Monsta X: The Clan Pt. 2

13: I'm a Champion

"Cause I'm a champion"

"Champion"

Jooheon:

It was starting.

That phrase could mean a lot of things when it wasn't specified.

At this moment, the retrial was starting, the rebellion was starting, the distrust and the slow reveal were beginning. The plan was starting. It was all falling into place.

The best part was that nobody around me seemed to notice, seemed to care about what was happening behind all of this. 

The fancy suits next to me cared more about the gossip and politics than this trial. You could tell from their blank and bored expressions. I was an outlier, as they wanted me to be. The one who was dressed just like them yet didn't fit in. They were too polite to shove me away, yet too immature to include me because of my achievements.

Fine by me. I was fine just taking in the view.

I sat behind a high row of pedestals, tens of feet above the ground. The hall's gold ceiling was so high that it still seemed distant from where I was sitting. The entire hall, painted in gold, was designed to look as elegant and extravagant as possible. On the red-carpeted floor, several people sat in rows of pews, muttering to each other, all excited for the trial at hand. Several guards were blocking each entry point.

There was suddenly a loud call to attention from the left of me as the judge of this trial stood up. Almost instantly everyone silenced and took a seat, eager to see where this trial would go. While not that many people knew about it, it was still a cause of conversation amongst those who did.

"The trial will be beginning shortly," He said simply, taking a seat and looking pointedly at the audience.

At that exact moment, the main door to the trial room opened, and in marched several guards, each carrying large weapons.

Almost instantly the crowd started murmuring, as everyone, including myself, tried to catch in a glance in the dark hallway of the subject at hand.

At last, he entered, blinking dumbfoundedly at the bright light of the hall, pulling a shackled hand up to his eyes to block it out as he glanced around nervously at the eyes staring back at him.

The room fell into silence as Shownu slowly made his way towards us, head swiveling around until he finally noticed the judge's pedestal and bothered to look up, as his eyes finally met mines and a scowl came across his face.

It was clear that he hated me, it was clear by the way he seemed to be visibly restraining himself from screaming at me, for cursing me out and calling me out on everything I had done to him.

Not that he looked like he could cause any harm. He was lost so much weight; if it weren't for his muscles that he must've kept in shape he would've been a pile of bones. He wore nothing but a white shirt, covered in dirty marks and holes, and a plain pair of worn jeans. There was a humbling look about him that reminded me of the way he was back then when he didn't have much to look good yet still managed to look so powerful.

I did the sensible thing and gave him the smallest wink, holding my finger up to my lips almost as if I was sharing a secret.

I wasn't sure what kinda reaction he showed, as he quickly ducked his face after that, heading towards the stand where he'd give his testimony.

The judge slammed his mallet against the table and the room silenced once more.

The trial was starting.

5 hours later:

Everyone was surprised with the result.

Including Shownu himself.

He continuously glanced at me, as if wondering how it had happened, as if he could get some clue from looking into my eyes.

I made sure to leave no trace. Donning a blank expression I simply stared back, almost tauntingly. He didn't need to know how it had come this way.

It was, much to everyone's surprise, a unanimous vote. 

All of the judges, included myself, had voted for Shownu's release.

The judges sitting next to me seemed surprised that it had come this way too, but I could see many sharing secret glances and looking my way.

It was undoubtfully my fault that the trial had turned out this way.

If the government wanted to keep me, if I was valuable to them, then they would do what I asked.

Which is why the trial ended this way, in Shownu's release.

The handcuffs were removed from his wrist, and he was being led away by the other guards to a separate room, for last-minute inspection. After that, he'll be free.

If only it were that easy to free Minhyuk and Hyungown.

But no matter, I had done what I could.

The rest was up to the others.

A/N

The timestamp is 2:05-2:15.

This is really short cause there was nothing else to add oops. Finally a Jooheon POV! What'd you think?

Next chapter will be this Thursday, 8/23! Don't forget to vote and see you then!