The judge’s gavel had barely struck when the weight of the last eight months finally loosened its grip on Runch’s chest.
She stepped out of the courtroom with the documents still clutched in her hands, knuckles white, as if the victory might slip away if she relaxed even a little. Her colleagues surged past her, laughing, clapping each other on the back, but Runch lingered just inside the doorway.. silent, stunned.
She’d won. It's her first major case that the firm had given to her and Runch spent the past months relentlessly making sure she had everything covered, every argument countered. She's fueled with caffeine and smoke and brutal self discipline she'd impose to herself. A rookie lawyer who was carrying the weight of expectation from almost everyone.
Vee, a colleague barreled toward her and threw an arm around her shoulder. "Runch, that cross examination is so good I almost threw my livers out."
Fai grinned, nudging her playfully. “You’re officially the office prodigy now. Don’t worry, we’ll only resent you a little.”
Runch let out a controlled breath, allowing herself a faint, fleeting smile. She had trained herself not to depend on praise, but today it felt… different. She knew she earned it herself.
And then she felt her phone buzzing and when she fished her phone out, she'd seen her mom's name flashing on screen.
Runch stepped into a quieter corridor before answering. “Hi, Mom.”
“How did it go?” Her mother’s voice was gentle, cautious.. the way she always sounded when she worried Runch had pushed herself too hard again.
Runch leaned against the wall, eyes closing as relief washed over her fully this time.
“I won.”
A shaky breath came through the line. “You did?”
“Yes.” Her voice nearly cracked. She steadied it. “We won the case.”
“Runch…” Her mother paused, and though she said nothing more, the weight behind that single breath was full of years.. years of quiet sacrifices, late-night studying, missed birthdays, the nights Runch brought her laptop to the dinner table because deadlines didn’t wait. Her mom witnessed the fatigue and the worry along with the hope that all of this would one day mean something.
And today, finally, they both felt it.
“I’m proud of you,” her mother whispered. “All the nights you barely slept… all the pressure you put on yourself… at least today, you saw the result.”
Runch pressed her fingers to her eyes, steadying herself. “Thank you.”
After a quiet moment, her mother asked, “Will you come home early? I'll cook your favorite dish.”
Runch hesitated. “Actually… I’m going out. Vee and Fai want to celebrate.”
“Oh.” The worry returned instantly. “Out? At night? To a bar?”
“It’s just one evening,” Runch said softly. “I’ll be fine.”
Her mother didn’t argue, but Runch could hear her thinking, imagining every worst-case scenario, like she always did. She knew her mother feared anything unpredictable.. anything that could knock her daughter off the careful path she had carved.
“You don’t usually go to places like that,” her mother said. “You’re… not used to that kind of crowd.”
“I know.” Runch softened her tone. “But I want to go. Just this once. I need to breathe a little tonight.”
