Tokyo: Are you even a proper lawyer?

It was already evening when I walked out of the detention center.

The sky over Tokyo was tinged with a purplish-gray hue at dusk, and distant skyscrapers lit up with twinkling lights.

Masashi Akiyama and Maki Suzuki walked side by side on the sidewalk, both silent, their footsteps echoing in the darkening street.

"Mr. Akiyama..."

"Ms. Suzuki..."

The two spoke almost simultaneously.

Maki Suzuki forced a smile and gestured for him to go first: "Mr. Akiyama, please go first."

"Ms. Suzuki," Masashi Akiyama slowed his pace, "I think you should understand that in this case, while a complete chain of evidence is important for overturning Kento Suzuki's conviction, public opinion cannot be ignored either."

He turned his head to look at her:

"I guess you wouldn't want your colleagues, friends, or even strangers you've only met once to still see Jiandou as a despicable scumbag after he's been exonerated, would you?"

"Yes..." Suzuki Maki nodded hesitantly.

"So sometimes, you have to let go of unnecessary emotions to get the results you want. What do you think?"

Suzuki Maki bit her lower lip, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly nodded: "Yes..."

"So, I hope you can help me, and also help Kento Suzuki, publish a report."

The report states that...

"Let me think." Masashi Akiyama looked up at the sky. As dusk deepened, a few crows flew through the gaps between the buildings, emitting hoarse cries.

He took the copy of "Weekly Asahi Secrets" from his briefcase and handed it to Maki Suzuki.

"How about starting with Fukuda Runa's mother?" He pointed to the headline of the newspaper article, "Scumbag Lawyer Defends Scumbags: A Shame on the Legal Profession!"

"What do you think of this article about a woman from the lower rungs of society, a mother driven by immense economic pressure and the cost of raising children, who ultimately transforms herself into a 'starving ghost'?

When the topic turned to her professional field, Maki Suzuki managed to muster her energy.

"By drawing attention to social events and then guiding public opinion to examine the Fukuda family..." She thought for a moment, then nodded. "It's feasible. But the specific angle needs to be carefully considered, otherwise it will backfire."

"Not only that," Masashi Akiyama opened the newspaper, pointing to the article attacking him, "you can refer to this article."

Maki Suzuki took the newspaper, her fingertips tracing the malicious print, her expression complex.

"Very well." Masashi Akiyama nodded. "Then I'll leave this matter to you, Ms. Suzuki. I hope this report will be published successfully."

Maki Suzuki gave a wry smile.

"Mr. Akiyama, you overestimate me. I'm just a reporter with no real influence; whether or not it's published is up to the editor-in-chief."

"It must be published," Masashi Akiyama said firmly. "It's crucial to your brother's case. I hope you can give it your all."

Suzuki Maki took a deep breath, met Akiyama's firm gaze, and finally nodded solemnly:

"...I understand. I will do my best."

Masashi Akiyama then relaxed and continued walking forward.

After walking for a while, he seemed to remember something and asked casually:

"Speaking of which, Ms. Suzuki, you mentioned before that you're a reporter, but I've never asked which newspaper you work for?"

"The Yomiuri Shimbun," Maki Suzuki replied. "I work in the social news section. Currently, I mainly do fieldwork and collect materials. It will take some time before I can actually start writing articles."

Masashi Akiyama stopped in his tracks.

The Yomiuri Shimbun, headquartered in Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, was founded in 1874. It is a nationwide comprehensive newspaper in Japan and has long been ranked first in the world in terms of daily newspaper circulation.

Its reporting covers all areas including politics, international affairs, economy, society, sports, culture and education, and daily life, and its influence extends throughout the entire Japanese archipelago.

Those who can get into the Yomiuri Shimbun are no ordinary people.

Masashi Akiyama turned around and looked at Maki Suzuki with a completely new gaze.

Maki Suzuki felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, and subconsciously smoothed her hair, a faint, unnatural blush rising on her pale face.

"Mr. Akiyama, why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing." Masashi Akiyama gave a gentle smile. "I just feel that I've been neglecting Ms. Suzuki too much in the past."

He stepped forward, gently placed his hands on Suzuki Maki's shoulders, and looked directly into her eyes:

"Ms. Suzuki, please be sure to maintain our friendship for a long time."

"Ah... okay, it's my pleasure?" Suzuki Maki was confused and stood there blankly, responding instinctively.

The days that followed passed quickly.

It's unclear what method Maki Suzuki used, but in any case, the Yomiuri Shimbun published a special report about Runa Fukuda at the top of its social section.

The title is quite restrained: "Ginza Waitress and Her Daughter - A Twisted Mother".

The article, written in a calm and objective style, tells the story of how Fukuda Runa, under economic pressure, gradually transformed from an ordinary waitress into a mother who gives her daughter as a "gift" to her guests.

The report clearly mentions Ayaka Fukuda's case and juxtaposes the timeline of the case with Runa Fukuda's behavioral trajectory.

To help readers understand, the report also included basic information about the Ayakako Fukuda case at the end of the article.

Although the entire text is an objective statement, it leaves every reader with questions—

With a mother like this, is Ayaka Fukuda truly an innocent victim?

Is Fukuda Runa, who is arrogant in the club and drives her colleagues to the brink, really credible?

The report caused a huge uproar in society as soon as it was published.

As Masashi Akiyama walked down the street, he could hear convenience store clerks talking, see customers in cafes whispering and pointing at newspapers, and feel that the whole city was talking about it.

"Have you heard? Fukuda Ayakako's mother..."

"This is horrifying! To treat your daughter as a gift..."

"With a mother like that, how good can her daughter be?"

The Yomiuri Shimbun truly lives up to its reputation as Japan's most influential print media. Its influence is almost excessive.

…………

And so, amidst the vortex of public opinion, Masashi Akiyama finally awaited the day of the trial.

Masashi Akiyama woke up at six in the morning.

Before dawn, pale blue morning light seeped in through the gaps in the curtains.

He felt no drowsiness whatsoever; on the contrary, he felt an irrepressible excitement.

He washed up, shaved, and changed into his neatly pressed dark gray suit, following the usual routine.

Breakfast is a simple rice ball and miso soup, but his breakfast is a simple toast and coffee.

He sat at the dining table, chewing mechanically, but his gaze was fixed on the window.

As dawn breaks, the outlines of distant buildings appear and disappear in the thin mist.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous. But more than that, I felt an almost excited anticipation.

He paced back and forth in the small apartment until the doorbell rang.

The door opened, and Suzuki Maki and Uchida Rieko stood outside.

Morning light streamed in through the window at the end of the corridor, casting long shadows behind them.

"Good morning." Masashi Akiyama smiled. "Today is a big day. Are you all ready?"

"certainly."

Maki Suzuki changed into a dark blue business suit today, her hair was neatly combed, and she wore light makeup in an attempt to cover up her haggard appearance.

But her deep bluish-black complexion still betrayed the fact that she hadn't slept all night.

She had that signature huge canvas bag slung over her shoulder, bulging and probably full of documents.

Rieko Uchida stood a little further back, dressed in a neat uniform, her hands tightly gripping the straps of her schoolbag.

She kept her head down, her lips tightly pressed together, and her shoulders slightly tense, looking very nervous.

But when Masashi Akiyama's gaze swept over her, she mustered her courage, raised her head, and whispered:

"I'm ready too."

Masashi Akiyama's gaze lingered on the two faces for a moment before he nodded.

He stepped out of the entryway, turned around, and locked the door. The key turned in the lock, making a crisp "click" sound.

The morning breeze blew in through the window at the end of the corridor, carrying the unique, cool scent of autumn.

"Then let's—"

He strode off, the sound of his leather shoes striking the floor particularly clear in the morning stillness.

"Let's go!"