Tokyo: Are you even a proper lawyer?

Monday morning is just an ordinary weekday morning for most Tokyoites.

Commuter trams are packed with sleep-deprived office workers, lines form in front of convenience stores to buy coffee, and GG signs on the street reflect a cold luster in the morning light.

But for Saionji Ki, this was the first clarion call in the battle to reclaim his property.

Tokyo District Court, Third Civil Court.

When Masashi Akiyama arrived with Kiyoshi Saionji, two people were already seated in the dock—Rika Aiba and her lawyer, Saori Okazaki.

Today, Aiba Rika wore a light beige suit, her hair was neatly tied back, her makeup was exquisite, and her posture was as elegant as if she were attending a high-class tea party.

When she saw Saionji Ki, she even showed a gentle, slightly sad smile, as if the disagreements between them had never happened.

Saori Okazaki wore a dark blue business suit, and her pearl earrings gleamed warmly under the cold courtroom lights.

Before the trial began, she smiled at Masashi Akiyama. The smile seemed friendly, but her eyes held undisguised contempt.

"Attorney Akiyama, I look forward to sparring with you."

She investigated this young man.

The rookie lawyer, who had just won a reversal case, was already somewhat well-known in the industry, but in the eyes of an expert like her who had been working in divorce cases for many years, she was still just a greenhorn.

Rika Aiba also spoke up at the opportune moment.

"Ji-kun, I hope that today... we can both get what we want."

Saionji Kiyoshi lowered his head sharply, his fingers clenched into fists under the table.

He didn't want to look at the woman's face anymore.

That face that once made his heart flutter now only fills him with a chilling and nauseating feeling.

On the judge's bench, the members of the collegial panel took their places one after another.

The presiding judge was a middle-aged woman whose name tag read "Chinatsu Fujiwara".

She was slender with a serious face, and her gaze behind her gold-rimmed glasses was sharp and calm.

Both judges on either side are male, forming a standard panel of three.

Chinatsu Fujiwara's gaze lingered on Masashi Akiyama for a moment, her expression subtle, as if she were scrutinizing something.

Then she struck the gavel, its sound echoing clearly in the solemn courtroom:

"Court is now in session."

She glanced at the case file and announced the case details:

"The plaintiff, Saionji Kiyoshi, accuses the defendant, Aiba Rika, of domestic violence, fraud under the guise of marriage, and illegal transfer of assets during the marriage. Plaintiff, are these accusations true?"

Masashi Akiyama stood up and bowed slightly:

"All of our accusations are true."

The gavel fell.

"Confirmed."

The court proceedings proceeded without incident.

Apart from the plaintiff and defendant, court staff, and Suzuki Maki who volunteered to attend the hearing, there were no other spectators.

This is not a high-profile case like the one involving Ayaka Fukuda.

Divorce cases are commonplace, but no one expected that Masashi Akiyama would package a simple divorce case into such a complicated criminal charge.

Maki Suzuki sat in the first row of the audience section, a notebook on her lap, her pen flying across the paper, recording every detail.

"Now, please let the plaintiff's lawyer state the facts, reasons, and claims." Fujiwara Chinatsu's voice was calm and even.

Masashi Akiyama stood up and picked up the prepared documents. The courtroom lights reflected a cold white light off his glasses, making him look like an emotionless statue.

"Your Honor, the following are our claims in this lawsuit—"

"First, we request that the defendant, Aiba Rika, be convicted of fraud. The defendant defrauded our client under the guise of marriage, amounting to tens of millions of yen, which has had a severe negative social impact. We request that she be sentenced severely."

"Secondly, the defendant coerced my client into undergoing a vasectomy under the pretext of 'testing our love' during our marriage, and later used the vasectomy as a pretext to force us to divorce. This behavior constitutes psychological control and domestic violence. My client requests the dissolution of the marriage and demands that the defendant compensate for the emotional distress caused by the failed vasectomy reversal surgery, as well as the assets squandered over the past year, totaling ten million yen."

"Third, during the marriage, the defendant illegally transferred a total of 1100 million yen of our client's property under various pretexts. We demand a full refund and compensation of 10 yen for reputational damage caused by the inducement to undergo sterilization."

After he finished speaking, the courtroom fell into a brief silence.

Rika Aiba stared wide-eyed in disbelief, her lips slightly parted, as if she had heard something unbelievable.

She looked at Saori Okazaki beside her for help, her eyes filled with panic.

Saori Okazaki gave her a reassuring smile, then stood up with composure.

"Your Honor, our request is as follows—"

"First, all of the plaintiff's accusations are dismissed. The allegations of fraud and illegal transfer of property are pure sophistry. The relationship between the two parties was stable during the marriage, all property transfers were with the plaintiff's consent, and the sterilization was a voluntary act, which does not constitute any of the charges."

"Secondly, the plaintiff has long neglected our client's emotional needs, causing her to feel deeply lonely and yearn to have children. However, the plaintiff has lost her fertility and has offered no comfort in this regard, instead using this as a pretext to file a lawsuit, severely harming our client and causing her to suffer from severe depression. Therefore, we believe that the marital relationship has indeed broken down and agree to dissolve the marriage."

"Third, we request that the joint property acquired during the marriage be divided in accordance with the law."

After Saori Okazaki finished her presentation, she gracefully took her seat.

She noticed the expression on the face of the referee, Chinatsu Fujiwara.

When the female judge heard "severe depression" and "emotional neglect," her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and her gaze toward Aiba Rika held a hint of sympathy.

well.

Saori Okazaki smiled inwardly. Utilizing gender and empathy was her forte.

Masashi Akiyama did not immediately refute.

He sat quietly, his gaze fixed on Fujiwara Chinatsu's face, observing the subtle changes in her expression.

Sure enough, the female judge was moved—in her mind, Aiba Rika had been portrayed as a helpless victim in her marriage.

The gavel struck.

"Both parties have presented their requests in court. In the next step, please submit the factual and legal basis for your respective claims."

Chinatsu Fujiwara looked toward the plaintiff's seat:

"Plaintiff's lawyer, please submit factual evidence regarding the allegations of illegal transfer of assets, fraud, and domestic violence."

Masashi Akiyama stood up and bowed slightly:

"Your Honor, may I ask the defendant a question first?"

Is it relevant to this case?

"Related".

The gavel fell.

"The application has been approved. The plaintiff's lawyer may ask questions to the defendant."

Masashi Akiyama turned to Rika Aiba.

His gaze was calm, yet it sent a strange shiver down Aiba Rika's spine.

"Ms. Aiba Rika, when you met Saionji Nori, was there anyone behind the scenes guiding you, grooming you, and inducing him to fall in love with you and marry you?"