Chapter 591: Chapter 403: Defense Attorney and Criminal Suspect
In fact, according to Article 17 of the Criminal Law, eight years old is a fully exempt age from criminal responsibility, regardless of the nature of the act, and bears no criminal responsibility. Even if armed conduct results in serious injury or death to others, the judicial authorities cannot prosecute.
This means the case officers are merely trying to scare her.
Minamoto Tamako was unaware of this, since there’s a difference between Japanese criminal law and domestic criminal law.
She was still anxious about how to deal with Fujimura-kun’s mental affliction. If she did nothing, it would definitely worsen. She doesn’t remember what happens in the dream upon waking, and can only watch as Fujimura-kun’s condition deteriorates. Just thinking about it feels awful.
But right now, she has no way to apprehend Fujimura-kun. What if she’s imprisoned for over a decade? Even three to five years is something she cannot accept!
It’s painful, it’s painful, but this is what I deserve...
Minamoto Tamako worried for several hours as the night deepened. The guards closed iron doors and clocked out to go home, leaving only a few officers on night duty.
Minamoto Tamako planned to close her eyes and let the night pass quickly. In the dream, there is no sleep time; she just has to keep her eyes closed for over ten minutes, and sleep time will skip automatically.
At this point, a shout came from the neighboring room: "Newcomer? What did you do?"
Minamoto Tamako turned over; she didn’t want to respond, but the voice persisted, and others chimed in:
"Speak up! Silent as a tombstone?"
"What’s with the act? Don’t want to eat tomorrow?"
"Talk! Gone mute?"
...
Minamoto Tamako sighed, feeling her life had transformed from ’Tokyo Police Girl’ to a ’Prison Break’ from a Hong Kong film. She actually wanted to chat and vent her inner frustrations, so since someone initiated a conversation, she would respond.
"Because I injured someone with a gun." Minamoto Tamako replied truthfully.
Those in the other cells heard and began to stir with excitement, shouting: "Oh, it’s a girl! Let your brother see your cute face..."
The uproar almost turned the detention center into a zoo until the sound of the duty officer’s footsteps approached from afar, causing the noise to vanish in an instant.
Once the officer walked away, someone spoke again, a steady male voice sounding like an uncle: "Stop the commotion; from the sound of it, she seems to be underage... Little sister next door, how old are you?"
"Eight." Minamoto Tamako said.
Now everyone fell silent, and the situation became quite awkward.
Fortunately, the uncle next door picked up the conversation, continuing to question how an eight-year-old girl committed such a gun crime. Minamoto Tamako finally found an outlet, disregarding what others thought, and started explaining everything from dream to reality. Since she’d never meet them again, she treated it like venting to a tree hole.
She continued complaining about Fujimura-kun’s bad habits, her own inadequacies, the corruption in the Police Department, her boyfriend’s mental health, her mother’s over-management... As she spoke, she sighed deeply, almost to herself: "What should I do?"
Outside, it quieted down, as if others had lost interest in her.
The uncle next door picked up the conversation again, saying: "You should see a psychologist."
Minamoto Tamako wasn’t surprised at this suggestion and reiterated that she wasn’t mentally ill, before sighing again: "How can I become as capable as Fujimura-kun?"
The uncle said: "I have a brother who recruits pickpockets. If you don’t mind, I’ll introduce you when you get out."
"Isn’t there someone more capable? I don’t want to learn to steal; I want to learn things like indoor tactics..."
The uncle added: "Then I have a brother who is a retired veteran and runs a barbeque shop. If you spend 200 bucks at his shop, he might train you."
"Really?"
The uncle laughed, finding it amusing to tease the girl: "Of course it’s false."
Minamoto Tamako wilted, her whole body sprawled wide, sighing deeply again.
Maybe sensing her genuine distress, another voice spoke up, sounding young: "Just search online for whatever you want to learn. What can’t you find online now?"
The uncle chimed in: "That’s true; last time someone recruited on a group chat, sending Taoist texts, claiming they could cultivate to immortal if group members abstained..."
Minamoto Tamako shook her head on the bed, saying: "How could such things be found online..."
Before she finished, the young man recommended several websites, mostly foreign, requiring VPN access. He claimed Tamako could buy a VPN from him if needed, for only twenty bucks a month, fair for all.
Everyone in the detention center was talented, still thinking about doing business while inside.
Minamoto Tamako realized the internet now seemed different from her impression. Realistically, it should be twenty years into the future. She should utilize it wisely and see what the future holds.
With this thought, Minamoto Tamako got motivated immediately, closed her eyes, and planned to fall asleep quickly, skipping the night and finding a way to search the web.
In the blink of an eye, it was the next day. Tamako woke up early as per the detention center rules, brushed her teeth, tidied up, and waited for calls or inspections.
This morning she had a meeting; police took her out of the room to the meeting area.
Just sitting down in front of the glass window, her eyes widened.
She saw Fushimi Roku outside, in a tailored suit, rimless glasses, and a briefcase, looking like a top lawyer, calmly picking up the phone.
Minamoto Tamako was a bit bewildered, unsure what Fushimi Roku was up to. She picked up the phone and couldn’t help but ask: "Why did you come?"
"Why shouldn’t I come?" Fushimi Roku replied, "I’m the lawyer, you’re the suspect, and your mother hired me. Shouldn’t I come?"
In this dream, he was almost invincible, able to ignore objective social rules, or maybe society operated according to his inner world—being both a killer and a lawyer didn’t conflict. In this dream, other than Tamako, no one thought of apprehending him.
"Then why take this case?" Tamako didn’t understand: "I injured your leg; don’t you resent it?"
"I bear no grudge, only curious why you did it." Fushimi Roku replied calmly.
"Didn’t I explain?" Tamako said.
"Are you referring to the story where I was reborn in Japan after death and dated you?" Fushimi Roku thought for a moment and shook his head: "I thought you were stalling at the time... Little girl, if a lie is too outrageous, no one will believe it."
Minamoto Tamako felt quite irritated, thinking he sounded like Fujimura-kun: "What’s so outrageous?"
Fushimi Roku raised a finger: "First, I don’t have a thing for minors..."
Minamoto Tamako angrily slammed the table, interrupting: "I’m an adult now! Don’t say I’m short!"
The nearby guard immediately intervened, telling the suspect to watch her temper; she had to quiet down and pouted her lips.
"Say what you will," Fushimi Roku opened the file, adopting an official tone: "I’m preparing a not guilty defense; get mentally ready and tell me what you’ve confessed at the police station..."
"Not guilty defense?" Tamako was stunned: "Isn’t it plea bargaining?"
Fushimi Roku didn’t bother explaining, urging her to detail quickly; time was limited, and he needed information to find a defense direction.
Minamoto Tamako felt a mix of emotions and couldn’t help but ask: "Aren’t you afraid I’ll find ways to catch you after getting out?"
"You’ve misunderstood again, little friend."
Fushimi Roku closed the file, folded his hands, and said indifferently: "If no one catches me, what’s the point of doing all this?"