The next trial was still a long way off.
In some ways, that worked in their favor. This way the private investigator had more time to gather evidence. Still, the days crawled by, each one stretching painfully long.
Being patient felt like an impossible challenge right now. Waiting for her father's case to move forward was hard enough. But it wasn't just about that. Sota had been working abroad on some shoots those days.
She was an expert at not missing others. Somehow, she had learned to rise above the absence of someone.
So why did it feel so different with him?
He had been sending her tons of pictures and videos from his trip. Yet every time she watched a clip of him performing breathtaking stunts, soaring over water on a flying board, scaling sheer cliffs, or leaping fearlessly into the unknown, she felt an unfamiliar ache. Was it the adventure she longed for, or something else? Why was the waiting so unbearable?
Finally, the day of the trial arrived.
She sat anxiously in the courtroom, her fingers clenched in her lap.
The defense attorney stood up. "Your Honor, we are submitting new evidence. A private investigator's thorough investigation has revealed that the charges were fundamentally flawed."
The judge frowned, flipping through the file. A tense silence settled over the courtroom. Saeko's hands clenched into fists in her lap.
"In light of this new evidence," the judge finally said, nodding slowly, "the court drops all charges. The defendant is innocent."
For a moment, Saeko didn't move. She couldn't. Then, as the words truly sank in, she turned to her father, breath hitching.
He was free.
No longer a man weighed down by false accusations. No longer a criminal in the eyes of the world.
The judge continued, "However, the court will open an official investigation into Tsumi and the criminal organization behind these fabrications."
Murmurs rippled through the courtroom. Saeko's father lowered his head into his hands. He wasn't crying, but his shoulders trembled.
Relief flooded through Saeko.
Almost unconsciously, her gaze dropped to her phone. Sota's plane should be landing soon, back in Japan. She could hardly wait to tell him.
It was a miracle.
Thanks to that mysterious private investigator, his father had been cleared of all charges. Still, it was her friends she felt the most gratitude toward.
There's no way this would've been resolved without them. I owe them so much. I have to find a way to repay them for everything they've done for me.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sharp voice of a suited figure standing beside her.
"My job here is done," he said, slipping a sealed envelope into her hands. "I'm glad I could help uncover the truth. And if you ever want to know who hired me, you'll find the answer inside."
Saeko stared at the envelope for a long moment before tucking it deep into her bag.
For now.
Eventually, the court issued a formal apology for the misunderstanding. But while it acknowledged their mistake, it did little to erase the emotional toll it had taken on Saeko and her family.
After everything, Saeko insisted her father move back home with her. The guilt weighed heavily on her. it had all started because she'd pressured him to live independently. She couldn't bear the thought of him enduring something like this again.