My Girlfriend is an Evil Woman

The police car continued its journey without any dramatic scenes of a heroic figure intercepting the prisoner transport, as often seen in novels. Instead, Kitahara Hideji was transported safely to the police station. Due to his age of sixteen and being a student, he received some special treatment. He was placed in a separate interrogation room, accompanied by a young female police officer who was responsible for taking his statement. The entire process was recorded on video surveillance to avoid any accusations of mistreatment or abuse of a minor.

Of course, due to the uncertain circumstances, he was still handcuffed to prevent him from causing harm to himself or others.

Kitahara Hideji cooperated fully with the police investigation, providing truthful answers to all their questions. He firmly insisted that he had acted in self-defense, explaining that the individuals from the Ota Family had broken into his apartment with the intention to harm him, and he had been forced to defend himself.

The female police officer diligently recorded his statement without any bias. The entire process was carefully documented for legal purposes. With the situation being unclear, the police were being cautious, fearing potential accusations of mistreatment.

As the questioning concluded, the female police officer didn’t leave. She stayed with Kitahara Hideji in the room, waiting for the results of the medical examination from the hospital. The severity of the injuries and the overall assessment would play a crucial role in determining whether this would be classified as a simple public disturbance case or a more serious criminal case.

Japan follows a civil law legal system, heavily influenced by German legal traditions during its modernization process. While it later underwent some modifications under American influence, adopting aspects of the adversarial legal system and courtroom proceedings, the fundamental legal culture remains rooted in the civil law system. The aim is to handle as much as possible at the police station and avoid overburdening the court system with minor issues, unlike the United States where even trivial matters are often taken to court.

Inside the interrogation room, a moment of silence hung in the air as both Kitahara Hideji and the female police officer patiently waited. Before long, someone delivered a report to the female police officer, along with a dinner for Kitahara Hideji – a teriyaki chicken bento box. Though it contained meat, it wasn’t expensive; the cost comes from the vegetables. The police station couldn’t provide him with a lavish meal, as it might raise suspicions of trying to coax a confession. On the other hand, they couldn’t let him go hungry or serve him poor-quality food, which might also raise concerns.

The police were in a tough spot, especially since they were wary of the media interfering. The Japanese media had a reputation for pursuing sensational stories without restraint, often disregarding ethics to create news. If they became interested in this case, it could quickly spiral out of control and turn a minor incident into a major ordeal.

With a meal in front of him, Kitahara Hideji didn’t hesitate to start eating. He thanked the female police officer and also requested a glass of water. She promptly provided him with water and then turned her attention to the report. Based on the investigation report, both sides had conflicting accounts. Kitahara Hideji claimed that the Ota Family had unlawfully entered his residence, but there was only one underage witness. On the other hand, the Ota Family acknowledged their intent to confront Kitahara Hideji but stated that they hadn’t intended to physically harm him. They alleged that Kitahara Hideji initiated the violence, and they had acted in self-defense.

The female police officer was accustomed to dealing with such disputes and followed protocol. She gently inquired, “Kitahara-san, the other party is willing to consider mediation. Are you open to police mediation?”

Kitahara Hideji felt a slight sense of relief. Police mediation meant that this would be treated as a public disturbance case, which was a more favorable outcome. He didn’t want to escalate the situation further. To individuals like the Ota Family, causing some harm while defending oneself was acceptable, but not if it resulted in legal consequences. He smiled and asked, “What are their terms?”

The young female police officer, likely new to her role as a police officer and assigned to routine patrols, considered Kitahara Hideji’s calm demeanor somewhat surprising. She thought to herself that regardless of whether someone was in the wrong or not, young individuals brought into the police station often displayed caution and nervousness. Yet, Kitahara Hideji appeared quite composed, as if he were in his own home. She found his behavior favorable and speculated that he might have a promising future. She responded, “They are proposing compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, caregiving costs, nutritional expenses, and a certain amount of compensation. The compensation amount is roughly five times the medical expenses. Kitahara-san, do you agree?”

Wasn’t the beating severe enough? Now they have the audacity to demand money? Kitahara Hideji raised an eyebrow, feeling a growing sense of displeasure. He laughed, his irritation subtly rising, and replied, “I don’t have money, so I won’t accept mediation. However, Officer, can I know how badly they were injured?”

The female police officer was forthright. Individuals involved in cases like this had the right to be informed. She explained, “As of now, there are six individuals with minor injuries, three with second-degree minor injuries, and four with very minor injuries. Cases of minor injuries fall under self-reported incidents. If you don’t accept mediation and the other party sues you for intentional harm, the situation could escalate. If they win, you would still be required to compensate them. At the very least, you might receive probation. Please think carefully about your decision.”

Kitahara Hideji silently nodded, finding the situation to be mostly as he had anticipated. Legal assessment of injuries wasn’t based on how much blood was shed or how frightening the injuries appeared, nor was it solely determined by the level of pain inflicted. Instead, it revolved around whether the injuries caused permanent impairment. For instance, a minor head injury or a common concussion would be considered a first-degree minor injury, while a shattered nosebone would fall under second-degree minor injury.

Unfortunately, the original owner of his current body had already turned sixteen, just above the age limit. If they were fourteen or younger, the provisions of Japan’s “Juvenile Law” would likely mean that even if Kitahara Hideji had beaten the Ota Tateyo family to death, it would probably have been brushed off as inconsequential. It might not even lead to proper imprisonment (future prospects aside). However, for those aged sixteen and above, full civil and most criminal liabilities applied. For those under eighteen, in the unlikely event that someone were killed, they couldn’t receive the death penalty and would be subject to lenient sentencing. But in Japan, death penalties were rare to begin with, and if handed down, they were often converted to other sentences. So, there wasn’t much difference between having this leniency or not.

Of course, if someone were under fourteen years old, the police likely wouldn’t even be speaking to them; they would be dealing directly with their legal guardians. When the female police officer had first arrived, she had asked if Kitahara Hideji wanted to call his guardian, but upon realizing that he was from Tottori Prefecture and considering the unclear circumstances, she had set that matter aside for the time being.

After contemplating for a moment, Kitahara Hideji lowered his head and said, “I want to apply for legal aid and sue Ota Tateyo for unlawful entry.”

Let’s start playing the game of legal wrangling! During this process, we’ll slowly settle the score. He kept his head down to conceal the anger in his eyes. The other side was obviously a bunch of troublemakers who had grown more audacious in the presence of the police. They were clearly trying to provoke and annoy him.

Troublemakers were nothing more than a pile of stinking dog poop; stepping on it could make you nauseous for years.

The female police officer nodded gently and spoke in a warm tone, “I will assist you in applying for legal aid. However, the government-assigned lawyers are likely to be newly practicing and may not have much experience. Given the current circumstances, I suggest you consider having a family member or teacher find a more capable lawyer to ensure the best outcome for your case. This will prevent any blemishes on your record. Your parents are in Tottori Prefecture and may not be able to come immediately. Would you like me to contact a teacher from your school?”

The Ota Family had a terrible reputation in this area, and the female police officer was well aware of the kind of scum they were. When she compared Kitahara Hideji, a handsome young man, to the Ota Family members, she felt a certain sympathy for him despite the fact that he had injured several people. However, the law was the law. She knew that the current situation was being assessed at the hospital by the very people from the Ota Family. A group of adults going after a teenager was most likely indicative of problems on the Ota Family’s side, but the police were responsible for maintaining public order and didn’t concern themselves with right or wrong.

For issues of right and wrong, one should go to court. All she could do was try her best to mediate between the two parties. She wasn’t particularly optimistic about Kitahara Hideji’s chances in a legal battle. Even if he claimed self-defense, it appeared to be excessive defense according to the investigation report. He was suspected of intentional harm—based on the report, Kitahara Hideji had pursued the other party from the fourth floor to outside the building and continued to assault them relentlessly even after they had lost their ability to resist and were attempting to escape. This behavior had far exceeded the scope of legitimate self-defense.

Kitahara Hideji glanced at the female police officer, feeling a sense of appreciation. She had been very considerate and had even taken his future prospects into account. She hadn’t immediately escalated the matter to his school, but rather patiently sought his opinion. She was truly a kind-hearted person.

He didn’t want to involve the school. Who knew how they would react? What if they labeled him a problem student? What if they denied him entry into the special advanced science class?

At the same time, he wasn’t inclined to inform the original owner’s parents either. It would be awkward to face them. Normally, he only sent occasional emails to assure them that their child was doing well. He hadn’t figured out how to navigate this complex relationship.

He hesitated, feeling uncertain. From inside out, he was clearly a stranger in these matters. Dealing with them felt troublesome. He was in a stage of infancy, and if given another ten or twenty years of development, he might become even more formidable. He could transform from a hatchling to a dragon, and facing small-time thugs like the Ota Family in the future might require only a single glance to have them taken care of without needing to say a word.

But for now, things were complicated.

After pondering for a while, he turned to the gentle female police officer and asked, “Officer, could you give me my cellphone? I want to make a call.”