Rain and Henry remained quiet as they travelled to the hospital where Liza was still confined. Upon arrival, Rain first spoke with Liza’s parents and doctor to get an update on her condition. Rain asked Liza’s parents for more details about their daughter, carefully noting everything in her notebook.
Afterwards, she and Henry headed to Liza’s private room.
"I requested protection for her because of the threats from other gang mbers," Henry inford Rain since two female police officers were guarding the door. Rain nodded in agreent. Although the five suspects were already detained, other mbers of the gang were still at large, causing trouble, like the recent threats toward Neil.
Those responsible for attacking Neil and Liza were behind bars, but the gang still had mbers on the loose who could potentially harm the victim or witnesses.
When the doors to Liza’s room opened, the girl looked terrified, her eyes imdiately locking on Henry. Sensing her fear, Rain turned to him and whispered, "I think it’s best if you wait outside."
Henry nodded, stepping out into the hallway, and leaning against the wall. Though the door remained ajar, allowing him to hear Rain’s conversation with Liza, he respected her space, knowing this would require gentle handling.
"Hello," Rain greeted Liza gently as she slowly approached the girl. Liza sat at the corner of the bed, hugging her legs, watching Rain cautiously. Though still guarded, she seed more relaxed without Henry in the room.
Rain’s heart ached at the sight of the bruises and cigarette burns covering Liza’s skin—marks of the torture inflicted on her by the five boys, all between eighteen and twenty years old. Despite her emotions, Rain composed herself, maintaining a calm deanour.
She waited a mont before pulling out her phone, then began reading aloud from the latest episode of a manga Liza loved. Though Liza remained in the corner, Rain noticed her listening attentively. When she finished, Rain sighed dramatically, "Ah, now we have to wait a few days for the next Chapter."
Rain smiled and continued, "I heard you like reading this particular comic so I thought to read it to you now. How about I bring so comics I used to read? You see I have plenty of hardcopies. They’re completed, and I think you’ll love them too." Liza stared back blankly, not yet ready to respond.
"My na is Rain Clayton. You can call Big Sister Rain," she said, placing her calling card gently on the bed. "If you ever want to talk, you can always reach . You can ask the nurse or your parents to call and I’ll try to go see you the fast as I can."
Liza’s eyes lingered on the calling card before a frown appeared on her face. "Are you a police officer?" she murmured softly.
Rain smiled gently. "No, I’m not. I’m a prosecutor—soone who will be by your side, no matter what. I’m here to stand with you and fight against those who hurt you."
Liza had experienced severe trauma, making it difficult for her to speak about the events in detail. However, she managed to describe the perpetrators and even ntioned their nas, and she overheard them calling each other nas while assaulting her. This information, combined with the nas Liza ntioned and the evidence from the CCTV footage, helped the police officers track down and apprehend all the suspects.
Their swift action ensured that the perpetrators were caught and brought into custody. Yet, when it ca to talking about what she had endured, Liza remained silent. Only the dical reports provided the full extent of the abuse inflicted on her by the suspects.
"I’ll leave for now," Rain added softly, "but I promise I’ll visit as often as I can. Maybe we can talk more about comics next ti." With a warm smile, she bid Liza farewell and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.
Outside, Henry was waiting, frowning at her. He glanced at his watch and grumbled, "You just wasted my ti, listening to you read comics."
Rain chuckled. "I didn’t ask you to co, Prosecutor Wayne. You insisted, even when I told you I could handle things on my own."
"We need to get those bastards on trial as soon as possible, Rain, and the victim’s statent is crucial," he said, his impatience clear.
"I know," she replied calmly. "But you gave the case, so let handle it my way. You don’t need to interfere, and you should focus on your own cases instead of hovering over mine."
"Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to discourage from tagging along next ti?" Henry accused, narrowing his eyes.
Rain stopped, crossing her arms as she faced him with a raised eyebrow. "Is that what you think?"
Henry shrugged and muttered, "Not really. I guess that’s what I lack... showing compassion. It’s not that I don’t have it in , but I suppose so people can just let it out more naturally." He paused and added, "Anyway, I trust you with this case, so I won’t be hovering around anymore. I have a feeling you’ve got this under control."
Rain shot him a glance. "Good. So stop watching my every move. The taxpayers aren’t paying you to shadow your colleagues," she grumbled, her face contorted in mild annoyance as she walked ahead.
Henry jogged to catch up, laughing. "How about we grab a snack before returning to the office?"
"No thanks. I don’t have ti to laze around," she muttered, brushing off his offer.
"Alright then, how about lunch together again tomorrow? My treat. I promise I’ll pick a better restaurant this ti, no—"
Rain abruptly stopped and turned to face Henry. "Will you stop bugging , Prosecutor Wayne, if it’s not about work?" she asked, her tone slightly exasperated.
Without waiting for his response, she turned back and continued walking. Henry grinned widely, a playful glint in his eyes as he humd to himself, "Why do I feel like bugging her even more?"
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