Chapter 11: The Questions That Remain

The courtroom was silent as the judges returned from recess. Itsumi sat motionless, his hands trembling slightly in his lap. The chief judge cleared his throat, his eyes fixed on the boy before him.

"We have further questions for the defendant," he announced, his voice echoing through the chamber.

The first question came, direct and heavy:

"Did you ever agree with the ideology of this organization, Itsumi? Did you ever feel you belonged with them?"

Itsumi shook his head immediately, his voice clear despite the weight in his chest.

"No. Never. I never felt like I belonged there. Not for a single moment."

A murmur ran through the room. The second judge leaned forward, her gaze sharp.

"If you never felt like you were part of them, then why were you so good at what they asked you to do? Why did you excel at… killing?"

Itsumi fell silent. He stared at the floor, searching for words that had never come easily. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I… I don't know. I just… followed something deep inside me. An instinct. I never understood why. I just… did what I was told. But I never wanted it. Not once."

Suddenly, a woman stood up from the audience. She wore a black dress, her afro hair framing a face marked by grief and strength. Her skin was dark, her eyes burning with pain. She stepped forward, her voice trembling but strong.

"Did you ever enjoy it?" she asked, her words cutting through the silence. "Did you ever feel happy, taking those lives? Did you ever feel proud of what you did?"

Itsumi's breath caught. He lowered his head, his shoulders shaking.

"No… I never felt joy. I hated myself. I still do. I feel the stares… I feel my hands are always dirty… even now, when I have nothing left, I feel like I'm covered in blood… and it burns… it burns so much."

The woman's eyes softened, but before she could speak again, another woman rose. Her voice was gentle, almost maternal, as she addressed Itsumi.

"If it had been up to you—if you had been given a choice—would you have killed our children? Our friends? Our loved ones?"

Itsumi shook his head desperately, his voice breaking.

"No! Never… If what happened to me had never happened, I would never have even thought of taking those lives. Those people… they were wonderful. I would never have had a reason to do what I did."

The gentle woman stepped closer, her eyes full of sorrow and compassion.

"Then you are not a monster. You are just a child… a very hurt child."

At those words, Itsumi's composure finally shattered. Tears streamed down his cheeks, silent at first, then wracking his body with sobs he could no longer hold back. For the first time, he let the pain he had sealed in his heart pour out.

The woman descended from the witness stand and, without hesitation, wrapped her arms around him. Itsumi clung to her, sobbing like the child he truly was, desperate for the comfort he had been denied for so long.

The courtroom watched in silence, many wiping their own tears away.

When Itsumi finally calmed, the judges conferred quietly. The chief judge stood and addressed the room.

"This court recognizes the extraordinary circumstances of this case. Itsumi Kahaderi Matzuri is declared not guilty by reason of coercion and extreme abuse. However, for the safety of all, he will be placed under the supervision of a volunteer officer, required to attend therapy for three years, and granted financial compensation for the years he was abandoned and left without help."

The gavel struck. The decision was final.

As the courtroom emptied, Zhu Yuan approached Itsumi, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You're free now, Itsumi. And you're not alone."

For the first time, Itsumi allowed himself to believe it.