Chapter 17 Section 17

Kanae's full name is Tsumura Kanae.I heard that her father was an ordinary office worker.The reason why she didn't go to school or work was because she had other dreams. "I wanted to act, so I joined a certain troupe, but the director there was very irresponsible and had no interest in gaining public approval. It felt like I just had to enjoy myself. I think it would be difficult to stay in that kind of place any longer. It's over, so I resigned quickly." Kanae told me that she is now considering how to go in the future.She did not give up her dream of being an actress, but she felt that there might be other suitable jobs.Therefore, she intends to think about it for a while.

Since our first sexual experience, Kanae and I have seen each other every week, watched movies, played bowling, and dated like normal couples.When it's my turn to work the evening shift, I can't go back to the dorm until Sunday morning, but usually I just take a two- or three-hour nap before going out to my appointment.All I can say is that love has me carried away. It is impossible for Xiaoshan in the same dormitory not to notice my situation.One night, he said to me who was watching TV, "Tajima, are you dating that girl?" "Which girl...?" "You don't have to play dumb with me. That girl from the sorority. Is her name Kanae?"

"Hmm..." I didn't know how to answer, and I stuttered. "Are you dating?" "Well, that's it." I finally smiled.I thought I would be teased by him, but he never laughed at me.In fact, I really want to taste the taste of shyness. However, Xiaoshan didn't tease me, and said to me with a serious expression that was not his usual, "Uh... Naoko told me, you'd better give up that girl." I look at his face.He deliberately avoided my gaze. "What do you mean by that?" I asked him. "I'm not too sure about the actual situation, but Naoko said that she is very good at blackmailing, you'd better be on guard against her..."

"Excellent blackmail? Blackmail what?" Xiaoshan played with the front part of the plane's nose. "That girl is just hanging out with a man with a playful attitude. The purpose is to ask the other party to treat her to delicious food. To put it a bit extreme, I heard that as long as the other party is not a man who hates too much, it doesn't matter who it is. All in all, she He's a guy who plays games." "Did Naoko say this?" I stared at Xiaoshan. "Don't blame her. Naoko has known Kanae for a long time and knows what she is like, so she told me specifically."

"Even if she wants to play with me, she won't get any benefit, will she?" "So she's killing time. She seems to like to find a pure man and let him fall in love with her." I clenched my teeth with anger.If my personality had been a bit rougher, I would have beaten Xiaoshan all over the place. "She's not such a bad person." That's all I said before leaving the front of the TV.Xiaoshan didn't say anything more. After that, one day Kuramochi called the dormitory to say something important and asked if I could go out for a while.It was past nine o'clock.I was a little hesitant, but he said he must tell me if he had something to say, and even added: "If you don't listen to me, something irreversible will happen." His tone was quite serious.

In the end, I made an appointment to meet him at the coffee shop in front of the station.I go out on my bicycle. "It's down." As soon as I sat down, Kuramochi said. "Falled? What fell?" Cang Mo moved his face closer to me, and said in a low voice, "There's no need to say that, Suiji International." I let out an "ah" and couldn't help being stiff all over. "All the cadres disappeared without a trace today, but the office is still there. Tomorrow, only temporary employees who don't know about it will go back to work. The media should find out about this, and then there will be a small commotion. But , They couldn’t dig out any news. Suji International’s approach is to take advantage of legal loopholes, so in the end, it’s just a small and medium-sized enterprise.” Kuramochi raised his coffee cup to his lips and said gloatingly.

"What about the victim?" He smiled secretly as if he was waiting for me to ask this question. "Victims? Where are the victims?" "Members. Those who joined the club at the briefing." "Wait a minute. Those members wanted to join Hozumi International themselves, and they are also part of the organization. Why are they the victims?" "But, they paid, didn't they? Four hundred thousand!" "That's the money to buy gems. Maybe those gems are inferior, but the contract of sale is valid. If you want to say that they bought worthless things as victims, then what if they forcefully sell the same things to others Said? That is also an act of harm."

I looked at his smirking face and thought to myself: "So that's the case. The victim is also the perpetrator." "It's true, but there will still be people who claim to be victimized and come out to make trouble." The first thing that came to my mind was Fujita's face. "That's why I asked you to come out." Kuramochi said seriously.He lowered his voice, and continued, "We are neither victims nor perpetrators. Some people don't see it that way, though. If they find us, we'll be in trouble." "Are you trying to tell me to run away?" I thought to myself, how could such a thing be possible.

Kuramochi shook his head. "There's no need to run. There's only one way we can go." He held up his index finger. A few days after meeting with Kuramochi, the media reported that Hozumi International had closed down.Although Kuramochi said that the media couldn't dig out the news, newspapers and TV still used the word "victim".The police launched a search, but could not find the whereabouts of the relevant persons, and the employees who stayed in the office did not know.These are the same as what Kuramo said. A few days after that, strange rumors began to circulate within the factory.There seemed to be a few victims of the Hozumi Incident, but they were unlikely to show up voluntarily, so it must have been reported by someone who had been recruited into the club.

Fujita did not come to work again.He didn't tell the team leader the reason for his absence, and I later replaced him. "There is a person named Sawamura in the second class, right? I heard that he was arrested by the police." A team member who was playing cards during the break said. "Why?" asked another. "I don't know the details. It seems to be causing trouble in the hotel. I heard that guy is also a member of the Gem Trading Rat Association." "The thing that has been arguing so much lately? Oh, is that guy a victim too?" "I heard that guy pretended to be crazy by drinking and beat up the person who dragged him into the rat club. Before that, they should have been discussing what to do in the future while drinking."

"Yeah, the reason for being arrested is really boring." "It's not bad to be arrested for drinking and making trouble. The problem is that they joined the rat club. If the company knows about it, they won't let it go easily." "That's true." I listened to their conversation and felt my heart beat faster.Who was the one who was beaten up by that Sawamura?Could it be Fujita? Two or three days later, people from the personnel department came to see me.I sat face to face with two strangers in an office on a corner of the factory. One of them was a thin man in his thirties with a disgusting smile on his face all the time, and the other was younger than him, almost Poker face. The skinny man said as soon as he opened his mouth, "Take it easy." "We have received news about you, we are a little concerned, and want to confirm with you." The thin man asked with a smile. "Do you know a company called Hoji International?" I was fully on guard, thinking to myself: "The one who should come has finally come." "A company that sells gems through members, right?" "You know it very well." "I've read the papers, and there's some gossip going around in the factory." "In the factory? What kind of gossip?" "I heard that some of the employees were cheated." "Yes." The thin man nodded slightly, clasped his fingers on the table, and rested his chin on his hands. "We have received information that you are also a member there." "Me? No, I'm not." I shook my head. "Who said that?" The skinny man stared at me without answering.His eyes seemed to want to see through the truth of what I said. "But, someone saw you at the briefing held by that company." Undoubtedly, the message came from Fujita.In this way, he has already accepted the investigation of the personnel department, so it is not the best policy to continue lying. "Mr. Fujita said it?" "Fujita? Where is it?" The thin and small man didn't even raise his eyebrows, he pretended to be stupid and showed me. "Mr. Fujita from our workplace. He is on vacation today. Did you hear it from him?" "Why do you think that?" "To be honest, I went to the briefing session. I didn't go because I was interested, but because someone was pestering me to join the club, and I didn't like the trouble of refusing. At that time, I met Mr. Fujita. But of course that was a coincidence." I don't need to deny that I attended the briefing session, the point is not to say who asked me to join the club - this is the advice given to me by Kuramochi. "Didn't you join the club then?" "No, I didn't join. They wanted me to join, but I refused and went home." The two men from the personnel department looked at each other. "Really? Even if you hide something, we will find out one day." The thin man said. "I'm not lying. You'll know when you investigate." The skinny man looked into my eyes.He probably thought he could tell if I was lying by looking in my eyes.I looked back into his eyes too, and tried not to blink. "According to what Fujita said, you have indeed gone through the registration procedures." The skinny man finally said Fujita's name. "Maybe it looks like that, but I was just talking to the guy who took me to the briefing. He also kept urging me to join the club, but I flatly refused. Because I couldn't come up with a sum as big as 400,000." "I heard that you can get a loan." "I don't want to borrow money. Besides, it always seems suspicious to me." The skinny man nodded slightly, with a smile on his mouth, but an expression of thinking about something.He was probably hesitating, wondering if he should trust Fujita or me. After a week or so, I was told that Fujita had resigned.It is said that he resigned voluntarily, but the truth is unknown.It is a well-known fact that he participated in the rat club and recruited several employees to join. However, our company prohibits side businesses, and this alone is enough to constitute a basis for punishment.Judging from the fact that he has victimized more employees, the HR department will not let him go. In addition, this is also a gossip, I heard that the originally decided marriage has also been cancelled.Fujita wanted to save more money for the marriage and joined that kind of improper organization, but the marriage was blown up. This can only be said to be very ironic. For a while, gossip about him spread around the factory.As soon as someone hears new news, he will tell everyone during the break.Some people said that he became a daily wage worker, and some people said that he devoted himself to the Rat Society, all of which are not sure how credible it is. However, the series of events did not end here. About a month later, the weather has been warm for several days, and the factory has drawn up a flower viewing plan early.I have gradually gotten used to the new job, and I also talked and laughed with everyone.The Fujita affair is hardly mentioned anymore. That day, I worked overtime for two hours, and when I finished changing and left the company, it was already around 8:30.I stepped on my bicycle and rode towards the dormitory.The restaurant in the dormitory is open until ten o'clock. I bought biscuits and cans of beer at the supermarket on the way, put the bags in the car basket, and rode all the way back to the dormitory.After dinner, drinking beer slowly in the room is a great enjoyment. The bicycle parking lot is behind the dormitory.The lights there were dim, and there was a garbage dump on the side, and there was a strange smell.I always stop breathing and park my bike in the designated spot. At that time, I was also pushing my bicycle and took a deep breath. At that moment, a black figure suddenly appeared in the shadow of the trash can.Rather than saying that he jumped out, it was more like he bent his body and slid out. I stood there and called out "Hi" to the figure. My body is stiff.The light in the distance faintly illuminated the other party's face.It was Fujita, wearing a black bomber jacket with a stubbled face. "How dare you set a trap to harm me!" Fujita roared. I can't figure out what's going on.I couldn't figure out why Fujita suddenly appeared, and why he appeared in front of me. Fujita approached me.I backed up reflexively. "Setting a trap... what are you talking about?" I finally said such a sentence. Under the dim light, I saw Fujita's distorted face. "Stop pretending! It's clear that you set the trap and let me fall into that deceitful business." After hearing what he said, I finally understood what was going on.He already knew about my acting at the presentation.But why would he know?Who did he listen to?My mind was full of questions and my mind was thrown into chaos for a moment. "I didn't." I managed to squeeze out the words, thinking to myself, "Why don't you come here soon!" "Don't play dumb! I know everything. Do you know how much you hurt me? I was forced to resign, my marriage was ruined, I was scolded by the people I asked them to join as a member, and all my money was lost. Never come back. How are you going to compensate me? Tell me!" "So I told you not to recruit people from the company..." "Stop talking nonsense!" Fujita snarled, "I heard from the personnel department. You shameless guy, you actually said that you didn't join the membership. They not only let you go, but also punished you. Only I was fired. And you took over my job, right? Damn it! How can I let you take advantage of it!" He seems to have come up with something.I found that it was a knife, and I couldn't help trembling all over. "Ah, wow, stop!" I screamed in disregard of my face, and let go of the bicycle.After a loud noise, the bicycle fell to the ground, and the canned beer and biscuits in the basket were scattered everywhere. Fujita stepped on the biscuit bag, and the biscuits scattered all over the ground with the sound of shattering. I thought to myself "I can't run away", but I just looked at his face and couldn't move my feet.His eyeballs were swollen with hatred, his face was livid, the corners of his mouth were twisted, and the veins from his neck to his temples were exposed.The shadow behind him made the expression on his face even more treacherous and terrifying.His turbulent breathing made me fall into an illusion, as if the stench from his mouth was all on my face. Then, from the corner of his ferocious and twisted mouth, he made a sound that he didn't know whether it was a language or a moan.He grumbled as he walked towards me.The light of the knife came into my eyes.At this time, my feet can finally move.I started running backwards. However, something hooked my feet.By the time I realized it was a bicycle handlebar lying on the ground, it was too late.I fell forward, slamming my knees and chin into the ground. I got up in a hurry, and Fujita attacked me at this moment.Rather than saying that I dodged him, it was because I lost my balance and rolled to the side.Suddenly, my left shoulder was aching.I saw that Fujita's knife had penetrated deeply into my left shoulder. "Ah..." I screamed.What was originally a dull pain suddenly became a sharp pain, spreading around like a burning fire.A few seconds later, the left half of the body was in excruciating pain. Fujita pulled out his knife, as if planning to stab me again.I was mentally prepared to die.Oddly enough, the imagining of excruciating pain is more frightening than death. However, Fujita did not stab me again.He turned and ran away, disappearing into the dark depths of the bicycle parking lot. I feel someone rushing over.There is only feeling, but no sound, as if the hearing is paralyzed. I fell to the ground, and there was a face staring at me, shouting something. "...do it!" I suddenly heard it again. "How are you?" I nod.The left side of the body was hot and numb. There seemed to be more than one person around.Someone lifts my head.What appeared in front of his eyes was Xiaoshan's face. "Tajima, cheer up!" I heard him shout.I want to nod, but I can't quite move my neck. At this time, the sound of a car braking suddenly came from somewhere. The doctor diagnosed that my injury would take a month to heal.Fortunately, the arm is not disabled, I finally feel at ease.If a few colleagues who found out that something was wrong hadn't arrived at that time, I would have been stabbed to death. It is said that after the murder, Fujita climbed over the wall of the dormitory to escape, forced to cross the sixth-lane national highway, and was run over by a large truck on the spot.He is said to have died on the spot.So, I had no choice but to lie on the hospital bed and tell the criminal police what happened. I said at the beginning: "It's really inexplicable." "I don't know why, Mr. Fujita seems to believe that I joined Hozumi International. He seems to be very dissatisfied that he was the only one who was punished, but I was not blamed." "So he stabbed you with a knife to vent his anger?" the older criminal policeman asked me. "I think so. That's the only reason I can think of." Probably because the suspect is dead, I don't feel any motivation from the criminal police.He went back immediately after listening to my statement of the case.I'm not quite sure what the police did after that. The pain of the wound is gradually relieving, however, some things cannot fade away with time. At that time, Fujita definitely came here with the determination to put me to death.He was filled with a murderous aura. Even if the pain is gone, the killing intent and disgusting memory that made me unable to move will never disappear.