[SJFF] Real Face - Chapter 24 (Final)
Title: Real Face
Characters: Donghae, Heechul, OC
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Drama, Angst
Type: Novel
Summary: She finally managed to escape from the one place that she hates the most in order to begin a new life in Seoul, but is still unable to get over the hatred for the male species. Would her heart be softened eventually?
~ * ~
24 - F I N A L
"Heechul, stop!" Sanghee called out desperately as said boy pulled her down the stairs of her bungalow, trying to make him listen to her. She was also attempting to watch her steps at the same time, lest she stripped on the stairs and ended up injuring them both.
"Are you crazy?" Heechul snapped at her while he gasped for breath from the intense running, throwing his head back to glower at her when they arrived on a flat surface before descending the second flight of stairs. "I'm trying to get you out of here, and you're asking me to stop?"
"Isn't it enough that I'll be the only one who gets hurt because of this? If you drag me along instead of escaping on your own, you'll get embroiled further in this mess!" she shouted again, eyes brimming with tears. Sanghee was desperate for both Heechul and Donghae to get out of this place without her; it should be more than adequate for her to be the only one who suffered her father's wrath. She had repeated this time and again, but she really didn't want them to get hurt because of her.
"Do you honestly think that your lunatic of a father would let us off that easily after we pissed him off that much?" he pointed out sarcastically.
Even though Heechul had only met the man several times, all his senses would go on high alert whenever Sanghee's father was in the vicinity. The man was far more dangerous and unpredictable than he let on, and Heechul wasn't about to take the risk of having him catch up to them, or to allow Sanghee to end up in his hands again. She was already too scarred and too traumatised as it was.
Besides, Donghae would probably kill him if he gave in to her persuasions. He wasn't a person with such low integrity either. It was either they suffered this together, or they get out of this safely. All three of them.
"But-" Sanghee began, only to bite on her own lip in uncertainty at Heechul's comment and fall silent immediately as they continued to run for their safety. She realised that she had no proper retort for that comment. True enough, even if she were to willingly turn herself in to her father, the inhumane person would probably still find ways to make Heechul and Donghae's lives miserable - especially the older boy. She could see that her father was just holding back from slapping him right across the cheek by virtue of his business relationship with Heechul's father.
Sanghee tried her best to ignore the alarmed shouts of her housemaids and butlers who saw them running across the hall, all of whom were questioning about her destination and calling out at her with such familiar fondness. They had been so delighted with her return after a lapse of a year, all wondering where she had disappeared to.
Apparently, her father had cooked up a lie and told everyone who knew Sanghee that she had suddenly requested to go to a boarding school outside the country in order to learn how to be independent, and also to fully prepare herself for her upcoming marriage with Shinjun. Of course, it was all for the sake of hiding the fact that she had ran away from home; for the sake of keeping the family dignity intact. If only these people knew what was happening behind closed doors.
"Heechul hyung, watch out!" A familiar voice warned from a short distance behind the escaping pair, and Heechul's head snapped up in surprise because he was previously preoccupied with surveying the conditions on either side of them. However, thanks to Donghae's heads up, Heechul managed to skid to a stop before he slammed into none other than Gyeongjin and Shinjun.
"Oh, so the two stooges have finally made an appearance. I was beginning to wonder where you were," Heechul commented with a smirk, ignoring the soft tug to his arm from Sanghee.
"You have the guts to act all high and mighty in a place that's foreign to you, boy," Gyeongjin hissed in distaste, evidently not too fond of the term that Heechul had utilised. Next to him, Sanghee's fiancé remained silent, though his eyes were permanently fixed on the girl that was supposed to be his wife, who was partially hidden behind her friend. Nonetheless, the eye contact was broken when Donghae stepped in beside Heechul, effectively disrupting his line of vision.
"That's Kim Heechul for you," he announced haughtily. "Besides, you and your family are the only ones who do not have the balls to own up to your own actions," the high school senior retorted calmly with a smirk on his face. He was testing the waters, trying to gauge how easily he could rile Sanghee's brother up.
Apparently, it did not require much effort on his part, for Gyeongjin's breathing was already turning erratic as a result of anger. "You do know that you're able to save your own asses, don't you? So why don't both of you obediently hand my sister over, and I'll pretend that I have never crossed paths with either of you?" he bargained, only to jump in surprise when his sister spoke up.
"I don't have a useless brother like you, Gyeongjin," she hissed, coating her intonation with as much venom as she could. "You have never fulfilled any single responsibility as a brother, so save the sob story and go tell it to someone who actually gives a damn."
"Even if Aeyoung turns herself in, what makes you think that we'll allow you to lay your dirty paws on her without putting up a fight?" Donghae snapped, hovering protectively over his seatmate, the girl who held his heart.
"What do you seek to gain from this? I don't think it's worth it for you to risk your lives for her sake. You're not related to her in any way, and you wouldn't benefit from doing this either," Shinjun, whom had been keeping mum as he observed their interactions, finally spoke up calmly.
Despite being of the same age as Sanghee and Donghae, he couldn't fathom why or how someone could be so fiercely protective over another person that they were merely bonded with through the fragile term called 'friendship'. He never believed in it, nor did he want to possess friends either. They could turn around and stab you in the back when you least expected it, as he had learned. Was it worth the trouble?
To his surprise and confusion, both Heechul and Donghae began laughing at a nonexistent joke that probably only the both of them understood. He watched on as the both of them exchanged a knowing look, before the elder one of the pair spoke again.
"You see, this is where you're wrong - Shinjun, was it? We're not doing this on the simple basis of being friends with Sanghee, but because we care a whole lot about her and love her for who she is. It's clearly something that the both of you lack," Heechul declared, tightening his grip around the tape that was in his hand. He couldn't let them find out about the precise reason why they had appeared in this household, otherwise everything - all their efforts - would be flushed down the drain.
Gyeongjin merely scoffed and laughed mirthlessly at Heechul's statement. "You know what? Cut the crap already. If you're not going to hand her over docilely, then we'll just have to do it by force," he concluded, obviously completely losing his patience by now. Without warning, he immediately threw a punch at the person that had been getting on his nerves way too much, eager to make the other boy shut up once and for all.
Thankfully, Heechul saw that coming from Sanghee's brother, and deftly avoided the attack. He had been involved in one too many fights throughout his life in high school to the point that he was accustomed to scenes like these. However, Heechul, Donghae, and Sanghee's eyes grew into the size of saucers when Gyeongjin suddenly slumped onto the floor into a pile of limbs, completely unconscious.
Donghae shook his head in a confused manner when Heechul shot him a questioning look, trying to indicate that it wasn't his doing, though he would've very much liked it if he could land a punch on his face. It would definitely give him the satisfaction he craved, just like what he had done to the old man who was lying unconscious upstairs.
Sanghee, however, was the first person who found her voice through the baffling situation. "Shin… Shinjun, why are you doing this? Aren't you on his side?" she asked in a trembling manner, pulling all their attentions back to her. That was when they realised that Sanghee's so-called fiancé was the one who had knocked her brother out by landing a hit at the back of his neck. Donghae and Heechul couldn't help but wonder whether the boy had learned any form of martial arts prior to this; his scrawny body proved otherwise.
Shinjun merely flashed a wry smile at the trio. "I'm touched by your strong sense of friendship, and even though I admittedly have feelings for you, Aeyoung, after seeing what the two of them would willingly do for you, I realised that I can never give you the same amount of joy as they have," he said, taking a large gulp as a look of remorse shot through his features. "I even…"
Before he could finish his sentence, however, his train of thoughts were disrupted. Shinjun looked up in astonishment when someone touched him lightly on the arm. The guilt was amplified when he realised that Sanghee - the girl that he had violated under her father's orders and had ruined her life at the same time - smiling back at him.
"Thank you, Shinjun. You have no idea how much this means to me. Don't bring up the past anymore," she said, though she whipped around to shoot a disapproving glare at both Heechul and Donghae whom mumbled "He's lucky that we have not punched his face in yet for doing that to you in the past" under their breaths. The pair immediately averted their gazes and pretended as though they hadn't said anything at all.
"I don't deserve any form of kindness from you, Aeyoung. Not after what I did to you. If you feel that there is a need to hit me for everything that had happened, and for the times that I did not stand up for you, feel free to do so now," he sighed, reaching up to cup the girl's face with a sad smile on his lips.
She shook her head at his words. "No. Even though I'm angry at you for being such a mindless puppet to my mentally-deranged father, at least you know your own faults and wrongdoings. You're one of the very few people who would show me so much kindness in private. I can see how sorry you were after that night, and I know that you're trying to make amends, if only he didn't stand in the way," she said again, ignoring the comment that Donghae had muttered behind her back.
"Thank you, Aeyoung," he smiled again, though all of their heads snapped up in surprise at the sound of a huge commotion coming from the second floor. Shinjun briefly pulled Sanghee into a hug, before shoving them out of the door. "Go; they're going to realise what had happened soon. Don't get caught, alright?"
"Shinjun, I really appreciate your help," Sanghee called out again before breaking into a run, getting dragged away from the house that she would probably never step into again for the rest of her life after today.
Shinjun had a bitter smile on his face as he closed the door behind him and prepared himself for an elaborate acting session. The feelings of regret were running strong in him for letting her out of his grasp, but it was for the best. She would never have that beautiful smile on her face if he forced her to stay, if he pulled her away from those two friends of hers. It wasn't his position to be selfish either; not when there were two other people whose feelings for her strongly overpowered his.
"I hope you'll always be happy, Aeyoung," he whispered to no one in particular, before breaking into a run towards the second floor, pretending to be completely oblivious about what was happening in the house.
* * * * *
She fidgeted in her seat when she could feel someone's gaze trained on her. It significantly piled on to the pressure she was already feeling for having to face the camera right in front of her; she was never a person who was very fond of things recording her every action after her dark past. However, Sanghee relaxed again when the pair leaning against the wall behind the camera flashed an encouraging smile at her. They were there to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
"Miss Yoon Aeyoung," a voice filtered in through the wall-mounted speakers, causing her to focus on the small television screen next to the camera once again. She mumbled shakily in acknowledgement, earning a satisfactory smile from the person whom had called for her. Sanghee tried her best to ignore the fact that everyone else - God knows how big of a crowd was present today - in the other room could hear her every word and see her every action.
"Miss Yoon, I have been understood that your father, Mr. Yoon who is seated in the dock right now, has violated you on many accounts against your will, and even caused grievous bodily harm to you when you attempted to speak of this matter to the authorities," her lawyer - or rather, Donghae's family's lawyer who was representing her in court - prompted. "Did I miss anything?"
"Well, actually I forgot to mention this earlier - he also almost literally placed me under solitary confinement against my own will for close to two years, only allowing me to go to school, but nothing else. He also placed me under close watch, both in the confines of my own room with a closed-circuit television, and employed bodyguards to keep an eye on me while I was out of the house," she admitted, feeling the anger and resentment bubble up within her as she recounted her past. Nonetheless, Sanghee told herself that no, she couldn't lose her cool. Not now.
Murmurs of disapproval sounded from the crowd in the main courtroom, evidently appalled at the treatment by a father to his own flesh and blood. When the trial was announced in the media in the beginning, it had shocked many people, especially because a respectful businessman turned out to be a monster in disguise. Not only did he force his own daughter into marriage at this time and age, before ordering his future son-in-law to drug her and rape her while she was in an unconscious state, he also violated her while being under the influence and abused her for close to two years.
"She's lying!" Another voice spoke up over the murmurs of the crowd. The camera didn't have to pan towards the person's direction for Sanghee to recognise that it belonged to her father. The man was still trying to save his own ass even though there was substantial evidence to prove that he was guilty for what he was charged for; that made Sanghee feel even more revolted.
"Am I, Father? Do you really want me to ask a housemaid of ours to give a statement in court?" she challenged, before the judge started calling for order. That was when Sanghee's lawyer took over again; they were already wrapping up the proceedings, after the lawyers and the judge had adjourned into a private room to view the video recordings that was submitted as part of the evidence for her case.
"Your Honour, I hereby plead on my client's behalf for you to sentence Mr. Yoon Mingshin the maximal punishment for his deeds of many accounts of rape, grievous bodily harm, and unlawful imprisonment of his daughter, Yoon Aeyoung. She has done nothing to deserve such appalling treatment from her very own father, who was supposed to provide her with love and care like all normal fathers do. Him being drunk on the first incidence should not be an excuse to lighten his sentence, as there were many other occasions where he had violated his own daughter without being under the influence. Also, it could be seen that Mr. Yoon does not feel remorseful about his own actions, as he had attempted to deny his own wrongdoings. As a conclusion, fiends like this man should not be allowed to run around freely any longer. Thank you," her lawyer said with an air of confidence, before turning to flash a smile at the camera.
Sanghee smiled back at the television screen, despite the fact that the woman wouldn't be able to see it. She was, after all, involved in the trial while being isolated in another room. Sanghee didn't think that she could remain calm if she were to be seated in the courtroom in full view of her father and the rest of her family, who were probably livid at her for doing such a thing to her own relatives. Not that she wanted to admit that she had any blood ties with them, either.
Everyone waited with bated breath as the judge flipped through his papers and exchanged a glance with the panel of juries seated on the bench by the side, apparently trying to reach to a common decision. It seemed as though a light-year had passed by before the head of the panel of juries finally stood up and cleared his throat.
"Your Honour, we unanimously find that Mr. Yoon Mingshin is guilty for all charges. We also find that Jung Shinjun is guilty for the charge of rape," he announced, loudly and clearly, and Sanghee felt that every single part of her sense were finally able to relax after three years. The tears of relief started to flow out of her eyes, causing her to nearly miss the sentence that was being read out by the judge.
"Yoon Mingshin, you have indeed committed the type of crimes that a father never should have done to his own flesh and blood. Even though there was solid evidence of your acts, you still did not admit to your own actions, and attempted to twist the truth around. For that, I will sentence you to thirty years of jail for rape, and ten years each for deliberate bodily harm and unlawful imprisonment of your daughter, Yoon Aeyoung. All punishments will run concurrently from the date of arrest," he said, and the gallery cheered loudly before he called for order again.
When the judge was certain that the crowd who was observing the trial finally fell silent again, he turned to look at Shinjun, who was seated next to a fuming Yoon Mingshin. "As for you, Jung Shinjun, even though you have committed the crime of rape, you did it after being given orders by Yoon Mingshin. In addition to that, you have also surrendered yourself to the authorities, and even gave your full cooperation to the investigation of this case. For your actions, I have decided to lighten your sentence. In light of your young age, you will be sent to juvenile prison for the duration of two years, and the date of the jail term will begin from the date of arrest as well. Court dismissed."
The moment the judge had walked out of the room, Sanghee jumped up in joy and ran towards Heechul and Donghae, pulling them into a huge embrace for all that they have done for her throughout the trial, and for helping her land her father in jail. This way, she didn't have to live in fear or be harassed for the rest of her life anymore. Although she felt sorry that Shinjun had to be imprisoned as well, she was glad that he didn't have to serve as long as her pathetic excuse for a father did. He could come out in two years and start anew.
"I'm so happy for you, Sanghee. The burden you've been carrying all this while has finally been removed," Heechul exclaimed, still maintaining his strong hold around her. When Sanghee giggled and gave him a light pat on his shoulder to signal him to let go, he grudgingly did as he was told. "By the way, now that this is over, are we still supposed to call you Sanghee, or would you want to be referred to as Aeyoung?"
"Any of it is fine with me, really. I've decided to change my surname permanently to follow my aunt's, so it doesn't matter anymore," she smiled.
"What's your aunt's surname? I don't think you've told us this before," the high school senior pointed out with a frown.
"Kwon," Sanghee said as-a-matter-of-factly, causing Heechul to roll his eyes at his own question. Of course, why did he even have to ask? Her aunt was the very same person who had enrolled her into Neulparan after all.
"I think I'd prefer calling you with Aeyoung. It's a beautiful name," Donghae commented; this time, it was his turn to pull the girl into a hug instead to congratulate her on winning the case. She beamed brightly at him.
"I agree with you. Gosh, I still can't believe that this is all over. I feel oddly at ease," Aeyoung chirruped, a bright smile on her face. She was still wiping the tears that continuously flowed down her face with the back of her hands, causing Donghae to laugh in response. He automatically helped her dry the moisture with the pads of his thumbs, earning another grateful grin from his seatmate.
"Good God, do you really have to do that in front of me?" Heechul lamented dramatically, shooting a dark look at his friends. "Look, I know you're both together now and all, but there's no need to make me feel even more jealous than I already am."
"I'm sorry, Heechul hyung, but things like this come naturally," Donghae shrugged, ducking just in time to avoid the older boy's outstretched hand that was aimed for the side of his head. Aeyoung immediately wrapped an arm around Donghae's middle and glued herself to him, successfully stopping Heechul from trying anything funny again.
"Seriously, you two, stop bickering like small kids, would you? I thought we've had this established already when this relationship was announced?" she rolled her eyes, laughing heartily when Heechul frowned in response. "Oppa, we've talked about this," she berated half-heartedly.
The high school senior's frown turned into a beam in a heartbeat at the term that was employed by the girl; he was highly vulnerable to that label, as she had learned. "Fine, just because you asked me to. Now shall we go grab a bite? I'm seriously starving from all this serious proceedings," he commented, rubbing his stomach to prove a point. Donghae and Aeyoung laughed again as they exchanged a quick peck on the lips, much to the other boy's dismay.
"Come on, my two saviours. It'll be all on me today," Aeyoung finally announced, linking her arms with both Heechul's and Donghae's as she dragged them out of the room with her. Things were definitely all rosy for her - beginning today - alright.
Characters: Donghae, Heechul, OC
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Drama, Angst
Type: Novel
Summary: She finally managed to escape from the one place that she hates the most in order to begin a new life in Seoul, but is still unable to get over the hatred for the male species. Would her heart be softened eventually?
~ * ~
24 - F I N A L
"Heechul, stop!" Sanghee called out desperately as said boy pulled her down the stairs of her bungalow, trying to make him listen to her. She was also attempting to watch her steps at the same time, lest she stripped on the stairs and ended up injuring them both.
"Are you crazy?" Heechul snapped at her while he gasped for breath from the intense running, throwing his head back to glower at her when they arrived on a flat surface before descending the second flight of stairs. "I'm trying to get you out of here, and you're asking me to stop?"
"Isn't it enough that I'll be the only one who gets hurt because of this? If you drag me along instead of escaping on your own, you'll get embroiled further in this mess!" she shouted again, eyes brimming with tears. Sanghee was desperate for both Heechul and Donghae to get out of this place without her; it should be more than adequate for her to be the only one who suffered her father's wrath. She had repeated this time and again, but she really didn't want them to get hurt because of her.
"Do you honestly think that your lunatic of a father would let us off that easily after we pissed him off that much?" he pointed out sarcastically.
Even though Heechul had only met the man several times, all his senses would go on high alert whenever Sanghee's father was in the vicinity. The man was far more dangerous and unpredictable than he let on, and Heechul wasn't about to take the risk of having him catch up to them, or to allow Sanghee to end up in his hands again. She was already too scarred and too traumatised as it was.
Besides, Donghae would probably kill him if he gave in to her persuasions. He wasn't a person with such low integrity either. It was either they suffered this together, or they get out of this safely. All three of them.
"But-" Sanghee began, only to bite on her own lip in uncertainty at Heechul's comment and fall silent immediately as they continued to run for their safety. She realised that she had no proper retort for that comment. True enough, even if she were to willingly turn herself in to her father, the inhumane person would probably still find ways to make Heechul and Donghae's lives miserable - especially the older boy. She could see that her father was just holding back from slapping him right across the cheek by virtue of his business relationship with Heechul's father.
Sanghee tried her best to ignore the alarmed shouts of her housemaids and butlers who saw them running across the hall, all of whom were questioning about her destination and calling out at her with such familiar fondness. They had been so delighted with her return after a lapse of a year, all wondering where she had disappeared to.
Apparently, her father had cooked up a lie and told everyone who knew Sanghee that she had suddenly requested to go to a boarding school outside the country in order to learn how to be independent, and also to fully prepare herself for her upcoming marriage with Shinjun. Of course, it was all for the sake of hiding the fact that she had ran away from home; for the sake of keeping the family dignity intact. If only these people knew what was happening behind closed doors.
"Heechul hyung, watch out!" A familiar voice warned from a short distance behind the escaping pair, and Heechul's head snapped up in surprise because he was previously preoccupied with surveying the conditions on either side of them. However, thanks to Donghae's heads up, Heechul managed to skid to a stop before he slammed into none other than Gyeongjin and Shinjun.
"Oh, so the two stooges have finally made an appearance. I was beginning to wonder where you were," Heechul commented with a smirk, ignoring the soft tug to his arm from Sanghee.
"You have the guts to act all high and mighty in a place that's foreign to you, boy," Gyeongjin hissed in distaste, evidently not too fond of the term that Heechul had utilised. Next to him, Sanghee's fiancé remained silent, though his eyes were permanently fixed on the girl that was supposed to be his wife, who was partially hidden behind her friend. Nonetheless, the eye contact was broken when Donghae stepped in beside Heechul, effectively disrupting his line of vision.
"That's Kim Heechul for you," he announced haughtily. "Besides, you and your family are the only ones who do not have the balls to own up to your own actions," the high school senior retorted calmly with a smirk on his face. He was testing the waters, trying to gauge how easily he could rile Sanghee's brother up.
Apparently, it did not require much effort on his part, for Gyeongjin's breathing was already turning erratic as a result of anger. "You do know that you're able to save your own asses, don't you? So why don't both of you obediently hand my sister over, and I'll pretend that I have never crossed paths with either of you?" he bargained, only to jump in surprise when his sister spoke up.
"I don't have a useless brother like you, Gyeongjin," she hissed, coating her intonation with as much venom as she could. "You have never fulfilled any single responsibility as a brother, so save the sob story and go tell it to someone who actually gives a damn."
"Even if Aeyoung turns herself in, what makes you think that we'll allow you to lay your dirty paws on her without putting up a fight?" Donghae snapped, hovering protectively over his seatmate, the girl who held his heart.
"What do you seek to gain from this? I don't think it's worth it for you to risk your lives for her sake. You're not related to her in any way, and you wouldn't benefit from doing this either," Shinjun, whom had been keeping mum as he observed their interactions, finally spoke up calmly.
Despite being of the same age as Sanghee and Donghae, he couldn't fathom why or how someone could be so fiercely protective over another person that they were merely bonded with through the fragile term called 'friendship'. He never believed in it, nor did he want to possess friends either. They could turn around and stab you in the back when you least expected it, as he had learned. Was it worth the trouble?
To his surprise and confusion, both Heechul and Donghae began laughing at a nonexistent joke that probably only the both of them understood. He watched on as the both of them exchanged a knowing look, before the elder one of the pair spoke again.
"You see, this is where you're wrong - Shinjun, was it? We're not doing this on the simple basis of being friends with Sanghee, but because we care a whole lot about her and love her for who she is. It's clearly something that the both of you lack," Heechul declared, tightening his grip around the tape that was in his hand. He couldn't let them find out about the precise reason why they had appeared in this household, otherwise everything - all their efforts - would be flushed down the drain.
Gyeongjin merely scoffed and laughed mirthlessly at Heechul's statement. "You know what? Cut the crap already. If you're not going to hand her over docilely, then we'll just have to do it by force," he concluded, obviously completely losing his patience by now. Without warning, he immediately threw a punch at the person that had been getting on his nerves way too much, eager to make the other boy shut up once and for all.
Thankfully, Heechul saw that coming from Sanghee's brother, and deftly avoided the attack. He had been involved in one too many fights throughout his life in high school to the point that he was accustomed to scenes like these. However, Heechul, Donghae, and Sanghee's eyes grew into the size of saucers when Gyeongjin suddenly slumped onto the floor into a pile of limbs, completely unconscious.
Donghae shook his head in a confused manner when Heechul shot him a questioning look, trying to indicate that it wasn't his doing, though he would've very much liked it if he could land a punch on his face. It would definitely give him the satisfaction he craved, just like what he had done to the old man who was lying unconscious upstairs.
Sanghee, however, was the first person who found her voice through the baffling situation. "Shin… Shinjun, why are you doing this? Aren't you on his side?" she asked in a trembling manner, pulling all their attentions back to her. That was when they realised that Sanghee's so-called fiancé was the one who had knocked her brother out by landing a hit at the back of his neck. Donghae and Heechul couldn't help but wonder whether the boy had learned any form of martial arts prior to this; his scrawny body proved otherwise.
Shinjun merely flashed a wry smile at the trio. "I'm touched by your strong sense of friendship, and even though I admittedly have feelings for you, Aeyoung, after seeing what the two of them would willingly do for you, I realised that I can never give you the same amount of joy as they have," he said, taking a large gulp as a look of remorse shot through his features. "I even…"
Before he could finish his sentence, however, his train of thoughts were disrupted. Shinjun looked up in astonishment when someone touched him lightly on the arm. The guilt was amplified when he realised that Sanghee - the girl that he had violated under her father's orders and had ruined her life at the same time - smiling back at him.
"Thank you, Shinjun. You have no idea how much this means to me. Don't bring up the past anymore," she said, though she whipped around to shoot a disapproving glare at both Heechul and Donghae whom mumbled "He's lucky that we have not punched his face in yet for doing that to you in the past" under their breaths. The pair immediately averted their gazes and pretended as though they hadn't said anything at all.
"I don't deserve any form of kindness from you, Aeyoung. Not after what I did to you. If you feel that there is a need to hit me for everything that had happened, and for the times that I did not stand up for you, feel free to do so now," he sighed, reaching up to cup the girl's face with a sad smile on his lips.
She shook her head at his words. "No. Even though I'm angry at you for being such a mindless puppet to my mentally-deranged father, at least you know your own faults and wrongdoings. You're one of the very few people who would show me so much kindness in private. I can see how sorry you were after that night, and I know that you're trying to make amends, if only he didn't stand in the way," she said again, ignoring the comment that Donghae had muttered behind her back.
"Thank you, Aeyoung," he smiled again, though all of their heads snapped up in surprise at the sound of a huge commotion coming from the second floor. Shinjun briefly pulled Sanghee into a hug, before shoving them out of the door. "Go; they're going to realise what had happened soon. Don't get caught, alright?"
"Shinjun, I really appreciate your help," Sanghee called out again before breaking into a run, getting dragged away from the house that she would probably never step into again for the rest of her life after today.
Shinjun had a bitter smile on his face as he closed the door behind him and prepared himself for an elaborate acting session. The feelings of regret were running strong in him for letting her out of his grasp, but it was for the best. She would never have that beautiful smile on her face if he forced her to stay, if he pulled her away from those two friends of hers. It wasn't his position to be selfish either; not when there were two other people whose feelings for her strongly overpowered his.
"I hope you'll always be happy, Aeyoung," he whispered to no one in particular, before breaking into a run towards the second floor, pretending to be completely oblivious about what was happening in the house.
* * * * *
She fidgeted in her seat when she could feel someone's gaze trained on her. It significantly piled on to the pressure she was already feeling for having to face the camera right in front of her; she was never a person who was very fond of things recording her every action after her dark past. However, Sanghee relaxed again when the pair leaning against the wall behind the camera flashed an encouraging smile at her. They were there to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
"Miss Yoon Aeyoung," a voice filtered in through the wall-mounted speakers, causing her to focus on the small television screen next to the camera once again. She mumbled shakily in acknowledgement, earning a satisfactory smile from the person whom had called for her. Sanghee tried her best to ignore the fact that everyone else - God knows how big of a crowd was present today - in the other room could hear her every word and see her every action.
"Miss Yoon, I have been understood that your father, Mr. Yoon who is seated in the dock right now, has violated you on many accounts against your will, and even caused grievous bodily harm to you when you attempted to speak of this matter to the authorities," her lawyer - or rather, Donghae's family's lawyer who was representing her in court - prompted. "Did I miss anything?"
"Well, actually I forgot to mention this earlier - he also almost literally placed me under solitary confinement against my own will for close to two years, only allowing me to go to school, but nothing else. He also placed me under close watch, both in the confines of my own room with a closed-circuit television, and employed bodyguards to keep an eye on me while I was out of the house," she admitted, feeling the anger and resentment bubble up within her as she recounted her past. Nonetheless, Sanghee told herself that no, she couldn't lose her cool. Not now.
Murmurs of disapproval sounded from the crowd in the main courtroom, evidently appalled at the treatment by a father to his own flesh and blood. When the trial was announced in the media in the beginning, it had shocked many people, especially because a respectful businessman turned out to be a monster in disguise. Not only did he force his own daughter into marriage at this time and age, before ordering his future son-in-law to drug her and rape her while she was in an unconscious state, he also violated her while being under the influence and abused her for close to two years.
"She's lying!" Another voice spoke up over the murmurs of the crowd. The camera didn't have to pan towards the person's direction for Sanghee to recognise that it belonged to her father. The man was still trying to save his own ass even though there was substantial evidence to prove that he was guilty for what he was charged for; that made Sanghee feel even more revolted.
"Am I, Father? Do you really want me to ask a housemaid of ours to give a statement in court?" she challenged, before the judge started calling for order. That was when Sanghee's lawyer took over again; they were already wrapping up the proceedings, after the lawyers and the judge had adjourned into a private room to view the video recordings that was submitted as part of the evidence for her case.
"Your Honour, I hereby plead on my client's behalf for you to sentence Mr. Yoon Mingshin the maximal punishment for his deeds of many accounts of rape, grievous bodily harm, and unlawful imprisonment of his daughter, Yoon Aeyoung. She has done nothing to deserve such appalling treatment from her very own father, who was supposed to provide her with love and care like all normal fathers do. Him being drunk on the first incidence should not be an excuse to lighten his sentence, as there were many other occasions where he had violated his own daughter without being under the influence. Also, it could be seen that Mr. Yoon does not feel remorseful about his own actions, as he had attempted to deny his own wrongdoings. As a conclusion, fiends like this man should not be allowed to run around freely any longer. Thank you," her lawyer said with an air of confidence, before turning to flash a smile at the camera.
Sanghee smiled back at the television screen, despite the fact that the woman wouldn't be able to see it. She was, after all, involved in the trial while being isolated in another room. Sanghee didn't think that she could remain calm if she were to be seated in the courtroom in full view of her father and the rest of her family, who were probably livid at her for doing such a thing to her own relatives. Not that she wanted to admit that she had any blood ties with them, either.
Everyone waited with bated breath as the judge flipped through his papers and exchanged a glance with the panel of juries seated on the bench by the side, apparently trying to reach to a common decision. It seemed as though a light-year had passed by before the head of the panel of juries finally stood up and cleared his throat.
"Your Honour, we unanimously find that Mr. Yoon Mingshin is guilty for all charges. We also find that Jung Shinjun is guilty for the charge of rape," he announced, loudly and clearly, and Sanghee felt that every single part of her sense were finally able to relax after three years. The tears of relief started to flow out of her eyes, causing her to nearly miss the sentence that was being read out by the judge.
"Yoon Mingshin, you have indeed committed the type of crimes that a father never should have done to his own flesh and blood. Even though there was solid evidence of your acts, you still did not admit to your own actions, and attempted to twist the truth around. For that, I will sentence you to thirty years of jail for rape, and ten years each for deliberate bodily harm and unlawful imprisonment of your daughter, Yoon Aeyoung. All punishments will run concurrently from the date of arrest," he said, and the gallery cheered loudly before he called for order again.
When the judge was certain that the crowd who was observing the trial finally fell silent again, he turned to look at Shinjun, who was seated next to a fuming Yoon Mingshin. "As for you, Jung Shinjun, even though you have committed the crime of rape, you did it after being given orders by Yoon Mingshin. In addition to that, you have also surrendered yourself to the authorities, and even gave your full cooperation to the investigation of this case. For your actions, I have decided to lighten your sentence. In light of your young age, you will be sent to juvenile prison for the duration of two years, and the date of the jail term will begin from the date of arrest as well. Court dismissed."
The moment the judge had walked out of the room, Sanghee jumped up in joy and ran towards Heechul and Donghae, pulling them into a huge embrace for all that they have done for her throughout the trial, and for helping her land her father in jail. This way, she didn't have to live in fear or be harassed for the rest of her life anymore. Although she felt sorry that Shinjun had to be imprisoned as well, she was glad that he didn't have to serve as long as her pathetic excuse for a father did. He could come out in two years and start anew.
"I'm so happy for you, Sanghee. The burden you've been carrying all this while has finally been removed," Heechul exclaimed, still maintaining his strong hold around her. When Sanghee giggled and gave him a light pat on his shoulder to signal him to let go, he grudgingly did as he was told. "By the way, now that this is over, are we still supposed to call you Sanghee, or would you want to be referred to as Aeyoung?"
"Any of it is fine with me, really. I've decided to change my surname permanently to follow my aunt's, so it doesn't matter anymore," she smiled.
"What's your aunt's surname? I don't think you've told us this before," the high school senior pointed out with a frown.
"Kwon," Sanghee said as-a-matter-of-factly, causing Heechul to roll his eyes at his own question. Of course, why did he even have to ask? Her aunt was the very same person who had enrolled her into Neulparan after all.
"I think I'd prefer calling you with Aeyoung. It's a beautiful name," Donghae commented; this time, it was his turn to pull the girl into a hug instead to congratulate her on winning the case. She beamed brightly at him.
"I agree with you. Gosh, I still can't believe that this is all over. I feel oddly at ease," Aeyoung chirruped, a bright smile on her face. She was still wiping the tears that continuously flowed down her face with the back of her hands, causing Donghae to laugh in response. He automatically helped her dry the moisture with the pads of his thumbs, earning another grateful grin from his seatmate.
"Good God, do you really have to do that in front of me?" Heechul lamented dramatically, shooting a dark look at his friends. "Look, I know you're both together now and all, but there's no need to make me feel even more jealous than I already am."
"I'm sorry, Heechul hyung, but things like this come naturally," Donghae shrugged, ducking just in time to avoid the older boy's outstretched hand that was aimed for the side of his head. Aeyoung immediately wrapped an arm around Donghae's middle and glued herself to him, successfully stopping Heechul from trying anything funny again.
"Seriously, you two, stop bickering like small kids, would you? I thought we've had this established already when this relationship was announced?" she rolled her eyes, laughing heartily when Heechul frowned in response. "Oppa, we've talked about this," she berated half-heartedly.
The high school senior's frown turned into a beam in a heartbeat at the term that was employed by the girl; he was highly vulnerable to that label, as she had learned. "Fine, just because you asked me to. Now shall we go grab a bite? I'm seriously starving from all this serious proceedings," he commented, rubbing his stomach to prove a point. Donghae and Aeyoung laughed again as they exchanged a quick peck on the lips, much to the other boy's dismay.
"Come on, my two saviours. It'll be all on me today," Aeyoung finally announced, linking her arms with both Heechul's and Donghae's as she dragged them out of the room with her. Things were definitely all rosy for her - beginning today - alright.