“Bang!”
A solid punch landed on Paul's face, sending his entire body falling towards the ground. Luckily, he reacted quickly and stood up immediately.
However, his face was now filled with anger, and he loudly exclaimed, “I said there’s no need to resort to violence!”
He clutched his face, feeling a stinging pain.
His eye-catching bright blue down jacket was covered in a lot of dust from the ground, making him look even more disheveled.
“No need?!” A burly man angrily pointed at his truck parked on the side of the road. “You kid! Riding that broken motorcycle like you have no eyes! You almost scratched my car door! Do you know how expensive that paint is?! Huh?!”
The man’s spit flew everywhere, and his Kansai dialect roar made Paul’s ears ring.
Only then did he realize that he had been in a hurry, and his motorcycle had indeed stopped a bit too close to the man’s truck; the rearview mirror seemed to have lightly touched it.
“S-Sorry! I really didn’t mean to! I’m in a hurry to get to work!” Paul quickly bowed in apology, trying to explain.
He was a trainee reporter for ORE Daily News; being late was commonplace, but today seemed exceptionally unlucky.
“Work? Is work more important or compensation more important?!” The man was relentless, grabbing Paul’s collar. “If you don’t pay up today, you’re not leaving!”
“I really am in a hurry… Hey! Let go!” Paul struggled, and the scene became quite chaotic for a moment.
Just as the two were locked in a difficult struggle, a piercing phone ringtone saved Paul.
“Ding-a-ling—!”
Paul felt as if he had been granted amnesty. He quickly broke free and fumbled to pull out his phone from his inner coat pocket: “Moshi Moshi? Reiko Senior?”
Okubo Daisuke’s roar immediately came from the other end of the line: “Paul! Where have you been?! The survivor of the disappearance case! Has appeared! In Nishiwaseda, Shinjuku Ward! Get over there immediately! Cooperate with the interview! Now! Immediately!”
“Survivor?!” Paul’s eyes instantly widened. All his grievances and pain were washed away by this explosive news. “Yes! Reiko Senior! I’ll be there immediately! Absolutely immediately!”
He hung up the phone, looked at the still fuming man in front of him, and forced a smile that was uglier than crying: “S-Sir! I’m truly sorry! I have an urgent assignment! You see…”
“Cut the act! Pay up!” The man clearly wasn’t buying it.
Paul gritted his teeth and, with a pained heart, pulled out the only two ten-thousand-yen bills from his meager wallet, almost crying as he handed them over: “H-Here you go! Twenty thousand yen! I-I’m truly very sorry! I’m in a hurry!”
The man suspiciously took the money, looked at the crisp bills, then looked at Paul’s anxious, almost-crying expression, and snorted, finally relenting: “Hmph! You’re a smart kid! Be more careful next time!”
“Yes! Yes!” Paul, as if pardoned, scrambled onto his motorcycle, started the engine, and in a puff of black smoke, wobbled away into the distance, leaving the man still counting his money.
…
At a breakneck speed, Paul finally arrived near the survivor’s house in Nishiwaseda before Momoi Reiko’s patience ran out.
From afar, he saw Reiko’s familiar interview car parked at the alley entrance.
“Reiko Senior!” Paul ran over, panting.
Momoi Reiko leaned against the car door, arms crossed, her face so grim it looked like it could drip water: “You finally decided to show up? I thought you’d fallen into a sewer!”
“Sorry, sorry! On the way… uh, there was a small situation!” Paul quickly admitted his mistake, not daring to mention the “small situation” of twenty thousand yen.
“Forget it!” Reiko waved her hand, pointing to an apartment building nearby. “That’s the target! The survivor is a woman named Iida Megumi. We…”
Her words stopped abruptly.
At the entrance of that apartment building, a team of detectives in neat police uniforms walked out in single file.
The leader was a tall man, wearing a sharp Police Inspector uniform, with a stern face and eyes as sharp as an eagle’s.
He was accompanied by two officers, one appearing older and steady, the other younger.
It was You Hong, Sato Ichiro, and Kondo Motoki.
Paul’s eyes lit up. Wasn't this a great opportunity to interview the police?
He immediately started to rush forward.
“Hey! Wait a minute!” he shouted, raising his voice recorder.
You Hong paused, his cold gaze sweeping over, falling on Paul like a tangible weight.
“Unauthorized personnel are not permitted near the scene,” You Hong’s voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
“We are reporters from ORE Daily News!” Momoi Reiko stepped forward, attempting to negotiate. “Regarding the situation of Young Miss Iida Megumi, we would like to…”
“The case is under investigation, no comment,” You Hong interrupted directly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
He nodded towards Sato and Kondo. “Clear the area.”
“Yes! Police Inspector!” Sato Ichiro immediately stepped forward, and together with Kondo, they stood like two walls in front of You Hong, gesturing for Paul and Momoi Reiko to leave. Their attitude was polite but firm.
“Please cooperate with the police and do not obstruct the investigation.”
“But we are reporters! We have the right to interview…” Paul still wanted to argue.
“Not even reporters,” You Hong’s voice came from behind. “Especially you, Reporter Paul.” His gaze seemed to penetrate Paul. “It’s best to mind your own business with some things.”
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Paul’s head.
He felt the other party had a hidden meaning, but he didn’t understand what it specifically referred to.
Momoi Reiko saw the situation and knew that forcing their way in was futile. Being experienced, she knew that further entanglement would only make things worse. She grabbed Paul, who was still trying to speak: “Let’s go! Idiot!”
Paul was forcibly dragged away by Reiko, looking back with reluctance.
You Hong had already taken his subordinates into the police car and driven away.
All that was left for them was car exhaust and a deep sense of frustration.
“Damn it! Just a little bit more!” Paul angrily punched the interview car’s door.
“A little bit more? It’s all your fault for being late!” Momoi Reiko glared at him fiercely. “Go back and write a self-criticism! Don’t even think about touching today’s draft!”
…
ORE Daily News, Editor-in-Chief’s office.
“Baka yarou!!” Okubo Daisuke’s roar almost shook the ceiling. “A survivor! Such big news! And you guys were blocked by the police?! Didn’t even get to see the person?! Paul! Is your brain filled with tofu dregs?!”
Spit rained down like a storm on Paul’s dejected face.
He hung his head, looking at the dust-covered hem of his bright blue coat, feeling that today was truly the worst of luck.
“Editor-in-Chief, I’m sorry…” he mumbled.
“What good is ‘sorry’?! Get out! Just looking at you annoys me!” The Editor-in-Chief angrily grabbed a stack of manuscripts and slammed them on the desk.
Paul silently retreated from the Editor-in-Chief’s office, leaned against the cold wall of the corridor, and sighed a long, long sigh.
“Ah—!! Today is truly unlucky—!!!”
He looked up and let out a frustrated shout, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.