Chapter One: *The Weight of Dreams*

Taro Ishida stood at the edge of his small home, gazing out at the vast countryside that had been his home for as long as he could remember. His fingers clutched the worn-out suitcase that contained all his worldly possessions, the weight of the future pressing heavily on his shoulders. Beside him, his younger sister, Aya, adjusted the strap of her own bag, her eyes filled with a mix of uncertainty and hope.

"Are you sure, Taro?" Aya asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "The city is so... different. It's huge. We've never been away from here."

Taro smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's time, Aya. We can start fresh. The city has so many opportunities, and I've graduated. I've worked so hard to get here. We won't have to struggle like before. I promise."

The train ride to Tokyo was long, but Taro's mind raced the entire way. The bustling city was a world away from their quiet, humble life in the countryside, but it held the hope of a better future—one that he'd worked for and dreamed of. Taro had graduated from *Sakura University of Legal Studies*, a small, unremarkable institution. His grades had been average at best, and the reality of his situation hadn't escaped him. But it was enough. He had made it through, and now it was time to take that first step into a new life.

When they arrived in Tokyo, the magnitude of the change hit him. The skyscrapers towered above them, the streets were crowded with people, and the noise was constant. It was a far cry from the tranquility of the countryside. But Taro wasn't afraid. He was determined to make it.

Settling into the City

They found a small apartment, nothing fancy, but it was theirs. Aya was excited, her energy a stark contrast to Taro's growing anxiety. He had to keep a brave face for her. He couldn't let her see how unsure he was. They both knew that life in the city wouldn't be easy, but it had to be better than the life they'd left behind.

For the first few days, Taro threw himself into job hunting. He had his law degree now—he was a graduate. Surely, someone would take him in. He filled out applications for law firms, sent out his resume, and attended interviews. But the rejections kept coming. "Sorry, you don't meet the criteria." "We need someone with more experience." Each rejection felt like a blow, his confidence crumbling bit by bit. The city, with all its promises, was not as welcoming as he had hoped.

One afternoon, while walking through the crowded streets, Taro ran into *Kazuo Yamamoto*, a former classmate from Sakura University. Kazuo had always been more confident, more polished, and more connected than Taro. He had been the type of person who seemed to have it all together, while Taro had always struggled to keep up.

"Hey, Taro! Still looking for a job?" Kazuo asked, his tone almost mocking. "I just got hired by a top firm in the city. Things are going well for me. But I'm sure you'll find something... eventually." He laughed, his words laced with an edge of superiority.

Taro felt a knot form in his stomach. The sting of Kazuo's words hit him harder than he expected. He forced a smile and nodded, pretending to be happy for his classmate.

"Yeah, I'm sure something will come up," Taro said, though the words felt hollow.

Kazuo didn't seem to notice the discomfort. He gave Taro a quick pat on the back, his eyes already scanning the crowd for someone else to talk to. As Kazuo walked away, Taro's heart sank. Once again, the feeling of inadequacy washed over him. He wasn't good enough. Not for the city. Not for the life he had dreamed of.

Later that evening, feeling the weight of the day's failures, Taro found himself standing alone on a bridge overlooking the city's river. The lights of the city flickered in the distance, their brightness mocking him in the darkness. He shouted into the empty night, the frustration bubbling over.

"Why is the world so unfair?" he cried out, his voice raw with emotion. "I've done everything right. I've worked so hard. And for what? Nothing. Why can't things just go right?"

His phone rang, cutting through his spiral of self-doubt. It was Aya. Taro wiped the tears from his eyes and answered, his voice strained but steady.

"Taro? Where are you?" Aya's voice came through, full of concern.

"I'm on my way home," Taro said, forcing a calmness he didn't feel. "I'm close. I'll be there soon."

He hung up before she could say anything more. She didn't need to know how lost he felt. He couldn't burden her with his doubts.

As Taro walked back to the apartment, his mind swirling with his own failures, he noticed a man standing at the edge of the bridge. The man was older, worn down by life, his clothes ragged. He stared blankly at the river below, his posture rigid, as though he were preparing to leap.

Taro approached cautiously, sensing the gravity of the moment. The man turned slowly, his face a mixture of pain and defeat.

"Are you... okay?" Taro asked softly, his heart aching for the stranger.

The man looked at him with empty eyes. "I've lost everything. My daughters... they were taken from me. The police... they're in on it. The people who did this... they're untouchable. I can't live like this anymore."

Taro's heart clenched. The man's voice was broken, each word a reflection of the unimaginable pain he had endured. Taro felt the urge to help, to do something.

"Please, don't do this," Taro said, stepping closer. "Tell me what happened. I'll listen. I'll help."

The man's face crumpled with emotion, and he began to explain. His daughters had been raped by local gangsters, but the police were on their side, making it impossible for him to seek justice. The world had failed him, and he saw no way out.

"I don't know what to do anymore," the man whispered, his voice shaking.

Taro's mind raced. This wasn't just another case of injustice—it was the kind of wrong that needed to be righted. He couldn't stand by and watch this man suffer in silence.

"I will help you," Taro said, his voice firm. "I promise you, we will get justice for your daughters. I'll make sure those responsible pay for what they've done."

The man looked at him with disbelief, tears filling his eyes. "You would do that? You would help me?"

Taro nodded, his heart resolute. "Yes. I will."

The man broke down in front of him, his sobs uncontrollable. Taro placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him as best as he could. In that moment, Taro realized that this was why he had come to the city—not for a job, not for success, but to stand up for the voiceless and fight for what was right.

As the man cried in his arms, Taro knew his life had just taken a turn. He was no longer just a graduate looking for work—he was a man with a mission, a man who would do whatever it took to bring justice to those who had no voice.

Taro had never thought of himself as someone who could change the world. His life had been full of ordinary moments: long hours of studying in a quiet countryside home, watching the seasons pass by from his bedroom window, always hoping for something better, something more. But that night on the bridge, something had shifted in him. The weight of the promise he made to the man in tears, a man desperate for justice, felt like a calling.

Taro could not ignore it