A/N: And after that embarrassingly long pause, buckle up for the final instalment!
Chapter 10 - One Week Later
Celebrity Scoop Magazine! - Friday 11th December
YUKI RELEASED!
Almost Ten Years After Imprisonment, Yuki Eiri's Murder Conviction is Overturned
The memory of Yuki Eiri's face as, with an expression of futile resentment, he reconciled himself to his thirty-five year prison sentence is one that has haunted his fans ever since. The conviction of the charming yet notorious star was a shocking revelation as even his partner and brother-in-law faithfully believed in his plea of innocence to the bitter end. However, it seems they may have been right to do so as, with the mysterious reappearance of a key witness and new evidence, his guilty verdict was quashed and he walked free after a decade behind bars.
In his prime, Yuki was tipped among respected critics as one of the hottest young writers, not only for his good looks but his romance novels too. Nevertheless, with several awards and bestselling titles under his belt he was still unsatisfied so embarked on his infamous relationship with rock star boyfriend Shuichi Shindou (33) – former lead singer of legendary band Bad luck. Who would have guessed that this would trigger a catastrophic turn of events ending in his tragic downfall? At 25 he seemed to crack under the stress of the limelight and, after publishing his autobiography, he disappeared from the pages of the tabloids. The pair hit headlines most recently four years ago when they mystified police with their simultaneous suicide attempt, surely this should have been heeded as a last desperate appeal against his wrongful imprisonment?
On the 4th March ten years ago Yuki was convicted of the murders of Adèle Camélias and Taki Aizawa, crimes fuelled by a long standing rivalry between the men and finally sparked by a row over Aizawa's relationship with Camélias: his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his son. The couple were discovered by the accused within minutes of their deaths; Aizawa having suffered brain haemorrhaging due to a fall down a flight of stairs and Camélias a fatal stab wound to her abdomen. Their injuries were consistent with forensic reports which revealed Yuki's DNA on both bodies and the weapon. The case was closed after an arduous trial lasting three months and, despite the lack of witness testimonies, he was sentenced.
The judge who presided over the case (who has since retired but wishes not to be identified) admitted in a statement that his decision may not have been flawless: "There was a great deal of pressure from the media and public to reach a conclusion. Given the lack of testimonies I see in hindsight that it was an unwise decision to make and I am sure I speak on behalf of the jury when I say we were all misguided by the glamour of such a high-profile case. I can do nothing more that offer my sincerest apologies for the trouble caused to this talented young man."
Naomi Aizawa (26), sister of the deceased, proved to be the missing piece of the puzzle that finally allowed the case to reach its proper verdict. At the time of the trial appeals were made to find her as her account of events could have been vital to proceedings although she never came forward and the case was closed without her. After ten years in hiding, her recent unexplained reappearance brought to light new evidence that allowed the trial to be reopened for her to provide the lost testimony which exonerated Yuki's charges.
She claimed that Camélias had in fact been murdered by Aizawa when she disturbed him molesting her seven year old son. Naomi, 16 at the time, also said she tried to help the dying woman but found herself the next target of her brother's deluded rampage. In self-defence she pushed him away causing him to fall down the flight of stairs and endure severe head trauma. "I was afraid to come forward in case I was accused of murdering my brother!" She said in court today.
Outside the court the crowds who gathered to greet the star were significantly diminished and the mood was one of sombre reprieve compared to the day he left our world for a decade of solitude: A world which has moved on since his imprisonment in search of new and greater writing talent leaving only a smattering of loyal readers who had always believed the judges ruling to be wrong. Among those who waited to see his release were several close family and friends. Shuichi Shindou, barely recognisable having exchanged his eccentric pink mop for a more sophisticated black, stood with his adoptive son Pierre, the child of Yuki and Camélias. The boy was just seven at the time of his mother's murder and father's imprisonment but has grown to bare an uncanny resemblance to the novelist despite loosing his memory of the incident and his life before it. Shindou's former band mate Nakano Hiroshi (33) was joined by his wife and their four children and, although busy with his stateside solo career, we were informed that Fujisaki sent his best regards. Eiri's brother Tatsuha, Sister Mika and her husband Tohma Seguchi were also there with their 2 children.
When at last Yuki stepped through the revolving glass doors accompanied by his lawyer the spectators fell silent except for the occasional click and flash of a camera. He maintained his composure as he stood silently as the top of the court steps and looked round the crowd taking in the full-extent of his surroundings. Like a soldier returning from war, not with a triumphant cheer, but humbled and scarred by battle scenes. At long last he was hit by the vast impact of his ordeal and the release he had almost given up hope of; he fell to his knees trembling.
Shuichi was first to break the tense quiet as he burst though the line of reporters with a distressed cry and knelt by his lover on the filthy concrete. As they nestled their heads in each other's necks to hide their tears it was a moment that moistened the eyes of even the most hardnosed journalist; a couple reunited after a decade of cruel separation.
I couldn't bear to watch anymore, which is why I must cut this article short and turn your prying eyes away. You have all the archive details you could ever want but there are some things that should to be kept private. These people are not the novelist and rockstar you once knew; they cannot even be called celebrities anymore – a title which in this perverse world we feel gives us the right to ogle their every move. They are just two humans who have a right to dignity like everybody else. I have seen too many fallen stars, too many fractured families, too many shattered lives and too many broken hearts to go on coldly documenting this under the pretence of "news".
They'll never publish this, but I don't care. I quit.
Friday 11th December
Dear Eiri,
I don't know why I'm writing this when you're just in the room next door. I thought it might be easier to write down how I felt because I can't seem to get the words out when you're there in front of me. To be honest, now that I've got a pen in my hand it isn't any different. I still think this is harder to describe than anything I've said in any of my letters before. My Eiri is here with me! You're here in our house with our boy! It all feels like a dream. My arms are sore from pinching myself. I'm beyond ecstasy.
That's good to hear. I hope you're beyond crack and all the other dope too.
I can't believe it. I can't believe you're really, actually, truly, finally here. It's like I'm grieving the wrong way around; I'm backwardly bereaved, because I haven't lost someone, I've found you! We walk past each other and I want to do a double take. It's like déjà vu in reverse: All these memories should have been here along time ago and at last they are. This is all such a beautiful, beautiful dream.
What are you? A soppy girl? I think I liked my prison pals better. At least they had some masculine dignity.
Right now, you're sitting with Pierre, on the sofa, in the lounge, of our house. I've waited so long to see that sight. I've never seen a father and son so perfect to be together. But I'm not jealous, I can have you to myself later. I didn't realise he was taller that you. Gaijin blood I guess. He's been taller than me for years but I forgot that at six foot three he'd easily over take you too! He's still as skinny as a bean sprout though.
I was so scared Eiri. Scared that something would go wrong. This whole mess was one massive mistake in the first place so there was nothing to say it wouldn't get messed up again. There were so many things that didn't go right. But it is right now, this is justice at last. As soon as I saw you I knew everything would be alright.
I couldn't cry at the court. I know all the papers think I did and they were all expecting a heart wrenching reunion but I couldn't. Partly, I didn't want to give them what they wanted, I didn't want to let them know they'd broken us, but mostly because there's nothing left in me. I've cried more tears than most people cry in a lifetime so they're all used up. I couldn't make a scene: I used to think I had to, because if I didn't show how I felt on the outside how would people know? It's just attention seeking and irrational. I was a romantic fool. I know how I feel inside. I know I love you. That's what matters most.
Now you're starting so see things from my perspective at last. Although, tears aren't so bad, I'd hate for you to be a cold-hearted bastard like me. I do quite like the irrational romantic fool in you; he was the one who gave up everything to wait for me.
I finally think that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't such a bad thing that I waited so long.
Love and Kisses Forever, and ever and ever
Shuichi and Eiri
Friday 11th December
Dear Diary,
My name is Pierre Uesugi. I really am 17 years old because I remember each of the 17 years and one week preceding the current date. I'm not delusional, or lost, and there aren't bits of me missing anymore. I was born on the 4th of December in Paris as the illegitimate son of Adèle and for the first 7 years of my life she worked as a prostitute. There wasn't much money to spare, my pocket money was quite literally what I could pick out of people's pockets.
I loved my mum. I know what she did was illegal but we don't pick out friends based on their criminal records. Doing something wrong doesn't make someone a bad person. It didn't matter to me then and it doesn't now, because she did it all for me. She could have given me up for adoption and I could have grown up with some model middle-class family, or she could have had an abortion and got on with her life. But she kept me. And I love her for that. I'm not supporting sleeping with people for cash, of course I'm not, that's absurd. But she didn't do it because she wanted to; she did it because she loved me.
There were bad times. Money was always tight and she used to lock me in my room when she was working but she was protecting me. It didn't make sense when I was 7 or 13 or even 16, but at last I can see the whole picture and I understand. She really is my "Beloved mother".
Everything in my life changed when Eiri and Shuichi came. We moved to Japan and things so terrible happened that my brain had to block them out until I was old enough to understand. There was a man who saved me, he carried me out of that house like a hero carrying a damsel in distress from a burning castle. But someone took him away. Within a few weeks of moving here my Mum was dead and my Dad was in prison for killing her which he didn't.
So the boy with no past and no parents tried to live a normal life and just in case he wasn't lonely enough with no family or real friends his second Dad tried to kill himself. Things were pretty screwed up back then.
But now, things are looking brighter as I enter the third chapter of my life. It's a strange feeling to meet someone you've never met before and all along they've been there inside you. I try to think who he reminds me of, and then I realise, he's like me. We are still finding our feet and getting to know each other but I think everything is going to be alright. It's a good feeling. He's not quite a hero, just a fairly normal guy – apart from being a famous novelist and having spent the last 10 years in jail for murder – but sometimes it only takes a normal person to change someone's life.
Yours Sincerely,
Pierre Uesugi
A/N: In case you didn't get what was going on in Shuichi's letter I was trying to show that he wrote to Eiri and then Eiri found it and wrote his reply in between the lines which is why some bits are in italics but its hard to do on a computer.
Just a few final things from me. First some thank-yous of course: To everyone who has read or reviewed this, you are all stars especially T.O.C.A, Captara, OrangePencils, Capricorn2645, Win and Anna. I love you all :-D
I've learned my lesson for leaving things too vague and ended up writing a sequel that is now longer than the original story! I hope you're not too sad that it's over. I am :-(
One last note about the structure; writing in stories in letters is nothing new and it's not my original idea – it even has a special name, "epistolary convention" (nerdy I know) and they've been doing it since Victorian times so I won't feel bad if you want to do the same. It's a really fun way to write and get inside the character's heads and I'd actually quite like to read someone else's take on it so please let me know if you do.
Lots and lots of love
From Freundlich Fizzo.
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