He seems to be contacting Sugio Gondo, a potential partner for his revenge plan.
To clear his head, he makes a strong cup of coffee.
He needs sugar too. He found some chocolate.
He sips coffee while biting into chocolate, thinking deeply about the soldier in his dream.
Kanata Amakake… remarkably similar to Namihei’s tastes.
Does Planet Terra actually exist? Ridiculous! It’s not some cheap sci-fi novel!
…No, he can’t deny it. That dream is too strange.
The fact that he could realize it was a dream while dreaming is already odd. And the perspective is weird.
He’s dreamt many times, but they were always from his own viewpoint. Yet, in that dream, he was like a spectral bystander.
The fact that the story is connected is also inexplicable. Do dreams have continuations like a TV series?
What’s decisively odd is the incredible sense of realism, far beyond what a dream should have, and the unified world view… or rather, the background.
Can such a thing happen in a dream? Dreams are much more vague.
The rational explanation would be that his mind is unraveling under the pressure of a man nearing his death, hallucinating…
But he doesn’t want to believe that. He’s not mentally broken.
Death is certainly terrifying. But there’s something more terrifying than death to him now. …To perish as a ghost.
…Alright, he’ll decide that Planet Terra is real and Kanata Amakake’s soul is Namihei.
It might be the foolish thought of a man dancing to a hallucination, but it doesn’t inconvenience anyone.
It’s fine to be foolish once in a lifetime. His life is short enough as it is.
Living while pretending to be wise wouldn’t lead to anything good. Isn’t his current situation the result of that?
Even if it’s a fleeting hope, if Namihei is alive, he’ll gladly believe this cheap, sci-fi-like story.
“Good morning. You’re up early as always. Working on summarizing documents?”
“No, I’m contemplating something else. Fumiyo, could you listen to me for a moment? You’ll probably think I’ve gone mad…”
Despite his hesitation, he decided to tell Fumiyo about the strange dream and Kanata Amakake.
He didn’t expect her to believe him. Frankly, he himself couldn’t shake off his own doubts.
Fumiyo listened intently to his outlandish story and said,
“It might be possible. After all, if Namihei is alive, there’s no better good news than that.”
“You believe me? Even though I myself am half-doubting as I speak.”
“Yes, you don’t seem to have lost your mind. Of course, like you, I have my doubts too. But at least the fact that you keep having these strange dreams is true, isn’t it?”
“Yes, up to that point, it’s undeniable.”
“Kanata Amakake’s tastes are surprisingly similar to Namihei’s, and Namihei suddenly became unconscious. Perhaps his consciousness just moved to that Planet Terra or something.”
He’d thought the same thing… but she believed him so readily.
“I thought the same thing. It’s incredibly unscientific, even for me…”
“There are things in this world that science cannot explain… I’ve experienced it before.”
“What kind of experience?”
“When Airi was still little, she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and started crying. She was screaming, ‘Papa is dead!’… The next day, we were informed that Henry, who was in the Middle East as a war correspondent, had died in a bomb attack targeting the military.”
…It’s certainly a strange story, but there’s no reason for Fumiyo to lie. It must have really happened.
“Perhaps your last call to your beloved daughter reached him. …It must be so.”
“…Yes. You certainly can’t die now. You have a lot to do, don’t you?”
That’s right, he has to get revenge, and he wants to investigate the strange dream. He can’t just kick the bucket.
He chose a business hotel in the suburbs for his meeting with Sugio Gondo.
In a famous hotel in the city, he might be seen by someone, and at hotels frequented by celebrities, there might be people who profit from customer information.
Fumiyo offered to come along, but he persuaded her to stay home, not wanting to expose her to sordid talk.
He waited for Gondo in a room at the business hotel, and Gondo arrived exactly on time.
A sooty coat, unshaven face, and rumpled hair… his appearance was unbecoming of a reporter for a national newspaper.
He barged into the room and sat down on the bed without asking.
He’s as much of a ruffian as the rumors say. He hoped his rebellious spirit wasn’t just for show.
“Are you Mr. Gondo, the reporter from Sanryu Shimbun? I believe Fumiyo told you about this…”
“Ah, I did. I’m very interested in the leaked documents, but I’m also keen to cover the circumstances that led to Counselor Amakake, known as the Ace of the Ministry of Finance and who eliminated rivals, to suddenly resign. He was surely destined for the Vice-Minister position, so why did he step down?”
“…Let’s have you look at the documents first.”
He handed Gondo a file containing the compiled documents, and Gondo devoured them with a glint in his eyes.
Like a carp thrown food in a pond.
“…If this is true, it’s a big deal. However, in our country, the principle is ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ Do you have any corroborating evidence?”
“Without evidence, it’s just suspicion. Of course, I have it. But let’s discuss the reward first.”
Gondo smirked and said,
“I’ve grasped the nature of the corruption and irregularities. I’m not a rookie who can’t corroborate things myself. Let’s negotiate with that in mind.”
“Indeed. Then I wish you the best of luck with your corroboration.”
He snatched the file back from Gondo and stood up to leave the room, but was stopped by a deep voice.
“Wait, wait. I didn’t say I wouldn’t give you anything in return. It’s basic negotiation strategy to want to put yourself in a favorable position, isn’t it?”
“If we’re talking about advantage, then I have the advantage. No matter how skilled you are, you won’t be able to corroborate this by tomorrow morning’s deadline, will you? If I hand over the evidence to the second candidate reporter, that’s the end of it. The editor at Sanryu Shimbun isn’t so composed as to let you compete without corroboration. Being a third-rate paper, after all, right?”
Gondo flopped backward onto the bed and burst out laughing.
“Hahahaha. Well, I’m treated as third-rate wherever I go anyway. Honestly, naming it Sangyo Ryutsu Shimbun is the problem. The founding family lacks a shred of imagination… Now, we’ve probably probed each other enough. You still have a scoop, don’t you? And a particularly big one, I bet?”
He had been tested after all. If he weren’t like this, Gondo would be unreliable as an accomplice.
“I’m fortunate you don’t think I’m an idiot who shows his hand before raising.”
He sat back down and began negotiations.
Gondo’s words, emerging from his cod-like lips, now carried a sense of seriousness.
“In fact, how much money are we talking about? We’re the national paper with the smallest circulation, so our finances aren’t abundant. There’s a limit to what we can offer.”
“I don’t need money. I’m suffering from a terminal illness. I probably don’t have more than a year to live. That’s the reason for my resignation, are you satisfied?”
Gondo put on a solemn face that didn’t suit him.
“…That’s… regrettable. So you want to right the world one last time?”
“Yes, mixed with personal grudges. My first condition is that you publish the scoop after my death. I want to live my remaining days in peace.”
“A very reasonable request. Understood. Anything else?”
“The president of Sanryu Shimbun should own a Stradivarius. I want you to buy it.”
“I understand why you’d want a Stradivarius… I’ll see what I can do.”
“Can you do it?”
“I can’t guarantee it absolutely. But you know, if you’re going to land such a scoop, and you prioritize an unplayable antique instrument… then you’re no longer a newspaperman. In that case, I’ll quit and pursue scoops as a freelance reporter. I promise you that.”
He doesn’t make promises he can’t keep; that’s the rule of a man who keeps his word.
And he’ll secure the scoop even if it means leaving his company; Gondo is a true newspaperman.
This man is decided as his partner.
“Understood, that’s fine. My last condition is that I’d like to track the footsteps of a certain man personally. I need you to lend me one capable young reporter.”
“That’s the least of my worries. How about me? Though I’m not exactly young.”
“…You’re a crime reporter, aren’t you? A top-tier reporter like you should be very busy.”
Gondo scratched his head and gave a wry smile.
“…I got a bit too carried away with a corporate-related investigation. I’ve been ordered to lay low for a while. Saying I’m taking a leave of absence for six months is actually going to work.”
“That’s a great help. …Then it’s an accomplice contract, Mr. Gondo.”
“Gondo is fine. We don’t need honorifics when tackling a big case as accomplices.”
“Then ‘Amakake’ is fine for me too. I ask for your cooperation for the short time until I receive my posthumous Buddhist name.”
“Yes, I hope our association lasts longer than a day.”
Gondo and I shook hands firmly.
He has a strong personality, but he’s a capable reporter. The start is promising.
Now, it’s a race against time… Until I accomplish what I must… May the flame of my life not extinguish.
I get caught in traffic congestion on my commute. My stress gauge is rising from the morning.
