For Byun Baekhyun, he would rather go to church and confess all his sins, than tell Kim Minseok everything about him joining protests for a year already. He’s pretty sure he’ll be forgiven in church more than in the quiet living area of Minseok’s unit.
    The only noise that could be heard in the living area is the ticking of the clock hanged right above the television. But Baekhyun could clearly hear himself gulping nervously as two pair of eyes are sharply looking at him right now. To avoid his two best friends’ dagger looks, he wandered his eyes around the living area like it’s his first time being there.
    Minseok is a neat person. He likes to keep his surrounding clean and everything in place. He knows the whole place. He would know if the vase has been moved even a bit, if Kim Jongdae went inside his unit with shoes still on. Even the noise inside his place. He would know what changed no matter how little it is.
    Minseok probably has the simplest unit among them three. With a black and white interior, few furniture, and bright lights. Minseok loves to read. The first thing someone would notice when they enter his condo is the bookshelves surrounding the living room. At the center is a sectional sofa and a recliner chair with a floor lamp, where Minseok reads most of the time. Then there’s the 75-inches television that he only uses for watching news.
    They hang out around Minseok’s place most of the time, barely at Baekhyun’s, and sometimes at Jongdae’s. Minseok doesn’t like hanging out indoors that isn’t his place.
    “I actually have 200 pages readings I have to study tonight for my class tomorrow, but if you want to sit here all night, it’s fine with me. I will just speed-read,” Minseok broke the silence.
    Baekhyun gulped nervously once again.
    “Same,” Jongdae concurred. “But I don’t do speed-reading, so will you please hurry the up? Not every pre-law student is as smart as Minseok hyung, okay,” he continued.
    Baekhyun sighed. “We can talk after you both finished your readings,” he timidly proposed, gaining stern looks from his two friends.
    “I’m sure Jongdae wouldn’t mind failing his class for you, it’s okay,” Minseok appeased sardonically.
    “Yeah, I won’t mi— Hyung!”
    Baekhyun pursed his lips, then sat up straight. “Can we have an agreement first before I spill everything?”
    An agreement to spare his life.
    Minseok straightened, then cracked his neck. “An agreement between us is only needed when, one, you don’t want anyone to know about it; or two, you’re doing something dangerous for yourself and I wouldn’t like it.”
    Both, Baekhyun answered in his mind.
    “Or three,” Minseok continued, “You’re doing something dangerous and you don’t want me to know about it, because you know I wouldn’t like it if I find out. If the reason is one of those three, then, no, I am not making an agreement with you.”
    Baekhyun remained quiet. Attorney Kim just entered the zone. And regardless his right to remain silent, he can’t with this lawyer in front of him. He can’t counter Minseok with his rights as the defendant, because knowing Minseok, he probably has everything figured out already. It is only in his nature as a pre-law student to confirm everything with the person itself.
    “Okay,” Jongdae sighed impatiently, “Look, Baekhyun, we’re not in a court trial. So, just so you know, you don’t have the ing right to remain silent right now.”
    Minseok stood up from his seat, then faced Baekhyun. “This morning, you came to my class and asked for my help to bail Yoon Haru out, because she got arrested. Am I correct?”
    Jongdae grunted. “Are we really doing this?”
    Minseok sharply glared at Jongdae.
    “Yes,” Baekhyun simply responded.
    Minseok nodded. “You also mentioned that she has done nothing wrong and you can testify to that. Am I correct, Mr. Byun?” he asked further, while walking back and forth.
    “Yes,” Baekhyun uttered.
    Minseok nodded and went to get something under the coffee table. He straightened up and dropped a very familiar newspaper on the table.
    “Yoon Haru was charged with illegal assembly and scandal for joining the strike of the factory workers against labor-only contracting last weekend,” Minseok stated, facing the wall, then he faced Baekhyun. “And like what I said this morning, you can only testify to a case if you have witnessed what happened in the scene. Now, Mr. Byun, were you with Yoon Haru last weekend?”
    Jongdae took the newspaper on the table and read it with furrowed eyebrows.
    “Yes, but—”
    “Were you also with her at the strike, Mr. Byun?”
    “Yes, but—”
    “Did Yoon Haru asked you to go with her, Mr. Byun?”
    “No! Minseok hyung—”
    “So, you went there on your own will, Mr. Byun?”
    “Yes—”
    “Is this the first and only protest you went to, Mr. Byun?”
    “No, please—”
    “Have you been doing this for a long time already?”
    “Well, yes—”
    “THEN WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, BYUN BAEKHYUN?!”
    Baekhyun, along with Jongdae, went stiff, eyes wide.
    Baekhyun is more afraid of Minseok than his own family. Maybe because Minseok showed him more care than his own family should. And also, Minseok is really scary when angry.
    Jongdae slowly put the newspaper down the table, afraid to make even a teensy-weensy noise. He’s holding his breath as he turns to Baekhyun. He just wants to sprint out of that place to save his life and leave Baekhyun to die in the hands of Minseok.
    Minseok sat back at the sofa beside a stiff Jongdae, then he crossed his arms and faced a silent Baekhyun. “You know why I don’t like hanging out in your place?”
    Baekhyun shook his head and said in a small voice, “Why?”
    “You think your father let you off that easy?”
    “What—”
    “You think your father is not aware of what you’ve been doing?”
    “I don’t—”
    “You’re being watched, Baekhyun!” Minseok yelled.
    That made Baekhyun stop, bewildered.
    Minseok sighed tiredly. “I don’t know how or by who, but the last time I went to your unit, your room was bugged. I removed it and checked the whole place for more, but found none, other than the one in your room.”
    Baekhyun’s mind went blank. He’s sure that it’s his father’s doings. No one would put interest in what he’s doing. And if he’s being watched by someone else, something bad must’ve happened to him already.
    “Keep in mind that your family has eyes everywhere,” Minseok reminded him. He shook his head disappointedly. “You think you had your freedom when you left your mansion? Think again.”
    Minseok tiredly leaned his whole weigh on the sofa as he let out a sigh.
    Baekhyun spaced out, finding it hard to let all the information sync in. At the back of his mind, he’s looking for a good reason why his father would do such things. Maybe he did that for his own good. Just maybe.
    “If you want to stay and study journalism, then I’ll help you,” Minseok consoled Baekhyun. “But you’re not allowed to join any protests anymore and you’re never keeping things from me again.”
 

“Again, like what they had told you earlier, you are clear of all charges. You don’t have to attend any court trials,” the male attorney in his late fifties confirmed with furrowed eyebrows. “Haru, are you, perhaps, affiliated with any politicians?” he asked, pushing his round glasses upwards.
    Haru tilted her head in confusion. “No,” she simply responded.
    “All of your paperwork has been pulled out by someone. You have no trace of being detained today when I got there. The police can’t show me a single paperwork, even your photos, when I asked for it. That only means that someone pulled it out. For what reason? That, I don’t know,” explained the lawyer, slowly.
    Haru turned to Yixing, who is sitting beside her, and saw that he is as taken aback as she is.
    After her class, Yixing called her to meet up with her lawyer in a restaurant near the university to discuss what happened to her case. Yixing left the lawyer with the police to talk alone earlier and heard none of the conversation. But even with the presence of the lawyer, the police refused to say why Haru’s case were dropped.
    “I hope you know,” the lawyer started, “That this is not how the process should be. First, your anonymous bailer. Then, your case has been dismissed without due process. With this level of confidentiality? Only someone who has access with the law could have done this. That’s why I’m asking you now if you have connections with any politician or someone powerful.”
    Haru is pretty sure that her family is not affiliated with any politicians. Neither is her.
    “What process? Is it bad that her paperwork has been pulled out?” Yixing asked the lawyer.
    The lawyer removed his glasses and places it down on the table. “What information did they get from you?” he asked Haru.
    Haru tried to remember everything from this morning. She hasn’t been questioned, because she refused to say anything without a presence of a lawyer. The only thing she told them was the basic information about her.
    “Well, they asked for my full name, age, address,” Haru trailed off. “Oh, and… my family background.”
    Yixing snapped his head up upon realizing what the lawyer meant. He faced Haru with a pale face, unable to speak. Then he turned to the lawyer.
    “Can we do something about it?” Yixing trembled.
    Haru glanced at Yixing worriedly upon hearing panic in his tone. Yixing looked really agitated right now. She creased her eyebrows, still clueless about everything, before shifting her eyes to her lawyer.
    “About what?” Haru enquired ignorantly.
    The lawyer sighed, then explained, “Your charges were dropped without preliminary hearing. Basically, they will ask you questions and look at any documents to make your case. That will determine whether or not probable exists that you should be held over for trial. But since you refused to say anything without a lawyer, you’ve been held in jail for the meantime. However, you were already discharged before I get there.” The lawyer looked at Haru somberly. “You cannot be discharged nor be bailed out without a preliminary hearing, Haru,” he added.
    “Was… was that illegal?” Haru stammered.
    “It is against the law,” the lawyer nodded his head. “But moreover, it is very peculiar. They cannot release you without due process, unless someone in a higher position ordered them to.”
    “But who…?” she trailed off frailty.
    “Also, the background information of a defend