Another day, another weight pressing down on her like a boulder, and she felt no energy to look forward to it at all.
The courtroom smelled of paper and polish.
Everything looked sharp, the wooden benches, the black robes, even the flag near the judge's bench. Kathrine sat in the back row beside her practicum supervisor, a public defender named Attorney Miles.
This was part of her real-life legal training. She was supposed to watch, take notes, and learn. It was exciting at first. But the excitement disappeared quickly.
The judge walked in, and the bailiff called out, "All rise."
Everyone stood.
Then the cases began.
One after another, people stood before the judge. Some spoke for themselves. Others had lawyers. Some cases were dismissed in five minutes. Others lasted longer.
The lawyers spoke quickly.
They used terms she had already heard from her family whenever she visited the cases they handled, but somehow, at this moment, she felt like she didn't fully understand.
Law books and cases had been her toys as a child. She had listened to her family do their work and watched them defend when they allowed her to.
But this time, it felt like this place was a complete stranger, something foreign she was seeing for the first time.
"Motion to dismiss based on lack of probable cause," one lawyer said.
"We request a continuance," another added.
The judge responded quickly, moving through the schedule like a machine.
Kathrine tried to keep up. She opened her notebook and started scribbling.
But her hand couldn't move fast enough. Every time she wrote one thing down, three more things had already happened.
Her head hurt.
No, to be more precise, it was already pounding. It felt like it would explode at any moment.
Attorney Miles leaned over and whispered, "Watch the tone the prosecutor uses with the judge. Calm but firm. Always respectful."
She nodded.
She wanted to ask questions, but there was no time. Everything was happening at once.
Tasks that had once seemed so simple to her, things she could do without much thought, were suddenly difficult.
By the end of the session, Kathrine felt like she had run a marathon. Her notebook was full of half-finished thoughts.
Her brain buzzed.
Her head ached so badly she could barely open her eyes, even slightly dim light felt blinding. All she wanted was to lay down on her bed and sleep.
Outside the courtroom, Attorney Miles asked, "How was it?"
Kathrine forced a small smile, "A little overwhelming."
He gave her a kind look, "It always is, at first. But it gets better. You'll see."
She wanted to believe him. But at that moment, she wasn't so sure.
He slightly furrowed his brows, "You look pale. Are you sure you're okay?"
She smiled weakly, "Yes, si—"
But before she could finish, everything turned black
…
When she opened her eyes again, she was staring at a white ceiling.
"Do you want something to drink?"
She turned her head and blinked.
"What is this? Am I seeing things?"
The one who asked rolled his eyes.
"Are you delirious? Your fever's gone down, but it seems it's still affecting your head."
"Why are you here, Justin?" she asked, slowly sitting up.
Justin helped her into a sitting position, then handed her a glass of warm water.
"Weren't you supposed to be abroad? Training?" she asked after drinking half the glass.
"I came back for my younger sister's birthday and thought I'd come see how much uglier you've become. Who would've thought I'd find you in the hospital instead?"
Kathrine scratched her cheek, "I see."
Justin squinted at her, "The fever must be too much to handle."
If she were feeling better, she would have argued with him for calling her ugly.
She looked back at him, furrowing her brows.
Justin had noticed the bags under her eyes the moment he arrived. She looked thinner, too.
When he spoke to her roommate, he learned she had barely been sleeping or eating for days. Her roommate said she'd been stressed and overwhelmed by her studies.
"What do you want to eat?" he asked instead.
"Just for today, I'll buy you anything you want."
Kathrine raised an eyebrow before finally smiling, a real one this time, not the forced kind. She was amused.
"Then…"
Justin bought the things she asked for, of course, she only asked for what she genuinely wanted to eat.
They ate together and talked about anything except school or his training.
It was the kind of conversation they rarely had, no teasing, no banter.
Later that day, Kathrine was discharged. The doctor instructed her to rest, eat properly, and take care of herself, or she might end up with a more serious illness.
Justin accompanied her back to her apartment.
"When are you leaving, by the way?" Kathrine asked as they got out of the cab.
"My flight's tonight," he replied nonchalantly.
"And you just returned yesterday?" Her eyes widened.
"What of it?"
"You haven't rested at all!"
Justin raised an eyebrow and flicked her forehead, "Besides training, all I do is rest. I'll rest once I get back. Unlike you, who's been overworking herself. I'm doing just fine. This much is nothing."
Then, as if remembering something, he added, "The others couldn't come. Kenneth's been busy since he started getting offers for small roles. Harmony still can't go out. But you should check the group chat—I already told them that a certain someone worked herself into the hospital."
"But I…"
She wanted to say she didn't want to cause them trouble over something so small.
For the second time, Justin flicked her forehead.
"Hey!" she finally complained, holding her forehead.
"We're your friends."