Love is in the Air
Sae remembered how her father once told her that life was like a river. It flowed constantly, no matter how much a person tried to stop it. Always moving, never really still.
Change was a natural part of life, and sometimes that change was bad. But sometimes it was wonderful. A breath of fresh air.
And lately, Sae had seen and felt many wonderful changes in her life. From she and her sister Makoto growing closer again after a long period of drifting apart, to Makoto finding a boyfriend in young Ren Amamiya, to Sae slowly rising up in the legal world through hard work and a bit of luck.
Makoto was in her last year of college, while Sae was an established defense attorney by now. The older of the two siblings was well respected by her peers all throughout Japan, and she was more than happy to offer her services to those who needed it.
Sae made sure to keep herself well aware of her place in the world. She knew that the judicial system was still corrupt, still full of arrogance, pettiness, and malice, but she was a factor, at least.
The conviction rate was still 99%, but she was skilled enough at her job that potential clients were able to hold out long enough to avoid giving coerced confessions. She was a proud and firm protector. She was able to save many innocent victims, helping them get their charges dropped, or at the very least lowered considerably.
She was proud to say that none of her clients had ever served time behind bars. Makoto commented that she was a true hero, and Haru, Makoto's best friend, even referred to Sae as a 'true champion of justice.'
A bit much, perhaps, but she appreciated the compliment.
Needless to say, Sae's life was going well since the end of Phantom Thieves. But of course that didn't mean there weren't bumps in the road.
At the moment, Sae just wished she was home. She sat in the terminal at Nagasaki Airport, waiting to board her plane to return to Tokyo. As much as she wanted to be relaxing, it was difficult for her to just sit still and rest.
She was idly flipping through some papers regarding the case she had come here for. It was wrong to call it an outright loss, especially because she was aware of her own flaw for craving victory after Makoto told her about her Palace, but the simple fact was that it had ended in a plea bargain.
She knew she could have done better. She knew that her client really was innocent. She should have had all the charges dropped.
But it wasn't meant to be. Sae was thanked by her client, but that didn't rid her of the distaste in her mouth. The guilt in her chest. The frustration in her mind.
She sighed quietly, closing her eyes for a moment. She had been staring at the papers for so long, she had forgotten to blink again. Perhaps she needed to take a break?
Sae rubbed at her closed eyes, before a voice rang through the waiting area. Boarding had begun, and Sae thanked her lucky stars. She quickly put away her things before rising up and making her way to the ticket counter. She moved past it, down the jetway, and finally onto the plane.
She slowly moved down the aisle before she reached her seat. There was already a man sitting there by the window, staring out of it and at the ground below. Sae didn't give much thought to him, though she did notice a few things here and there.
A thin man, with black hair dipping down into his eyes in front of his glasses. She stared at his half-lidded eyes for only a moment, but even she could see the same look of exhaustion she often wore in the past.
Beyond his face, the only thing notable about him was his simple suit and tie. Another typical, slightly overworked salaryman. One of a million in Japan. One of a billion in the world, honestly.
Without much more thought about the stranger, Sae stowed away her luggage above his head and took the aisle seat. The man didn't even glance at her as she got comfortable in the chair, preparing for the flight.
Soon enough, boarding was completed and the plane began to slowly taxi towards the proper runway. Sae heard the same safety briefing she had heard a thousand times before, and she closed her eyes. She tuned out the tired jokes and typical reminders of what to do in case of an emergency.
She was tempted to take out her papers and review them again, but she thought better of it. She needed a break, and so she reached into her things to pull out a simple book to read. Her fingers slid over the hardcover of the book as she glanced out the window, watching the world slowly going by.
There was an empty seat between the two. Perhaps the passenger who was supposed to sit there had canceled. It was preferable to missing the flight, she supposed. Whatever the case, this meant there was a bit more room for her and the man beside her.
Sae stretched out her legs a bit, before she opened her book and began to read. The book was part of a series, the latest installment actually, about the one and only Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane. The stories were exaggerated tales written from the perspective of the Detective Prince's husband, and he would often play Watson to her Sherlock Holmes.
She had always been a fan of these books, often reading them with Makoto when they were younger. A small smile pulled at her lips at that particular group of memories. It soon faded, though her interest was caught by the book for a few minutes.
Sae quietly read her book, before she glanced out the window. The world was slowly moving by them, and she was eager to return home to see her sister again. She wanted to hear how school was going, how Ren was doing, if her sister had run off to fight monsters again…
Sae could feel the plane continue to move, driving forward, before takeoff began. Sae had stopped trying to count how many times she had experienced this sensation. She felt neither fear, nor excitement. She merely quietly adjusted in her seat as she closed her eyes and relaxed into her chair.
"Mmm…" Sae did hear a quiet hum, though. Not from the plane, but rather from the man beside her. She opened her eyes and glanced at him, a dull curiosity in her eyes as she heard his voice. It was quiet, almost drowned out by the sounds around them. "...never gonna get tired of that…"
The man was smiling as he stared out the window, but he seemed to notice Sae from the corner of his eyes. He turned his eyes towards her, before they widened ever so slightly. It seemed he had realized his thoughts were not just thoughts. His mouth parted for a moment, and he bowed his head.
"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you, miss. I was just thinking aloud. I apologize."
"It's fine," Sae replied, brushing it all aside with a metaphorical wave of her hand. "I assume you enjoy flying?" she asked, merely trying to ease the man's fear of disturbing her.
It seemed to work, as he smiled at her ever so slightly. "Yeah. Planes a marvel of technology, honestly. A sort of testament to man." Sae wasn't sure how to respond to the statement, and the man continued, gesturing to the clouds around them. "We made this. A machine that lifts thousands of pounds into the air, from one country to another."
"I suppose. Are you a pilot?" she wondered, and he shook his head.
'No, just an enthusiast, I guess. I like flying. I even volunteer for business trips just so I can get a chance to fly again. Guess I just love it up here," he explained with a simple shrug of his shoulders.
"They are impressive machines."
"Mm," he nodded his head. "Wouldn't be able to do what I do without them. Suppose that's true for a lot of folks."
"Myself included," Sae confessed as she leaned into her seat, turning her gaze away from the man as she got comfortable.
"Can I ask what you do?"
" I'm a lawyer," she explained, and the man nodded his head.
"I see. That's pretty impressive."
"Thank you."
The man and Sae were quiet after that, letting the seconds tick by. Sae wondered if that would be the end of the conversation. She wouldn't mind it if it was, but at the same time, the man seemed nice enough.
She gently traced the cover of her book with her finger, wondering if it would be rude to return to reading it.
"Can I ask what you're reading?" the man asked, and Sae saw no reason not to answer honestly.
"A mystery novel. One about the Detective Prince." Sae realized her mistake as soon as she said it. She still remembered Akechi. Her teeth nearly ground against one another at the thought of him. The man who betrayed her trust. Who betrayed her sister.
Makoto had shared the horror stories of how Akechi tried to murder Ren and their friends. Just thinking about him made Sae's blood boil.
"Oh, Naoto Shirogane, right?"
"Ah, yes," Sae quickly nodded, surprised. "The very same."
"I remember hearing about her on the news. She's amazing. I never got around to reading her books, though. They're written by her husband, right?" Sae nodded her head. "Any good?"
"I wouldn't be reading the latest installment if they weren't," she replied. "Her husband embellishes here and there, but there is a seed of truth to most of the stories. The last one I read had the book version of Shirogane-san going against an organization that had kidnapped the Prime Minister's daughter. It was inspired by several kidnapping cases Shirogane had solved in the past."
"Interesting. I'll have to read them sometime." Sae nodded in agreement, noticing the man's eyes lingering on her book for just a moment. He then lifted his gaze to look at her. "So what is this one about?"
"At the moment, Shirogane-san is dealing with a corrupt lawyer."
"Hm." The man nodded his head in understanding. "Well I'm sure he's just an outlier. The company I work for was dealing with some legal trouble last year. Thankfully we had a good attorney who was able to help us."
"There are certainly bad eggs here and there," Sae admitted with a sigh.
"A wise man once said, 'No matter how bad things get, I believe there will always be people trying to make the right choice at the right moment. It just helps to try and be one of them.'"
"That sounds…idealistic," Sae commented. She had seen corruption right before her eyes. She was even a part of it not so long ago. She felt her fingers scratch at her book as she remembered her own foolishness.
She hated herself for it, and she swore that she would never return to being that horrid woman again.
"It might be, but I still remember when Masayoshi Shido was arrested for corruption," the man commented, and Sae bit her lower lip for a moment. She remembered that monster well. "He was put away because people made the right decision. What's that saying…? The only thing evil needs to win is for good men to do nothing?"
"I suppose that is true," Sae shrugged. "I'm glad he was locked. But unfortunately, his kind are all too common in the world."
"Well, and I'm sorry if I'm coming off as too bold, but you seem to be doing your part to help stop it," the man commented.
"You don't know me," she observed, and the man shrugged at that.
"I wouldn't want to assume the worst of anyone I just met. I like to think people are better than that."
"A nice worldview," Sae replied. The man was clearly a bit of an optimist. Some would call it naive, but he at least seemed reasonable enough about his view. "I suppose I do what I can." The man nodded in agreement, before turning to stare out the window again.
She watched him stare out at the passing clothes, before she looked around. Other people were talking to those beside them, children were crying, while others slept, or listened to music. She turned her head back to the man, watching him gaze upon the ground below them.
"Have you always enjoyed flying?"
"I have," he replied, without turning to her. "I just find the whole process relaxing and beautiful. Seeing the world all the way up here… It's amazing, I think. Not to mention I appreciate the hard work that goes into it."
Sae could appreciate that. All of the people working at airports, from pilots, to custodians, to air traffic control. All doing their part.
"My boss always emphasized how we all have to work together to get a job done. A part to play for all of us."
Sae knew that Makoto would definitely share that sentiment. She was close with each of her friends, treating some of them as almost family. Maybe one day, Ren and her would be actual family… Hm, well, she'd have to give her approval before that ever happened.
Sae smiled at the thought of Ren sitting in front of her, more nervous than he had ever been before. Knowing him, he might even want to go back to when she was interrogating him. An easier task than having Sae determine if he was capable of providing Makoto with a good life.
"He sounds like a wise leader." The man shrugged in response as Sae joined him in staring out the window.
It was beautiful. The clouds traveling by. The ground so far beneath them. A thousand years ago, such a thing might have been unheard of. Yet here they were.
She supposed she didn't appreciate it as much as she should, given how often she had flown before.
"How many times have you flown?" she inquired. She just wanted to make conversation by now, no longer interested in her book at the moment. He turned his head to her, rubbing at his chin.
"I've lost count, honestly."
"As have I. It all starts to blend together."
"I've been flying since I was a kid," the man explained. "Used to bother the hell out of my family with all the plane facts I had learned."
"Mm, you sound… passionate."
"I was annoying. Bothered everyone around me," the man replied with a chuckle, and Sae smiled at his honesty. It was appreciated. The man was a stranger, but he seemed easy enough to read. His heart was on his sleeve, and he made no attempt to hide it.
"Did you always want to be a lawyer?" he inquired.
"I always wanted to in law," she replied. "I knew I wanted to help people." She thought of her father. The kind man that he was. She hoped he was proud of her, wherever he was now…
"Thought so. Had a good feeling about you," the man commented, before his brow furrowed slightly. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you." He glanced at her book
"You're no bother, I assure you." Neither said it, but Sae realized what it was she was feeling. The flight was long and dull, and so she was happy to just enjoy herself with somewhat stimulating conversation.
It helped pass the time, at least.
"Honestly, I had begun to get bored of flying, so talking to someone is a welcome change of pace."
"Well then, by all means." the man said with a smile.
The two didn't really talk about anything too deep. They talked about flying, their experiences at airports, and a bit about their own profession. Sae didn't mention Makoto, and beyond vague statements here and there, the man didn't really go into his own personal life.
All of which was fine with her.
"Adorable child, but she spilled her drink on me before the plane was even in the air," the man chuckled, and Sae smiled in amusement. "It was embarrassing, but I couldn't stay mad at her. It did make the flight pretty uncomfortable, though."
"I can imagine. I don't really have any story that is nearly that embarrassing."
"Lucky you," the man chuckled as the two suddenly heard the pilot chiming in. The plane was going to land soon.
"Huh. Already?" she mumbled to herself. It seemed as though the man didn't even hear her.
"Time flies while you're having fun, hm?" he spoke. Neither seemed to even acknowledge his little pun.
"Suppose so."
The two didn't stop talking, though. They kept chatting even as the plane landed and made its way to the proper gate, and when the pilot wished the passengers safe travels, Sae couldn't help but feel the slightest bit… disappointed.
Judging by the small frown on the man's lips, he felt the same.
It had been a long time since she had an intelligent conversation with someone besides Makoto and Ren about… well, anything beyond work. Come to think of it, she didn't really have a lot of friends her own age besides Sojiro-san, and even that friendship wasn't particularly deep.
Sae glanced at the man, before she looked at everyone slowly getting off. The two weaved their way through the tiny isle and up the jetway before making their way into the terminal.
As they walked she remembered a piece of advice from her sister once. To take a chance, sometimes, and no matter how much of Sae had changed after all these years, she was still a bit of a gambler.
"Do you happen to live in Tokyo?"
"I do," he replied with a nod.
"Would you like to go out to get a drink sometime?"
The man seemed taken back by the question, but only for a moment. The truth was the man found Sae rather attractive. Both in the sense that was she was a beautiful woman, and she was pleasant to talk to.
He hoped that the simple observation of her beauty wasn't rude. Her long, silver hair, her scarlet eyes, her pale skin, and ruby lips. She was certainly beautiful, a fact that anyone could see.
"I'd like that, actually." He reached into his wallet and pulled out a business card. He was amused to find Sae doing the same.
"Ah, I realize… I never asked your name."
"Well I didn't ask you either. Sorry about that," he smiled, and Sae waved her card in the air dismissively.
"Sae Niijima," she declared, holding her card out to him. He took it, before handing her his own card.
"Nice to meet you. Hotaru Yamaguchi."
"It's nice to meet you too," she smiled. "I'll give you a call in a few days"
They made their way through the security checkpoint and Sae watched as the man began to walk away.
"You don't have to go to baggage claim?"
"I only brought a carry-on."
"Ah, I see. Well, I hope to see you soon, Yamaguchi-san."
"Likewise, Niijima-san." He bowed his head, before he walked away, leaving Sae to stare at him for a moment, before she made her way to baggage claim.
END
This story was requested by a patron. Always wanted to try my hand at an OC X Canon character story. Nothing wild or crazy about this. Just a simple, wholesome love story. :)