Bloody Red-Bottom Heels
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"How is she doing?" Taehyung asked as he started shivering due to the freezing wind. Winter seemed eternal, and every day it was colder than the last. Beside him, Seokjin gritted his teeth as the breeze grew stronger and stronger each second. Deep down, he prayed it wasn't a sign of bad luck for the trial. There had been too many obstacles, and he wasn't ready for more along the way. Not when everyone had worked so hard to reach the end.

"Yeri? She's living with me," he replied as he focused back on Taehyung instead of the weather—or the trial. "She keeps thinking Dr. Choi will take drastic measures against her even while incarcerated. I told her not to worry about it and that if she wanted, she could stay at my house for the time being."

"For the time being." Taehyung chuckled, mocking his words. "How long has it been?"

"A few weeks," Seokjin replied, causing Taehyung to widen his eyes. "I know he'll be behind bars for a long time, but if Yeri wants to stay over, she can. I won't kick her out. I also like her company. She's a very bright woman."

Taehyung smirked and nudged Seokjin's arm as he said, "Come on, man. Bright? I know you like her. Just go for it. Ask her out already!"

Seokjin rolled his eyes at his statements and turned to face the other direction. His view went directly to Jimin, who entered the building with Ara through the other entrance. A few seconds after they walked in, he noticed two police cars. Sunggyu came out from one of them and was taken inside before Eunha, ensuring both had no contact with each other. Both with handcuffs and a distraught look in their eyes.

"I don't know what to expect from today's trial, Tae." Seokjin sighed. "Did you ever expect Eunha to pull all of this? I mean, drugs? Murder? I knew she was a whore, but this is more than just whoring around. It's homicide."

Taehyung shook his head and said, "I was shocked when she pulled out the leaks. I didn't expect it. I never interacted with her before, but I never thought she could do such things either."

Suddenly, Seokjin thought of something as he saw Eunha stepping out of the police car. He glanced at her belly and recalled Jimin's face when the paternity of the baby was discussed. The baby was the last obstacle. "He has to be the baby's father, right? I'm pretty sure they have a close relationship. I'm pretty sure they've done unimaginable things. Just what if?"

Taehyung shrugged as Eunha was taken inside the building. He turned to Seokjin and said, "Come on, Seokjin. We have to go inside."

That day, Sunggyu was placed on the witness stand, somewhere Eunha couldn't dare turn to. She wouldn't dare look at him. Hoseok looked through his files and projected a document on the monitor screen as he stood up. He walked to Sunggyu and pointed at the screen, which demonstrated the drug test results.

"Mr. Kim, when you were arrested, you tested positive for valium," he said. "As soon as Officer Min brought you to the police station, you revealed you were on drugs and even begged him to have you tested. You begged him for help and referred to yourself as an 'addict'. Why is this?"

Sunggyu looked at the screen and gulped before he said, "I didn't want to be so anxious anymore. Whenever I took valium, my head would spin, and I would feel so drowsy. After taking it a few times, I started feeling anxious again and hearing voices. I couldn't think properly and didn't want to say something that would make my situation even worse. I wanted the drug out of my system to testify if I had to. After a few times of taking it, no matter how I felt, it just became addicting. After all, it had not been the first time I had gotten addicted to a drug."

Hoseok nodded and then asked, "Where did you get this drug?"

Sunggyu looked down and said, "When I tried to flee the country, I contacted someone to help me. He gave me the drug and gave me a fake passport with a plane ticket. I don't remember his name. I took the drug after he introduced himself, and everything was just blurry before that. Even when he explained the process, I was completely out of it. I heard fragments of words."

Eunha stayed silent. She knew he had not forgotten the name. He was just hiding the fact that she was the one who gave him that contact. Hoseok turned to her as he directed his words to Sunggyu and asked, "Did you know valium was also found in Ms. Kang's house when it was searched? Valium alongside other drugs such as potassium chloride?"

Sunggyu looked up at that moment and shook his head repeatedly. "I don't know anything about—"

"The drugs were for me," Eunha said as she interrupted his words. She looked down with a devastated look on her face, making Jimin scoff at her act. He knew it was all fake. "I used to take valium for a while. One day, I took them to Sunggyu's house. He was under another drug, and I knew it because I had found it in his room. But that day, he found mine. That day, he got so violent with me. So aggressive. That day, he attacked me because he thought I was hiding it from him. He desperately wanted something to calm himself down when his drugs ran out. He took them, and ever since that day, it has become his favorite drug."

Sunggyu scoffed as he heard her words. Tears were leaving her eyes with every lie she told. He had no clue how to refute her statement, as they seemed so convincing. For a second, he just sat there contemplating his decisions. His choices during the trial, the interrogation, and the arrest. He did everything for her. He wanted to save her, but she kept making the situation worse. Meanwhile, Eunha had resorted to her mother's own tactics: claiming abuse by a lifelong partner. A story of abuse her mother had mentioned during court, which she believed none of.

Hoseok walked closer to Eunha as she said those words and asked, "Ms. Kang, what was your relationship with Mr. Kim?"

Eunha wiped her tears as she responded, "He was a friend. That was really it."

Sunggyu knew those words were bound to come out of her mouth, but regardless, he wasn't ready for it. They stung deep in his heart, even though he knew it would happen. At that moment, he understood what Eunha expected him to do. Lie about the facts, the affair, and the murders. Accept all the blame and never mention the affair. Making it all his fault while she remained innocent. That was when Hoseok turned to him and asked, "Mr. Kim, did you physically abuse Ms. Kang after finding the valium?"

Sunggyu looked at him in disbelief at the sudden question and responded, "I have never in my life hurt a woman. I really don't know anything about that man's business or how she knows him, but it has nothing to do with me. I barely know about drugs. She always gave them to me. She recommended his help. But no—fuck no—I've never hit her. Matter of fact—look."

In a matter of seconds, he lifted his shirt and turned to his side, exposing the bruises on his torso. Suddenly, all traces of devastation abandoned Eunha's face as she glared at him. She felt frustrated, and most importantly, betrayed.

"I love you, Eunha, but you did this to me," he said, facing her. "That day, you yelled at me for not doing what you wanted me to do. I was high at the moment from that drug you gave me, but I remember how that bruise happened. I remember how you slapped me constantly when I refused to do it, and when that bored you out, you grabbed a metal bat and swung it across me. I remember it vividly. It stung so much."

He pulled down his shirt and looked at Hoseok as Eunha bit her inner cheek. Hoseok knew the truth was near, and it was in the response to a simple question: "Mr. Kim, what did she ask you to do for her?"

As he heard that, Sunggyu turned to face Eunha and said, "Kill him. Kill Jang Jiyong."

When those words left his mouth, Ara became furious. Her leg started bouncing up and down as she grabbed Jimin's hand tightly. At that moment, Hoseok walked over to Eunha as she refused to look at him. She turned to the side, but her view was directed at Ara. She was glaring at her from a distance. Eunha could feel the anger in her eyes from far away. It was cold and full of hatred. It sent shivers down her spine.

"Ms. Kang, did you order Mr. Kim to murder Mr. Jang?"

Eunha finally looked at him and crossed her arms as she said, "That man is a manipulative psychopath! He was so upset that day for such a stupid reason. He punched and kicked him repeatedly because he hated the fact that Jiyong was dating his ex-wife. I was in shock at how he still loved her after years. That day, he was something else. It was a personal kill. He grabbed a syringe and injected him with the drug. He killed Jang Jiyong."

Sunggyu slammed the table with his fist in anger at Eunha's words. He couldn't believe how much blame she wanted to give him and how much of a story she wanted to tell. Every single thing was his fault. It had to be his fault. But the way she openly made everything up with such perfection made Sunggyu tense up. Hoseok couldn't believe Eunha's words. Tired of the constant back and forth, he rolled his eyes and provided additional evidence on the monitor screen, presenting the autopsy report and the photographed bruises found on Jiyong's body.

"Here are the so-called 'kicking' and 'punching' bruises that were found on Mr. Jang's body," he said as he pointed to the screen. "The marks on the torso were analyzed by an expert pathologist. The bruises were done with a specific type of shoe. Heels."

At that moment, the whole courtroom knew who was at fault. It was obvious. The only person who would constantly wear the most expensive heels. That was, of course, until she was arrested.

Hoseok walked toward Sunggyu and asked, "Mr. Kim, do you wear heels?"

Sunggyu scoffed but stayed silent, as well as Eunha. Hoseok leaned closer to Sunggyu and asked once again, "Mr. Kim, do you wear heels?"

Sunggyu ignored the question as he stared directly at Eunha. He couldn't believe she would stay silent again. Even with such a trivial question, she wouldn't back down from her lies. Her blatant, last-minute lies. Even when all odds were against her, she wouldn't dare look his way. That was when he knew no one would save him at that point. He was left to save himself, even if he did everything wrong. At least for once, he had to save himself from something he didn't do.

That was when Hoseok followed his line of view and reached Eunha. He then turned to Sunggyu and added, "Mr. Kim, you are under oath."

He was on his own. The thought of not having anyone scared him, but also gave him the freedom he longed for.

"I was ordered to kill Jiyong with the potassium chloride Eunha gave me, but I didn't," he said as Eunha finally turned to look at him. "After we took him to the alley, Eunha grew furious. She said he would be punished for not following her orders."

"What orders?" Hoseok asked this time as Ara sat at the edge of her seat.

"Eunha had met up with him a week before his death," Sunggyu said. "She gave him an envelope with cash and told him to kidnap Ara. The plan was to hurt her. Eunha wanted her away from her fiancé and was willing to take drastic measures to make that happen. If he didn't do as told, she would hurt his sister, who was in the Kang Hospital. He took the money, but he disappeared and his sister disappeared too."

Ara took a deep breath and sighed as she lowered her head. Jiyong had disappeared because he wanted to protect the people he loved the most. His sister and his lover. Either he hurt one or the other. He decided neither. If he had to take such drastic measures, he would rather hurt himself.

"I never got upset with it," he continued. "Yes, Ara is my ex, but I never minded her having a relationship. It never crossed my mind. I love Eunha. Well, I loved her. She knows this. The only woman I have ever loved my whole life was her, so I always did whatever she told me to do."

Eunha scoffed from a distance at Sunggyu's words, but he continued and said, "She punched him and kicked him with her Louboutin heels. I remember it clearly. She couldn't stop bragging when her fiancé gave them to her for her birthday the year before. When she finished attacking him, she told me to inject him with the syringe, but I couldn't. All I could think about was the last time that I was ordered to kill someone. It was Byun Haneul. Yes, I killed Byun Haneul and got away with it. The day of Jiyong's murder, I kept having flashbacks of Haneul and got nervous. I was shaking, and I couldn't do it. That was when she took the syringe from me and killed him herself."

The courtroom turned even more silent. Ara didn't know who to be more enraged with, Sunggyu or Eunha. One had murdered her father, while the other had murdered her past lover. Sunggyu had also implied that Eunha had ordered him to murder Haneul. It was all true. Everything revolved around Eunha, even from before Ara knew who she was.

"The drugs are from Eunha. The bruises were by Eunha. Even Jiyong's murder was committed by Eunha. Just because Ara had found happiness and just because Ara knew about Eunha's affair with me and with every other guy she had slept with—just because Ara had a video proving the affair. Only because of that, Eunha was scared that Ara would show her fiancé. All this time, she made stupid scenarios in her head of her fiancé and the maid being together. She wanted to ruin Ara once and for all. Like if she hadn't had enough."

Sunggyu turned around and looked directly at Ara as he whispered, "I'm sorry, Ara."

Ara didn't want to look at him, but she did. For a moment, for a simple moment, she recalled all the memories she had with him. She had been in love, but he had not. He said it himself. He always loved Eunha. They were made for each other. Even if now they were at a constant back and forth with each other. Unfortunately, Eunha never cared for Sunggyu as he cared for her. Her focus was always on Jimin. Her obsession was always Park Jimin.

Hoseok changed the monitor screen again and turned to Sunggyu. "So, you confirm that after Mr. Jang was last seen in this footage, you and Ms. Kang took him to a secluded alley with the intent of hurting him? Perhaps even killing him?"

Sunggyu nodded in response.

"Do you also confirm that Ms. Kang assaulted Mr. Jang and later on grabbed a syringe to inject him with potassium chloride?"

"I do."

Any trace of love for Eunha had abandoned his body. For a single moment, he thought she would take responsibility for her actions—at least just for hers. He didn't ask for anything else. Or maybe he thought she wouldn't lie so easily. Maybe he thought she would struggle to make up a false story, but that wasn't true. She had it all planned out, and that enraged him.

"You also confessed to committing another crime. The murder of Byun Haneul."

"Yes, I killed him."

Hoseok remained satisfied with his response as he turned to the judge and said, "I have no further questions, your honor."

He walked back to his seat and sat down. Ara sighed in relief. At last, she could see the light behind the tunnel. This time, justice would prevail.

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• 2800 •
Update #3 for Jan. 31.