Mystery | Yoonmin

50. Confrontation

The courtroom is suffocating. Not because of its size it is large, spacious even but because of the weight it carried. The air is thick with unspoken truths, lingering accusations, and silent prayers. Yoongi was led in, his hands bound, but it wasn't the cuffs that made him feel trapped. It was the sea of faces staring back at him, some filled with rage, others with pity. And then there was him.

Jimin.

Yoongi's heart clenched painfully in his chest. It had been almost two weeks since he last saw him, and yet it felt like a lifetime. Jimin sat stiffly on one of the benches, his frame thinner, fragile even. His face was pale, dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes, and his usual spark was gone replaced with something hollow. But what struck Yoongi the hardest was the girl beside him. Tzuyu.

Her hand was intertwined with Jimin's, their fingers locked tightly, as if she was the only thing anchoring him to reality. Yoongi's gaze lingered there longer than it should have, a bitter taste rising in his mouth not out of jealousy, but grief. That hand used to hold his. That shoulder used to be his refuge.

He tore his eyes away as the judge entered, the gavel striking like a death sentence before the trial even began.

"Court is now in session."

The prosecution wasted no time. They painted Yoongi as a criminal with ease, listing his past associations with illegal activities, his connection to Vortex, and the damning evidence found in his apartment, the suspicious transactions, and his failure to provide an alibi. Every word felt like a dagger, each one slicing away at what little hope he had left.

Yoongi's lawyer stood, his voice steady but lacking the fire needed to fight back. He presented Yoongi's side: how he never denied his involvement with Vortex but claimed it was never related to murder. How he'd been contracted to divert Jimin, not harm Jihoon. But the words felt weak against the mountain of evidence stacked against him.

Yoongi sat silently, mind racing what he will do if the verdict is against him. He glanced at Jimin again, hoping praying to find a flicker of belief in his eyes. But there was nothing. Jimin didn't even look his way.

As the trial progressed, Yoongi felt it the case wasn't just against him; it was decided. The judge seemed impatient, cutting off arguments, dismissing evidence that could've helped. The prosecution's words held more weight, their accusations landing like punches Yoongi couldn't block.

His heart raced. His throat felt dry.

This is it.

During a brief recess, Hoseok and Namjoon managed to approach him. Hoseok's face was tight with frustration, Namjoon's filled with silent concern.

"This isn't fair," Hoseok hissed under his breath. "They're rushing it. Like they've already made up their minds."

Namjoon nodded grimly. "Something's not right here."

But what could they do?

Yoongi's eyes drifted back to Jimin. He wasn't holding Tzuyu's hand anymore. His hands were clasped tightly in his lap, his head slightly bowed. Yoongi wished more than anything that he'd just look at him. One glance. One sign that he wasn't completely alone.

But Jimin never did.

The trial resumed, and with each passing minute, Yoongi felt himself drowning. No life raft. No rescue. Just the cold, indifferent tide of justice pulling him under.

And then the judge spoke, his voice final.

"We will resume tomorrow for the verdict."

Yoongi was escorted out, the echoes of footsteps fading behind him.