Samurai Deeper Kyo Fan Fiction ❯ Wicked Ground ❯ A Night in Jail ( Chapter 10 )

 

The room was silent after Kyo finished telling his story. His voice had an edge of anger, but Yuya knew it was only masking the sorrow he still felt. His ex committing suicide, right before his eyes, and he was unable to stop it.

 

 

Yuya had come to stand in front of him, biting her bottom lips. There was no reason to get out her memo pad and copy his words; they would stick with her for the rest of her life. There was something about his voice, the lifeless tone of it, that made her insides feel cold and empty all at the same time.

 

 

“Kyo-”

 

 

“Don't,” he hissed. “Don't you dare say you're sorry! Everyone's so goddamn sorry, but where does that get me? Nowhere. I don't give a damn if you're sorry; I don't give a shit, because you weren't there! You didn't see how her body crumpled and the blood splashed against the white wall… you weren't there…” His last sentence filtered off into silence, eyes shimmering with what Yuya suspected to be unshed tears mixed with anger.

 

 

“I wasn't going to say that I was sorry,” Yuya murmured truthfully. “I was going to say… if you want… you can take my bed tonight. I'll take the couch.” It was the least she could do. After all, this was his last night in luxury. “You'll have to spend tomorrow night at… at the county jail. So they can keep an eye on you…”

 

 

Kyo stood and made his way for the bedroom. “Eat the rest of your pasta,” he ordered. “I'm not letting you slip back into your no-eating habit.” He then went into her bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

 

 

Yuya returned to the kitchen table, finishing her pasta. It tasted like sawdust in her mouth, but she finished it anyway. Wrapping Kyo's in saran wrap and going back to her desk, she pulled out Sakuya's report.

 

 

I have to do all that I can to save him… I have to.

 

 

…

 

 

Yuya took Kyo to the courthouse the next day. He had been put in handcuffs and, if anyone asked, Yuya had brought him directly from the penitentiary. A cop led the two into a holding cell that was completely blocked from view on all sides. Instead of bars, there were thick concrete walls. It showed that the cops were hesitant to have Kyo in their care.

 

 

“Are you sure you'll be all right with him, Miss?” one guard asked. He was a tall African-American with dark eyes and a friendly smile.

 

 

Yuya nodded. “Yes, my client is harmless.”

 

 

The guard seemed to find that funny, for he smiled before stepping out of the cell, locking the door behind him. “I'll be back in thirty minutes,” he said, words a bit muffled through the door. “Holler if you need something.”

 

 

“Thank you,” Yuya called back. She waited until the guard's footsteps faded into the distance before undoing Kyo's cuffs. He rubbed at his sore wrists, but said nothing. Yuya took this moment to look around the room. Everything was concrete, even the bed. There was a thin straw mattress with fresh sheets, but it still looked less than comfortable.

 

 

“What are you going to do, Shiina?” he asked, sitting on the so-called bed. He frowned in distaste, but said nothing else.

 

 

“I'm going to go home and try to find a way to get you out of this,” she answered truthfully. “I need to think up an opening speech that will grab the jury's attention. I still need to piece together all of Sakuya's information and make it into a singular defense… I have a tiring day ahead of me, Kyo.”

 

 

“Can you get me out?” he asked softly; his voice was no longer the harsh, incriminating tone he usually used. He sounded lost now, which he no doubt was. “Tell me the truth, Shiina. Do you think you can win this case?”

 

 

Yuya's heart stopped beating for a few moments. She hated it when clients asked her this. She always answered, `yes, of course!' but it was always a lie. So far she'd managed to keep true to her word, but was this where Lady Luck ran out? She decided to answer truthfully. “I don't know.”

 

 

Kyo's eyes closed and he looked angry at first. “Shiina…”

 

 

“I think I can get you out… if I play all of my card right. You might have a few months parole, maybe six months of house arrest at most...”

 

 

Kyo's eyes opened and he looked at his lawyer. “If you lose, Shiina, I will kill myself. I can't stay here.”

 

 

Yuya nodded curtly, feeling a knot rise in her throat. He was not bluffing. He would do it; if, that was, she failed to keep the promise she made him long ago. She had to get him out, no matter what the cost.

 

 

She went to the door, calling out, “I'm ready to go!” She turned back to Kyo, who was watching her without any emotion. “Only a few more days, Kyo,” she murmured. “A few more days and you will be a free man. I promise.”

 

 

…

 

 

The promise was easier said than actually done. Yuya had concluded, thanks to Sakuya's report, that Kyo's plea of insanity wasn't actually justified. There were signs of minute mental instability, yes, but that came more in the form of depression than anything life-threatening to others.

 

 

At ten-o-clock that night she retired for bed, more worried about a good night's sleep than cramming another random fact of Kyo's past into her head. She knew this man nearly inside out and she knew her case; better than she'd ever known a case before. Only time would tell now.

 

 

She set her alarm clock and drifted into a restless sleep.

 

 

…

 

 

Yuya entered the courtroom, which was cold and already filled with people, and made her way to the left-most table, putting her brief case on the mahogany tabletop. She opened it and removed a pile of files, some photographs she had come across last night, and a small scrap piece of paper with the word “Will” written in bold letters. That scrap of paper had been with her to every trial she'd won; she was beginning to think of it as her personal lucky charm.

 

 

“Miss Shiina, how nice to see you again.”

 

 

She turned, eyes falling on Hotaru. He was one of the best prosecuting attorneys in Japan, and also a very sore loser. The problem with that was he had lost his last two cases… to Yuya. His reddish-blond hair had been sleeked back and he wore a lustrous Armani suit that flaunted his wealth. “I see you've done well for yourself,” he said, looking her up and down. “Isn't that from Sandra Darren's collection? Yes, I believe it is… my wife was wanting a coat just like that.”

 

 

Yuya smiled, but it lacked any humane warmth. “Yes, Sandra Darren. How nice to see that you know the latest in fashion, Hotaru.” She removed the Sandra Darren black satin coat, which fell gracefully to her knees. Beneath she wore another of Darren's collection; a black, dressy satin shirt that had lace-up long sleeves. Black linen pants completed the outfit, giving her a trim and classily elegant look. Her hair had been pulled into a French twist, her makeup light.

 

 

Hotaru only smiled at her, but his bright green eyes looked deadly. “I see you possess three times the charm since the last time we met, Yuya.”

 

 

Yuya gave a small bow of her head. “I do try. But how about we save the mud slinging until the trial begins, what say you?”

 

 

“Your client put my client into a coma, Yuya,” Hotaru sneered.

 

 

“Not without good reason,” Yuya murmured, smiling. “Now, I have some things to put in order before the trial. If you would excuse me?” Without waiting for his answer, she turned and began shuffling through her already-orderly papers.

 

 

A door to her left was opened and Kyo, led in handcuffs by two police officials, entered. There were dark circles under his eyes from sleep lost. He was wearing a nice suit that Yuya had ordered for him, his hair combed back and tied at the nape of his neck. His face, now bare of the red hair, looked chiseled and perfect in every aspect. He was led to the table and sat down beside Yuya, where one of the guards asked, “You promise not to do anything stupid, young man?”

 

 

Kyo nodded shortly, eyes focused directly in front of him.

 

 

The guard seemed pleased with this answer and undid the cuffs. He then turned, walking to stand in the corner, discreetly watching the people file into the room.

 

 

“How are you feeling?” Yuya asked, leaning closer so she could whisper.

 

 

Kyo looked at her, worry masked behind his eyes. “Horrible. No sleep and shitty food don't help, either.”

 

 

Yuya offered a small smile. “Don't worry, everything will be fine. Just remember, address the judge as `Your Honor,' be polite and courteous, and tell the truth. All of it. Leave no detail out, yes?”

 

 

Kyo nodded but turned his eyes back to the empty podium in front of them. “I know, Shiina. I know.”

 

 

They had to wait another full hour before the Court Clerk called out, “Silence! All rise in the presence of Judge Migeira!”

 

 

The judge, a tall man with prematurely white hair and mismatched eyes, entered, wearing a black robe. He bowed slightly to the onlookers, who all bowed in return. Yuya and Hotaru stayed stooped for longer than necessary, until Migeira was seated and the clerk called out, “You may be seated.” After a pause the clerk said, “All are seated now, Your Honor, in this case of Mibu v. Tokugawa. Senior council, please make your introductions.”

 

 

Hotaru stood and bowed, lingering a bit longer than necessary. When he finally stood, he called, “If Your Honor pleases, my name is Igira Hotaru and I appear in defense of the victim, Tokugawa Sanj, for this respondent.” He bowed again, taking his time about it, and Yuya only smiled serenely. Her first case had been with Judge Migeira -if there was anything he hated more, it was formal theatrics, which was exactly what Hotaru was giving him.

 

 

Yuya stood, stepping to the side of her table and giving a short, courteous bow. When she righted herself, she said in a clear, strong voice, “If Your Honor pleases, my name is Shiina Yuya and I appear in defense of the accused, Mibu Kyo, in this appellant.” She gave another short bow but continued to stand. She needed to be upright to answer Judge Migeira's next question.

 

 

“How does the accused plea to…” Migeira paused, looking at the papers before him, “this `attempted voluntary manslaughter?'” asked, looking at Kyo, eyes displaying no emotion.

 

 

“Mibu Kyo pleads guilty with reasonable excuse.”

 

 

Migeira nodded, a faint smile on his lips letting Yuya know that he remembered her as the spunky, newly graduated girl from two years ago. “The prosecution may proceed to make the first opening statement.”

 

 

Hotaru stood and bowed, unnecessarily, to the judge. Migeira waved him on, as if irritated. Hotaru righted himself and began, “Your Honor, jury, and people of the court… my client's sister came to me a week ago, in tears, because her brother was in the hospital with a coma. Near death, it was said,” Hotaru murmured, voice gripped with something like manic drama. Yuya managed to stop herself before she snorted back her laughter. The people didn't want to be entertained with theatrics; they wanted to be told the facts!

 

 

“Her brother, who miraculously pulled through his coma, sits before you today a changed man. He will never be able to go out for a night's drink with his brother and feel safe now. He will never be able to think of asking another woman for a dance, or if she'd like a drink, because the accused man, Mr. Mibu, stripped him of his pride and nearly his life.”

 

 

Hotaru pointed an accusing finger in Kyo's direction, saying, “That man, who stares back at you impassively, is the root of the evil done unto Mr. Tokugawa. Mr. Tokugawa will never again be able to walk out of his house without casting a worried glance around him. Keep that in mind, my dear members of the jury, as you hear the defense speak ill of the victim.” He bowed again, to the jury and judge, before taking his place in his seat. He gave Yuya a little smirk, as if saying `beat that.'

 

 

“Will the defense give an opening statement?” Judge Migeira asked, turning his eyes to Yuya.

 

 

Yuya stood. “Your Honor, if it pleases you, the defense would like to refrain from giving its statement at this time. Instead, may we hear from the prosecutor's witnesses?” It was one of the oldest tricks in the book -the defense out listen to the prosecutor's side if the story before giving its own opening statement. That way, Yuya could be assured to know all that she was up against.

 

 

Migeira nodded, seeming pleased. His gaze turned back to Hotaru, who stood once Yuya sat. “Senior council member Hotaru, if you would call in your first witness.”

 

 

Hotaru, this time, did not bow. He said, his voice ringing clear, “I would like to call in Mrs. Sakuya Mibu, Mr. Mibu's sister in law.”