(no subject)
Prompt: 026.Court
Word Count: 1,161
Rating: PG
Author’s Note: I have no idea how the justice system works in Japan, so I’ve stuck with the American one (which is still iffy, since I’ve never had to serve for jury duty). Hopefully the inconsistencies don’t ruin the reading experience. Haruhi and Kyouya would have to pick careers that I know nothing about…
“This court awards Nishiyama-san full custody rights, as well as requiring a monthly payment of 25,000 yen a month from Nakamura-san. If there are any other objections to be made, they can be filed with your lawyers and addressed in a second hearing.”
The judge glanced across the courtroom, taking in the young woman who looked to be in a state of shock, two small boys sitting in the row behind her, as well as the man still scowling at the table in front of him.
“None, I see. Very well, the court is dismissed. Thank you for your time, jury. If Fujioka-san and Sasaki-san would come forward…”
Haruhi approached the bench with a small smile on her face; it was impossible to keep from showing her relief that the ruling had gone in her client’s favor. Sasaki-san gave her a wry grin.
“Good job, Fujioka-san,” he congratulated her, and she shook his hand, smiling genuinely at him.
“I realize that Nishiyama’s victory comes at the price of your client’s defeat, Sasaki-san, but I have to say that I’m grateful on her behalf.”
Sasaki grinned at the younger lawyer, free to say what he liked now that his client was gone. “I must admit that I’m glad too, though you can keep that to yourself.”
The judge, Ishikawa-san, looked faintly amused.
“I’m glad as well,” he rumbled, reaching down to shake both of their hands. “Fighting over the well-being of children is always hardest on the children. I would prefer to hope that those who leave my court have been dealt with fairly.”
Haruhi nodded, and thanked him for his efforts. Within moments she collected her things and exited the room, unsurprised to find Nishiyama-san waiting for her, along with the two boys.
“Fujioka-san, I can’t tell you how grateful I am,” she said, all but giving the smaller woman a crushing hug. “I never dreamed we would receive such a generous allotment; I was half-afraid I was going to lose the boys when we started this.”
Haruhi smiled down at the boys, Hiko and Hitoshi. They shyly approached and hugged her too, before retreating back to their grandmother’s form.
“You should go and get lunch,” she advised them gently. “All of you have been here since 10 o’clock, and it’s just now 1 o’clock.”
With a few more expressions of gratitude, they took her advice and left, allowing Haruhi to head towards her own office; she would have to order in some food for herself, there wasn’t time to stop and eat.
-
By the time she reached her floor, the eighth of one of the larger downtown buildings, she was exhausted and wondering how she would get the rest of her paperwork done today.
She noticed that the secretary for the law firm was out, and sighed, a little annoyed to realize she would have to place the order herself.
I’m getting lazy, she thought, feeling a brief but resentful surge towards the rich boys who had made being spoiled look so easy.
Haruhi opened the door to her private domain gratefully, not bothering to turn the main light on; she would likely have a headache soon. The lamp on her desk was enough to see by, and she set her things down with less precision than usual. A moment later she sank into the huge leather armchair behind her desk, and closed her eyes in relief.
She twitched when hands descended on her shoulders, but then smiled as his voice hit her ear. “Aren’t you glad I insisted on this chair?” he asked, sounding smug. Her smile widened. “Actually, I’m glad that you went through that medical training, rather than taking the easy way out and just getting the business degree.”
“Oh?”
“You wouldn’t know how to work all the knots out of my back, otherwise,” she replied, satisfied.
He laughed softly, and removed his hands a minute later, causing a small frown to cross her face. It quickly fled though; she never took his attention or time for granted.
“I thought you loved me for a different reason,” he said, sounding surprisingly light-hearted considering the words.
She turned her chair around to see him digging through a familiar bag.
“Kyouya…” she trailed off as he pulled a small container free, looking pleased with himself.
Haruhi couldn’t help smiling in return, trying not to snatch it out of his hand lest she look desperate.
“How did you know I needed this?” she asked, sincerely curious as she broke her chopsticks and dug into the ootoro. Kyouya moved to sit in one of the chairs facing her desk.
“You forget how that line appears between your eyes when you’re upset about a case,” he reminded her gently, knowing that she had to be stressed if she had overlooked his particular observation skills. “That line has been there for the past three days.”
She paused in her eating to smile warmly at him, eyes sparkling with unusual gratitude, and Kyouya flushed.
“I’ll have a break now, at least for a few days. There aren’t any cases in court that I need to prepare for until next week, just some paperwork for civil suits.”
“Good,” he responded, leaning back in his chair. “Then you can make Father’s business party on Monday.”
Haruhi glanced up at him, but didn’t pause this time, indicating with one raised eyebrow that he should go on.
“There’s bound to be ootoro there,” he said, teasing her gently, and she rolled her eyes. “Father is trying to garner support to help Fuyumi-neesan start her clothing business.”
“The one where clothes are recycled?” she asked, and he nodded, looking pleased that she had remembered.
“She asked me a while back if I would have time to help out, but I told her that the twins would know more about the clothes business than me.”
He gave a small smile, but she saw it and questioned it with one glance.
“I think Fuyumi-neesan just wants your opinion, instead of a male’s,” he explained.
Haruhi set down the container, already finished, and stood up to make tea.
“Actually, I think she just wants to spend time at our house. She’s always coming up with excuses to head over - not that I mind,” she quickly assured him. “I think she misses you at the main house.”
“Like your father misses you?” he asked dryly, and she shook her head in exasperation.
“We’re never going to have privacy,” she predicted, thinking of all their other weekly visitors.
“Why else would I show up here so often?” he asked, smiling again when she turned to look at him.
“Is that why you’re here? I thought it might have something to do with two months…” she set down his tea cup, and sipped at her own.
“That might also have… influenced me,” he admitted, and reached over to tap the gold ring on her fourth finger lightly. “Two months,” he echoed softly.
Word Count: 1,161
Rating: PG
Author’s Note: I have no idea how the justice system works in Japan, so I’ve stuck with the American one (which is still iffy, since I’ve never had to serve for jury duty). Hopefully the inconsistencies don’t ruin the reading experience. Haruhi and Kyouya would have to pick careers that I know nothing about…
“This court awards Nishiyama-san full custody rights, as well as requiring a monthly payment of 25,000 yen a month from Nakamura-san. If there are any other objections to be made, they can be filed with your lawyers and addressed in a second hearing.”
The judge glanced across the courtroom, taking in the young woman who looked to be in a state of shock, two small boys sitting in the row behind her, as well as the man still scowling at the table in front of him.
“None, I see. Very well, the court is dismissed. Thank you for your time, jury. If Fujioka-san and Sasaki-san would come forward…”
Haruhi approached the bench with a small smile on her face; it was impossible to keep from showing her relief that the ruling had gone in her client’s favor. Sasaki-san gave her a wry grin.
“Good job, Fujioka-san,” he congratulated her, and she shook his hand, smiling genuinely at him.
“I realize that Nishiyama’s victory comes at the price of your client’s defeat, Sasaki-san, but I have to say that I’m grateful on her behalf.”
Sasaki grinned at the younger lawyer, free to say what he liked now that his client was gone. “I must admit that I’m glad too, though you can keep that to yourself.”
The judge, Ishikawa-san, looked faintly amused.
“I’m glad as well,” he rumbled, reaching down to shake both of their hands. “Fighting over the well-being of children is always hardest on the children. I would prefer to hope that those who leave my court have been dealt with fairly.”
Haruhi nodded, and thanked him for his efforts. Within moments she collected her things and exited the room, unsurprised to find Nishiyama-san waiting for her, along with the two boys.
“Fujioka-san, I can’t tell you how grateful I am,” she said, all but giving the smaller woman a crushing hug. “I never dreamed we would receive such a generous allotment; I was half-afraid I was going to lose the boys when we started this.”
Haruhi smiled down at the boys, Hiko and Hitoshi. They shyly approached and hugged her too, before retreating back to their grandmother’s form.
“You should go and get lunch,” she advised them gently. “All of you have been here since 10 o’clock, and it’s just now 1 o’clock.”
With a few more expressions of gratitude, they took her advice and left, allowing Haruhi to head towards her own office; she would have to order in some food for herself, there wasn’t time to stop and eat.
-
By the time she reached her floor, the eighth of one of the larger downtown buildings, she was exhausted and wondering how she would get the rest of her paperwork done today.
She noticed that the secretary for the law firm was out, and sighed, a little annoyed to realize she would have to place the order herself.
I’m getting lazy, she thought, feeling a brief but resentful surge towards the rich boys who had made being spoiled look so easy.
Haruhi opened the door to her private domain gratefully, not bothering to turn the main light on; she would likely have a headache soon. The lamp on her desk was enough to see by, and she set her things down with less precision than usual. A moment later she sank into the huge leather armchair behind her desk, and closed her eyes in relief.
She twitched when hands descended on her shoulders, but then smiled as his voice hit her ear. “Aren’t you glad I insisted on this chair?” he asked, sounding smug. Her smile widened. “Actually, I’m glad that you went through that medical training, rather than taking the easy way out and just getting the business degree.”
“Oh?”
“You wouldn’t know how to work all the knots out of my back, otherwise,” she replied, satisfied.
He laughed softly, and removed his hands a minute later, causing a small frown to cross her face. It quickly fled though; she never took his attention or time for granted.
“I thought you loved me for a different reason,” he said, sounding surprisingly light-hearted considering the words.
She turned her chair around to see him digging through a familiar bag.
“Kyouya…” she trailed off as he pulled a small container free, looking pleased with himself.
Haruhi couldn’t help smiling in return, trying not to snatch it out of his hand lest she look desperate.
“How did you know I needed this?” she asked, sincerely curious as she broke her chopsticks and dug into the ootoro. Kyouya moved to sit in one of the chairs facing her desk.
“You forget how that line appears between your eyes when you’re upset about a case,” he reminded her gently, knowing that she had to be stressed if she had overlooked his particular observation skills. “That line has been there for the past three days.”
She paused in her eating to smile warmly at him, eyes sparkling with unusual gratitude, and Kyouya flushed.
“I’ll have a break now, at least for a few days. There aren’t any cases in court that I need to prepare for until next week, just some paperwork for civil suits.”
“Good,” he responded, leaning back in his chair. “Then you can make Father’s business party on Monday.”
Haruhi glanced up at him, but didn’t pause this time, indicating with one raised eyebrow that he should go on.
“There’s bound to be ootoro there,” he said, teasing her gently, and she rolled her eyes. “Father is trying to garner support to help Fuyumi-neesan start her clothing business.”
“The one where clothes are recycled?” she asked, and he nodded, looking pleased that she had remembered.
“She asked me a while back if I would have time to help out, but I told her that the twins would know more about the clothes business than me.”
He gave a small smile, but she saw it and questioned it with one glance.
“I think Fuyumi-neesan just wants your opinion, instead of a male’s,” he explained.
Haruhi set down the container, already finished, and stood up to make tea.
“Actually, I think she just wants to spend time at our house. She’s always coming up with excuses to head over - not that I mind,” she quickly assured him. “I think she misses you at the main house.”
“Like your father misses you?” he asked dryly, and she shook her head in exasperation.
“We’re never going to have privacy,” she predicted, thinking of all their other weekly visitors.
“Why else would I show up here so often?” he asked, smiling again when she turned to look at him.
“Is that why you’re here? I thought it might have something to do with two months…” she set down his tea cup, and sipped at her own.
“That might also have… influenced me,” he admitted, and reached over to tap the gold ring on her fourth finger lightly. “Two months,” he echoed softly.