#poly ateez

- ENHYPEN version for Roots Reconnected is now up !! With episodes 1, 2 and 3 hehehehe

- ATEEZ version of Roots Reconnected now has episodes 8, 9 and 10 up !

- Phoenix episode 17 🐤🔥 is now up

Lexi strutted towards the witness stand, sporting a structured pantsuit that flattered her curves and a chocolate brown bob wig. She sent a smirk to Y/N and a sweet smile towards the front of the room, probably for Liam. Y/N had been able to call her a couple of weeks back to catch up and it seemed like there was real progress there.

Y/N's defense attorney stood in front of her, slightly more relaxed than before. Lexi had that aura and she couldn't blame the guy.

"Alexis, you were brought here today as a positive character witness for Y/N. You have been friends with her for a long time yes?"

"Since we were children. We are practically sisters honestly."

"So you know her well then?"

"Better than she knows herself sometimes."

"That's good. I am glad she has you. Now Alexis, how would you describe your friend?"

"BEST friend, and she is amazing. She is honest, determined, hardworking, and brave. Also a wonderful listener. I can go to her with anything, and I have... believe me. I am not surprised she ended up with 8 soulmates. Despite her mother's claims, I think it is a mark of how kind and loving she is. That her heart can open to all of them shows in leaps and bounds how wonderful she is. Also that the universe deemed fit she was worthy of it. "

At this, Y/N grabbed a tissue to catch the tears pouring down her face. Seonghwa massaged her shoulders and Lexi shot her a wink.

"That is lovely. What of her relationship with her family?"

"Trash, all of them honestly. I have known that girl since she was nine and not one time have I heard them issue her a compliment. By 14 she was living with her gram, who was a gem by the way. She supported Y/N, let her build studio in her room. She was deaf and couldn't even hear the damned music but knew it was her passion. That is love. Unconditional. Once they found out she was actually able to support herself and that house after Gram died, they tried calling her up for money, stating she owed them for the disgrace she became and the shame at their church. They don't know her and don't care to. Period."

Yeosang's lip curled in disgust at hearing the description of her family, surely remembering his last interaction with her father.

"Final question Alexis. Though you weren't there at the incident in question, would you think her capable of the charges in question."

"No. Not at all. We all saw that tape too. Showed my girl getting attacked first."

"Thank you for your time today. No more questions."

Mr. Lim made his way back to the table and Melody made her way towards the stand, adjusting her skirt.

"Alexis, you said she is basically your family so your perspective may be skewed a bit yes?"

"Not as skewed as those extensions."

A few chortles from both sides of the screen could be heard.

The judge, hiding his own smirk, chided her. "Miss Alexis, refrain from insulting counsel please."

"Apologies, I will try my best your honor."

Melody sighed discontentedly, red in the face, and continued.

"You have benefitted more than just having an open ear from this friendship, yes?"

"I don't get what your implying."

"Didn't Y/N gift you her Gram's house once she moved to Korea? Wouldn't testifying against her risk your home?"

A few mutters echoed across the courtroom, with Y/N's father standing.

"She gave YOU THE HOUSE?"

"Sir sit down or you will be found in contempt."

Y/N's father threw himself in his seat but his face was rageful.

"Please proceed Alexis."

"Thank you. Obviously, Melody, ya didn't do your research. I am living in the house yes, but I am not dependent on it and it isn't in my name. Also my soulmate would care for me if I lost this house, which I wouldn't. I am caring for the home she was raised in upon HER REQUEST. She had to move to Korea and wanted someone she trusted to care for it."

"She bought your defense with it didn't she?"

"She had me move in before you started these crazy charges so unless she can see the future, I am gonna have to go with no."

Flustered, Melody muttered "No more questions." before stomping to her seat.

Mr Lim stands and states. " I will call Amber Sotheby to the stand."

Amber makes her way to the stand, repping her own store's brand in a pinstripe suit with a studded collar, giving it that punk edge.

"Miss Sotheby, you were there during the incident in question correct?"

"Yes, I am the owner of the boutique where the incident took place and Melody's former boss."

"So you witnessed the incident correct?"

"Yes."

"Also, you mentioned Melody as a former employee."

"Yes, her treatment of Y/N and Hongjoong was a final strike. She was terminated right before the confrontation."

"I see. Can you tell me, before we see the video, your version of events?"

"Well, Hongjoong has requested the store closed for a private fitting that day, which I did. I knew it was for a woman as but didn't know it was his soulmate until they walked in. Melody was their personal shopper. At first they were having fun and she was looking killer in the outfits." She shot Y/N a sasy wink. "After a bit though with the second round of clothes, she didn't come out for a while. I saw Hongjoong run into the fitting room in concern. I figured maybe they were getting frisky in there before I saw him storm over to the counter with the clothes Melody had picked. He accused Melody of changing the size of the clothing to make his girl uncomfortable."

"Had Melody presented this behavior before?"

"Sadly yes. She was always a pick me. Especially to our celebrity clients. She had previously slipped her phone number in a few of their pockets which I had received a couple of complaints from wives."

"So do you believe that is what fueled her behavior that day?"

"Yes. She was very friendly with Hongjoong, which he completely ignored. She turned it up when Y/N was changing, but he wouldn't even look at her."

"So once you fired her, what happened next?"

"She flew up the handle at that point. She called Y/N a cow and insinuated Hongjoong was only with her out of pity. Which is ridiculous by the way because look at her. Anyway, Y/N stood up for herself and explained he is her soulmate and told her not to be jealous. Melody threatened her saying she would pay for this and left."

"She threatened Y/N."

"Yes."

"Thank you. At this time I would like to present the video of the incident in question."

As the video played, the video and audio clearly reflected Amber's version of events. Melody looked stressed..

"That tape has clearly been manipulated!"

"Miss Pickens, if you cannot control yourself, you will be charged. Sit. Down."

Mr. Lim requested a recess, which he used to speak with Y/N and Hongjoong privately. He asked if they wanted to testify. Hongjoong was willing but he could feel his girl's stress through the bond.

"Jagiya it is okay if you don't want to. You don't really need to. She didn't. We will support you either way."

"Yeah maybe it is best I don't. You still have the witness from the newspaper right? Regarding her sending the slander to the newspaper?"

"We do. Thanks for that idea by the way." My Lim smiled craftily.

After the recess, Mr. Lim said, "There are two more witnesses I have to present. Another there during the incident and one witness to her false reports to the newspaper. Kim Hongjoong will submit his testimony through the screen.. Hongjoong, are you ready?

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Thank you again for the patience everyone. Trials are not my forte but we are almost done everyone! Hope you are hanging in there with meeeeeee.

Spin Off The Witness

Making their way back to the dining room where the laptop was set up, the other guys chuckled as she tenderly sat in the chair.

Y/n sat in the chair , basically collapsing from the little strength remaining in her legs. The men in her life all chuckled at her expense, knowing the activities that made her so wobbly. She wondered what Jongho had told them in their private group chat.

A countdown timer on the screen showed ten minutes remaining until her trial was set to start. Mingi, sensing her distress, leaned over her shoulder, speaking deeply into her ear.

"Baby, don't watch the time. Look at me." Gently pinching her chin between two of his long fingers, he turned her head until she caught his espresso gaze. "We've got you. You are in control. We all know the truth and the evidence backs you up. What is there to be stressed about?"

Y/N's head began to run on a panic treadmill as she realized it wasn't the trial or seeing Melody again. Not even the publicity of everything. It was seeing her family again. Specifically them airing all the awful things they thought about her.

Realizing his plan backfired, Mingi pulled her into a hug, her cheek resting against his stomach. She relaxed into his hold and sighed deeply.

"I was free of them. They had no interest in me. They wanted nothing to do with me, but the first opportunity to bring me shame they jump at the chance. What have I done so wrong to have them hate me so much? I know that they are awful and I shouldn't take their opinions seriously, but it is hard not to when they are supposed to naturally love you, you know?"

Mingi pet her hair very softly in reassurance. "They ARE awful, especially to be so cruel to someone as amazing as you are. You know what I think it is? It is envy. You have more brains, beauty, and potential than they have in their big toes." Y/N giggled.

Suddenly, Yunho cleared his throat. "I hate to interrupt but the countdown is down to a couple of minutes."

Y/N cleared her throat, delicately wiping the tears from under her eyes while attempting to not ruin her mascara. Pulling away from Mingi, she saw an impression of her face on his crisp black shirt.

"Oh god! Mingi I am so sorry!" He looked confused until he looked down and then began to giggle. Stepping away, surely to change to a different shirt, Wooyoung followed him down the hallway with his signature cackle echoing behind him.

Just as Y/N turned back towards the computer, the timer faded away and what was before her now was a stark courtroom filled with equally stark faces. The point of view of the camera was from where the defense table would be. Her lawyers had prepared her for what to expect with the video call but experiencing it in reality was a different matter.

The judge, a middle aged black man, looked over it before the trial even started. With a deep sigh, he stated, "This now begins the trial or Melody Pickens vs Y/N. Charges include assault in the second degree and defamataion." Y/N how do you plea?"

Y/N cleared her throat before responding, "Not guilty."

The judge nodded and continued. "Melody Pickens, YOU are also being charged with the defamation of Y/N and Hongjoong Kim as well as assault by threat. How do you plea?"

"Not guilty and this whole trial is a SET-UP! Melody looked crazed as she slammed her hands on the prosecutor's table.

The judge sighed yet again. "Miss Pickens, if you cannot contain yourself you will be held in contempt. Where are your attorneys?"

"They are no longer representing me as of this morning. They didn't know what they were talking about so I am representing myself."

Wooyoung chortled softly from the hallway, containing the laughter in his hand.

"If that is your wish Miss Pickens. The only reason you are both being tried simultanously is due to the singular event in all charges as well as the exorbitant fees the lawyers for Miss Y/N would have to pay flying here from Korea twice. You agreed to this initially so you could, and I quote, 'get this over with.' Is this still your stance Miss Pickens?"

"Yeah sure whatever." Melody then threw herself dramatically into her chair.

The next couple of hours were spent with various friends of Melody's praising her character and letting the jury know what they were told second-hand regarding the incident. After the fifth vapid airhead stepped off of the stand, Y/N's mother took the stand.

Nose in the air, she had an air of self-importance, and then her eyes locked with Y/N through the screen and a small smirk rose upon the corner of her mouth.

After being sworn in, Melody began their line of questioning.

"For the court, can you state your name and your relation to Y/N Y/L/N?"

"I am Miranda Oliver. Y/N's mother."

"You are her mother yet you are a witness against her?"

"Yes. I thought that the truth needed to be known about her, blood or no."

"Well then we will get right to it. Thank you for your time Mrs Oliver. You are here as a character witness, so please, describe your daughter's character for the court."

As her mother clears her throat, Y/N finds herself squeezing Mingi and Wooyoung's hands. Mingi runs his other hand gently across her thigh.

"My daughter has always been difficult, unruly, and unwilling to conform. She writes pornography. She has a harem of rich lovers, makes good money herself, and refuses to support her family with her success. We took great care of her despite her moral and academic setbacks and she continues to be ungrateful. The last time I saw her she screamed at us for trying to see her."

Y/N's face remained a stoic mask but under the desk her leg was bouncing from the barely contained rage.

"I am sorry you had such a difficult time, Mrs Oliver. Motherhood is said to be the hardest job."

"My other child is everything a child should be. Loyal, finished her education, and sweet to her family. This is how I know it wasn't due to my parenting."

"So though you were not there during the incident in question, based on what you know of Y/N, would you think her capable of the charges against her."

"I would not be surprised. She has always been morally questionable and being a criminal would be her final step away from God."

"Thank you for your time Miss Oliver. No more questions."

Melody sits down and one of the team of Y/N's lawyers approaches her mother. Mr. Lim was a no nonsense older lawyer who Y/N appreciated having on her team. He stood confidently in front of the witness stand, allowing for a good 20 seconds of silence before proceeding.

"Mrs Oliver, from what I heard in your testimony, you have neither supported your daughter's career, interests, or her soul bonds. Also you expect a payout for being a parent. Is that correct?"

"Her career is writing smut books and being a DJ! What kind of parent would support that? Also 8 soul bonds is just more proof of a life of sin. Even that proved how much of a selfish whore she is. God marked her as the demon she is."

"There is only one demon I see here, and it is not my client. Isn't it true that you did not even really raise her at all? That her grandmother did, and after her passing, you can crawling back to your daughter after years of no communication to demand an inheritance?"

"The child fled to her grandmother who let her do whatever she damned well pleased. I was tired of fighting her."

"So since you had not seen her, and didn't raise her, how could you know her character at all? No more questions."

Before any more objections to be made, Mr Lim waved his hand to dismiss her mother from the stand. Scoffing, she left the stand and stormed back to her seat.

Y/N took a deep breath in relief that that was over with. She had hear all of these things from her mother before, but now a courtroom of people saw what a monster she is too. Thank goodness this was a private hearing. Due to her "celebrity status", it was decided that was best.

The judge shook his head in disbelief as if he was clearing the bullshit from his ears. "Miss Pickens has chosen not to testify in her own defense. Now we present the first defense witness, Alexis. "

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I know it has been months and I am SO SORRY! Also sorry this chapter is kinda boring but it is a trial. Not much I can do with that haha. Also I am moving in a month but going to try my nest to wrap this story up before then. Thank you for the love and the patience.