Left At The Alter

💍Chapter 23 - Verdict

⏳️
Months later, August 28

Much like his wedding, Namjoon's trial garnered attention both locally and overseas. Many tuned in online, and those who could make it gathered outside the courthouse.

Inside, he was nervously awaiting his sentencing. These past few weeks drained him not just physically but mentally as he was rightfully shamed on every media platform. Legal fees hurt him financially, but what added even more strain to his pockets was the upgrade to his security detail.

He amped up security when Armys started to threaten him left, right, and centre. He was no safer inside the courthouse as well as Jungkook's father had to be restrained after attacking him.

Whatever the verdict, he knew his life was over. He turned his attention to the judge and silently prayed for mercy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm informed you have a verdict. Is that correct?"
"Yes, your honour."
"Is it unanimous?"
"Yes, your honour."

Namjoon's heart felt like it would pierce through his chest the way it was hammering against his ribcage. He looked to his attorney for some reassurance, but the woman turned her head away. She knew they had lost the case. The evidence was too much against him. He wasn't going to weasel himself out of this.

"Has it been signed by your foreperson?"
"It has, your honour."

Namjoon wetted his lips anxiously. His ex Jungkook was not too far away, seemingly in a better emotional state than he was. It confirmed Namjoon's suspicion that Jungkook had changed a lot since the breakup. His demeanour was different. He was a lot more confident, and while testifying, Jungkook stared him dead in the eyes.

The old Jungkook would be too scared to even be in the same room.

If he was being honest, Jungkook's transformation left him feeling intimidated.

"We the jury find the defendant Kim Namjoon guilty of Murder, First Degree as charged in Count 1."

As soon as the foreperson uttered the word guilty, a loud hollering rocked the courtroom. It was Namjoon's mother. Up until this point, she was in denial of her son's crimes. She was convinced Jungkook was lying in an attempt to punish him for breaking up with him. "DON'T TAKE MY SON AWAY! GOD! PLEASE! GIVE MY SON A CHANCE! HAVE MERCY ON MY SON!"

"Please escort her outside," the nonchalant judge ordered to two nearby bailiffs. "Everyone, please refrain from disturbing the court."

When the two heavy set men came and scooped her up, the foreperson continued.
"As for Count 2, we, the jury, find the defendant Kim Namjoon guilty of Attempted Murder, First Degree.
As for Count 3, we the jury find the defendant Kim Namjoon guilty of Aggravated Assault."

The judge listened intently until it was his turn to speak. "Kim Namjoon, prior to his relationship with you, Kim Seokjin would have been madly in love with someone else. When that relationship failed, Seokjin was unable to move on and hired you as a hitman for his ex's new lover, Lee Sang-Yeob. You confessed to killing him in cold blood. Your heartlessness caused Jin's ex to commit suicide and soon, you started an affair with Jin,now deceased."

'Deceased.' That hurt Namjoon even more knowing that Jin's family never allowed him to attend the funeral, which was held a few days after he tried to kill Jungkook. The family didn't want any backlash.

"After finding out that Seokjin was murdered, you assumed Jungkook, your ex-fiancé who you left at the altar, killed him in an act of revenge. You thought he was a savage like you and your deceased lover. Using a key to his apartment that he entrusted to you back when you were together, you went inside and tried to drown him in his bathtub."

Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut and repeated to himself, 'Calm down, relax. I'm safe.'

Yes, he was mentally in a better place than he was in 3 months ago, but he was not exempt from PTSD. Fortunately, Dr. Sung taught him about how self-talk can be used to draw oneself back to the present when triggered. 'Focus on the sound of the judge's voice. Focus.'

"Do you know how much of a savage you have to be to try and hold someone underwater? Someone you claimed to love less than a month before that? Not only that, you tried to kill another person when they caught you walking away from the act. Savage. Heartless. Cold."

Namjoon hung his head, unable to look the judge in the eye. It was like being reprimanded in front of the entire school by the principal, just that he wasn't going to be punished with detention afterwards. He was going to be punished with years behind bars.

"Your defense attorney tried to make the case that you were heavily disguised and that it was impossible to identify you, but CCTV footage caught when you removed your balaclava mask after you escaped outside. On top of that, your fingerprints were on the gun you left behind in Jungkook's residence. You are truly a terrible person."

The judge's scathing remarks let Namjoon know that neither his nor his mother's prayers of mercy worked. "Kim Namjoon, your sentence is life in prison without parole."

Upon hearing the verdict, Namjoon's knees buckled underneath him, and his tall frame came tumbling down.

Jungkook looked on as they cuffed his unconscious ex and carried his body out of the courtroom. He felt no remorse for him.

Life without parole meant that he'd never be a free man. To a man in Namjoon's position, suicide would be a far better option, but death eluded him.

Given his importance to the case, Taehyung was also in attendance. He must have been the happiest in the room after hearing the verdict, though he had great concern for Jungkook.

Jungkook exuded strength throughout the case but one's strength can wane. Taehyung was swift enough to clock when Jungkook showed vulnerability, and all he wanted to do in that moment was to hold him.

Thankfully, the verdict meant that he'd have plenty of time to do that in their lovenest.

⏳️
Outside the courthouse

"Jungkook! How does it feel now that RM is finally going behind bars?"

"Jungkook, were you aware of RM's first Murder case? Were you aware that he killed someone?"

"Jungkook, when will you come out of hiatus?"

"Jungkook, do you plan to visit RM in prison?"

Despite Jungkook's security trying their best to fend off the paparazzi, they still managed to bombard him with questions. There was something nauseating about how they were basically shoving the mic into his mouth, begging for any kind of response.

If he swatted one of the mics from their hands, they could sue him. Therefore, his best bet was to wade through the crowd until he got to his limousine.

"Jungkook, do you feel sorry for Namjoon? After all, you did love him for 5 years."

"Jungkook, can you tell us how-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" a husky voice barked from behind. "He's not taking any questions!"

That voice was all too familiar. Taehyung forced himself in front of Jungkook and held him hand with a grip that was a little too tight, but Jungkook didn't complain.

"Move out the way and give him some space! He's not taking any questions!" Taehyung reiterated, much to the paparazzi's annoyance. "Have some decency!"

His booming voice shook them to their core and the crowd parted to let them through.

Jungkook found it humorous. "Thank you but why are you doing this for me?" He asked loud enough for him to hear.
Taehyung looked back at him, eyes expressing so much love that from them came a sense of home. "I'm your bodyguard, remember?"