"Court is now in session. Everyone please be seated." The judge announced to everyone. Seunghee, the jury, So Jihyuk (the molester) the two attorneys, and the audience sat down simultaneously

Attorney Lim strode up to the defendant stand. “Good people of the jury. The lab results have come in to see whether the , taken after a medical examination of one of the victims’ was in fact belonging to Mr.So.” He said with emphasis, as the jury muttered.

Seunghee sat with anticipation, as she waited for Attorney Lim’s verdict.

He took off his glasses, wiping them with his shirt sleeve and then put them back on. “The test results prove that the DNA matches that of Mr. So’s without a doubt.” He announced.

An uproar started in the court, as the jury muttered amongst themselves.

JiHyuk stood up from his seat. “Lies! It is not mine!”  He roared.

The row where Seunghee and the other victims sat, looked at him doubtfully. The one who’d been stood up from her seat, in hysterics.

“Are you ing kidding me?! Tests don’t lie and why else would your have been on me? You ing me!” The girl shrieked, as she crumpled back in her seat, sobbing, as the other victims tried to console her.

“Take him away” The judge said resignedly, as two police dragged Mr. So away to be put into his prison cell.

“I am innocent!” He yelled, as his attorney looked distraught at the evidence brought against his client. Attorney Song shook his head, and congratulated the girls for their bravery.

With a weight being lifted away from her as the case had been settled, Seunghee went home relieved. But a call from Eli at that hour, was unexpected.

“Seunghee, I can’t come over this week. I have a lot of practice to do.” He explained. Seunghee listened to him, worriedly, switching the phone to her other ear, as she took some iced tea out from the fridge.

“Oh? Okay. You’ve been practicing a lot lately. Don’t over work yourself okay?” She reminded him gently.

“I won’t. Bye” Eli said, and abruptly hung up.

Seunghee blinked, worrying that he was practicing way more than usual, since she knew the other members had been resting.

She knew better than to prod him, as to why he was working so hard, so she called up Kevin.

“Hey Seunghee, what’s up?” Kevin asked.

“Um. Eli’s been practicing a lot lately right? And the rest of you already took a break for this week?” She asked, tentatively, as she poured herself a glass of tea.

“Yeah. Eli works really hard, even more so when he’s frustrated about family matters in the states.” He said in a low voice.

Seunghee sat down at a kitchen stool. She remembered Eli talking about his family briefly before.

“Oh? Does it have something to do with his dad?” She asked, concerned.

Kevin sighed. “You know all of Eli’s immediate family are in the states right?” He asked.

“Yeah. His older sister, and younger sister, and his parents, but he’s especially close to his dad.” Seunghee said.

“Exactly. So Eli tends to overwork himself when he misses them, and wants to make enough money so they can move here. He wants to provide for his dad already, who’s getting older.” Kevin explained.

Seunghee sighed. She could only imagine how that must be.

“He really has been through a lot. But what if he passes out? What if he has to get an IV?” Seunghee thought worriedly.

“We’re still keeping an eye out for him. But you’re welcome to drop off something for him, just now is not the best time for you to make any public appearance at the building.” He cautioned her.

“Oh. Why?” SEunghee asked.  Kevin sighed. “The headlines from last week about you two are still dying down pretty slowly.” He explained.

“Oh. Right. Okay well…ah I know just the thing. I’ll phone in an order for Eli’s favorite burger place, and will you vouch for it?” she asked

“Sure” Kevin said.

“Thanks Kevin.” Seunghee said, and then hung up.

She dialed up the burger place, and made sure to order a shake for Kevin too, to thank him for vouching for the order.

After giving the address, and paying via card, she went to her room to get ready to sleep.

Glancing at her alarm clock, she still felt uneasy that Eli was in the dance studio so late.

~

“Yo Eli! For you” One of the dance studio staff called to him, handing him a take out bag.

Eli raised an eyebrow. “From who?” He asked.

“From Kevin.” The staff said with a shrug and left the room.

Eli stopped practicing, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel, and then opened the take out bag, noticing the order.

A burger medium rare, with spicy fries.

Kevin rarely sent him food during his long practice hours, and if he did it’d usually be something healthier alongside the lines of congee or fruit.

“Seunghee” He said softly, knowing it was just something she would do.

At the bottom of the bag, he noticed a note, taken down by one of the take out people.

“Eat well :)” It said.

Smiling, Eli decided to take a break, to eat and to somehow telepathically tell Seunghee she didn’t need to worry.

Sitting down he pulled out his phone, but realized it was almost two and he didn’t want to wake her. He would thank her in the morning, as he smiled, feeling connected to her briefly, by her thoughtful gesture.