Sasaeng Sister [In big roles: Sunghoon, Lee Know, skz, Ateez, Jungkook]

Chapter 76

I wanted to talk to Kil, but she was focused on a text message.

The other people in the break room discussed legal matters more than I would have liked to hear. I was tired of the terminology and heavy subjects. These lawyers couldn't help themselves; even in casual conversation, they dropped terms like "mitigating circumstances" and "reasonable doubt."

"What in the world is Attorney Jang trying to accomplish with this?" one of the older men said between slurping his noodles.

That was the name of Lucas's defense attorney, which I always forgot.

"I'm afraid his strategy won't work," said a woman as she unpacked various side dishes.

"Yep. Jang is trying to portray his client as a victim, while his client claims it was consensual. They're in trouble," a younger man added.

"But the boy admitted to consenting because of threats. If it's true, he is a victim according to the new amendments passed in July. Don't you believe him, then?" another woman with a sleek bun hairdo asked.

"I don't know, but I doubt the judges will," the younger man said. "Before deciding on our strategic approach, I reviewed all the cases Judge Pyo has handled. He gave a one-year prison sentence to a college student who did some freaky things to his roommate." He shuddered, unwrapping his burger. "I can't believe someone could look at those facts, find the guy guilty, and only give him a year. I'm telling you, Judge Pyo doesn't believe in male victims. And, coercion by a pretty woman will not evoke his sympathy."

"Was that student case before 2013?" the older male lawyer asked.

"Yeah, it was 2011, I think."

"Well, men couldn't be raped back then."

"Oh..." The younger man gave himself a light smack on the forehead. "I forgot the law update was that recent."

"Yeah, 'indecent act by compulsion,'" the older man said scornfully, with a dismissive gesture. "They couldn't give you more than ten years and that was only for extreme cases."

The young man lifted his finger. 

"The student case was an extreme case."

"But there must have been mitigating circumstances."

The side-dish woman sighed.

"There are always mitigating circumstances. All victims suffer from this since the laws are still insufficient. I haven't seen any of the new amendments taken seriously."

I stirred my noodle soup without any intention of eating while they picked apart the flaws within their legal system, each giving their opinions on needed changes. Their discussion made me feel like there was no justice even in 2021. They must have forgotten I was right there, eating in the same room as they proceeded to joke about judges they knew and how their personal inclinations affected their decisions.

Did that mean our case could go either way, depending on the judges?

And what had Kil wanted to tell me?

She was still typing a reply to someone.

Her phone rang.

"Yes?"

She zipped toward the door.

"Will they be able to make it?" she asked.

Who? Where? I wanted to know.

She put her hand on the door handle.

"I hope so. This is important."

She waited for a moment, listening.