Collecting My Debt - Soukoku

Third Person's POV:

The courtroom fell into a strange hush, every eye focused on the figure entering through the double doors. It wasn't Akutagawa, as Chuuya had half-expected, but someone far more unsettling: Ango Sakaguchi.

His glasses caught the harsh courtroom light as he strode forward with calm precision. The prosecutor's expression shifted from smug confidence to shock, while murmurs rippled through the gallery. Dazai remained perfectly still beside Chuuya, his unreadable gaze fixed on Ango, whose appearance had completely thrown off the rhythm of the trial.

Ango's presence was as unnerving as it was authoritative. He stepped up to the witness stand, placing a briefcase onto the wooden podium with a soft click that reverberated through the silent room. The judge, clearly caught off guard, gestured for Ango to state his business.

The prosecutor fumbled with his papers. "Your Honor, I-I wasn't informed of any additional witnesses..."

Ango's cold, calculated voice cut through the room. "I am not a witness for the prosecution. I am here under the request of the defense."

Chuuya felt his breath hitch in his throat. Dazai had called Ango in? He glanced sideways at Dazai, whose usual calm demeanor now held an almost imperceptible smirk. Dazai's plans were always layered; sometimes even Chuuya couldn't predict the depths of his machinations.

Ango cleared his throat and spoke directly to the judge. "I have information that is crucial to this case and will expose discrepancies in the claims made by the Paige family."

Lucy's parents stiffened, their previously smug confidence unraveling as they exchanged frantic whispers with their lawyer. The defense attorney, who had been preparing for this moment in quiet anticipation, stood up calmly.

"Permission to present new evidence, Your Honor," the defense attorney said smoothly, his eyes flicking over to the judge, who nodded with some reluctance.

"You may proceed."

Ango opened his briefcase and handed a stack of documents to the court clerk, who distributed them to the judge, the prosecution, and the defense. The air grew thick with tension as the papers were reviewed. Chuuya felt his pulse quicken, though he wasn't sure if it was from nerves or the overwhelming pressure of the moment. Dazai, meanwhile, was silent, his expression inscrutable.

"These documents," Ango began, his tone measured and professional, "outline the financial transactions between the Paige family and various media outlets. They show a deliberate campaign to defame Chuuya Nakahara and manipulate public perception. In fact, these articles were pre-arranged even before the breakup between Mr. Nakahara and Miss Lucy Paige was made public."

The room exploded into whispers. Chuuya blinked in disbelief. His gaze darted between Ango and the judge, unable to fully comprehend what he was hearing. Lucy's parents looked like they had been struck, their faces pale with shock.

The prosecutor was now sweating, flipping through the papers with increasing desperation. "Your Honor, this-this is irrelevant to the case at hand! We're here to discuss Mr. Nakahara's actions, not-"

"On the contrary," Ango interrupted smoothly, "this goes directly to the heart of the matter. The Paige family claims that Mr. Nakahara manipulated their network for his own gain. However, these documents suggest that they have been orchestrating a smear campaign in retaliation for the breakup, long before any alleged wrongdoing could have occurred."

The judge glanced sharply at the prosecution, clearly waiting for a rebuttal. But the prosecutor had nothing. His lips moved, but no words came out as he scanned the damning evidence.