Chapter Twenty Five: I Don’t Need A Weapon; My Friends Are My Power!

「Where are you now?」

「I’m out in front of Suehirocho Station. 」

「Wait there, I’m coming over.」

「No, it’s okay. He’s gone, and I’m going to leave in a minute. Just catching my breath. What the hell just happened?」

「You didn’t agree to anything, did you?」

Trash hesitated.

「What? You didn’t agree, did you?」

「I nodded my head. Does that count?」

「Hmm. Probably not. Anyway, you need to talk to Mom. She can explain. I have no idea about this stuff.」

「How is your mom involved? Isn’t she some kind of corporate lawyer?」

「She is. I told you, she didn’t do anything. It was the Old Goat. Hibiki called her this morning. It seems he got someone to check into your grandfather’s estate. There was something fishy going on with the will. So they contacted the law firm handling everything, and then the whole thing kinda exploded.」

「What do you mean, exploded?」

「Mom says that your uncle and aunt were messing around with the estate, trying to cut your father’s share out. It was supposed to go to you. The law firm might have been in on it, but now that they know people are looking, they are playing nice.」

Trash sat at the table, staring out at the road. Now that his uncle’s face was out of his sight, the anger he had felt a moment ago was gone, replaced by confusion and, now, a hint of hope.

「Anyway, Mom is looking around to find a lawyer to help you. Someone trustworthy and experienced in estate law. She said for now, don’t agree to anything and don’t sign anything. She’ll call tonight and explain what’s going on.」

「Is it really mine? No joke?」

「Yeah, seems so. Anyway. Are you coming over here? Or I can head over there and meet you.」

「Nah, I’m done here. I’ll head over to your place. I should be there in about ten minutes.」

「Cool. See you then. Oh, and congratulations!」

「Huh?」

「You’re now a landowner!」

Trash didn’t know how to respond to that.

「Still there?」

「Dunno. Shit! I’m still freaking out. Anyway. I’ll see you soon.」

Trash hesitated, then added.

「Hey, thanks, Pazu. Seriously.」

「Seeya.」

Shaking off the stunned reaction, Trash got up from the table and looked around.

He felt strange. The sound around him was muffled, like when you took a fast elevator. He felt oddly detached, and worried that this was all a dream. Maybe he was hallucinating because of the hit to his head.

Then his phone rang again.

This time, it was an unknown number. He didn’t want to answer it, but considering everything that was going on, he was too scared not to. Holding the phone up to his head, he hit the answer button.

「Hello, Mr. Trash?」

「Yes?」

「Hi, This is Harold. Harold Shinohara, from the Victoria Hotel. I was wondering if you got my message.」

Wheels spun around in Trash’s head as he put the pieces together. Danny’s hotel. The text message from the manager. Danny! Danny had already left. Harold Shinohara…

「Yeah, sorry. Yes. I got your message. Thanks for the update. Sorry I didn’t get back to you.」

「Oh, Great! Thank you again for your assistance.」

「No, I really didn’t-」

「I was hoping you might be able to stop by the hotel again. I have a small token of thanks I’d like to give you.」

「Huh?」

「The hotel, by any chance, would it be convenient for you to stop by?」

What was with this weird hotel? Why did they keep asking him to go there? Was that normal? It didn’t feel like something that hotel managers normally did.

「Mr. Trash?」

「Oh, sorry. Yeah. I mean. Yes. I am not far now, actually.」

He was staring at the entrance to Suehirocho station. He was sure the Ginza Line could get him to Yurakucho in just a few minutes.

「That’s fantastic. Is there any way you could stop by today, then?」

Trash decided that he might as well just go. He didn’t want anything from the deal to hang over his head any longer. Since Sakamoto had disappeared and Danny took off, this should finally clear the air.

「Sure. I can be there in around half an hour. Does that work?」

「Really? That’s great! Just stop by and ask for me.」

「Okay. Thanks.」

「I’ll see you soon. Thanks Mr. Trash.」

Trash hit disconnect, then quickly sent a message off to Pazu telling him he would be taking a detour and would stop by later.

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Half an hour later, Trash was back in the scenic hotel bar, sitting at the same table he and the manager had sat at only a few days earlier. Harold had greeted him warmly and brought him back up the elevator. This time, he could see all of Tokyo clearly, though some haze enveloped Mount Fuji behind a grey wall.

「First of all, I would like you to take this.」

Harold picked up a tall and narrow bag and placed it on the table. It looked like a bottle of something.

Not knowing what else to do, Trash accepted the bag, looking inside as he pulled it across the table.

It was indeed a bottle. Of wine, apparently. Trash had no knowledge of Western wines, and had never even drunk any before. Still, he knew they could be quite valuable, so he was nervous to accept the gift.

「This as well.」

Next, Harold slid an envelope across to Trash. Trash checked inside, unsure if that was acceptable. Still, he was curious why he was receiving gifts like this.

「It’s an invitation for a free dinner for two at our restaurant. You simply need to call that number and provide the code on that card to make a reservation anytime you would like. It’s for a full-course dinner at the restaurant one floor below this bar, so I’m sure you will enjoy it.」

It certainly sounded nice. Not that Trash had any idea what it would be like to eat in such a fancy place. This place made Capricieux look like a local diner. He was sure a T-shirt and jeans would not be acceptable, no matter how clean they were.

At the minimum, he was sure these gifts were worth quite a lot. What he didn’t understand was why he was receiving them directly from the general manager of the hotel.

「Thank you. Are you sure it is okay for me to receive these?」

「Certainly. Actually…」

Harold reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve one more envelope.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

「I have one more thing to give to you. This was given to me by Mr. Landis. He asked me to deliver it to you personally if possible.」

While the first envelope was small, this envelope was a normal-sized envelope for sending letters. As Trash opened it, he could see that both the envelope and the paper inside were on stationary with the hotel’s name and logo stamped on them.

What was inside was, in fact, a letter. A handwritten one. Trash scanned to the bottom and read the name signed at the end.

Lancelet.

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Hey Trash,

Sorry to ghost you like that. There are reasons that I can’t explain now, but you’ll find out eventually. I heard that the hotel called you to find out where I was. Sorry to get you tied up in that.

I know I promised you something, but it might take me a little while to make good on it. Again, I’m sorry about that. Rest assured, I’ll make it up to you. Things will be a bit complicated for a while, though.

For now, it’s probably better if you don’t talk about anything we were working on. You’ll figure out why later. If it bothers you, I’m sorry.

I’ll reach out to you after things settle down. If you are still annoyed, I understand. I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed the tour of Akihabara. Regardless of what happens, I’ll always think of you as a comrade.

All the best,

-Lancelet

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Trash read through the note twice, but still didn’t understand what Danny was talking about. What had happened? This wasn’t an explanation of anything at all.

「Mr. Trash… Would you mind if I ask you a personal question?」

Trash looked up from the letter, still trying to decode what it said. Once the question registered, he nodded.

「What type of work is it that you do?」

Trash thought about the question for a moment. In the past, he would answer with something vague, mostly because he was embarrassed by what others thought of someone like him.

Now, with the question in front of him, He realized that if things were going to change for him, he needed to change as well. Otherwise, he would eventually be right back where he was a week ago. Hibiki had shown him a glimpse of what was possible, but no one was going to spell out his path forward. He needed to learn to overcome challenges instead of letting them run over him like a truck.

「I’m a rare item hunter and a fixer. I find and obtain hard to get items for my customers. Most of my clients are overseas.」

Harold nodded.

「I see. That makes sense. That explains how you know Mr. Landis, as well as your English ability.」

「Can I ask about Dann- Mr. Landis? What happened to his room?」

Harold chuckled.

「According to Mr. Landis, it was a bottle of Japanese whiskey and a bad business meeting. It appears things have worked out, however, and he agreed to pay for the damage. It’s unusual, but not unheard of in hotels like this. Still, I’m new here, so I needed to err on the side of caution. That’s why I have handled things so aggressively. I’m sorry to have bothered you.」

「No. It’s my fault for not being of more help to you. I had no idea Da- Mr. Landis would do something like that.」

Trash had another question, and he decided to ask. He would probably never get another chance after all.

「If you don’t mind me asking. How much does one of those rooms cost for a night?」

「Hmm. That’s one of our junior suites, so depending on the night and conditions,… around 180 thousand yen a night.」

Trash almost choked on his tongue. 180,000 yen? Per night?

He pulled out his phone and pulled up the calculator app. He started punching in numbers to make sure he had the math right. Danny had spent no less than half a million yen, just wandering around Tokyo for a few days. What was he doing? If he had money to throw around like that, why did he even bother-

「Wait a second! Is that… 」

Trash looked up to see the shocked expression on the manager’s face.

「Is that the new iPhone? A white one?」

Trash was impressed. Was this man also a comrade of sorts? He remembered seeing the hotel manager’s phone. It was also a new iPhone, and on the day of launch. He must have waited somewhere to pick up one when the stores opened, or else maybe paid someone to do it for him. Either way, he had to be more than a standard fan. Recognizing Trash’s rare phone for what it was made that a certainty.

「Yeah, it is.」

「How did you get one? I heard that there were none at all.」

「From a friend. I’m sorry, I really can’t say more.」

「Oh! Of course. You know, I’m kind of an Apple super fan.」

Trash smiled, enjoying the look of awe and jealousy on the well-dressed man.

After that, they made small talk for about twenty minutes. Trash was surprised that the manager could sit and have such a leisurely chat with someone who was not even a guest, but he realized now exactly how much of a VIP Danny must be. Considering how much he likely spent in this hotel chain, it was no wonder they treated Trash with such deference.

“Harold”, was actually Hajime Shinohara. While a full-blooded Japanese, he had been born in London, and mostly grew up abroad. He went by a Western name as he never cared much for the name “Hajime.” He had worked at the Victoria Hotels in London and Hong Kong for almost twenty years before finally getting a chance for the promotion to general manager of the Tokyo hotel.

Since there was a London connection, Trash decided to ask.

「Would you, by any chance, know the name Hibiki Horikoshi?」

「Of course! He’s well-regarded in London as well as Tokyo.」 Harold explained that the previous GM of the Victoria had even tried to arrange a meeting for him after he had moved back to Japan and taken over the position, though because of scheduling conflicts, he had yet to have a chance to meet him.

When Trash said that he could try to arrange something, Harold’s eyes bugged out in surprise.

When Harold looked at the 20-year-old young man, wearing a t-shirt with cartoon characters on the front, covered in a wrinkled dress shirt worn like a jacket, he remembered what a mess he had been when he had been that age. Drinking at the pub every night with his mates from Uni.

This young man, who already ran a business and worked with tech entrepreneurs, had contacts with one of the most connected people in Tokyo and somehow managed to get his hands on a rare phone that no one else had.

If only he had that kind of drive when he was that young. Where would he be now, he wondered.

「Mr. Trash, if you have a minute. I’d like to introduce you to one of my employees.」

「Sure… and you can just call me Trash. That’s what my friends call me. Or if that’s too weird… you can call me Shin… Shin Ooba.」

「Trash then, and please call me Harold.」

Harold introduced Trash to his head concierge, who turned out to be the man who had called and asked him to come to the hotel that first time.

「Mr. Ooba is someone who can obtain things that might be impossible otherwise. Keep him in mind if you get any challenging requests, particularly the Akihabara type. I think we get a lot of those, don’t we? I’m sure he would be a great connection to have.」

Trash had never been treated by someone with respect like this. Sure, he would receive polite service like any other person, but he always felt like there was mockery in the eyes behind the smiling faces.

This hotel worker, who was at least four or five years older than himself, now regarded him like an important person after that introduction from his boss.

It made Trash uncomfortable, and yet he couldn’t help but feel pleased as well. He was starting to understand how people would fight for fame and power if this were how everyone treated them.

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Trash took the train back to Akiba. Getting off at the platform, he took a moment to look out at the Electric Town below. Again, he was struck by how connected he felt here. Maybe this is how Hibiki feels when he looks out a Takeshita Street, or the Jingumae Bridge. This was his town. Where he belonged. Knowing that he still had a place here made him want to jump up and shout out in triumph.

Stopping by a convenience store on the way, Trash bought some snacks to take over to Pazu’s. He figured this would shock Saki, who always complained when he showed up empty-handed. It was just some sodas, chips, and cookies, but he realized how valuable his friends were, and how important it was to let them know how much he valued them.

“All relationships are transactional. All transactions are, in turn, relationships,” the Old Goat’s words echoed in his ears.

As he passed by the UDX building, Trash detoured to the secret path leading to the hidden shrine. It was dark, quiet, and empty as usual.

Standing in front of the shrine, he pulled out the package of fried tofu-wrapped sushi he had picked up at the convenience store. There were four pieces in the package, which felt kind of unlucky, so he opened up the package and grabbed one, shoving it whole into his mouth. The sweet and slightly sour taste of the seasoned rice and tofu reminded Trash that it was almost lunchtime. He looked at the two foxes facing him from the base of the shrine, then at the three remaining pieces of sushi.

Best not to cause unnecessary conflicts, he thought, putting another piece into his mouth and chewing.

To make up for it, Trash took out the bag with the bottle of wine he had received from Harold. Making sure to take the voucher out first, He placed the bottle and the sushi on the stone in front of the shrine.

Clapping twice, he bowed and gave thanks for what was certainly a life-changing week. He wasn’t converting into a religious person, but he figured there was no harm in showing some appreciation.

Feeling much lighter, Trash walked back through the alleyway to the noisy streets of Akihabara.

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「Finally! I was wondering when you were going to show up. Come in, we made fried pork loin rice bowls.」

「Seriously? How could I get so lucky?」

「It’s not luck, if you are always here to eat free food.」

「Lay off Trash. He’s been through a lot. This is a celebration! Besides, we already finished filming making it, so if we don’t eat it, it will just go to waste.」

「Here! I picked this up on the way over.」

Trash handed the plastic bag with drinks and snacks to Saki.

She was dressed in what looked like a black paramilitary outfit. But it was super tight fitting, and the chest was zipped down far lower than seemed practical. She also had long dark red hair and green-colored contacts in her eyes. It took him a minute to place the costume, as the movie wasn’t out yet. It was the sequel to that popular Hollywood action movie. He had seen the trailer online several times already, and the scene with this outfit had been featured prominently. Trash was impressed by the details in the costume. It was entirely black and covered in MOLLE straps and pockets while somehow remaining amazingly form-fitting. The material she used must be thinner and more flexible than Kevlar.

「Hey! Perv! Stop staring. It’s gross.」

「Hey Trash! You brought snacks! See Saki. Anyway, have a seat, and I’ll bring out the food. We have a lot to talk about.」

They ate together, and Trash savored the deep-fried fatty pork. Pazu’s cooking had been steadily improving, and this was probably his best yet. The pork was soft and juicy, the breading light and crunchy, while the seasoned egg added that gooey saltiness that paired it perfectly with the rice.

Trash ate slowly, enjoying each bite. Meanwhile, Pazu explained what his mother had told him earlier.

「She is still waiting for copies of the documents, but it appears that your grandfather had a rather standard distribution of assets in his will. Also, it looks like it hasn’t been updated for a while. Years maybe,」 Pazu relayed.

「I’ll wait for her to explain the details, but basically, there is now a trust in your name. It includes the building and enough funds to take care of taxes and stuff. Not much more than that, so you should leave the fund alone if you want to keep the building. All you’ll still need to pay for is utilities and stuff.」

「I can do that?」

「I think so, ask my Mom. I don’t really get most of that stuff. She said she could connect you to a new law firm to handle the trust. She thinks the one your grandfather appointed is a bit shady. Anyway, the bottom line is you can stay there as long as you want. Or you can sell it, and you’ll probably have a good amount of capital if you’re going to move somewhere else.」

Trash would figure that out later. For now… He was safe. He could stay in Akihabara as long as he wanted. Well, he still needed to start bringing in real money, but that was a tomorrow problem, and for now, he has simply happy to know that he still had more tomorrows ahead.

Except… now he really did owe that Old Goat.