A/N:

Forgive & Forget - The Kooks

Silence fell over the courtroom as everyone held their breath. Umi and Rin were still looking merciless as they wanted to tear the man in half, but Judge Mitsuishi looked down at her hands.

"From what evidence and interviews we have done here today, I find the defendant not guilty."

A lightning bolt of euphoria struck Nozomi, Umi and Rin. Nozomi let the tears fall while Umi threw her head in her hands and Rin slumped back into her chair. Whatever happened next was a blur to Nozomi - she felt a hand clap on her shoulder and saw a smile directed at her from Nitta.

The judge turned to look at Tojo with disgust on her face,

"I have never seen a father go out of his way to berate his daughter."

Her tone made Minami look down with an expression Nozomi had never seen before. The judge continued to talk about the fines Tojo would have to pay, but Nozomi wasn't paying attention. She felt Eli's hand on her shoulder, and turned around to see the blonde smiling at her with watery eyes. Hanayo as well, but seemed to be bouncing up and down in her seat from excitement.

Rin turned around as well and beamed at her girlfriend. Nitta rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet as she listened to the judge's request to investigate Tojo further, but it was just white noise for Nozomi.

She was innocent, so was Rin and Umi. They would not be losing their jobs. They were not guilty. They could continue their lives and the business.

Nozomi threw her face into her hands as she tried comprehend everything.

Judge Mitsuishi hit her gavel just as Tojo sent one final glance over at his daughter.

Rin turned back to look at the man as the doors to the courtroom opened and people start to file out. She stood up and her legs carried her over to Tojo, her fists clenched.

"Tojo-san, do you know of Schrödinger's Cat?" Rin's brain was on autopilot, and she could practically feel the worry coming from Hanayo, Umi, Rin and Eli. Kussun had stood up and cautiously peered at the apprentice.

Before Tojo could respond, Rin kept talking, her voice shaking.

"It's about a live cat in a box, and there's a device of hydrocy...hydr-hydrocyanic acic, a radioactive substance...which is a poisonous toxin."

Rin wasn't sure how she was doing this, standing and talking directly to the man that had made that prosecuted her, but she kept going.

"They say if something were to interrupt the box, a mechanism will trip a hammer to set off the vial and kill the cat. What is means is you don't know if the cat is alive or dead."

Tojo looked at the apprentice dully. Rin knew he did not care, but she scowled down at him with disgust.

"You are an outsider looking in on the box that is Nozomi-senpai's life. You think you can just trip a hammer and think she will crumble, but she won't. Nozomi-senpai is ten times the human you will ever be. You think just because you're this big poisonous toxin that you can hurt her?!"

Nozomi got to her feet and hurried over to Rin, grabbing her shoulder and dragging her back. She was terrified as to what her father would do.

"Rin-chan, please don't," she begged her apprentice, but Rin shoved forward out of her teacher's grip and raised her voice.

"You think just because you have power and have traumatised her with your shitty values and hatred of her creativity that you can make her life a living hell?!"

"Rin!" Nozomi grabbed Rin's shoulder again and pulled her back with all the force she could muster. Rin glared darkly at Tojo, then grit her teeth,

"Being creative is not a crime, Tojo."

Rin then turned and stalked off back to their small group on the other side of the courtroom. Nozomi's eyes flitted to her father quickly, and she took a deep breath to calm the storm swirling within her stomach.

"Rin-chan is right. It's not my fault I am an artist, and I love whom I love," Nozomi looked over her should straight into Eli's glistening blue eyes that were etched with alertness. Nozomi knew Eli would be watching the interaction and would step in if anything were to happen. Nozomi turned back to her father and for the first time in many years, locked eyes with him.

"If you can't accept that then...please leave me alone," Nozomi bowed, then turned on her heel and took Eli's hand as the group walked out of the courtroom, feeling like a weight had been lifted.

"D-Did that really just happen?" Eli asked the group in an airy voice. Their shoes clicked against the stone floor as they all left the courtroom ten minutes later. Nozomi had lost track of the time, and was surprised when a glance at her phone told her it was 2:45pm. She held onto Eli's hand like a lifeline while Nitta chuckled.

"Yes it did."

"Did you see his face when Nitta-san started the interview?!" Rin bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, holding Hanayo's hand and beaming.

"Oh please, you don't need to continue with those formalities anymore, Rin-san," the lawyer smiled at the apprentice.

"Call me Emitsun, that's what my roommate does," she smiled and nudged Rin's side,

"But those words to Tojo-san after were quite something!"

"All it took was some digging, and look at you now, Non-tan," Kussun nudged Nozomi's side with a wink. The younger artist smiled at her former teacher.

Bringing up the rear of the group was Umi. Her hands were in her pockets and her gaze was downcast. She thought about everything that had just happened, but what really struck her was Minami's face when Emitsun had brought up Tojo harassing his daughter. There was a remorseful look on her face that Umi could not shake from her memory.

"Umi?"

Umi looked up at the voice. She saw Eli peering at her, holding her phone.

"Are you okay? Hanayo is about to call Maki to see if she can pick her and Rin up. Were you going to head home now?"

"Oh, I will probably be going to the daycare to see Kotori and Honoka, but I can drop you two off somewhere if you wish," Umi talked without thinking, and Eli shrugged.

"I was actually thinking of getting everyone together tonight for a dinner in celebration."

"That sounds lovely, and it's still early in the day so we can calm down beforehand," Umi's responses continued to be automatic as Nozomi farewelled Kussun with a hug.

Out of the corner of her eye, Umi spotted Minami walking out of the courthouse. Her gut was telling her to go after her future mother-in-law.

"Can we talk in five minutes? There is something I have to do."

Eli nodded, and Umi bowed out of courtesy then briskly took off after Minami.

"What do you want, Umi," Minami didn't look behind to know who it was. Umi had her her left hand in her pant's pocket and blinked.

"Minami-san, you were affected by Nozomi's father's words, it was very clear," Umi took a step forward cautiously since the woman still had her back turned. There was a tension in the air Umi felt she could cut with a knife.

"What makes you think that, Umi?" Minami's voice was curt as she continued to hide her face from her future daughter-in-law. Umi bit her lip, playing with her snakebite, before moving closer.

"As I said, it was visible. Nitta confronting Tojo resulted in you changing your expressions."

Minami stiffened, and Umi let out a sigh.

"I know you love Kotori. I love her too, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her...Tojo's lack of affection towards Nozomi upset you, didn't it?"

Umi's soft words were shattered as Minami whirled around to face the piercer.

"I love Kotori, she is my daughter, and I would do anything to protect her!"

"Then why did you not approve of her getting that tattoo? Why would you take us to court? Why would you tell Nozomi's father this?" Umi clenched her fist, desperate to understand. The wind picked up and Minami's eyes started to water.

"Tojo-san is my b-"

"You deliberately did something illegal because you were not happy with Kotori's decision, Minami-san. Do you have any idea how that sounds?" Umi cut across the older woman and stood up straight.

"It's...hard to believe that you would do that...Kotori loves you, and feels as though you don't love her anymore," Umi's face was frozen in a solemn expression. Minami folded her arms and looked away.

"I don't hate my daughter...I just don't want her to get hurt, she's all that I have left,"

Umi took a step forward and clasped her hands together.

"I will not let anyone hurt her. I promise, and…" Umi looked down awkward, playing with her snakebite while she decided on how to say the next part of her sentence.

"You don't...just have Kotori...I am here for you too, Minami-san. I love Kotori as much as you do, and she is my everything."

Minami raised her eyebrows and Umi bowed deeply, "Please, take care of me as your daughter-in-law."

Instantly, Minami burst into tears. Umi straightened up and offered an awkward hug for the older woman.

"I am so sorry, Umi."

Eli had a vague idea how Maki, Rin, Hanayo and Nico had gotten to the café faster than her, Nozomi and Umi had. Honoka and Kotori closed up the day care at their usual time and came for the café with them for an early dinner, while Eli had given permission for Nico to close Bibi early for this special occasion.

"Alright! I wanna propose a toast," Honoka stood up on her chair, ignoring the protests from Umi.

"To Nozomi-chan and Umi-chan and Rin-chan for not losing their jobs and going to jail!"

"Honoka, please," Umi muttered, but raised her glass nonetheless. The nine of them were crammed into the corner of Floating Heart for their celebration. They didn't have a lot of room, but Nozomi didn't mind being squished in between Eli and Hanayo.

Her eyes lit up and she raised her glass with the rest of them.

"Also to Emitsun for saving our butts!" Rin raised another glass for the lawyer who had said goodbye to them at the front of the restaurant since she had dinner plans with her family that evening. Umi sighed at the guttural language Rin and Honoka had used, but clinked her glass with everyone regardless.

"And to Umi-chan for not getting her engagement cancelled!"

"RIN!" Umi slammed her fists on the table, but Kotori calmed her down by rubbing her arm.

"Umi-chan, Rin-chan is just excited and tired,"

"Is that not conflicting?" Umi mumbled, and Kotori turned Umi's cheek to face her.

"Umi-chan, let her be. She's just happy," Kotori's sugary sweet voice was something Umi just could not resist. Kotori giggled and placed a quick kiss square on Umi's lips.

Hanayo reeled Rin back while Eli turned to Nozomi. The artist looked tired as she silently sat there, munching away on her yakiniku bowl. Her eyes were half lidded and her smile was weak. It had been a big day, and a truck had just dumped a whole lot of emotions on her. Eli slipped her arm around Nozomi and pressed her lips to her temple.

"Hey, you okay?" she said softly so only Nozomi could hear. Nozomi shut her eyes and smiled, her nostril stud glinting in the light.

"Yeah, just tired," Nozomi leaned her head on Eli's shoulder and hummed when Eli kissed the top of her head.

"You didn't see your father when you left."

"He didn't make any effort to see me," the response was a sledgehammer that came down at full force and crushed Eli's heart. She tightened her hold on Nozomi and instantly changed the subject.

"My ankle is not hurting so much," Eli grinned, and Nozomi smiled.

"That's good to hear," Nozomi lightly kissed Eli on the cheek while Umi asked Kotori the very same question. As Kotori was about to show the tattoo, Rin stood up and pointed at Nozomi.

"Nozomi-senpai! Remember our deal?!"

Nozomi blinked blearily at her apprentice when she turned away from Eli's gaze.

"Our...deal?"

"Nyeah!" Rin folded her arms and shook her hair from her eyes.

"If we won the case, I get to tattoo you!"

The entire table fell silent. Maki paled and stopped twirling her hair. Hanayo looked from Rin to Nozomi, confused. Nozomi, however, smiled.

"Well, we did win, and I guess I have to hold up my end of the bargain," Nozomi stated the truth, getting a cheer from Rin. She quickly held up her finger.

"But,"

Rin fell silent, confused.

"We do it tomorrow night. I am far too tired to go under a needle right now," Nozomi adjusted her seating position as Rin nodded.

"Deal, and I can draw up my little design for nya tonight!"

"Are you sure about this, Nozomi?" Eli looked cautiously from the apprentice who was now talking rappidly to Honoka about possible designs to Nozomi.

The tattoo artist shrugged.

"It's fine, I'm a woman of my word," Nozomi then hummed in thought and started to look at her arms.

"What are you doing?" Eli asked, eyebrows flying into her bangs as Nozomi peered down her shirt.

"Looking for room, I don't have a lot left," Nozomi then grinned and let out a little cry of victory.

"I found a spot, Rin-chan!"

"Really? Where abouts?!" Rin eagerly asked as Nozomi stood up. She took her pants and moved them down slightly to expose her bare skin.

"I have little spot right here for ya," Nozomi stuck out her tongue and exposed the front of her right hip. Umi choked on her food.

"Nozomi! It is shameless to expose yourself in public!"

"Umi-chan, relax," Kotori did her usual job of coaxing Umi to calm down, and Nico raised an eyebrow.

"That's not a lot of space for Rin to work with, Nozomi,"

"Well Niccochi, take one look at me," Nozomi gestured to herself while Honoka stood up and went over to the waitress.

"The only other spot I've got available are the souls of my feet, the back of my knees, the girls," Nozomi pointed to each spot and Nico rolled her eyes when the tattoo artist grabbed her own bosom.

"The final spot is my gr-"

"Okay okay we get it!" Nico cut of her friend as the hand moved down her body and towards her nether region. Eli grabbed Nozomi's hand and pulled her back down into her seat.

"I got more manjuu!" Honoka returned with a plate of confectionary. Everyone's eyes lit up, but Maki scowled.

"Honoka, you haven't even finished your food," the florist mumbled as Nico, Rin, Kotori and Umi all reached out to grab one.

"Umi-chan, why are you taking one?" Honoka smirked at the trap she was about to place. Umi looked confused.

"Excuse me?"

"Why would you take a manjuu when you already have one on your ankle?"

"It's just the kanji, dammit," Umi scowled, falling for the trap hook, line and sinker.

The table roared with laughter as Kotori cuddled Umi's arm for the umpteenth time.

So...I guess I'll see you when the final chapter goes up next week...Don't make make this harder than it already is, please don't cry then I'll cry and we'll all be a sobbing mess. Just go watch Bambi or something.