"Haven't you heard?" someone whispered. "They say that Makino-sama has been out because he got arrested."
"What for?" asked another person in utter shock.
"We don't know," replied the first person.
"My, my. How the might have fallen."
Mariko couldn't keep her ears closed. She had no idea what was going on. The news on television said that Makino-sempai had been shot. It was unbelievable, like a horrible dream. The news about the Makino family over ran the school because the other students knew now about the deaths of Susumu's parents. Mariko couldn't stand it. She couldn't believe the kind of gossip mongrels were in Eirin. It was disgusting.
"The Makino family wasn't rich at all. It was just his sister," said someone with a laugh.
"SHUT UP!" shouted Mariko, unable to stand it any longer. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! THIS IS WHY HE DIDN'T LIKE ANY OF YOU! HE SAID IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME BEING NICE TO ANY OF YOU! AND IT'S TRUE! YOU'RE DESPICABLE!"
She was trembling with anger as she faced each and everyone's surprised face. She walked out of the hallway and collided with someone on the way out. She didn't care that they were knocked down to the ground. She was too angry to care. When she had gotten outside, she wondered what really happened.
Mariko didn't want to believe that Susumu would kill anyone. Let alone kill someone. Her father, being a member of the Diet, was able to gather information about the Makino family. He found out that Susumu was being charged with murder. Mariko nearly screamed when she found out.
That wasn't the worst of it. Mariko's father had forbidden her to contact anyone associated with the Makino family, especially Susumu. He told her it was for her own safety, but Mariko knew better. She knew that her father was only concerned about his public image and his political career. Mariko was disgusted with her father for being a coward. She made a promise to herself never to go into politics. She was also worried about Susumu's sister, but like all the other fans, all she could do was hope, wait and pray.
Mariko had learned more from the Makino than from anyone else. Through Susumu, she learned how to view the world with a harder eye, but from Tsukushi she had learned how to be more compassionate. Regardless of what anyone said, Mariko still believed in the Makino family. They were more real than all the artificial people in the world.
*
More than two days had past, but there was still no change. Tsukushi was still in a coma. The doctors said to wait it out. It was difficult to do so. Even though, Rui stayed. He and Shizuka had an odd meeting that only lasted about five minutes before he left her alone with Tsukushi. It seemed odd to him that she was married and had a child, but there were no hard feelings between the two of them.
Rui had never gone through something like this. He knew that Tsukasa did for months, while Tsukushi also had to wait for her father to die. No decisions could be made about Tsukushi's current condition. Sammi was within her power to make a decision, but she said it was up to Susumu. Susumu was not avaliable to make any choices.
This made Rui think about what had happened between him and Tsukushi at her parents' graves. He wasn't sure what really happened in the amphitheater. Like most people, he didn't know what to make of the police reports. Rui didn't know Susumu well enough to make any judgments on his character. He knew that Susumu had a temper. He remembered the day that Susumu faced off with Tsukasa.
There was no doubt in Rui's mind that Susumu would have killed to protect and defend his family, but he knew that Tsukushi would have done the same. It was something that Rui would have expected from her. Her loyalty and devotion were only two of the reasons why he loved and respected her. Rui knew it was part of Tsukushi's nature. It was something that could not be changed. She was a self-sacrificing individual and he believed that she was one of the people in the world who was close to true altruism.
"You may feel it's over, but it's not. You have to wake up," whispered Rui as he placed his hand on top of hers. "I know that it's been hard for you, but you can't give in. It's not part of who you are."
Rui knew that things were bleak for Susumu. He still didn't say much to Shizuka's husband when he was questioned. The British and Japanese governments were arranging for a hearing, but it was going to take a while. Rui knew that Tsukasa wanted it expedited as quickly as possible. This was an issue of international diplomacy. Tsukasa didn't want to use his money to get Susumu off because that would hang over Susumu's head for the rest of his life.
There wasn't much Rui could do other than stay with Tsukushi. It was like a never ending wake. He wasn't sure what kind of world Tsukushi was going to wake up to. Or even what kind of world she was in.
*
The British government had spent much of their time stonewalling any attempts of a meeting with Tsukasa. This angered him to no end. However, he wasn't allowing his temper to get the better of him. Tsukasa realized he was going to have to use tactics that he would have never even dreamt of using. He was going to have to take a lesson from his mother's tactics in order to pull off nothing short of a miracle. He decided to have his interpreter with him when he personally went to the British Embassy to talk to the people there.
"Mr. Doumyouji said he does not have an appointment," translated his interpreter. "However, it is in the best interest of the embassy to meet with him."
"I'm sorry, but the head of the embassy is very busy at this moment," said the young woman at the front.
Tsukasa knew that she was lying. The British embassy didn't want to meet him. "Let me say something," he whispered to his interpreter.
The young woman looked him. He glowered over and seemed larger than life at that moment. "You are very rude. Even for a Westerner. Do not forget that you are guests in Japan," he managed to say in English. He said it very clearly. "I am the head of the Doumyouji Corporation. I would think that the embassy would not be too busy to meet with me. There are more than a thousand employees in England alone who are employed by my company. Now, I would like to meet with the head of the embassy. Tell him now. Or you will be held responsible."
The young woman looked absolute frightened by Tsukasa she picked up the phone. "Yes, Mr. Doumyouji from the Doumyouji Corporation is here to see you. He says that it is urgent. Yes. Very well." She hung up the phone and said, "You may go through."
"Thank you very much. If you ever speak to me again with an insolent tone, I'll make sure you never work again. Anywhere, do you understand?" warned Tsukasa, not liking the frightened English woman at all. She had been very rude to him. It was a wonder that she had a job in the British Embassy to begin with.
She went pale before nodding and saying, "Yes, sir." Tsukasa was already walking towards the office of the head of the Embassy.
The head of the embassy looked up from the work on his desk and regarded Tsukasa with an air of arrogance. How dare Tsukasa barge into his offices and make demands? It didn't matter to him that Tsukasa was the head of the Doumyouji Corporation.
The diplomat's face went from arrogant annoyance to a calm smile. Tsukasa was stupefied by the fact that these very rude people were allowed to be in the embassy. "Welcome to the British Embassy, Doumyouji-san," said the diplomat in excellent Japanese. "My name is Frederick Watson."
Tsukasa smiled ruefully and thought that it was because Watson was able to fulfill the language requirement that he got the job. He noticed that a man was pouring tea for them. "Please have a seat. Would you like some sugar or cream?" asked Watson.
"The preparation of tea is an old idea in Japan, even older than the British idea. The British make their tea weak and contaminated it with sugar and cream. The way the tea is prepared lacks artistry and elegancy," said Tsukasa quietly. Soujirou would have been proud of him.
"The Japanese culture has always been very fascinating for me. That's how I ended up here in Japan," admitted Watson. "I know why you are, Doumyouji-san."
"Then we can dispose of these false hospitalities, Watson-san," said Tsukasa. "I want a hearing for Makino Susumu. I want one for tomorrow."
"That's not possible," said Watson in a pointblank manner as he took a sip of his tea. "The boy is murdered one of our citizens. It is suspected that he shot his own sister."
"I know that boy, Watson-san. I think of him as my brother. I will not allow you to accuse him of murder or talk ill of him in my presence," said Tsukasa calmly, even though he knew the truth.
"Do not think that your money will get you anywhere, Doumyouji-san. I know of your company's reputation," said Watson.
Tsakasa smiled at him calmly, which made Watson feel ill at ease. "I am not talking about my money. I am talking about Britain's money."
Watson sat back, not knowing what to expect. He knew that Tsukasa had assumed power in the company only recently, but Watson knew that the Doumyouji Corporation did a lot of business in Europe. He had heard of Doumyouji Kaede. Watson wondered if Tsukasa had inherited his mother's business acumen.
"Might I remind you, Watson-san, that the Doumyouji Corporation employs thousands of people all over Great Britain. We also have contracts with other business in Great Britain. Now, I would hate for you to have to take responsibility for not honoring my small request and causing a hit in the economy of your great nation along with Scotland and Wales," continued Tsukasa, knowing that it was a bluff. There was no way Tsukasa was going to selfishly allow so many people get fired and losing their livelihoods. He felt dirty for using a tactic out of his mother's play book, but he had little choice.
Watson leaned forward. "I don't think that it would matter so much. Great Britain will survive not doing business with your kind."
"Do not trifle with me, Watson. I know a lot of business heads in Japan. I can make it so that barely any business will be done with Japan. I know the heads of the Hanazawa and Mimasaka Corporations," said Tsukasa.
Watson felt light headed. He couldn't believe how ruthless Tsukasa was. "Just because you'll get a hearing doesn't mean it will go to trial. And even then, you can't just buy his innocence," he said quietly. Tsukasa looked dead serious at the moment. He didn't want to take the risk, and Tsukasa sensed his weakness.
"I only want a hearing. That's all," said Tsukasa.
"Very well. I'll make the arrangements," surrendered Watson.
"Thank you very much," said Tsukasa as he gave a slight bow. Watson stood up and gave a deep, long bow to him.
"Good day to you, Doumyouji-san," said Watson as Tsukasa walked out of the office. He prayed that he would never have to meet with Doumyouji Tsukasa.
Tsukasa left the office, feeling a small victory, but it was only the beginning. Getting the hearing was the easy part. The rest of it was going to be up to Adam Kent. Tsukasa could only hope that putting himself on the line was enough.
*
"I can't believe the police would think that Susumu would shot his own sister. He loves Tsukushi. He wouldn't hurt her for the world," said Yuki with disbelief.
"I don't know about that," murmured Sammi as she looked at Charlie.
"What do you mean?" demanded Kin-san.
"He slapped her," said Charlie. "I accidentally told him about how Tsukushi knew about how Ryan killed their parents."
"But...he had a right to be angry," said Kin-san quickly.
"That's not how the court will see it. They'll see it as motive," said Sammi.
"Or this," said Shizuka as she walked in with a file. "I always had this on file. Do you remember over a year ago, Sammi?"
"I barely remember last week," said Sammi. "What is that?"
"It's Tsukushi's will," replied Shizuka. "I'll summarize what she has in it. I was the one who suggested that she make out a will. She wasn't going to at first because she had never made enough money to consider making a will. After some convincing from me and Sammi, she agreed. Tsukushi left endowments to be made into scholarships at Augustine Academy in Australia, London University, and Guildhall School of Music and the Performing Arts. There were also funds left to charities all over the world. Mostly children and art charities. However, the bulk of her estate, which includes the royalties to all her music and lands, was left to her younger brother. Susumu has been her heir all along."
"Why didn't she say anything about it? Did he know?" asked Yuki.
"I don't think so," said Kin-san. "You know Tsukushi-chan, Yuki. It probably slipped her mind."
"How much did Susumu stand to inherit?" asked Yuki.
"We're talking millions of pounds, which means billions of yen," said Sammi. "That's a lot of money."
"He wouldn't murder his sister for money. No," said Kin-san defensively. "I don't think he shot her. The police report said that there was gun powder on Ryan McComick's hands. He was probably the one who shot Tsukushi, but..." He trailed off.
"You think Susumu murdered Ryan," finished Yuki in a whisper.
"He won't talk to my husband. He won't talk to anyone. Tsukasa told us not to force him," said Sammi. "I think that Doumyouji Tsukasa knows."
Shizuka spoke up after a moment's silence. "There's more. The police found a lot of evidence in his apartment. Charlie has also traced McCormick's movements. He was attending Cambridge at the time, and he was a member of the photography club. He saw a picture of Tsukushi from the London Theater. I think that's how it started."
Kin-san laughed wryly, "It's ironic how easy it can start. How simple it can be. It's like planting a seed."
"He took a lot of pictures of her. These were candid shots. Pictures taken at moments when her guard was down. And another thing. Ryan had perfect vision. He didn't need the glasses. Eddie picked up the day the lights fell. He thought that they were fake. He was right," said Shizuka.
"What else did they find? He developed those pictures at his apartment. He couldn't have submitted to a photo developer. He's too smart for that," said Kin-san.
"He had a lab. There were two rooms in his apartment. The other room was his photo lab," said Shizuka.
"The smell," murmured Yuki.
"What?" asked Sammi.
"He had a strange smell. He was always lingering close to me, trying to get information out of me. I never gave him any because I was never alone with him long enough to. He had scent underneath his cologne and after shave. It smelled sort of metallic," whispered Yuki as she closed her eyes to concentrate. "It had to have been the chemicals. It had to."
"But, I thought that you talked to him alone," said Sammi.
"No. Whenever we went out for lunch or he attempted to ask me out, Nishikado Soujirou showed up or called," said Yuki as she smiled slowly. "If it wasn't for Jirou-san, I would have given that murderer more information."
"If Soujirou hadn't been around, you would have been killed," said Shizuka. "The police found out that McCormick had targeted people around Tsukushi. He knew the people who mattered the most to her. Sammi, I think it's time you show what you found in Tsukushi's apartment."
"First of all, Tsukushi had changed the locks without telling me. She had told my brother, but by that time she didn't trust anyone. I found this in the apartment," said Sammi as she pulled out a photograph. "Look at the time stamp on it."
Yuki and Kin-san looked at it. "This was taken the day they died. He took a picture of them, knowing that they would die," said Kin-san, feeling sick to his stomach.
"Look at the back," prompted Sammi. Kin-san flipped it over. What was written in the back caused Yuki and him to gasp.
"Oh my God," whispered Yuki.
"That's the first time, Tsukushi got that warning," said Sammi. "Charlie said that she told him that she got a bunch of roses in Okinawa. It had the same message. I also found this. It was in the CD drive of her computer. At first I thought it was something she was working on for school, but it wasn't."
"What is it?" asked Kin-san.
"I only viewed the first thirty seconds of it. It's not for our eyes. It's for Susumu's," said Sammi. "I don't think it will make a difference in court. I'll keep it for right now. Charlie's compiling the evidence against McCormick."
"While the British government is compiling the evidence against Susumu," said Kin-san grimly.
Shizuka's phone rang. She picked it up. "Hello Adam. Any news? Yes. That's good. I was starting to believe that Tsukasa couldn't do it. I'll tell them. I'll meet you at home in an hour."
"What?" asked Yuki.
"Adam just got a call from Tsukasa. The British government has agreed to a hearing," replied Shizuka.
"When?" asked Kin-san.
"Tomorrow."
"You're kidding," gasped Sammi. "Are you ready?"
"I'm not sure. However, Tsukasa wants this hearing to happen. He says that we have to get Susumu out before Tsukushi wakes up," said Shizuka. "My husband is confident. I believe in both of them. All we can do is prove that Ryan McCormick was a threat and prove that Susumu would never hurt anyone unless necessary."
She stood up and left the room. The three left behind were forced to think about it. It was going to be a close one.
*
"Get it in here now!" shouted the doctor as Tsukushi's body and seized up again. Her heart rate was rapid along with her breathing. "We need to stabilize her."
Rui had pulled back away to allow the medical staff to get through. He watched as they scrambled to stop Tsukushi's body from seizing up. The sound of the beeping heart monitor made Rui think that Tsukushi's heart was going to explode at any moment. It was making his heart stop as well.
This didn't bode well for everyone today, especially Susumu. It was the day of the hearing. Rui waited with his breath held tightly, wondering if Tsukushi's heart was going to stop or not. He had seen them change the bandages around wounds. He knew that they were going to be scars on her body. It amazed Rui that Tsukushi had lost so much blood came from two small bullet wounds.
"Don't go anywhere too far, Tsukushi-chan," said her mother to her gently.
"I'm only going out for a walk on the beach," said Tsukushi with a smile.
"We're worried about losing you," said her father as he smiled. "Where is your brother? He hasn't arrived yet."
"Maybe, it's better that he doesn't come," her mother told him. "He's still very busy with school."
Tsukushi looked around. It was strange. She wasn't afraid or as tense as she had been for almost two years. She was safe at home with her parents. They were laughing and talking. However, something happened that shook the peace she was in.
It wasn't real. None of it was real.
Tsukushi looked at her parents. They looked back at her. "Tsukushi-chan, what's wrong? Are you feeling all right? You don't feel sick, do you?" asked her father as he looked at her with concern.
Tsukushi stepped back away from them. "You're not real. This is all in my head. None of this is real!" she screamed. You're dead. That means that this is a dream, she thought to herself.
The scene shattered around her suddenly. She felt her heart reeling in her chest, pounding against her ribs. She clutched at her breasts, but scratched the spot where her necklace was. It was gone. She looked down in horror to see blood on her body. Her right arm felt numb with pain. It was her blood.
The pain flood back again and her heart wouldn't stop pounding. She sank to her knees as her eyes filled with tears of pain. Everything was fading out again and retreating into the darkness.
"Tsukushi-chan, we love you. Please come home soon," said her mother on the phone. It was the last thing she had said when Tsukushi had called home for the first time when she was in England.
"We're very proud of you," said her father.
Tsukushi's mind flickered again. She was at her school in Australia. She was making friends learning how to be herself. It was hard at first because she hadn't realized how much of herself she had sacrificed to make others happy. The worst part was she was awkward at being just herself. She had no idea where her real strengths and weakness laid.
Soon enough, Tsukushi was at the turning points of her life. Each of them her family wasn't present for it. Her graduation from high school and undergraduate school. None of people who she had worked so hard to have people accept her was there. It was other people.
It was at that painful moment did she realize that she was never really whole. She was never whole anywhere. In Japan, she suppressed her self and true feelings. Everywhere else, she didn't have the important people in her life. In this life, the only thing that really defines a person are the ones left behind. No one ever real knew who she was.
I have to get out of here. I can't die like this, she thought as everything went light again.
"She's stabilize. I don't know how, but she did," said the doctor out loud. "I think she did it herself."
Rui thought that was an accurate description of what happened. Tsukushi was battling herself. It was something he had seen before. Tsukushi was always at odds with herself. Rui shook he head slightly as he saw her breathing normally again. It was not much of a reassurance. He went out of the room to make a call to Tsukasa on his cell.
"Tsukasa. Tsukushi's heart nearly stopped again," he reported without much greeting.
"Is she all right?" asked Tsukasa.
"We can't be sure. The doctors are saying that if this keeps happening, it'll strain her heart too much," said Rui, trying to keep his voice calm and leveled.
There was a long pause. "I have to be here for the hearing. Call me if anything else happens. I'll keep my phone on. Text message me. Please," said Tsukasa.
"I will," promised Rui.
"Thank you, Rui," said Tsukasa as he hung up.
Tsukasa was already at the courthouse. It was going to be a long day, but he was now more worried about Tsukushi. He saw that Adam and Shizuka were arriving. They were talking amongst themselves.
"I still tell you it's a bad idea. It's a bloody bad idea. This is only a hearing. There's no reason for him to testify," said Adam.
"But he wants to," insisted Shizuka.
"No way. No how. There is no way I am going to let him. I cannot in good conscience let him. Why should he? He won't tell me a bloody thing, Shizuka. I have no idea what he's going to say when he's up there. He'll most likely torpedo himself," insisted Adam as he shook his head furiously.
This was one of the most frustrating cases that Adam had ever encounter in his brief career as a defender of criminals. Makino Susumu had contributed very little to his own defense. It was simply maddening because he would neither defend nor condemn himself. He wouldn't tell Adam anything at all. Adam tried to illicit any sort of emotional response from Susumu, but found that the boy had no emotions. It was not a good thing to be when facing murder charges. It was almost as bad as being out right criminally insane.
"Tsukasa. There you are," said Shizuka as she walked up to him. It was the first time since she had arrived in Japan that she had been able to meet with him. "You look different from before." She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"It's good to see you, Shizuka," said Tsukasa as he smiled. Or tried to smile. "I hope you are prepared for today."
Shizuka gave a brief nod as she looked at her husband. "My husband has some concerns. Susumu hasn't been very cooperative. It maybe too late for you to do something about that though."
Tsukasa's eyes flickered ever so slightly, giving just a hint that he knew what Susumu was concealing. However, it was too brief for Adam to think that Tsukasa knew anything, but it was just enough for Shizuka to know. "His fate is in his own hands. It is his choice."
Shizuka looked at him strangely before letting Tsukasa leave. It was time for the hearing to begin. Unfortunately, there were a few things that could not be helped. The British government got Sammi to be one of their witnesses. They also got a chance to see most of the evidence first, but the most important evidence was going to be presented on the defense side.
Makino Susumu was brought in by the police. He barely acknowledge anyone. For a moment, he shared a small flicker of a glance with Tsukasa. Soujirou, Yuki, Seinosuke, and Akira were sitting next to him. They were hoping for the best. Sammi, Charlie, and Tsukushi's band were outside waiting to be called to the stand. Dominic was sitting next
A group of men and women entered the room. It was a mixture of Japanese and British people. They looked stern and unmovable. Tsukasa let out a soft sigh. He didn't like the looks of these people. He also noticed that Watson and his secretary enter the room. They sat down on the prosecution side. Watson gave Tsukasa a long hard glare. It told him that he was there to make sure that Susumu paid for what he had done. Tsukasa looked at him passively. He fixed his eyes back on Susumu. He thought that he didn't look too well as if he hadn't sleep in days.
There was two more people present. They were translators for the men and women at the front table. There was a stenographer and court reporter. The police outside were keeping the press at bay who were trying to get inside. The tension in the air was thick.
"This is a hearing to decide whether or not to go to trial. The witnesses have taken oaths for testimony. This hearing is very important. We will be seeing and hearing evidence regarding the crime of murder in the first degree. Let us being," said a small Japanese woman in a very clear voice. She translated what she had just said into English.
The prosecutor, Mike Dawson, stood up and made his opening statement. "Murder. That is the reason why we have been brought here today. Makino Susumu is a murderer. He murdered Ryan McCormick and quite possibly his own sister, Makino Tsukushi. It was deliberate. I know what most of you are thinking. He is a young man. Why would a young man throw away his own future? What is going on in the mind of Makino Susumu? I don't expect an answer from anyone of you. Why? Because none of us are murderers. We cannot hope to comprehend why. Makino Susumu does not come from a poor family. His sister is known throughout the world as Ringo Arisu. She was the highest grossing international entertainer out of Japan last year."
"Ms. Makino is worth nearly fifty million pounds. The last year's end reports were submitted as rough estimates. It is estimated that her worth will grow even more so. However, we cannot forget the real victim in all this, Ryan McCormick. He was only twenty-two years old. A bright young man with a degree in business from Cambridge. He was murdered in cold blood by Makino Susumu. The evidence will speak the truth."
Dawson took his seat. Adam Kent stood up. He walked up to the table. "We are here to uncover the truth. What we are not here for is to condemn a young man. He is not even an adult according Japanese standards. Makino Susumu is a young man. A young broken man. In less than a month, he lost both his parents in a horrible accident. Was it an accident? No. It was not. It was a murder. Ryan McCormick was a disturbed young man and he had an unhealthy fixation on Makino Tsukushi. He stalked her for nearly two years, hunting her down like prey. McCormick is also the one who murdered Makino Tetsuya and Chieko. Now, I am not saying my client is not guilt of a crime. Perhaps he is, but the world is safer without the likes of Ryan McCormick."
"Britain would like to call its first witness, Samantha Collins," said Dawson as soon as Adam took his seat. The doors swung opened. Sammi walked in and took a seat at the appointed chair.
"Please stay your name and occupation," ordered Dawson.
"Samantha Collins. I am the business manager of Ringo Arisu as always well as an executive of Gaia Records," said Sammi.
"What was Ryan McCormick's position in the company?" asked Dawson.
"He was my personal assistant," replied Sammi.
"You were the one who interviewed him?"
"Yes."
"What made you hire him?"
"He was qualified for the job. He didn't have as much experience, but I thought it was fairer to give him a chance. He had just graduated from Cambridge. I didn't--"
Dawson was smart enough to cut her off. "Do you know what these are?" he asked as he handed some pieces of paper.
Sammi looked at them and nodded. "These are the employee evaluations."
"These are the employee evaluations that you filled out for Ryan McCormick. You gave him excellent evaluations, didn't you?" asked Dawson.
"I did, but I didn't know he was the st--"
"Please just answer the question, Ms. Collins. A simple yes or no will suffice," said Dawson.
"I am trying to tell you that Ryan McCormick was a liar. And I will have my chance to speak--"
"Ms. Collins, please refrain from talking out of turn," said the head of the inquiry. She looked at Sammi sternly. Sammi sat back. She thought of glaring at Dawson, but decided against it.
"No further questions," said Dawson as he went back to his table. Adam stood up and walked up to Sammi.
"How long have you know Makino Tsukushi?" asked Adam.
"Since before she was Ringo Arisu. For more than three years. Three and half," replied Sammi.
"How did you come to know her?"
"She was an exchange student who was studying for a year in London University. My family was her host family."
"What do you think of her?"
"I think of her as my sister. I was the one who launched her career, even though I wanted it for myself."
Adam looked at Shizuka and walked back to her. He turned and asked, "You are her manager. Is it true that you went to Gaia because you wanted a career in entertainment as well? How do you really feel about her? Explain."
Sammi swallowed before replying, "Yes, I was. I was one of the star struck people who would never make it. I have adequate enough talent and I am beautiful. Gaia said that I was not exotic enough and my talent wasn't enough to set me apart," she admitted. "I was the one who was interested in theater and music, not her. It didn't seem fair that everyone flocked to her. She had that something. You can't bottle it and sell it. Tsukushi has always had charisma. I came so close to bloody hating her."
Sammi stopped for a moment. Her eyes started to fill with tears. She swallowed. "I realized that was I supposed to be her sister. You couldn't look at her and not know that she was going to be something great. Something wonderful. I could be a winner if I backed one. This is all my bloody fault. I shouldn't have let him near her. I should haven't trusted him."
"Did you know about Ryan McCormick being the stalker?"
"No, I did not."
"What do you know about the Makino family?" asked Adam, knowing about the mistake that Dawson had made earlier.
"The Makino family? There are only four members that I know of. Their parents, Tsukushi, and Susumu."
Adam specified his question. "What was their financial state?"
"Poor. They were poor. Tsukushi spent a good amount of her own money sending it home for her brother's schooling. Eventually, she managed to make it big and was able to move her parents to a nice inn in Osaka. She worked herself ragged for her family. She always said it was part of her responsibility. She would send money home wherever she could."
Susumu looked up during that time. He hung his head down again. Shizuka placed a comforting hand on top of his hand to keep him calm.
"You couldn't help, but love her. No one could. I don't understand why myself. I love her very much. All this time everyone is talking about how Ryan McCormick is dead, but they keep forgetting about her. He was the one who went after her. You don't see it. She's the real victim. Not him."
"Objection. The witness is making merely an opinion," said Dawson.
"Overruled," said the lead woman. "And this is a hearing not a trial, Mr. Dawson. Opinions are allowed."
"No further questions," said Adam.
The proceedings went by much slower after that because Dawson called in other witness from the police along with witness that attested to Susumu's cold nature. It was not a very flattering portray they portrayed of him. However, Adam was more than able to make the inquiry board question the police's tactics.
There was some unshakable evidence. It was the gunshot wounds. The police examiner said that the bullets showed how McCormick was shot along with grisly pictures from the crime scene and the autopsy. Most everyone showed some revulsion at them, but Susumu didn't express anything. He looked at them passively. Adam and Shizuka looked at each other, while Tsukasa shifted uncomfortably. He could tell that Susumu didn't really care what had happened to Ryan McCormick.
A recess was called when the prosecution had finished. During that time, Adam and Shizuka looked at what they had. The break was only five minutes long. Everyone returned and the hearing resumed.
"I would like to call to the stand Edward Johnston," said Adam. Eddie entered the court room dressed in a neat suit. He took the stand.
"Please state your name and occupation for the court."
"Edward Johnston. I am the drummer of Ally's...I mean Ms. Makino's band," said Eddie quietly.
"Tell us about what happened on the 29th of December last year."
Eddie described what happened. The last part was the most important of all. "I picked up his glasses. I noticed that they were damaged. Badly, but later on when Mr. Doumyouji and Mr. Hanazawa came to the studio to smooth things over with our boss, I noticed that Ryan was reading stuff on the table."
"So, you assumed that the glasses were fake?" asked Adam.
"Objection. Leading the witness," said Dawson.
"Withdrawn," said Adam calmly. "Was he wearing his glasses at the time?"
"No, he wasn't."
"No further questions for this witness. I'd like to call my next witness," said Adam.
Sean and Robbie came up to talk about what they had found in Osaka, which led to more objections from Dawson. It didn't bode well when the chairwoman kept sustaining Dawson's objections. Adam didn't look the slightest bit worried. Tsukasa shifted uncomfortably again. The second to last witness called was Dominic who gave excellent testimony, but on the cross he was blind sided by Dawson for not being able to detect the stalker sooner.
The last witness to be called up was Charlie Collins. Adam asked him various questions. The evidence was submitted to the court. The score board was put up for display. Yuki turned pale when she saw it. Tsukasa felt a surge of anger. Susumu sat up straighter when he saw that his parent's faces were crossed out. Tsukasa had also tensed up when he heard about how the roses were in the Maple. He mentally made note of going over that hotel's security logs. If hotel security was called in, then he should have known about it.
"As you can see, this was what was found by the police at Ryan's apartment," said Charlie. "I also submitted a report for the brakes of the car that the Makinos were driving the day of the accident to a pair of clippers in his car. The cuts matched."
"What about this picture?" asked Adam as he handed it to him.
"If you look at the time stamp at the bottom, you'll notice that it was taken the day that they died. About four hours before Mrs. Makino died and several hours before Mr. Makino died," answered Charlie.
"What were you able to determine with the cameras that were in the house of Osaka?" asked Adam.
"McCormick had a various web cameras hooked up. That sent signals back to his computer where he was able to process images. He also had microphones that recorded everything. Or most everything," replied Charlie.
"Did Ms. Makino perceive the stalker as a threat?" asked Adam.
"Yes. She did," replied Charlie. "Otherwise I wouldn't have been summoned to Japan."
"Did Ms. Makino know it was Ryan McCormick who was stalking her?"
"I don't know. Only she could answer that."
"That's all. You're cross," said Adam as he walked back to his chair after addressing Dawson.
Dawson stood up. "Tell me, what is your relationship with Ms. Makino?" he asked. "I mean what is it really."
Tsukasa also wanted to know the answer himself.
"I think of her as my younger sister. I love her very much. I would protect her from anything, even if it means giving up my own life."
"Who did you suspect was the stalker? You obviously had a good idea who it was, didn't you?" asked Dawson.
Charlie tensed up. "Yes. I did," he replied.
"You didn't answer my first question. Who did you suspect the stalker was?"
"Dominic Stratton," answered Charlie. "I thought that he was the stalker."
"So, you were wrong?"
"Yes, obviously."
"Tell me what happened between the defendant and his sister the day she disappeared."
Charlie swallowed. He and Sammi were both there. "He found out that the accident had been ruled as a murder. A homicide. His sister kept it from him and he was very angry." He paused before continuing. "He smacked her with his backhand."
"Did he make any other threats?"
"No, but he was very angry," replied Charlie. Everyone was surprised by the testimony.
"That's all," said Dawson. He was using the same tactic that Adam had done before. He was trying to put some doubt in the witness.
"I have no more witnesses, but I do have evidence. If the court will indulge me that is," said Adam calmly.
"This is only a hearing. Proceed," said the chairwoman.
"We have evidence here because the dead cannot speak for themselves. However, Ryan McCormick has spoken volumes. Not just for himself, but also for his victim Makino Tsukushi. During her time in Osaka, McCormick managed to gather hundreds of hours of video footage. After viewing some of it, it didn't take long to realize what each disk was about. So, not to waste the court's time, I have only selected three. Each disk was labeled by date. I picked the first disk, one from the middle, and the last disk."
The equipment was brought in. There was a screen to project the images on. Tsukasa sat up straighter, wondering what each of the disks had on them. The only people who had seen them were Adam and Shizuka. Shizuka had nearly cried when she viewed them.
"This is the first disk. The date is on September 21st," said Adam as he pressed the button. "I cut it to fifteen minutes or less each. You don't have to see for long to figure out what was happening."
The scene faded to black and faded into the living room of the house in Osaka. Tsukushi in the room, closing the door behind her. She took off her coat. She dropped her bag on the table nearby along with the keys. She slipped off her shoes. She had something in her hand. It looked like a script.
The phone rang. She went to it with a puzzled look on her face. "Hello?" she asked first in Japanese then in English.
"Who is this? Hello?" she asked. In an instant, Tsukushi's cheeks paled. "How did you get this number?" she demanded as she went to the curtain of the kitchen. She noticed the sun was filtering into the room. She pulled the curtains shut. "Look. I don't know who the Hell you are. Stop calling."
The caller must have hung up because Tsukushi pulled her head away from the receiver. She gazed at it, trembling ever so slightly. She calmly put the phone back on the cradle and put the script on the counter next to the phone. She went to her bag and pulled out her cell phone. She pressed the buttons. The video cut out again.
"That is the just first time," said Adam as he took out the disk. "For the sake of time, we cannot watch how the abuse escalated. This was taken on November 3rd."
The lightness of the afternoon didn't last as soon as she returned to the beach house. Dominic thought that he should do a sweep of the house, but Tsukushi slammed the door in the faces of her guards. She locked it behind her and slide the bolts in place. She turned on the security system.
With each passing day, things were getting worse. She couldn't continued pretending that everything was fine. She went to the table and noticed the mail. It had been screened by Sammi personally before having it sent along. Dominic had been the one who had dropped it off on the table.
Tsukushi knew that it was a mixture of fanmail and other paperwork. Sammi had grouped them accordingly. The first thing she picked up was a large manila envelope. It was thick. She looked at it. It didn't have any markings on it. Tsukushi thought it was some paperwork. She opened it with the cutter and pulled out the contains.
Tsukushi immediately dropped everything. Pictures scattered all over the the floor. She crouched down and looked at them. They were sequent shots of her. They were taken when she was coming out of the studio. They were taken candidly.
As if on cue, the phone rang. Tsukushi stood up and grabbed the phone on the kitchen counter. "What?" she shouted.
"Do you like them?"
"Stop it."
"You do not even know how."
"Where are you?"
"I am always with you, my love."
"Don't call me that--" The person on the other line hung up. The line went dead. Tsukushi hung up the phone. She walked quickly to the door and went to open the locks with her hands slightly trembling. The phone rang again. She stood frozen at the door. "Leave me alone. Just leave me alone," she gasped as she slid the first deadbolt opened.
A cold realization filled her. Why didn't any of the bodyguards catch the envelope? She pulled back from the door after she slid the deadbolt back in place. She covered her ears to stop the ringing. The machine picked the call.
A song filled the room. It was one hers. "Stop it."
"I would not go outside, love. It is not safe for you. You are not safe anywhere. Do not worry. You are safe as long as you have me to watch over you."
"Shut up!" she screamed as she ran to the phone in the kitchen. She pulled the phone off the counter until the jack was ripped out. She slammed the phone on the floor, even after the voice had stopped.
It took another hour before Tsukushi could pull herself off the floor. She stood up and gathered the broken phone and set it on the table. She gathered up the pictures and went to the fireplace. She set the pictures on fire and sat there watching the flames until the sunset.
Tsukushi turned on the radio in a effort to get some sleep. The dedication hour came up. It was a station that played a mixture of English and Japanese songs. Tsukushi's eyes were slowly closing when she heard the dedication: "The next song is dedicated to Alice. The caller sends his love and says 'sleep tight.'"
Tsukushi's eyes opened wide at the last part of the dedication. He told her to sleep tight. It was only seven. How could he know that?
The song that was playing was called "Every Breath You Take." By the end, Tsukushi was shaking. She was clutched into a ball, nearly in tears.
The screen went black again. There was a hush in the courtroom. There was now a look of shock on Susumu's face. He looked like he was shaking and he was breathing very hard.
Adam didn't say anything as he put the last disk in. The screen was dark again, but this time it was because the lights were out. The curtains were drawn. Tsukushi was sitting on the floor in her room. She was curled up with her knees tucked into her chest.
"You think you can win, love?" said a voice through a synthesizer.
"Get out of my head!" shouted Tsukushi. "Get out!"
"I know you so well. You're not broke yet. You're just annoyed." The voice laughed.
"Shut up!"
"Do you know what I am doing right now?"
"Why don't you just take a gun and blow your fucking brains out?!" shouted Tsukushi. "Get away from me!"
"You're afraid. I can feel it. I can hear it. I can see it. I can taste," taunted the voice. "I can make it stop. All you have to do is ask."
Tsukushi shook her head and stood up. "Where the Hell are you?!"
"You're not broken yet. Only I can do that. I'll take you apart piece by piece."
"No...no you won't. I won't let you," she whispered. "I won't let you."
"Are you sure you haven't gone mad already?"
"Leave me alone. God, just leave me alone!" she cried.
The screen went black again. "This was the last video he had. It was the night before Tsukushi left Osaka. It was taken on just as the day changed to the fifteenth of December. I rest my case."
Tsukasa was gripped with anger and fear. He could see the pain she was in. The helplessness. The vulnerability. All of it. She was left utterly exposed for the world.
Susumu silently cried, but his hair obscure his face from others. Shizuka placed her hand again on top of his. Adam took his seat as Dawson stood up.
Dawson gave his closing argument. It was strong. He urged the board to listen and to pay attention to the evidence. He urged them not to fall for Adam's tactic of forgetting about Ryan McCormick and said that two wrongs didn't make a right. As soon as he was done, Adam stood up.
"The true victims here are Ryan McCormick and Makino Tsukushi. But there are other victims the rest of the Makino family, especially my client, Makino Susumu. Tsukushi is a very special young woman. One that I have come to know on a more personal level. She is my friend. My son's godmother. My wife's best friend. I know this woman. I know her as a person who would have sacrificed anything for her family, even her life. No, I am wrong. She would not have sacrifice her soul.
"I urge you to know that the evidence against my client is only circumstantial. Yes, he had the blood on his hands and the gun powder. However, if my client was not there, his sister would have bleed to death. Makino Susumu is only human. He was grieving the loss of his parents. Only to find out that they were murdered. His sister tried to protect him from the truth. That was what she always did from the beginning from the time he was born, she protected him.
My client defended his family. If he hadn't been there, Ryan McCormick would have killed her."
Adam went back and took his seat.
"Please wait for our deliberation," said the chairwoman as they stood up and left. "The defendant is to be remanded to custody until our decision is reached."
The police pulled Susumu up from his chair. Tsukasa stood up slowly. Everyone had the same numb feeling. Yuki was rubbing her arms and refused to stand up. "I have to call Rui," said Tsukasa. "I have to tell him what's happened."
"I can't believe it," whispered Akira. "All this time. She was living like that."
Sammi walked in along with the other witnesses. "I'm sorry about how badly I did," she muttered.
"You did the best you could," said Shizuka. "Why don't we all get something to eat?"
"I'm not very hungry," admitted Kin-san. He stood up and stretched his legs. "How is Doumyouji-san?"
"I don't know. I think he's feeling the same way we are right now: guilty. Do you realize that Tsukushi probably went along with Ryan because he threatened us?" asked Sammi out loud.
"I don't know what to believe," murmured Yuki. "I don't know if Susumu killed Ryan or not. I just know that his future as it stands is a mess. Who knows what will happen now? What will become of him after this is over?"
"We have to believe that everything will turn out all right. We have to take everything one step at a time," said Adam quietly. "Besides, Tsukushi is too bloody stubborn to die so easily. Let's go and get something to eat. There's bound to be some place nearby. I'll go and ask Doumyouji-san."
Adam managed to get everyone to agree to go and eat something. Tsukasa reluctantly agreed to go with them because Adam told him that it was better to Rui when everything was over and things had been decided. He said in a calm and reassuring way. It was no wonder that Shizuka had married him. Despite his youth, Adam exuded wisdom and he gave an aura of trust. They went to a nearby coffee shop.
Everyone had a little something to eat and drink, but hardly said a word. They waited for hours until Adam's cell phone went off. He picked up. It had been around three hours. "They have a decision," said Adam quietly. "We have to head back."
They all walked back to the courthouse. The reporters were in the front, while they took a back entrance. Susumu was brought back in. "Are you alright?" asked Shizuka.
Susumu nodded as the inquiry board took a seat.
"As you know, the charges against Makino Susumu are very serious. However, we cannot go to trial without this hearing because of nature of this crime. This is not a simple case of murder. This is an international disaster waiting to happen. Today felt like a hearing within a hearing. We heard evidence against the defendant and the victim. Both are compelling," said the chairwoman as her eyes flickered over Susumu. "Please stand."
Susumu stood up along with Adam and Shizuka. The air felt thicker than it had ever been. Tsukasa sat up straighter.
"This hearing finds that the evidence against Makino Susumu to be insufficient for the charge of murder in the first degree. We also find that the injuries that Makino Susumu sustained during the struggle with Ryan McCormick are enough to rule self-defense. The decision of this board finds Makino Susumu not culpable of any of the charges," said the chairwoman.
There came sighs of relief and other commotion in the room. The chairwoman signaled them them to be quiet. "However, Makino-san, I must say this to you. We do not know for sure what happened, but you have to live with this. You will have to live with what you know. We hope that you can."
"That concludes this hearing," said the chairwoman as she pounded gavel. They all stood up and left the room. Dawson walked up to Adam Kent.
"Don't tell me you plan on appealing this," said Adam. "Because if you do, you'll be seeing me again. And again. However long it takes."
"I was not going to say that. I was going to say that you don't even know what he really did, do you?" asked Dawson.
"I don't have to know."
"Then, you'll be the one who will be held responsible for anything he does," warned Dawson.
"No, he won't be," interrupted Tsukasa. He understood the actions of Dawson, but not his words so much. Akira translated for him. "I am the one who will be held responsible for his actions. And when he's ready, then he'll be responsible."
Dawson turned and walked out of the room. The police took off the handcuffs Susumu. He stretched out his arms and walked up to Tsukasa. He was going to say something to him, but Tsukasa cut him off.
"We've wasted enough time with this. Let's go to the hospital to see your sister," said Tsukasa.
Everyone left the courtroom. The air felt lighter, but not that much. They still had to wait for a bigger problem. Susumu didn't want to go back and change his clothes, so Kin-san volunteered to get him a change of clothes. Once again Tsukasa lingered outside of the room and waited for everyone else.
Rui and Tsukasa talked about the trial. However, Rui sensed that Tsukasa knew more than what he was saying. Rui knew that Susumu was more than capable of murder, but he didn't say anything.
"I think that this might help her wake up," murmured Rui.
"I hope so," whispered Tsukasa.
"Excuse me," said Sammi as she walked up to them. "There's something that Susumu needs to view, but I think that we should all see it."
*
Everyone came over to Sammi's flat. "I found this while looking through Tsukushi's things. I thought at first that it was her stuff for school, but I realized that it was a re-writeable DVD. I noticed that the camera was hooked up the computer. I watched about thirty seconds of it, but I stopped. I didn't submit it because it seemed like something for our eyes only, specifically for you, Susumu."
Sammi inserted the DVD into the player. The screen was black than it showed her inside her office. She was dressed in the clothes that she was wearing the day that she had disappeared. She looked stared at the camera.
"I don't know where to start," said Tsukushi in a tired voice. "I don't know why I am even doing this. I guess for the first time in a long time I wanted a camera pointed at me willingly." She smiled for a moment, but it never reached her eyes.
"There is a lot of things I keep to myself. That I can only say now. I can't say these things out loud because I am afraid. I am afraid of facing the part of myself that I have tried to keep at bay for a while. I am afraid of losing everything. I feel as if I am using all my energy to keep my world from crumbling. It's like trying to keep a bubble afloat."
Tsukushi looked away for a moment. "I am not afraid to die. I am beyond that. At least I know what will happen when I die. At least I know that it's coming..."
Susumu's focused on her. "Listen to me, I know that I have done a lot of things lately that doesn't make any sense to anyone. I am trying to protect everyone here. I do this because I love everyone very much. I will not allow anyone else to get hurt because of me. I lost both my parents. He was right. He is going to take me apart piece by piece."
"I can't keep this up for very long. I can't, but there is no way I will allow him to hurt anyone else I care about. I will be damned if I will let anyone else get killed. That is what I am afraid of," she whispered harshly. She stopped for a moment to wipe away her tears.
"Please forgive me for what I have to do. Please don't feel guilty. I made my choice. This is all my doing. I have to finish what I've started. No matter what. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but this is the only way out. This is the only way. He's watching me. I know it. He's always nearby. I have tried my hardest to keep everyone away from me no matter how much it hurts. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
The screen went black. Everyone sat there speechless.
Susumu didn't say anything. He stared at the black screen.
"Do you know why your sister didn't let you decide what happened to your father?" asked Rui out loud.
Susumu shook his head. "She said that she didn't want you to hate yourself. She would have rather have you hate her than yourself. Because she didn't want you to live like that," answered Rui. "That is how much she loves you."
"And I didn't trust her," whispered Susumu. "I didn't trust her."
No one could say anything to comfort him.
"She was willing to give up her life for all of us, especially for the people who were marked for dead. If it wasn't for her, we'd all be dead," whispered Yuki.
"Then we truly owe her our lives. We should thank her when she wakes up," whispered Tsukasa.
AN: This the second to last chapter. I find it interesting that most people always want to find out more about their favorite author. I do have a few favorite authors. Some of them are mangaka and some are regular book authors. There are people who posting questions about me. Gee...I don't know what to say to those questions. I would like to say that I am in college. I am currently deciding whether or not to take a minor in creative writing or in English. It would improve my writing because I am still fine tuning. It's not the grammar, but the style that I'm trying to get. Grammar is the editor's job. ^_^
And this is the longest chapter yet. I hope that everyone had fun with this. I supposed I made it too easy for Susumu, but I believe I've tortured him long enough. Let's see what happens next. Is it me or has Tsukasa gotten last lines in the last two chapters?
Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Yori Dango.