Ignorance is a bliss/Tyunning

poppin' star

"You are 3 minutes late, Kang Taehyun-shii." attorney Kim said, giving the younger boy a harsh look before gesturing him to come in. 

Taehyun fixed his tie nervously. He barely had any time to sleep, or eat. Or do anything before the last alarm on his phone rang and he woke up in a jolt, grabbing whatever he needed and ran out of the house to catch the next bus.

"Sorry" he said, bowing as he entered. "it won't happen again, my alarm-"

"let me stop you right there new born" attorney Kim fixed his glasses and looked up from the computer. "where did you go to study law? Kang Taehyun-shii"

Taehyun felt himself breaking into cold sweat under the man's piercings gaze. he truly didn't think 3 minutes were a big deal.... he got here as fast as he could. if anything, they are wasting more time just talking about it. the younger cleared his throat, ultimately feeling like no matter what he says it'll be the wrong answer.

"Harvard, Sir." he said, and lowered his gaze to the floor. 

"yes, and when you went to Harvard, did they get your lame alarm excuse? or was it custom made for me?" he asks, his tone going up slightly like he's trying to tease Taehyun. but not in a friendly way, and in an inclusive way. in a way that makes Taehyun feel utterly stupid and ridiculed. he doesn't like it, he expected it. but still... it doesn't feel fair.

"No-"

"you're right Taehyun-shii. it won't happen again, because next time it does, I'm taking a new paralegal and you can have yourself another year of petty cases until you're ready to play in the big boys' league. Now sit down."

..............

"our client's pleading the fifth?" Taehyun asked in genuine confusion. "why would he do that?"

the experienced attorney sighed deeply for what felt like the 3rd time since they started the meeting and Taehyun winced in his chair, feeling like he had asked something everyone should already know. but for him, it didn't make sense. their client's played innocent since the beginning of the case, why wouldn't he want to fend for himself, why wouldn't he want to tell his side of the story?

"not everything that you studied in college plays out in real life" Mr.Kim says and the frustration is clear on his face. "if anything, it's the exact opposite."

"what do you mean?" Taehyun asks, he doesn't like vague answers. 

Mr.Kim discards the evidence file he has in his hands. attention fully on Taehyun.

"what is a good reason to plead the fifth Taehyun-shii?" he asks, throwing Taehyun off guard.

"if the defendant is not in the right mind to testify. if he has anger problems, or a minor disorder like ADHD or ADD which can cause him to get confuse mid testimony or questioning and blurt out the wr-"

Mr.Kim raises his hand in a gesture that tell Taehyun to cut it, and the younger trails off. eyes confused, was that not the answer he wanted? 

"that's the answer on paper Taehyun-shii. that's what they teach you. but, what do you think is a good reason the plead the fifth?"

Taehyun is again, slightly blindsided. 

the seat is suddenly too hot for him, and his tie is too tight around his throat. he feels suffocated.

"umm.. well. maybe if the defendant is... has, social anxiety. or if they have a sleeping disorder... and they can't arrive with a clear mind to the stand."

"that's better, what else? if you, Taehyun-shiii were placed on the stand, what would be the reason for you not being able to speak for yourself?" Mr. Kim asks again and the air only gets stuffier.