Statement of Miss Natsuki Sakurami [October 29th, 6:19 PM, interviewed by Detective Seishu Date]

Detective Date: Good evening, Miss Sakurami. First of all, thank you for your cooperation, I know this may be difficult for you given the situation you just went through, so the fact that you're willing to speak so soon makes our job much easier.

Natsuki: I just want this to be over.

Detective Date: It will, trust me. Now, please talk to me about your father, Mr. Naoto Sakurami.

Natsuki: Papa... He used to be a good man, a good husband and a good father, but when my mother left us to go... Does that part matter?

Detective Date: If you're not comfortable talking about it, then there's no need, at least for now.

Natsuki: Okay. After my mom left us, he got really depressed, I even saw him crying a few times but he always tried to hide it. For a few years- ah, that was when I was 11 by the way- For a few years, he still was a good father, he always was responsible on that matter but then... When I was about to turn 14, he changed, well, more like alcohol changed him.

Detective Date: He didn't drink before?

Natsuki: I think he did, but like not that much, just that "hey honey, I'm gonna go get a drink with the boys after work" kind of drink.

Detective Date: So just casually.

Natsuki: Yeah, that. Anyway, by that time his depressed state had just kept getting worse, he barely talked to me and he barely did anything besides his usual routine, wake up, go work, come home, watch TV, sleep, yet he still always took care of me somehow but then... One day he came home and the smell... That smell I think I will never forget it because since that day, that smell would welcome me home almost everyday.

Detective Date: The smell, you mean that of alcohol?

Natsuki: Yes. That day, when he first came home like that he started scolding me because I hadn't clean the apartment yet but then it quickly escalated to "it's your fault your mother left" and then he hit me, for the very first time.

Detective Date: Are you okay to continue? Know that we can resume this conversation some other time no problem.

Natsuki: Yeah, I'm fine, like I said, I just want this to be over.

Detective Date: Very well, then please continue.

Natsuki: That first time was just a slap to my face, but he seemed to regret it, yet he did it a few more times throughout the years in what I guess were really bad days for him, I don't really know. Apart from that, he wouldn't feed me anymore and since he also stopped giving me money for school or for anything else, I pretty much had a really hard time trying to survive with just one piece of bread he luckily forgot to eat in my stomach in days.

Detective Date: Did you ever talked about this with anyone else?

Natsuki: For a long time, no. The only one who knew about it was my girlfriend, Yuri, but she just learned about it around three weeks ago mainly because the bruises started to aggravate.

Detective Date: What do you mean aggravate?

Natsuki: Like I said, after the first time papa hit me, he just did a few more times but like it wasn't so bad? Just a slap or something like that but last month he... I don't know exactly why but he became more aggressive than he already was even when he wasn't drunk. Before that, he would often be too tired to do anything but one day all of sudden he began questioning me about why I was home at a certain hour or so, then soon he had enough reasons I guess and started hitting me on daily basis, every day getting worse to the point I had bruises all over the body, I even had to start wearing high socks to hide those on my legs, make up on my face as well.

Detective Date: Why hide them? Why not telling anyone about it like a teacher or the police itself?

Natsuki: It's my father, despite everything that happened before, he never left... I guess... I had hope he would someday be again the man I knew before my mother left...

Detective Date: I understand, I apologise for the question if it made you uncomfortable.

Natsuki: It's okay.

Detective Date: Let's continue then. How did your girlfriend learn about your situation?

Natsuki: Intimacy, can we leave it at that? It's something really private...

Detective Date: Of course. At any rate, know that after this I'm sure we will have enough to add child abuse to his current charges. I think that's enough about Mr. Sakurami, I have a better picture of the criminal now, we will have a different procedure for you to tell us more about the despicable things he did to you on that matter but now, we will proceed to talk about the other charges he faces, the reason why you're here, attempted second degree murder.

Natsuki: Okay.

Detective Date: Let's talk about what happened earlier today, please tell me why were you and Miss Murasaki at your apartment today, did it have anything to do about her knowing of your home situation?

Natsuki: Yes, we were supposed to have a date today, I had somehow convinced my dad to let me go out today with the excuse of having to go work on something for school but when I was about to leave he simply said "where are you going?", I told him I had already told him but I guess he didn't like that answer and maybe it was a bit dumb of me phrasing it like that knowing how he is so he walked towards me and grabbed me by the hair, punched me in the stomach and threw me to the floor where he began kicking me over and over again until one hit me in the face and I lost consciousness.

Detective Date: So I take it Miss Murasaki got worried because you didn't show up and...

Natsuki: Of course she tried texting me and calling me but I wasn't conscious so of course I didn't answer, the next thing I knew once I woke up was that she was already there with me in the bathtub, we were both had hands and feet tied and our mouths covered with tape so we wouldn't scream for help I guess.

Detective Date: Did he tried...?

Natsuki: No, no, or at least I hope not? We both had our clothes on and well it didn't hurt there or anything of the sort...

Detective Date: I see, please continue.

Natsuki: I woke up first so I started kicking her lightly to shake her until I woke her up too, she looked at me more relieved than anything at first but when she realized the situation we were in she immediately panicked but I managed to calm her down then we started thinking of a way to escape and thanks to the position we were, I was able to untie her feet but Papa came back just when I did that. She quickly pretended to still be tied up and unconscious, I did too so then all I heard were his heavy breaths as he came closer and then I heard the water starting to run and soon felt it as it began filling the bathtub but that's when Yuri finally acted as I heard my dad growling angry.

Detective Date: What did she do? Did she kick him?

Natsuki: Yeah I guess. I quickly opened my eyes and her leg was still up in the air, but he then came back angrier and tried to hit her and thanks to that he had leaned down and I was able to surprise him and grab him by the hair, Yuri then immediately kicked him in the face over and over again until he fell unconscious. Then she finished untying my feet, thanks to that we were able to move better and reach our hands and untie each others, luckily the knots were not exactly the best so it was easy. We then got out of the bath tub when it was about halfway through and saw Yuri's purse was there in the bathroom floor, I guess he put him there when he came to throw her in the tub with me or something.

Detective Date: So that's when you called us.

Natsuki: Barely in time but yes. Just when she picked it up, he woke up and grabbed us by the ankles then he using just brute force pulled and made us fall, her phone then got out of the purse in the process and I quickly grabbed it and called and I guess you already know that part.

Detective Date: Yes, the call didn't last more than 5 seconds but it was enough for us to realize you needed help and track it down, we arrived at your apartment building in about 10 minutes after our team split to check each floor, it was Officer Inukai Date who heard the ruckus on the fourth floor who found you and quickly acted.

Natsuki: Date... Is she something from you?

Detective Date: Yes, she happens to be my wife. But that aside, what happened during the time we took to arrive and what happened when she arrived?

Natsuki: He got on top of me when we fell and snatched the phone from my hands and threw it into the bathtub then he... He started choking me with his own hands, that's when I saw it... He... His eyes were red, like bloodshot red, his veins were popping out around his temples and his heavy breaths like an animal... But that's not the worst part of it because having him that close I realized... The smell wasn't there...

Detective Date: Wait so you're telling me he wasn't drunk?

Natsuki: Yes, he was not drunk, there was not a single trace of that smell, not even having him panting on my face made me perceive that smell I've learned to recognize for years.

Detective Date: Miss Sakurami, if what you're telling me is true, then this wouldn't be a second degree murder attempt anymore, we could be facing a case of first degree murder attempt instead.

Natsuki: I see...

Detective Date: Do you want to continue?

Natsuki: Yuri immediately came to my aid and pushed him off me but he quickly reincorporated and attacked her, he punched her and while she didn't fall unconscious she was clearly rocked. I did my best to get back up and help her but he then grabbed me by the hair and smashed my head against the sink. Somehow I was still conscious,barely, everything was spinning and shaking around... However I still was able to reach a porcelain cup we had there for tooth washing purposes and smashed it on his head when I saw he was trying to choke Yuri, yet he seemed unfaced by it, he just turned his gaze towards me furious and tried to attack me again but I dodged it in time and he crashed against the sink head first and fell, I quickly went on to help Yuri get up so we could leave but he got up again before we could reach the door and grabbed us both by the hair, we tried to fight back but he smashed Yuri's head against the mirror which knocked her out, then he dragged me to the bathtub which had started pouring out and began ducking my head in there, with the last bit of strength I had I pushed my head out for air and that's when I heard two things... Umm can I?

Detective Date: Go ahead.

Natsuki: Thank you. What I heard first was the knocking outside, I heard the word Police only so I guess that's when your wife found us, yet I didn't hear more because then I heard my father was now talking he was saying... "It's your fault" over and over again while he kept trying to push my head back into the water again until he punched me and finally got away with it. Thankfully, the officer broke in just in time as I felt the grip on my hair no more and fell to the floor gasping for air. There I saw officer Inukai aiming her gun at my dad but then... Well this may sound weird but... Did she tell you about what he did to her?

Detective Date: She told me she attacked her and made her drop the gun but that the rest of team came in time to stop him, is there anything else then?

Natsuki: She shot him in the leg when he didn't listen to her about the hands up and all of that and tried to approach her, but he barely flinched and that's when he jumped on her like a rabid animal and made her drop the gun, he pinned her down and then... He kissed her.

Detective Date: He did what?!

Natsuki: I don't know why he did that but he kissed her, by force of course then the other officers arrived and apprehended him at last, they helped me and Yuri and here we are I guess... Are you okay?

Detective Date: Yes... I... I'm fine...

Natsuki: Ummm is there anything else you need to know?

Detective Date: No, I'm gonna make sure your father pays... He will pay...

Natsuki: C-Can I leave now then?

Detective Date: He will pay... He will pay...

Natsuki: Detective Seishu?

Detective Date: Ah... Yes, you may leave, that's all for now. Thanks... For your cooperation.