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Chapter 16
“Shall we listen to the radio?”
For a moment, the tension over Seunghyun’s earlier fuss faded. But soon, as always, the awkward atmosphere between them crept back, thick and unrelenting. Only the radio had the power to break it.
[“Next news: The first trial regarding bestselling author Kim Seung-beom’s traffic accident resulting in negligence-related death is scheduled for this afternoon…”]
“By the way, where are we going now?”
“I told you at the broadcasting station last week. To Kim Seung-beom’s trial.”
Chief Choi lowered the radio volume.
“Right…”
With all the chaos caused by Seunghyun, Chaerin had almost forgotten why Chief Choi had come today.
“You know, people are different in court. Under extreme situations, hidden traits show themselves.”
“Maybe… but would it really show? Or would he show it?”
She wasn’t wrong to be skeptical. In a trial attracting so much attention, would Seung-beom even reveal his true self?
“We’ll see when we get there. Let’s see how he comes across.”
Chief Choi gripped the steering wheel firmly, pressing the accelerator a little harder.
Outside the courthouse, the crowd reflected public interest: reporters and Seung-beom’s fans packed the area, leaving hardly any space to stand.
“Mr. Kim Seung-beom, how do you feel about today’s trial?”
“Do you expect a not-guilty verdict?”
As Seung-beom arrived, cameras immediately swarmed him.
“Any words for your late fiancée’s family?”
“Why do you think these things keep happening?”
Seung-beom kept his lips tightly sealed, stepping up the courthouse stairs silently.
“Are the rumors circulating related to this incident?”
A reporter’s question made him pause. He looked at the cameras around him without saying a word.
“Please say something. Are the rumors true?”
The tension thickened as his lips finally moved.
“Rumors… are just rumors.”
Firm and concise, Seung-beom spoke, then walked resolutely into the courthouse.
Inside, the courtroom was packed with people there to witness the trial. Among them, Chaerin and Chief Choi had found seats.
“Wow, this many people… he’s really popular, huh?”
Chief Choi’s eyebrows rose as he scanned the filled seats.
“He is famous these days.”
“I didn’t realize it would be this crowded.”
Voices of encouragement erupted as Seung-beom took his place in the defendant’s seat:
“Stay strong, Seung-beom!”
“We believe in you!”
“Don’t be sad, don’t cry, Seung-beom!”
Yet, he remained expressionless, his eyes fixed on the prosecutor across the room.
A short while later, a sharp-looking woman with a briefcase approached and took the seat beside him.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
She was his lawyer, carefully sorting papers, slightly nervous.
“Yes. Slept very well,” Seung-beom replied, glancing at her.
“That’s good. I didn’t sleep as well myself.”
Though not a difficult case legally, the public scrutiny made the trial inherently tense.
“You must be tired. But, Kim, you look even more radiant than usual. Did the reporters make you nervous?”
Seung-beom smiled faintly, teasing lightly—completely different from the stern, serious demeanor he had entering the courtroom. He seemed unaffected by the trial’s pressure.
“A little. But not much. I feel fine.”
She avoided his gaze, deliberately, though his calm, unsettling aura—sometimes chilling, sometimes almost manic—made her instinctively look away.
“And with such a capable lawyer by my side, what’s there to worry about? I trust you completely.”
Seung-beom’s lips curved in a small smile as he whispered into her ear, careful to cover his mouth from the public gaze.
“Don’t… worry.”
She froze for a moment at his warm breath.
“I trust you’ll handle everything cleanly today.”
Seung-beom hoped this trial would clear all the lingering rumors about him.
“All rise. The judge has entered,” called the courtroom attendant.
The judge arrived, and the chatter instantly subsided.
“Case No. 2018-GoDan-2485. Trial for negligent homicide due to traffic accident. Prosecutor, please present your case.”
“The defendant, Kim Seung-beom, on December 1, 2018, Saturday, while visiting his parents’ columbarium in Dongducheon with his fiancée, Lee Seung-hee, collided with a utility pole while avoiding an unidentified object on the road, resulting in the death of Lee Seung-hee. We request a one-year sentence under the Traffic Accident Special Act Article 3 Clause 1 and Criminal Code Article 268 for negligent homicide.”
The prosecutor read aloud the case summary and the requested sentence with confidence.
“One year?”
“One year?”
“Isn’t that too much?”
Murmurs erupted in the gallery. Even Seung-beom looked at his lawyer in disbelief.
“Do you admit the prosecutor’s claim?”
“I do not admit it.”
His lawyer stood confidently, eyes meeting Seung-beom’s knowingly, and began the defense.
“Very well. We will start with the defense’s argument.”
Kim, the lawyer, glanced at the gallery. At the front, Seung-hee’s mother sat with worry etched on her face. Slowly, the lawyer spoke:
“We do not deny that the accident was caused by our client’s actions. That is an undeniable fact, and a pain he cannot erase. But before blame or sorrow, we must examine clearly how and why this accident occurred.”
Her words, delivered while meeting the eyes of everyone in the courtroom, had the gravitas of a drama scene.
“How do you mean, ‘cause’? The cause is the defendant’s driving error, which resulted in death. That is both cause and effect.”
The prosecutor snapped back, irritated, shaking a thick folder.
“Yes, that is fact. But if you’ve read the media, you know how the press portrays our client—almost as if involved in insurance fraud, with sensational headlines.”
“What does that have to do with this case?”
“We are not simply discussing negligence. We seek to examine the true cause behind why this accident occurred.”
Seung-beom, sitting in the defendant’s seat, allowed a faint, pleased smile.
“Good. If the defense aims to uncover the cause, I will first call a witness. Judge, I request the forensic pathologist involved in this case as a witness.”
The prosecutor, smiling subtly, seemed almost pleased this would happen.
“Permission granted.”
A man from the witness waiting area strode confidently to the stand.
“Witness, please take the oath.”
“I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, under penalty of perjury.”
“Please introduce yourself.”
“Yes. I am Yoon Ju-cheol, forensic pathologist at the National Forensic Service.”
Chief Choi, in the gallery, looked surprised.
“You conducted the autopsy and full examination?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then please share your overall findings regarding this case.”
“This incident resulted from the defendant’s driving error, causing the death of the passenger.”
“What exactly was the cause of death?”
Accident photos appeared on the courtroom screen.
“As you can see, the defendant’s vehicle struck a roadside utility pole. The passenger was ejected, suffering multiple fractures and organ damage, leading to fatal hemorrhage.”
Ju-cheol, usually jovial, now exuded the charisma of a top forensic expert.
“Why was the driver only lightly injured while the passenger suffered heavily?”
“Multiple factors: initial impact with the pole on the passenger side, secondary impact with the windshield, and tertiary impact upon hitting the ground outside. This combination caused the severe injuries.”
“Was the passenger wearing a seatbelt?”
“It appears not.”
“How can you be sure?”
“In an accident of this severity, seatbelt marks should appear across the chest and abdomen, but none were found.”
He glanced between the prosecutor and Seung-beom.
“But wouldn’t a seatbelt alert have sounded?”
“A seatbelt clip blocking the alert was found inside the vehicle.”
“So, the passenger was not wearing a seatbelt?”
“Correct.”
“Understood. Now, why did the defendant swerve suddenly? Was it really to avoid the object?”
“We can analyze that using the reconstruction on the screen.”
A CG reconstruction of the crash appeared.
“What is this screen?”
“PC-Crash, a program to recreate vehicle movements. It reconstructs the accident visually.”
Everyone stared at the simulation in fascination.
“The car, moving around 60 km/h in a two-lane road, swerved multiple times across the center line before hitting the utility pole.”
“So, it was due to the object?”
“Possibly. We cannot be certain.”
“Could there have been an argument inside the car?”
The prosecutor glared at Seung-beom.
“Your Honor, the prosecution is speculating.”
Kim, the lawyer, stood, voice firm:
“We acknowledge the facts.”
The judge warned the prosecution.
“Now, the defendant will answer.”
“Why question the defendant directly?”
Kim tensed but remained silent.
“Necessary questions. Who is the beneficiary of the deceased’s life insurance?”
The prosecutor pressed, ignoring Kim.
“That would be… our client…”
Murmurs rose in the courtroom.
“It’s me. I am the beneficiary of Seung-hee’s life insurance.”
Seung-beom spoke calmly, cutting off his lawyer.
