i tried with the trial research;
don't think it went very well
SO TO ANYONE WHO KNOWS
HOW COURT TRIALS ACTUALLY GO—
i apologize for all the inaccuracies :')

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jjungkookie second time is the last time.

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Taehyung was shaking in the backseat of the car. His manager was racking through the protocols, a nervous bounce in the older man's knee evident as even he was far from practiced in court cases.

"Ten minutes from Seoul Central District Court." Their driver alerted and Taehyung slumped in his seat, dragging his scarf down to loosen its heated wrap around his neck.

"Manager-nim," he mumbled and the man nodded along. "Do you have any holiday plans?"

"Excuse me?"

"Help me distract myself a little, please." He whispered. The elder looked over with a raised brow, pressing his knee down.

"You shouldn't be distracted right now. You need to focus, this isn't—"

"Please."

His manager sighed, rubbing his temple in quick defeat. As much as he'd helped manage Taehyung's schedule, the model knew himself best. Especially in a situation where they both were inexperienced. If distracting was what he needed, his manager ought to help him with it.

"No, I don't, Taehyung." He responded and the model frowned. "I was widowed years ago, leaving me to focus on work. I don't spend holidays with family or anything of sorts."

Taehyung's frown deepened. He'd never even known that. He'd seen the ring on the man's finger and assumed he went home to a family every night, or if they lived outside the city, spoke to them often.

"Don't give me that look of pity, young man."

"I'm not, I'm not." He hurriedly objected. "I just... I never knew. How have I not known after all these years?"

"You never asked." The elder sat straighter in his seat. "Most likely wouldn't have told you even if you had. I believe distracting you calls for special circumstances."

Taehyung smiled appreciatively at the generosity of his manager. He never did hear about the man's personal life. It always remained professional. He was laid back with his stylist, often ridiculing the coldness of the man with her— did she know?

"I'm sorry for being a handful then, Manager-nim." He stared down at his lap, playing with the simple bracelets threaded around his wrist.

"I should be the one to apologize. I often let myself forget that work is not the only thing in people's lives."

"I understand that." Taehyung glanced over, seeing the man watching him and nodding. Part of him used to be like that. So absorbed in working that it was his only way of forgetting that he was a human who felt emotions.

"I know you do." His manager agreed. "Perhaps, that's why I've told you this."

"Maybe." He hummed, feeling a bit more relaxed without the constant information either being shoved into his ears or spinning through his brain. "I'm good now, Manager-nim. Thank you."

The man murmured incoherent words and the two kept to themselves after that.

Taehyung saw the large building appear as they turned the corner, his heart dropping at the familiar sight of the two thin sections towering over their vehicle, a section of the topmost floors extending like a bridge between the buildings. The ground area were large and spread buildings, and arched entry way sporting their honorary symbol in the center.

"Taehyung?"

He whipped his head around to latch his attention on his manager. "Yes?"

There was the curtest of smiles on the man's face, only there to encourage him to be successful for the sake of all their jobs. "Put that man in his damn place."

His eyes widened, a sense of pride filling his chest that he had the power to rid the public of someone who was hurting more people than just himself.

"I will."

He wished his manager goodbye, security meeting him by the entrance to the court house and ushering him inside.

He met his barrister inside, greeting the woman who had a Manila file in her hands. She spoke to him briefly, having already been briefed and given her dutiful materials to help him.

"The legendary Kim Taehyung." She bowed and he returned the gesture, slipping off his mask and pocketing it as they were inside the secure facility. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Of course, such occasions aren't ideal."

"I believe this is a good occasion, Gwan-shi." He answered. "At least, it shall end that way."

"I believe so, too." She nodded, leading him towards their court room. "Park Bogum has been detained for the past twenty hour hours, found in his registered home."

He nodded silently, knowing it was best to just absorb the information than give his reactions.

"He will be escorted in with a prison officer for safety measures, as you take a seat with me before called to the witness booth."

Another quick nod. They heels echoed in the empty tiled halls, afternoon sun spilling in through the windows and making Taehyung shudder. It was all like a faint nightmare. He remembered the place, would never forget it, three years ago, how his courage had fleeted one step into the building, how he was petrified after walking up to that witness booth and could hardly testify any of the horrors.

It wasn't like that anymore. Bogum had done his part and Taehyung was stronger than he'd ever been before.

"No phones in the room." His barrister paused. "So make any last calls or messages now before we head inside."

Inside? Now? Taehyung's eyes widened as he gazed behind her to see the large doors that opened into a trial room.

He'd spoken to everyone he needed to. Gotten a good luck kiss from Jungkook, hugs from his hyungs, his stylist had made sure he was presentable with tears in her eyes.

"I'm good." He placed his switched-off phone into his bag and let her take care of his belongings.

"Ready?" She pushed open the doors and gestured for him inside without even waiting for a response.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Taehyung kept his gaze on the empty chairs before the judge and clerk booths, knowing where he was supposed to sit and what he was supposed to just out of remembrance.

It was strikingly odd how much he remembered about it when he'd been trying to block out the disastrous day for years.

Formalities commenced and there were introductions, everyone awaited the defendant's arrival.

Defendant. There was nothing to defend. Taehyung grumbled to himself.

He wasn't sure what his reaction was going to be when he saw Bogum enter the cavernous room, escorted with his officer to the dock along the right wall of the room, opposite to the collected jury on the left. He decided on either worry or anger.

But when that slim man was hauled into the room, a tight grip on his arm out of caution, Taehyung just felt numb.

He hadn't seen Bogum since the gala. Hadn't seen that wicked smile since it had smiled against his cheek, or those bound hands since they had bruised his skin. Hadn't seen those eyes bore into his since they seared his worth into ashes.

You're stronger than that. You've grown from that.

Taehyung tore his gaze away and refocused on the table before him, Barrister Gwan tapping her pen on her file folder as she watched Bogum get situated in the dock.

"Take a deep breath and remember to only speak when asked to by the clerk." She reminded. Taehyung nodded as stood straighter, rolling his shoulders back and letting out shaky breaths until his pulse eased.

He could feel Bogum watching him the entire time. Trying to cut into his bravery and shrivel him up with the assistance of the taunting voice deafened in his mind.

No. He wasn't falling into that trap again. He was better than that.

The cycle of reassurance continued, exhausting him, taking a toll on his composure such that he struggled to speak loud enough at the witness booth, hid his shaking hands under the ledge of it, and prayed it was enough.

It had to be enough.

The second time was all they had.

The evidence was presented after their opening statements and his testifying. They'd filed the doctor reports of the physically inflicted bruising and video footage showing Bogum's trespassing into the gala.

Taehyung felt his strength return when the man's smile flickered at the footage. Videos would not lie, they couldn't and the time stamps with his other violations were all they had— he could just hope it was enough.

And he hoped. He hoped so much. He knew everyone was hoping for it to go well and he fueled that. He let his roots stand strong as the jury was charged with their verdicts.

He hoped it was enough to win him peace from his nightmares. To win everyone who's lives he touched some peace.

—

Jungkook paced back and forth in the empty space between the living room and kitchen area. He hadn't heard from Taehyung in hours, having sent him off alongside everyone else just after lunch and it was almost evening.

"Kid, seeing you do that for almost twenty minutes has me exhausted." Yoongi reached off the armchair and grabbed his arm to stop him. "Sit down."

"I can't." He pulled away and leaned against the kitchen counter instead. "I will literally explode if I don't keep moving."

"I will never understand that kind of lifestyle." The producer rolled his eyes. "Isn't Bang PD-nim letting us know when Taehyung is coming back?"

"Yeah, Jin's supposed to meet him downstairs whenever they drop him off. He's waiting down in the lobby." Hoseok buried his head in his hands. "Fuck, this is so scary."

"I can't imagine how he feels then." Jimin walked around with a tray of glasses, filled with water in the midst of all their stress levels skyrocketing. "It's been hours. Can these things really take so long?"

"Sometimes way longer." Yoongi nodded, thanking him for a glass and shrinking in his seat. "Hobi, drink some water."

"Hyung," the dancer was sickly pale. "What happens if it goes badly? We both know he can't handle all this again— and when the news goes public, then what?"

"Hobi Hyung," Jimin sat beside him and made the elder wrap a hand around the glass. "Have some faith in all the work BigHit had done for this to work."

"The public report goes out tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." Jungkook pushed away from the counter and walked across the apartment to the balcony doors, buildings dark as the sky was vibrant behind. "Depending on whatever the result turns out to be."

"It'll be good." Jimin stared around at everyone. "It has to be. That court room is just a filled with dumb fucks if they don't charge him guilty."

"I just hope he gets a full sentence for everything he's done." Hoseok's voice cracked, Yoongi opting to switch places with Jimin to help calm the dancer down.

"He's a prior criminal with a second douse of crimes, I doubt it'll be simmered." Yoongi said optimistically, Hoseok leaning into his shoulder and downing his glass of water. "Calm down, Seok."

Jungkook's hands shook, water rippling with the jerks of movement. He turned away from the balcony and looked at the Christmas tree lit up in the corner of the living room, remembering how lovingly he and Taehyung had put it up just days ago.

He pulled out his phone hopefully.

Nothing.

Hoseok's phone started ringing.

The room went dead silent as the dancer picked it up in a fumble of actions.

"Jinnie," he gasped out. "Tell me."

There was a pause, Jin's voice too soft to make out off speaker. Even in the quiet of the apartment.

Jungkook hurried over to the other three and sat on the leg extension of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees as his blood roared in his ears, heart thunderous in his chest.

He just wanted to know if Taehyung was okay.

"Got it." Hoseok was nodding along with the eldest on call. "We will do that. Thanks, Hyung."

The dancer pulled his phone away from his ear and it fell into his lap with a dark screen. Hoseok put a hand on Yoongi's shoulder to stand and gazed at them all.

"He's going to be here soon." His voice croaked, a sob distorting it. "Hyung asked us to figure out who he sees first, it'll be too overwhelming for us all to be there."

"You're good, Hobi, good job." Yoongi held his hand comfortingly and looked up at Jungkook. "We all know it should be you. We can go wait in the guest room."

"Are you sure?" Jungkook didn't know whether to appreciate the elder's wish or want to push one of them to take his place.

No, he knew Taehyung would need to see him.

"We are very sure." Jimin hugged him before moving along with the other two to head to the guest room and wait until Taehyung let out whatever result had come with the trial.

Jungkook waited. Paced some more. He thought he might go insane waiting for that door to open and show the two models.

He didn't go insane. Just felt a little lightheaded when he heard the lock click and the door get pushed open.

Jungkook's feet were glued to his spot by the Christmas tree as Taehyung came in, face blank. Unreadable. Completely disguised.

Fuck.

Jungkook caught Jin's gaze and pointed towards the guest bedroom down towards the eldest's room. The elder took Taehyung's coat and scarf from him, hanging them before leaving them be.

It was when Jin left the main area that Jungkook's feet moved, training their practiced steps to the foyer where Taehyung hovered, swaying slightly like he didn't know how whether he could pull down his barriers yet.

"Taehyung?" He asked softly, stopping arms reach away. His hand raised to ask for the model's fingers to grab his, and Taehyung's gaze shifted to it, hand trembling as it found his and their palms slid into place. "What was the verdict?"

Taehyung's looked up, eyes meeting his at the last word he spoke. Tears promptly fell, his emotions cracking to the surface second by second, touch by touch. Jungkook stepped closer to him and raised a sleeved fist to wipe Taehyung's streaky cheeks, roughened by the strain of stress he'd sat through all day.

The hand in his left to wrap around his mid section, both arms crushing his body into the model's as Taehyung's head fell into his shoulder.

And he could feel Taehyung shake against him as much as he heard the cries leave his throat.

Jungkook couldn't figure out what had happened by the emotions ripping their way through the model, only expressing an overwhelmed state of exhaustion in his arms.

"It's all over." Jungkook hoped he was right in being optimistic and stroked Taehyung's hair, holding him closing that a desperate touch could just to try and bring him down from the high. "You're okay to just let it out here."

Taehyung gasped for air between his messy sobs, hand fisting his baggy shirt to find some grounding. Jungkook kissed his hair, moving them back a little to lean against the dining table and support the extra weight.

"Tae," Jungkook rubbed circles into his scalp, fingers digging into the dark hair to help him feel present. "Tae, can you talk to me?"

The model seemed to hear him that time, his cries stilling for just a moment like he was taking in his location, before pressing him against the table and hugging him again.

The hug felt warmer, his hands holding him and not feeding into the desperation for some grounding.

"Tae, baby," he mumbled in his ear, just trying to reach him in the storm of his head. "You're okay. You're so strong and amazing, you know that, don't you?"

The arms slackened against him as Taehyung straightened, pulling away to look at him. The large hands encased his face, Jungkook stifling a gasp at the awe with which Taehyung stared at him. The way Taehyung searched his eyes like the answer to his sole purpose on the Earth was clear in them.

Lips crashed against his, nothing short of pure happiness as Taehyung suddenly laughed into his mouth, tears making the kiss messier and messier, but just the sound of his joy let every dam of worry within Jungkook fall apart into a waterfall of euphoria.

He kissed Taehyung back, gasping for air through his lightheaded state when the older pressed their forehead's together and choked out another cry of victory.

"Guilty." Taehyung finally announced. "He's gone."

With full repercussions, with a jail sentence of years and a patrol after that. There was no defense for tearing someone apart the way Taehyung had fallen victim to.

But his nightmares didn't matter.

Because they had won.

And Taehyung felt free.

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okay i really should have tried finding more on court trial processes, but i think it'll be alright to vibe with what i have.

bubblegum bitch is g o n e.
(A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT I LOVE BOGUM IRL wtf not people thinking i have a grudge against the guy or smth😭😭)

THANK YOU FOR 60K💙💙

(triple update on sweet night's
anniversary i'm emo)