ᴘᴀɪɴᴛ ꜱᴛʀᴇᴀᴋꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʟᴀɴᴋ ᴄᴀɴᴠᴀꜱᴇꜱ 🖌 ʏᴜɴʜᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

T H I R T Y

"All rise."

It's been two weeks since the day at the principal's office. Tens of people stood up; the judge walked over to the seat slowly and sat down. Tension filled the air as the jury looked at the defendants. The court hall was grand, its decorative wooden interior looming over the room, which was dimly lit with fluorescent lights. 

"Be seated. Case number 2025-CR-383, the Republic of South Korea versues Jung Seojun, Kang Seojin, Jung Wooyoung, Kang Taehyun, Song Mingi, Jung Jaehyun, Yang Jungwon, L/N Y/N is now in session." The bailiff informs. "The defendants are charged with assault, coercion, blackmail, and harassment against multiple victims."

Ms. Lee is seated down at the prosecutor's bench as her representative attorney sifts through mounts of paper and audio tapes with a stressed look on his face. Ms. Lee looks over the defendants silently, her eyes softening slightly at the sight of Y/N with her head down. The rest of the defendants looked either annoyed, angry, or just plain emotionless.

The judge cleared her throat before speaking, "We are here today to hear the case against the defendants, who stand accused of multiple charges, including physical assault, sexual assault, harassment and muder. Given the large number of victims, the court has permitted a designated representative to speak on their behalf. Prosecution, please proceed."

The prosecutor, Choi Jun, stands up and looks around confidently before presenting the case. "Thank you, your Honor. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, this is no ordinary case; there are a total of well over 40 victims that have been caused emotional distress due to these 8 individuals. A series of physical, verbal, and sexual harassment, along with potential murder, has left the victims of Taeng-Kang High School shook."

The people in the gallery whispered amongst themselves, and all eyes landed on the eight defendants, who nearly showed no remorse at all.

"While not every victim is present here today, their voices will be heard through their chosen representative, Lee Yunjin, who will testify to the suffering caused by the individuals." Attorney Choi Jun gestures over to Ms. Lee before walking over to the witness stand.

"Please state your name and your role in this case for the record." The judge said.

"My name is Lee Yunjin, and I have been chosen to represent the victims in this case as many of them could not come to due to them being not well mentally to attend or no longer with us." The last words felt like a stab in the heart.

The judge nodded before speaking once more, "Could you tell the court why you are speaking on their behalf, please?"

Ms. Lee smiled confidently before continuing, "Many of the victims were my students, people I saw every day; it pained me to see their bruises and bleeding noses, and I couldn't take it any longer. Their stories and lives matter, and I won't let any superior or anyone in control tell me otherwise. Many of the victims weren't able to make it because even looking at the perpetrators' eyes brings back their trauma, but I am here to make sure that their voice is not lost and that their story is heard."

Whispers filled the bleak courtroom as Ms. Lee ended her speech. Jung Seojun simply smirked and rolled his eyes at her statement, scoffing at her audacity. The judge cleared her throat once more and began the trial.

"Defence, please state your appearances." The judge motioned to the defence attorneys.

All the attorneys introduced themselves one by one, their words mushing together in a pile in Y/N's ears. She couldn't take it. The bleary lights, the people in the gallery staring, the prosecutor's deadly glare, everything. Soon, the defence attorneys started with their opening statements; she wasn't even paying attention to her attorney anymore. 

She looked over to the not-so-big five, and when she thought they would look guilty and ashamed of themselves, their expressions were nearly bashful, snickering as they joked to each other about getting someone to bail them early.

A sharp voice catches her attention. "Defences, you may proceed."

One by one, they all read out their opening statements; they're mostly the same with just a few words swapped to try to sound convincing. The words mushed together in Y/N's mind; her head started to feel light and her eyelids started to fall heavy. She felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she felt the stares at her from the crowd; whispers became louder than the defendant's statement as they grew louder and more continuous.

"The prosecution may call its first witness." Finally.

"The prosecution calls Jeong Yunho to the stand." The words hit Y/N like a truck.

Yunho limped slightly, not in crutches anymore, but his bones weren't in the best condition. He sits at the witness stand and is sworn in.

"Please state your name and relation to this case for the record." The judge said in a monotone voice.

"I'm Jeong Yunho, and I was... one of the victims." He mumbled.

The prosecutor walked around before speaking up, "Mr. Jeong, could you tell us what happened to you on September 23?"

Oh. That day.

"Oh, um.." He hesitated, "I was in the artroom painting, then the guys ganged up on me and beat me up and took my phone and-" He didn't notice the tears fall down his cheeks until the prosecutor interrupted him.

"And they recorded it on their phones, correct?" He asked.

"Huh? Oh, uh, yes." He scratched his neck. "It was on Jaehyun's phone."

Prosecutor Choi nodded curtly, "Your Honor, the prosecution would like to submit evidence piece A, a security camera recording taken in the male bathroom of the third floor in Taeng-Kang High School on September 23, 2024. We call Detective Kim to authenticate this evidence."

The judge nodded. "Could Detective Kang please come up and present the footage?"

An old man came up to the court and played the footage; the sounds were all to familiar to Yunho. The sounds of him struggling to get away and the laughter following it were all too hurtful for him to bear. The video was paused before Jaehyun's defence attorney spoke up.

"Is there any way that this video was altered or edited?" He spat in a passive aggressive tone.

"After thorough examination, no, this video is one hundred percent real." Detective Kim confirmed.

Jaehyun's attorney grimmaced before nodding and sitting back down.

"As we can all see," Prosecutor Choi pointed at the video footage, "Defendants Wooyoung, Taehyun, Jaehyun, Jungwon, and Mingi are a clear threat to their school by hurting and assulting their fellow classmates, no?"

"Objection, leading!" Wooyoung's attorney stood up, "That's just one case; you don't have proof there's more than this." He pointed at the display screen.

Prosecutor Choi chuckled before turing to the judge, "Your Honor, the prosecution calls Lee Hari to the stand."

A slightly elderly woman came up to the stand. The attorneys looked confused and tried to figure out who she was. Y/N noticed that Yunho's eyes widened at the name called; suddenly, it clicked.

"Please state your name and relation to this case for the record." The judge asked once again.

"I'm Lee Hari, and I'm the mother of Park Seonghwa."