CH 4

Hiroki was met with another problem.

Just when he thought his business was going well……

It was that money-lending tortoiseshell glasses from “Whatever Finance” who brought in the trouble.

[No, no. That’s outrageous. This is good news for you……]

[Huhh……]

[The heck is that, bro? Even though I’m the one bringing in all the profits, what the heck is with that attitude!? Yeah!?]

[Huhh……]

Flopping down on the couch in Hiroki’s office in a white double suit, the guy placed his feet, wearing enamel shoes, on the table. Looking at him though, Hiroki wondered.

“This” is good news?

Hiroki thinks that his definition of “good news” differs greatly from tortoiseshell glasses.

[Errr…… Hougi-san…… was it?]

[Yeah! I’m Hougi!]

[Which family are you with?]

[What bullsh*t are you on now!? I’m a company employee!]

If he had just told Hiroki his family’s name, he could have refused the deal according to the Anti-Boryokudan Act.

(T/N: It’s a law in Japan that apparently shifted the “Yakuza VS Police” to “Yakuza VS Society”. An ordinance that prohibits citizens from making or keeping up a relationship with the yakuza)

These days, yakuzas are so clever that they can be troublesome.

But then, those who weren’t clever were either thrown behind bars or had their ties cut off by their family.

[I see…… What is the “company employee” Hougi-san’s business here?]

[Ahhh? You freaking looking down on me!? I said! I’m here to talk business!]

[Huhh……]

Looking at the raging guy in front of him, Hiroki wondered.

Why is it that even though a guy, who clearly looks like he’s a yakuza, is threatening him, he isn’t feeling fear at all.

When Hiroki silently returned his gaze, for some reason, it was Hougi who looked away.

[Tsk…… Well, simply speaking, we’re asking you to dispose of our trash.]

He clicked his tongue. That isn’t something a company employee would have done.

[I’m still taking up contracts for disposing of construction waste though.]

[Nah, nah, the trash we’re having you dispose of is “special”.]

[Special huh……]

Hearing his words, Hiroki wondered why he had a bad feeling about it.

[This is to help the people working in the hospital and farms…… In other words, it’s “an act of mercy”.]

[An act of mercy huh……]

Those were words that didn’t fit a yakuza at all.

No, he’s a “self-proclaimed” company employee, isn’t he?

Thinking about it though, the bad feeling Hiroki was having was just getting stronger.

[So, what exactly are you talking about here?]

[Disposing of syringes…… Also, this and that.]

[This and that?]

[The soil scraped from the surface of farmlands. The farmers were feeling troubled with that……]

Hearing what he said though, Hiroki doesn’t seem to understand what he meant by scraping the soil…… until he seemed to have realized something.

[Radioactive waste!? Also, you’re asking me to deal with medical waste!? What are you thinking!? That’s impossible!]

And thus, Hiroki shouted.

Those two types of waste posed a different order of risk for Hiroki.

Those matters wouldn’t just involve the local prefecture’s government.

If one doesn’t do well with dealing with them, the country will come after them.

If that happens, the idiotic tail that would be cut off would definitely be Hiroki.

[Ahhh? Don’t you want to help people?]

Even if the yakuza threatens him, Hiroki thinks that doing this is impossible.

[I can’t do that. I refuse.]

[Even if I ask like this, you refuse?]

[Please go help people by yourself.]

[You f*cking brat! You dare get cocky on me!]

Enraged, the yakuza was about to grab Hiroki by the collar, but for some reason, he was able to easily grab the yakuza’s hand.

On the contrary, Hiroki was even naturally overwhelming him.

[……You can’t do that. I’m against violence.]

[……You b*stard!……]

He tried to strike again with a headbutt, but Hiroki gently stopped him with his other hand.

From Hiroki’s eyes, the yakuza’s actions seem really slow.

He thinks that if a guy like him is going to make a living off violence, he should work out a bit more.

[Guhh…… This guy……]

[Well then, please go home. The door is over there.]

Just like that, Hiroki drove the yakuza and the tortoiseshell glasses out of the room, and roughly closed the door on them.

[Fuuuu……]

Letting out a sigh, Hiroki wondered…… What in the world has he become?

Staring at the crumpled doorknob in his hand though, for some reason, Hiroki found himself unable to feel a shred of anxiety.

★　★　★　★　★

[Geez, what “act of mercy”? Radioactive waste isn’t a joking matter……]

Complaining about what had happened during the day, Hiroki opened a can of beer.

He thinks that it’s better to drink and forget about unpleasant things.

[As expected, low-malt beer really won’t do. It has to be the premium.]

(T/N: Premium is a beer. He’s talking about The Premium Malt’s.)

Hiroki’s drinking had been increasing recently, partly because he could now afford it.

He used to have a hard time the next morning if he drank too much, but he doesn’t feel such a problem at all now and could drink without worry.

The yakuza didn’t really scare him, but the deal he brought him was still in Hiroki’s mind.

[Radioactive…… Radioactive huh…… I guess I could do that……]

Hiroki vaguely remembered an article he had read in a magazine some time ago about a radioactive marker that was apparently used to track something.

He usually pretends to have forgotten about it, but Hiroki was actually wondering where the garbage he had thrown in the hole went.

He also wondered if there were any chemicals or other substances that might leak to the surface.

[I think I’d better get it checked by a specialist…… No, those in the prefecture won’t do. But if it’s a university or some laboratory…… they might be able to do a private test for me if I pay them.]

Opening the website of a local national university, still in a tipsy mood, Hiroki started looking for a suitable laboratory.