Free of Charge // Baekchen

Ashamed

Chapter Eight: Ashamed

ashamed: overcome with shame, guilt, or remorse

~*~

The nurse that attended Baekhyun's needs stopped at the foot of the bed, "Baekhyun, your parents would like to visit you." The young high schooler frowned as his hand paused, the tip of his pen hovering above the paper.

How can they be here? The trial should just be starting.

"Baekhyun?" The patient nodded at the nurse, resting his pen above his journal. The young nurse stepped aside and allowed Baekhyun's parents to enter. To them he said, "If you need anything, I'll be down the hallway."

Mr. and Mrs. Byun slowly approached their youngest son, their pain masked as best as they could manage. Baekhyun had already gone through so much, but they had to inform him of his older brother. How could they when he didn't even want to talk to them?

"Baekhyun? Sweetie," Mrs. Byun pulled up a chair and sat down. She took her son's hand in his, fighting back tears at the fraility of his fingers. Baekhyun kept his gaze on the thin white blanket draped over the lower half of his body. He knew the news regarding his brother was far from good. He knew his parents long enough to see through their masks. One glance and already, he knew.

No one wanted to be the bearer of ill news. Silence filled their ears and soon, the tick-tock of the clock hanging on the wall began to drill into their ears. Unable to handle the situation any longer, Baekhyun blurted out, "What happened?" Still, he averted his eyes from his parents.

"There was no court trial. He pleaded guilty," Mrs. Byun whispered softly, afraid of Baekhyun's reaction.

"What was his sentence?" the young man asked calmly.

It was Mr. Byun who replied, "One hundred thirty million won and fifteen years in prison."

The raven-haired boy closed his eyes as the words echoed in his mind. His heart drowned out the sound of the clock and he barely registered his mother's grip on his hand. "Why?" his voice cracked from the threat of tears. "Just like that?"

---

Prosecutor Do sighed, placing the sheets of paper down on the desk. The blood found on the jacket wasn't Baekbeom's. It belonged to Kim Jongdeok, who had yet to be located. He was nowhere to be found, he never returned back to his apartment -- Minseok and Luhan said they hadn't seen him in a long while.

"Is that the test result?" a voice startled the prosecutor. Keeping his heart within his chest, Prosecutor Do nodded slowly, carefully eyeing his friend. "It wasn't Baekbeom's blood, was it?" As Lawyer Kim's eyes scanned the results, his eyes stopped on a familiar name. "No," he whispered softly with a shake of his head. "My Jongdeok?"

"I'm afraid so," Prosecutor Do gently removed the papers from the other's hands. "We also have several other suspects. Although the case is closed, if we can pinpoint another prime suspect -- a reasonable one without rushing -- then Baekbeom can be released and the real culprit will be caught."
The prosecutor left the defense attorney with a pat on the back, "Keep your head high, Lawyer Kim."

---

Kyungsoo couldn't shake off the feeling he got as he eyed his father exiting from the kitchen. He followed his dad to the living room; Mr. Do was well-aware that his son wanted to say something and stopped shortly, waiting patiently for a string of questions.

"You know who the real culprit is?" Kyungsoo asked quietly, his words penetrating his father's ears. Mr. Do hadn't expected that. "If you know, why aren't you doing anything to help Baekbeom?"