Chapter Text
The Osotos were an illustrious family of doctors, who made a good name for themselves by saving people.
That’s why their son being accused of a number of heinous crimes created a lot of public uproar.
‘*That* Osoto family?’
‘There’s no way, right?’
‘You can never trust families like that’
The news had reached Eiji Biwasaka’s ear too of course, he had always paid attention to the news in the first place, but such a scandal would have likely reached him even if he didn’t. He didn’t quite care about what the truth behind the incidents was beyond simple curiosity, but he had decided
(I’m going to represent this man in court.)
It was a big case after all. So, even if he didn’t care about the actual innocence of the other man, proving him innocent in court would give him more fame and lead him to further his career. That was all he actually cared about.
(Heh…)
Proving Masaki Osoto’s innocence would be no problem at all for him, he was after all, a genius, the best of the best as far as lawyers – no, as far as humans went, he was simply a cut above the rest. Even if an innocent verdict was impossible, he’d definitely be able to at least reduce his sentence, which would be enough to leave a good mark on his record. There were many loopholes he could exploit, and in particular he liked to use insanity pleas or arguing that the defendant didn’t have full control of their actions, it was easy to win a case making use of that. All was left was meeting the man, then he could just defend him and win the case. There was a chance of Osoto turning down his services, but he doubted anyone would be stupid enough to do that, especially someone in a situation like his.
So, after checking that everything about his appearance was perfect as usual, he set off to meet Osoto.
After arriving at the detention centre, Eiji was shown the Osotos’ son.
While his looks weren’t as good as Eiji’s own, he had to admit that Osoto was fairly handsome, all things considered. Yet, his eyes looked somehow sad.
(Well, figures, he’s been charged with…quite the number of crimes.)
While thinking to himself that if he was going to commit so many crimes, he should have been smarter about it, Eiji introduced himself to Osoto while putting on a flawless business smile.
“Pleased to meet you, my name is Eiji Biwasaka, I’m a lawyer. I’m here to help you out, I just need your consent. I’m young but I can assure you I can do my job.”
Or rather, he was the best lawyer around.
“Ah, you’re the lawyer who came, I see…I’ve heard about your family. They seem to have made a name for themselves.”
“I could say the same to you.”
“Haha…”
Osoto appeared to become even more dejected at the mention of his family. Eiji made a mental note of it and kept going
“Well then, are you going to accept me? A look at my record will prove how capable I am…moreover”
He smiled
“If you are proven innocent, your parents will be relieved too.”
Osoto turned his eyes to him after being told that.
“Why are you so insistent on wanting to represent me in court?”
It’s not like Eiji didn’t expect that question, and he had a ready answer for whenever people asked him something like that, or why he was a lawyer and whatnot.
“Of course, it’s because it’s my job to protect people in need and be sure that justice is served. It must be hard to be charged with crimes too…I can only imagine. The judging eyes of the people on you, rumours spreading before even reaching a sentence…and the risk of an innocent person being condemned, the simple idea of it saddens me. Lawyers are the only ones who can save these poor people. I’m honoured to have such a role and be able to help them.”
He thought none of that, but people usually liked that answer. In truth, he thought that whole line of reasoning was stupid and nonsensical, and he really didn’t understand why that would be convincing and moving to people, but it was.
“What if your client is guilty?”
“Pardon me?”
“You claim that you want to help people and be sure justice is served, but it’s entirely possible that your client is guilty. In that case, aren’t you just letting a criminal walk away scot-free?”
(Oh?)
Eiji was pretty interested by that answer, in fact he agreed with that way of thinking. He was also annoyed at his attitude, but his interest bested his annoyance. Some part of him felt like there might be worth in having more of a conversation with this man.
“Perhaps. Well then, is this supposed to be an admission of guilt?”
Eiji couldn’t hide his smile as he asked.
“You might have heard about this already but…after I’ve been charged with these crimes, my parents disowned me,” a lonely expression adorned Osoto’s handsome face “so it doesn’t really matter if I’m innocent or guilty, both in actuality, and as a verdict.”
Well, that was not what he had asked. He thought he could see eye to eye with this man, but he worried about something as stupid as his /parents/? Moreover, his parents should have just stayed on his side. Those parents reminded him a bit of how irritated he was when his father tried to indict him…well he did get his payback at least. But maybe…
(I could use my father’s death to get along better with him. If he doesn’t care about the trial, it won’t do well for me either. I need the people to talk about me. I need more people to hire me. I need more people I can control.)
“Well…that must be hard for you, but the world doesn’t end with your family. To tell the truth, my father has passed away, and at the time I was terribly hurt and heartbroken, it was like a part of me was taken away…but now I’m doing well. I can continue living my life even without him, and look at how successful I am. Moreover,” he smiled “if I prove your innocence, you parents might change their mind about it.”
“They won’t. Even if you prove my innocence rumours will keep spreading, about whether I really was innocent and whatnot. It will leave a mark on my parents’ reputation too – no, I have already ruined their reputation”
Osoto’s voice grew panicky.
“And look, I’m guilty. If you really believe in justice, you should drop it.”
Eiji didn’t quite understand why Osoto was so fixated with his parents, who had wronged him, especially if he was guilty of so many crimes. Couldn’t he just get rid of them? He understood that most people cared about it, but he thought that Osoto would have been different, he thought he could have seen eye to eye with him. Was he wrong…?
Nonetheless, he needed to at least defend him.
“Hmm…to tell the truth, I don’t really care. That explanation from before was mostly a lie, and I don’t think justice is a thing at all. The fact that everyone has a different definition of justice proves that there’s no way to truly define it…because it doesn’t truly exist. That said, I’m a lawyer, and a great one at that. It’s my job to defend people, and you will get a lawyer and go on trial anyway. Why don’t you stop being difficult and let me do it? I’m definitely better than whatever mediocre lawyer is going to be assigned to you.”
“Oh, so that’s how you actually are. You’re more interesting than I thought.”
Osoto seemed to be lost in thought and then nodded.
“That’s fine. You can defend me in court. At one condition.”
What was it now? He was starting to seriously annoy him, but Eiji did at least appreciate that his interest went both ways.
“I want to keep meeting up with you after the trial…so prove me innocent alright?” then he muttered to himself “He might not have been my soulmate…but this man might be…”
Eiji ignored the creepy muttering and answered affirmatively. His interest in Osoto kept deepening after all…he could feel some sort of spark during their conversation. There was worth in keeping him around.
And so, the two men’s fates intertwined.