simpingforsimjake

[simpingforsimjake]

Question

Hey everyone, just a question

So I've been rewriting the chapters, and for one of them the whole word count is 3,126 words.

Is that too much or is it okay? There's literally nothing for me to delete, it all sounds so perfect. Should I keep it as it is?

[simpingforsimjake]

The Guilty Defence

CHAPTER SIX 

“You did well so far,” Jake complimented, as he walked through the doors with Ji-Won for the break. “But obviously, I’m still going to win this case.” 

“You didn’t even question the defendant yet,” Ji-Won defended, glancing at him in disbelief. “I already brought Seongkyu’s walls down and he’s already confessing to everything I’ve asked him.” 

“Yeah, well. Who knows, maybe another piece of evidence might come in handy during this break.” 

“And what do you mean by that?” she questioned, stopping in her tracks, a curious but suspicious look slowly forming onto her face. 

“You’ll see.” he replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders before reaching over to ruffle her hair. “Anyways, I’m going to the bathroom, I’ll see you soon.” 

“But-” Ji-Won started to say, but was met with him turning a corner and disappearing from sight before she could finish her sentence. 

Meanwhile, Jake’s pace quickened the moment he was out of Ji-Won’s line of sight. The lively glint in his eyes dulled as his playful features hardened into something more serious, more calculated as he fished his phone from his pocket and read the message that was displayed on his lock screen: “B2: At the staff car park.” 

Jake moved with urgency, bypassing the public bathrooms entirely. A right turn, then another down a quiet corridor that led him to a discrete door labelled “STAFF ACCESS ONLY”. 

This was only for emergency exits, but Jake knew his way around the courthouse well enough to slip through unnoticed. He pushed open the door, the heavy metal creaking softly as he stepped into the dim stairwell. 

Two flights down, he reached the basement level: B2.

It was colder there. The echo of his footsteps was the only sound accompanying him until he stepped though another side door that led to the staff carpark. The fluorescent lights flickered above him, casting long shadows between the empty parking spots.

A man was already waiting at the far end of the car park beside his motorbike, hood up, arms folded and didn’t look up until Jake was only a few steps away. 

“Took you long enough.”

“Sorry Jaemin, my colleague was talking to me about something.” he replied, scratching the back of his head before looking back at him. “What did you find?”

Upon hearing the question, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black USB stick and held it up as if it was a cigarette. 

“I don’t know who tampered with the CCTV footage, but I found that the face doesn’t match with Mr Kim, but Johnny Martinez,” he started to say, “Not sure why the police didn’t bother to cross-check the actual identity, but it’s not him.” 

Jake didn’t respond right away. He just stared at the USB silently, as if it was going to showcase the footage like a hologram, before grabbing it from his hand and slipped it into his blazer pocket. 

“You did the right thing.” he responded, his voice low but sincere. 

“I just couldn’t let the wrong guy go down, Johnny deserves to go back to prison for what he did.”

“True,” Jake mumbled, sighing slightly, his shoulders slumped from the previous all nighters he’s been pulling for the past few days. “Thanks for this, man. Appreciate it.” he thanked, turning on his heel and started to walk back to the stairwell. 

“By the way,” Jaemin’s voice called out, just sharp enough to make Jake pause mid-step. 

He then turned slightly, one foot still pointed towards the exit, his eyebrows raised in anticipation. “Yeah?”

“I forgot to tell you…but, apparently-” Jaemin hesitated suddenly, glancing down the car park before lowering his voice. “I got a call this morning. From the hospital.”

“What hospital?”

“Daeseong’s.” Jaemin said carefully, “According to the doctors and nurses, he’s alive. Just barely.”

Jake blinked, immediately turning around to fully face him, the air seeming to leave his lungs as he looked at him in shock. “Wait. He’s alive?”

“He didn’t die, Jake. He was in a coma, found just minutes after the crash. Massive head trauma, severe memory loss…they thought he wouldn’t make it, so it was never made public.” he explained, “But he woke up a few days ago, his brain’s still foggy and can barely speak.”

Silence was then settled between them, thick and suffocating, as if the car park had frozen in time. Jake stood there, stunned, his mind racing to catch up with the revelation. His jaw then tightened, eyes flickering with disbelief and something else - relief, maybe - as the truth sank in, before a sudden chuckle left his lips. 

“You’re joking, right?” he asked, his voice skeptical, “That’s impossible, the police said that they found Daeseong dead. Dead, Jaemin.” 

“But it’s true,” Jaemin exaggerated, “The doctors told me that he remembered something. Apparently just a few words like car or help. They even said that he mentioned Johnny’s name, Jake.”

“Anything else?”

“Well, when the police came and showed him the picture of Mr Kim, he got agitated and kept repeating that it wasn’t him. Same thing with Johnny, but his vitals spiked after raging. He couldn’t say it out loud based on what really happened, but it was clear who the actual culprit was.”

“But how can he even come to court? Isn’t he bedbound for now?” 

“I mean, he can’t testify as a normal witness,” Jaemin continued, “But the doctors said he’s willing to try. He asked for you, somehow he remembered you. He claimed that he remembered some snippets of the accident that happened, but I think it would be enough to cast doubt.” 

Jake nodded slowly, his mind already shifting into work mode as soon as he made a decision to absorb the sudden evidence. “Get me everything: doctors statements, videos from the hospital, anything he’s said.”

Jaemin gave a quiet nod, reaching into his pocket again to hand over a red USB stick. “Already done.” 

“I knew I could rely on you Jaemin.” he said, pocketing the evidence into his pocket and walked back upstairs.

____________________________

Jiwon stood outside the courtroom doors, glancing down the corridor with a tight jaw as she sipped on some iced coffee. Most of the journalists and citizens were already back after the break, but Jake was still nowhere in sight. 

The moment she spotted him striding towards her - blazer unbuttoned, expression unreadable - she straightened up, her free arm crossing across her chest. 

“You’re finally back,” she said, “I thought you fell in the toilet for a second.” 

Jake came to a stop in front of her, his eyes locking into hers, his expression serious. “I didn’t go to the bathroom, I had to meet someone.” 

She raised an eyebrow. “Care to explain?”

Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair as he hesitated for a second. 

“It’s about Daeseong.”

Her stomach dropped at the name.

Jake continued, “He’s alive. Barely - but  alive. In a long-term care department in hospital with severe brain damage and limited memory. But he responded to the photos that were shown; he recognised Seongkyu, and immediately said it wasn’t him.” he explained, making sure Ji-Won was following along. “And when he saw Johnny, his vitals spiked as if he was reliving the moment.”

Ji-Won didn’t speak. She looked stunned, as if the floor had suddenly tilted beneath her. 

“That’s the most absurd thing I’ve heard all day, Jake.” she started to say, her voice laced in shock. 

“Listen, Ji-Won.” he mumbled, stepping closer to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I know how hard we worked on this case. I know how much this case meant for the both of us. But this - this changes everything, especially for Seongkyu, he didn’t do anything wrong.” 

She let out a slow breath, devastation flickering in her eyes. “We literally built the whole prosecution on Daeseong’s death. On what we believed happened. If he’s alive…” she murmured, her voice shaking. “Then I lose this case.” 

Jake’s gaze softened, reaching up to gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and then lightly grabbed her chin to look at him. “Ji-Won, even if I win this case, you didn’t lose. You fought for what you believed was right. You brought everything you had to do for this case. All of that hard work doesn’t just disappear in one go.” he reassured, “It just makes you a stronger person, it will make you even better for the next case and so on and so forth.” 

She sighed, nodding slightly, “But it means that you win this case.” 

“I never wanted to win against you, Ji-Won…we’re a team, no matter what side of the case we’re on.” he said, his hand reaching into his pocket and pulled out the two USB sticks. “These two evidences is proof that Seongkyu is innocent, the black one is the CCTV footage of the incident, and the red one is everything from the hospital: Daeseong’s responses, hospital reports, all of that.” 

“Yeah but, it still means that I have to walk back in there already knowing that I’ve lost the case.” 

“No, you just walk back in there with pride.” he interjected firmly. “And I won’t walk out of that courtroom putting my nose up and thinking that everyone is better than me. I’m going to walk out of there thinking about you. About how hard you fought, and I’m going to continue to remind you that your work matters.” 

She listened to him quietly, trying to sink his words in and let out a quiet laugh. “Why does this sound like something I would say?” 

Jake chuckled at her question, the corner of his lips lifting into a smile. “Maybe its because I spend so much time around you. Your voice is starting to replace my conscience.” 

Ji-Won rolled her eyes, though the warmth in them betrayed her amusement. “Well, if my voice is now your conscience, you’re 100% overdue for a moral reset.” 

“Probably,” he laughed. “But seriously, I meant every word. You’re the strongest prosecutor I know. I’ve seen a lot of prosecutors break under pressure…but you - you held the whole case together even when it started to fall apart. That’s not failure, Ji-Won.” 

“It just sucks you know? All the work, all the preparation. The all nighters I had to pull-” 

“I know.” Jake interrupted, his gaze softening. “But the fact that you care this much. Despite knowing that another piece of evidence can just come out of nowhere and know what’s right, that’s what makes you the best prosecutor.”

He hesitated for a second, just staring at her quietly before muttering. “Let me take you out for dinner after this…to eat and unwind. Let me remind you that the world doesn’t end at the courtroom.” 

Ji-Won then stared at him in shock and then let out a chuckle. “Are you treating me to dinner because you feel guilty about winning?” 

“No,” he smirked. “I’m treating you because I respect the hell out of you. And I want to make sure you never forget that.” 

Before she could respond, the courtroom doors creaked open, the courtroom clerk poking his head out. “We’re resuming any second now.”

Ji-Won took a breath and straightened up. “Okay, let’s go finish this case.” 

Jake then gave a small nod, reaching over to the door handle and pulling it open before stepping aside to give her room. “After you.”

[simpingforsimjake]

The Guilty Defence

CHAPTER FIVE

The low hum of the office lights was the only sound in the room, contrasted with the soft cackles of thunder scattering the outside world, where people moved like shadows beneath umbrellas, swallowed by the gradual greying hush of the city and the light pitter patter of rain softening every sound into a distant murmur. Cars glided over wet-slicked roads, headlights smeared by mist and motion whilst the trees lining the boulevard swept gently with the wind.

Everything outside seemed slow, peaceful even, caught in the sudden calm pause of a rainy Friday morning where even time itself felt reluctant to move forward.

It was as if the world knew that something was about to happen, but it wasn’t ready to name it just yet.

Ji-Won sat near the window, perched on her chair, watching the sky outside bruise into a darker form of grey whilst tracing the rim of her coffee cup with a finger, her thoughts drifting to the trial waiting for her just down the corridor. 

Suddenly, the door creaked open without warning. 

A gust of cooler air slipped into the office as Jake stumbled in, his coat barely clinging onto one shoulder as a tangle of folders threatened to slip from under his arm, too busy to even realise the silence of Ji-Won’s presence. 

“Late again, Sim?” she called out, causing him to jump slightly.

Jake then let out a short, breathy chuckle as he slammed the documents onto the desk with too much force than necessary before  bending down to shove his bag under the desk. When he stood and turned to face her, the fatigue was etched clearly in his eyes - dark, heavy-lidded and unguarded in a way that words couldn’t quite hide. 

“Blame the verdict drafts. I couldn’t stop second-guessing myself last night.” he explained, trying to stifle a yawn behind his forearm. 

She watched him quietly as he stood there, his hair tousled, tie messily done - as if he’d left the house mid-thought and was running on caffeine.

The room fell into a familiar silence, broken only by the quiet ticking of the wall clock and shuffles of Jake removing his jacket and placing it over the radiator for it to dry. 

“You know, obsessing over the drafts late at night doesn’t make them any stronger, right?” her voice soft but firm. She stepped closer, her movements deliberate as she reached up, her fingers brushing gently over his tie. 

Jake froze for a second, feeling the warmth of her touch linger more than expected as his breath caught in his throat, his gaze flickering to her hands and then back to her eyes, not realising how the subtle brush of her fingers on the fabric sent a brief shiver through him. “I know…I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t miss anything important,” he replied, his voice a little quieter than usual, almost too lost in thought. 

Ji-Won’s fingers hesitated for a moment, her hands adjusting the tie before reaching up to adjust his collar. “You always do this, Jake.” she murmured, more to herself than to him. 

“Always do what?” 

“Second-guessing, overthinking…you never give yourself a break. You need to give yourself more credit…and take your own advice, they’re useful. ” 

His eyes followed her movements, watching her hands as they continued to work to adjust his collar as if he was a child. “Speak for yourself…” he said, before continuing, “I just don’t want to mess things up,” he stated quietly, a trace of vulnerability seeping into his tone of voice. 

She then looked up at him, meeting his gaze with an intensity that made his chest tighten slightly as she sighed softly, the air simmering with something unspoken between them that neither dared to acknowledge yet. “You don’t have to carry it all on your own, you know…you’re not alone in this. You have me.” 

Jake’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and for a moment, he almost forgot how to breathe. He then opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it again, unsure of the right words to say. “Guess I’m lucky you’re here, huh?” he mumbled, trying to cover this whole situation up with a half-smile. 

“Shut up,” she said, her tone light but her eyes didn’t leave his. There was a soft curve to her lips, but something more serious lingered beneath the surface - something that made Jake’s chest tighten. 

She turned away just enough to reach for her robes, the fabric whispering as she slipped them over her shoulders as Jake watched her quietly in the reflection of the mirror, how her presence made the room feel less heavy. 

“You do know that you’re too hard on yourself,” Ji-Won stated after a moment, fastening the clasp at her collar.

“What do you mean?” 

“You act like you’re one mistake away from losing everything. But you’re not. You’re good at this, Jake. Really good - better than any other lawyer I’ve worked with.” 

He glanced down at the tie that was now neatly done up, and then back at her. “I’m not convinced that I’m believing that today.”

“Well, then you’re going to have to borrow my belief for a while.” she replied simply, turning to face him again. “Because I’ve seen you work. I’ve seen the way you fight for people, the way you always think five steps ahead. I’ve known you since we were fourteen, Jake. I just know you care way too much to not miss important things.”

Jake exhaled softly, her reassurance warming his heart. “I just really don’t want to screw this up, Ji-Won.”

“And you won’t. Believe in yourself.” she emphasised, giving him a small smile whilst brushing off some caught lint from his shoulder and glanced towards the clock. “Now let’s go, show them how competent you are.”

He chuckled to himself as he watched her start to walk towards the door.

“Ji-Won?”

“Yeah?” 

“Thanks…for always knowing what to say.” 

She paused in the doorway, her hand resting lightly on the frame as she looked back at him over her shoulder.

“You just make it easy, now let’s go.” 

_____________________

The courtroom was already alive with quiet tension by the time Ji-Won and Jake stepped inside. The soft murmur of voices, faint tapping of laptop keys and the rustle of papers being sorted by restless hands filled the air with an undercurrent of anticipation. Light from the high, arched windows spilled in through the rain-streaked glasses, casting a muted glow over the polished benches and solemn faces. 

Ji-Won’s eyes swept the area out of habit - the room filled with reporters whispering quietly amongst each other, the jury box still empty and citizens bustling in and out of the room, waiting for the trial to start. 

Sighing, Jake turned to her and held his hand out for a handshake, a subtle smiling dancing on his face as a sense of competition gleamed in his eyes. 

“Let’s see who wins this case today then, yeah?” 

“You know I always win, Jake…what’s with the sudden competitive side?” 

“I don’t know, I just have a feeling that I might win today.” he shrugged, “Now shake on it, I don’t have all day.”

She then stared at his hand, and then back at his eyes before walking past him with a playful glint in her eye, tossing over her shoulder, “Save the handshake for when you lose.” 

Jake then followed her to her desk, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows and reached over to tap her documents rhythmically as a playful warning.

“We’ll see about that.” 

“Sure.”

_____________________

The courtroom was filled with tension as Ji-Won sat in her chair, fiddling with her pen out of habit as she watched Seongkyu sitting in the defendant’s seat looking pale as his eyes darted nervously from the jury to the floor, as if he was in the wrong place. 

The only sound in the room was the brief humming of the air conditioner  and quiet whispers of citizens speaking amongst themselves, waiting for the trial to start. 

The courtroom doors suddenly clicked shut just as the judge entered, barely blinking as he took a seat. 

“You are all gathered here today in regards to the hit and run incident that occurred on 6th March 2021,” the judge introduced, his voice echoing throughout the room as he took a brief glance at Seongkyu and back at his papers. “The defendant, Mr Kim Seongkyu, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in the death of Mr Park Daeseong later that day. Mr Kim, do you plead guilty or not guilty to the charges presented?” 

Seongkyu sat at the defendant table quietly, his eyes momentarily flickering towards Ji-Won, to the floor, and then at the judge before clearing his throat.

“Not guilty, your honour.” he replied, his voice low but unwavering. 

Judge Yoon nodded, motioning to Ji-Won to begin her questioning. 

She then rose and adjusted her robes as she walked towards the centre of the room, clearing her throat while quickly flipping through her documents with professional efficiency and then looked towards Seongkyu. 

“Mr Kim,” she began, her voice calm. “On the morning of 6th March 2021, between 08:10 and 08:30 am, you claimed that you dropped your son off at university, is that correct?” 

“Yes,” Seongkyu answered, his eyes fixated at the small glass of water that was placed in front of him earlier, “I dropped him off at 8:15 at the gate before rushing to work…there was a lot of traffic so I assumed that I was going to be late.”

“And then around 8:30 am, CCTV footage found your car, a 2019 Hyundai, hitting a 2017 KIA vehicle just near Hangang Bridge which resulted in the serious haemorrhage injury of Mr Park Daeseong. Tell me, do you have any memories of this incident? Why did you not stop to check if he was still breathing?” 

“Like I said, I thought I was going to be late, so I just panicked and sped off.” he explained while trying to discreetly wipe his sweating  hands on his trousers. 

Ji-Won then turned to play the footage on the screen, watching it silently and turned back to him, her face stern. 

“Did you know Mr Park personally?” 

“No-” he said too quickly.

Ji-Won caught it. “You hesitated.”

“I didn’t.” 

“Mr Kim, you’re under oath. I’ll ask again: did you know him?” 

“No, I don’t know him.” 

Sighing, Ji-Won paced the room, skimming through the documents again and looked back at him. 

“Someone confessed that they saw you walking out of a bar a few days after the incident with a bag of money, Mr Kim. Can you tell me who gave that to you?”

“Money?”

“Usually, if someone gives you a huge heap of money, surely they must’ve coerced you to do something for them.” she explained, glancing at Jake and then back at him.

Seongkyu’s eyes widened, but only for a second; it was subtle, a flicker of something across his face before lowering his gaze and shook his head slowly. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” he muttered.

Ji-Won didn’t react at first, closing the file in her hands with a soft thud and leaned her hands against the desk, her stare unwavering. 

She hated people who lied.

And Seongkyu was definitely lying. 

“Really?” she questioned, “Because the witness was quite certain, he wanted to stay anonymous so I won’t say who, but he said that you looked nervous, clutching the bag like your life depended on it.” her voice sharpened slightly, but she didn’t raise it. “You didn’t go to the police nor report the incident. And now you’re saying that someone allegedly gave you a large sum of money, but you somehow don’t remember who it was?” 

Seongkyu didn’t reply, the tension in the air feeling too thick to even breathe in before he grabbed the glass of water and chugged it down out of nervousness. 

“I would suggest, you tell the truth now…or we move on under the assumption that you’re hiding something, Mr Kim.” Ji-Won mumbled, her voice dropping slightly as she stared at him. 

“M-Maybe it was just guilt money…” he mumbled, trying to stop his fidgeting hands under the table. 

“Guilt money?” She repeated curiously, “You were possibly bribed: maybe to take the blame, to keep quiet about this whole incident.” 

“I just needed the money to pay off my debt-” he started to say.

“So, you’re admitting that the money to pay off your debt was the reason you didn’t speak up sooner?” She interrupted, “You took it to keep quiet despite knowing the consequences of gaining a lifetime in prison and a criminal record?” she asked, her voice steady but firm. “That’s what you’re telling us?”

Seongkyu opened his mouth to speak, but no word dared to come out. His hands clenched at his sides out of frustration, and for a moment, Ji-Won thought he might crack under the pressure.

But he only looked down, a defeated sigh escaping his lips. 

She then turned to face the judge.

“No further questions, your honour.”

“Very well, we will have a twenty five minutes break.” 

[simpingforsimjake]

The Guilty Defence

CHAPTER FOUR: Beneath the Surface

“Ah, Ji-Won. You’re finally here.” Jay replies whilst watching her come into his office and walked over to the coffee machine that was near his desk. “Would you like a coffee?” 

“Uhm, sure thanks.” she replied, sitting down on a sofa that was neatly placed in the corner of his office and sighed. “So, a culprit confessed this morning? Who was it?” she asked, reaching for the coffee before starting to sip on it. 

Upon hearing what she asked, Jay couldn’t help but place his mug on the table and sit down with a sigh before running his hand through his hair, his expression looking uneasy. 

“What? Is it bad?” 

“Do you remember the double homicide case we worked on back in 2013 and then the drug-induced driving in 2019?” 

“Wait- Johnny Martinez?” Ji-Won asked, her voice sharp with shock. 

For a second, she didn’t move, her hand that was holding the mug stopped mid-motion as it hovered just above the table as she tried to process the words that slipped from Jay’s mouth before accidentally placing the mug down with a loud thud, the sound sharper than she intended. 

“Yes, that Johnny…” he stated, sipping on his own coffee and sighed, before reaching over to pick up a napkin and wiped the drink that was spilled from the impact. “To be honest, I’m just trying to understand why he did it…according to Sunoo, he was very well behaved in prison.” 

“Yeah, but he was released 5 years ago…how could he do something like this?” 

“You know, sometimes people aren’t who we think they are,” Jay murmured, before taking a sip from his mug and then looked at Ji-Won. “Prison doesn’t erase who you are, it just teaches you how to hide it better. Some people walk out as new people, but others - like Johnny for instance - just slip back into their old habits.” 

“Yeah…that’s true.” Ji-Won stated, picking up the hoard of papers in front of her and started to flick through the evidence. “So, what did he say during the police questioning?” 

“He just stayed quiet the whole time, but I found something a bit odd in the evidence list, let me show you…” he extended his hand towards the papers, signalling for her to hand them over. 

“What is it?” 

“You see here,” he says whilst flipping to the page of the pictures and then placed it down onto the table and pointed at the car plate. “The car registration number doesn’t match with his name, but instead with Mr Seong-Kyu…I would suggest you interrogate Johnny on this and see what he’s up to now.” 

Ji-Won pondered for a moment, her brows furrowing as she tapped a finger against the table and sighed. “Don’t worry Jay, Jake and I will sort this out.” she concluded, rolling a sleeve up to check the time on her watch and stood up. “But, could you ask Jake to interrogate him if it’s possible? I got an appointment with my therapist.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Jay said with a grin. “I knew I could count on you.” “That’s why you hired me isn’t it?” she replied with a knowing smile, her eyes glinting with mischief as she slung her bag onto her shoulder. 

“Absolutely,” Jay chuckled, leaning back into his chair after rolling his sleeves up to his elbows, “You always know how to handle things.” 

“I’m glad you trust me.” 

______________________________

4:10PM 

“Hey, Gyuvin…” Ji-Won smiles whilst closing the door behind her and immediately goes over to hug him, finding a hint of solace after a long day of work.

“Ji-Won! How have you been? How’s work going?”  Gyuvin asked, pulling back slightly to look at her with concern and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

“It’s been rough.” Ji-Won replied with a sigh, sitting down on the couch and rubbed her temples. “Long hours, stressful clients. If I’m being honest, I’m drained, but I signed up for this and it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Gyuvin then raised an eyebrow, sensing something more behind her words. “Are you sure? You don’t look fine.” he mumbled, sitting down onto his chair and pulled up her medical records onto the computer screen. 

Ji-Won forced a smile, brushing off his concern. “It’s just the usual everyday. Anyway, what about you? How’s…everything with mum?” 

“She’s doing okay,” he said shrugging. “She misses you though, it’s been a while since you two really talked.” 

“I don’t care…” she mumbled to herself, a hint of hatred in her voice as her jaw clenched. 

“You can’t keep avoiding her forever, Ji-Won…you’ll regret it one day.” Gyuvin started to say, awkwardly placing a pen back into a small pot beside the computer and sighed. 

“I don’t need her Gyuvin. You don’t know what she put me through…” Ji-Won’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes avoiding his as she tried to push back the memories that threatened to surface. 

Gyuvin then opened his mouth to respond but Ji-Won managed to cut him off, her words sharp. “Listen. I’ve tried to deal with this my whole life, but it’s not working anymore, the only way to cope is with those medications, and don’t you even think about making me face her.” 

“Ji-Won…you do know that the medication is not the answer to everything.” 

“Gyuvin! Please.” she pleaded, her voice desperate. “Just prescribe me some more medication, I can’t deal with this anymore.” 

He exhaled slowly, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against the keyboard as he looked away for a moment. “Fine. I’ll write the prescription, but I would really consider for you to talk to a psychologist about this.” 

“I’m fine. I don’t need a psychologist, I’ve dealt with this alone and I’ll continue to deal with this alone. Just get me the medication.”

“Gosh, you’re stubborn…” he muttered to himself, immediately starting to write the prescription and remembered something. “By the way, I heard that the culprit for the hit-and-run case confessed today?” he asked, wanting to change the subject.

“Oh yeah…can you believe it’s the same Johnny Martinez guy that committed the double homicide case?”

Upon hearing her words, his fingers hovered over the keyboard before glancing at her in shock. “W-Wait what? You serious?” 

“Mhm…” she hummed, looking up at the clock and sighed. “I think Jake is doing his interrogation with him right now, I hope it goes well.”

“It will. He’s a good lawyer.”

______________________________

5:15PM 

“Johnny Martinez. We meet again I see.” Jake says whilst walking into the interrogation room, causing Johnny to jolt in his seat, his incoherent mumbling cutting off as he felt his heart lurch in his chest from the sudden entrance. 

Upon seeing his reaction, Jake couldn’t help but smirk as he slammed the stack of documents onto the table. 

“Did I interrupt something?” he asked amused, making himself comfortable on the chair opposite him and sighed. 

“No,” Johnny lets out a scoff, leaning back in his chair casually and stared at Jake dead in the eyes. “You’re always assuming something aren’t you?” 

“Assuming something? You do know that’s my job right? Unlike you, unemployed and always getting into trouble.” Jake retorted, a grin forming on his face as he flicked through the documents, his gaze landing on a photograph and slid it across the table. 

“What’s this supposed to-” Johnny began, but Jake abruptly raised a hand, cutting him off mid-sentence.

“Hang on…” Jake interjected purposefully, reaching over for the camcorder. “I forgot to turn this on.” 

“Wow. That was very professional of you, Jake. How could you forget to turn on the camcorder?” he said sarcastically. 

“See, unlike you, I have a job…and I can’t help it if I get a little busy. Besides, I wanted to see what you’d say if it was actually recording.” he said, completely unfazed from his comment.

“Idiot.” Johnny mumbled quietly to himself whilst staring at the photograph. 

“Now,” Jake concluded, completely ignoring his earlier remark, turning on the camcorder and starting to speak, “Today is Monday 18th March 2021, 5:15pm. This is Mr Johnny Martinez's interrogation based on the hit-and-run case that occurred on Wednesday 16th March at 8:30am.” 

He then leaned forward, holding a pen in one hand and clicking the retractor repeatedly as he studied Johnny with an almost lazy amusement. “So, Johnny. How about you start walking me through about where you were and what you were doing at 8:30am on Wednesday 16th March when the incident happened?” 

“Nothing happened. I wasn’t there.” Johnny grumbled, shifting in his seat as he fiddled with the handcuffs. 

Jake then stayed silent as he continued to click the pen with an almost irritating precision. 

“Is that so?” he inquired, reaching over to place a document beside the photograph and tapped it. “Then, why were there phone calls between you and Mr Kim? Because, according to this,” he tapped the photograph, “Your car was spotted on security footage, with your registration number and your insurance. So I’ll ask again: where were you at 8:30am?” 

Johnny’s eyes flicked between both pieces of evidence before quickly averting his gaze and tried to hide his irritation with a dismissive scoff.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he grumbled, “You’re just making shit up.” 

“Funny how that works, huh?” Jake mused, clicking the pen once more and ran a hand through his hair. “It was your car, your registration number and your insurance. And somehow, miraculously, you weren’t in the car and it was in possession of someone else? I refuse to believe.” 

“Fine. I was there, I was behind the wheel,” Johnny confessed, the words leaving his mouth before he could second-guess them. As soon as he said it, a sharp, phantom pain shot through his leg—a cruel reminder of the day Jake had made him agree to this.

His fingers instinctively twitched toward his thigh, where the scar still lingered beneath the fabric of his jeans. He could almost feel the cold steel of the knife pressing into his flesh, the way Jake had stared him down with that infuriating smirk as he twisted the blade just enough to make his vision blur.

“You’ll take the fall, Johnny. Or I’ll make sure you never walk again.”

“I panicked,” he continued, his voice hoarse. “I didn’t mean to hit him, but I freaked out and drove off.”

Jake gave a slow nod, his pen clicking again. “Is that so?” he asked, his tone almost mocking. 

The memory sent a shiver down his spine, but Johnny forced himself to stay composed. His eyes flicked up to Jake, who was watching him with a sense of quiet amusement, clicking the pen again like he was waiting for him to rage out in annoyance. 

“Like I said, I panicked…” Johnny insisted, his voice implementing the fact that he hated repeating himself. “I didn’t mean to hit Daeseong, but I freaked out and drove off; my body chose flight mode.” 

Jake then gave a slow nod, as if he was actually buying his excuse. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah…” 

For a moment, Jake said nothing, his eyes just staring at Johnny, as if silently daring him to say something he would regret. The silence between them stretched with unspoken tension, the only sound being the ragged anxious breath from Johnny as he tried to compose himself. 

“Johnny…” Jake chuckled, placing the pen down beside the files as a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth in amusement before interlocking his hands and leaned in slightly, letting out a sigh as he shook his head in disapproval. “Is that really all you’ve got to say?” he asked, his tone low and intimidating. 

“What else do you want me to say?” Johnny snapped before he could stop himself and leaned back in his chair annoyed. 

“Hm…maybe the truth?” he replied in a bored tone, “Because what you just told me sounded like a lame excuse…”

“I am telling you the truth! You literally watched the security footage!” 

“Yeah, you just acted.” he interrupted, “But you’re not in a therapy session right now, are you? You’re in an interrogation. So I would suggest you start telling me about who you called after the incident.” Jake said, tapping at the call log document that was neatly laid out in front of him. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

Jake then exhaled a long breath he didn’t even know he was holding and then looked at him again. “Don’t lie to my face, you know I like to be thorough when it comes to my work. You know what I found out? The call log shows that you made the phone call after the incident and before you turned yourself in.” 

“I was calling my sister.” 

“Your sister?” he questioned, “Does she have a burner phone or something? Because the number you called wasn’t registered to anyone…strange isn’t it?” 

“Maybe I got the wrong number.” 

“So your so-called sister isn’t saved into your contacts?” 

“We…don’t have the best relationship…” 

“Sure, so after the incident, you decided to call your sister instead of the police?” Jake pushed, wanting a proper answer from him. 

Johnny then forced a shrug. “Yeah, she was the first person to come into my mind. Hoped to hear her voice since she never picks up the phone.” 

Jake studied him quietly. “A dead man, a burner phone and you willingly taking the fall - it feels a bit too neat, don’t you think?” 

His gaze lingered on Johnny before pressing the stop button on the camcorder. 

“Right, so your interrogation is over. But you see, I could easily tell that you were lying. You don’t have a sister, Johnny. I know you way more than you think.” Jake claimed, standing up as he straightened his sleeves and started to pick up the documents to leave. 

“You know…” Johnny started, his voice carrying a lazy sort of amusement as he looked up at Jake. “It’s kind of funny how important people are forgotten so quickly.” 

“Is that so? You already forgot about Daeseong?” 

“No…it’s been a decade. A decade passed, and suddenly no one remembers the guy. They just continue living as if nothing happened.”  He leaned forward slightly. “Kind of ironic, isn’t it?”

Jake’s expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something sharp, calculating. “People move on,” he said simply. “That’s just how the world works.”

“Mm.” Johnny exhaled, tilting his head. “You’d think someone important like him wouldn’t just be forgotten. But then again… maybe that’s the point.”

A beat of silence stretched between them. Then, Jake let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “You always did have a way with words, Johnny.”

Johnny shrugged. “Just making an observation.”

Jake lingered for a moment, watching Johnny with an unreadable expression before taking a slow step closer. His voice dropped just above a whisper.

“You’re talking an awful lot for someone who knows exactly how this works.” His eyes flicked downward—just briefly—to Johnny’s leg before meeting his gaze again. “Tell me… does it still sting? That sharp twist of the blade?”

Johnny’s jaw tightened, but he forced a smirk.

Jake huffed a quiet chuckle. “I told you back then, didn’t I? Play your part, and you walk away in one piece. But if you start getting ideas…” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice even more. “Well, you already know what happens.”

A heavy silence stretched between them before Jake glanced at the clock once more and then back at Johnny. “Looks like we’re done here,” he said casually. “I’ll see you in court soon.”

[simpingforsimjake]

The Guilty Defence

CHAPTER THREE: Threads of Deception

“Wake him up.” Jake mumbled to Ethan, turning the USB stick between his fingers as he watched the dim light from the moon catch onto its surface. His tone was casual, almost bored, as the situation was clearly wasting his time.  

Ethan didn’t hesitate before crouching beside Johnny’s limp form and quietly watched how his arms were bound with rope behind him before giving him a rough slap across the face which caused him to jolt awake. 

“Took you long enough...” Jake drawled, mirroring the words he had said to Ethan earlier, slowly standing up from his chair and walked towards him. “I reckon you had a nice dream?” he said sarcastically, kneeling down to his level and tapping the USB against his knee.  

Johnny then let out a weak chuckle, wincing against the pounding in his skull before looking at Jake with a glare.  

“Yeah...” he mumbled, his voice hoarse. “Dreamt I was somewhere far away from your ugly face.”  

“I think the only ugly face around here is yours, Johnny.” Jake mumbled back, looking down at the small object in his hand before looking back up to meet his gaze, “Now let’s talk about what’s on this shall we?”  

Johnny scoffed, shifting uncomfortably whilst trying to get rid of the pounding sensation that was wrecking his brain. “I just told you earlier, I don’t remember what was on that thing. Why are you so obsessed with it?”  

Jake’s smirk didn’t waver. Instead, he reached down, fingers curling around the knife Johnny had dropped earlier outside. He lifted it slowly and brought it up to Johnny’s face.  

With an almost lazy precision, he traced the cool steel along his cheek, just enough for him to feel it – enough to remind him who was in control. It felt satisfying for some reason, the way Johnny tensed beneath the blade of the knife as he tried to act calm, but Jake could read through him easily and could see the fear that was simmering beneath the surface: the slight twitch in Johnny’s jaw and the noticeable hitch in his breath was all there, laid out for Jake like an open book.  

He then let the knife continue to linger on his cheek, pressing against it slightly and watched the small drop of blood that formed start to cascade down his face like ink bleeding onto paper and chuckled, his voice dropping to a near whisper. 

  “Go on, keep pretending that you’re so brave...” he murmured, tilting his head slightly in amusement. “If you want the easy way out, you need to tell me what you’re hiding in this.” he stated, tapping the small, discreet device against his knee again and watched him quietly.  

Johnny just stared at him for a few seconds, trying to process the words that hung in the air before a low, raspy chuckle slipped from his lips and shook his head before looking at him, “You say that you aren’t stupid. But I clearly think you are, Jake.” 

“And what is that supposed to mean?”  

“If you seriously want to know what’s in that USB stick, why can’t you just check it for yourself without asking me?”  

Jake then let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he slowly rose to his feet. 

“Well, since you’re so full of great ideas...” he muttered sarcastically, gripping the knife tighter before slamming the blade into Johnny’s thigh without hesitation, followed by a scream of pain that lurched from Johnny’s throat as a patch of blood started to form through the fabric of his jeans. “Oh, look at that…such a wonderful sight.” he said whilst looking over at Ethan and searched for his reaction as if silently asking, "Did you hear what this bitch said too?”

Then, as if nothing happened, he looked back at Johnny and tutted with a dramatic sigh, “First of all, does it look like I have a computer on me right now? Or do you think I can just plug this thing into thin air and magically get answers?” 

Johnny just watched him quietly, his breathing coming in sharp, ragged gasps as he tried to forget about the throbbing pain. 

“Cat got your tongue? You know I don’t like guessing games…” he mused whilst pulling the knife out with a harsh pull and threw it onto the ground, the metal clattering amidst the quiet hum of the warehouse. 

“F-Fine.” Johnny stuttered out, “I’ll t-tell y-you…only if y-you let me go…” 

“I’m not buying that excuse-” Jake started to say, before glancing down at his watch to check the time and sees that he’s already late. 

“I’m s-serious!” he pleaded, his breath heavy as he looked at Jake, his voice shaky but insistent. “I’ll tell you, literally, but you have to untie me first.” 

Jake then clicked his tongue in irritation as he considered Johnny’s words. The truth was, he was already late to go back to Ji-Won who was still waiting for him back at the restaurant. He then sighed before crouching down and yanking the knot loose with an almost lazy ease. 

“There. You got what you wanted.” Jake muttered, standing up as if bored of the whole situation and pulled his sleeve up slightly to glance at his watch. “Now talk, I don’t have all night.” 

And that moment of distraction was all Johnny needed as he immediately moved to swipe the knife off the floor in one swift motion, the handle pressing into his palm as he stared at Jake with what looked like hatred. 

“You want to know what’s in that USB?” his voice was hoarse, but steady. “It’s proof, Jake. And not just any proof.” 

Upon hearing that, Jake’s head immediately raised up to meet Johnny’s gaze. But his lips twitched into a grin, as if this whole situation was a joke. 

“It’s a video of what you did to a certain someone ten years ago. I’m sure you know exactly who I’m talking about.” Johnny started to say, a smirk forming on his face as soon as he saw a hint of fear on Jake’s face. “That same man you asked me to kidnap with Ethan ten years ago…what was it for again? Revenge?” he pretended to think, before suddenly lunging at Jake. 

His hand then shot out almost instantly, gripping onto the blade he stabbed Johnny with just a few moments ago, not even caring for the slight deep cut he gained on the palm of his hand. 

“You do know that you could be tried in court if you tried to stab me here?” Jake whispered to him almost eerily, as if they were the only two people in the warehouse before tugging him closer. “Roughly 25 years?” 

“Does it look like I give a fuck?” 

“Let’s make a deal, shall we?” Jake mumbled, “And I’ll let you leave here in one piece; despite your minor…injury.” 

“What deal?” 

“Aww, so desperate now are you?” he said sadistically, reaching a hand up to tug on his hair harshly, “And guess what? Desperate men make stupid decisions, and you’re stupid for trying to bring down my reputation. Now, the deal: you know that hit-and-run that happened? You come to the police station and tell them that it was you - say you panicked and fled the scene. And in return, once you have served your sentence, I’ll give you cash to start over somewhere far away.” 

Johnny’s breath then hitched, before flinching after Jake wiped the blood from his palm onto his jeans. “You want me to be the culprit for that accident?” 

Jake smirked, tilting his head. “Don’t act so surprised, it’s not like you’re innocent either. So what’s it going to be? A fresh start…or a slow, painful end here?” 

After a long silence, Johnny gave a stiff nod. “Fine.” 

Jake then grinned satisfied. “Good boy..” he said before patting his face as if nothing just happened in the last 40 minutes. 

“I’ll be going now, I’ll see you in the interrogation room soon.”

___________________________

“Ji-Won…I-I’m so s-sorry I’m late. There was traffic-” Jake said breathlessly as he arrived back in the restaurant and seeing her sitting there bored, stirring the already-melted ice cream in the bowl. 

“It’s alright…” she mumbled before looking up and widens her eyes at the bouquet of flowers that stood before her eyes. “W-What’s this?” 

“Flowers…as an apology gift for leaving you hanging on your birthday date- I mean hangout.” he said, a small smile plastering on his face. “I’ll make up for it I-”

“Wait-” Ji-Won interrupted after noticing the injury on the palm of his hand. “Jake, what happened to your hand? Where did you-” 

“It’s fine…it’s nothing. I just cut myself with the thorns from the roses.” Jake replied as if it was just a minor injury before grabbing a tissue to cover it up. 

“Are you crazy? Let me see.” 

“Its fine…seriously.” he insisted before grabbing her spoon and playfully smudged the melted ice cream on her nose. 

Ji-Won then sighed before quickly wiping the playful gesture off and immediately stood up, grabbing his injured hand and examining it closely. 

“Jake, this looks deep…are you sure the thorns are the cause of this?” she mumbled, turning back to grab her stuff and then dragged him out of the restaurant. 

“Yeah…” he mumbled, confusion laced in his voice before skidding to a stop. “Wait. Where are we going?” 

“To my house, I can’t just leave your hand like that…it’s not that far.” she replied and then started to drag him again like he weighed nothing, her grip surprisingly firm despite her smaller frame which caused Jake to let out a small chuckle. 

“You know, this really isn’t necessary-”

“Just shut up and walk.” Ji-Won cut him off, shooting him a sharp look before focusing ahead again. 

“You’re really bossy you know that?”

Ji-Won didn’t bother to reply as they turned a corner and glanced back at his hand, not caring if the blood was staining her palm. “You’re lucky I have a first-aid kit at home or we would’ve had to have a hospital trip.” 

Jake scoffed before shaking his head amused, “A hospital? For a small scratch?” 

Ji-Won rolled her eyes. “It’s not just a scratch. You’re bleeding.” 

He shrugged nonchalantly as if it was nothing. “I’ve had worse.” 

“Whatever…” she mumbled quietly, although quiet for him to hear, he still managed to understand what she said. “Just let me treat it.”

_________________________

As Ji-Won started to apply the disinfectant onto his hand, she could tell that he was trying to get it out of her grip.

“Jake…are you sure you’re 28? You’re acting like a child. It’s your fault for suddenly getting an injury this deep.” 

“Yeah I am- ow- stop it hurts-” he said with a wince, “Those thorns were sharp…” he mumbled, trying to make it sound believable.

“Right…” she replied unconvinced, but doesn’t make another comment on it whilst wrapping a bandage around his hand. 

“Hey, at least I got you some flowers…” 

“True, they’re pretty anyway-” she stated before hearing her phone ring and sees that her manager, Jay, was calling. 

“Hello?” 

“Hey, Ji-Won…sorry for calling late, but a suspect just turned himself in as the criminal who did the hit-and-run this morning. Come to the office in the morning, I’m assigning you to this case.”

[simpingforsimjake]

The Guilty Defence

CHAPTER TWO: AN UNSEEN FAÇADE

7:30PM  

“Hey, you’re finally here...” Jake says, shoving his hands in his pocket. The cold wind cutting through the street like a knife, ruffling his hair as he squints against the sharp gusts whilst the bright lights of the restaurant beside him cast a soft glow against his face, making his features look sharper as he watches Ji-Won walk towards him.  

“Yeah...” she mumbled with a smile, holding the strap of her handbag with one hand and having the other one in her pocket. “So, where are we having dinner?” 

“Here.” he stated, indicating to the restaurant beside him as he watches her expression change from confusion to shock. “What?” 

“Jake...this restaurant is so expensive, are you seriously willing to spend your money here?” she asked, her tone filled with disbelief. 

“So?” he shrugged, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets and stares at her, “It’s just money...besides, it’s way better than having fast food like McDonald’s.”  

Ji-Won then blinked, trying to process what he’s just said and then scoffs, “Jake, just money? It’s a lot of money...you can literally feed a lot of homeless people with it.”  

“I know, but I’m already donating money to help those kinds of people anyway, so it’s not that big of a deal for me.” he explained, going over to her and then placed a hand on her back, “Now come on, let’s go.”  

As they stepped inside, they were greeted by a warm, almost intimate atmosphere compared to the freezing cold outside; the restaurant was dimly lit, with sleek modern decor – polished wood floors, dark emerald green walls and low-hanging soft golden lights that casted a soft glow on their faces.  

“This is nice...” Ji-Won mumbled, taking in the restaurant as she looked around impressed, hearing the quiet classical music that was playing on a small stage at the far end of the restaurant and the chatter of people talking amongst themselves. 

“Of course it’s nice, it’s a Michelin five-star restaurant what do you expect?” Jake replied whilst guiding her with him to the reserved table after confirming with the waiter.  

“Yeah, but still, it’s so expensive...and I’m only turning 27, it’s just another year-”  

“Turning 27 isn’t just another year to me, Ji-Won. Every age matter, whether it’s 27 or 50. Besides, I don’t care how I spend my money as long as I’m spending it on you.” he said as a matter-of-fact. 

“God, you’re crazy...” she chuckles, not even realising that she was looking at him with a big smile on her face. 

“Crazy for you let’s say~” he flirted back, a playful smirk on his face as he then picked up the menu and started to read it.  

“By the way,” she started, fiddling with the edge of the tablecloth whilst watching him read the menu. “Don’t you think it’s kind of weird that Mr Kim did the hit-and-run just for money? I mean, he could’ve just asked the bank for-” 

“Can we please not talk about that right now? I’m tired from work...” Jake interrupted, pouring a glass of wine for her and for himself before setting it down, leaning back on the chair and rubbing his temples. “And I just want to enjoy dinner with you.”  

“Yeah but-” 

“No buts, Ji-Won. Let’s talk about something else, okay? I don’t want to hear anything about-” he started to say before a low, but noticeable ringtone started to play from his pocket and sighed while standing up. “Just give me a minute, I’ll answer the call. Choose something to eat I don’t mind anything.”  

Stepping outside the restaurant, Jake couldn’t help but let out a sigh as he stared at the caller ID that stared back at him from his phone before answering the call. 

“Ethan, you really had to call me now, didn’t you? I’m busy you know-”  

“I know you are but I’m sorry Jake, I’ve been trailing on Johnny for a few hours now and I think he’s on the way to the police station...I saw him put some kind of USB stick in his pocket-” Ethan said frantically, the engine of his car roaring in the background as he sped through the streets.  

“Fuck...don’t you even think about letting him get there.” Jake replied after a few seconds of silence, closing his eyes as he tried to steady his voice.  

Upon hearing that, Ethan couldn’t help but scoff. “Yeah, and how exactly am I going to do that? Bash into his car and drag him out?” 

“No. Get behind him properly and force him to change direction. Make it look natural – traffic, a blocked road or whatever. Guide him to the abandoned warehouse, I’ll send the address.” 

“The warehouse?” Ethan asked, confusion laced in his voice. 

“Yes, what are you expecting? A park?” he said sarcastically, “Anyway, make sure he drives there. I’ll meet you in ten minutes.”  

Ethan let out a breath as he soon saw the address pop up on his notifications and sighed.  

“Alright, but you better get there fast.”  

“I will.” Jake confirmed before ending the call and then immediately started to grab his things, which caused ji-won to look at him in confusion. 

“Jake, what’s going on? I just ordered our food-” she started to say, watching him throw his coat on in a rush. 

“I know, but I’m sorry, something urgent happened but I’ll be back in maybe 30 minutes?" 

“30 minutes? But the food will be cold by the time you come back." 

“It’s fine, I’ll just warm it up when I get home, I’ll be back I promise." He said, quickly reaching over to ruffle her hair before leaving.  

__________________________

The rumbling of Jake’s engine tore through the empty streets, the tires screeching as he took a sharp turn onto the deserted road that led to the warehouse. His hands gripping the wheel tightly as he felt his pulse increase and his heart rushing with adrenaline, syncing with the roaring engine.  

As he pressed the call button to Ethan, he internally prayed that he and the other men managed to find Johnny.  

If they don’t find him, then everything would fall apart – whatever was in that USB – he had to find out what it was. 

Jake clenched his jaw as the phone rang, his fingers drumming rhythmically against the steering wheel. 

“Hurry up...” he mumbled frustrated before hearing Ethan’s breath pick up on the speaker, “Did you find him?” he stated, not even giving him a chance to greet with a ‘hello’.  

“No... we checked everywhere-” Ethan started to say, the sounds of feet kicking against gravel in the background as the others continued to search for Johnny. 

“This bastard...” he muttered to himself, his expression strained although no one could see him before glancing at the phone, “Keep looking for him, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” he ordered, ending the call and immediately started to speed faster, his foot pressing harder onto the accelerator.  

___________________________

As Jake pulled up to the warehouse, his headlights cut through the darkness, making the silhouettes of trees stretch long and distorted over the mix of gravel and mud before killing the engine and stepped out whilst slamming the door shut.  

His eyes then scanned the area, although the wind kept biting at his face, making his eyes watery and his breaths coming out in thin, misty clouds, he continued to search for a silhouette of a man he knew well. 

They were once acquaintances, but now Johnny was nothing more than a mere problem. 

A problem he had to somehow get rid of.  

Jake’s gaze sharpened as he suddenly caught movement near a parked car at the far end of the warehouse, a figure hunched low whilst moving carefully, trying hard not to get caught.  

It was him.  

“Bingo.” Jake whispered to himself and quietly treaded towards a crate that was close to the car, texting Ethan to quietly come out as he’s found him before leaning against it, and continued to watch Johnny with a smirk on his face.  

“Going somewhere?” he called out after a few minutes, his voice playful and chuckled to himself once he saw Johnny freeze just as his hand was about to grasp the handle of the door. 

“Me? I’m not going anywhere.” Johnny mumbled loudly, turning away from the car to face Jake, who started walking towards him.  

“Don’t lie to my face, Johnny...my friend was tagging alongside you all day.” Jake spat, standing in front of him whilst crossing his arms across his chest. “I’m not as stupid as you think, you know.” he said, a sadistic grin on his face as he cocked his head to the side, watching him carefully.  

Johnny exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening as he forced himself to meet Jake’s gaze. “Really? Then you already know what I’m planning to do.” he said, his voice strangely steady despite the tension in his posture and stepped closer. “You can try to shut me up Jake, but you’re too late. People are going to find out the truth either way.”  

Jake then stared at him for a few seconds as if he’s just grown two heads before letting out a low chuckle, not believing his ears and shook his head. “You see, Johnny, that’s where you’re wrong.” he muttered quietly, taking a slow step forward as he towered over him, making him look small, his sadistic smile never leaving his face. “If you really thought you had the upper hand and could get away with this, then you wouldn’t be sneaking around like a rat.”  

Johnny’s hands curled into fists at his sides as he heard Jake’s criticism, not even daring to break eye contact with him. “Do you really think you can keep this secret buried forever?” he scoffed in disbelief, before letting out a snort, “You’re more desperate than I thought.” 

“Desperate? You said I’m desperate?” Jake asked, taking another step towards him, “You’re funny. I like that...” he stated mockingly before leaning closer to him, “Now, tell me. What’s in that USB of yours that you’re so desperate to give in to the police?”  

Johnny let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “Do you really think I’m going to tell you just like that?” he mumbled, making it loud enough so Jake could hear. “Let me think...” 

Then, in one swift motion, his hand dipped into his back pocket; a flash of steel caught in the moonlight as he pulled out a knife and gripped it tight.  

“I somehow don’t remember what was in the USB, Jake...” he muttered as his lips curled into a smirk – one that almost mirrored Jake’s. “But I do know one thing...I want you dead.” 

Jake’s eyes then flickered down to the knife, but if he was surprised, he didn’t show it. Instead, his smirk only widened, his amusement barely wavering before bursting out in laughter.  

“Oh?” he mused, tilting his head slightly as he pretended to wipe on his face and shook his head as if this whole situation was a joke. “You want me dead? That’s cute, Johnny. Bold of you to assume you have the heart to kill someone.”  

Johnny then tightened his grip on the knife harder, his muscles tensing as if he was ready to lunge.  

But before he could move, a sharp thud echoed through the night; Johnny’s body jerked forward as Ethan struck across the back of his head with the butt of his gun, his grip on the knife instantly loosening as it fell onto the ground.  

For a second, he stood there, swaying unsteadily as if his body hadn’t fully registered what had happened.  

“Y-You b-bastard-” he whispered out, then like a marionette with its strings cut, he crumpled to the ground unconscious, his arms hanging uselessly at his side.  

Jake then exhaled a breath he didn’t even know he was holding, stepping over Johnny’s limp form as if he was a pile of dirt and looked at Ethan. 

  “Took you long enough...” 

Ethan then twirled the gun in his hand before tucking it back into the front pocket of his jeans, a smirk playing on his face at the indirect compliment. “Figured I’d let him have his little moment first.”  

Upon hearing what he said, Jake couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh, looking down and nudging Johnny with his foot.  

“Let’s get him inside, we’ve got unfinished business.���

[simpingforsimjake]

The Guilty Defence

CHAPTER ONE: A CASE UNFOLDS

“A 42-year-old man has been arrested for a suspicion of a hit-and-run murder case this morning at 8:30am near Hangang Bridge, Seoul. It is reportedly alleged that he has been claiming himself as innocent and is currently being taken into custody and interrogation by the Korean National Police. All other details will be disclosed for privacy reasons but we urge anyone who think they might have witnessed, or have any suspicious details linked to the crime to urgently contact-”  

Ji-Won sighed heavily after hearing the news, turning off the TV that was playing in front of her before tossing the worn-out remote onto the table and then raked her fingers through her hair feeling exhausted.  

Since she began her career as a prosecutor five years ago, she wasn’t even surprised that this case would automatically be assigned to her; she already had a never-ending pile of cases and untouched paperworks that were scattered across her desk, as well as pending phone calls and interviews to clients that were due a few days ago.  

“This is so long...” she mumbled to herself, standing up from the sofa and stretching her worn-out body whilst walking to the desk and sat down before hearing the sudden creak of the door opening and turned her head just as her colleague, Jake stepped into the shared office, holding a heap of documents in his arms as well as trying to balance a takeaway cup of coffee on top.  

“You’re always coming in with a mad number of documents, Jake. Why can’t you just get one of those trolleys from the main office?” Ji-Won asked whilst shaking her head, standing up to help him by taking the coffee and then a few stapled files.  

“I’d rather hold these to look strong than taking a trolley and make myself look like an old man who’s weak.” he replied, putting the remaining files on her desk and then turned to watch her with a smug grin.  

“Seriously?” she replied, internally rolling her eyes with fake annoyance and sipped on the coffee he got her just a few minutes ago, “How did you know I liked mocha?”  

“Ji-Won, do you seriously think I don’t know you that well? We’ve known each other since we were 14, of course I’m going to memorise these small details about you.” Jake replied, throwing himself onto his chair with a sigh before glancing at the TV that was turned off. 

“True...” she mumbled, picking up a random stapled document and started to read it.  

It was a manslaughter case.  

Typical. 

“By the way,” Jake started to say, logging into his computer while clearing his throat and looked over to her. “Did you see the news on that hit-and-run case from this morning?”  

“Yes, why?” Ji-Won replied, glancing over at him and then went back to her reading, the sound of papers flicking enveloped the room like a blanket, but was then replaced with the loud rumbling from the air conditioner above the entrance to the office.  

“Apparently the interrogation is starting in 20 minutes...” Jake started to say, grinning at the shocked look that immediately formed on her face.  

“20 minutes?! Jake are you-” 

“Yes, I’m serious. Did you not see the email from Jay?” he interrupted, letting out a chuckle followed by a shake of his head. “You’re not in the right headspace, Ji-Won, what’s with you?” 

“Just busy I guess...” she grumbled, reaching over for the document that was relevant for the case and started to skim read it.  

“Mhm...” Jake mumbled back, not sounding convinced, “Says the one who’s been binge watching TV shows for the past three days.”  

“Hey! When I get home it's my relaxation time,” she retorted, huffing out a breath of air and then gave him a pointed look. “Speak for yourself, you’re just sitting there doing nothing.”  

“Doing nothing?” he questioned, resting the palm of his hand on his chin and snickers. “I’m actually just admiring you from here.” he teased, the corners of his mouth quirking up mischievously.  

Upon hearing his words, she scoffed in disbelief while throwing him an unimpressed glance, “Shut up.” 

“I was just joking, chill!” Jake said, holding up his hands in defence, though the twinkle in his eyes betrayed his amusement. “I do have a job to do though...a glorious task of having to register all of the evidence that the forensics team gave earlier,” he declared, pointing at a box beside him, “But I’ll be watching you from the recording room five minutes into the interrogation. It’s unfortunately not as exciting as your job, but somebody has to do it.”  

“What? It came in already?” Ji-Won asked confused, standing up and going over to his desk to check the contents inside the box, “There’s barely anything in here...Jake at this point we’re flying blind here.”  

“Ji-Won,” Jake sighed, turning his chair to face her, “Even if there’s barely any evidence, it’s still something rather than nothing. Plus, if we didn’t have this, the case wouldn’t even be processed in the first place.”  

“Right,” Ji-Won mumbled, spotting a plate of biscuits beside his water bottle in the corner of his desk. “Hey you’re so mean...you didn’t offer me any snacks.”  

“What snacks-” he replied, immediately getting barged by her leaning over to grab a digestive biscuit and waves it in front of his face. 

“This digestive biscuit, I can’t just have coffee before an interrogation you know.” Ji-Won interrupted, shoving half of the biscuit into her mouth while going over to grab the files that she was reading earlier and started walking towards the door. “Thanks for the biscuit.”  

As she made her way towards the interrogation room whilst weaving past the busy workplace, she couldn’t help but let out an anxious breath.  

Every suspect was different: some were nervous, some had anger issues, some were innocent and some seemed...way too calm for this kind of situation.  

Although she already had some questions swirling in her mind that she was going to ask the client based on what she’s read, she couldn’t help but feel like something about this case felt...off.  

It felt like the suspect was being framed for something he didn’t do, but Ji-Won pushed the thoughts aside for now. 

There’s plenty of time to analyse everything after the interrogation. 

  For now, she had to focus.  

____________________________

  As Ji-Won stepped into the dimly lit interrogation room, she couldn’t help but see the suspect quivering slightly in his chair as if he was put on a death sentence.  

“You okay, Mr Kim?” she asked gently, placing the files down onto the table and sat down opposite him before taking out some photos and opening up the laptop that was placed in front of her.  

“W-What?” he mumbled, looking up at Ji-Won as if he just saw a ghost, the blue light illuminating her face as she started typing her login details onto the laptop. 

“You’re shaking...it will be fine. It’s not like you’re going to get a sentence by the court done today, Mr Kim.” she assured gently, noticing that he’s just anxious, grabbing an elastic band from her wrist and tied her hair up into a ponytail.  

“Really?”  

“Yeah, it could be done tomorrow or in a few days.” she said, hoisting her glasses up the bridge of her nose before clearing her throat, turning on the camcorder beside her and made herself comfortable.  

“Today is Wednesday 16h March 2021, 1:45pm. This is Mr Kim Seong-Kyu's interrogation based on the hit-and-run case that happened today at 8:30am.” Ji-Won stated as an introduction, turning the laptop towards him to show a CCTV footage that was caught on camera. 

“Mr Kim, could you explain, if possible, in detail, what you were doing between the hours of 8:10 and 8:30 this morning?”  

As he quietly watched the footage, Ji-Won couldn’t help but feel like this room has been suffocated by some kind of invisible weight pulling down on them, the air feeling thick as the clock on the wall continued to tick, breaking the silence.  

“U-Uhm-” he stuttered, mentally slapping himself for the output before clearing his throat and continued, “That wasn’t me...I just dropped my son off at college before going to work-”  

“Don’t lie, Mr Kim. The camera easily caught your face in the car,” Ji-Won interrupted, a slight smug grin plastered on her face and continued, “Besides, the registration number 100% matches with your name on the system.”  

“Yeah but-” 

“But what exactly?” she intervened again, her friendly-like personality that once was in the beginning now changing into something professional. “It seemed like you have some kind of experience since your medical records show that you have once been convicted for drunk driving two years ago?” 

“Prosecutor Kim, that was unintentional though...I didn’t even know I was drunk driving.” he started to explain himself, whilst some noticeable beads of sweat started to form on his forehead.  

“Of course you didn’t know. You were drunk.” she shoots back, an expressionless look forming on her face before grabbing some of the pictures and places them in front of him. “Now, explain this please. You’re denying the crash, so could you explain the whole money laundering?” 

After a few seconds of silence, the loud squeak of metal grinding against the floor echoed across the room, followed by the sudden sharp sound of Mr Kim standing up, his face flushed with annoyance. “If I remember correctly prosecutor, I don’t know how this is linked with the hit-and-run case?”  

“Well, this picture depicts you receiving money from someone-” Ji-Won started to explain before getting interrupted by him again. 

“It’s not my fault I needed money!” he intervened, reaching a hand up to rub his face - possibly to remove the sweat from his forehead - and then mumbled silently, “He said that he would help me with my financial situation if I did it…why am I even here?”  

“He?” Ji-Won questioned, her eyebrows perking up in interest, “Who is this ‘he’ you’re talking about Mr Kim? Is he one of your acquaintances?”  

“H-Huh?”  

“I asked if the person you mentioned is an acquaintance of yours Mr Kim, is he a friend of yours?” she replied back, watching him sit down and reaching for the cup of water that was placed in front of him.  

“I didn’t mention anyone-” he said nonchalantly, sipping on the water whilst looking away from her.  

“Alright then,” Ji-Won concluded, turning off the camera and started to gather the documents she brought with her earlier and stood up after hearing that the interrogation is finished from her earpiece. “Your interrogation is finished, and according to my colleague, the trial is tomorrow. So, I would advise for you to get a lawyer in order to defend your claim and I will see you in court.” she stated, adjusting her glasses before leaving the room.  

______________________________

“Prosecutor Kim, you did a very good interrogation as usual.” Jake praised playfully, jogging slightly to catch up with her whilst putting the USB stick into his pocket and started to walk beside her.  

“I know.” she replied proudly, a smug smile on her face as she continued to walk towards the lift.  

“Of course you know, you know everything.” Jake said, rolling his eyes playfully at her and pressing the button to go up. “Also,” he continued. 

“Yeah?”  

“Would you like to grab dinner after work? It will be on me for how well you did in today’s interrogation.” he asked, stepping into the lift with her.  

“That’s very kind of you Jake, but I’m really busy since there’s a trial tomorrow and-” she said, scratching the back of her head. 

“Come on Ji-Won, you’re always busy doing something.” Jake intervened, “You never hang out with me during lunch because you’re always working. At this rate you’re just burning yourself out.”  

“And?” 

He huffed, “And. You won’t be able to focus in the trial tomorrow.”  

“That’s not a good reason, Jake...you know I always overwork.” 

“Which is a very bad habit of yours.” he bickered back before opening the door of the office. “Plus, it’s your birthday in a few hours...so why can’t we go out for an early birthday treat?”  

“Fine...” Ji-Won replied whilst putting down the files onto the coffee table in front of her and sat down on the sofa.  

“I just hope that after this trial, we can finally have a few days off.”  

“I doubt it, but I hope so too.”