Vol 8 Chapter 1 (2/2)
”Gen-chaaaan!”
I turned around upon hearing the fe fro about the perplexed looks of the passerbies She had wavy hair that was slightly bleached and earing a ardless of the winter cold Because of her thick fake eyelashes and lip gloss, she gave off a hostess-like aura, and she looked like she was on her twenties For some reason, I felt I had seen her face before
”Wow Yer late! They ca for ya, Tokyo's so hectic it's hard to stand Aren't we goin' to see Tah we're at the Alta?”
The woed the white down jacket-clad man's arm, and then she noticed me
”Eh- W-what's this? Gen-chan, ya went flirting while I aitin' for ya? And with a et separated!”
The woman shut up when the men flicked her forehead
”Ouch! Be entle!”
Ah, no, she didn't shut up
”I'll be gentle tonight at the hotel This boy's just a friend Iparlor”
”Ohh Thanks for takin' care of Gen-chan” The woman suddenly bowed, and then she furtively stepped closer to me ”Now that I look at 'im closely, he's quite a cute boy! Gen-chan, this is bad, I'm seriously thinkin' yer a homo”
”Idiot Yer the only one I like, Rikako Whatever, let's go Did ya find out about the place?”
”Can't do, Tokyo's subway's like spaghetti If we get on the wrong train we could end up at Aoeles”
It was hard for me to keep up with that situation and I could only stand there
That woht? Well, he is good-looking, and as I could see at theclub, his purse is also quite full
”Ah, boy” The ain
”Y-yes?”
”We wanna u shrine is? We're not really familiar with Tokyo”
”Ah, y-yes”
I took out my cellphone and checked the route frou-mae station
”Do you know Soubu line's platforate, uhm If I remember correctly, the first entrance Then you switch trains at Kinshi+-cho”
Evenin Tokyo for and year and a half still got a little lost at shi+njuku Station, so I explained really carefully
”Thanks a lot, boy!”
”Really, thanks!”
The weird couple waved goodbye and they walked the pedestrian crossing in front of the Alta, disappearing froate
With , I took a deep breath It felt like suddenly all the pores inabilities were fro that made me feel uneasy The same happened with the woman; even if I had seen her for only five minutes, I felt a weird sensation in my chest She reminded me of someone, but, who?
When I returned to Tenhou Club, the loomy expression and told me in a low voice:
”Uhm Fujishi+ma-san”
Don't call h school student
”Thatat several parlors since this ”
Yondaime had formed a formidable web of contact between all the parlors he had been taking care of, so the inforer lowered his voice again:
”But he's a new face, from Kansai Just as that man?”
”Mnn, I don't know I'll report to Yondaime, for now”
It was then when I realized what the reason of my uneasiness was Yondaime When I saw their faces, for some reason I was reminded of Yondaime
The next day, I went directly to Hirasaka-gumi's office to tell Yondai of the zone is on the opposite side of the NEET Detective Agency and the station, across the co; in the fist floor there's a fancy store where they sell various iroup's office is on the third floor
”Aniki, thanks for your hard work!”
”Thanks for your hard work!”
When I entered the office I was greeted with throaty voices froht, and the delinquents in black shi+rts with an e behind the desk across the glass coffee table
Even after becoroup kept calling , so I wish they'd stop doing it
”We have to greet Alice-neesan for the New Year, what should we give her as a present?”
”If it's for Ane-san, a plushi+e would be perfect!”
They also refer to Alice as 'ane-san', a high hierarchy title towards yakuza women surpassed only by 'oyabun' As for why do they respect the tiny detective so much, I really don't know
”Let's give her a plushi+e of this year's animal from the chinese calendar!” ”That's perfect!”
”Which animal is it this year?”
Yondai his followers shut up iet closer with his hand:
”I just spoke a little with Tenhou Club's uess I'll see the security cauy look like?”
When I physically described that 'Gen-chan' and told him about his behavior, Yondai wo like that aiting for him and they called each other 'Gen-chan' and 'Rikako' respectively, Yondairabbed my collar
”You sure? Did they really called each other that?”
”Eh, a-ah, y-yes” That hurts Why is he doing this all of a sudden? Does he know them?
At that moment the steel door cracked open, and one of the lackeys poked his head in
”Sou-san, so that he has business with you--Ah, oi, you bastard!”
Apparently there was someone else behind the steel door, as the lackey looked behind him and then was pushed inside the office A man in a white down jacket forced his way in
”What the hell are you doing, you bastard?!”
”Do you even knohere you are?!”
The lackeys inside the office suddenly got up upon seeing the intruder I nearly cried out: It was the man from the day before He looked around the interior of the office with his sleepy expression caused by his droopy eyes
”I ain't interested in small fry, I wanna see Souichirou”
Ignoring the ainst him at the same time What happened after that is difficult to explain One by one, soainst the wall, while others flew spectacularly, falling face first onto the sofas I could barely see thequite tense, none of the black shi+rts were left standing
”You bastard”
”Son of a”
They were getting up to attack once again, but Yondaime's sharp voice resounded inside the office:
”Stop Stay away from him”
The roup ether
”Yer men are rude and the office is dirty I'm disappointed”
”Why are you here?”, Yondai at hi his lower lip out in away
”Well, I came to see ya, Souichirou”
”Get lost”
”Hey, yer father is--”
”Just go”
With my jaw open, I could just look at Yondai their faces When he noticed, Yondaiue and asked:
”This was the guy at theparlor?”
Words wouldn't come out of my mouth, so I just nodded With a disdainful voice, Yondaime said:
”He's the third generation of the Hinamura family, Genichirou”
All the lackeys were ordered to exit the office, and only I was left in the e father-son reunion I sat next to Yondaime on the sofa and observed Hinaain He didn't look like a business person at all, he really looked o had been definitely the real thing, and his enthusiasit as far as I had seen
”Fujishi+ma Narumi, aren't ya? Souichirou's sworn brother” Genichirou-san suddenly brought up the subject,me shi+ver
”Eh, ah”
”You know about that?” Yondai
”I found out lotsa things about my cute only son Did ya drink sake with hiht up on 'em, aren't ya?”
”Shut up Where's ”
”Ahh, Rikako's at the hotel's spa We walked a lot yesterday so she's tired”
Wait a second Wait a second! I can't ignore that!
”Yondaime T-that woman is y-your mom?”
”Ain't she a beauty? Souichirou looks a lot like his mother”
”H-how old is she?”
”Forty-three”, Yondaime answered
”Eeeeeeeeeeh!?”
That's impossible It can't be!
”Every night in bed I tell 'er how cute she is, that's why she keeps lookin' young”
”Please don't flaunt your sexual harassment in front of your own son”
”But if it wasn't for my sexual harassment Souichirou wouldn't have been born”
”The 'harassment' part wasn't needed!”
”Souichirou, this lil' brother of yours is a good tsukkomi I should take him back home with ya so ya both can become a manzai duo and make yer debut at Yoshi+moto”
”We're not a manzai duo! I-I mean, e-eeh?”
Take him back home? I looked at Genichirou-san's face and averted loomy expression
”Yer gonna have to start studying to inherit the business Go back to Osaka”
”As if, you idiot”
”Yer rooht, Rikako smells your sheets and cries”
”I don't wanna know about that!” Yondairetful expression immediately afterwards
”I was lyin' though”
”Shut up! Then don't say it!”
”But I was serious about ya returnin' hoh”
”I'”
”Oh~?”
A smile appeared on Genichirou-san's face, and I shuddered He had the sa parlor, when he showed his hand
”How much was yer taxable income this last year?”
”Just the personal income?”
”Yeah”
”108,000,000”
I gasped without letting Yondaime and Genichirou-san hear me; I knew he earned quite a lot but that aination
”See? Yer just playin'”
”So what? You can't take ainst a shi+tty old man like you”
”I'in' and throwin' people to the floor”
”You did all that just now”
”His tsukkos are perfect! Yer little brother's really somethin'” I covered my face with one of my hands I subconsciously rebuked him Are all people from Osaka really boke?
”Buy ya know” Genichirou-san resumed his talk ”Yer within the reach of my hands now, too, since yer not just playin' yakuza like a brat like ya've been doin' 'til now”
”What do you mean?”
”Ya have a company Now yer also a part of the financial world”
I could alaze that appeared on Genichirou-san's face was definitely a wolf gaze Like father, like son
”Money is everythin' in this world I can easily break into yer territory Ya knohat that means?”
At that time I didn't quite understand what hefinally dawned oncere, so after school I went to the bank, holding a heavy suitcase By the end of the year several bills to pay had accumulated in Hirasaka-Gumi's account, so Yondaime asked me to take care of them as usual
When I aiting by the bank's box office, a door atstopped for a second when I saw the person that came out Genichirou-san Behind hier), and upon seeing them, the employees of the bank bowed several times
Genichirou-san noticed I was there, too With a er
”Well, I leave it in yer hands”
”Understood, sir”
A bad feeling rushed up my throat I stared at Genichirou-san as he crossed the auto Why was he here? Was it because of so related to Yondaie his inco took over my body, and the words Genichirou-san had said the day before resurfaced inat the reach of his hands
I hurried back to Hirasaka-Gu on the phone
”But-! If you don't let me talk about it soon it'll become a problem, no, but Yes, okay No, in any case, please letabout? That's not it!”
Apparently the person on the other side of the line hung up, so Yondairily threw the receiver back into the base The lackeys inside the building passed their worried looks to me
”U-uhm, I went to the bank”
”Ah, sorry for the trouble” Saying that even when he was visibly angry, Yondaime rested his whole back on the back of the chair
”I saw Genichirou-san at the bank He looked like he was asking soer”
When I said that, Yondaihed
”I see So it was indeed that da”
”Did so happen?”
”They stopped financing me”
I gulped and sat on the back of a sofa Yondaime's event coordination company had started just last year and it had already successfully pro business, so if they stopped financing it, it would go bankrupt
”Genichirou-san stopped it? Can he really do that?”
”Hinamura can do that, yes He's the president of the chamber of commerce and industry, and he also has several branches in Tokyo”
I had completely underestimated the Hinamura family I has just heard that they had a fained a chain of s for a while But they were actually really far froe-scale business company
Yondaime had already set foot in the financial world when he started his own business, and that was the reason the bank had been providing hi liquidity and an anonymous nature was actually connected with a blood relationshi+p According to Pascal's theory, wherever a pressure is applied, it will be exerted evenly in all directions And that had been proven by a phone call just now
”This is ood-for-nothing so stay away froroup either You just focus on that”
After he said that, Yondaime kicked s of confusion, I walked to the exit of the building, when I heard the footsteps of a nu down the stairs
”Aniki! Please wait, Aniki!” The giants in black T-shi+rts appeared one by one by the stairs Between theest standing roup, Rocky and Pole
”Uhm, we don't knohat just happened and we can't really ask Sou-san about it, could you please tell us?”
We were obstructing the way and we couldn't talk like that, so I guided them back upstairs
”The man from yesterday is Yondaime's dad Did you hear about that?”
”Yes!”
”Sou-san's father could kill us instantly!”
”He was really strong!” ”He hit me too!”
”It looks like his dad wants to take him back to Osaka”
”Really!?” ”We will expand to Osaka!” ”Soon ill conquer the whole country!”
”No, it's not that The company that Yondaime founded could collapse, do you understand? And if his other source of income disappears, Hirasaka-Gumi will have to be dissolved, too”
”That's impossible!” ”We left our lives in Sou-san's hands e drank sake with hiet us apart!” ”We have decided to follow him for the rest of our lives!”
The dumb Hirasaka-Gumi's lackeys were really optimistic this time, but reality was crueler than that
”If the co debts That oes bankrupt, he'll disband the group so he won't cause trouble to all of you”
”S-sou-san”
”For our sake, uuuh”
”He disbanded the gang for our sake”
Hey, he hasn't done it yet
”Then--Then, Aniki!” Pole grabbed both of my arms ”What shall we do!? We're stupid and don't understand, should we hit his father? We don't have a victory spirit, but we're willing to die”
The other lackeys got closer toto feel overwhelently brushed Denchu's arms off my shoulders
”I don't knohat to do either”
January's days are short, so when I reached Hanauys froether in the alley in front of the kitchen door
”Vice-Admiral Fujishi+ma, it's been a while! How about we visit Yasukuni Shrine for the New Year?”
Major was the first one who got up when he saw e pattern Because of his short height and child-like face anyone would think he's an elementary schooler, but he's actually a university student who has already repeated a year Because of his notorious military-mania, he calls me Vice-Admiral for some reason
”If we're going to go to a o instead?” Tetsu-senpai interjected ”The Gods of ga are there, if I remember correctly”
”Believing that His Excellence Tougou was ! His Excellence was a unique strategist as able to miraculously obtain victory and returned alive, an ordinary lucky person would have died a hundred times in the sea--”
”I've had enough with visiting shrines” Hiro-san interrupted Major's passionate speech ”I even went to the shrine at Narita irl picked a different shrine”
”You could just gather everyone at the saood pick because of the Ashura statue It would be a complete bloodbath”
”If I do soerous, they could stab me to death”
The NEETs laugh irresponsibly Exhausted, I sat on the beer crate we used as a seat, unable to keep up with their sense of hulanced at me
”What's wrong?”
I squeezedShould I talk about that with them? And how much should I talk? It was a private matter so I couldn't talk about it easily, but I didn't want to carry all the burden alone either I choseI told them I had met Yondaime's parents I didn't tell them about the relationshi+p between him and his dad, I just mentioned that Genichirou-san wanted to take Yondaiumi's difficult situation
When I finished speaking, after a moment of silence, the first one who opened his mouth was Tetsu-senpai
”So, Yondai and pretty, doesn't she?” I raised aze and nodded faintly
”So if Hiro seduces her”
”No, even fora friend's mother is a bit”
”If he were to be successful, Hiro-san would become Yondaime's father That would be incredible” Major added
”If Yondaihter”
I hidto consult with them It was none of my business in the first place, Yondaime had said that himself, this was Hinamura family's problem
I felt a hand on my back When I raisedwith folded arles up his forehead
”Coet you down” Hiro-san said
”Eh?”
”You don't intend to ignore Yondaime's family situation anyway, do you?”
I gulped, reflecting on Hiro-san's words Of course, he was right I didn't want to ignore his situation
”If you need an excuse, I can give you one” Tetsu-senpai said ”You're Yondaime's sworn brother So, his family problems are your problems too”
I felt those words directly onthe dirt off my trousers
”I' to see Alice”
”I'll find his whereabouts i on the keyboard ”But, what are you going to do when you meet the Hinamuras?”
”I haven't decided yet” I frankly answered ”I don't understand Genichirou-san's intentions yet”
”Hmm” Alice turned around ”You mean that you don't quite believe Hina to Tokyo to take his son back”
I nodded
”It's just that, pressuring Hirasaka-guo bankrupt won't make Yondaime want to inherit the family business Even if he ends up covered in debts, he definitely won't cast his pride aside”
”I agree”
”I don't understand why Genichirou-san cao back to Osaka from the start, why did he co Maybe he ca in person”
If that was the case, he would want to be in a favorable position beforehand Alice shook her shoulders, chuckling
”The true reason they came to Tokyo just know I already know that reason, more or less”
”E-eh?”
”He told you about that himself He came to visit the shrine”
I blinked a few ti the shrine? He had toldthat was his true reason?
”Forget about that for now I don't have enough proof so I can't give you that infor”
Alice's hands slid over the keyboard, and the ht side blinked Data fro at Tokyo's hotels were obtained by cracking Alice mentioned a hotel in Akasaka
”Room number 3301 Do you want me to find out his cellphone number too?”
”Ah, no, it's okay I'll go there directly without saying anything”
”Hher if I found out a cellphone number Wise decision”
Even if it was a favor to her assistant, she ation
”My detective work ends here Do you best for your sworn brother's sake Yondaioes bankrupt it will be a problem”
I openedif I should say it or not
”No--Alice, I think you can cooperate a bit , round eyes
”Why? I don't have a right to get involved beyond this”
To tell the truth, a plan consisting in suggesting a deal to Genichirou-san was slowly appearing in mythat so like a miracle could happen And Alice was needed for that For that reason, I proceeded to convince her using a fake argument
”Because, you see, Alice, you're Hirasaka-guo, aren't you?”
Her bewildered face at thata picture
”So this is your problem too, Alice”
Contrasting its luxurious exterior, the first-class hotel was a place where it was alot dark, the lobby got packed with foreigners carrying suitcases with airport tags, so I entered without being even barely noticed The receptionist was really polite and greeted even a brat like me with a smile
”I'd like to announceat room 3301 Uuhm, I'm Fujishi+ma and I came in behalf of Souichirou”
The young receptionist picked up the phone and I ski around, and I learned that room 3301 was a suite that took up the whole floor Well, I had i like that to be honest
Okay, what should I say? I need to concentrate
”Hinamura-sama will be here soon” the receptionist said ”Please wait over there for a while”
Ah, so he's co here? Well, obviously he wouldn't let someone he only sao times into his suite I sat down on a sofa in the lobby and waited
After two minutes--
”Naru-chan!”
A female voice broke the caluests were equally startled and turned to look at the elevator I also quickly got up
”I'ettin' bored” Rikako-san rushed up totranslucent stole I took a step backwards; I didn't foresee Rikako-san being the one ould come
”A-ah, sorry for showing up so suddenly” I sat down once again So Genichirou-san is not here I'll have to coain some other time, then Meanwhile I had no other option than to talk to Rikako-san, even though she made me kind of nervous (and she's Yondai, Rikako-san grabbed”let's have some tea, c'ht of the lobby
Sitting in front of Rikako-san, I looked at the menu with its prices such as 1400 yens for a cup of coffee What aaze I saw Rikako-san dialing a number on her cellphone
”Ah, Gen-chan? It's me Ya know? Naru-chan just cae in the first floor Yeah, come back soon, okay? Fine Love ya See ya later!” After she snapped her cellphone shut, Rikako-san ordered two pieces of cake and two cups of coffee and she leaned her body forith sparkling eyes
”I'll hear eeeeverything ya have to say, Naru-chan Gen-chan wants to bully Sou-chan so he's been investigating lotsa stuff about Hirasaka-gumi But it was such a coincidence to ain for helpin' us with Suitengu, Naru-chan”