Vol 2 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Chapter 4

On Wednesdayremained in my mouth I started my day with that unpleasant taste As I couldn't sleep until three in the night, it was already half past eight when I woke up; o

Walking downstairs to the living roo on the television, the news, of course, weren't broadcasting the news that an ex-yakuza, currently the vice-chaire amount of cash All of this started froedies like this happening in the world, probably they happen ht?

I blankly stare at the television screen that is playing a TV draed clothes and walked out of the door

The words that Min-san said yesterday were still echoing in mysimilar to that before, but I just couldn't stay at ho

A dead alley was formed in front of Hanas surrounding the shop, and it was so silent there that it's eerie I parked my bike beside the s in front of the shop, but I didn't even see the shadow of a kitten There weren't even anyone in the s and balconies of the surrounding buildings, but that ination-- Isn't it like that usually? nobody was outside drying blankets or mats, and there weren't any potted plants placed outside

The only thing that remained was a yellow stain on the steel door of the ra to check out the place because people thought that so happened there, only to see that the shop had been splashed with paint What a malicious way of harassment

”Min-san, outside--”

When I pulled open the sliding door and was about to walk inside, Meo and Min-san raised their heads at the same ti me to be somewhat surprised Min-san had taken off her sleeveless vest, leaving only her white sarashi+ wrapped around her chest Froht shoulder to the side of her abdomen and her ar her with cleaning up

”What happened to you!?”

”I was a!” Min-san answered while frowning ”I was too careless If it were to beup two or three of them should be easy”

Besides being shocked, I felt the fla dizziness ca

”It's okay, they just pushed me a bit And they ran away i serious”

”This is far fro okay!”

Meo answered in a crying voice Fro it, Meo continued to cry

”It's so noisy! You're not the one hurt, what in the world are you crying for!”

”But, it's because of me”

”It's not your fault Listen, it's obviously the fault of those guys Making you feel that it's your fault, that's their aim So don't think like that!”

I thought to h? While I- I--

Min-san turned her head over after hearing the sound of the kitchen backdoor opening

A young girl wearing paja at the not-co wound on Min-san's body idened eyes, causing her white skin to appear even paler than usual

”Hikiko here?”

Min-san said in a forced voice, while Alice stayed silent Her upper torso trehtly all of a sudden, and I i onto Alice before she collapse

”Narumi Sorry”

Alice heldnon-stop and said:

”I saw that Master co back drenched with blood, so I came to verify the blood that flowed because of my own stupidity and idiocy, and also to confirm my own helplessness”

”I' pleasure, so just stay obediently in your room, idiot”

Min-san heaved a long sigh after saying that and sat on the the round chair At the instant when she sat down, I saw her frown because of pain

”This isn't Miss Detective's fault”

Meo shook her head while wiping away her tears

”Meo, it's alright, this girl is an incurable idiot, so our statements just now is useless to her She thinks that all of theunable to solve them”

Min-san said half-jokingly But I understand that to Alice, that wasn't a joke, but the truth All of the sorrow in the world is because of her own helplessness-- and this caused Alice to play the role of a detective My hands that were supporting Alice tightened subconsciously

”I checked the contact log of hello Corporation I finally understand”

The words that slipped out of Alice's mouth were such holloords

”What do you understand?” Min-san asked expressionlessly

”The source of the s that hello Corporation did, and the reason that Tahara-gu that I cannot understand is, as Kusakabe Masaya trying to do?”

I breathed in

”It's only when everything is too late, when the veil ofalone in an empty cinema, such is the role played by a detective Even so, I still have to say this Are you willing to listen?”

”Suit yourself”

”Naruive me a chair This matter is somewhat complicated”

The delicate Alice hugged her knees while sitting ont the round chair, and started to explain the complicated story that she spoke of

”hello Corporation is like a large filter, which is why many people who dirtied water approached them”

I placed both of my hands on the table and cocked my head I have absolutely no idea what she just said

”Have you heard about 'money laundry'?”

”Somewhat” Min-san answered, while Meo wore a mystified expression on her face Actually, I' that I could understand is that this is probably more serious than defalcation

”Si theally”

”I still don't really understand, are there dirty money and clean money?”

This is also the part that I didn't understand Alice 'H, then continued to explain:

”Then I'll explain fro There is a simple way that people can easily evade tax Do you kno, Master?”

”Hoould I know? Do you think that my shop is a famous shop that needs to evade tax?”

”You have a point But please re thethem' That's all”

As Alice stopped explaining after this, I asked after thinking for awhile:

”But then Wouldn't themoney be lost?”

”That is correct, but tax evasion is mainly about this point-- how to pretend that they didn't earn money, then pretend they don't have money to spend”

”Then, isthe same as tax evasion?”

”Not so, it's just thatcan launder the money from tax evasion, and can also purify the money that cannot be released to the public, such as inco and so on; the basic concept is similar to tax evasion To understand the need for , you have to first understand two concepts-- the first one is 'there is noif money is not used', as for the second point, as the tax collection depart as so money for certain purposes, they will sniff it out immediately'”

” Are they really that outstanding?”

”Of course they're outstanding Using a su houses, cars, shares, investment-- these activities e flow of money, the Tax Department would know of it iate the source of the sum of money”

According to Alice, these people seemed to be people with supernatural powers

”Checking back on the flow of money, they will treat it as tax evasion if they found money that haven't been reported, then ask for additional taxes; if they found out that the money came from shady sources, the people would be arrested That is why these people try not to let them kno the money is obtained”

” Then what do they need to do?”

”For instance, they can pay the es, which will then flow out of the country”

I breathed in

I think Min-san probably had the same reaction

” Is it hello Corporation?”

”That's right, that is why they directly give cash to the workers The tenants in hello Corporation are mostly female employees who came here to work from other areas in Southeast Asia Just like that, the co To the feh the arrangements of the yakuza and their co two birds with one stone”

I sneaked a peek at Meo She was already spacing out with her face pale

”Kishi+wada-kai probably gave financial assistance when hello Corporation was established, and the money that they used was of course their dirty money That is why they seem like they don't have any connections, it's just that hello Corporation is doing the ated all the regular phone calls fro, so it's definitely Kishi+wada-kai who called them”

After saying that, Alice heaved a huge sigh

It just feels-- Thisthat we can handle

” Do you have any proof?” Min-san asked calmly

”No” Alice said expressionlessly ”If there's evidence, the government would have taken action already All of these are my assumptions hello Corporation hid the matter quite well, and the only weakness of theiris that it's not too efficient because of beingprovided, and simply calculated the amount of money; No matter how I calculated, money of over a billion cannot be easily laundered Since they didn't publicize it, their deeds were not brought to light; but since thewas inefficient, they couldn't deal with the ave them In this situation, what do you think Director Mikaas troubled because of their large sum of debts did?”

The information that Hiro provided and Alice's explanations combined in my mind

”He defalcated the money!?”

”That's right, the defalcation wasn't done by Kusakabe Masaya, but the Director himself-- as there's still two hundred million cash that couldn't be dealt with and was stored in a safe I have no idea how he tricked Kusakabe, anyways, Mikawa used one hundred million to clear the company's debt, while the two hundred ”

Kusakabe Masaya knew that he was framed, which is why he ran away But why didn't he prove his innocence? No, he probably couldn't do so The one who is close to Tabara-guang If only the Tabara-gureed to say that it was the fault of Kusakabe, the chances that Kishi+wada-kai would believe thee Yakuza and the police aren't the same, after all

”The problem is we can't help out in this e know it only now, so all of this is too late The only thing that we can confirumi, and then-- he will be killed sooner or later”

Meo stood up, her htly Min-san stood up as well, silently placing her hands on Meo's shoulders I stared at Alice, speechless He'll be killed sooner or later?

”That is essential Think about it, saying that he defalcated the company is just a lie If Kusakabe Masaya testified about this, the umi and Mikawa can only kill Kusakabe Masaya”

I thought about Shades' words, and suddenly felt a chill on my back

-- 'It's nice if they can meet alive!'

They're yakuza As long as they're in the darkness, they can do anything

”And the truth that I a for will soon be buried in darkness”

Alice jumped down from the chair

Her gaze didn't look like a detective who accepted a request anymore, but more like a doll who lost her soul, and is worried that the world will forget all about her

”-- How can we let this happen!”

I chased Alice's silhouette out of the kitchen backdoor, and shouted at the silhouette wearing teddy bear pajamas as about to walk up the stairs Her black hair swayed, staring at aze

”What is it? It's just walking up the stairs, I don't need anyone to tail me”

”No, I don't mean that”

Why? Why did I halt her? I, myself, didn't even knohat I wanted to say

”I advise you to change your personality of taking action without even thinking You just go back and do your responsibilities as a high schooler, finishi+ng your ho break!”

Even Alice said that to me, it makes me feel utterly hopeless

”Are you trying to askthat you can help out with?”

I could only bite hts

”Nothing at all If I said that, you'll probably start to pity yourself, sinking into a swaht?”

”So sorry for that!”

”Naru a detective-- the most that I can do is to collect the words of the deceased, rearrange the our brains to ponder about things, do we have any other use?”

”But I don't even knohat to think about”

Resigning hed at, I exposed the weak side of myself But the Alice at thisatexpression on her face Why does this girl like to make fun of me at unexpected times to pain me?

” Why do you think Kusakabe Masaya wants Meo to hide the two hundred million yen?”

Alice's gentle voice ca of the question she just asked at the moment

”You're asking me why” I frantically recalled the question that Alice just asked and search for the answer ”Because he realized he fell into a trap, and then so that people wouldn't misunderstand that he defalcated it”

Eh?

Seeingsilent, Alice nodded

”That's right, isn't it strange? Because the things that he did cannot prove that he was not the person who defalcated the co that he did it If he just wanted to save himself, he could just take the two hundred es, he could just hand the two hundred million yen to Kishi+wada-kai or call the police He actually has a lot of choices A them, the only inexplicable choice is to tell Meo to hide the two hundred million yen, and hide himself as well”

It is indeed inexplicable

What can he gain fro caught in the end There should be better ways that he could use

”Firstly, 'he did not leave Meo any way of contacting him' As you have said, it's like he abandoned the two hundredwith Meo Why did he do that? I don't know In this case where all the doubts have been clear, the only thing that I cannot understand is the key person, Kusakabe Masaya This is the one and only mystery”

I don't get it either So that even Alice cannot explain, how could I understand?

”However, I suspect that his reason is irrelevant to the nature of the case”

Alice turned her face to a side, then said in a lonely tone:

”It's just like that ti as there is a hidden darkness, I cannot afford to not fill it in, what a sorrowful fate”

And then she smiled at me, like a starry sky that I saw a certain day before

”And then the unneeded truth that I have dug out-- the true reason for Kusakabe Masaya's actions ht deeply hurt Meo, just like that time”

She kept repeating that ti about the day e greeted the breaking dawn on the rooftop that day, I really want to tell her that it's okay

” It doesn't matter” I couldn't suppress my emotions and the words slipped out ofeyes on my face

”It doesn't er thanin her father No matter what other people said to her, it didn't affect her belief”

Alice tightly held the rail of the stairs, silently gazing atDid I say anything wrong again?

After that, a sigh came out from the peach-colored small mouth

”Meo ht have realized the answer on instinct”

answer?

”The answer to what Kusakabe Masaya is trying to do In theory, a hundred years would be required to reach the extent that we can build a fortress with a bridge leading to it, but the wings of faith can bring us there in just one night But I aer of the death I am not interested in emotions that cannot be expressed in words So Meo, you can just keep your truth in your heart”

I turned around in surprise Skin with the color of coffee ole was hidden in the seams of the kitchen backdoor that was open for a few centi repeatedly in surprise

When I turnedupstairs, Alice's silhouette had disappeared from the corner

I heaved a huge sigh and sat on the second step of the stairs

Meo slowly opened the kitchen backdoor and walked out Feeling her utterly terrified gaze, I again felt angry because of the degree of my stupidity

Just saying things that would ? Maybe I' idiot?

Though the person who's in the most pain is obviously Meo

Being worried of her father's safety, being wanted by the yakuza herself, and couldn't even go home, she probably feels very uneasy But at this moment, I still--

Ah, so that's how things stand I finally understood, the words that Alice said yesterday--

'nobody cares if you have strong resolution or not'

'You can just feed realization to chickens, for all I care What is the thing that we should do?'

Having strong resolve or not is really just my problem, and isn't Meo's business But my whole brain was stuffed full of s to Meo What assistant detective! I'htless kid

”Dad, would he be alright? Probably right?”

Meo's voice seemed that she almost can't talk anymore

I silently stood up, caught hold of Meo's shoulders and pushed her into the kitchen

”It's okay, he'll definitely be okay”

I finally said some words of consolations Even so, I couldn't even do such a si yesterday

And then I continued with an empty promise

”-- We'll definitely save your father”

Min-san told o to the shop for the h I orried about leaving the two there alone, Min-san said:

”Listen closely, if so really happens, I can still protect Meo, but ould I do if I have to protect you too? So you'd better scrao home”

What a direct order for chasing people out

Not leaving me even one centimeter of space to protest, I could only leave Hanamaru Ramen Shop As soon as I reached the main road, I immediately called Tetsu-senpai

'Alice just calledto Hana that place for now'

Feeling as if he was saying 'Because you can't', I could only answer clu up Paranoia Hiro and Major did not answer the phone, probably because they're busy setting up spying devices and looking for inforirls? I know that I'm just a burden It can't be helped, I could only walk on the streets alone

At the station during the spring break, there were a lot of people who see to Hiro, a lot of kids fro the whole city to look different

Anyways, I promised Meo to save her father

I don't have any information on me, but I will not take action only when other people tells me to I'll call Yondaime first He kept an eye open since soot some new information

Just at that moment, the phone in my pocket started to vibrate

'I heard that Min-san was ambushed, is that true!?'

Hiro's voice sounded rather agitated

'Naruo to the ramen shop? Hoas she? What happened? I couldn't reach the phone of the ramen shop'

”Er- erm” It's rare to hear Hiro's flustered voice ”She said that she was pushed a bit, and is just a bit hurt Tetsu-senpai already hurried there”

The reason that nobody answered the phone in the ra care of the yellow paint A sigh came from the other side of the phone What's with Hiro? It feels unlike hi that Min-san was bullied by the yakuza, but

'Is that so? Lucky that it's okay Ah-- though I feel like going as well, I have soo to, so what should I do? Would Tetsu be okay alone?'

Is it really okay? Though Tetsu-senpai is quite good at fighting, but the opposing party is the yakuza

”Erm”

I'll try asking

”If there's soo for you Min-san asked o”

'Ah-- Hmm' Hiro started to hesitate, as expected: 'I need to go look for the woo myself I appreciate your offer, but this time there's probably'

”Nothing that I can help out with?”

Even I, ht now felt shameful

'Mnn The only thing left is to check out the situation at hello Corporation But therethere All of us have been recognised, so it's soerous'

”They probably won't recognise me”

Because I was treether with Meo

'Eh? Ahhh, no You're right But it's really too dangerous'

”I'll just go and have a look”

'Narumi, wait a--!'

I switched offup I just can't wait here silently

I've asked Major for the address of hello Corporation before this, so I found it very quickly It's at a corner of the district office, about ten minutes distance on bike It seenboard of the co The temporary employment company, hello Corporation is located at a rather new building, of course not the whole building, but only the third floor is rented as their office

I looked around the cos The only people who still reuy and the purple shi+rt guy that I lasses that tinise me this tilasses who cauy I was hiding behind the kitchen backdoor that time, they probably didn't notice me as well

But when the traffic light changed to the green light, s couldn't h I really feel ashamed about this, I feel really scared

Though I said that I would check this out here, I don't even knohat to do Am I an idiot? What did I come here for?

I felt helpless about s beside the road Cars passed in front of me, while pedestrians walked back and forth behind me

If only I could see a faet some information Thus, I decided to observe the entrance of the building here

After sitting for awhile, hts drifted back to the construction site at dawn If only I could do so that time, the situation would not turn out like this But what could I even do that tie in the hut and talk things out with Kusakabe Masaya?

Thinking about this right now is already useless, and he even had a kitchen knife as well

Kitchen knife, air freshening spray, sewing kit, scissors, lighter, two hundred u

I really don't get it What does Kusakabe Masaya want to do? In the incident last tiure out half of the truth that Alice found out

I suddenly noticed so towards here after crossing the zebra crossings Though wearing only a sporty suave me a impression

”Eh? Ming Hai?”

Yi Ling-san noticed me as well It felt somewhat aard

”What's with you? What are you doing here?”

”Er? ”You can say that I' the enemy”

”Ah” Yi Ling-san's face fell: ”I heard that Kusakabe-san was caught, is it true? The people froumi mentioned that when they came over to have a drink”

” It's true Did they ht now?”

”Sorry, I didn't listen to them so closely”

I felt sos wouldn't be solved that easily

”Yi Ling-san, why are you here?”

”Didn't I tell you I' suddenly called out here, it didn't bode well for me”

Ahh, I nearly forgot She's one of the people who exists for , an employee in name

If Yi Ling-san knew about this, ould she feel about that? Which means, they used the money that she sent hoes are so high Even so--

”Ah!”

Yi Ling-san noticed some other people at the entrance, and immediately turned around It's a talla bluish suit His skin hitish, and looked rather decent Yi Ling-san nodded to him, and the man waved to her

” Who is he?”

”Our Director”

Yi Ling-san answered me quietly, and I came back to my senses, and focusedfor a Director When the man opened the door of the black imported car parked by the road, I nearly cried out loud when I looked into the car from the seams of the door

”Ming Hai, what's with you? Your mouth's open wide”

”Eh? Ah! It's nothing”

The iht on the traffic light changed, while other cars were now clustered on the road

There was another h he wasn't wearing the glasses he earing that day, his sharp features were quite hard to forget

”What an easy job, he can already go hoirls from General Administration say that he went home about noon yesterday too Probably didn't even stay at the company for one hour?”

”Yesterday too?”

”What is it? Do you know our Director?”

”Eh? Ah, no, I don't know him Oh yeah, do you know the the other man in the car?”

”Mnn--? I'm not really sure, probably a yakuza boss? It see just now Ah, that's right Ming Hai, can you listen to my complaints? They really went too far!”

Yi Ling-san dragged er nearby As usual, the table was piled full of burgers, hot dogs, salad and fries that were like s that would make people loseto eat

”We ht not be able to stay in japan anymore”

After clearing away half of her food, Yi Ling-san finally said:

”I was told about thislike don't send thethe contract any me all that all of a sudden”

”This is really bad”

”Isn't that right? It see were called here to be told about this They gained so n workers too It seee its style and becoal teet rid of burdens like us? Ah-- if Kusakabe-san is still here, he'd probably think of so to help us”

I sank into deep thought Is this connected to the case? If Kusakabe Masaya is still here-- which means, it's because Kusakabe Masaya is not here anymore? But why is that? Aren't the wo?

”And they don't even let us work at other shops Isn't this my own freedom? But to tell you the truth, the coht just have to go hory!”

Yi Ling-san then proceeded to stuff Mexican sauce hot dogs into her mouth

”It seems that the yakuza was here just now to talk about this matter, that hat the General Administration people told me”

I subconsciously stood up, but -san hurriedly held the iced coffee that nearly toppled over

”What is it, what happened?”

”No, nothing” It's indeed related to the case ”Er about?”

”I'm not too sure as I heard this fro the core or soht that we ganged up with Kusakabe-san? Or ht ould call the police? But they don't need to chase me out of japan like this!”

Checking the core?

”Ah”

While staring at the surface of the orange juice, I slowly sat down

I feel that-- I understand

Alice said this before, h hello Palace is inefficient, plus, the company defalcated the yakuza's money Since the money was obtained from unlawful sources, the company must launder the money to pay their debts What should they do then? Of course, they used hello Palace for this The er used for Kishi+wada-kai, but for the coe of coordinating the plan wasn't here-- thewould of course come to a standstill, unable to be used At least it would look like this from Kishi+wada-kai's point of view

So ould happen next?

To these people, the tenants of hello Palace are like cotton filters that are full of griood way of saying this) If the governation, it would be troubleso-san said, soht be arrested because of Kusakabe Masaya's incident

So, things that don't have any value would be tossed away

The unlucky thing is (it's lucky for those people), the tenants of hello Palace are all foreigners

If only they just fire all of theation would be unable to continue

Almost all of this is just s are really bad Drinking a e juice, it tasted unnaturally bitter

”Hai Oi, Ming Hai!”

I was pulled back to reality fro-san's voice

”Eh? Ah, what is it?”

”Ming Hai, how old are you now?”