“W-What is this nonsense? Your Honor. All three defendants are still minors, high school students. For juvenile delinquents, rehabilitation and education should take precedence over harsh penalties rather than punishment!”
“That’s a laughable assertion. Minors, one would think, should be even more mindful of their future, to the point of never even contemplating criminal acts.”
“They’re just minors, so they won’t go to jail anyway. They’ll only get a slap on the wrist. These are precisely the notions held by juvenile offenders, including these very defendants.”
Unlike the previous counsel, this lawyer displayed a commendable fervor in their defense, which was genuinely pleasant to witness.
But what does it matter? The outcome, after all, remains unchanged.
“I implore you to give further deliberation as to whether denying these individuals the chance to grow into upright members of society truly aligns with the restoration of the victim and the principles of social justice.”
“Depriving them of the opportunity to grow into upright individuals, you say… Might that sentiment not be more aptly applied to the victim?”
“The defendants trampled upon the victim’s formative years and condemned them to live a life of disability.”
“Who, then, truly deprived another of the chance to grow? Who perpetrated an act so utterly misaligned with the very essence of social justice?”
“Does the defense counsel still not understand?”
At my final question, the defense counsel’s lips pressed into a firm line.
Then, casting a look of utter contempt upon the silent lawyer, Kim Tae-hoon, the principal architect of this entire affair, elevated his voice.
“…Stop this charade! Let’s have a re-trial of this verdict, Your Honor.”
Although a touch of informality still laced his words, it was genuinely moving to hear our Tae-hoon finally address me with proper deference.
I felt as if tears of poignant emotion might well up.
“No way~ What kind of bullshit is 55 years?! f*ck, why don’t you just give me the death penalty?”
At his words, a laugh involuntarily escaped me.
It wasn’t that I laughed because he had reverted to informal speech mere seconds after employing honorifics, though, upon reflection, that too possesses a certain humorous absurdity.
At any rate, the true impetus for my laughter stemmed from his flippant mention of the death penalty.
“How old is the defendant currently?”
“Seventeen. Can’t you tell by looking?”
“Then, would you care to add 55 years to that?”
“Seventy…”
Kim Tae-hoon faltered, unable to complete the number, and instead let loose a string of curses.
“Haaah… Fuuuck…”
‘It wasn’t that the rascal was incapable of simple addition, thus failing to utter the trailing digit.’
‘No, he had simply come to the chilling realization of how utterly bleak his own future now appeared.’
“Did you enjoy your 17 years in society? For you, the next taste of freedom in society will be 55 years from now.”
“But… will ‘society’ truly feel like freedom to you even after 55 years?”
“Aside from your fleeting adolescence, the vast majority of your lives will be spent within the confines of a prison. And only after an exceedingly long passage of time—to be precise, not until you’ve reached your seventies—will you be granted the opportunity to re-enter society.”
As if conjuring images of their septuagenarian selves within their minds, Lee Hae-jun and Choi Ji-gang’s countenances, too, darkened with the same profound gravity as Kim Tae-hoon’s.
“By then, society will have undergone many changes. People like your parents will no longer be in this world.”
“Consider this: if teenagers, having spent their formative years under their parents’ wings and never truly experiencing a proper social life, are sent to prison, only to emerge into society in their seventies after serving 55 long years…”
“What, then, will you truly be able to accomplish in society?”
‘They’ll be utterly useless, wouldn’t they?’
‘Their age would preclude them from finding any employment. From an employer’s perspective, why would one ever hire ex-convicts with 55-year sentences?’
‘They likely wouldn’t even manage to secure a part-time gig, would they?’
“If I were in your shoes… I daresay I’d find myself longing for the prison, which at least offers a modicum of sustenance, rather than confronting the cold, unforgiving realities of society.”
“For individuals such as yourselves, the death penalty would, paradoxically, be a merciful sentence.”
“You will languish and decay within prison walls for the remainder of your lives. You will, perhaps, even cling to the faint hope of one day rejoining society, and then, inevitably, you will question whether that very hope is, in fact, a blessing or a curse.”
“And ultimately… after such an interminable period spent in confinement, might you not finally come to harbor genuine remorse and regret for your actions against the victim?”
“This, then, is precisely why I have chosen to impose upon you a lengthy sentence of 55 years’ imprisonment, rather than the death penalty.”
Having wished to commend Kim Tae-hoon for silently enduring my protracted discourse, I turned my gaze to the defendant’s face.
Yet, defendant Kim Tae-hoon’s expression was not one of reflection, but of an agitation so profound it seemed he might burst.
“…Hey! f*ck! If I tell my dad, he can overturn this whole damn trial!”
‘What? Why is he suddenly going off the rails?’
Kim Tae-hoon huffed and puffed, babbling even more.
“You haven’t a clue who my father is, do you? My dad is acquainted with all the most prominent politicians!”
‘Oh, really now~’
‘It was a declaration of filial pride so grand it would surely move Kim Tae-hoon’s father to tears of profound emotion, were he to hear it.’
‘Yet, what exactly was I meant to do with this information?’
“Ah, if I recall correctly, wasn’t your father merely a village headman?”
“He’s not ‘merely’ a village headman, you insolent bastard! He’s a district mayor! And come next year’s general election, he’s set to become a National Assembly member!”
“My, what extraordinary filial devotion! But I wonder, will your father, in turn, harbor the same unwavering affection for you?”
“When his own child, a delinquent, has utterly ruined another’s life through school violence and now faces trial, will that man truly be able to stand as a candidate for the National Assembly next year?”
Kim Tae-hoon was trembling, his fists tightly clenched.
‘Do you still not understand what you’ve done?’
“You have, with your very own hands, directly obstructed the promising path of the father you so profoundly respect and cherish. You’re likely in for quite the reprimand from him when you return home.”
“Ah, but then again, you’ll be heading straight to prison, so returning home won’t be an option. And in 55 years, your father will no longer be among the living…”
“Oh, how utterly, utterly tragic~”
Matching the frantic shifts of Kim Tae-hoon’s severely trembling eyes, I subtly tilted my head and offered a small, knowing smile.
The erratic pace, however, proved more challenging than anticipated to synchronize with.
“Well now, do any of you have any further statements you wish to make? Even if not Mr. Kim Tae-hoon, Mr. Choi Ji-gang and Mr. Lee Hae-jun are equally welcome to speak their minds.”
Upon hearing my invitation, Choi Ji-gang, who had momentarily faltered, abruptly sprang to his feet.
“Ah, so you do have something to convey. Officer, might you please pass the microphone to defendant Choi Ji-gang?”
‘The cacophony of Kim Tae-hoon thrashing his head and nervously shaking his leg beside them was so overwhelming that I doubted Choi Ji-gang’s voice would carry.’
“Yes… What I want to say is… Could you please reduce it a little…? Your Honor.”
“Reduce what? You haven’t specified the object, so I’m not quite sure. Your hair seems a bit long; shall I call a barber for you?”
“The sentence, Your Honor… I know our crimes are serious. But even so, does it make sense to receive the same sentence as *him*?”
Choi Ji-gang pointed a finger at Kim Tae-hoon beside him.
‘Hmm… while it’s true they are all culpable as defendants, given their roles as co-conspirators and so forth…’
‘Yet, if one were to truly assess the gravity of their crimes, as Choi Ji-gang suggested, his culpability is indeed distinctly different from Kim Tae-hoon’s.’
‘However, I harbored no desire to simply grant a reduction.’
‘Thus, after a period of deep contemplation, a rather splendid idea dawned upon me.’
“Yes, very well. I shall make a special reduction for Mr. Choi Ji-gang and Mr. Lee Hae-jun.”
“Y-You mean… really?”
It was a question echoed by Lee Hae-jun, whose sentiments mirrored Choi Ji-gang’s.
“Of course. I can certainly reduce it for you. However… there is one condition.”
“What is it?”
Choi Ji-gang and Lee Hae-jun both swallowed hard, their gazes fixed intently on my lips, awaiting my next words.
“It’s quite simple. For every year I reduce your sentence, I will increase Kim Tae-hoon’s sentence by two years.”
“And naturally, this calculation applies individually to Mr. Choi Ji-gang and Mr. Lee Hae-jun. If both your sentences are reduced by one year each, Mr. Kim Tae-hoon’s sentence will be extended by four years.”
“No, you f*cking bastard! Why are you picking on me when I’m just sitting here?!”
‘That’s the price for addressing our Seon-ah (TL Note: Im Seon-ah, a female character) in such a vulgar and greasy manner as ‘Noona’ (TL Note: A Korean term used by males to refer to an older female friend or sibling).’
‘There’s nothing to be done, Tae-hoon. Just accept it.’
“D-Do we… perhaps need his consent to reduce the sentence?”
Referring to Kim Tae-hoon as ‘him,’ Choi Ji-gang looked at me with desperate eyes.
“Hmm, I wonder~ But you two have been friends for quite a long time. Surely, Mr. Tae-hoon, you could do that much for a friend, couldn’t you?”
Kim Tae-hoon frowned, casting a scornful glance at Choi Ji-gang, his long-time friend, who stood beside him.
“…Hey, how am I your friend, Choi Ji-gang? You’re just a hanger-on who latches onto me because I’m popular.”
‘Oh dear. Those words are a bit harsh.’
“Ha… What you’re saying is pretty messed up, isn’t it…?”
‘Oh, how amusing. Shall I make this even more entertaining?’
“Believing in the strength of your friendship and loyalty, I will not require Mr. Kim Tae-hoon’s permission.”
“I will transfer the reduction in sentence to Mr. Kim Tae-hoon based solely on the opinions of Mr. Lee Hae-jun and Mr. Choi Ji-gang.”
Upon hearing my words, Choi Ji-gang smirked and looked at Kim Tae-hoon.
“Hey, hey… Ji-gang, I spoke too harshly. I was just joking. We’re super close, aren’t we?”
Kim Tae-hoon, sensing the chilling atmosphere, looked at his friend with a desperate gaze, his tone much friendlier than before.
“Indeed, we are very close. In that spirit, can’t you make a sacrifice for me, Tae-hoon?”
Choi Ji-gang, however, couldn’t care less about Kim Tae-hoon.
