The trail day

"Dad!, how could you do that!" Sydney yells at her father.

"what are you saying Sydney, what did I do, hope you are not telling me to get him out of there, I will even make sure he rots in there," he hurls back at her.

The others watch.

"You know very well what I am saying, you know Dylan raped that girl!"

"What!, what are you saying?" Dylan intervenes, shouting.

She scoffs, "so, you all want to be playing innocent huh? Lee has his shirt button, the one he wore yesterday… he has it, and he found it at the scene."

Mr. Chae and others face Dylan, "is that true?" Mrs. Chae asks.

"No, he is lying," Dylan claims, but in his voice, one can tell he is lying.

"Dylan!" his father yells.

He immediately gets on his knees, "please father, I didn't know she would pass out, all we wanted was to have fun."

"Fun? Again? We just got you out from one case, and you're now in another... you just sent the person who should help you to jail," Mrs. Chae scolds.

Dylan starts crying.

"You are so timid, yet you are raping someone," Eden says.

Mr. Chae faces Sydney, "what did he tell you?"

"He said if you didn't get him out, he would give the police the evidence."

Mr. Chae laughs, "that bastard, he dares to bargain with me."

"Dad, is that what you should say?" she asks in disbelief.

"Okay, I will meet up with him and find a way to get him out," he claims.

Mr. Chae puts himself into work and makes various calls, finding a way to a solution, but the matter has escalated, and the medias are talking about it, they want justice.

*****

Mr. Chae visited Lee, and a tense conversation unfolds between them.

"You framed me," are the accusatory words Lee directs at Mr. Chae.

In response, Mr. Chae retorts, "You don't have the right to talk to me like that. I'm not even the main person who framed you."

"Then who? Dylan?".

"yeah, and i am doing you good for being here".

Lee, desperate for his freedom, implores, "You will get me out."

However, Mr. Chae remains skeptical, scoffing, "I can't believe you're talking to me like this. But anyway, I will get you out, just not now—only on the trial day."

Perplexed, Lee inquires, "Why not now? Why on the trial day?"

Mr. Chae explains, "The public is closely watching your case. Releasing you now would raise suspicions. I'm the one offering you a chance, not the other way around. Do you think that a mere button in your hand can make bargains? Listen to me, maintain your denial as you've been doing, but never mention Dylan," he cautions.

Lee falls silent, contemplating his options before finally agreeing, "Okay, how can we help me?"

Mr. Chae proposes, "Give me the button first."

Reluctantly, Lee replies, "I can't do that; it's like insurance."

Mr. Chae nods understandingly, assuring him, "Alright, I promise that I will get you out. Just refrain from making any incriminating statements. I give you my word; I will secure your release."

With a sigh of relief, Lee exhales, feeling a glimmer of hope that he will soon escape his predicament.

*****

After seven days have passed, everything unfolds rapidly.

The lawyer, with 100% winning rate. the attorney that never lost any case, now wears a grey shirt, anxiously awaiting his judgment.

Prosecutor Alyson fixes a triumphant gaze on him, as if to say, "Finally, you're doomed!".

The trial begins.

Alyson declares, "Today, 23th of August, the rape case of Mr. lee will begin".

"Mr. Lee, a well-known attorney, allegedly rapes a nineteen-year-old girl to the point of unconsciousness, and she still hasn't woken up. He's been vehemently denying it, but I implore you to see through his deception. He's pretending, as we all know him as the sly fox he is."

Lee clutches the button tightly in his hand.

The chief judge, who presided over the previous case, prompts Alyson to present her evidence, making her uneasy.

"The evidence is indisputable," Alyson begins.

"The receptionist witnessed them entering together, his semen was found on the victim, his fingerprints are all over the room, and he claims not to know the girl or have any contact with her. But look at this," she offers a print copy of a call log as evidence.

"Mr. Lee here has been calling her numerous times, even on the day of the incident. My lord, this is undeniable evidence."

Lee grows increasingly uncomfortable as the framing appears to be more extensive than he had anticipated.

Then it's his attorney's turn to speak. He rises and states, "Before I proceed, I'd like to ask my defendant a series of questions." Lee senses something is amiss, and the judge grants permission for the questioning.

"Mr. Lee, do you know the girl?" the attorney inquires.

Lee shakes his head, indicating that he doesn't.

"You really don't know the girl?" the attorney presses.

Lee, bewildered, nods once again, signifying his lack of acquaintance with the girl.

"In that case, I'll halt my questioning here, my lord. It appears my client is unwilling to cooperate," the attorney states as he returns to his seat.

In that moment, Lee realizes he has been betrayed. Mr. Chae has deceived him, and in desperation, he looks into the audience to see Mr. Chae laughing at his predicament.