Chapter Text
March 2020
Yang Jonghoon never liked change. Change meant unfamiliarity, unpredictability and, in the worst cases, painful and somewhat traumatic experiences. The end of his career as a prosecutor destroyed his soul; it was all he ever knew – investigating cases, interrogating witnesses, writing arguments and counterarguments was what he had dreamed of doing ever since he was a small child. Then Seo Byungjoo and his inability to keep himself true to his lawful words shattered that dream bit by bit, as he gradually realized that even the people who you call heroes and look up to also do everything in their power to protect themselves. Deciding to give up his job as a prosecutor took him a surprisingly small amount of time and it seemed logical to return to the place where it all began – his alma mater –, this time as a professor and not as the naive and apprehensive student he once was. Still, and as expected, it took him a while to adapt to this (not so) new environment full of young and hopeful minds. Apart from the dean and the vice-dean, he really only knew his dear friend Kim Eunsook. Even if he never dared to admit it himself, she was sort of a pillar in his life and it seemed like they followed each other wherever they went. And that’s precisely why he spent most of his breaks with her, eating, going through old cases, discussing new theories and sometimes talking about their private lives (in this matter though, it was mainly Eunsook who did most of the talking). As the months went by, Jonghoon slowly found a new routine and settled into it – he started to recognize more and more faces, got comfortable in the classrooms, even decorated his office. Jonghoon could finally allow himself to breathe, to look around and take in the little pleasures his routine offered him. However, when he finally thought his life was getting back on track, something (or rather someone) happened which caused him to stop in full force and reconsider aspects of his life and his personality he thought were unyielding: Lee Daejung.
*
The new school year brought a fresh batch of kids to Hankuk University Law School and among them was Han Joonhwi, possibly the most brilliant student in the entire building (considering he had already passed the judicial exam), and his unique study group: Kang Sol A, an insecure yet determined girl who entered the school under special admission; Kang Sol B, who never accepted defeat or showed her emotions; Seo Jiho, a young man with a very strong belief system; Jeon Yeseul, someone who was honestly just trying her best; Min Bokgi, a free spirit that cared about everyone; Yoo Seungjae, a married man who was formerly a OB-GYN doctor; and Lee Daejung.
Lee Daejung fell in love with the idea of going to law school when his parents took him to court to watch one of his aunt’s trials. His parents only wanted to expose him to different occupations to give him a better idea of what he could do in the future; they never expected that this experience would result in them having to deal with a dumbstruck 8-year-old boy who would later on beg them to buy him the constitution and the criminal code. Daejung loved how the lawyers and prosecutors always seemed to know what every single person in the room was thinking and had the ability to give an almost immediate remark when their opposition tried to crush their arguments. He loved how everyone respected the judges as unwavering leaders. He loved the smell of the wooden panels, the sound of the gavel and the quiet whispers exchanged between the spectators, too curious to keep their mouths shut. Just like that, a dream was formed. But since he came from a humble family he spent years working low-paying (and sometimes unhuman) jobs after graduating high school to save enough money so he could attend the most prestigious law school in the entire country. His family had always supported him in anything he chose to do, but unfortunately, they couldn’t give Daejung the financial means he needed for this venture. The financial crisis of 2008 had taken a heavy toll on his family and he ended up as the sole breadwinner in his household for some years until his parents found jobs and gained some stability. However, that wasn’t all: his mother became gravely ill in the meantime, so a big portion of his savings went to her treatments and her hospital bills. That’s how Lee Daejung ended up as a 32-year-old first year student in Hankuk University, finally able to accomplish his dreams, even though he still worked as a part-timer in a local café to support himself.
He befriended Seungjae, the oldest in class, because he was genuinely too scared the younger students would reject him. Seeing he was focused and bright, Seungjae decided to ask the study group if they could accept one more member. His invitation to join a study group came as a surprise but Daejung obviously said yes as this was the opportunity of a lifetime. Even if its members were nice and welcoming, he saw himself as an outcast, feeling like everyone had already formed a bond before he set foot in the copy room’s secret storage – their chosen hideout. So, he decided to keep a safe distance in order not to mess with the group dynamic or any established relationships. Instead, he tried to get the attention of a very charismatic and sassy professor who had caught his eye from the moment they met.
There were rumors about a certain teacher giving Socratic lectures and acting as an almighty God in his classes, expecting complex answers from his students even at 8 a.m. The group’s seniors had even warned them, confirming the school’s ongoing rumors. Yet, nothing could have prepared them for Yang Jonghoon. Joonhwi, Sol B, Jiho and Seungjae were always prepared for any possible question coming their way and enjoyed his lectures; Sol A, Yeseul and Bokgi, however, cowered in fear and made themselves as little as possible, trying to avoid his glares and pretending not to exist. Daejung was a completely different story. Jonghoon disrupted his world. He made him feel like the very first courtroom he had visited when he was 8: the professor was the embodiment of the 24-year-old resolution that had determined his entire life up until then. Jonghoon was Themis’ incarnation and Daejung couldn’t take his eyes off of him. He used to spend his lectures shamelessly staring at him like the professor held all the answers in the world – and Daejung secretly believed he did. At some point he made the unconscious decision of spending his free time preparing for his criminal law classes while ignoring other teachers even existed; if it hadn’t been for the study group, he would have certainly failed the remaining classes. All his efforts were fruitless, though – Professor Yang never asked for his participation and he started to think that he was purposely ignoring him, seeing that all the other students had already intervened at least once. However, a couple of weeks later the self-loathing and animosity came to a halt when all of a sudden Jonghoon appeared in the café where he worked at during one of his shifts.
“Hello Daejung.”
Daejung thought he was dreaming. Listening to his name come out of his dear professor’s mouth made him stop in his tracks and the tips of his ears burned a dark shade of red. He looked like a fish with his mouth opening and closing, unable to produce a coherent word, let alone a sentence.
“I’d like to order an iced americano.”
Why was Professor Yang here? How did he know his name? If he knew his name then why did he never ask him to share his thoughts in class? Was he really trying to ignore his existence? If yes, then why was he ignoring him? Was he deemed not good enough?
“Yes, of course. You can sit wherever you like and I’ll bring your order right over.” Daejung’s instincts kicked in and he automatically repeated the sentences that were already engraved in his brain.
When Jonghoon finished paying and finally walked over, Daejung tackled his inner turmoil all while trying to prepare the best iced americano in the world. A thousand questions were going through his mind and he found himself staring at the expresso machine, weighing the pros and cons of interrogating his professor. His manager was currently out to pick up some extra ingredients that were missing from the inventory and all the clients were already served, which meant he didn’t have to ask for permission to take a break or worry about other orders. Daejung didn’t usually make decisions on a whim, but taking into account the current circumstances, he would probably never have an opportunity like this again. Therefore, as soon as he dropped the last ice cube into the cup he was holding, he made his way toward the tall, smug man.
“Here is your iced americano, sir.”
He placed the cup on the small table. His hand was shaking so bad the coffee itself was slightly spilling. Next thing he knew, a strong hand was gripping his wrist. The contact made his skin burn and his stomach fuzzy, but it stopped his tremors. When he looked up to see the person who was holding him, he realized that Professor Yang was already staring into his soul; something that shocked him to say the least. He felt a thumb press into his pulse and he wanted to die – what the hell was the older man doing and why did it give him a sense of calmness he had never experienced before? He wanted to sit down and confront him, but he also didn’t want to part their hands. Before he got to make a decision though, he felt the smooth fingers leave their place on his skin and Daejung took that as a sign to sink into the armchair.
“I have something to ask you, professor.”
Jonghoon gave him an inquisitive yet amused look and the student interpreted it as an indication to go on.
“Why are you ignoring me in your lectures? Am I not worthy enough to answer your questions? I’ve been diligently studying all the materials you have given us. I assure you I am prepared for anything.” He tried to appear confident.
“What’s your work schedule?”
“P-pardon me?”
Professor Yang didn’t look like he was going to repeat himself.
“Uhm. I work on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. May am I ask why you are interested in my work schedule?”
“So that means you’re in charge of closing down the shop. Am I correct?”
“Yes, but sir, why are-”
“Give me your phone.”
Poor Daejung looked like he was about to have a cardiac arrest. He wasn’t understanding the whole interaction and he just wanted to bury his head in the sand. The best thing he could do was comply and agree to whatever the older man was trying to do. He handed him his phone and watched as Jonghoon fiddled with it for a while until he was done and ended it back to him, their fingers brushing during the exchange. While Daejung was trying to figure out what Yang had done to his phone, the professor got up and left the café without a word.