The Difference Between Strength & Power ( MHA x Maki Zenin Reader)

The Model and the Judge

Maki got a pretty solid impression of the type of person Hirabayashi's editor was when the two of them went to his office to ask about Minori Miyoshi. He was the type of person who took his job very seriously, only cared about their paper being the centre of attention and was unreasonable. She completely believed Hirabayashi's statement that he would sell his mother for ten new readers.
"Burning the midnight oil?" Hirabayashi asked when they found the man still sitting in his office, even though it was past eight o'clock.
"This and every night," Ohta answered. Maki watched their exchange silently from the corner of the smoggy office. "Chie, about the photo in the article about Ishibashi. As your boss, I may not "owe" you an explanation... but I respect you enough as a writer to at least solicit your opinion... on major editorial decisions regarding your work. I will do so in the future."
"And I respect you enough to, in the future, not call you a snob," Hirabayashi said.
"Well, no hard feelings," Ohta said nonchalantly. "I've had harsher profanities lobbed at me."
"I can imagine," Hirabayashi chuckled at the thought.
Maki raised her eyebrow. This was certainly unusual, especially since Hirabayashi had told her she and her editor regularly got into fights.
"Ohta," Hirabayashi continued, "does the name Minori Miyoshi ring a bell?"
Ohta muttered the aforementioned name a few times under his breath, taking a few puffs of his cigar in between before coming up with an answer.
"The retired judge? If I recall correctly, Yamazaki wrote an article about her recently."
"Thank you, I'll ask him," Hirabayashi said.
"He's already left for the day. Try calling him at home," Ohta said.

Hirabayashi left the office with a bow, Maki following suit, before they marched out the office and down the corridor towards Hirabayashi's office. Maki watched at the older woman fished her phone out of her bag, pressed Yamazaki's contact number and waited for him to answer; she also put the phone on speaker so they could both hear.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Yamazaki. This is Chie."
"It's late. Is something the matter?"
"Did you recently write an article about Minori Miyoshi?"
"The retired judge? Yeah, I interviewed her. She presided over several high-profile criminal cases."
"Can I get her address?"
"Sure, one second.... 5 Minami-ku, apartment 13. You're not going there now are you?"
"Good night, Yamazaki. Thank you," Hirabayashi said, hanging up before he could speak any further.  "Minami is in the residential area," she continued, turning back to Maki.  "I hope Miyoshi doesn't mind a late visitor."
"I honestly couldn't care less if she does or not," Maki said bluntly.  "All I hoping is she gives us some answers."

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Maki's lungs expanded gratefully once they exited the car; they were now standing in the middle of a small and shabby square.  Tall, vintage apartment blocks looked down on them at every side.  The two women spotted building number five after a few seconds and they rushed towards it, Maki checking every few yards that they were not being followed or observed.  They raced up the stone steps and Hirabayashi pressed the doorbell for apartment thirteen, Minori Miyoshi's address, as Maki watched.
"Hello?  Minori Miyoshi?" Hirabayashi spoke into the speaker that connected to the apartments.
"Who's there?" A voice asked through the other end of the speaker.
"Chie Hirabayashi, a reporter for Nishinippon Shimbun," Hirabayashi replied.
"— and Maki Zenin," Maki pipped in. "An intern student at the Hawks Agency. We have a few questions about Misaki Sawa."
"Don't know her.  Go away," the voice snapped through the speaker.
"She was found dead in her apartment," Maki said.  No response came through the speaker.
"Miss Miyoshi?" Hirabayashi called into the speaker, pressing the doorbell again.
Still no response came and they relapsed into a prickly silence.  Maki and Hirabayashi looked at each other after a few seconds, a silent conversation passed between them until they came to the mutual agreement that they wouldn't be let in.  Just as they turned to leave, a loud click resounded from behind them, followed by a "Come in," through the speaker.  After exchanging a quick glance of surprise between each other, Maki and Hirabayashi pushed the door open and made their way inside.  Hirabayashi led the way up the creaking stairs to Miyoshi's apartment on the first floor and knocked on the door.  They heard a series of metal clicks and the clatter of a chain, then the door swung open.  A tall, wrinkled and grey-haired woman in a pink cardigan stood there.  She had a very stern face and Maki's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.  She stepped aside to allow the two younger women to hurry over the threshold, before closing the door behind her and leading them into the living room.