“Even though I've advised my client not to say anything I would like to make a statement before the press.” The silence was palpable, every local news anchor and international broadcast at the ready to hear what the defendant's lawyer had to say to attest his innocence, “As you all by now know, Kang DaeSung is the victim here of a shameful smear campaign headed by the district attorney, Lee SeungHyun. He is being prosecuted merely by the virtue of being from the Kang family, a family, which may I remind you, has never actually been found guilty of any crime. I think there's been some confusion as to whether or not my client deserves to be indicted and I'm here to set the record straight. My client is innocent, and this trial is just a ridiculous spectacle designed to fluff the DA's feathers in front of a crowd.” It was the perfect statement, concise enough but with enough hit to be quoted on several points during the evening news. Until, that was, somebody decided to point out the obvious.

“But doesn't your client have a history of this kind of abuse of power?”

“Yeah, and I thought they had a witness to this one.”

“I heard it was more than five witnesses.”

“Didn't the district attorney say it was an airtight case?”

“I was pretty sure he was guilty.”

“Thank you, my client has no further statement at this time.” It was going to be the trial of the century.

The presiding judge, Dong YoungBae, had been anticipating this case to come up. After enough charges the district attorney was sure he could get a conviction on infamous third generation mobster Kang DaeSung, a playboy with a penchant for making trouble. There was just one problem...Choi SeungHyun. As a man he was a joke. Bought and paid for by the Kangs he spent his days drinking and partying, making enough scandal to fill an entire tabloid issue all on his own and dressing the part more than adequately with his grey and red streaked hair and tailored, mismatching suits. But as a lawyer...he was magnetic. Somehow everything he said would have the jurors on the edge of their seats, he could create a courtroom drama from a parking ticket and always, always make his client come out looking like the victim. It wouldn't be his first time defending the youngest Kang, either. They were known friends outside of the courthouse and this made for a deadly combination within, DaeSung could answer an impromptu question as if he'd been coached. Just a nod from the older man's head or a smirk on his lips and he knew exactly how to answer that would make the jury sway in his favor, it was like they had a psychic connection or something.

“I'm not having that guy defending him.”

“SeungRi-”

“SeungHyun, if the press finds out we know each other they'll take you off the case.” It was exasperating for YoungBae. It was hard enough being the youngest judge in the district without being pulled into a history changing case like this. A last ditch attempt to get Kang DaeSung behind bars, that was what SeungRi had called it. His nickname of Victory meant nothing ever since he'd stepped up from simple lawyer to district attorney because that family had ruined his winning streak in one fell swoop within a week. It was hard to tell sometimes if he wanted the verdict of guilty for the public's safety or for his image's.

“You know I can't just rule in your favor, that wouldn't help either of us.”

“It might help the trial though, I couldn't believe him during the selection, he actually kicked a potential juror out because he may have been biased due to having his business run into the ground by his client's family. He just outright said it!”

“He can say whatever he wants outside the courtroom, the Kang family isn't on trial here...just one of them.”

“Yeah, and I've got him locked up tight on this one. I've got witnesses, I've got sworn statements, I've even got dates and a victim. There's no way he's going to beat me on this one.” It was just good that they'd met outside the area, otherwise YoungBae was sure that Choi SeungHyun would have been bringing up their relationship within the courtroom walls and that was the last thing he needed if he wanted to keep a career going. He just hoped this wouldn't be his or SeungRi's last trial.

“You feeling loose?”

“As always.”

“Good. I can have this thing wrapped up by five o'clock, we'll be swinging in the bars by six, I guarantee it.” Walking into the room YoungBae could already see the infamous friendship going on at the defendant's table. Hushed whispers between them, the lawyer's hand gripped comfortably on the young man's casually rested forearm, they were so close it almost made him jealous. For the call to rise he watched as they parted, glancing over towards SeungRi where he was urging his own client up by his skinny arm and acting annoyed that he seemed more pre-occupied with staring in terror at the defendant. All YoungBae could do was sigh and hope that everything turned out for the best because SeungRi was more high-strung than usual and that wasn't going to give him an edge over the calm, collected SeungHyun.

“On the night in question, can you explain, please, what you were asked to do?” His whole case hinged on the testimony of the victim, Kwon JiYong, not that it made it a flimsy one, far from it. As the personal secretary to DaeSung he'd been present for enough meetings and discussions that would throw shade on the legitimacy of Kang Industries, let alone what he was accusing their young CEO of now.

“I-I was asked to stay late-”

“Asked, or ordered?”

“I have an objection, that isn't what the plaintiff said, the district attorney should know better than to lead the witness.” SeungRi looked set to explode in front of the courtroom.

“Sustained, please try not to interrupt, Mr Lee.” There was no other way around this but to do it fairly, and YoungBae was hoping he could urge SeungRi away from trying to even the score by stooping to their level.

“...Please accept my apologies. Continue.” JiYong looked anxious enough to just be in the same room as the defendant, would it sway the jury to believe that he wasn't just making this up? Or would Choi SeungHyun be able to make them doubt his testimony on such flimsy evidence as being nervous.

“I was asked to stay late...but I knew he-M-Mr Kang, I knew he wanted me to for...other reasons.”

“Other reasons? You mean reasons that weren't to do with your assigned position?”

“Yes.”

“...Get to the point already...” From SeungRi's glare it was obvious that he expected YoungBae to deal with the snickering going on behind them. If it didn't make him sweat over SeungHyun being so confident then why was it getting to YoungBae so badly?

“Quiet please while the witness is testifying.” In controlling the defense he was hoping to keep SeungRi from making a career killing mistake...such as attacking the now smirking lawyer as he sat back, unscathed, which is what he was sure that eye twitch was belying.

“A-as he was...touching me. He kept talking about how he was planning something, a-and that if I behaved...I-I could get a big salary and work for the new mayor.”

“New mayor. There isn't set to be an election for a year or so now, why was he discussing anything about a new mayor?”

“...He said he was going to have the current mayor killed-”

“Oh come on, this is just conjecture. Can your client actually prove that's what DaeSungie said?” SeungRi was reaching the end of his tether. He followed the unspoken rules, wore smart suits, carried himself in a professional manner. SeungHyun was just a mockery to the profession, an occupational hazard, a family mob mouthpiece.

“You'll get your turn, Mr Choi.”

“Well I just want to say I object, strenuously, to the treatment of my client based on one witnesses testimony.” All he had to do was to wave his hand dismissively and it had some of the jurors wavering. His charisma just worked that way and SeungRi was going to have to do everything he could to get around it.

“So on the night in question-what night was that again?”

“U-uh, th-the fifteenth.”

“The fifteenth? Are you sure? I noticed you hesitated there.” It was all just tricks, designed to make juries doubt and accusers uneasy, and to cause SeungRi to bring out his stomach medicine like it was water and he'd been in the sun at two PM.

“Yes, y-yes I'm sure, it was the fifteenth.”

“Uh huh. And what day was that?” Thursday. They must have said it over twenty times by now but SeungHyun was prone to dazzling even the most reliable of witnesses with his unconventional leanings. He'd already confused JiYong by doubting him, what he'd said was the truth so why was he starting with the barest of facts that everybody already knew? Was there something he didn't, was there some flaw in his story that he hadn't noticed and he didn't have any right to accuse? Even if it was just for a second he was already unsure, and that was never good.

“Th-thursday, I think.” SeungRi could have hit himself, or hit JiYong but that would never help with his case. He'd said the magic words, the ones that made SeungHyun's eyes light up like it was Christmas and he was drunkenly staring into the lights as he was handed his annual bonus cheque for a job well done. 'I think' meant 'don't trust me, I don't even trust myself'.

“Okay then, so it was Thursday, you think. So did you think that when my client propositioned you that it was out of line?”

“Well...yes.”

“Why?” It was one of those questions that you just couldn't answer. What do you mean, why? came to mind briefly as JiYong tried to understand where he had gone wrong in his statement. He'd already addressed this with the district attorney, he'd been asked to stay late, DaeSung had made crude comments, he'd then touched him inappropriately, gotten forceful when he tried to put a stop to it, and then told him about his political plans. Why did he have to go over it again with a different inflection?

“I-I asked him to stop.”

“Ah, but did you actually ask him to stop? From my notes you said, and I quote, 'he ran his hand down my side and I thought it best to advise him'...That sounds more like a suggestion, wouldn't you say so?”

“Um...”

SeungRi was so close to hitting his head against the table from having to watch a legal showboater like him debunk everything his witnesses had to say. To one of them, now, it looked like JiYong might have been reciprocating, they weren't actually close enough to tell if what was going on wasn't mutual when they'd walked past the office on the way to the copy room. Another had been downright dismissed because he'd heard from an undisclosed third-party source about the plot and that was suddenly inadmissible despite a signed statement from the source in question. He even felt like YoungBae was being swayed by his charms because how much more of this could he really listen to without putting his foot down as the final judge?

“So you're saying he was just grandstanding when he said he was going to kill the mayor?”

“Have the mayor killed, it's a completely different accusation so make sure you stick with one.” It was definitely an unprecedented move, putting the defendant's lawyer himself on the witness stand, but when he'd been apprehended Choi SeungHyun had been the first to his defense. He'd been with DaeSung on the night of Thursday the fifteenth, just the two of them, nice and cozy. He'd sworn to it. But even then, trying to poke holes in a chasm was harder than it sounded.

“Noted. But if you could repeat yourself-”

“DaeSungie was just flirting, it's what he does. That Kwon character was acting all hard to get so he came up with some big, dangerous story to make himself sound more exciting.” He spoke about it like he knew from experience, SeungRi trying not to think why as he noticed them making eye-contact and exchanging winks and smiles, “It's the only thing that gets through to types like that.”

“Like what?”

“I don't think it's appropriate to say, and besides, I didn't think the plaintiff was the one on trial?”

“No, you're right...Your client is, and I think now would be a good time to address your statement.”

“Hmm?”

“Your statement. Given on the morning of the sixteenth, in regards to where your client was on the night of the fifteenth.” He was so frustratingly aloof. SeungRi knew it was just a tactic, act like it was no big thing and maybe the jury would believe it too, but still, he hated it.

“Oh, I don't remember what I said.”

“You said that he was with you that night, whereas now we have six witnesses to the fact-”

“Five.”

“Five witnesses, that will attest to the fact that there was no possible way your client was with you at the time that this happened.”

“Well I must have been rattled. If I said the fifteenth I'm sure I meant the fourteenth. He was at my apartment then, ask my doorman. We were together until about two AM, I'm sure it's all in there, the dates are just mixed up.” Another block, how could he prove that he meant otherwise?

“Why would you tell us what had happened on the fourteenth?”

“Well your officers must have asked about the wrong date, it's just a typical mishandling of communication you get from your office.” As if he wasn't doing enough already, “Are we done here?”

“...Yes. No further questions for now.” Getting back down from the stand SeungHyun was sure to take his time in walking back to the table even more casually than before, as he sat down his hand finding DaeSung's for a short high-five before they gripped hands for a moment and lowered them beneath the desk. He was so sure that he would win.

“Has the jury come to a verdict?” It was the moment that SeungRi had been dreading. DaeSung was sure to be let off once again, no charge of ual assault, no charge of conspiracy. And then SeungRi would hang himself because justice was dead, or, at the very least, he would change his profession, did it pay well to clean boats at the beach? He could use a vacation by this point and at least there he would never lose. YoungBae didn't want to be the one to bring bad news, JiYong still trembling in his seat after having to recount the physical threats and unwelcome groping that he'd been subjected to at least three times since SeungHyun hadn't been satisfied with discrediting him only once. It was going to say not guilty, he could just tell. SeungRi would probably have a breakdown, he'd been headed for one these past few months, and there was every possibility that YoungBae's friendship with the mayor was going to be cut short because of some charlatan, “In the case of the people versus Kang DaeSung, the defendant has been found...guilty?”

SeungRi's head had lifted from his tightly clenched hands in a swift motion, his eyes wide as he stared up at his friend and judge. Was he joking with him? From the way SeungHyun had stopped mid packing his briefcase up, all those unimportant papers he kept around in order to seem smart as he laid them out on the table dropping from his hands as the word began to sink in.

“...What?” He was more shocked than SeungRi. He'd lost? That wasn't possible, wasn't conceivable because he was the best there was.

“SeungHyun, what did he just say?”

“D-don't worry, it's a mistake, I'll talk to him.” He was already reaching into his inside pocket, he was really going to try and bribe YoungBae here, in the middle of the courtroom?, “Judge. I-I think maybe you were too hasty, if we went to recess and came back tomorrow morning we could just talk this out.” As if it wasn't un-subtle enough he was having to stand on tiptoes in order to reach over the bench, SeungRi still too shaken by the verdict to bring himself to protest the obvious crime going on right in front of his face.

“It says guilty, Mr Choi...and the jury recommends this court look into your statement, they think it counts for perjury since you took the witness stand.”

“What, no, I-I was just mistaken.” He hadn't noticed it but SeungRi had been smiling. Widely and like a madman the whole time because he'd finally gotten them. Finally won against the unbeatable Choi SeungHyun and his bag of tricks and the jury was even in his favor to indict the both of them. Who cared about cleaning up the streets, who cared about the safety of the honest man, SeungRi had won, he'd finally won.

“SeungHyun, you're fired.”

“No, no, DaeSungie.” He was turning back and forth between YoungBae and DaeSung like one of them had to forgive him if he just reasoned enough by saying 'no'. The sight of the uniformed officers coming over to DaeSung away in order to be processed was garnering enough attention from the media that was sitting in, in fact, they'd gone crazy the minute the verdict was confirmed, like even they hadn't believed it until YoungBae had rejected the bribe. SeungHyun was following after his ex-client, ex-friend, and possibly ex-lover like a rejected puppy, still attempting to reason as the younger man shut him out and swore at him if he tried to touch him but SeungRi had never been happier. Tonight, he was going to take YoungBae out, and maybe even the Kwon secretary who had been pathetic enough to gain sympathy from the jury and get him his win. He'd take them both out for a night on the town and, for once, he would be the partying lawyer having the good time.

Choi SeungHyun and Kang DaeSung's luck had finally run out, but, if they still had any to hold onto, maybe they would be sharing a cell when they were sent to the penitentiary? At least that might have counted for something if nothing else.