Collision of Verdicts

Beneath the Surface

It was early morning, just past 7 a.m., when Taehyung woke to the gentle vibration of his phone. Groggily, he reached for it and saw a message from Jin.

Jin: "I'll bring home-cooked lunch for everyone. Let’s keep up the energy, guys!"

Smiling softly, Taehyung stretched in bed and glanced over at Jungkook, who was still sound asleep beside him, his face buried in the pillows. Taehyung brushed a few strands of hair away from Jungkook’s forehead, his heart swelling with warmth. Even in the midst of their toughest case yet, moments like this reminded him of the peace they shared.

Determined to start the day right, Taehyung slid out of bed, padding to the kitchen. He made breakfast—simple but comforting—scrambled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. As the coffee brewed, the smell filled the apartment, stirring a sense of calm in the air. For himself, he prepared his usual vanilla latte, while Jungkook’s strong black coffee brewed beside it.

He placed everything on the dining table, quietly flipping on the TV to catch the morning news. Taehyung dressed quickly, slipping into a sky-blue formal shirt and navy-blue pants, adjusting his Cartier watch. He laid out Jungkook's clothes on the bed, half-expecting him to grumble about the early hour when he finally woke up.

As if on cue, Jungkook emerged from the bathroom, hair wet from his shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. He smiled sleepily at Taehyung, who was sitting at the dining table with his latte. Jungkook leaned down and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

“Thank you, baby,” Jungkook murmured, before heading back to the bedroom to dress.

Taehyung took a sip of his latte, glancing at the TV. His heart sank as the news report on the death of Min Jiha, the K-pop idol, filled the screen. The media frenzy had only intensified, with new allegations and theories coming out every hour. Taehyung’s eyes narrowed in frustration as he saw the headlines suggesting that Jiha had committed suicide. It didn’t sit right with him or Jungkook. The evidence felt skewed—like something was being hidden.

Jungkook reappeared, now dressed in the white formal shirt Taehyung had laid out for him, paired with black pants and his Patek Philippe watch gleaming on his wrist. He sat beside Taehyung, his expression darkening as he caught sight of the news.

“This case is turning into a circus,” Jungkook muttered, pouring himself some coffee. “They’re already painting her death as a suicide, and the evidence doesn’t even add up.”

Taehyung nodded. “It’s suspicious. Her parents are convinced it wasn’t suicide. We need to dig deeper. Today’s meeting with them should give us more clarity.”

The gravity of the case weighed on both of them, but they knew they had to focus. In just five days, the first hearing would take place, and they had to be ready. Together, they finished their breakfast and prepared for what would undoubtedly be a difficult day.

---

At the office, the tension was palpable. Jungkook and Taehyung’s teams were already hard at work, sifting through files, making calls, and piecing together what little information they had about Min Jiha’s death. Taehyung could feel the heavy energy in the room as he glanced over at Yeonjun, Beomgyu, and Jisoo from his team, all focused on their tasks. Across the room, Jungkook’s team—Soobin, Mingyu, and Taehyun—were just as absorbed.

A soft knock at the door interrupted the quiet hum of activity. The receptionist poked her head in, her voice gentle. “Mr. and Mrs. Min are here.”

Jungkook and Taehyung exchanged a glance. “Bring them in,” Jungkook said, standing up. Taehyung followed suit, his heart already heavy with the weight of what was about to unfold.

The door opened, and Min Jiha’s parents walked in. Mrs. Min, a small woman with delicate features, looked utterly devastated. Her eyes were red from crying, and her hands trembled slightly as she clutched a tissue in her lap. Mr. Min, a tall, stern man, held his wife’s hand tightly, his face drawn and tired.

“Thank you for coming,” Taehyung said softly, motioning for them to sit down. The couple took their seats, and Jungkook and Taehyung sat across from them.

For a moment, there was silence as the room filled with the weight of their grief. Taehyung could see the pain etched deeply into their faces, and it took all of his composure not to let the sorrow overwhelm him.

“We’re so sorry for your loss,” Jungkook said quietly, his voice steady but filled with empathy. “We know this must be incredibly difficult, but we want to hear everything you have to say. We need to understand what happened to Jiha.”

Mrs. Min took a shaky breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “Jiha… she was strong. She was always so strong. The media is saying she took her own life, but… that’s not true. My daughter would never do that.”

Mr. Min cleared his throat, his voice gruff. “Jiha wasn’t suicidal. She was bold, fierce, and determined. She loved her career, loved her fans. She fought hard to get where she was. There were pressures, yes, but she wouldn’t have given up.”

Taehyung nodded, leaning forward. “We’ve been looking into the reports, and we agree that something doesn’t add up. Can you tell us more about what was going on in Jiha’s life before her death?”

Mrs. Min wiped her eyes, her voice trembling. “She had been under a lot of stress lately. There were… problems within the band. She didn’t talk much about it, but I could tell something was wrong. She was always so careful, so controlled. But the last time we spoke, she sounded… scared.”

Jungkook’s eyes narrowed. “Scared? Did she say why?”

Mrs. Min shook her head. “No. She wouldn’t tell me. She just said that things weren’t right and that she was dealing with it.”

Mr. Min’s jaw tightened. “She mentioned something about a fight with one of the other band members, but she wouldn’t go into details. She didn’t want to worry us.”

Jungkook exchanged a glance with Taehyung. “And the band members? Have you spoken to them since her death?”

Mrs. Min’s eyes flashed with anger. “No. They’ve been avoiding us. Their management keeps saying it’s too soon, that they’re too upset to speak with us, but I don’t believe it. There’s something they’re hiding.”

The room fell silent for a moment, the tension thick in the air. Taehyung could feel the desperation in the parents’ words, and it fueled the fire in his chest. This wasn’t just about the case anymore—this was about justice for a young woman whose life had been cut short.

“We believe you,” Taehyung said softly. “We’re going to do everything we can to prove that Jiha didn’t take her own life.”

Jungkook nodded, his voice firm. “We’ll dig into every lead, talk to every witness. Whatever it takes, we’ll get to the truth.”

Mrs. Min broke down into quiet sobs, and Mr. Min’s grip on her hand tightened. “Please,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Don’t let them smear our daughter’s name. Don’t let them say she gave up.”

“We won’t,” Jungkook said firmly, his eyes locking with Mr. Min’s. “We’ll fight for her.”

As the meeting drew to a close, Taehyung and Jungkook escorted the grieving parents out of the office. Their teams stood by, ready to begin the difficult task ahead. The weight of the case had settled over them all, but one thing was clear—there was no turning back now.

As the door closed behind the Mins, Taehyung turned to Jungkook, his voice quiet but determined. “We have five days before the trial. We need to dig deeper into this band, their management, everything.”

Jungkook nodded. “We will. Let’s make sure Jiha’s story gets the justice it deserves.”

Together, they would uncover the truth—no matter how many secrets lay hidden beneath the surface.