HA2 13.3 – New Prey
Like every Monday morning, Hide would train in Beauty & the Beast. Takeo would train in Old Pier, while Shizuka would polish her skill to ride motor bike. It’s just that today they had to end their training earlier than usual because Hide wanted to hold a talk.
The three arrived in East Nichiko High almost at the same time. Then, they went to the rooftop and while enjoying their breakfast they start the talk.
“I have decided the target for our first job,” Hide calmly said, and then he turned his gaze to Shizuka as he continued. “But before that, I need to know why you give a middle school kid 450 thousand Ren.”
“I can’t do that. Right?” Shizuka hesitantly asked.
“Nope, you can,” Hide replied before putting a piece of omelet roll into his mouth. “It’s your money. You can use it for whatever you want as long as you don’t spend 500 thousand Ren in one transaction.
I’m just curious about the reason. Nothing else and else.”
“Do you still remember Kanako, my friend who was killed by Takeshi?”
“I do.”
“The middle school kid is her sister. Her name is Reiko, a third year in East Nichiko Middle School.” After taking a bite of her mackerel rice ball Shizuka added, “Her uncle try to sell Reiko to pay his debt to a loan shark, so I step in.”
“Wait a second,” Hide creased his brows as he continued, “You didn’t give the money to Reiko, but to the loan shark.”
“Yeah, and I didn’t pay 450 thousand Ren in one go, but three separate payments 150 thousand Ren each.” After heaving a deep sigh Shizuka continued, “That’s why I don’t get it. How the fuck a rumor of I give 450 thousand Ren to Reiko suddenly circulates in our school.
Moreover, it mentions that I spoil Reiko like a rotten parent, and sell my body to old jerks to earn the money.”
As a bad hunch filled his mind Hide asked, “Tell me the name of the loan shark?”
“Kamui Finance.”
“Are you sure it’s Kamui Finance?”
“Yeah, I came to their office personally,” Shizuka casually added. “Coincidently, it’s in Chikara Tower, 7th floor, first door from elevator.”
“Damn,” Hide weakly cursed before heaving a deep sigh. “You have appeared on the radar of nasty thug.”
In an instant big question mark appeared in Shizuka’s forehead, “How so? I don’t cause any trouble for them.”
After putting another piece of omelet roll in his mouth Hide explained. “When they have borrower with nice appearance, Kamui will put it so this unfortunate person have to work in nightlife industry under their management. Spreading nasty rumor about their victim is the first step in their MO.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“What a rotten trash.” Shizuka clenched her fist as cold gleam flash in her eyes.
“Indeed,” Hide nodded before adding, “Unfortunately, Kamui has strong connection with every underworld group in Nichiko. When there is a huge deal in Nichiko, Kamui always broker it.
This is the reason why they dare to act so brazenly and nastily, even though they have only about 20s thugs.”
“I will report it to metro police,” Shizuka firmly said.
“It’s no use. Kamui is sly enough to operate without breaking the law.”
Takeo who so far only listened to the conversation, turned his gaze to Hide and asked, “If Shizuka fully pay the debt, Kamui will no longer have reason to bother her, won’t they?”
Shizuka nodded and said, “Yeah, it’s only 3 million Ren. I can pay it with ease.”
“Not that simple. Kamui will even go as far as robbing their victims to ensure they fail in paying their debt.”
“So…” Worry filled Shizuka’s face as she continued, “What should I do?”
“It’s not what you should do, but what we should do,” Takeo calmly said.
“We are a band of robber. Let’s act like one,” Hide calmly suggested.
Shizuka instantly turned her gaze to Hide. “Do you mean we should rob them?”
“Correct. Let’s kill them all and robe their safe dry.”
“What about our first job?” Shizuka pausing for a moment before continuing, “Do we postpone it?”
“Let’s replace it with Kamui job,” Hide casually replied. “Initially, I just want to secure a few millions Ren from a small and low profile job. But now, let’s get mid-size harvest from Kamui.”
“Are you sure we can target Kamui?” Shizuka hesitantly asked.
“If we do it properly, we’ll be fine.”
“Let’s do it then,” Without second thought Takeo expressed his agreement.
As for Shizuka, with a complicated tone she said, “I’m sorry. I cause another trouble.”
“It’s not your fault,” Hide firmly said. “And I believe you will do the same for us.”
“Thanks,” Shizuka said as huge gratitude and happiness filled her face to the brim.
“However,” Hide sipped of his tea before continuing, “Eliminating Kamui is one thing, while Reiko’s uncle is another problem.”
“Since a week ago Reiko lives in my place,” Shizuka happily said. “Her uncle won’t be a problem anymore.”
“How far your father knows about this matter?”
“He only knows that Reiko lost her parent two years ago and her big sister passed away recently, and now we will treat her like our own.”
“In that case, we won’t have other issue after we eliminate Kamui,” Takeo calmly concluded.
“Yup,” Hide expressed his agreement, while inwardly he planned to eliminate Keiko’s uncle silently. ‘It’s vital to clean the root of the problem through fully, or it will grow another trouble in the future.’
Once they finished their breakfast, Hide gave Takeo the manual for the radio and other encrypted-equipment from Villa Tigera. Other than the coms manual, Hide also gave Takeo the manual on how to gather intelligence and compiled it into a target package, and Hide gave him ten days to complete the target package for Kamui.
As for Shizuka, Hide gave her two shopping lists. The first list was rock climbing and mountaineering kits that she had to buy online covertly, while the second list consisted of lead ingot, brass sheet, steel sheet, titanium block, spray paint mixture, and tungsten pin she had to buy in local King’s Hardware covertly.
After putting great emphasize that to carry the intelligence gathering and the shopping, Takeo and Shizuka had to assist each other, Hide ended the meeting. Then, they went to their class separately. Hide leaved first, while Takeo and Shizuka stayed in the rooftop for another fifteen minutes.
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While waiting in the rooftop, Shizuka recalled a suggestion from Takeo. Back then when the nasty rumor about her started circulating, Takeo suggested her to talk about it to Hide. It didn’t matter if she just talked it as a small talk. The point was to let Hide knew her situation directly from her.
However, Shizuka refused it. She thought that Hide already knew, and if he didn’t ask her about it, it meant he didn’t have a time to be concerned or he thought it’s none of his business. Whatever it was, Shizuka decided it would be the best if she took care of it by herself. But now, she realized that Hide didn’t ask her because he was truly clueless about it.
“You are right,” Shizuka weakly said. “Hide seems doesn’t know about the rumor.”
“I told you,” Takeo calmly said. “Hide always avoids making conversation with other kids if it has no specific purpose. He also has no interest in listening to their conversation. Therefore, he is always oblivious to information that had nothing to do with the school, his study, Hiking Club, or our job.”
“I guess I underestimate Hide’s anti-social level too much.”
“You did.”
“Don’t tell me he also doesn’t know that the brat who made Aizawa snap is Sayaka’s little brother.”
“He doesn’t know.” After heaving a deep sigh Takeo added, “I had told him the overall situation on why and how Aizawa had snapped and then was alienated by her friends, but Hide didn’t dig deeper after that.”
At that time, Takeo had a hope that after Hide did his own digging, he would found that it was Sayaka’s little brother who unintentionally triggered Aizawa. Then, he would also found that the brat was only repeated Sayaka’s words when he said to Aizawa that Hide didn’t give a damn about her.
And finally, Hide would find out that Sayaka rejected him because she believed he had treated Aizawa poorly, along with the fact that Sayaka confessed to Takeo because she always had soft spot for older brother who cherished his younger sibling.
“That’s why,” After heaving another deep sigh Takeo added, “To this moment, I still try finding a way to tell him the whole story about the incident with Aizawa, along with Sayaka’s confession to me.”
“Got it,” Shizuka firmly said. “I will help you as best as I can.”
After a smile Takeo said, “Thanks. I definitely need your help.”
*****