Case NOT Closed

Kensuke read the indictment with strong and forceful words, his voice echoing loudly in the courtroom.

This was the minimum requirement for a lawyer to speak. Stuttering, being tongue-tied, or even just being introverted couldn’t handle this profession.

“The plaintiff’s representative has finished his statement.”

The judge looked toward the defendant’s seat.

“Next, the defendant and his representative are invited to express their opinions on the plaintiff’s lawsuit request.”

Defendant Tatsuya Nagai appeared slightly nervous, but he tried to maintain a calm demeanor on his face.

For some reason, he felt that the opposing lawyer seemed familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere, but he couldn’t recall.

—Of course, he couldn’t remember.

Because when Kensuke disguised himself earlier, Haibara helped him with makeup, including changing his hairstyle, eyebrows, and eyes. In Japan, it was extremely difficult to see through a person’s true identity with makeup techniques.

“We disagree with the plaintiff’s lawsuit request!”

Tatsuya Nagai’s defense lawyer was a middle-aged man with a small beard on his chin.

Kensuke glanced at him, feeling a bit familiar.

He was Norifumi Saku, the defense lawyer for the last case Kensuke was involved in, during the first trial of Nakamichi Kazushi.

“For the first and second allegations made by the plaintiff, we have a different opinion!”

Norifumi Saku stood up and began to refute.

“Firstly, the plaintiff claims that our client engaged in stalking behavior, which is untrue. Our client is a judicial examination candidate and goes to a legal training center every day, which happens to be very close to the plaintiff’s workplace. They simply share the same route home, which does not constitute stalking.”

“Secondly, the plaintiff claims that the defendant pushed her down the stairs at Mihana Station, causing her minor injuries. Please present actual evidence, otherwise, it will be considered false accusation.”

“That’s all.”

Norifumi Saku gave Tatsuya Nagai a reassuring look, indicating that he should relax.

After all, evidence was needed for such matters, especially for the second allegation. If you claim that someone pushed you down the stairs, you should have evidence, right? Witnesses? Surveillance footage?

According to Norifumi Saku’s investigation, the surveillance near Mihana Station had been broken for a while and couldn’t be used as evidence.

Even if there were witnesses, you could say that you mistook the person who pushed you, considering that everyone was just strangers, and it was normal to have face blindness, right?

Tatsuya Nagai understood his lawyer’s meaning and breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at Nishitani Miho, who was sitting on the plaintiff’s seat, licked his lips, and a hint of malice appeared on his face.

Nishitani Miho trembled all over, lowering her head in fear.

If this lawsuit failed, she could imagine what kind of nightmare she would face in the future.

However, just as she was feeling anxious and frightened, a voice with a mocking tone came from beside her.

“Oh, you’re talking about evidence? We have plenty of that.”

It was Kensuke speaking.

He glanced at the two people on the opposite side, his gaze filled with disdain and contempt.

“This is the schedule of the legal training center and the patisserie where Nishitani-san works. Both places have their workdays’ commuting hours.”

Kensuke took out two sets of documents.

“You can see that the legal training center doesn’t have classes on Saturdays and Sundays, but the patisserie still operates and closes at 5 p.m.”

Kensuke said as he presented a stack of photos, displaying them to the judge and the clerk beside him.

The photos were taken with a digital camera, with the date and time marked in the top right corner.

Each photo depicted different scenes, with Nishitani Miho carrying a bag and walking nervously ahead, while Tatsuya Nagai followed sneakily behind.

“The photos show the date as Saturday or Sunday, between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., which means you shouldn’t have classes on those days.”

Kensuke smiled as he looked at Tatsuya Nagai, who was already sweating profusely.

“May I ask, sir, why were you following this young lady during that time? Were you planning to wait until it got dark to show off your new luminous watch to her?”

Laughter erupted from the audience in the gallery.

“I— I just happened to run into her— Is that not allowed?”

Tatsuya Nagai couldn’t come up with a proper response for a moment, stuttering as he spoke.

Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, Norifumi Saku immediately protested, “Objection, the photos taken by the opposing party are illegal! Their actions violate our privacy rights!”

“Oh, so you mean that taking random shots of things while out and about can also violate your privacy rights?”

Kensuke feigned surprise.

“Get it straight, these are public places, there’s no such thing as privacy rights here. I suggest, Mr. Lawyer, that you go back and study the Civil Code again.”

On the gallery bench, Haibara rolled her eyes.

What he said about taking random shots was too casual.

These photos were clearly taken by her.

Last Saturday and Sunday, at around 5 or 6 p.m., she lay in ambush on the way home from work, waiting for the target to appear.

Because she looked like a child, she could blend in easily, making the shooting process smoother.

Tatsuya Nagai followed behind Nishitani Miho, and she followed behind Tatsuya Nagai, like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

And this strategy was indeed a killer move.

Among the evidence, the photos were direct evidence with extremely high credibility.

“How can you prove that these photos aren’t photoshopped?”

The opposing lawyer gritted his teeth, taking a while to come up with a response.

Kensuke shrugged, “We can request a judicial appraisal for that!”

For a moment, Norifumi Saku was speechless.

The photos numbered in the dozens, and the timeline was extremely continuous, basically irrefutable evidence.

The act of tailing was now a foregone conclusion, and even the most skilled lawyer couldn’t defend against it.

Pausing for a moment, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and reluctantly said, “Please present evidence for the second claim! How can you prove that our client pushed the plaintiff down the stairs?”

“Oh, so you’re admitting to the tailing?”

“Please present evidence for the second claim!”

Kensuke chuckled lightly.

So, he once again took out several photos from the folder on the table.

The photos were continuous snapshots, depicting Tatsuya Nagai pushing Nishitani Miho down the stairs, like a series of slides.

“How is this possible!”

Tatsuya Nagai and his defense lawyer, Norifumi Saku, exclaimed.

“How could you possibly capture such photos!”

Kensuke raised an eyebrow, “I was admiring the scenery, took a random shot, and captured it. Is there a problem?”

The two’s expressions were like they had just eaten a can of stinky fish, with the fish stuck in their throats.

You capture this kind of event just because you are watching the scenery?

What kind of idiot would believe that nonsense!?