Chapter Text
A man. A tall one, too. He’d had blond hair and a peculiar form of heterochromia. This man was a psychiatrist, specifically one who specialized in sexual abuse cases.
Women he had treated recalled him being sweet and gentle, caring for their traumas and remembering the small things.
Hashibira Douma, or who was now known as the serial offender, Fuyuyoshi Nijime, was Kochou Shinobu’s psychiatrist. And even though he was rotting behind bars for his crimes, Kochou Shinobu was left battered beyond the beating her physical body had endured.
The case was causing an uproar. Some people refused to believe a man like him would be so vile, instead placing the blame on Kochou Shinobu.
“What was she wearing?” “She must’ve been flirting!” “To accuse such a good man of such a bad thing… the only person who deserves jail time is KOCHOU SHINOBU!”
Her personal life had been dug into the moment the case met headlines. Her old photos, social media, and even where she went to school was revealed to the masses. Memes were created. People were actively laughing at her 6th grade school picture. And she couldn’t even post on social media, according to her lawyer.
“It’d be like adding fuel to their fire.” Ubuyashiki Amane said, trying to remain conscious of the young girl’s predicament.
“Well I don’t care if I’m ‘adding to their fire’ or whatever! I need to shut them up!” Shinobu gripped the armrests on the way-too-fancy chair in the lawyer’s office.
“Kochou-san.. please. You’d only be making it worse by giving them something new to talk about. All they have is old news, and eventually the press will become disinterested. So please, don’t post anything.”
That was harder than it seemed. Every day, Kochou Shinobu would open her phone to see that she either needed to change her number again, or that yet another article existed about her. She’d then have a rightful scream into her pillow.
“‘Nobu.. hun. I know I’m making it sound easy, but you’ve got to ignore them. You’re only adding on stress.” Kochou Kanae rubbed small circles on her sister’s back.
“I know…” She responded begrudgingly.
“Please. I hate watching you destroy yourself from the inside out. I can’t bear to see you like this.” Kochou Kanae wiped her misty eyes. “You’re very dear to me, ‘Nobu. Please don’t make me watch you do this to yourself.”
The court date was approaching faster and faster. The day was marked on the house calendar in Kochou Kanae’s shaky handwriting.
All it read was “Court”. No further explanation. None was needed. Those five letters spelt out Kochou Shinobu’s demise. The moment she’d have to face him again, and in front of a court, and have to explain what he did to her.