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SERENDIPITY
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Taehyung

“Yes, there’s more,” Dr Han confirms calmly and leans back in his seat.

The judge peers at her monitor, and in a few more seconds, the large screen that’s mounted atop the clerk’s desk lights up with another input. This time, it is a video footage, and I squint hard to identify that it shows a younger and healthier Dr Han restlessly pacing the length of his consulting room. For a few seconds, he does nothing but that on the screen, and he’s dressed in formal clothing and his lab coat. The more I look at his room, the more terribly my gut wrenches with despicable nostalgia.

About a minute later, a tall guy with platinum-blonde hair enters the frame. Even though his back is to the camera, I know very well that it is Sung-Won because his frame is unmistakable, and we both had our hair dyed this shade at that time. Only when he enters the frame do I notice the timestamp on the left bottom of the screen that reads 9 am, on the 28th of June, ten years ago.

The day of my last concert.

I watch with severe anxiety as Sung-Won and Dr Han talk for a few seconds on the screen, and then Sung-Won hands over a small bag to the doctor. From the bag, Dr Han retrieves something that looks like a small box which isn’t seen too clearly given that the footage is probably from a security camera. Their voices aren’t too clear, but my skin bristles and my back tenses up when I hear my name being mentioned by Sung-Won.

The entire audience present in the courtroom observes what’s going on in the screen in pin-drop silence, and I move to the edge of my seat out of sheer nervousness.

On the screen, they’re still talking, and Sung-Won is using exaggerated hand movements to orchestrate his words, to which Dr Han is constantly nodding his head. Sammy isn’t still facing the camera. Their words sound incoherent, but any person with decent hearing abilities would have heard my name being mentioned a few times. And, the audio of a part of their conversation, where he educates Dr Han about the planned timing for my encore stage later that day, is much clearer than the rest.

Within the courtroom, Dr Han is blankly staring at the screen where the video is playing, and Sammy is watching it with a look of bewilderment as he nervously chews the insides of his cheeks. I don’t miss to notice his closed fists atop the railing of the defendant’s stand that mirrors the intensity of fear that’s gripping him at the moment.

On the screen, Dr Han appears a little nervous as he takes a sip of water after removing his lab coat and loosening his necktie. Sammy, on the screen, moves around the desk, and now his face is seen clearly, making me mentally heave a huge sigh of relief because I was actually worried that he might deny that the person in the footage wasn’t even him to begin with. But now he can’t do that because it is clear as day that it’s him, and no one can deny that.

Dr Han walks around the desk too, and he moves closer to Sammy, and then something shocking happens on the screen that elicits a collective gasp from the audience in the courtroom.

Sammy and Dr Han kiss each other, deep and passionate, and the sight of it makes my eyes freeze wide, and all my muscles grow tense. The discomfort squirming in the pit of my stomach rapidly ascends to my chest. I know for a fact that Sammy isn’t gay or bisexual, and we have even openly discussed our orientations many times in the past. But I am witnessing now how low he had stooped to exploit someone’s sexuality and affection to achieve his sinister goals.

I’m not in the least homophobic, but the sight disgusts me to the core because I know that Sammy has done it bad. He has wronged at so many levels, and my hands ball into clenched fists when I see him taking it up a notch and even touching Dr Han provocatively.

He manipulated Dr Han and used his vulnerability to his benefit. Could he have done anything cheaper than this?

The scene ends in a while, and Sung-Won leaves the room quietly, after which the video clipping ends in silence; the same graveyard silence extending into the courtroom as well.

“Your Honor,” attorney Seong rises from his seat and calmly talks into his mic, “there is nothing left to argue. The timestamp on the video matches the meeting time that was discussed in the previous call recording. The people in the video clipping are Dr Han and Mr Choi Sung-Won. The medicine that Mr Choi passed on to Dr Han in this video clip is the potent narcotic that was then passed on to my client later that day. From the audio, we could clearly infer the goal of their discussion as well,” his eyes move to look at me briefly, making me straighten my posture in my seat.

“Do you still deny that this is you, Mr Choi?” Attorney Seong points to the screen with one hand and questions Sammy in a stern voice.

Sammy is keeping his head low, and he isn’t talking or responding in any way. Dr Han does instead, after harshly clearing his throat.

“After this meeting, I met the security monitoring team at the hospital and got these parts of the security footage removed because I didn’t want any trace to be left behind. The parking lot footage was removed too, and they’re also in the USB drive. I had never done anything illegal in my life, and this was the first time. And I definitely did not feel great about it. I had the footage safe with me, with no wrong intention of ever using it against Sammy because it also involved me,” he pauses to take in a few deep breaths of air, and from my peripheral vision, I notice Yi-Seo nervously moving to the edge of her seat.

The judge nods her head and encourages Dr Han to continue speaking.

“But I felt betrayed and used up, especially after he just dumped me like that. It took me many years of loneliness to realize that I was the foolish one who sinned, and I felt that releasing this proof might at least reduce the guilt that has been living with me for the past ten years,” he confesses timidly, his head hanging low, and a drop of tear drips on his hand, as does a drop that falls from the corner of my eye and rolls down my cheek.

I have lost my career and reputation and fans and everything else that I had hard earned just because one man couldn’t contain his jealousy, and another man was ready to kill his professional ethics and fundamental morals in hopes of winning the jealous man’s affection.

My anger and disappointment rise to the top of my head, and everything melts out through my eyes in the form of endless tears that keep dripping down as my chin quivers, and my vision blurs. Woo-Bin notices, and his hand reaches out to hold mine as a gesture of support.

I wipe away my tears with the back of my other hand and sniff back the remaining tears as I put up a composed look on the outside while still battling the restless chaos within my mind.

“Mr Choi, do you have anything to explain? If not, your silence will be considered an acceptance of the charges made against you in accordance with the evidence put forth,” the judge announces firmly, also sounding a little impatient.

Sammy hangs his head low, breathing heavily, still remaining mute. His attorney packs up the papers on his desk, indicating that it is useless to argue beyond this point. The judge exhales sharply before she adjusts her glasses and begins talking into her mic.

“The defense has put out clear proof and a confession that requires no further investigation. Defendants are guilty of their actions, and they will thus be punished as per the law, depending on the intensity of damage and loss that their actions have caused to the plaintiff. Since this involves decisions made by the agency to which the plaintiff was contracted, their presence would also be required to pass a verdict in this case,” she pauses a few seconds to quickly scribble some notes onto a piece of paper, before she lifts her gaze to look at the audience.

“An emergency summon will be dispatched to the agency officials at Aeon entertainment, asking them to be present in court. The final hearing and verdict for this case will be held tomorrow, once again considering the nearing expiry date of this case and the ill health of the defendant. The court is adjourned,” she presses a seal to the paper and hands it over to the clerk before rising from her seat and exiting the courtroom.

I remain rooted on the spot, shaken up by all the revelations, yet feeling fully confident that my life is going to see the light of day. Things are about to change, and my innocence has finally been proved after being tainted and ripped apart for ten long, wretched years.

Every blink of my eyes releases fat drops of tears that slide down my cheeks as I stand still, mindlessly staring at the floor until I feel someone rattling me a bit by my shoulders. Shaking off from my puddle of thoughts, my gaze lifts from the floor to look at Woo-Bin next to me, and then they move to meet Sammy’s.

He is standing right in front of me, seemingly unaffected by everything on the outside, but his eyes are filled with contempt and revenge.

“Long time, Taehyung,” the corners of his lips lift in a malicious smirk.

“Long time, bro,” I retort with a smirk, puffing my chest out and burying my hands inside the pockets of my trousers as I stand with confidence and strength even though my eyes are stinging, and probably appearing bloodshot.

Sammy definitely looks younger than his age even though he’s four years older than me. He has been active in the music industry all these years, unlike me, and his clothes as well as the glow on his face attest to this fact.

“Life’s been a bitch, right, Taehyung?” He chuckles, standing tall, making me want to slap him right across his face.

I close my fists tight instead and snap back with a snarky comment. “You’re about to find that out,” I tilt my head to one side and raise my chin with my eyes dead set on him.

The heated stare we exchange, and the way my confidence is making his face twist and his chest heave in fury, literally feels like dumping ice on my raw and burning wounds, numbing all my pain at once. There couldn’t be anything more satisfying than this.

“Cheap stunt, Taehyung,” Sammy hisses through gritted teeth, shuffling a little on his feet.

“Not cheaper than you,” I retaliate sarcastically.

“Is that supposed to be an insult?” He chortles, threading his fingers through his hair and then creasing the tip of his nose with his index finger.

“That’s not an insult. It’s a description,” I cross my hands under my chest and keep staring at him.

“You’re nobody now, Taehyung. Nothing is going to change that, and you know it too, don’t you? It does not matter what happens to me. You have still lost it all,” Sammy steps closer to me, glowering down at me with hatred and disregard glinting in his eyes.

“Sammy,” I chuckle through my nose, “it’s hilarious how you’re still trying to say things out of desperation. I don’t even think we’re in the same race anymore,” I puff out my cheeks and place a hand on his shoulder.

“Choi Sung-Won, jealousy really is a dangerous and fatal disease. I genuinely hope you get well soon,” smiling, I pat his shoulder a few times and walk past him to where Woo-Bin is waiting for me.

I don’t bother to even give a backward glance at Sammy, and the look of insult and defeat plastered on his face already made me taste success on the tip of my tongue.

Walking out of the courtroom along with Woo-Bin, I join Jimin and attorney Seong just outside the entrance of the courtroom.

“Taehyung,” Jimin smiles at me, and I acknowledge his greeting with a small bow of my head.

“Taehyung-ssi,” attorney Seong begins, “a summon has been sent to the management of Aeon entertainment agency, and they’d have to be here for the next hearing tomorrow. You know what this means, right?” His lips pull into a wide grin that slowly reflects on mine as well; an overwhelming sensation of boundless joy bouncing off the walls of my heart and making me experience a myriad of emotions which I’m unable to express physically.

“Thank you so much, attorney Seong. I really mean it,” I take his hands in mine and convey my gratitude with a deep and respectful bow.

“Taehyung-ssi, I only did my job. Let’s celebrate the good news tomorrow. I’m eagerly looking forward to it,” he smiles big, shaking my hands.

“I’m looking forward to it as well,” I smile and release his hands from mine.

“Dr Han needs to be safeguarded until the verdict is passed tomorrow,” attorney’s eyes float over from one person to the other among the three of us in the meeting. “Choi is powerful and rich, and he will definitely try to attack Dr Han. We need to be proactive and keep him safe,” his voice oozes worry.

“True, he will find out in no time that Dr Han is with me,” Woo-Bin worries.

“Silver Springs is impenetrable. I’ll take him home with me,” Jimin offers without hesitation, “I think that’s the best we can do now. Yi-Seo is there as well. So, it’ll be safe and comfortable for him. I’ll do it,” he confirms, smiling.

“Brilliant. That sounds perfect. There is no need to inform the matron of the old home. Please shift him at the earliest,” attorney Seong instructs, and both Woo-Bin and Jimin agree, nodding.

I’m rendered speechless; I can’t be more thankful for having these wonderful humans in my life, and for having stumbled into them at the perfect moment.

It began with Woo-Bin many years ago. He was my first friend at Aeon, and though his stay as a trainee was short, we still made lots of memories together. I was always in close contact with him throughout the span of my career as an idol, and even afterwards, up until today. Woo-Bin has been my only true friend who wishes nothing but the best for me. Even though his marriage and family commitments keep him busy, making it hard for him to spend as much time with me as he used to, he still does his best whenever and however he can.

And then Jimin. Technically, he has known me for as long as I’ve been a singer, and I’ve communicated with him through my craft. He says that I’ve changed his life, but truly he is the one who has done something immeasurable to redeem my life from the pits of hell. Without him and his efforts, I don’t think any of this would have been possible.

And last, but never the least, Yi-Seo.

The moment my thoughts drift to her, my eyes begin wandering the space in search of her. My hands start twitching, yearning to hold her and melt in her arms.

Jimin, attorney Seong and Woo-Bin are talking, but I’m spinning my head around and craning my neck in search of the woman who found me when I was dying and decided that I was worth her time, efforts and affection.

If not for her, I wouldn’t have opened up about anything to anyone. I wouldn’t have found Jimin or Dr Han. Nothing in my life would have changed, and I would have still been singing sad odes with my bottles of alcohol.

Yi-Seo literally found me when I was in a near-death experience, and something about her has made me want to pour out everything to her from the day I met her. I’ve never once felt any hesitation to talk in her presence, and suddenly every little moment I spent with her comes rushing into my mind.

I will never forget the first time I chased her out of my home, and how I went around looking for her to apologize, but ended up giving her life advice. And how panicked I was when I couldn’t find her anywhere one hot summer afternoon, and the relief that I felt when I saw her later that day.

These past few weeks, she has always been there beside me, all the time at an arm’s distance, lazing around in her red couch or humming something to herself as she went about cooking a meal for us in my kitchen. I’ve grown too familiar with having her around all the time, and now I’m unable to locate her when I want to see her so desperately, and it’s driving me crazy!

God! Where is she?

I rake my fingers through my hair, frantically trying to locate her somewhere, and that’s when Jimin interrupts me.

“Looking for Yi-Seo?”

I answer him only with a single nod, and he gives me a knowing, lopsided smirk, pointing in the direction of the courtroom. Woo-Bin and attorney Seong leave shortly after, which leaves me alone with Jimin.

Pushing out a heavy, anxious breath, I pull open the door to the courtroom and we both step inside.

⚜
Taehyung is just a small step away from attaining liberation and justice.
🤧🥺🥺💕

Published on : 02/18/2023