december 21; 14:55 hrs

"what was noah trying to do that you thought of attacking him with a knife?" han asks, not minding the child being scared in front of him.

"i didn't..." aera says softly, "he had an injection and he putting it on me, i was getting away from him..."

"he had an injection?" han frowns, "are you sure? because the police didn't find anything like that from him. please don't lie, aera, you can be punished for lying in the court."

"i'm not lying..." aera looks over to jungkook who nods in assurance.

"i'm standing here! look at me and talk!" han raises his voice.

"objection your honor! he cannot raise his voice! i urge the prosecution to respect certain limits. the witness is a child and ought to be treated like one!" jungkook voices out, standing by the witness stand as aera starts crying from the harsh encounter. meanwhile jimin and the rest glare at the man who dared to treat their princess like that and raise his voice at her.

"sustained, prosecution is warned."

"i'm sorry, my lord." han bows apologetically to the court. he then turns to aera again, "so according to you he had an injection? where did it go then?"

"i don't know..."

"and what about the knife? you had it last when everyone saw, what were you doing with it?"

"he took it and hurted himself..."

han laughs at the words and shakes his head, "so you're saying noah came to hurt you, then grabs a knife and ends up killing himself? that's absurd, who taught you that story?"

"mr han, if you're done, can i proceed with the cross examination?" jungkook rolls his eyes at the man who glares ar him but nods anyway. the former faces aera and smiles softly, "don't cry, he's not doing anything."

"he's so bad..."

han pretends not to hear that from the kid, and jungkook clears his throat, deciding to ignore the little complain, "anyway, so you just said noah had an injection with him. do you know what it was for?"

"no, he came to me said something... i don't know, then he was going to put it on me."

"means he was going to inject whatever it had into you?" aera nods to answer his question, "words, aera."

"yes,"

"ah i see, do you remember what he said?"

"no, he was talking weird... but- but he said something like money and he wan'ed to deal..."

jungkook stares at her arching a brow subtly and aera nods, letting him know that she's telling the truth. he nods and proceeds further, "so when he was trying to inject you, what did you do?"

"i pushed him, but he was holding my hand and then my shirt so i couldn't run away," aera says, tears returning in her eyes, but she rubs them once and nods to confirm her words, "he was saying it won't hurt to me..."

"then how did the knife come in your hand?"

"it was on the table and he took it, i was pushing him and he fell down when i started going upstairs. but when i turned around there was blood on him, then i got scared and took the knife to see... i didn't kill him, it was an accident."

"alright, that's all i wanted to ask. you may go back," jungkook says and turns to the front, "as my client said, your honor, noah's death was an accident. in fact he was drugged and couldn't even get his words out properly, which also justifies that he can grab a knife and try to attack aera. but she pushed him to defend herself and ran away, he lost his balance and ended up falling and hurting himself. one of his medical reports also state that he took blood-thinning medications and that is why he lost a lot of blood resulting in his death. even from his previous medial and criminal records, it's clear that he used to deal and even take drugs which also got him in trouble when he was japan.

"now for the loss jeon jimin faced during he case proceedings and the defamation of his company and reputation, i demand compensation from park ransom at least worth 200 million dollars, and request the court to cease all his assets. also for falsly accusing a child into a murder case and presenting fake evidences and documents in the court, i request a penalty for senior inspector kang leo, and ceasing his assets as well."

the judge nods as jungkook sums his case up, and glances at han, "anything to say from the prosecution?"

"no, my lord." han says, "the prosecution rests,"

jungkook closes his eyes, releasing a sigh of relief as he takes his seat, shaking hands with his assistants and hugs his brother tightly, knowing that he won. he brings aera on his lap, smiling with teary eyes and kisses her cheek, "did we win?" she asks, and jungkook looks at the judge who is busy reading the virdict.

the old man puts the paper down, nodding to himself and glances around the courtroom, hammering twice on the desk before clearing his throat, "hearing both the sides and keeping all evidences and witnesses into consideration, the court has found jeon aera not guilty of the charges accused."

"yes, we did," jungkook whispers, hugging her tightly.

"park ransom must pay the compensation amount to jeon jimin in the period of eight weeks. kang leo is suspended from the police department for the time being, and all legal assets under him are ceased by the court. jeon aera is announced to be released from the police custody, free of charges. the court is adjourned."

"all rise," the bailiff announces, making everyone in the room stand up for the judge to leave. jungkook turns to hug jimin again, patting his back, then hugs aera too, pressing a kiss on her shoulder as he's leaning down to her height.

"jungkook-ah, great job man," taehyung smiles widely, hugging the said male tightly, "dude seriously, i really had doubts on this case." jungkook stays quiet and nods, trying to ignore the fact tht he just proved his guilty sister not guilty, and even claimed compensation for the money his brother never lost. 

"really good job, kook." yoongi praises him as well and hugs jimin and aera, "both of you suffered a lot during this. i'm glad everything is okay now."

jimin nods, giving him a smile and looks at the younger brother, "it would've been impossible without jungkook, thanks champ."

"it's my job, hyung," jungkook smiles back, patting aera's head and wraps his arm around her, "–especially this time, i couldn't afford losing."

aera pulls him down, placing a kiss on cheek, "thanks koo, i love you a lot."

"i love you more," he whispers, kissing the side of her head, "now, we'll go home and have a movie marathon?"

"disney," she nods.

"alri–"

"advocate jeon," jungkook turns around and sees the prosecutor standing there with a smile, holding his hand out which jungkook accepts gladly and smiles back, "congratulations, you're always a fun opponent."

jungkook laughs, shaking his head and steps forward, going for a formal hug, "ah thank you, sir." he pulls away and glances at aera, bringing her forward and gestures towards the man, "he's not bad, just lawyers usually tend to be a certain way in court."

"no," aera steps near her brother, not meeting the man which just makes him chuckle.

"it's alright, i do feel bad for being so rude. i'm sorry, aera." han says, but the girl doesn't accept his apology as she steps back, hugging jimin's waist, mumbling for them to go home. han sighs softly, shaking hands with jungkook and takes his leave.

"sir," a female voice comes in between, grabbing jungkook's attention who stares at her for a moment, nodding his head briefly to come with them.

she looks at jimin who smiles as well, shaking hands with her, "thank you miss chelsea, you really helped us a lot."

"that's my job, sir." she smiles, following them out as the media is already huddled by the exit, making it hard for the police to provide security.

19:52 hrs

"70 thousand dollars," jungkook slides the briefcase towards chelsea who sighs, glancing at the money and looks at him, "more?" he asks, adding five more bundles of hundred dollar bills and cracks his neck, "thank you for helping me. now as i promised, i won't bother you."

she nods slowly, ready to leave as her bags are already packed beside her. jungkook darts one last question her way, "you're engaged right? does your fiancé know that you slept with someone to help someone else win a case?"

chelsea clenches her jaw, sending an icy glare in his direction before speaking, "that's none of your concern." she grabs the bags and the briefcase, earning an amused chuckle from jungkook.

"i guess so, but i'm expecting an invitation from you." he smirks, "gotta see who's life you gonna ruin now."

"jungkook don–"

"leave, officer chelsea. it was great working with you."

"i hate you," she glares at him, her hand clasping collar of his shirt and the other one connecting with his cheek in a swift motion, "do not show up in my life again. i know you you were the one who called for me."

jungkook looks down, touching his cheek that managed to make him silent as she storms out of the room. just as jungkook cracks his neck, cursing at the girl, another person is coming inside and grabs him by his arm, "what did you do jungkook?"

"nothing, hyung. she's done with her job, so she's leaving."

jimin stares at him perplexed eyes, following him to kitchen where aera is already having her dinner which is not proper food but yoghurt. he stops the brother, turning him around to stand in the front which is when the blood on the side of his lips catches his eyes, "how did you get hurt? you were fine just now,"

"it's nothing, don't wor–"

"what. happened."

"nothi–"

"jungkook, please..."

seeing the elder worried, jungkook sighs softly, lowering his head as his brain forces him to recall how harsh he has always been to chelsea, especially this time. even though he didn't regret his actions, knowing there was no other way to save his sister, it still stung him deep somewhere and he knew he deserved the slap too. in fact it would still not be unfair if chelsea beats him halfway to death. but that doesn't mean he was giving in to her. never.

at least she's gone now. gone for the better.

"tell me, kook, what's wrong?" jimin asks again, in a much tender voice as he makes the younger sit and takes some cotton and disinfectant from first aid kit. "you can tell me, buddy. you didn't grow up that much that you won't share your problems with your hyung,"

jungkook nods slowly, holding the elders hand in one hand and rubs his eyes with the other, "i really hate myself sometimes, hyung. i was telling you not to let yourself feel bad about your actions, but... but it's hard to do that... especially when all you do is heartless dealing... i wonder how many people got their lives messed up because of me,"

jimin sighs softly, cleaning the off the blood with his right hand and nods st the younger's words, "is it about that girl?"

"yeah, but there's a lot of people whom i don't even know that well..."

"like?"

"kang's family, chelsea, her fiancé, one of my old clients who really needed a lawyer, i took advantage of that and charged them nearly double my usual fee... and many others,"

"kang and chelsea, how?"

"i had a feeling he was involved, so i went up to him and threatened him that if he doesn't back off i'll get her wife... or even her daughter... he looked scared with that, and i felt like i was winning..."

jimin stops with his work, staring at him with a frown, but still manages to ask about chelsea too, and jungkook speaks further, "she didn't have this case. i got her here contacting her seniors for them to give her this case... then i- i paid her to... i paid her to sleep with kang," his  voice whispers out, too guilty to even look up.

"...and she agreed? isn't she engaged?"

"yeah... because i threatened her too, that if she doesn't help me i'll make her suffer," jungkook says, running his eyes to his hyung and lifts up his head to look at the elder brother, "but hyung, i- i promise i just wanted to help riri. yes, i hate chelsea but i love my sister a lot more than that."

jimin nods in response, caressing his head and smiles a little, letting him know that he believes him. but when jungkook doesn't look convinced and doesn't even spare a glance to the elder, he keeps the piece of cotton away and stands straight, embracing the boy in a nice, warm hug. "i know that, kook. you've been so strong till now, handled everything so good and became my strength all this while. why're you letting yourself break like this? i'm not saying what you did with chelsea and the others is right, you should never hurt anyone. but what's happened has happened, we can't change that. but at least we can make sure it doesn't happen again. the kind of job you have makes it harder, i understand that and it's not your fault. this world can be cruel, and sometimes all we can do is survive anyhow."

a tear leaves jungkook's eye which he wipes quickly, hugging the elder tighter as he releases a shaky breath, "you don't hate me... do you?"

"never champ, i don't hate you, and i'll never hate you." jimin assures as he glances down and ruffles his hair, smiling a little, "why do you even think hyung will hate you huh?"

"i... no, it's not like that, just... i hate myself,"

"well, you're doing wrong then. you never hate yourself buddy, if you're unhappy with something you've done in the past, work to change it in the future. but you never hate yourself." jimin tells him, then chuckles a little on hearing an annoyed groan from the sister as she pushes her bowl away and turns to jimin with a huff. "what's wrong?"

she takes off the headphones and stands up, pointing at the harmless bowl, "i don't like it, gimme 'nother bowl!"

"why? what's wrong with it?"

"my yogurt keeps falling and dropping on me," she huffs, showing him the t-shirt and where a few drops of strawberry yogurt have marked their presence.

"isn't it your fault rather than bowl's?"

"no, i watched rapunzel and eaten before, but it doesn't work like this. something is wrong with the bowl, not me."

"nothing is wrong with the bowl," jimin sighs, "keep the ipad away and finish eating."

"no,"

"aera, don't behave like that. sit and eat."

"it's okay, hyung," jungkook meddles in, smiling at the sister and nods for her to come to him. he makes her sit on his lap and hugs her tightly, resting his chim on her shoulder, "do you wanna have a lot of ice cream?"

"yes!" aera nods, turning her head to look at him with a wide grin.

jungkook smiles, kissing her cheek and nods, "let's go get some, i haven't even showed you around here."

"yeah, let's go, and we'll take jimin oppa with us too,"

"of course, who'll pay if we don't take him with us right?"

"yeah," aera laughs, glancing at the eldest brother who just smiles softly, shaking his head. she rushes in to get her jacket while jimin grabs his wallet and phone after checking his card is inside.

"i was just kidding, i'll pay," jungkook mutters softly, then closes his eyes tightly, leaning forward with his elbows reating on his knees.

"hey, are you hurting?"

"i don't know," he whispers, "it's so hard..."

"what?"

"breathing," jungkook says, not knowing why he felt like crying and screaming all of a sudden but he could feel his body tensing and a weight being pressed on his chest. it was suffocating in a painful way. "i don't wanna do this hyung..."

"relax," jimin rubs his back, glancing at door as aera's footsteps are heard, "ri's coming, get up."

jungkook nods slowly, standing up and takes a few deep breaths, cracking his neck and stretching his body to calm himself down, "god, hyung i never wanna see that woman again..."

"who? chelsea?"

"chelsea," he confirms with a nod, "i hate her so much," jimin says nothing, patting his back and gives him a hug, while at the same time sending a hesitant smile to aera as she stares at them with a frown knitting her brows together.

"what happened? why are you sad oppa?"

"uh we're not sad, princess. jungkookie is just having a headache, that's all."

"oh..." she looks at the said brother and nods, putting her jacket down and goes back inside, returning with a roll-on to ease the pain. she takes jungkook's hand, making her sit and applies the aid on his forehead, then hugs him tightly, followed by a kiss on his cheek, "it'll be okay, don't worry."

jungkook looks down, nibbling on his lower lip as he nods subtly, burying his face in the kid's shoulder. silent tears stream down his cheeks, getting absorbed in the fabric of aera's shirt which she never notices, but jimin does. warm tears pool his eyes too as he steps forward, wrapping his arms around the youngers comfortably. stroking their hair, he leans down pressing a soft peck on top of their heads, "everything is okay," he assures in a tender voice, closing his eyes in an attempt to hold back his tears as he feels jungkook's hand clenching tightly on the fabric of his shirt, as if begging the elder brother to stay like that for a while as he's breaking and aera's right in his arms which is not a great place to start with.

"koo," she pulls away slowly, not giving time for the brothers to wipe off their tears and jungkook flinches, looking away instantly to hide his face. "why are you crying? is it hurting that much?"

"y-yeah... it hurts a lot," he nods, choking on his teats as he lowers his head, never letting go of jimin which aera realises and looks up at the eldest.

"why are you crying oppa? koo is okay, don't worry."

"yeah," jimin nods, wiping his tears and stares at ceiling as he breathes in and out a few times and clears his throat, "i- i'll come in a mi–"

"no..." jungkook hushes out, holding his hand and looks up at the elder, shaking his head, "please, no, stay here."

"kook," jimin pats his head, shaking his head as he glances at their confused thirteen-year-old sister, "don't do this please, let's talk later hm?"

jungkook breaks into a sob, shaking his head as a no, leaving jimin with no other option than to stay with him, and let him cry hugging his waist. aera hugs him from the side, tears sliding down her cheeks too even though the reason they're crying for is unknown to her. she tilts her head up, glancing at jimin who has his eyes pinned on an empty void, staring out of the window.

"ri," he hushes out, earning a confused from the girl waiting for him to continue, "get some water, please,"

she nods, hurrying to the fridge and pours some water in a glass, handing to jimin who smiles thankfully and pats her cheek, his thumb rubbing off the tears gently, "he's okay, don't cry," aera nods slowly, but jimin could see she didn't believe him at all for her eyes move back to jungkook, gazing past the thin layer of tears.

he sighs and pats jungkook's head, "hey kook, look at me," jimin's hand tilts the boy's head up, meeting his bloodshot eyes which manages to bring back a burning lump in his throat. "you're okay, drink this," he says, holding the glass of water in front of his mouth, making him take a sip despite him saying no.

"now, take a deep breath and listen to me very carefully," jimin speaks softly, wiping the tears from the younger's cheeks, "you're not bad, and no, we don't hate you. in fact, you're our champ, kook. you sister loves you a lot, your hyung loves you a lot, isn't that what you said keeps you going?"

jungkook nods, chewing on his lip that oozes out blood now and jimin sighs, knowing the boy probably isn't bothered about anything right now. so his thumb tugs on the younger's chin, releasing the swollen and bleeding lip, and wipes off the blood, "it's okay, buddy. relax, i'm right here."

"koo, don't cry," jimin glances at the sister, seeing she's scared and confused with all the heartbreaking cries from jungkook. he takes her hand in his pulling her closer and wraps his arm around her body, making her stand in front of jungkook. "koo..." she mumbles again, wiping his tears with her fingertips gently, scared that she might hurt him, "please don't cry, i feel like crying too..."

"love you," jimin whispers and aera nods,

"i love you," she says, stepping closer until she's standing between his legs and hugs him tightly, "me and jiminie oppa love you so much, you don't know,"

"i know," jungkook gulps thickly, resting his head on her shoulder like she does to him when he hugs her.

"then why are you crying?"

"i did something so bad... everyone hates me, do you know that?"

"i don't hate you, and jiminie oppa don't hate you, are we not enough? tae oppa, appa, jinnie oppa and hobi oppa and joonie oppa don't hate you either. we're so many, and we all love you. then why are you sad?"

jimin smiles softly and nods, "she's right, try counting us, we're not just seven, kook. it's more than billions."

jungkook nods slowly, hugging the siblings together and kisses aera's cheek, "thanks a lot... thank you, i love you more," jimin chuckles, blinking away his tears as he ruffles the younger's hair.

"don't you dare ever say you hate yourself. how can you can hate someone who's so precious for your family? think about us once,"

"yes, and now don't cry, you said we'll eat a lot of ice cream! ice cream makes us happy!"

"yeah, we should get a lot of ice cream for riri and kookie," jimin nods, "so my kids can stop crying and focus on that instead."

"yes," aera nods, pulling his and jungkook's hand, "let's go right now,"

__________________

a/n- yayyy! we've completed another series woohooo!! did y'all enjoy???

i wanna share how came up with this. so a weeks back i was watching a web series— it was crime thriller one, (i really love those!) there was a character of a 12-13 year old girl was taken as a suspect after witnessing her father's murder and the police found the murder weapon in her hand. it was just the first episode that i watched because after that i was suddenly so inspired that i started writing this series!

i planned all the characters and the plot and everything. i was sure i needed jungkook as a lawyer, tae and yoongi as police officers, but with the rest i didn't know what to do. i was thinking making them something related to law but then that would be really absurd. so i kept them as normal buisnessmen, otherwise this 5 part series would've been a book by itself. that is also the reason i couldn't introduce jin, namjoon and hobi in the scene. (i'm sorrrryyyyyy)

it was my first time writing crime thriller, especially with a lot law involved. i apologise if i portrayed something off. also please do tell me if there any plot holes, i tried my best to cover everything and i hope i managed it

thank you so much to all those who sticked through the series till the very end, it means a lot to me ❤️❤️❤️❤️ ✨✨✨✨