Chapter Text
—"Do you remember how he looked like?"
My eyes scanned the room, i could sense the people wanted me to remember.
—"yes."
—"..then I'll show you a couple of pictures. If you see him, point it out, okay?"
—"okay."
The woman started to place pictures on the table infront of me, one by one.
I couldn't remember his face but.. i guess i did? I wasn't sure anymore.
Each picture the woman placed infront of me, the more I seemed to remember.
The alleyway, the smell of his jacket, and his hands. That face.. wait i do remember now.
My hands rose slowly, it shook unintentionally.
I didnt want to see the man's face again but i didnt really have any choice.
The crowd didnt seem surprised because they knew who it was already.
They told me the defense attorney 'wanted' confirmation to believe it was his client.
A heavy silence filled the courtroom, broken only by the defense attorney clearing his throat.
He stood up slowly adjusting his suit.
—"Let the record show, that the witness has identified the photograph of my client, Mr. Kang. "
His eyes turned back to me
—"A moment ago, you said you couldn't remember his face. You said you weren't sure. Isn't it true that you are letting the trauma of that night fill in the blanks for you?"
—"Objection, Your Honor,"
My prosecutor's voice was heard loud and clear.
—"Counsel is badgering the witness."
—"Sustained,"
—"Rephrase, counselor."
The attorney just took a step closer to my stand.
—"Let me ask it this way, Mr. Ahn."
—"Can you say, with absolute one-hundred percent, that you are remembering his face, and not just a face the police put in front of you?"
—"it's him." I whispered.
The attorney scoffed at me as if mocking me.
"I'm sorry, we need you to speak into the microphone for the court record."
My knuckles gripped the table corners until they turned white.
—"it's him, "I remember the smell of his jacket. I remember his hands. It’s him."
—"The smell of his jacket,"
The attorney repeated smoothly, turning back to the judge.
—"Your Honor, the victim claims to remember distinct sensory details, yet the medical and police reports from that night show the victim was in a state of severe hemorrhagic shock.
—"A doctor would clearly state that cognitive distortion and false memory creation are incredibly common under such trauma."
He looked back at me, his eyes were cold and unkind.
—"You want someone to blame, Keonho. That is entirely fair."
—"But sending an innocent man to prison based on the scent of a jacket and a dark alleyway? That is not justice."
"No further questions, your honour."
"You may step down, Keonho," the judge said softly.
I didn't remember when or how i went back to my seat but i sensed the tension in the air.
It was time the closing arguments came from the defense.
They brought up the man's previous broken record.
They brought up his 'deep regrets.' They even hinted that because he had been drinking heavily that night, he wasn't in his right mind.
The judge cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses as he looked down at his papers.
—"The court has reviewed the evidence, the gravity of the crime, and the mitigating circumstances regarding the defendant’s state of mind,"
the judge announced.
—"defendant Kang Min-jae is found guilty of choking and groping Ahn Keonho."
—"resulting from this torture. The victim has been wounded with a broken arm and permanant trauma."
—"he is responsible for scarring the victim and his family for life."
—"also having past records of abuse, he must be punished severely.."
Murmurs immediately filled the room, "thats right." "He deserves it."
—"however, the defendant was intoxicated and doesn't seem to remember anything."
—"to the defendant, Kang,"
—"under the act on special cases concerning sexual assault, Article 9."
—"article 7.. and article 14."
—"he is sentenced to 12 years in prison"