Chapter 29

The only truth

I can’t count how many days I’ve been staying in this cell, I was held in Seoul police station for further investigation. Lisa was my lawyer, of course she was mad but the police officers has the authority to held me temporarily in here until the trial for me and my father will start the next day.

I don’t know what to react, staring at Lisa on the other side of the glass wall, holding the telephone we are using to communicate with each other.

“Baby talk, I want to know what really happened on that day. Please tell me everything”

I only stared, didn’t bother to speak as my conscience was eating me out. I killed a man, I can’t tell her that, she’ll hate me to death, she hates murderers

And I recently became one

She sighed “Jennie..please, I don’t believe them baby, I believe in you so please say something.”

“I’m so sorry Lisa” that is all I could say and burst in tears, lowering the telephone down and hid my face away from her

I can’t stare and look, I felt guilty over everything. It occurred to me now what exactly happened on that day my father kidnapped me. I remember I run away and killed Manong Juan, it was my fingerprints they found on that gun they recovered from the crime scene, and Lisa instructed me to plead not guilty so I did, even knowing I did pull that trigger, saying she wouldn’t what the police is saying and accusing me.

And then by that, my trial will be in next day.

Lisa knocks the glass, I lift my head and she signalled me to put the phone again. I did what she wanted me to do, I put the phone again on my ear as I look at her flashing a serious expression now.

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

“I did it Lisa, I did kil-

“No. No you didn’t, you only believed you did that because it is what you believe. I know you didn’t do it, and I will do everything to get you out of there” That was the last thing she said that day

I was held by two police officers walking by my sides as we head to the trial court, the media don’t know about my case. Lisa and Irish Bae really has big connections on controlling and stopping big news like this in spreading out to the public.

A male prosecutor in his coat is on the other side, while the two police men gestured me in his opposite direction next to Lisa in his professional suit, sitting on a swivel chair as she plays with her ball pen. Jin was on her other side reading documents and papers, I seated beside Lisa and she suddenly holds my hand.

Irene, Jisoo, Chaeyoung, Irish Bae, Kim Danniel and Hanbin also entered the room, Lisa suddenly stood up to say something to Kim Danniel before she seated again beside me.

“Don’t worry, this will soon be over and I assure you we will win” she smiled and caresses our ring on my left hand she’s holding. She seems confident while I only looked away and looks at the prosecutor at our front reviewing his papers

Soon enough, police officers came again and my heart started to beat mad the moment I saw my father in all smirk and his eyes immediately landed on mine, he was wearing full orange clothing from head to toe.He seated on the prosecutor’s area. Policemen was guarding him and I saw him mouthed “Come and join me in prison Nene”

I felt Lisa let go of my hand and turn hers into fist, her side profile looks so serious glaring at my father relaxing on his seat. I calmed her down by tapping her thighs, we’re in the court room, she can’t kill Pedro in here and I won’t let her kill anybody just like I did

The juries finally came and seated on their seats. I gulped, it is now starting.

“Prosecutor, please state your point to the charge”

The prosecutor stands up ”The accused Jennie Kim shoot and killed a man named Juan last twenty four of August, her fingerprints was found on the gun she left on the crime scene and was alleged by Pedro Kim, her father, was the mastermind in killing all of the Manobans four years ago. He stated Jennie Kim wanted money and revenge for what the Manobans have done so she ask Pedro Kim to do the deed. For this, the accused based on Criminal Law Article 260, is charged with murder and shall be prosecuted.”

I looked at my father unbelievably, what the hell? Did he just accused me I ordered him to kill Lisa's family? No!

I stand up “No I didn’t tell him that! He did that himself, don’t believe him!”

“Sit down Miss Kim” the jury ordered and Lisa stands up to held my shoulders and let me sit down, I looked at her “I swear I didn’t tell him to do that Lisa, please believe me..” I pleaded

She nods slightly, “I know that, please control your emotions. We’ll get this done quick” she assured me while holding my hand

“Lawyer Manoban, do you admit to the charge?”

Lisa stands up “No, I plead not guilty to the charge. The accused pleads innocence against the charge”

It is now presenting of evidence, prosecutor Lee now projects a picture of the gun my father used when he kidnapped me

“This was the gun the accused used to shoot Juan last August 24, the forensics discovered Jennie Kim’s fingerprint on the trigger, her fingerprint only. I am wondering why your fingerprint is in the gun miss Kim when you pleaded you didn’t shoot Juan?”  he stands in front of me, before I can speak up he turn and showed again another slide.

This time, it was a picture of an IOU with Joaquin’s name on it!

“This written acknowledgement of debt was named under Joaquin  De Pinili’s name, owing millions from loan sharks in exchange of his services, up until now a he hasn’t paid the total” he went again in front of me “Joaquin is your friend, right miss Kim?” 

I slowly nod as an answer, what does Joaquin have to do with my case?

The prosecutor smiled “Your honor, Jennie Kim and Joaquin De Pinili was found to have a special relationship, she lived with the man for four years in the village of Busan after Pedro fulfilled what she wanted him to do. And another one, Jennie Kim pretended to be Irene Bae for money” he gritted

I gulped, I can’t deny that

“Jennie Kim was in need of huge amount of money” he showed again another picture, it was my bank account four years ago

“Right after you accepted your job Irene Bae transferred half million in your account, I wonder why you need that kind of money miss Kim? Is it for this right?” he turn back the picture of Joaquin’s IOU

“It was to pay for your lover’s debt-

“Objection your honor, he was stating assumptions” Lisa stood up

The jury the nod and signalled the man “Go straight to the point prosecutor Lee”

The prosecutor smirked “After miss Kim’s secret was found out by the whole Manobans she went rage and ask Pedro Kim to take revenge, then after she fled and hid, she lived happily with her lover Joaquin De Pinili in Busan, putting all the blame to her father alone”

“That is not true! I – I didn’t ask him that! I run away because-

“Silence!” the jury ordered while hitting his gavel, I sighed and sits down, tearing up I look again at my father who remained smirking at my direction

“Calm down Jennie, I told you to remain calm, I got this” Lisa whispered and taps my thighs, calming me down. I took a deep breath and silently wipe my tears away

“Continue prosecutor Lee” ordered the jury

Prosecutor Lee nods and showed again another slide, this time I felt Lisa clench her fist on my side

“I object what Lawyer Manoban stated, this marriage certificate proves Jennie Kim and her man Joaquin was in fact in a relationship and were about to be married. “ and he showed again another picture of a bank account

“This was Juanito De Pinili’s bank account, Joaquin’s father. As you can see, his deposit from June last four years until last month of July was the same, depositing exact amount of money he got from his work, not until today’s month of August, a half million was deposited into his account, totalling his deposits into two million dollars. Why is that?”

My eyebrows creased, the man smirked again and showed another slide, showing another debt agreement with Joaquin’s father's name and signature was imprinted

“It was to pay off his loan from the bank, Jennie Kim used her money she got from Irene Bae to pay for her father-in-law’s loan. That’s all” he said and returned to his seat

Now it is Lisa’s turn to stand up in front of the juries. She was playing with her ball pen in front of the projected image of the gun prosecutor Lee just showed earlier.

“You said Jennie Kim’s fingerprint was on this gun right? Is it her left or right fingers?” she asked.

Prosecutor Lee nods “Yes, only her fingerprints and it is her right fingers the forensics found ”

“Then that’s the exact problem, why is her fingerprint was there? When it is not supposed to be there” she stated.

Me, the juries and prosecutor Lee looked at her confused, she walks towards in front of my father and showed some papers.

“Everything this prosecutor said was all nonsense, only stating assumptions without conducting a proper investigation. I’m afraid you won’t be successful in bringing Jennie with you to rot in prison. And I promise I will surely put you to death sentence” she warned, levelling her eyes on my father

“Objection your honor! She is threatening the spectator!

“Lawyer Manoban, continue with your defense” ordered the jury again. Lisa stands up straight and handed papers to the jury and prosecutor

“I won’t lie, I am the accused’s current fiancée” she stated. All eyes in the room widened except for me and my friends “I guess you failed to discover that since I am a very secretive person, I value privacy too much.”

“It’s not related to the case-

“It does. Jennie Kim lived with me since the month of August, since she left Busan and Joaquin. I guess you already read what those papers are all about, it is Jennie Kim’s check up for her injured right index finger she got when she visited Chou Tzuyu in the hospital, a week before the killing happened. It stated in her record that it will took two weeks for her to move her right index finger again, she can’t even slice a damn egg because her finger was injured. Now let me ask you this, why is her right index fingerprint was on the gun when she could not even move it?”

I gulped, it was true! Little by little I am now picturing what really happened that day..

The juries and the prosecutor paused, realizing Lisa’s point. While my father shifted nervously on his seat

“It is because her father forced her to shoot the gun. He wiped his fingerprints before he forced Jennie Kim to kill Juan. And also” she paused and handed again another papers

“It was her medical record after the incident happened, she got shot at the back of her right leg with a 947 calibre bullet from the gun you accused she used to kill Juan. Everyone, don’t you find it weird?” she asks as she eyed everyone and showed a picture of the bullet they got from my operation after the incident

Everyone gasp while my mouth is hanging open, this is my first time seeing her defend as a laywer and I might say, she is so damn good at this. She looked very calm and even smirking when she leaned to level again her eyes on prosecutor Lee

“Why would Jennie Kim shoot herself then? And logically speaking, how can she even shoot the back of her leg by herself without leaving any burn marks surrounding the wound?” she return standing straight and faced the juries

“Your honor, shooting yourself in a small distance using a gun would leave visible burn marks surrounding the wound, it was said in her record that none any burn marks was found on her skin after her operation." She paused and looks back and at the prosecutor's direction "That was because this man shoots Jennie Kim and forced her to kill Juan! That was the truth!” she shouted and pointed my father who is now gulping on his seat

Everyone remained silent, including prosecutor Lee who looked serious reading the paper Lisa handed while playing with his lips, “Not only you tried to shoot her, you also tried to burn her alive”

“Objection your honor, the lawyer was stating assumptions!” Prosecutor Lee stands up

“Oh yeah? Well I’m sorry I have a witness” she said in a challenging tone.

Seconds after my eyes widened as I saw Manong Tiborcio entered the court room along with another two policemen on each sides of him

Confessing he did what my father asked him to do, to spread kerosene and tried to burn me alive. He also contradicted as what the prosecutor is accusing me, that it is Pedro Kim himself shoots Manong Juan, not me.

“This is madness! You should rot in hell you fucking asshole!” someone shouted from the room that made everyone  to curse my father looking so worried on his seat.

“Silence! The trial is still on going!” three hits of the gavel from the jury everyone went all silent.

Lisa now walks towards me and levelled her eyes on mine, brown eyes are soft as she caressed my cheeks I didn’t know was already wet with my tears

“The things prosecutor Lee said, it was true. Jennie and Joaquin has a special relationship” I gasped

“Then everything was true! It was the motive why Jennie Kim ordered Pedro Kim to kill the whole Manobans!” Prosecutor Lee shouted

“Prosecutor, I’m still not done” Lisa said low, almost threatening the man who calmly seated again on his seat

“I just admit they have a special relationship but not in ordering Pedro Kim to kill my whole family!” she also shouted. She went again in front of the juries and called Irish Bae

After she called Irene’s mom as a witness, the truth started to come out. Why my father’s expression that day changed when he saw Irish, why he sneaked inside the Manoban mansion and killed all Lisa’s family

It was because he was obsessed with Irene’s mom when she visited the Philippines, he followed her here in Seoul to know her and courted her, in which Irish Bae confessed she did have a relationship with him but she broke up when the Bae’s family arranged Irene’s mom to marry someone, and that was Irene’s father in New York.

And I started to shake when Lisa is starting to say my father’s real name was Pedro D. Makabuntis, a pure Filipino who kidnapped a four year old girl and treated her as his own, change his name to seek revenge to Irish Bae.

“And that little girl is Jennie, Jennie Ruby Jane Kim.” she paused in front of me

My world stops for a moment, flashes of continuous pictures about the dream I dreamed that day was flashing in the back of my mind, staring deep into Lisa’s brown eyes everything went clear now

Everything..

“Go play with her Lisa and Leo, don’t hurt Ruby Jane okay?"

“Wanna play?”

“Let’s build sand castle Rj! Let’s beat Leo’s castle!”

“Hmp Lisa you’re unfair! Let Rj will be the judge!”

“Okay! Rj you choose which sand castle will be the winner okay?”

“Hmm! Okay! Rj will choose who’s the winner!”

“It’s okay Rj, I will punch Leo’s face, don’t cry Lili will also be sad”

“I hate him! Barney is really scary! Rj is scared when Liyow scared me with his mask!”

“It’s okay, I will scold him”, “Don’t cry okay? Let’s go to Leo and make him apologize to you”

“Let’s go out and kill Barney!”

“What’s wrong Lili?”

“I heard dad said he will marry me to a girl I don’t know, I don’t want to be married Rj..”

“That’s baaaad, who’s the girl?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask”

“Yehey Lisa is getting married!"

“Rj let’s get married when we grew up!”

“But Lili you’re a girl, we can’t!”

“We caaaan, I promise I will give you lots of Barney teddy bear and lollipops if you will marry me!

“But I hate Barneeey..”

“It’s fine, I have lots of teddy bears in my house except Barney! Marry me Rj!”

“Promise you will give Rj lots of lollipops?”

“Hmm! Pinkie promise!”

“Okay! Rj and Lili will marry each other when they grew up!”

“Jennie Kim was my Rj, the little girl I promised to marry in the future, granddaughter of Kim David, a elite business man who own big universities and law firms across the whole South Korea. Daughter of Kim Danniel and Irish Bae, sister of my friend Irene Bae,  that is the truth about her identity. She’s not the daughter of the fucking murderer that killed my whole family, if you question this my friend Dr. Kang Seulgi can prove that”

She called Seulgi to show to the jury the DNA test she secretly conducted behind my back while I am still staying at the hospital, while I was left dumbfounded the whole time, I can’t even speak a single word as I saw Lisa explaining and showing consecutive evidences about my true identity my father that I knew since kid tried to hide from me

I don’t know what to feel, I only know I was crying in silence as I tried to look at Kim Danniel’s longing eyes and Irish Bae’s soft eyes, then to Irene who was already crying along with Jisoo and Chaeyoung shushing my friend off their side

“This fucking man deserve a death sentence, he killed my whole family and even kidnapped and tried to kill an innocent little girl who wanted to reach her dream he fucking forbidden her to reach. That’s why Jennie Kim pretended as Irene Bae, to earn money so she can reach her dreams here in Seoul. She was a pure innocent girl, who lived strong despite the darkness this world is giving her”

She paused again to wipes the endless tears on my face, I was already sobbing while she’s doing that. She smiled and nods her head at Jin, who also nod and took out a familiar bag I remembered Irene gave me that night she made me run away from Jeju.

I gasped, where did she get that?

She took out the still not encash check Irene gave me, the two keys and a phone, she showed it to the juries and to the prosecutor “Jennie Kim didn’t use any of this things or awards Irene gave her after she fulfilled her job, not a single amount of money she used to pay for Joaquin’s father loan came from her account or any of this. That was my money she used. Everything the prosecutor Lee said was all assumptions, this is the truth, the only truth. Jennie Kim is innocent and not involved in any crimes the prosecutor is charging”

All of the people in court room stayed silent, even prosecutor Lee’s expression showed defeat and he just slumped on his seat, nodding his head at Lisa who shook his hand.

Soon enough after further discussion the court declared I am acquit, which made my father went rage and to shout in distress.

I looked at him sadly, I still can’t believe he did this to me, he took my everything, my dreams and even tried to kill me for his own selfish reasons

Lisa smiled at me before she pulled me into her arms, the moment she said “ I told you we will win” I cried again on her chest

“Lisa I-I don’t know how thank you, oh my god thank you-so muc-ch..”

“Shh it’s okay, I love you and you are my responsibility. You gave me hope to live my life after I almost lost myself, it is my turn to give you back your everything baby.. “ she paused and kissed the top of my head “My Rj..”

I cried even more, in my