Face-Off Elegance (Yoonjinkook)

Chapter 17: Court meeting got right

Sullyoon's heart slammed against her ribs as Hwan's call crackled through the car speaker. His words, each one a heavy drop of bad news, painted a grim picture of the trial—a battlefield tilted against Seokjin. The prosecutor, he warned, was the best in the city, a formidable opponent. But it was the name that followed that truly sent a shiver down her spine: Atty. Hyuk-ri Song.

A sudden clarity washed over Sullyoon. The face that had haunted her nightmares, the name she couldn't quite place—it was now a tangible threat. The viper poised to strike at Seokjin's freedom. Memories surfaced, fragmented and unsettling, of a past encounter with a brilliant but unstable student, obsessed with proving herself beyond her years.

Shame burned through Sullyoon. She should have recognized the name, should have warned Jimin, should have prepared for this potential conflict. Hwan's cryptic warning about the prosecutor being the best, a thinly veiled reference to his past with Song, gnawed at her conscience. He had trusted her to protect Seokjin, and she had failed to see the enemy right under their noses.

But guilt wouldn't win this battle. Sullyoon, her gaze hardening with resolve, shared the news with Jimin. The lawyer's eyes widened, the truth clicking into place with a sharp gasp. The melody of hope, once flickering, sputtered in the face of this revelation. Now, the shadows of manipulation had taken on a personal face, a twisted web of obsession and vengeance threatening to engulf Seokjin.

"She was my student," Hwan's voice echoed on repeat in Sullyoon's mind. "Be cautious." The warning rang clear, a call to arms, a reminder that this wasn't just about a trial, it was a personal vendetta playing out on the legal stage. Atty. Song wouldn't just be ruthless, she'd be fueled by a twisted desire to prove herself against her former mentor, to rewrite the narrative of their past failure.

In the hushed air of the courtroom break, Sullyoon unburdened her secret: Atty. Song, the viperous prosecutor, was Hwan's former student, a woman consumed by a twisted obsession. Jimin listened, her face grim, the melody of hope struggling against the discordant notes of revelation.

"This changes everything," Jimin muttered, her eyes flashing with determination. "Atty. Song's vendetta against your father will fuel her every move. We have to tread carefully, Sullyoon, but we won't let it break us. We'll turn this into our advantage."

The courtroom bell shattered the silence, summoning them back into the arena. Jeon Jungkook, his face etched with pain, took the stand. Atty. Song, a predator scenting vulnerability, pounced. His questions were barbed arrows, aiming to paint Seokjin as a manipulative gold digger, a woman who loved Jeon's wealth, not him.

"Mr. Jeon," Atty. Song's voice dripped with false sympathy, "you and Seokjin were in a relationship. Tell me, did she ever express interest in your family's wealth, in your inheritance?"

Jungkook hesitated, his gaze flicking towards Seokjin, his eyes filled with a love that defied manipulation. "No," he finally admitted, his voice steady, "Seokjin never cared about money. She loved me for who I am, not what I have."

Atty. Song scoffed, his smile a cruel twist of his lips. "And yet, you didn't hesitate to fire her, did you, Mr. Jeon? Conveniently, right after she was no longer deemed worthy of your wealth and status."

Jungkook's fists clenched, his anger simmering. He glanced towards Jimin, who gave him a silent nod, a silent plea to remain calm.

"They fired Seokjin because of me, for having relationships to me," Jungkook declared, his voice unwavering. "But I love her."

Atty. Song feigned surprise. "But isn't it ironic, Mr. Jeon, that you, the one who knew her best, are the only one who believes in her innocence?"

The courtroom buzzed with tension. Atty. Song's venomous words hung in the air, a dark cloud obscuring the truth. But Jungkook, with a glance towards Seokjin, his eyes filled with unwavering love and trust, stood his ground.