Through The Night

5

I woke up to a bright, sunny day, feeling refreshed despite staying at the café late into the night. Jennie still kept herself guarded, but I noticed that she was starting to open up more, talking more freely and eagerly.

Getting into my car, I set off towards my next destination: a meeting with one of the night patrol police officers. He was the only one who claimed to have heard some strange noises coming from the house in question. Though he couldn't be certain if it was just an animal or something more, I was determined to speak with him in person and find out more.

Arriving at the police station, I introduced myself and began to ask the officer about what he had heard. Despite his difficulty remembering details, I pressed on, knowing how important this case was to me.

The truth was, my job as a prosecutor was on the line. The verdicts had not been in my favor in recent months and the prosecution was not happy with my performance. If I lost this case, there was a high possibility that I would be fired or suspended, and that was the last thing I wanted.

I needed to prove myself and this case was my chance to do just that. I was walking towards my car, ready to go home, when my phone rang. It was one of my bosses.

"Yes, sir," I replied, feeling the weight of his expectations heavy on my shoulders. Our conversation was tense, and it was clear that he was not confident in my abilities. The thought of possibly failing him was a painful one, especially since I was putting in all my effort to deliver the best results.

As our conversation came to an abrupt end, I couldn't shake the feeling that he believed I was destined to mess everything up. His words echoed in my mind, "Lisa, just go home and quit if you'll lose again." I was determined to prove him wrong, but the pressure was getting to me.

I gathered my composure and started my car, buckling up for the drive back home. It had been a long and draining day, both physically and mentally.

As I made my way home to change, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. The mass was most likely finished, and I was eager to see what was going on outside the church. When I finally arrived, I spotted Jisoo and Rosie leading Jennie out of the building, and my heart sank at the sight of her. She looked pale and shaken, and I couldn't help but worry about her.

"Is she alright?" I asked, my voice filled with concern.

Jinyoung was standing nearby, his gaze fixed on Jennie. He shrugged and replied, "You can't get rid of people gossiping." It was clear that he was trying to fill me in on what had happened, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

A small crowd had gathered outside the church, some of them making their way home, while others stood around like Jinyoung and me. Despite the commotion, Jennie seemed to be holding it together. "I'm alright," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. But I couldn't help but wonder what had really happened and what kind of rumors were circulating about her.

"She's probably embarrassed," a woman in her thirties sneered, her voice carrying across the small crowd. Her companion nodded in agreement, adding, "She's just beautiful on the outside, but she doesn't use her brain." I could see the discomfort written all over Jennie's face, and I was filled with a sense of anger at the thought of these women gossiping about her.

Without a moment's hesitation, I strode forward, calling out to the two women. "Excuse me!" I said, my voice firm and authoritative. "You should know that she has a right to file a case against the both of you, right? Don't you have a job that you're not busy enough to gossip about other people's lives?"