----Chapter Twenty-Seven----

The return to reality is harsh.

No more breathtaking view of trees and lakes. No more peacefulness and quiet. No more Jimin by her side 24/7.

She had a nice moment when she got back home, barely had time to drop her bags before she got hit by a barrage of questions from her members who rushed to her the moment they heard the front door open.

After patiently answering everything, she showed them all of her pictures and endlessly described to them the scenery in more detail than necessary but they all listened attentively with smiles.

And no one had come by the dorm, so her little escapee will remain a secret from their company.

The day after her return was even peaceful, spending time with her members. Lisa showed her pictures of a kitten she's thinking of buying, she spent hours shopping online with Jennie for various fashion accessories, and Jisoo slipped in her room in the evening asking for some music recommendations and they stayed up late in the night surfing on Spotify.

But all good things come to an end eventually, and four days after her return from paradise, she finds herself in a rehearsal session with the prosecutors for the upcoming trial, in a small enclosed room at their office.

From wide open spaces to a small, confined room.

There's only a single bulb hanging from the ceiling, with a table and plastic chairs around it in the windowless room, walls painted a sickly yellow.

She wishes she were anywhere else but here.

But the trial is soon, and the team in charge of her case wants to drill her into becoming the perfect witness on the stand.

Which is fine in theory. She desperately needs the practice, but Chaeyoung wishes they would remember that she's not a criminal. Because it sure feels like she is, with the decor and the way they interrogate her.

"When you first woke up, what was the first thing you noticed?"

"Did you try to escape?"

"Did he feed you, give you a place to sleep, let you go to the bathroom?"

"Are you sure the man who kidnapped you is the one sitting on the defence's bench?"

Chaeyoung winces every time they throw a different question at her, trying her best to answer as clearly as possible. She's eternally grateful to her psychologist's presence behind her to his rehearsal, and that the prosecutors allowed her to be there.

At least she doesn't feel like she's alone against all of them.

She went through the list of questions they gave her with the older woman during their session yesterday, but it's a whole new world with the men barking the questions at her menacingly. She knows they're behaving this way to reflect as realistically as possible the way the defence will act, but it's so intimidating.

She feels small under their gazes. How will she survive the real thing if she can barely handle this?

Which is why this rehearsal is a blessing in a way. If not for it, she would've been so unprepared for the real deal.

And so they go through hundreds of different questions, determined to cover all possible strategies the defence could adopt. The more diverse questions we practice, the better you'll be on the stand, they said. Then they review her answers, sometimes asking her to change words or phrases, and they start over.

Rinse and repeat.

The two men in charge of her case seem competent enough, a good advantage for her. And while they're nice enough, Chaeyoung is uncomfortable with their piercing eyes on her, left to wonder if they even believe her statement.

It doesn't matter, her therapist said when she laid her worries to her the previous day. They're here to win, and they'll do what it takes to win.

It's good to know but for her own peace of mind, she would feel more confident if they do believe her unconditionally since they're representing her.

That's not how it works, the older woman said, ever the voice of reason.

That's fine, but every time they attack her with their listed questions, Chaeyoung can't help wondering if they think she's lying, if maybe they're judging her.

It doesn't matter.

She tries to keep telling herself that but isn't very successful.

Still, by the time they're done, both men congratulate her on a job well-done, and they sound sincere enough.

The whole ordeal does leave her completely exhausted by the time they call it a day, after almost six hours. They will have another rehearsal soon, and maybe another one if they feel it's necessary. Then the trial is set to start in about a month.

Chaeyoung wants to throw up at the mere thought of the upcoming dreaded date.

It's always been looming over her, distantly, but now that the date is fixed and creeping closer, the reality of what's coming is hitting her straight on like a slap in the face.

She's not ready. She'll never be ready.

Everything will be fine, her therapist tried to reassure her, but how can she know. She could mess up her testimony. The defence could have an ace hidden up their sleeves.

It's impossible to stay positive, no matter how she tries.

So it's in a dark mood that Chaeyoung goes back to her dorm, her manager fussing over her the whole time. Chaeyoung knows she means well, but the whole day has taken its toll on her and she just wants to forget about it.

When she arrives back at the dorm, she expects a full-house, but one quick sweep of the house is enough for her to realize only Jennie is there, locked in her room. It's deadly quiet without Lisa and Jisoo making any sort of noise like they usually do when they're together.

She opens the fridge, but none of its content appeals to her right now. She goes sit in front of the TV empty-handed and surfs the channels to find something to watch, but nothing picks her interest. Frustrated,  she decides to pamper herself with a hot bubble bath because that always feels heavenly but after thirty minutes, the water turns cold and her skin starts to shrivel up so she has to get out.

It hasn't helped at all.

In her own room, she paces around, restless. She needs a distraction. Too many dark thoughts are fighting in her head, screaming from all directions and creating too many uncertainties and worries in their wake. Maybe she should've accepted the session her therapist suggested as they left the prosecutor's office, but she knew what the older woman would tell her.

Writing lyrics won't cut it this time.

There's nothing to do that would make her forget, even for a moment.

And she didn't want to talk about her relationship with Jimin like Jisoo previously suggested. She was able to evade it when she last saw her since her session was solely centred on today's meeting with the prosecutors, which was more important than her personal relationship.

Maybe later she'll approach the subject but after the weekend they've had together, she wonders if that's even necessary anymore.

There was no reckless behaviour from her part during their time together. Everything was perfect.

Everything is perfect when Jimin is concerned.

Jimin.

It's only been four days, but she misses him so much.

His smile, his voice, his embrace, his eyes, everything that is Park Jimin.

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