Courtroom

I sat on the wooden bench in the courtroom, goosebumps going through my entire body as the trial started. My defense attorney, Nile Pointworth, a short balding man in his 40's, was also nervous, trembling in his seat as he stared at the judge.

That's what I get for the only lawyer in my budget that would take this case, I thought. But then again, even the most reputed lawyer, even if he somehow agreed to take this case, didn't have any chance to win it. It was unwinnable, but I still held a small amount of faith in Nile. There was a chance his last resort plan might work.

"Would the defense Mr. Nile Pointworth, representing Mr. Oni Hanzo in the murder trial of the late Ms. Sakura Fujikawa, proceed to deliver the opening statement?" Asked the judge, an old but wise-looking man, in a firm tone.

"Y-yes, your honor," said Nile, shakily getting up from his seat before taking a deep breath and starting his opening statement.

"Your honor, today's trial presents a case against the meaning of justice itself. My client Mr. Oni Hanzo, who just turned 19 a few months ago, is being accused of a murder he didn't commit. Keep in mind he's just a kid who hasn't even gotten his license yet, and the prosecution is claiming he brutally murdered a female victim. I assert he's being wrongly framed, your honor," proclaimed Nile, handling it better than I expected. He's a practicing lawyer who passed the Bar exam, after all.

Behind me in the audience's seats I felt the deadly gaze of Sakura's parents, sending chills down my spine.

"The court recognizes the counsel's claim that the suspect is innocent. The prosecution, Mr. Akira Yule, may continue with the trial," said the judge, his voice even more firm now.

Nile sits down, exhaling loudly as he wipes the sweat off his forehead. But now isn't the time for relief, he'd informed me the day before. The prosecuting lawyer, Akira Yule, a young sharp-looking man, was one of the best lawyers in Japan, who hadn't lost a case for 5 years straight and definitely wasn't intending to lose one now. I had heard he charged an abysmal price for his services, but Sakura's parents were willing to go to any length to get a death penalty or at least a life sentence for their daughter's murderer.

In case the trial went in their favor, Nile had explained his last resort plan, but no matter what the outcome of the trial was, my life would never be the same ever again.

I closed my eyes, thinking back to what had happened that night, but my memory of it had many holes in it probably due to the gravity of the situation.

A 17 year old girl was fucking cut open in an abandoned warehouse, god damn it.

The prosecutor Akira Yule, responding to the judge's words, stood up from his seat across the room from me, an amused look on his face.

"Your honor, this case shouldn't even have a trial in the first place," he said, his words radiating confidence. "The evidence against Mr. Oni Hanzo is overwhelming. The forensic department have confirmed the fingerprints on the murder weapon, the hand saw found at the site of murder, as matching to Oni's. I now submit their report as evidence," he said, handing in the report. When the judge got it, he read the report and nodded silently, motioning Yule to continue. Yule straightened his tie as he began to speak again.

"I would like to call on a witness, one who claims he saw the murder from afar that night."

"Very well, the witness may be brought inside the courtroom," said the judge.

Witness? It's over, I'm fucked.

Trembling, I turned my head, seeing Nile shrink into his seat as the witness, a burly muscular man who had his hair dyed bright pink, walked towards the witness stand. He was probably thinking the same thing.

"Will the witness state his name and profession?" Asked the judge, scratching his beard.

"My name is Takashi Ryouta. I'm a... Uh..." He hesitated, looking at Yule.

"Look at me. Go ahead," demanded the judge. Takashi obeyed.

"I, uh, work as a male sex worker," said Takashi, red lines forming on his face.

"I'll take over from here," said Yule, flashing a small smile at the judge. He must know the judge from many previous cases for him to act like this, I thought.

"Mr. Ryouta, can you testify about what happened on the night of the murder?" He asked, staring at Takashi.

"I was walking home from a club nearby when I heard a scream from across the street I was in at the time. When I looked around, I saw it was coming from an old-looking warehouse. When I checked through the window, I... I can't even describe what I saw. I rushed away immediately after I saw that horrible sight," said Takashi, hesitating.

I heard the voice of Sakura's mother crying from behind me. When I looked over, I saw her husband consoling her.

"What did you see, Takashi?" Asked Yule.

Takashi turned towards me and pointed his hand straight towards my face.

"I witnessed this man sawing a girl's stomach open with a hand saw."