"The trial is over, and the verdict will now be announced!"
"First, the defendant, Tatsuya Nagai, is guilty of violating personal rights and must pay the plaintiff, Miho Nishitani, thirty million yen and issue a formal apology."
"Second, the full cost of this court session will be borne by the defendant."
"The trial is over, and the court is adjourned!"
Tatsuya Nagai collapsed to the floor, his face pale.
The judge did not convict him of premeditated murder and rape simply because the lawsuit was limited to civil proceedings.
However, as a candidate for the judicial preparatory exam, he probably knew that his life was over.
Shortly after, the judicial police took Nagai Tatsuya into custody and transferred him to the Metropolitan Police Department, and then to the Prosecutor's Office for prosecution.
As the plaintiff, Miho Nishitani finally showed a look of relief and comfort, wearing a peaceful smile.
"Mr. Lawyer, thank you so much!"
She took Keisuke Kumiko's l hand, her face full of sincere gratitude.
Keisuke Kumiko waved his hand and said, "No, it was all thanks to Miss Nishitani's cooperation that we were able to win so easily."
Ai also nodded.
The second key point in the lawsuit was the evidence that the defendant had pushed her down the stairs.
Logically, such evidence is difficult to capture, so they informed Nishitani Miho in advance, and she immediately agreed to cooperate. That day, she deliberately stood on the stairs, waiting for the defendant to push her again to obtain evidence.
Nishitani Miho thanked them profusely, said goodbye to Keisuke, and left happily.
"I have a question."
At that moment, Ai voiced her earlier doubts.
"Based on the terms of this civil lawsuit, you actually didn't need to commit perjury. You could have won just by using the photos I took. So why did you take the risk of breaking the law to obtain additional evidence to send the other party to jail? That's beyond what the client required of you, isn't it?"
"Oh, that's what you're talking about,"
said Keisuke Kumiko.
"Haven't I told you many times before? A lawyer's duty is to protect the client's interests."
"Is it really that simple?"
Ai raised her head, her icy blue eyes staring straight into Kumiko's.
Keisuke smiled and met her gaze in silence.
"It's just that simple."
"Oh."
Ai withdrew her gaze and looked at Nishitani Miho's departing figure.
At that moment, Miss Nishitani was as joyful as a sparrow.
She was so happy because she could feel completely at ease.
She could be sure that the defendant would not retaliate against her and that she no longer had to worry about further harassment or premeditated stalking because he would soon be in prison.
After all, Keisuke had done so much for her, paving the way for his client.
Strictly speaking, this was the first time Keisuke had truly broken the law in a lawsuit.
...
After the trial ended, in the following days, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Prosecutor's Office applied for an arrest warrant against Nagai Tatsuya. They then conducted further evidence collection, including the evidence package mentioned in court by Keisuke and a search of his home.
The forensic team obtained a large amount of his DNA from the tools in the evidence package.
At his residence, the police also found numerous items restricted to individuals under 18.
Combined with the other physical evidence presented by Keisuke Kumiko in court and witness testimonies, a relatively complete logical chain was formed.
Shortly afterward, the prosecution indicted him, and he was tried in court. He was found guilty of premeditated murder and premeditated rape, which was considered preparation for a crime. However, due to the severity of the circumstances, he was sentenced to five years in prison.
---
Kumiko Law Firm
"This guy is so stupid."
After reading the news, Ai couldn't help but complain.
"You planted so many inappropriate things in his house, and there were so many items that obviously didn't belong to him. Yet, he didn't throw them away. The police found everything."
"What do you expect? What else is going on in the mind of a guy who stalks people?"
Keisuke Kumiko said indifferently.
"There are only two types of bad people in this world. One is very smart and very bad, and the other is very stupid and bad."
"The very smart and very bad one—are you talking about yourself?" Ai narrowed her eyes.
"Oh, thanks for the compliment."
"You're as shameless as ever."
"You have too much foundation on your face when you haven't even grown up yet."
"Ugh, I never wear makeup."
"Are you trying to say you're naturally beautiful? I think you're an old witch... Just pretend I didn't say anything."
Keisuke watched as Ai bared her teeth, ready to bite him, and wisely shut his mouth.
He checked the time.
"All right, time to go."
According to the verdict, Tatsuya Nagai had to pay Miho Nishitani 30 million yen in compensation.
The money had already been received by Miss Nishitani.
She had been busy these past two days, so Keisuke Kumiko had to take the initiative to go collect his well-earned commission.
Taking the train and following the address given by Miss Nishitani over the phone, Keisuke arrived at a bustling shopping street in Edogawa, Tokyo.
After receiving the compensation, Miss Nishitani rented a space here, opened a new pastry shop, and became her own boss.
"Oh, you're the lawyer! Welcome!"
Nishitani Miho greeted Keisuke cheerfully when she saw him arrive.
Keisuke looked around. The atmosphere was pleasant. There were freshly baked pastries in the display window, and several customers were browsing the store.
"Business looks good."
"Of course! It's all thanks to you, Mr. Lawyer! I was able to open a shop like this!"
Nishitani Miho gave a bright smile and took out a piece of cake for Keisuke and Ai to try.
Keisuke took a bite and found it warm, soft, and well-made.
"It's delicious,"
Ai, usually very picky, surprisingly gave a positive review.
"Well, my dream has always been to open a pastry shop. I've worked hard for a long time to achieve it,"
Nishitani Miho said happily.
"Now that my dream has finally come true, I'm so happy!"
"Well, I wish you a bright future,"
Keisuke chatted casually with his client.
After collecting his commission, he didn't linger and left the shop with Ai, preparing to return to the office.
On the way, Ai thought about the whole incident and couldn't help but sigh.
"The ending is quite good. Miss Nishitani got to fulfill her dream, and the stalker was thrown into prison."
Keisuke turned his head and looked at her with a meaningful expression.
"It really is good… if Miss Nishitani hadn't planned it in advance."
Hearing this, Ai frowned.
"What do you mean?"
---
End