#Because I wanted to make sense of the timeline for the sake of Yo Han's behaviour in Who Holds the Devil

[amethystina]

Thank you so much for everything you do for The Devil Judge fandom, you've really managed to give us accurate character fanfics and analyses! I hope you manage to take care of yourself to recover well.

I was just wondering what you think Yo Han would feel and how he would internally react to finding out about Ga On's bombing attempt before rescuing him. Because we see what he shows Ga On, but that often doesn't show how he feels, especially after immediately finding out about it.

I'm happy to be of service! :D

Though, admittedly, I'm still a little disoriented by everyone's faith in my analyses and characterisation. Like, I've always had a knack for it, ever since I wrote my first fanfic over ten years ago (that whole "I can literally hear them say this, and see them move in my head" has been there since the beginning) but it somehow seems to have intensified with The Devil Judge? x'D

Which obviously isn't a bad thing by any means! It's just a little disorienting because I'm not used to being given this kind of... authority, almost? I don't feel nearly qualified enough.

But that could definitely be the imposter syndrome talking.

Anyway! To your question!

YES. I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS TOO.

Or, rather, I've been wondering how that whole thing went down. As in, what's the timeline here? Because that is the most important question, because it also changes the answer to your question.

And it starts with: How much did Lawyer Ko know? We don't actually hear what Ga On tells him about his plan, so did Lawyer Ko know what the bomb was actually for? Or was the plan not quite as drastic when Ga On first told Lawyer Ko about it, because Yo Han hadn't "died" at that point? And it was only once Yo Han was gone that Ga On changed his mind and decided to blow himself up, too, without telling Lawyer Ko about it?

Because, quite frankly, I have a hard time believing that Lawyer Ko wouldn't tell Yo Han about Ga On's plans to kill himself if he knew about them. And sure, Yo Han is a bit of a drama queen, but I don't think he would have waited to approach Ga On until literally the last couple of seconds if he'd known that there was a risk that Ga On might die.

Especially since Yo Han had hours between when he was declared dead and the final trial, which took place the day after he was smuggled out of jail. He had plenty of time to find Ga On and I can't see why he wouldn't, if he thought that Ga On was about to kill himself? Again, he's dramatic, but not reckless — especially not when it comes to the lives of those he cares about. What if he'd been too late?

Even more so since Yo Han had his own plans that were about to take place in that very same building. Which would have been completely derailed if Ga On had had time to detonate his bomb. And Yo Han simply wouldn't risk the culmination of his ten-year-long revenge plan for the drama. Not a chance.

And, finally, had he shown up literally three seconds later than he did, he would most likely have died in that blast, too. And, sure, Yo Han may seem careless about his own safety, but every risk he takes is very calculated. And he definitely didn't plan to die that day — he wouldn't do that to Elijah.

He wouldn't make such a gamble — risk leaving Elijah all alone in the world — just to make his Lazarus moment as dramatic as possible.

Not with only three seconds to spare.

So the only logical conclusion, in my opinion, is that Yo Han found out literally minutes before it was about to go down. Probably because Lawyer Ko goes: "Oh right, I forgot to mention because we've been so busy, but Kim Ga On has a bomb and I think he plans to blow up Min Jung Ho today. Maybe we should stop him?" Without realising the severity of the situation — since he doesn't know about Ga On's martyr and suicidal tendencies. Because, again, if Lawyer Ko had known about Ga On's plans, I feel like he would have mentioned it to Yo Han sooner? Because that's some pretty damn pertinent information right there. At which point Yo Han would have approached Ga On (clandestinely, of course) and talked him out of it.

Or, well, just showed up, in all honesty. I think that would have been enough to convince Ga On not to kill himself, since his decision was no doubt heavily influenced by his feelings of guilt and grief.

As for Yo Han's reaction?

WELL.

If it plays out like I've speculated here, that he and Lawyer Ko are getting ready for that last trial when Lawyer Ko mentions the bomb? And Yo Han maybe just nods along at first — kind of annoyed because this clashes with his own plans — until he remembers who they're talking about? And how reckless Ga On is? And that Ga On is under the impression that Yo Han is dead, too, so shortly after Ga On lost Soo Hyun?

Imagine the moment when Yo Han connects the dots and realises that Min Jung Ho is probably not the only person Ga On plans for to die in that explosion.

Panic is a rather apt description, I'd say.

That kind where the entire world grinds to a halt for a couple of seconds and your chest just squeezes from fear and denial.

Not a lot of it would show outwardly, of course, but internally? Yo Han would be panicking. Because unless Ga On gave Lawyer Ko an exact time — which I don't think he did — it could be happening right then, at that very moment. And he's not wrong because it probably is. But Yo Han doesn't know that, of course, and has no idea how much time he has to try and stop Ga On.

He doesn't know if he'll make it in time.

And that just makes it so, so much worse than if he'd found out earlier. Because, all of a sudden, it's a literal case of life and death, with several variables Yo Han isn't aware of and doesn't have the time to try and figure out, either.

Ga On might die.

Fortunately, Yo Han is so good at compartmentalizing that he'd probably only feel a couple of seconds of panic before he's able to shove it down and go into razor-sharp, problem-solving mode instead. Especially since Ga On's life is suddenly in danger so, clearly, there's no time to panic. It is time to act.

And even as Yo Han proceeds to do just that, I think his mind would be spinning in the background, berating himself for not considering this possibility. Because that's his thing. He's supposed to be able to predict the moves of everyone on the board. He's supposed to be several steps ahead of everyone. And he is — at least when it comes to his main goal with the chaebols. But, once again, he didn't account for Ga On. He forgot to consider what righteous and tender-hearted Ga On would do when caught up in all this guilt and grief.

He didn't think.

Yo Han has a blind spot — or a weakness, if you will — and its name is Kim Ga On.

And Yo Han would be so angry with himself for not realising this sooner. Like, if he'd only just thought about it, he could have reached this conclusion long ago — that Ga On might do something stupid now that he thinks that both Yo Han and Soo Hyun are dead, and Professor Min betrayed him — but he didn't. He was too caught up in his revenge.

(Which is a beautiful rabbit hole one can go down, if one desires. Like imagine the pain Yo Han would feel when he realises that his obsession with revenge almost cost him his new family. It turned out okay in the end, of course, but he was so close to losing it.)

But he'd show Ga On none of that, of course, when he arrives to rescue him. Because Yo Han is a showman — with perfect and masterfully executed plans — and he can't let Ga On know that there were a couple of minutes just now where Yo Han wasn't sure if he'd get there in time to stop Ga On. When he wasn't in control.

But I can imagine that's definitely something Yo Han will have nightmares about later.

... which he also doesn't tell Ga On about, naturally.

But, all of that said, I also think that Yo Han would sort of... brush it aside after that? In that way he does with things that are traumatic? Like, he wouldn't really look any deeper into it or try to ask Ga On if he's feeling less suicidal after the whole ordeal. Because he knows he's not really equipped to deal with the answer, whatever it may be.

So he'd just be grateful that he got there in time and try to put it behind himself in one of those "well, it worked out in the end so, clearly, there's no need to agonise over it" sort of deals. Which is by no means healthy, but that's Yo Han for you.

So yeah! That's what I think! :D

There is obviously some guesswork involved since, again, I can't say for sure exactly what happened in what order. But I truly can't picture both Lawyer Ko and Yo Han just shrugging off Ga On declaring that he's going to kill himself and then allowing him to get as close to it as he does. Honestly, I refuse.

Thank you so much for asking! And thank you so much for the well-wishes too 💜

#Amethystina Replies #Anonymous #The Devil Judge #This is one of those things that have been living rent-free inside my head for a while #Like #There are some thoughts and ideas that I don't have to think about #They just pop up fully formed as soon as I get a question #But this is actually one of those things I've ACTIVELY been thinking about #Because I wanted to make sense of the timeline for the sake of Yo Han's behaviour in Who Holds the Devil #And later Each Touch #It was highly relevant for Each Touch since the panic hit even harder in that one #Given that he and Ga On were actually on slightly better terms than in canon #So yeah #Enjoy? xD