask anyone to help me apply for an appeal.’ Sungyeol jumped onto Myungsoo, who yelped in pain.

‘Ouch! You’re hurting me! Get off! You’re heavy!’ Myungsoo panted.

‘No! Come on! I know this has something to do with you.’ Sungyeol sat on Myungsoo’s stomach and his on his… *ahem* that place which made Myungsoo very uncomfortable.

‘I didn’t do anything! Please get off me.’ Myungsoo denied and begged since Sungyeol wasn’t sitting still but moving around.

‘Nu-uh. You’re either gonna tell me or I won’t get off.’ Sungyeol crossed his arms in front of him and pouted and Myungsoo swore that if Sungyeol wasn’t seated on his crotch, he would’ve found his pouting cute.

‘Sungyeol, you’re sitting on my… thing.’ Myungsoo sighed. ‘If you don’t get off any sooner, I can swear that I won’t have any children in future.’

‘Right. Like I care. You’re gay anyway so it doesn’t matter.’ Sungyeol snorted.

‘Sungyeol! C’mon! Get off!’ Myungsoo was near to pulling his hair out.

‘Psh. Fine.’ Sungyeol unwillingly got off since he had enough of Myungsoo screaming.

‘Thank you.’ Myungsoo sat up when Sungyeol got off him. ‘You should ask your relatives you know. Maybe they wanted you out of here so they asked for my brother.’

‘I don’t think so. And Sunggyu mentioned that he won’t be defending me in the appeal and he won’t tell me who it is either.’ Sungyeol tilted his head and furrowed his brows.

‘Oh.’

‘Oh? ‘Oh’ is the only response that you can give me? It’s your brother for heaven’s sake!’ Sungyeol shrieked.

‘What do you expect me to react then?’ Myungsoo looked at him.

‘Err. I don’t know? Gah! That’s so annoying! Kim Myungsoo! You’re annoying!’ Sungyeol rolled on his bed.

‘Don’t worry, I won’t be here to annoy you soon. I’m going to leave here in a month’s time, remember?’ Myungsoo chuckled.

‘Yeah. And you just have to say it in my face huh? I still have like, what, 48 months? Which is equals 1460 days which in turn equals to 35040 hours which in turns equals to 2102400 minutes and in turn equals to 126144000 seconds!’ Sungyeol said all in a breath and ended up panting.

‘Seriously Sungyeol, if you aren’t a doctor, I recommend you to be an accountant or something. Your math is really good.’ Myungsoo stared at Sungyeol in awe.

‘Well, I like my job so no thank you. AND for your information, I hate mathematics since I started school.’ Sungyeol rolled his eyes.

‘Really? Mathematics’ always my favourite.’ Myungsoo laughed.

‘That’s why I hate you.’ Sungyeol grunted. ‘Math .’

‘Aw, we both know that we love each other.’ Myungsoo laughed again and Sungyeol blushed for no reason.

_________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: 1st half of the FF, the second half will be shorter. (I guess...) ><