Chapter 144 - Name and Reality 67 {95 Alone} (227–229 New Facts Revealed by Kuboyama 1)
The room I was guided into was quite spacious; as expected of someone called a Managing Director or Store Manager, it felt like the seat of power for this office. He asked whether coffee or tea would be better, and when Takeshita requested tea, he instructed a different female staff member than before to bring it.
"I say, even so, Motohashi-no-aniki... Ah, normally, since he's the sworn younger brother of my own father-figure, Yoshida, I should probably call him Ojiki (T/N: Uncle/Superior), but Aniki told me, 'Calling me Ojiki makes me feel itchy, so Aniki is fine,' so I was able to call him Aniki. And since Aniki's letter said the ones coming would be Hokkaido Police Dekas, I've ended up treating you like this; I apologize over and over."
While the female staff member was bringing the "ordered items," he apologized to Takeshita once more. In fact, since Kuboyama had sent the letters requested of him to Nishida and Takeshita, he must have known that the two were (or had been) detectives with the Hokkaido Police.
However, from the surface text of the two letters sent from Kuboyama to the two of them at Motohashi's instruction, one shouldn't have been able to directly tell that both, or even one of them, would actually visit Kuboyama (though, of course, one couldn't say for certain they wouldn't come for the sake of the investigation based on that text alone). If that were the case, one had to consider that Motohashi had informed Kuboyama in a different way that the two would be coming. Judging from Motohashi's current statement, there was no doubt it was recorded in the letter addressed to Kuboyama—the one delivered by Chief Priest Mizuno—rather than the letters addressed to Nishida and Takeshita which Kuboyama might also have seen.
"No, we are the ones who should apologize. Certainly, a detective changing careers to a newspaper reporter isn't a story you hear every day, and there was a problem on our end for not explaining the circumstances."
"Hearing you say that makes me feel a bit lighter."
At Takeshita's words, Kuboyama's expression relaxed slightly. However, he immediately directed a piercing gaze at Takeshita.
"But, that other one, Nishida was it? Did he really quit being a detective too?" he asked to confirm.
"Ah... Nishida, who was my superior at the time, is currently tied up with a certain case investigation. Also, because I have the connection of having interrogated Motohashi-san back then, the task happened to fall to me, who is no longer a detective. In Nishida's view, whether the person going to hear the story was a detective or not probably wasn't very important. It seems his reasoning was that you aren't the kind of person whose mouth could be forced open, whether the opponent is a detective or an amateur. Rather, he thought the person the letter was sent to would have a higher chance of being told something..."
When Takeshita explained the situation like that,
"There are parts I can't quite grasp, but that's a largely accurate analysis. Anyway, I've well understood the point about you being a 'former' Deka," he spoke, this time bluntly.
Immediately after, tea was brought for Takeshita and coffee for Kuboyama. As if to gloss over the awkward atmosphere, the two reached for their respective cups without meeting eyes and began to sip slowly.
However, since there was no sign of the other party starting to talk at all, Takeshita tried a roundabout probe to see when he had started working for Senda Finance.
"Excuse me, but have you been here long, Kuboyama-san?"
"It's been about eighteen years now, since a few months after I got out of the slammer... I started with debt collection, and well, I set my mind to it and worked hard, and now I'm in this position."
He answered like that without hiding the fact that he was an ex-con. Of course, the fact that Takeshita would be aware of such things shouldn't have been strange, regardless of whether he had seen the letters from Motohashi to the two of them, provided he assumed a police investigation had been conducted. Besides, it was impossible that he hadn't checked the contents of the letters sent to Nishida and the others.
Also, since it was mentioned that Kuboyama had "shown loyalty and helped" after Motohashi was expelled, Takeshita thought that loyalty might have been Motohashi introducing a job to Kuboyama after he quit the yakuza.
"By any chance, was this job also an introduction from Motohashi-san?" he asked. Suddenly, as if his mood had soured,
"Yeah. Though, I don't mind you asking me various things, shouldn't we settle the main subject first? I don't think you came here for that kind of talk! You, who read Aniki's letter, read something into it, and whether it was by deciphering the letter to you or by asking the priest who's a Prison Chaplain about this place, you came here to ask about it. If that's the case, if you don't get to that talk quickly, time will just pass and we'll get nowhere!"
He shot back in a strong tone. It wasn't so much that he was offended by being asked various things, but rather he was irritated that the person who saw Motohashi's letter hadn't touched upon whether they had read his true intent, which would determine Kuboyama's own response from here on.
Takeshita returned his teacup to the saucer and, as if having made up his mind, cut straight to the point.
"Then, as you wish. You know a person named Tadano-san, don't you?"
Upon hearing these words, Kuboyama's mood took a sudden turn, and he nodded with satisfaction.
"Oh, so you did understand after all!" he laughed. As expected, Kuboyama seemed to know about Tadano. And he seemed relieved that Takeshita had properly understood Motohashi's intention in coming here.
"Are you an acquaintance of Tadano-san?"
"I've met him directly maybe a dozen times or so. Most of it was before Aniki was caught. After Aniki died, definitely only twice... The first meeting was when I was called by Aniki to where he and 'Kuroda-han' were drinking. And the last was after Aniki was sentenced to death and the monk came... We're acquaintances, but we're not close enough that I'd say I know him well."
"Hm? His real name isn't Tadano-san?"
Takeshita felt a sense of incongruity from the content of the story.
"Ah, sorry about that. Tadano is just the nickname Aniki used only when calling Kuroda-han! Well, even calling it a nickname, it's not like he called him that all the time."
An unexpected fact was revealed from Kuboyama's mouth.
"Ah, is that so! Even so, why that name?"
"I asked him once a long time ago, but he just said 'It's a pain!' and wouldn't explain the details. Aniki would sometimes get seriously pissed if you were persistent, so it was a case of letting sleeping dogs lie."
Kuboyama answered while making a gesture of hitting his own head with a fist, acting as if it were painful.
"I understand that part. Or rather, it can't be helped... Then, what about the words Rokkou and Hinako?"
When he followed up with the question, Kuboyama wore a bewildered expression.
"Rokkou... and Hinako?"
Kuboyama remained like that, tilting his head and seemingly thinking about various things for a while. Then,
"I'm sorry, but regarding those, I've never heard them, nor do I understand the meaning. Since I couldn't decipher what kind of instructions Aniki was giving you in the letter he sent you, I don't really know, and since I don't know anything other than having an acquaintance with Kuroda-han, I have no way to answer! You'll just have to forgive me. Anyway, since it's come to this, for now, I'll just have to take you to Kuroda-san's place and have you meet him directly..." he answered.
It seemed he hadn't considered anything other than the possibility that they would mention Tadano (Kuroda). While Motohashi's instructions to Kuboyama might have contained descriptions suggesting that Takeshita and the others would ask about Tadano, there was likely nothing about asking regarding "Rokkou" and "Hinako." If that were the case, he would just have to meet Kuroda directly and confirm. In the first place, since it was written as far as "Ask Tadano for the truth," regardless of what Kuboyama said, they had no choice but to meet him.
"I see. That's a shame, but it can't be helped... So, while I'm very grateful that you'll let me meet Kuroda-san, as you said earlier, we've settled the main subject now, so I'd like you to listen to my questions other than the main subject as well. Is that alright?"
Takeshita took a somewhat aggressive stance, fearing that if he just went with the flow, Kuboyama would ignore his questions.
"You're quite persistent too. Well, do as you like! I'll answer what I can," Kuboyama said, not hiding his "good grief" attitude, but fortunately he didn't refuse and was willing to listen.
"Then, I'll go ahead without reservation. When the Chief Priest gave you the letter, I believe there was a letter or something from Motohashi-san giving you instructions?"
"Ho. You've researched that far?"
Seeming strangely impressed, he suddenly stood up, went to his desk, and made a rattling sound as he put a key into the drawer and took something out. Then, returning, he placed it carelessly on the table in front of Takeshita.
"This is it. There are two letters' worth," he said bluntly, taking out sheets of stationery that were grouped into two sets from the envelopes.
"May I read them?"
When Takeshita asked for permission,
"Don't ask every single time, just read them quickly! This one is what Aniki wrote beforehand. This other one seems to have been written just before the execution," he explained, pointing to each.
"Then, if you'll excuse me."
Saying so, Takeshita picked up the stationery that was said to have been written first.
(Assuming vertical writing. A monitor environment capable of displaying 37 characters per horizontal line is required)
Dear Kuboyama,
It's been a long time. Though, it's a shame to think I'll never see you again.
Well, this is sudden, but was it last summer? After your letter arrived,
I'm very sorry for only replying "No more contact needed from now on."
Actually, even if you were concerned for me, honestly it's meaningless,
so it just made my heart ache. The same thing happened with Takatsu,
so please apologize to him for me. He should be living in Kawanishi,
so I'm sorry for forcing a request on you and causing trouble, but it
shouldn't take that much time. I think if you meet him directly and
explain, he'll forgive me.
Now, the reason I had the Prison Chaplain bring this letter is none other
than because I had another important favor to ask of you. As I think you
saw, in the envelope handed over together with this, you should have
confirmed two letters addressed to the Dekas who interrogated me before.
I don't know the address, but they're letters to guys named Nishida and
Takeshita, detectives at a station in Hokkaido called Engaru, I think.
With just this, I should have just sent them myself, but for a reason,
they're letters I want to send only after the statute of limitations for
the cases I caused has properly expired. Since it's clear the death
penalty will definitely be carried out before then, I have no choice but
to ask you. I wish I could send them myself from the other world.
Also, I can't look up the address for Engaru Station, so I'll leave that
to you too. Afterwards, if you have time, please look up the kanji for
the place name Engaru. It's embarrassing if it's in hiragana. I'm sorry
for asking so many things, but if you think of it as a substitute for
incense money for me, I believe you'll understand, but is that too naive?
If it's you, you'll do it for me, right?
That's it for the business communication, so I thought I'd talk about old
times for the rest. I think the first time I met you was when Aniki
Yoshida brought you to a sushi shop and introduced you directly, how
about it? At first glance, you looked like a gentle type, but from what
I heard from Aniki, you were quite hot-blooded, and it was said one
couldn't imagine it from your appearance. Well, that meaning became
clear when you caused that big incident. Since the statute of limitations
has clearly passed, it's no problem if someone knows, so I'll write it
now, but I heard that Aniki Kagawa, who was the Wakagashira at the time,
was the mastermind. Aniki Yoshida seemed to have agonized over it too,
but that kind of job isn't something you can ask just anyone. Even if
it doesn't lead to the death penalty, you'll constantly have your life
targeted even after getting out. Your standing within the family might
rise, but you'll be forced to live while always being inwardly frightened.
It's impossible unless you're reckless, crazy, or deeply loyal. Of course,
that's not enough. What's important is being tight-lipped. This is the
most important thing. There aren't many guys who are tight-lipped and
have those elements. Because you were reckless, deeply loyal, and tight-
lipped, you were the one who came up as a candidate. It's a shame that
following Aniki's instructions without a word of complaint and being
obedient worked against you. Moreover, your seriousness showed exactly
in the fact that you couldn't take that opponent's life. Even if you're
reckless, being able to kill someone easily is another matter; I can say
that now, and I understood it well. But because I was a less serious
person than you, unfortunately, I've ended up with this kind of end...
And after being released at the end of your term, you gave up on returning
to Aoi, which was your former place. One of the surface reasons for that
was that you couldn't complete the deed and it ended in an attempt that
only caused serious injury. You didn't make a single excuse, but it's not
strange to think you felt you had disgraced Aniki by failing and couldn't
face him. However, as you know, that wasn't the case. Just before you
came out, by Aniki's instruction, you were supposed to switch to being
my subordinate. To be honest, even for me, that was an unexpected turn
of events. However, the executives of Aoi didn't say the plan was no good
from the start either. Despite messing up and getting pinched, the
evaluation of the fact that you didn't 'sing' (T/N: confess) anything bad
at all was higher than expected. (Author's Note: "sing" = confess)
But after you got out, you disappeared to hide yourself, and even when I
finally tracked you down and told you that, you refused, saying "I'm very
grateful, but I can't make excuses for the trouble I caused." I still
think now that what you said was probably your true feelings. But more
than that, the reason you hesitated was, I thought at the time, either
you felt uneasy about your future at least as a gokudo, or you had
regrets about the act of trying to kill itself. On top of that, to make
you change your mind, I would have needed a certain amount of
persuasiveness. But honestly, unfortunately, I didn't have confidence in
that part either. If that were the case, I started to hesitate to stop
you. In the end, I adjusted things in the direction of allowing you to
become a civilian, and so that you wouldn't need to live in hiding, I
settled things with the other group behind the scenes, and after that,
the family decided to drop the talk about you returning. The miscalculation
was that Sakai had let that reach your ears. To put it the other way
around, when I was expelled, the reason you went out of your way to offer
help and became someone I could rely on was because of that, right? Even
so, I never dreamed for a moment back then that I would be the one to
become unemployed, but when I think about what would have happened if I
hadn't taken proper care of you and treated you carelessly, I'm really
glad I did things right. On top of that, afterwards, I'm the one who's
going to be executed for killing people, so you really can't read life
at all. Because I believed that kind of thing was the one thing that
wouldn't happen to me. I'll refrain from saying this and that about the
reason it turned out like this now, but I think if it's you, you'll
understand in your own way. As long as you live as a yakuza, I had the
resolution that I wouldn't be able to die a decent death anyway, but
when it comes to not even being allowed a funeral, it's a painful thing
even if I talk big; it's a pathetic story, but that's reality... Even
so, if I'm told that all the results are my own fault, I can't say
anything back, so honestly I've given up, but at least to you, an
acquaintance, it shouldn't be a sin to vent a little weakness. Even God
must have a limit to how much He makes one suffer... Oops, if I end like
this with just grumbling, it'll be a disgrace to the name of Motohashi
Yukio, the gokudo who prided himself on being a rogue. Please forgive
me for betraying that a little with the samurai's compassion you have.
If we meet next, it'll probably be in hell, but I'm prepared for that!
Well then, see you in hell!
Sincerely,