Work Text:
March 2023
Dark. Dusty. Depressing. Not the most flattering descriptors, but one would be hard pressed to more accurately describe the state of the office Sae Niijima now stood within. The only window was on the door leading outside to the alleyway in which it was unfortunately located. It was tucked away in the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya, even more so than a certain cafe. Foot traffic was practically nil, and those who did find their way to this particular slice of nowhere typically weren't in the market for the services provided here.
So why was she here? Well, pity mostly. For this office of course belonged to none other than her brother-in-law, Akira Niijima, a budding young private investigator.
...Who, as it so happened, was fast asleep with his head down at the sole desk in the room, and in the middle of the work day no less. Real professional.
"...Akira?" Sae gently tried to wake him.
No response. A more firm approach was needed.
"Hey, Akira, wake up!"
Still, he remained dead to the world. One might think he was dead if they didn't notice the dust bunnies swaying to and fro on the surface of the desk in front of his face. Definitely not the result of any proper air circulation—how this office passed any sort of official inspection was a mystery to all. Sae took a tissue from her purse and wiped up a small portion of the desk and was frankly disgusted by the amount of dust it collected from a single swipe. But at least now there was a spot she'd be semi-comfortable touching. Because when in doubt, stick with what you know.
Her open palm slammed upon the desk with an almighty thud. "ANSWER ME!" she yelled with the same intensity she showed him all those years ago.
Akira's eyes shot open as he jerked his head upwards. "I-Immainnocent!" he slurred his words.
It took him a few seconds to realize where and when he was, but once he saw Sae, he knew that now was the time to pull his shit together.
"O-Oh! I, uh...didn't hear you come in. Sorry about that. Welcome to Shadow Investigations, where all secrets are brought to light," he spoke professionally, betraying his disheveled appearance.
Sae said nothing in response as she handed him a tissue and pointed to the corner of her own mouth. She just couldn't take him seriously with all that dust and drool plastered to the side of his face.
He looked down in shame, a barely audible "sorry, sis" passing his lips as he cleaned himself up. This was definitely not one of his prouder moments.
But Sae couldn't judge him, not wholeheartedly at least. After all, she did feel partially to blame for his current state of affairs.
See, Sae had become somewhat overbearing in her efforts to ensure that Makoto had a nicer life in adulthood. She'd long since accepted that Akira was a part of it, but what about their love beyond? Surely they'd eventually expand their little family to include a child or two. And to do that, they'd of course need more room than that shabby little love nest they previously called home. Sae told them as much, and for the most part they agreed that more room would be ideal. But two bedroom apartments in Tokyo are expensive, extraordinarily so for two newlyweds straight out of college.
And yet despite all odds, they'd managed to lease an apartment—albeit with a little bit of fluff on Akira's part about his wife being a hardened police officer and that the building would be that much safer with her around. Far be it from Makoto to correct him by saying she'd only been a beat cop for about a year now. When all was said and done, they had themselves their first "passable" apartment, according to Sae, and rejoiced in their newfound freedom to breed. Things were looking up for their young family.
...Until they took a look at their bank account. Kids were undeniably more expensive than housing if one wished to be a reliable parent. And with Akira's career path still in its infancy, it'd be a few years yet until Makoto felt confident enough that they'd be able to provide. Heartbreaking news for sure, but doubly so for him as he knew how badly Makoto wanted to have kids.
One way or another, he had to find a way to get the ball rolling so he could bring in more income. But a private eye needs a designated space from which to operate, and renting an office wasn't the most economic move he could make right now. Wherever he set up shop had to be dirt cheap.
Thus, this office. Quite possibly the only pro weighing against its many cons was the abysmal cost. It had been used, unsurprisingly, as a storage room by one of Sojiro's regulars. When he learned of his pseudo-son's struggle to get his business up and running, the kindly old man simply told him not to worry as he pulled out his phone and made a single call. He probably thought he was being something along the lines of "a cool, dependable dad," but when they actually saw the dump for what it was, that tune certainly changed. But of course, out of the goodness of his heart, Akira told his father figure that it would suit his needs just fine and that was that. Alas, the sad truth was that a heartwarming origin story did little to bring in clients to your barely noticeable place of business.
That's where Sae came in. Being a defense attorney at a relatively busy law firm meant that they were always in need of outside investigators to do the leg work. And seeing how he struggled so much in the aftermath of making both his wife and sister-in-law happy, Sae felt obligated to throw him a bone or two. Or three. Actually, she was quite certain that she was the only client of his that actually paid for his services in money and not the invoices of the coffee drinking elderly.
The results? Not bad, actually. For all his quirks that frequently rubbed Sae the wrong way, Akira at least took his job very seriously. He knew first hand what it was like to have your life ruined by false information, so he meticulously left no stone unturned when it came to finding the truth. Probably helped that he usually didn't have any other cases to work on, but still, Sae had to give him credit—the man was a natural. Which was what brought her here today.
"If you're not too busy, I have two cases for you this time," said Sae, trying not to sound too amused that she caught him napping.
"Two?" Akira asked in disbelief. "Like, at the same time?"
"Is that too much for you?"
"No, not at all! Two's great!" he assured her. "Um, I mean—I do believe I can squeeze two cases into my uh...my packed schedule."
Sae rolled her eyes as she took a seat and pulled the case files out of her bag. Akira meanwhile searched his desk for the pen he "borrowed" from Takemi's Clinic about a month back, only to realize a moment later that Sae obviously had her own.
"Right. Standard contract, same as before," he said as they traded documents.
"Oh? No family discount?" Sae asked with a wry smile.
"Uh…"
"I'm kidding," Sae clarified. "Your rates are more than reasonable."
"Oh, heh. Thanks," was his response.
That's it? No comeback? Not even a jab about charging her more for all the gripe she'd given him over the years? Sae thought he'd at least flash that annoying smirk of his. Though now that she'd taken a better look at him, he looked utterly exhausted. He had visible bags under his eyes and his hair looked even messier than usual. Ordinarily Sae couldn't really give two fucks about his appearance, but him bringing that energy home to Makoto didn't sit right with her.
"Is everything...alright?" Sae asked in genuine concern. "You look tired."
"I do? Sorry about that. I was uh, working late last night," he said.
"Oh? So you found another client after all?"
Akira's mouth opened, but the words struggled to come out. "Uhhhhhh...no. I actually have a second job."
"A second job?" Sae questioned. "Does Makoto know about this?"
"Of course she does," said Akira. "And like I told her, it's fine. I had like three different part-time jobs in high school. And it's just temporary until...until I start getting more clients."
Sae was speechless. Were things that dire for them?
"It's just…" Akira trailed off. "I don't want her waiting forever for me to catch up. We agreed to shoulder everything together, but so far it's mostly been her carrying us. That's not fair to her, so I need to work harder to be a better husband and...hopefully a father."
It wasn't often that Akira spilled his guts like this, and even rarer to do it in front of Sae. That only served to prove that this was weighing quite heavily on his mind. He just wanted to make Makoto happy, but was willing to work himself dogged to that end, which would actively upset his wife. Quite the conundrum, one which Sae had difficulty articulating a delicate response to on the spot.
"I don't...that's…" she tried to say, words failing her.
But as luck would have it, a lifeline appeared in the form of her phone ringing.
"Sorry, I have to take this," she said, seizing the opportunity to make for the door.
Rude? Selfish? Absolutely. But Sae really wasn't good at consoling people. Even if she was willing to hug him again—which she certainly wasn't—it wasn't going to do him much good. He needed a solution to his predicament, not hollow affirmations from someone he regularly refers to as his "shark-in-law." Though the look on his face as he stared down at her signature on the contract suggested he would take just about anything at this point.
Sae stopped right before the door, her phone muffled against her palm as it continued to blow up. "...We're still on for dinner Friday night, yes?" she asked without looking back at him.
"Hm?" Akira looked up at her. "Oh, right. Yeah, you're always welcome at our table. Come over anytime."
Sae hid her smile, saying nothing more as she stepped out into the alley.
Just four little words. Seven if she phrased it politely. Surely she could manage that much, but the real issue would be the reaction that followed and the potential for emotional outburst. If at all possible, she would rather avoid that. Getting gushy over dinner would just give her indigestion with all those unnecessary feelings. Timing was key. Problem was, the window of opportunity had yet to present itself.
An awkward silence filled the air of the younger Niijima residence as Sae sat opposite to the "happy" couple at their dining table. They were already about halfway through their meal which, admittedly, was a bit on the lacking side. It was good of course, like anything Akira cooked, just not as great as it usually was. Yet the poignant expression on Makoto's face didn't seem to stem from the food she continued to eat without complaint.
"The fish is...a bit dry, isn't it?" Akira sheepishly asked.
"It's fine," said Makoto, completely unbothered by it as she kept chewing.
Akira turned his gaze across the table to their guest. "And yours, Sae? I can whip up something else if you don't like it."
Before Sae could even consider the kind offer, her eyes were drawn to Makoto, who gently shook her head as if to say "please don't."
"Oh, no. Don't trouble yourself over me," said Sae. "This is fine by my tastes. Thank you, though."
"You sure? It's really no problem at all. I'll just slip into the kitchen and-"
"She said it's fine," Makoto cut him off. "We both said it's fine. This fish is fine. Completely acceptable. You don't need to cook an entire new meal just because this one isn't perfect. You've done more than enough for tonight."
Surely that didn't sound nearly as passive-aggressive in her head. Makoto realized how deep the bite of her words sank into her husband a bit too late.
"I'm sorry…" he said, his tired eyes drifting down to the lackluster plate in front of him.
"No, I'm sorry," said Makoto. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It's just that you've been working yourself ragged lately and I...I'm worried. Please, I need you to slow down."
"We need the money, though," Akira argued.
"I don't care about the money, Akira!" she pleaded. "If we're not having kids until we're in our thirties, that's fine by me. Frankly, I'd prefer it if my husband didn't work himself to death before then."
Sae sank a little into her seat.
"I would never do that to you," he assured her in a dead serious tone.
"Really? You think you'll have any say in the matter when you collapse from exhaustion?" Makoto questioned.
"I'm fine," he said. "Trust me, that's not gonna happen any time soon."
"So you accept the very real possibility that it could happen in the future? What about the present? You already look weary, I can only imagine how you must feel. You haven't even had a full night's sleep since we moved. And don't even get me started on our sex life, or lack thereof these days."
It was as if she'd completely forgotten that her sister was across the table from them. Sae sure wished she hadn't been here for that last part. She'd have left by now if there wasn't something that needed to be done. Perhaps that window she'd been waiting for had to be opened by her own hand.
"If I may," the older Niijima interrupted, "as someone with first-hand experience in having a self-neglecting work ethic, I can assure you that it does in fact take a toll on you without you realizing until it's too late."
Once again, Makoto winced with regret. Of course her sister would catch on that what she was really afraid of was history repeating itself, only this time with her husband. But to drag up the past now only made her feel worse.
"N-No, sis, I didn't mean to say-"
"It's okay," Sae interrupted her. "I'm not above being used as an example so long as it's for family. But yes, Akira, you need to stop and think about who you're really hurting by working yourself so hard. Do not make the same mistakes I did."
Her words bore brutal honesty, yet there could be no animosity heard in her voice. Sae genuinely believed in their love at this point, and saw this as nothing more than a post-marital spat that could be mended with ease. For them, that is. For her, it meant overstepping the boundaries she'd set up and getting mushy for a moment, but so be it. This was the price of being a family.
Sae took a deep breath, then looked her brother-in-law straight in the eye. "So...you should just come work for me."
Neither Akira nor Makoto said a word as they looked back at her with wide-eyed expressions. Not the reaction she was expecting.
"It's, erm, a litigation support team position," she clarified. "You'd more or less be doing the same thing you've been doing except you'd be on payroll rather than needing to be commissioned case by case. You won't have your own office any time soon, but for now at least you'll have job security."
Their silence persisted. Sae was beginning to worry she had overstepped.
"Th-that is...so long as you're not put off by the idea of working at my firm," she stammered. "It won't be easy, but-"
The sales pitch was cut short by Makoto pushing her chair back as she jumped to her feet. "That's perfect!" she excitedly declared.
"It...is?" Akira questioned.
"Yes!" she said. "Just think, I'll never have to choose which of you to have lunch with because you'll both be in the same place. My motorcycle can only carry one passenger, after all."
Well that just seemed like a loss to Akira. He for one loved riding on Makoto's bike with his arms wrapped snugly around her waist. Then again, they would save money on gas if she didn't have to pick him up every time they had lunch together…
However, the biggest caveat here was the idea of working for his shark-in-law. Akira loved her of course, but she didn't earn that nickname simply because she's a lawyer—Sae Niijima is a force of nature that strikes fear into all who dare enter her demesne of law and order. Having someone like that as his boss was...well, it sounded like a nightmare.
But then, it was thanks to Sae that he actually got to pursue his passion of being a private eye, however little. Now she was taking it a step further and offering him the chance to do it full time. And not only that, but a stable income from his side of the table would bring him and Makoto that much closer to parenthood. Sae was doing all of this...just to make them happy.
And for that, he knew of only one appropriate response.
Akira stood up and walked around the table. Before Sae even realized what was happening, her shoulders went stiff as she felt that warm, fuzzy feeling in her stomach that she utterly despised. But...she didn't shrug him off like she normally did. Meanwhile Makoto had not-so-stealthily poked her phone's camera above the table so she could take a photo of the rare occurrence of her sister accepting a hug from Akira.
"...Thank you, sis," Akira spoke earnestly.
Though visibly disgusted, Sae found it in her to muster the most genuine smile she physically could in these circumstances.
"Erm, you're welcome," she said. "Now, if you would be so kind as to let go of me..."
Amazed. Awestruck. Afraid? All of the above, really. After being in that broom closet he called an office, standing in an actual lobby to a place of business had Akira feeling totally out of sorts. Whereas his office was dark and depressing, this place had the perfect ratio of lighting thanks to the sizable windows and choice of bright decor. The floors were so clean that he could see his reflection looking back up at him. And best of all, not a single bunny of the dust variety could be found as far as the eye could see. Was this heaven? If that was the case, he should probably expect to burst into flames any second now...
"...Sir? Do you have an appointment?" asked the receptionist.
Well, his cheeks were certainly warm from making a fool of himself at his new job. No flames...yet.
"Oh, sorry," he said, greeting her with a smile. "Akira Niijima? I should be in the directory for the law offices on the 18th floor."
The receptionist typed away on her keyboard as she searched for the name. "Akira...Niijima… There doesn't seem to be anyone by that name working there."
"Really? Uh…" Akira pondered for a moment. "Could I trouble you to check again, please?"
"...No, sorry. I'm not seeing your name anywhere. The only Niijima that turns up is Sae Niijima, the attorney," said the receptionist. "You...wouldn't happen to be related, would you?"
"He's my brother."
Both Akira and the receptionist were caught unawares by the attorney in question. Ironic given that Sae's all black pantsuit stood out even more than usual in this bright and inviting lobby. Though it did bring a modicum of comfort to Akira knowing that the relatively dark color scheme of his own outfit wouldn't be frowned upon here.
"Yup, I'm her... brother, alright," he confirmed oh so smugly.
Ignoring him, Sae turned to the receptionist. "He's not in the system yet, but he should be by tomorrow. Today I'm simply showing him the ropes. I apologize for the hassle."
"Oh, it's no problem at all, Niijima-sama," said the receptionist, her cheeks a soft shade of pink. "Please, go on ahead. And have a great day, you two."
"After you, sis~" said Akira, bowing his head as he gestured to the elevators.
Sae couldn't help but sigh as she waved her keycard over the scanner. She could already tell he was going to be insufferable from this point on.
"Really though, why'd you tell her I was your brother?" Akira asked once they were alone in the elevator.
"Truthfully? Because it was quick and easy," Sae answered. "I don't have all day to explain to every person who works here how and why my brother-in-law came to have the same surname as me."
"...Fair enough," he admitted.
It was, after all, a truly sappy story. Akira didn't have any fond memories of his family growing up. A lifetime of neglect and resentment created this insurmountable rift between him and his parents. His arrest and probation, though ultimately cleared, took its toll on their relationship to the point that he wanted nothing to do with them either. As far as he was concerned, his true family was in Tokyo.
Not to say it was a decision made entirely out of spite. Taking his wife's surname meant that Makoto could remain a Niijima. It might seem insignificant, but the idea of following in her father's footsteps to uphold her ideals of justice with a badge bearing his name meant the world to Makoto. In a way, it felt like he was watching over her from heaven with that shield as his anchor, to make sure she didn't make the same mistakes he did. In Akira's heart, this was the best way for him to give thanks to the father-in-law he never knew.
But what of his sister-in-law's thoughts on the matter? Obviously she wouldn't tell either of them how she really felt, as the truth was far too embarrassing.
Sae was relieved.
Perhaps her most closely guarded secret was that she didn't want to be alone. Sae was heartened to know that Makoto had found someone more capable of showing love than her, but also distraught over the fact that if all went well, he'd take her away before she got to truly mend their scarred sisterly relationship. She would be the only Niijima left, and with nothing to do but work and work until she died alone with nothing but regrets to keep her company.
Didn't happen. It would never happen. They weren't going to let her go so easily. Instead of one Niijima, there were now three Niijimas. Instead of depressing meals alone, she ate with her sister and brother-in-law just about every day. Gone were the evenings of drab silence and in their place came movie nights full of thrills and laughter. Sae could do without Akira's teasing, but if Makoto could put up with it 24/7, then she could stomach a few hours a day. No family was without its quirks after all. She loved being included regardless.
So really, offering Akira a job was the least Sae could do to give thanks. Thanks for always being there for Makoto...and for her, too. She wouldn't say it outright, of course, but that's okay. Akira understood. Her love language was a reserved one.
Ding!
Akira whistled upon stepping out of the elevator. He thought the lobby was gorgeous, but the actual office put even that to shame. First of all where the windows, the oh so lovely windows. They stretched all the way around the corner of the building, letting in enough natural light that they didn't even need the recessed lighting in the ceiling. The walls surrounding the main conference room were almost entirely made of glass panes, further allowing the abundance of light to pass on through. All of this of course was to offset the large black wall at the entrance upon which the firm's name was engraved. A non-negotiable feature as far as Sae was concerned.
It was worth noting that the name on the wall—written in the fanciest font that was no doubt trademarked—was "Niijima & Co. Law Offices." Not curious at all until one takes into account that Sae had only been a defense attorney for about six years now. Just how had she come so far in such a short period of time? Nothing nefarious of course, though it did require her to swallow her pride a little.
Once it had gotten out that the Sae Niijima had quit her job as a prosecutor and was switching sides, just about every law firm in Tokyo set out with the goal of headhunting her. Which would have been great if not for the fact that most of them only wanted her for her clout. A few even requested that she model for their billboards, as if she'd be some sort of poster girl for legal practices.
Sae was disgusted by such underhanded tactics from those entrusted to represent people in court. But loathe as she was to admit it, taking advantage of her history (and beauty) was the only way she was going to land on her feet after changing careers so suddenly. Doing so was especially paramount if she wanted Makoto to be able to lean on her if ever the going got tough after college.
So, after sifting through all the skeeviest law firms, she eventually found one that didn't seek to capitalize on her image nearly as much as it did her skills. As a show of respect, they even promised to put her name first after she proved herself worthy of being a partner. Which as they soon learned, was a foolish thing to promise to someone as driven as her. Not even two years later, her name was the only name on the plaque and everyone else was relegated to the "Co" in Niijima & Co.
Needless to say, Sae had this firm under an iron grip. So if she wanted to hire someone out of the blue, it was well within her rights to do so. And if that someone wanted to stand around admiring windows like he's just discovered glass, he was certainly allowed to do so as long as he got it out of his system before he actually started working here.
"Alright, quit gawking," said Sae with a snap in front of his face. "My office is this way."
Sae led Akira down the hall past dozens of employees that gave him inquisitive looks as they passed by. Part of him wanted to stop and introduce himself, but Sae showed no interest in stopping and frankly he wasn't sure he'd be able to navigate such a large office without her. Eventually though, she did stop, if only to unlock the door to her office.
Her corner office. Forget landing on her feet, Sae had hit the ground running.
For once, Akira was speechless. Every aspect of the room fit the definition of winner. From the mahogany desk and upholstered chair that looked more like a throne, to the imposing built-in bookcase filled with law books that she had no doubt memorized—everything screamed "successful lawyer." Compared to his former office, he may as well have been working out of a cardboard box.
Sae indulged in a silent chuckle as she took a seat at her desk and turned on her computer. She didn't feel the need to say anything more about workplace behavior, as he had no doubt received the message loud and clear that tomfoolery was not going to be tolerated.
...Or not.
"So, dear sister of mine, where's my desk?" Akira requested with a smug look on his face.
Sae scoffed at the audacity. "You think you're sharing an office with me? Think again. You're going in the bullpen for the time being."
"Heh, can't blame me for trying. I mean, look at that view!" he said, gesturing to the floor-to-ceiling window.
Admittedly, Sae had never stopped to appreciate the fact that her office had the perfect view of the park across the street. Though, now that she thought about it, she'd always sat with her back to the window whenever Makoto had lunch with her here. Perhaps she'd have to rearrange the office a little now that Akira would be included in their little lunchtime get togethers. Or maybe they could just go eat in the park itself should the desire arise. Whatever made Makoto happy.
"I've noticed that you've cleaned up a bit," Sae said. "Things are going well at home, I take it?"
Akira turned to her and smiled. "Things are going great at home. After you left the other night, Makoto took me straight to bed."
"Oh, so you finally got a full night's rest?" she asked.
Akira's smile took a devilish turn. "Straight. To. Bed," he repeated.
"Oh? Oh! Ugh…" Sae groaned as it finally clicked.
"Yup," he said with pride. "But also I have been sleeping well, thanks for asking."
"...Great…" said Sae, her attention now elsewhere.
For the past few minutes, she'd been finalizing the hiring of one Akira Niijima. All she had to do now was click enter and he would officially be in her employment.
Sae's fingertip hovered over the key.
"...Listen, Akira," she said in a serious tone. "I've no doubt you noticed the glances you received on your way in here."
"...They think you're giving special treatment, don't they?" he asked.
"It's to be expected, given our connection," said Sae. "In-laws or not, we're still family. Through their eyes, that is the primary reason why you get to work here."
Akira fell quiet.
"So," she continued, "if you're going to work here, then I'm going to need you to do something very important for me."
"And that is?"
"...Prove them wrong," Sae told him. "Prove to everyone in this building that you're the best at what you do. Make them rue the day they ever doubted my judgment. But most of all, show them what it means to be a Niijima."
Akira smirked. "You got it... boss."
That was exactly what Sae needed to hear. No regret was felt as she pressed that final key. Akira was the newest member of the litigation team.
"Great, now get to work," Sae said.
"Wait, you mean now?" Akira asked. "I thought you said I wouldn't be working on any cases until tomorrow?"
"Yes, but technically the litigation role is to amend issues outside the courtroom and support the legal team," she said.
"Okay…? So...what issue do I have to solve right now?"
Sae picked up her coffee mug and tilted it towards him. "We've been having something of a caffeine drought around here. I need you to source a new coffee maker and set it up in the break room. On budget, of course."
It took Akira a few seconds to realize that Sae was dead serious right now. You don't fuck with a Niijima's coffee intake.
"R-Right! I'll have a fresh pot brewed before the day is done!" he said as he rushed out the door.
Sae was certainly pleased with herself. Somehow, bossing him around was even more liberating than she'd hoped it would be. For her part, she too had to prove she wasn't giving him any special treatment. Putting him through the wringer on his first day was a necessity that she took only a moderate amount of joy in. No more, truly.
Reaching across her desk, she picked up a picture frame. Contained within was a picture of Makoto, Akira and herself from a few years ago on Christmas day. Their first Christmas actually—one which Sae would always remember fondly as the first time their little family of two suddenly felt bigger.
'...Things will certainly be more lively in the office with that foolish brother of mine working here.'