THIRD-PERSON

"Kai Kamal Huening must be shot at the very sight."

Yujin's eyes widens as she looks up from the file in her hands. "What?"

On the head of the table sat Chief Justice Min Yoongi, closing his own file with a snap, his glasses riding low on his nose. "This is the final decision, seeing that he is a big threat not only to Ravenwood high, but also to the city itself."

"We may not know that, sir. I am sorry, but believing an anonymous source for all is his crimes is, in all respects, a crime in itself. What if he is innocent?" Seokjin pressed, staring at the chief justice with pleading eyes. "We must know his side of the stor-"

"Have you not seen the condition of Hwang Yeji? She was tortured and drugged for over a week. Kim Daewon was in no great shape when his corpse was found soaking in his own blood. Jeon Somi was beheaded, for heaven's sake. What more reason do you need, Seokjin? The boy, very evidently, has psychopathic tendencies. He is a threat to all of us as we may never know what his next move might be!" The speaker is a member of the jury, Kang Yunha. Yujin can understand her words and intentions, yet she can't help but be in denial of the conclusion.

She gives glances to Seokjin across from her who just held his head on the table, breathing heavily.

"We must at least hold a poll amongst ourselves, your honour. This is a big decision and the boy...he is just seventeen after all. Isn't it a bit too harsh? Not to mention, the Begonia is very much involved with all this. Maybe they have manipulated the kid?" Yujin looks expectantly at the head of the table, fingers clutching her file. The young justice takes his time to ponder over the suggestion.

Behind him, Lee Minho nervously shifts his weight from one leg to the other, gazing over to Yujin. But all of them are helpless unless they win the poll, for which Yujin has high hopes.

The decision is taken in desperation for any sort of closure. Not even Chief justice himself wants anything like this, but the pressure on his shoulders from the higher ups of the country is no less. Seoul is an important city of South Korea and such a big danger shall be dodged at any and all cost. Hence, the board meeting.

"Alright, attorney Choi." Yujin let out a sigh of relief and Seokjin lifts his head from his hands. "Take your time, choose wisely. You all know the severity of the case and one wrong decision may lead to bad consequences. We cannot take any chances." Total of fifteen people are present in the meeting, including the attorneys, the juries and the senior officers; this means there is no chance for a tie.

There is a pause as all the eyes shift to the Chief Justice. "Those against the favour?"

Three hands are in air at once. For a few moments no one else dares to disturb the tranquility that befalls in the room. But then another hand raises and Yujin turns to see Officer Jeon Jungkook with his hand held high. She can't help but smile as one after another the hands raise. But that happiness is short-lived as she realises.

Only seven votes are against the favour.

"Very well." The Justice writes down on his notepad and then looks up again. "Now, those in favour?"

Unless someone decides to go neutral, there are no chances for them to win.

Kang Yunha raises her hand at first. And for a long time, no one else follows.

But before Yujin and the other can take even a breath, two more hands raise. Attorney Jihyo and Jury member Sihyeon. Yujin's stomach drops.

Three became seven in no time. Now, it is either their win or a board member choosing to be neutral.

That one member being Jury Bang Chan.

"Jury Bang, do you wish to go neutral?"

All eyes follow to the man who is quite young, if not the youngest amongst all the juries and attorneys. His dilemma is evident as his gaze goes from face to face, holding upon Kang Yunha for a while longer.

"I-...uh..." He gulps visibly, twiddling his thumbs. "I choose to...go in favour, my lord."

No hope is left.

"With a margin of one, the board takes the decision for the encounter of Kai Kamal Huening at the very sight. With this, I close today's meeting."

None at all.

"Attorney Yujin!"

Yujin halts in her steps, turning around to see Bang Chan rushing towards her. "Yes?"

"Chief Justice wishes to have a word with you." She frowns but nods to the young man anyway.

"Thank you, Chan-ssi." She is about to take her leave when she hears him call out for her again.

"Yujin-ssi..." He trails off, rubbing at his neck. "I am sorry."

A pause. "For what?"

"For...voting in favour. I am sorry."

Yujin stares at the Jury and his earnest expression before she sighs. "It's honestly your own opinion, Chan-ssi. If you think that going in favour was right, I have no say-"

"I never had a choice, Yujin-ssi."

Yujin stops amidst her words. "Pardon?"

Chan looks down at the floor, having lost all his strength to meet Yujin's eyes. "Jury Yunha, she...threatened me. Said if I did not follow her orders, she'd fire me from my job. Yujin-ssi, my brother and sister live in Australia and I need the money for their education. I cannot call them here as my mom is extremely ill at the moment and her surgery calls for money as well."

"Yunha threatened you?!"

"...y-yes."

Yujin can't believe what she was listening. Yunha is a part of the Jury and she can stoop so low as to threatening her junior? "This is absolutely outrageous."

Chan continues,"I believe she is somehow involved with the Begonia."

That is also very much possible. This behaviour is not unseen of from the traitors. And Yujin knows it better than anyone else.

"I will take my leave for now, Chan-ssi, but keep in touch with me. Find a few evidences so that I can let the Chief Justice know about her whereabouts. Alright?"

"Yeah, okay."

Yujin turns to go but stops once again before glancing behind her. "And take care of yourself."

She is a mother after all.

"No...no t-they- no. No!"

Beomgyu's phone shatters into pieces. "No!" Beomgyu knocks the vase on his bedside table, which meets the fate of his phone.

He isn't thinking at the moment, only the big headline that had appeared on his phone's screen whirled around his brain, adding to the storm that has been bubbling for a while now.

"Justice Min Yoongi opens up to the press, talks about the judicial board's decision for Kai Kamal Huening's encounter."

He punches the mirror, which breaks at that very instant, damaging his knuckles as well. But the cuts are no match to the weeping gash in his heart. And it's not late before he loses all his strength and falls to his knees, tears finally springing free.

"Fuck..." He sobs, and sobs his heart out as he curls into himself and hugs his knees. "Why? Why him."

His cries ring through his room as he falls short of breath, choking on the bile rising in his throat.

"Take me instead."

All of those memories with Kai bombards his mind, making him miserable, if he wasn't already.

.

.

.

"You love the stars, hyung."

"Would you believe me if I said that I loved you instead?"

.

.

.

"Aish! Kai, it tickles!"

He straddles over me, continuing on with his mischievous fingers. "Not so easily."

.

.

.

"Are you scared?" Kai whispers to me as he smirks.

I look towards his seat and back at the big screen, trying my best to hide my fear. "I am not. It's just a movie."

"You are shaking, hyung."

"Am n-"

"Shush!" One of the people from the seat behind me warns, which also grabs Ryujin's attention who is sitting right next to me. But I shake my head to her, gulping as I let my gaze go back to the movie.

I hear the giggles of one Kai Kamal Huening. I glare at the said person as, in time, he clasps a hand over his mouth. "You are so cute."

"Shut up. You are not helping."

He stops with his laughs and clears his throat. "Then should I hold your hand?" And he says that, he raises his hand in offer. I glance at it, then his face and then the screen.

"Thank you." I take the offer.

.

.

.

The kiss is slow, yet passionate. It's like I've finally met my peace with those soft pair lips moving against mine, fitting like a missing puzzle piece; meant to be here.

.

.

.

"I...love you too."

I kissed his temple, giving him a sad smile. "I am glad you do."

.

.

.

"Oh Kai, I hope you are safe." A last tear trickles down the side of his face as Beomgyu stares at the ceiling, his whole life lying shattered all around him.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

A/N ¡! " Hi again.

Yeah, so the hiatus-- it was a break I guess. I was focusing on my studies for this being the last year of my school.

But yeah, I'm here and I'm back and am very glad to say that we are close to the end, like for real. Okay, not entirely happy cause this book holds a lot of my sentiments and ending this would be akin seeing a child finally grown to their full potential.

Also, just a reminder that the book 'Obsessions: Withering Flowers' is out now, which follows the sub-plot of this book. It also holds some spoilers for the ending of this book and several other things which are related to this timeline.

Thanks for reading! Here's a cookie for you 🍪 "