Chapter 21

Nanami looked up at the magnificent courthouse before she shook her head.

"Dame, Akira," she said to Sendoh. "I just can't…"

"You have to," said Sendoh firmly. "You have to face it in the end no matter what. Of course, I could just bring you away and ask to drop the whole thing, but… I think this is better for you."

"…"

"Don't worry, I shall be here with you, together with the rest of your supporters, right guys?" he turned around and asked his friends.

"Of course." said Maki, and Hiromi nodded.

Rukawa just nodded and said nothing. Koshino and Hikoichi both held up their fists, doing the "gambatte" sign. Sanae placed her hands on Nanami's shoulders and nodded at her.

Nanami looked at Sendoh again and Sendoh held her hand. "Let's go, my queen."

With that, Nanami slowly walked into the courthouse, holding Sendoh's hand tightly.

The session went like a blur. At first, Nanami could handle the lawyer's questions, but when he asked about how she was raped and what happened in the end, she paused, not willing to answer.

Sanae's hands went cold and Kawasaki had to place his on hers to calm her down. Sendoh caught Nanami's eyes and nodded, silently giving his encouragement to her.

Nanami swallowed before she spoke. Although it had been 2 years, the memory was still fresh in her mind. At first she was trembling, but then as she spoke longer, she had more courage, knowing that Sendoh was listening and giving her encouragement.

"When…when he was done… I saw him walking out and calling somebody… I didn't know what I was doing at that time, I just wanted to get up… I grabbed his pants out of desperation but he laughed and tried to kiss me again. I pushed him, he lost balance and fell down the stairs…"

When she was finished, she was finally allowed to return to her seat. When she returned to her place, she saw her friends and sister giving her encouraging smiles, which made her more at ease.

Akai was called up to present his new evidence and witness of the case, and sure enough…

"What's your name?" asked the lawyer.

The short, fat man swallowed nervously before he answered, "Fujisaki."

"Fujisaki-san, you had called the deceased minutes before he died, yes?"

"No…I mean, yes… yes…"

"What happened when you called him?"

"I didn't call him," said Fujisaki nervously. "He, he called me instead, said he, he just…well, just did it with his step-daughter, and he laughed… sounds like he's drunk, but not very…he said something to his step-daughter…"

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'Give me another kiss…' Then I heard a girl crying…"

Nanami clenched her fists together, wishing that she was anywhere but there, listening. Sendoh wanted to get up to comfort her, but was pulled down by Maki and Rukawa instead.

"Then what happened?"

"Eto…I heard him yelling and loud noises. Then a girl screaming in fear… I tried calling him, but he didn't answer, so I just hang up. I got really scared when I saw the news and found that he had died on the day he called me, I didn't want anything to do with it, really!"

"Do you know that hiding information from the police is a crime?"

"…" The man didn't answer.

"So you actually heard that the girl had put up a fight? And her screaming in fear afterwards?"

"…E."

"…Very well. Your Honour, I have done with my questioning."

"Everyone raised for the verdict."

Everyone stood up. Sendoh, for once, had a serious look on his face. So serious that he didn't look like his usual self, more like a darker side of Sendoh.

"And we are convinced that there is sufficient evidence to prove that Nakagawa Nanami has been raped and therefore not in the condition to commit a murder straight afterwards, it is also proved that the deceased has tripped and fell down the stairs by accident, given an account by Fujisaki-san."

"Therefore, in this case appeal, the court has found that Miss Nakagawa Nanami…not guilty. Free of charge."

Sendoh's side of the audience practically roared with cheers and applause. Sendoh was practically jumping around with joy. Hikoichi was writing down notes for the school newspaper. Even Rukawa was smiling. Nanami smiled in relief. So her step-father's death was really an accident, it was not her fault that he died. Suddenly she felt like passing out in relief. She was innocent, she wasn't so sure back then, but now she knew.

As the court cleared, Sanae rushed to her sister and hugged her tightly. "You're free, finally…"

"Sis…"

Sanae let go of her sister and straight away, Sendoh took her into his arms. "Congratulations."

"Arigato." smiled Nanami and sniffed his shirt. "Matte, since when you have this sea-spray cologne?"

"Since this morning, I'm your Poseidon after all. You were too nervous and didn't notice. What a pity, I was thinking maybe you smelled it you would relax slightly…"

"Baka." said Nanami.

Sendoh grinned. "So can you be my girlfriend now? Officially?"

"Didn't I make it clear to you?" asked Nanami.

"E, but you didn't make it clear in front of them." Sendoh jerked his thumb at his friends, who were watching in amusement. Hikoichi even had his pen out.

"You…" Nanami's cheeks went pink.

"Nani?" Sendoh continued to smile. "I just want an official announcement from you."

"Come on Sendoh, let her off, that's embarrassing, we can see it for ourselves." said Maki.

"Hai hai…" said Sendoh. "If she can't do it, I will."

"What do you want to do?" All of them asked him, including Rukawa.

Sendoh grinned mischievously…

Ryonan High Courtyard

12.00pm

Lunch break

"Oi, Sendoh, are you sure you want to do this?" asked Koshino, looking around at the equipment.

"Oh I'm sure, I'm definitely sure!" said Sendoh, grinning. "This is important, how smart of me to think of it!"

Beside him, member from the Audio Visual Technology Club just smiled and shook his head.

Sendoh turned on a few switches. Clearing his throat, he shouted into it, "Minna-san! Attention, please!"

Sendoh's voice spread throughout the whole school through the Public Announcement System, except for the staff room that is.

All the Ryonan students stopped whatever they were doing and looked up at speaker, listening.

"Today is 10th of February and now it is…7.45am. I, Sendoh Akira of Class Year 2 Class 3, Captain of the Basketball Team, now declare that Nakagawa Nanami of Year 1 Class 5 and I are officially together! I swear upon the sea, that I will love and no one else! Nakagawa Nanami, aishiteru!"

The whole of Ryonan almost exploded. The boys below cheered, whistled and applauded. "You go, Sendoh!"

Some of the girls clapped as well, but not all were enthusiastic.

Nanami covered her face with embarrassment, "He really did it…"

14th of February

"Happy Birthday, Sendoh!" said Hiromi, placing the birthday cake in front of Sendoh.

It was Sendoh's birthday and everyone had arrived, well, everyone except for Rukawa. Sendoh had invited him, but he didn't show up. Sendoh didn't bother, for he knew, Rukawa had probably overslept at home.

"Make a wish, Sempai!" said Hikoichi.

"Come on, Sendoh had already got his catch, what else could he wish for?" teased Koshino.

Nanami blushed as Sendoh put his arm around her shoulders.

"Wish for better grades for his final year." said Maki, smiling.

"I don't care as long as I pass." said Sendoh, grinning.

"Then…"

"Let's see…" Sendoh was thinking when Rukawa came in. "Ah! Rukawa-kun! We have been waiting for you for a long time!"

"I was fetching someone." said Rukawa and he looked behind him.

Everyone turned to see a beautiful girl with long wavy chestnut brown hair and big brown eyes came behind Rukawa. As she came, Rukawa held her hand and smiled gently at her.

Shocking silence.

"Err, Rukawa-kun, who is she?" asked Sendoh.

"She is Miharu," said Rukawa.

"Girlfriend?" asked Sendoh.

"Yeah." said Rukawa simply.

Sendoh's jaws dropped. "You didn't tell me you have a girlfriend!"

"You didn't ask."

Miharu saw Maki and she went to hug him lovingly. "Shinichi."

Shinichi hugged her back as well. "Hi, Miharu."

Sendoh blinked at Hiromi, who didn't look jealous at all. "Oi, can anyone…"

"Miharu is my half-sister." said Maki, smiling and putting his arm over his sister. "She just came from America. Long story."

Sendoh looked at the siblings with identical chestnut brown hair. "You didn't tell me!"

"You didn't ask." said Rukawa and Maki together.

"And you were too busy with Nanami that you didn't notice." added Maki.

Sendoh looked at Rukawa and Miharu, who were holding hands together. "No wonder you know so much about how a girl feels!"

Rukawa shrugged.

Sendoh looked at the two couples and smiled. "I know what to wish for now!"

Sendoh closed his eyes and said loudly, "I wish that Nanami and I can get married after we have graduated!"

"Oi!" Nanami nudged Sendoh. "Who says I want to marry you?"

"Sooner or later." sang Sendoh.

"I said I would go out with you, I didn't say I would marry you!" said Nanami, blushing.

"What if I ask you now? Will you marry me?" asked Sendoh, smiling.

"Wow! The quickest romance in Ryonan! Courting and proposing in less than a year!" said Hikoichi, clicking his mechanical pencil furiously.

"No!" said Nanami straightaway. "Sendoh Akira, you are ridiculous! You…"

But before she could say more, Sendoh sealed her lips with a tender kiss.

All their friends whistled and cheered, but Nanami couldn't hear them.

Maybe…just maybe…she would marry Sendoh Akira after all.

The End