𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥. ❥ sope.

[XLVIII] justice at its finest

[XLVIII] justice at its finest
xlviii;;jung-hoseok::justice-at-its-finest

Hoseok felt extremely, extremely nervous. For some odd reason, the case was now open to reporters and news services to watch. This was the day of the case ruling, too. Jihyo, Felix, and Yeong Been would be present. Yeong Been had surprisingly pleaded innocent to his charges, just as Felix had, though it was quite clear he wasn't even pleading for a lighter sentence. There was just something wrong with him.

"Are you ready?"

"Not really," Hoseok muttered as he drove the car. He could always just find out what the results would be, but he felt like he needed to be on the same record as everyone else for this. That, and he didn't want to live with the early guilt if they screwed up again.

Outside of the court building, there were so many cameras and reporters that Hoseok wasn't sure if they'd get in.

"There's a lot of people here, huh?"

"Chan?" Yoongi was the one to recognize him. "What are you doing here?"

"Hopefully celebrating later," Chan exhaled. "I really can't thank you enough for the amount of effort you've put into this case. From what I've read, it looks like you've been doing a lot."

"And we can't apologize enough," Hoseok replied. "I hope the judges realize their mistake, too."

"It wasn't you guys, it was the police."

The three of them entered the building through an uncrowded entrance, taking their seats in the front row that was reserved for them. Jaehyun and Johnny were already seated, the chair between them that was meant for Felix completely open.

Hoseok didn't pay much attention to time passing, only jumping back into the present when the judges officially entered. He could see Jihyo and Yeong Been on their own, as well as the back of Felix's head. He could practically feel how tense Yoongi and Chan were beside them.

The first ruling was, of course, Jihyo's. Hoseok wasn't as concerned for this one as he was for the others.

"Park Jihyo, you have been found guilty of all charges."

Jihyo's face didn't even fall. She only nodded, sitting down again. Hoseok could hear the light murmurs of the reporters in the back as well as the judges speaking about her actual sentence, but that was probably the least surprising verdict.

Hoseok chewed on his lip as the judges turned their attention to Yeong Been. His heart was pounding in his ears.

"Lee Yeong Been, you have been found guilty of all charges, including 12 counts of murder."

Hoseok and Yoongi exhaled in relief. The sentence was just the same as the one Felix had gotten last year, though slightly harsher due to him pleading innocent. Yeong Been didn't say anything either, only glaring at Johnny and Jaehyun as he sat down.

Hoseok felt lighter after that, and he could see Yoongi was as well. He turned to face Chan, but he looked even more on edge. Of course. Felix's verdict was next.

"Come on, come on," Hoseok heard Chan mutter under his breath. He looked forward to see Johnny, Felix, and Jaehyun standing, noting the grip that Felix had on the edge of the desk.

"As for Lee Yongbok..."

Hoseok was practically on the edge of his seat, and he could see the cameras and reporters also anticipating the verdict.

"...you have been found innocent of all charges."

The word innocent had barely finished before Felix was hunched over the table. Hoseok looked at Chan again, finding him in a similar position with his hand covering his eyes. Yoongi mumbled a soft "thank goodness" under his breath, and Johnny glanced back at Hoseok with his eyebrows slightly raised. Well, look at that.

The courtroom wasn't quite at all after that, reporters and cameramen talking to each other, but Hoseok could still hear Felix's soft cries through it all. He knew Chan could, too.

***

bro MY heart was beating during the ruling LMAOOO