PROBE

10. Prelim

9:00 a.m.
District Court
Seoul.

★★★

"I can't believe we're doing this," Yoongi said in a fake undertone, pretending as though he was speaking to himself but making his words loud enough to successfully emit the sly remark.

Seokjin, who was standing next to him, said, "We're slapping ourselves in the face. There's nothing any of us can do."

They were parked in front of the District Court. After Namjoon had submitted the DNA sample, the pictures from Meojin Museum and their forensic reports as official evidence, the team had filed a case against Keith Song charging him of the rape and murder of twenty-eight year old Ahn Youngmi.

They didn't have much to stand on. Ki-moon was their only witness (quite unreliable because he was one of the rags from Yeolsong-Daeun) and the DNA sample their only solid evidence. Frankly speaking, Namjoon was yet to figure out how he was going to represent his case to the Judge. As much as it pained Namjoon, he had to admit to himself that in that moment, even he wished to just hop into his car and drive straight of the compounds. Maybe it was the nervous jitters spiralling in his stomach. Maybe it was apprehension. Or, maybe it was that subtle surety of knowing that Seokjin was right. It was something that was making him rip the skin off his lips in tension.

"Hyung, can we please, for once not do this?" Taehyung let out a heavy exhale, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "We'll see how the session goes. Namjoon hyung is smart enough to handle these things."

"Yeah," Jungkook pitched in. "I trust Namjoon hyung."

Namjoon glanced up at the younger. Jungkook gave him an assuring smile. The most Namjoon could do was to smile back, tight-lipped. How could Jungkook trust him when Namjoon himself was nowhere near confident of himself?

"This isn't about Namjoon's potential, boys," Yoongi drawled, a certain disinterest lazing around him. "We trust him too. But the court needs proof, not potential."

"Exactly," Seokjin agreed. "There is no doubt about Namjoon being smart and reliable. But what we need is solid evidence, not just spirit."

As this conversation went on a little longer, Namjoon stood aside taking in all that could be taken in—words, feelings, trepidations. Just then was he realising how much was on his shoulders. Their jobs. Their first big case. Their first sexual assault case. Their first homicide investigation. Their first interaction with the forensics. Their first court session. A woman's dignity. A family's closure. A nation's sense of trust. Justice.

Hoseok and Jimin came striding to the team, providing Namjoon ephemeral protection from being consumed by the cluster of his thoughts.

"It's time boys." Informed Hoseok. "Let's go in."

• • • • •

Everyone rose from their seats when the judge entered the courtroom. The hustle in the court diminished as people took positions. The court was empty; cameras were strangers to the scene, reporters absent as if this wasn't even a valid case. In irony, the same reporters were the ones wreaking havoc over their termed 'inactivity' of the case.

Namjoon and his team chose to represent themselves for this case, for no other reason apart from the fact that they simply did not have enough evidence to hire a lawyer to fight on their behalf. What capacity would a lawyer have to fight a case where no leads led to anything and the whole case was hanging on a thin thread?

"Good morning everyone, please settle down." The judge greeted and sat.

Judge Byun Yunsoo. The nameplate read.