I clearly found myself in the courthouse, even though just moments ago I was surrounded by reporters at the entrance.

...I wasn't actually unconscious, just completely overwhelmed.

With dozens of people crowding around me, shoving microphones in my face and flashing cameras until my eyes hurt, I thought I was going to lose my mind.

If Hyun hadn't been there, I would've either fled or lost my composure and started babbling nonsense.

One wrong word and I would've fallen into the abyss.

*Thank goodness Hyun is here...*

I mean that literally, nothing more. Without Hyun, I would've been trembling alone in that situation.

Actually, without Hyun, I wouldn't even be here at all.

I'd probably be in Harmageddon's hands, being transformed into a real monster.

Like that huge beast I saw at the hospital, I would've been writhing in agony somewhere until heroes subdued and killed me.

—It hurts... Stop it...

My hands started trembling just from the memory. But maybe I've improved from living with Hyun, because after stopping to catch my breath, the trembling quickly subsided.

Hyun, who had been walking beside me, noticed immediately when I stopped and turned to look at me.

"Are you okay?"

"...I'm fine. Just, my body's shaking a bit."

I showed him my trembling hands and smiled bitterly. Hyun looked at my hands and silently patted my back.

Not in an annoying way, but like an adult who doesn't know how to comfort a child.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing, just trying to help you relax."

That made me snort indignantly.

"You think I'm always tense or something?"

"Is that why you were perfectly fine trembling in front of reporters while clutching your plushie?"

...That bastard.

How dare he use facts against me? Fight fair with propaganda and fabrication.

Oh, but then journalists would always win.

After his comment ruined my efforts to forget, I sighed and said:

"Shut up, asshole... It's embarrassing..."

"For someone saying that, your body's being pretty honest."

Hyun grinned and looked down at the plushie I was holding.

"What the hell. Should I just throw it on the floor and leave it?"

"You could've left it in the car."

Attacking with facts again.

I pressed my lips together, having nothing to say, and Hyun chuckled as he stroked my plushie.

"Well, taking a comfort toy from a child would be cruel."

"Don't treat me like a kid."

I glared at him with half-closed eyes, and Hyun just shrugged.

He didn't say anything, but his expression clearly said, "Don't act like a child if you don't want to be treated like one."

*He's right, but...*

Technically I am a child, but that's beside the point—it didn't feel good.

It's not pleasant being treated like a kid by your childhood friend.

There's a reason defamation by truth exists.

I glared at Hyun's shins, which were just a leg stretch away, then sighed deeply.

Right... He's just trying to encourage me because he's worried, so I shouldn't respond with violence.

As I took a deep breath to compose myself, Hyun delivered another blow.

"You are a kid, though."

Well, that changes things.

I smiled sweetly at Hyun for deliberately provoking me and giving me justification, then delivered a low kick to the back of his knee.

"Ugh!?"

"Don't pretend it hurts. I know it doesn't."

I barely put any strength into it...

Sure enough, after brushing off the back of his knee, Hyun straightened up and vigorously ruffled my hair.

"Kid, if it weren't for me, your leg would've broken, you punk."

"No, damn it! My hair! Don't touch it!"

I shook my head wildly trying to push his hand away, but somehow he skillfully followed my movements and kept messing up my hair.

As I was considering kicking him again, I noticed a large man with a golden badge on his chest approaching from behind Hyun.

What's this? A gorilla?

As soon as I made eye contact with the intimidating man, I shut my mouth and watched him cautiously, but Hyun, either oblivious or thoughtless, kept ruffling my hair.

Could he really not notice someone coming?

Feeling like I might get in trouble too, I glared at Hyun and mouthed:

*You crazy bastard, someone's coming!*

"What?"

*Behind you! Someone's coming!*

I tried to tell him by moving my lips, but the man approached faster than Hyun could catch on.

Expecting to get kicked out, I squeezed my eyes shut, then heard what I assumed was the man's voice.

"Senior, please keep quiet inside the courthouse."

What?

Did I hear that right? Senior?

I opened my eyes in surprise to see the man looking troubled as he stood in front of Hyun.

Thinking I might be seeing things wrong, I blinked hard, but nothing changed.

"Even if you're Senior Choi Hyun, I'll have to ask you to leave if you make a disturbance in the courthouse."

The man said this while shaking his head, and Hyun looked at him and apologized with an awkward smile.

"Ah, sorry. Our little one here seems really nervous, so I was trying to help them relax."

"...?"

What's happening right now?

This isn't some hidden camera prank... So he's really Hyun's junior?

—Hey, isn't this fucking ridiculous?

I couldn't believe that this normal-looking person could be this idiot's junior, so I kept looking back and forth between them until the man looked at me.

He really did look like a gorilla. He resembled one so much that the thought came to me unconsciously.

"Senior, is this the..."

"Yeah, that's right. The kid from Seongmo Hospital. Name's Yu Sia."

Hyun said this while trying to put his hand on top of my head again, but I immediately pulled my head back to avoid his hand and frowned at him.

Chuckling for some reason, Hyun lowered his hand and said:

"As you can see, quite a prickly kid."

"Yes, I can see that."

"Oh, and this is Gorilla. He used to be an A-Class Hero, but now he's retired and works as the team leader of the courthouse security management team, my junior."

He did look a lot like a gorilla, but I never thought that would actually be his name.

I blinked at the man, who sighed deeply and shook his head.

"Senior, you're making the kid misunderstand."

After saying that, the man knelt on one knee to meet my eye level.

"My name isn't Gorilla, it's Go Il-Nam. That uncle over there was just joking, so please don't misunderstand."

That's basically the same thing though.

I swallowed the words I almost blurted out and nodded.

The man seemed satisfied and nodded as he stood up.

"You're up next, so get ready."

"Are you allowed to tell me that?"

"Well... it doesn't really matter. You're not a third party, you're directly involved. Anyway, I'm going back to my post, so please don't cause any more disturbances."

"Alright, I got it. Go on."

The man nodded lightly and returned to his position, and Hyun gestured for me to follow him.

Walking down the now suffocatingly quiet corridor, unlike before, I finally felt the reality of being in a courthouse.

And the fact that I was going to be on trial here.

"..."

Despite all the lights being on, there was something eerily gloomy about the corridor that made just walking through it mentally draining.

Was that why he had been joking around earlier, trying to help me relax in this atmosphere?

Realizing this belatedly, I sighed deeply, and Hyun patted my shoulder.

"...What."

"Don't be too nervous. I'll take care of everything."

"...Okay."

I should trust him.

Whenever Hyun said he'd take care of things, everything always worked out well.

Should I trust him this time too...?

...Wait. Something's not right.

"Why are you saying you'll take care of everything for a trial? Isn't a lawyer supposed to come and defend me? That's how it works in movies and dramas."

"That's right."

His calm nod made my eye twitch.

"No, not 'that's right.' This is a trial. We're not here for some class mock trial or play, but a real trial. So why are you saying you'll take care of everything?"

"Because I'm your defense attorney."

"What...did you say...?"

Did I hear that wrong? Hyun is my lawyer? For real?

I stared blankly at Hyun with my mouth open, then pointed at him and then back at myself.

"Yes, exactly what you're thinking. I'm your lawyer."

At those words, everything around me seemed to turn white.

Hyun is my lawyer...

For a moment, I had a vision of a judge frantically banging a gavel and shouting "Death penalty!" followed by me being locked behind bars.

"Ah... I'm doomed..."

I should have lived a good life... No, I should have lived doing nothing, quiet as a mouse.

I should have just stayed in the hospital. Why did I go outside for a walk and end up like this...

"Tuna plushie, I'm sorry... You'll be saying goodbye soon too..."

"Hey! I'll have you know I'm a real lawyer who graduated from law school! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to work as a hero during the day and study law at night!? Huh!?"

Hyun shouted, but honestly, I couldn't believe it.

The guy who ate and played with me went to law school? That doesn't make any sense.

"Senior, please be quiet...!"

"Ah, sorry."

In the end, I entered the courtroom feeling like I was being dragged to the execution chamber.

By the way, they took my plushie before I entered. The reason was that you can't bring anything into the courtroom.