Chapter 19 Chapter 17 Rental Safe

At around eleven o'clock in the morning, Nobuyuki Doi got into a taxi and went to Asakusa 3-chome. He received a call from Waipu Zhuolang in the hotel room and asked him to meet.Doi told the taxi driver the house number, but the driver seemed not very familiar with the terrain of Asakusa, looking back and forth on the checkerboard-like streets. The area is full of fast food restaurants and taverns, mixed with some ordinary shops and small buildings.There is a restaurant-centric service industry everywhere. The driver has not yet found the "Tiriya House, No. XX, Asakusa 3-chome" on the note Doi gave him.Eleven o'clock in the morning is still not fully awake for this night market. The front and back doors of fast food restaurants, taverns, and Turkish baths are all closed, and there is no place to inquire.

Asakusa Sanchome is separated from Yanmen Road and Sensoji Temple, opposite to Okuyama behind. The driver inquired about sesame seed shops, rice burrito shops, noodle shops, and sticky cake and bean soup shops, but they all replied indifferently that they did not know. The driver, who specializes in sports cars in the Yamate area, seemed to have entered a foreign land, showing a confused expression.The car ran through the criss-cross streets like a shuttle, before finding the house number to go to.Along the way, there are wig shops for geisha, "Minor School", and shops specializing in "Kyoto Printing and Dyeing" and other signs hanging, showing the characteristics of this area.

"Tong's House" turned out to be an inconspicuous tavern.There is an apartment next to it. If there is no weeping willow protruding from the wall, you will think it is an ordinary Japanese-style house.Around it hang fast food "Shagal", "Haydn", "Azi", "Sachiko", "Jingluo", "Xinghua" and the tavern "Zaifen", "Bamboo Cong", Signboards such as "Integrity Pavilion" and "Nenya". Doi got out of the taxi and looked at the narrow door of "Tong's House".The new green of the weeping willows vividly sets off the gloom of the old and clumsy houses.Would someone like Waipu Zhuolang meet customers in such a poor restaurant?Doi checked it carefully again, but the house number and street name were both correct.

The front lattice door was closed tightly, and the stepping stones in front of the hall had not been swept. Doi rang the bell. A woman opened the lattice door a crack and peeped out. Before Doi could speak, the entire lattice door was opened.A waitress about thirty-four or five years old bowed respectfully and said, "Welcome! Mr. Waipu is waiting for you." Next to the foyer is the staircase.The waitress opened the partition on the right side of the corridor on the second floor. This is a rest room with four and a half mats.The waitress knelt in front of the partition and beckoned to the back room: "He's here!"

"Please!" Doi was very familiar with the clear, clear and pleasant voice of Waipu, but the voice from the house just now was hoarse. Opening the partition, he saw Waipu Saurang sitting in front of the alcove.On the scarlet table in front of him were small plates of dishes. The moment he saw Gaipu, Doi intuitively felt that this person was exhausted.From the hoarse voice heard through the partition, coupled with the tired and absent-minded expression on his face, Doi could sense the extent of Gaipu's exhaustion. The initial impression that people intuit in their interactions is often correct.Although the expression and tone of the other party gradually became normal during the conversation, and I felt nothing, but when I recalled it later, the impression of the first moment was still correct.

Ever since I met Uaipu by chance in the banquet lounge of Hotel O, I haven't seen him again.At that time, Doi was standing at the door of the "Support Kawamura Masakikai" venue, and Gaipu said that he was standing in the lounge wearing a formal dress to attend a certain family's wedding banquet.After seeing each other again after two months, Doi felt that Waipu was exhausted. "Oh! Welcome!" Waipu greeted him as he sat there. "I called you when I was busy, sorry!" "I'm late." Doi put his knees together on the mat and saluted his senior alumni. "The taxi got lost because it couldn't find its way."

"That's right, it's the same for the first-timers. Because this is a small place, I'm sorry." After the waitress took the words, she invited him to sit on the cushion facing Waipu. The room is the size of ten mats.Columns, ceilings, lintels, and window panels are all painted in an ancient color like tung oil.The bright afternoon light streamed in from the half-opened paper partition next to the window. Doi and Uaipu chatted while drinking beer.They were classmates in the front and rear classes of the Faculty of Law of Dongda University, with a difference of ten years in age.Waipu is a regular graduate, while Doi dropped out of school.Doi participated in the "All Gongdou" during the student movement at the University of Tokyo in 1968 and 1969. He was arrested three times and interrupted his studies.But today's chat between the two of them didn't touch on these things at all, and Waipu didn't talk about Masayoshi Teranishi and the political circles, just exchanging small talk.

Doi still hasn't figured out why Waipu called him here.Thirteen or four years ago, when Waipu was still at the Economic News Agency, he went there many times to listen to his speeches.However, Waipu was recruited by the president of Dongfang Development Co., Ltd. and Jiuhong to be his secretary, and he has never had any contact with him since then.Later, Takuro Waipu became the private secretary of Masayoshi Teranishi. After Doi took up his current job, he sometimes met Uaiura in the vicinity of Nagatacho, but he never took the initiative to say hello to him.In Doi's heart, not only the shadow of the period of history that suffered setbacks in the "All Gongdou" movement often appeared in his mind.What makes him feel even more inferior is that now, as a ghostwriter for a Conservative MP, he seems to have a sense of humiliation that he is selling his soul.Today's appointment was called by Waipu to ask Doi to come here.

The dishes came one by one, and the two kept pouring beer.A waitress was sitting there trying to persuade her to drink, Bu Cai.Waipu was still chatting endlessly.Doi thought, what is his purpose in calling himself here?Is it really just gossip about the reunion after a long absence? "Not long ago, the meeting in support of Congressman Kawamura held at the O Hotel seemed to be an unprecedented event! Did you attend it too?" Although it is still small talk, it is not commonplace. "Yes, it's a grand event." Doi replied with lowered eyes for some reason. "Is the youth force of the 'Innovation Club' represented by Mr. Shan Zhuangping above quite active?"

"yes." Doi originally wanted to ask Gaipu how he felt about the "Renovation Club", but because Masaaki Kawamura wrote the speech himself, he felt timid and dared not speak. Waipu didn't ask about Doi's current occupation.However, Doi thought that as Teranishi's secretary, he was well informed about Nagata-cho, so he might know what he was doing, and Gaipu's intentional refusal to ask about his job was evidence.Doi felt that Waipu was deliberately avoiding the topic for fear of hurting the self-esteem of the younger students.Gaipu in front of him received him with a bright smile and cheerful words.

Doi seemed to feel that the tired and exhausted look he felt when we first met had disappeared from his body. "I heard from friends who attended the support meeting for Mr. Masaaki Kawamura that at that meeting Mr. Susuke Itakura was elated and full of energy. All the leading cadres of the Itakura faction attended the meeting. Is that true?" This is by no means Wai Pu collecting "intelligence" on other factions, he has absolutely no need for this.The Itakura faction only occupies the third place in the party, with the smallest number of people, and the newly formed Shangshan and other new power groups do not know when they will be separated from the Itakura faction, and all the leaders of the faction headed by Itakura Tuijie The reason why the cadres came to the support meeting of the young Congressman Masaaki Kawamura was as a strategy to prevent division.He has already been confirmed as the secretary of Masayoshi Teranishi, the next president. There is no need to worry about the movement of the minority, so this is just a topic in the chat. "Those who attended that meeting said," said Waipa with a smile, "the young congressman Mr. Kawamura's speech was very good, and he also said that the young congressman in his early years was really eloquent." Doi involuntarily lowered his head.To what extent does Waipu understand the truth?Are you pretending not to know?Or are you just saying this out of nowhere?Doi looked at Waipu's face, but his expression was natural. Two articles appeared in Doi's mind.One is a speech at the "Solidarity Meeting" written by Nobuyuki Doi on behalf of Masaaki Kawamura.Here he says: What kind of people lead today's Japanese politics?Those were a handful of old men in a trance. 'Trance' means softening of the brain caused by weakness!Refers to the barriers to cognition and understanding of the outside world.The old statesman's trance is manifested as blind conceit, or a peculiar kind of narcissism about one's own circumstances.But the out-of-control cerebellum is full of desire for survival, possessiveness, and self-display.Can we hand over Japan to these aging politicians?Absolutely not!We are not the New Right. Unlike so-called nationalism, we have always been nationalism with the people as the main body.We are people who will advance together with 100 million people for the future of Japan.The other is a call to action on "The New Situation of the Current Struggle at the University of the East": We are the general embodiment of the National University of Japan, and we have completely smashed the old system, old order, and old consciousness of the University of Tokyo. This is the fundamental starting point for all students of the University of Tokyo to fight together.As an inevitable means and form of this struggle process, we must build a school-wide fortress of copper and iron...we must abandon the weak form of struggle that used to be negotiated in the name of mass organizations...the moment to unite and form a steel-like fortress of the whole school It's here! ...Students, don't just think about employment after graduation, don't succumb to the school's threat to close the school, show courage and determination, and work hard to build a long-term fighting team! There is a gap of 14 years between Representative Kawamura's speech in the first part and the Tokyo University Declaration of "All Together" in the latter part.One is to serve the consolidation of conservative forces, and the other is to fight against the conservative system. In the past 14 years, Japan's political situation and past "All Gongdou" activists have undergone great changes.Comrades who fought together in the past have also sharply divided.Some lived a "bottom life", some never mentioned sports, and took the shortcut of "promotion and wealth".The latter type includes doi. Doi has a feeling of loathing and resentment for helping the Constitutional Party as a ghostwriter for a politician, and he always feels inferior because he thinks he has betrayed his youthful ideals and beliefs. Takuro Waipu has never been involved in politics since he was a student. Now both he and Doi can be said to serve conservative forces. It stands to reason that Doi can be more casual about Waipu, but Doi has the burden of a "betrayer" in his heart.Facing the calm third person Waipu, his heart is still tightly closed.Of course, Gaipu never said any unpleasant words to Doi that hurt his self-esteem. On the contrary, he tried his best to prevent Doi from being unhappy.Everything is clear, but Waipu pretends to be puzzled by Doi, which is unbearable for Doi. Suddenly, Waipu smiled at the waitress next to him and said: "Let's do it ourselves, don't worry about it, just serve the food." "yes." The hostess saluted and left the room. Doi became nervous.Waipu now wants to talk about the real purpose of calling himself here. "Doi-kun!" Waipu slanted his body, leaned his back casually on the seat, and showed a cynical smile. "This time I'm resigning as Mr. Teranishi's secretary." Doi looked up at Waipu's face, almost blurting out that he was lying, but there was no smile in Waipu's eyes.Doi realized that this was what he had asked himself to talk about, so he swallowed the words that came up and said: "This incident is...too sudden." "No, not suddenly, this is something I have considered a long time ago." When Doi was about to ask the reason for his resignation, Waipu explained: "I have been serving Mr. Teranishi for three years, and I think it's time to retire." He drank his beer after speaking.Doi looked at his hand holding the cup and asked: "However, hasn't it already been decided that in autumn, Prime Minister Gui will give up to Mr. Teranishi as the president and prime minister of the Constitutional Party? Such an important period is approaching, and Mr. Waipu's resignation as secretary will be a big blow to Mr. Teranishi?" "No, there are people who can take on this task. It turns out that I am a person who does not stick to details, so when Mr. Teranishi is in the opposition, I can still be a secretary. But once you become the prime minister, I will not be able to do it. I am not the prime minister at all. Wow, I can't do the secretary's materials!" "However, Mr. Teranishi agreed to your resignation?" "I'm already too tired. My husband also understands this, so he approved my long vacation smoothly." "I'm tired" said Waipu's true feelings.When the two talked to each other, Doi forgot about it, but before entering this room, Gaipu's tired and hoarse voice was heard through the partition, and his tired expression that he saw at the moment of opening the partition reappeared in front of Doi. .It seems that the impression at the first moment is real and profound! Now Waipu's face is flushed, and his voice is strong.But if you observe carefully, you will gradually feel that this is caused by the pleasure of talking with the younger students and the alcohol in the beer. However, his face is covered with the shadow of fatigue, which cannot be removed. Everyone in Nagata Town knew that Takuro Uura was Teranishi Masaoshi's capable secretary, and there might be hard work that others didn't know about. "So, what is Mr. Waipu going to do next?" Doi was silent for a while and asked him. "Well, I decided to go back to Mr. Kazuhiro. There is no other place to go." Waipu replied with a smile. To say that there is no other place to go is Waipu's modest words.Everyone in the area of ​​Nagata Town knew that at Teranishi's plea, He Hisahiro "lend" Gaipu to him.There is even a legend that Kazuhiu said to Teranishi, "Give me back Waipu quickly". Doi also couldn't figure out whether it was because Gaipu was tired of being Teranishi's secretary that he resigned?Or did He Jiuhong ask to "return him" and Teresi had to return him?If it is the latter reason, it was done as a last resort.Because, when Sixi "borrowed", both Sixi and his wife went to Hejiu Hong's place to repay him, doing all the etiquette, so when Hejiu asked, Sixi had to agree.What's more, He Jiuhong is a top figure in the financial world. "After arriving at Mr. Hejiu's place, I plan to go to Chile first." Waipu said with a smile. "Chile? From South America?" Doi said in surprise. "Yes." Waipu nodded. "Mr. Hejiu's Eastern Development Company has a 'Chile Eastern Development Company' in Santiago. Chile's copper output is second only to the United States, ranking second in the world. It is said that Chilean saltpeter still has two billion tons of buried reserves." Chilean Eastern Development The company' participates in the development and export of these resources, as well as iron. There is hematite ore in the southern part of the Chilean desert, and the ore is of good quality. It is an open-pit mine now, and it has not been found out how much it is buried. Hejiu Mr. is ready to cooperate with local companies to develop.” "Is Mr. Waipu working in the 'Chile Oriental Development Company'?" "That's right. But I don't know anything about mines, and I don't know how to do business, so in the name of vice president, I went to Chile, which I have never been to, and prepared to spend a leisurely life." “Chile is too far away!” "Far!" "When are you going back to Japan?" "The current plan is to come back in two years." Doi suddenly thought, is Gaiura's trip to Chile a pre-arrangement to obtain a development patent there once Teranishi becomes prime minister?There was a precedent for Sixitong and Hejiu's voices being connected.There was a Japanese prime minister who took the opportunity to obtain Chico's fishery development patent right during his official visit to Chile. "Doi-kun, I ask you one thing." After talking about Chilean development in general, Waipu continued: "I stayed in Santiago for at least two years when I came to Chile, and sometimes I went to Japan on a business trip, and I only stayed in Tokyo for about a week at that time. What I want to ask you is that before I return from the "Chile Oriental Development Company", I have one thing for you to keep." "Yes, I don't know what it is, but it's quite important, right?" "It's an important document for me, but it has nothing to do with politics, political parties, etc. Of course it's not anything related to Mr. Kazuhisa's company." Only then did Doi understand that the purpose of Gaipu calling him here was to ask him to help keep the documents before he returned from Chile.Doi said earlier that "this is an important document for me".Although his tone was half-joking, there was seriousness in his expression.Doi was attracted by it. "Is that Mr. Waipu's personal document?" "Well," Waipu hesitated for a moment and said vaguely, "You can also say that." "Are the documents in the house now?" "No, I didn't keep it at home." Waipu answered clearly. "To be honest, that document was kept at home in my study ten days ago. But following Mr. Kazuhisa's order, after I decided to go to Chile, I moved it to the bank's private safe." "Does the lady know about this?" "I don't know, I never told her." "..." "I haven't told my wife about many things. Because of work, I can't tell my family about many things. Things related to politics and political parties with Mr. Teranishi are top secret, and my wife is not interested in these things... That document in the bank safe can be considered one of the things that needn’t be said.” "You said just now that it is an important document for Mr. Waipu?..." "As a politician's secretary, private matters are closely related to politics and political parties. It is originally a private document, but it is closely related to the political situation, so I don't feel at ease keeping it at home when I am away for a long time." He probably meant "Secretary's Diary."There are many secretaries of great statesmen who keep record diaries.For example, the "Tsuyoshi Matsumoto Diary", the secretary of Takashi Hara, the Prime Minister of the late Taisho period, and the "Harada Diary" of Kumao Harada, the secretary of the elder Saionji Komochi.The former are all reprinted in the book "Politics in the Taisho Democratic Period" written by a professor at the University of Tokyo who studies modern history, and the latter is famous as being submitted to the "Tokyo War Criminals Tribunal" as evidence.The publication of the book "Saiyuanji Public and Political Situation" dictated by Harada Kumao is a famous example.Most of the contents of the diaries or records that the secretaries of the current parliamentarians keep are the actions of the parliamentarians and the handling of petition affairs.There is also a special role for the secretary's own "defense".For example, when the secretary accepts political donations, the name of the donor and the amount of the donation should be recorded in the diary to prevent members of parliament from doubting the secretary. Why did Waipu ask him to keep the documents in the safe? Doi asked Waipu, and Waipu explained: "I came to Chile for the first time. During the two years in Chile, something unexpected may happen. It is said that some iron mines are in the desert, and some are in the middle of the canyon. I will go to these places to inspect .I have not lived in this climate and environment, so I don't know what to expect. In case of unexpected events, I ask you to act as agent for the custody of the key to the bank safe." Doi couldn't understand why Waipu asked himself to be the attorney. Should he ask Waipu's wife to be the attorney? "You can't understand why I don't let my wife act as an agent and entrust you to do this?" Waipu finished his beer in one gulp. "yes." Doi filled Waipa's frothy glass with beer. "The reason is the same as what I said just now. My wife may want to read the documents in the safe, which are full of inside information about the political situation that my wife should not know. This will cause trouble for Mr. Teranishi." Waipu took a sip of beer I'll tell you later. "So am I the same?" "No, you won't read it." "I'm curious, maybe I can't help but want to see it?" "There are only two years, and you have to suppress this curiosity during these two years. But as long as I have instructions from Santiago, you can open the safe as an agent and see the contents of the document." "Under what circumstances did Mr. Waipu send such instructions from Chile?" "That's when my mood changed." "..." "People's moods are easy to change, especially if you live abroad alone for a long time, there is such a possibility." "Are you taking your wife to the post?" "The older child will go to university next year, and the one-year-old child will also go to university next year, so my wife can't go." "Two years is quite a long time!"? "Yes, long." "Can't it be changed to one year?" "If I negotiate with Mr. Kazuhisa, it is not impossible to shorten the term of office. There is not much to do in the position of vice president. I stayed in Chile for two years. I proposed to Mr. Kazuhisa. I am tired of being Mr. Teranishi's secretary and want to I spent a leisurely life there to eliminate fatigue. I am really tired, and of course it must be due to age." The fatigue that Waiepo felt when we first met still seemed real. "Doi-kun!" Waipu said after looking at his watch. "It's almost one o'clock now, hurry up and go to the bank after dinner. Go through the procedures for you to be a safe agent." Waipu clapped his hands, and the waitress came in. "Eat! Eat!" The safe that Waipu said was in the Mukoshima branch of Bank A. "You may wonder why the Mukojima Bank has a safe in such a remote place. I think it's probably because this is the place where people don't notice it!" After saying this, Waipu made a mischievous wink.The car they were riding in was passing the Yanwen Bridge. "Mr. Waipu, why did you choose me as the safe agent?" Doi managed to say what he wanted to say in "Kiriya House". "I have a lot of friends and acquaintances. But some of them are too close to me in the party and some of them are too far away from me." Waipu lit a cigarette with a lighter. "I consider myself to be Mr. Waipu's estranged friend. Because I haven't talked together for a long time, today is the first time in more than ten years." "That's enough. We can understand each other when we meet. Two hearts are connected." "Why does Mr. Waipu believe me... I am a laggard of the 'All Gongdou'. I betrayed the past revolutionary movement in order to make a living, and acted as a pawn of the shameful conservative forces. In order to make money, I became a low-level ghostwriter!" In the impulse of self-abuse, Doi said what he never dared to say. "Those things have nothing to do with me!" Waipu blew his cigarette into the car window.After crossing the Yanwen Bridge, turn left and walk onto the broad Mito Road.This is the 2-chome area of ​​Mukojima. "I believe in you." Waipu said. "As a schoolmate?" "Well, there's a reason for that too." There is no time to go on.On the right corner of a wide road, the signboard of "Bank A Mukoshima Branch" hangs on the fourth floor of a white building. Two people got off the taxi in front of the main entrance of the branch.Go inside and go to the private safe deposit box office. "Please." A middle-aged bank clerk saw Waipu walk from the inside to the counter and bowed.Waipu introduced to Doi that he was the vice president. "Mr. Sen." Waipu said to the vice president. "He is my friend Nobuyuki Doi, let him be the agent of the safe I rented. Do I need to go through any procedures?" "Really? Come here, please." Vice President Mori looked at Doi and led them to the reception room.In the cramped reception room, I went through the formalities of appointing an agent for renting a safe.On the card of the "Registration Book of Rental Safes" brought by Vice President Mori, there is already the signature and seal of the user Gai Takuro, and there is a column of "Agent" below it.The number is 2674.The following words were printed on the card: "The registered person is hereby appointed as my agent, and entrusted with the power to open the safe box I rented and handle all other matters that occurred during the rental process. For this purpose, I will file his handwriting and seal with your bank." Nobuyuki Doi wrote his name and address in the agency project, and stamped it for record. "Thank you!" As if wanting to remember Doi's face, the vice president looked at it carefully and bowed. "Don't you need a safe today?" The vice president asked Waipu if he wanted to show the agent Doi the rental safe. "No, I don't need it today." Waipu thought for a moment, and then went into the safe room alone, as if he wanted to look at something inside again.Waipu came out quickly and turned his face towards Doi. "I have the key No. 2674, and the bank has one. If you don't use these two keys at the same time, you can't open the safe." He took out a small brown leather bag from his jacket pocket, and showed him the keys in the bag, which were the same as ordinary keys. "Understood." Doi said after reading it.At that time, Doi did not get the key. After getting out of the bank and getting into a taxi, Gaipu handed the brown leather bag with the key inside to Doi. "Doi-kun, give this to you." "Ah, give it to me so early." "Well, I'm leaving for Santiago in a week. I'll leave it to you now. There are many things to do before I leave. I don't know if I will have the chance to meet you again then." "Why set off in such haste?" "Since we have decided to leave, we should leave as soon as possible." Waipu smiled.The taxi passed the Mukoshima Interchange, got on the expressway, and headed for the city center.Outside the car window, the cloud shadows of the passing buildings are reflected on the smiling face.Doi thought it was a kind of smile that made people feel extra lonely. "Mr. Waipu, I will keep the key safe." Doi put the small leather bag into the inside pocket of his jacket. "Thank you, please." After putting away the key to the safe, Doi said: "Mr. Waipu, when you were at 'Tong's House', you said something that worried me." "What did you say?" Waipu's eyes wavered slightly. "You said that the unexpected might happen while in San Diego. What did you mean?" "Nothing special." Waipu smiled cheerfully. "It's just that living in a foreign country with an unaccustomed climate and soil and water may damage my health. Santiago has a year-round temperature of 14 degrees, which is a comfortable Mediterranean climate, but hematite is located in Ataca at 30 degrees south latitude. In the Ma Desert and the Talabaka Desert, the de facto base of the "Chile Oriental Development Corporation" is here in Ichique. As the vice president, I can't stay in Santiago all the time, and I may live in Ichique Mining for a long time Place." Doi only recognized Chile, which is long and narrow from north to south, on the map! . "So, how about not being the vice president?" "That can't be done, I have received a lot of care from Mr. Kazuhiu!" "If you feel a little unwell, please come back immediately!" "Be prepared to do that. It's not just about being sick, though." "what?" "Chile is a country famous for earthquakes. There have been many major earthquakes in the past, and many people died. The unexpected events I mentioned also have this meaning. Of course, in terms of the threat of earthquakes, living in Chile It's the same as living in Japan." Waipu said while shaking from side to side in the taxi. "In order to deal with such unexpected incidents, I was appointed as the agent for renting out the safe. I understand this. But to open the safe, wait until Mr. Waipu returns home safely." "It's generally like that. But it's also possible that before I return home, I may have the idea of ​​asking you to open the safe to check the contents. If you receive a telegram from me in San Diego, you must do so!" "Do you want me to see the contents of that file?" "Yes! The files are in the safe, and you can see the contents after you unseal the package. I have sealed it tightly, so don't open it without my instructions." "If I receive instructions from Santiago, I will go through the documents as instructed, and then reseal them and put them back in the safe?" "Yes, do that, but you handle the paperwork." "Leave the documents in the safe to me? ... What's going on here?" Doi asked. "About the handling of the documents, I have already written a commission and put it in the safe together with the documents. You can go and see it when the time comes." Wai Pu added after answering two questions. "There are only these things in No. 2674... Please." He patted Doi on the shoulder. "Yes?" Doi had no choice but to accept his commission. "Where are you going?" "I'm going back to Adam's Hotel." "Is that so? I'm going to the Toho Development Headquarters in Marunouchi." "I'll send Mr. Waipu to the head office, and then go to the restaurant." Get off the expressway from the overpass of Kandabashi, and you will come to the street of Marunouchi Building. "Mr. Doi, I heard that you have a stenographer there?" Waipu said suddenly. "Yes, she took my dictation." Doi replied. Waipu took out a slightly thick envelope from his jacket pocket, but nothing was written on the envelope. "This is a kind of essay I wrote in shorthand notation. Can you ask your stenographer to read it?" "Mr. Waipu seems to have learned shorthand before?" "I learned from the stenographer in the Liaison Department when I was in the newspaper office. I used shorthand symbols to write a diary. It is like a password that others cannot understand. It is very convenient to quickly record what others say. But my shorthand symbols are old-fashioned. It's mixed with symbols I created myself, so I don't know if your stenographer can translate it into words." "You said it was an essay, so why write it in shorthand?" "It's a habit. I even write my diary in shorthand, so it's quick." "Is this essay somehow related to the files in the safe?" "Not at all, not at all!" Waipu shook his head vigorously. "This is an essay, but it is similar to creation." "Creation? Is it a novel?" "...something like that, just for fun. Ask your stenographer to comment on my shorthand technique." Waipu smiled silently, and the taxi stopped.