Extra Story: The Ones Left Behind and the Signs of Change
“TABUCHI! Is Takebayashi still absent?!”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“Any contact?!”
“None yet! I can’t get a hold of him, either!”
“Well, keep trying! A client contacted us about being stood up for a meeting!”
“How is that my problem, exactly...”
“Fuck you, you insubordinate prick! If you’ve got that much time to dick around, then call him! If he’s not coming in, you do his work! Am I making myself crystal fucking clear?!”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“Then move! Christ... bunch of useless pansies. Hopeless people like him are always pushing the burden onto the rest of us.”
“If that ain’t the truth.”
“And this is supposed to be my senior? You gotta be kidding.”
“So, like, is the chief AWOL?”
“Dunno. Who cares about that old man.”
“But like, we should at least give him a call. He should know how to act like an adult at his age.”
“He’s definitely fired after this. Reckon they’ll let him in tomorrow?”
“...”
A boss that yelled irrationally. Tabuchi, being yelled at irrationally. The young coworkers who watched on and laughed scornfully.
The other employees that worked silently alongside.
They held their tongues, letting sleeping dogs lie as they quietly hoped for Ryoma’s return.
But on this day, Ryoma did not appear in the office.
Because of that...
“Damn it. Why do I have to do this?”
“...”
On a train before the rush hour home, a clearly displeased man and Tabuchi stood together.
“Iguchi, this is inside the carriage...”
The man was hogging a senior seat that happened to be empty and grumbling about his discontent in a loud and self-important voice.
The other passengers couldn’t have felt comfortable riding with a person with that attitude.
“Hah? Shut up. It’s not like it’s packed or anything.”
Tabuchi’s words couldn’t appease Iguchi. Instead, he was glared at.
“...What the hell are you looking at, bitch?”
“Iguchi!”
They must have accidentally made eye contact. He looked at the two middle aged women who were clearly showing discomfort, but Tabuchi stepped in before he stood up.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, let’s...”
“...”
It seemed like he had noticed that he was gathering attention from not only Tabuchi and the women moving to the next carriage, but the rest of the carriage too. Iguchi cast his sharp glare across the carriage, then snorted when he saw the passengers avert their gaze.
“How long are you gonna stand there for? Move it! You’re suffocating me, you fat fuck.”
“Sorry.”
“Tell me when we arrive.”
Iguchi shoved away Tabuchi, who had been standing before him, then took out a music player from his pocket and started listening to music. Seeing him made Tabuchi think to himself.
There has to be some abuse going on to choose him... isn’t there?
His boss had ordered him to make sure Ryoma was at the office tomorrow, even if he had to drag him there. But if all that was needed was a visit to Ryoma’s home, then Tabuchi alone should have been enough. Iguchi neither knew where Ryoma lived, nor had any interest. The only reason he was here was because of the boss’s order.
Not to mention how Iguchi could be summarized in a single word: a delinquent.
After entering the company through his parents’ connections, he was assigned to the rubbish heap that was division three, where he was known for his ill temper and short fuse.
In the documents he submitted for form’s sake when entering the company, he had played up his personality as ‘dauntless,’ but that was just a nice way of putting it. In reality, he simply couldn’t read situations, mind his manners, and had no problems vocally expressing his complaints. He had also voiced similar complaints about visiting Ryoma’s home this time, grumbling as he demanded early departure as a condition for him to go.
Naturally, the company couldn’t send such a person on external projects, so he normally spent his time at the office slacking off on any duties he had. Which was probably why they had chosen him, if it didn’t matter whether he was there or not...
Of course they had to pick the one with the worst attitude, and give him approval to leave early... No matter how you look at it, it’s an abuse of power.
“...You constipated or something? Don’t you look at me, fuck. Your face makes me sick. Turn around.”
For the record, Iguchi had been at the company for two years. Tabuchi had been working for longer and was older, but thanks to his connections Iguchi was higher positioned.
■ ■ ■
“Urgh, what a fuckin’ shithole. That old fart lives like this?”
Accompanied by Iguchi, who was uttering insults from the moment they arrived, Tabuchi rang the doorbell of the corner room on the second floor.
But the person they were seeking was no longer in this world.
“...Hey, asshole! Are you deaf?! You can’t just skip work unannounced!”
“Please wait, Iguchi. He might not be at home. See, the morning newspaper is still here...”
“Oh? So you’re saying he skipped work to go out and fuck around somewhere?”
“He could be hospitalized, or out shopping... Chief lives alone, so he has to look after himself if he gets sick. It looks like we have no choice but to wait...”
“YOU WOT?!”
Iguchi grew even more infuriated.
“Umm... we were ordered to talk to him directly, and the phone wouldn’t connect, so we came all the way here...”
“Oh, fuck this... Hey, asshole! I know you’re in there! Don’t bullshit me!”
“H-Hey, calm down a little...!”
Iguchi raised his voice and banged on the door loudly.
Since he was dressed in a proper suit, it kind of made him look like a loan shark here for collections.
Sensing that something was amiss, an old man’s voice traveled up from the bottom of the stairs.
“Excuse me. Do you people have business here?”
“Ah? Just who the hell are you?”
“Sorry for making so much noise! We’re coworkers of the person who lives here. We haven’t been able to contact him since this morning.”
“Takebayashi’s coworkers?”
“Yes, do you know him?”
“Let me think... he didn’t seem particularly different when I saw him last night.”
“Hey. Don’t ignore me, you old fuck. I asked, who the hell are you?”
“The landlord.”
“Landlord? Perfect. Open this door.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I may have a key, but I’m not about to open a tenant’s door without prior notice. Are you people really Takebayashi’s coworkers?”
“I apologize for the late introduction. My info is all on here.”
Tabuchi gave a deep bow as he took his business card out of his pocket and offered it.
“Hmm... Do you like robots?”
“Huh? Y-Yes, I love them.”
“He’s previously mentioned a subordinate with this family name that liked robots...”
“That’s him. We work in the same division as that old man, and this one’s a nerd with kiddy hobbies for his age. Now open the door already.”
“...Tabuchi aside, this one here doesn’t know his manners very well. It’s hard to imagine you’re a working adult.”
“You wanna go, asshole?”
“Iguchi, calm down.”
As a hostile mood settled in the air —
“Could you keep it down?!”
The door beside them opened to another person yelling loudly.
“All I’ve been able to hear for the past few minutes is you people screaming at the top of your lungs! It’s a bloody nuisance!”
An unshaved middle-aged man appeared from next door.
He had dark circles under his sleepy eyes as he glared at the three of them.
“I apologize, Urami.”
“Oh, now you want to apologize after busting in here and making that racket? Tch!”
The man called Urami was still unhappy, but cooled down a little seeing Tabuchi.
“...Just keep it down. And isn’t the next door away from home? The walls here are thin so I can hear if someone moves around on the other side.”
“I’m so sorry for the trouble. Do you know where...?”
“No clue. Are you sure he’s at home at all? The guy who lives there isn’t around very often.”
“Yes, he should be... He finished work early yesterday and said he was going to read a li— a book.”
“Well, dunno then.”
“Everything would be hunky-dory if this geezer just opened the door.”
With a glance at Iguchi, who was displaying an indignant attitude for the world to see, the man leaned in to whisper to the landlord.
“Landlord, mind if I ask you for a little favor too?”
He had determined that Iguchi wasn’t worth talking to.
Thus, to have them return as quickly as possible, the unrelated neighbor also joined in persuading his landlord to open the door.
The four of them argued back and forth over the door for a while.
“Fine...”
Finally, the landlord folded first.
“About time.”
“In return, I expect you to leave immediately if Takebayashi is not present.”
“Well, no shit.”
“I’m sorry, please go ahead.”
“Hmph. You must have it tough too.”
With a look at Tabuchi, who continually bowed his head, the landlord went to get the key to open the door.
“Takebayashi! Are you here?”
“Yelling here isn’t gonna make much difference. Move it.”
“?!”
“Whoa! What?”
Iguchi shoved the landlord yelling from the entrance aside, toppling him off balance.
Tabuchi made it in time to support him, but Iguchi paid them no need as he charged inside.
“Hey, old codger!”
As Iguchi jeered from inside the room, the landlord at the entrance similarly raised his voice.
“Just what is with his attitude?!”
“I’m so sorry about him! Are you injured?”
“I’m fine. But really, Tabuchi, what’s that kid’s problem? You said he was a coworker, but what kind of company would hire a child like him?”
“Umm... I can’t say the details, but he had connections into the company...”
“Even with connections, a newbie should mind his manners more, no? There’s no part of him that acts like an adult!”
“Stop snoozing and get your ass up!”
Iguchi’s voice yelled louder than before.
Tabuchi couldn’t help but hear him and reacted in shock, the landlord also forgetting his anger.
“He’s sleeping...?”
“So the Chief’s here after all.”
“Oi! Get up, you piece of shit! Skipping work unannounced, at your age?! You’re such a pain in my ass!”
The sound of stomps and jeering could be heard.
“...Let’s go inside too, or he might destroy the room.”
“Yes...”
When they went inside, they saw...
The man from next door who had gone past them without their notice, standing by the living room wall with a bitter smile on his face.
His gaze was directed at the bedroom, where a large man lay asleep.
And...
“Get up! Are you fucking with me?! I’m gonna have your ass fired!”
Iguchi ripped away the covers and yelled, but when the sleeping man showed no reaction, he lost his temper and kicked him over and over instead.
“H-Hey! You’re going too far, Iguchi!”
Tabuchi moved to hold him back in a panic.
“Outta my way, fatass!”
“Guh!”
Unfortunately, he didn’t have the strength to stop him by force, and a body blow fueled by irritation was thrust his way.
However...
“Please calm down, there’s no need for violence...”
Tabuchi panted harshly, curled up in pain as he slipped into the space between Iguchi and Takebayashi.
“Move it, fatass. I’m waking this asshole up myself.”
His face was flushed red with anger as he slowly made a show of raising his fist.
“I’ll punch you in your fat mouth this time, you want that?!”
“Be silent, imbecile!”
The one who put a stop to him was — against anyone’s expectations — the landlord’s fist.
“Oww... What’s your problem, you old fuck?!”
“I could ask you the same! Everything that’s come out of your mouth is abuse. You’ve charged right into someone else’s home uninvited. You’ve laid your hands on people as though it’s your prerogative. Who in their right mind brought you up like that, anyway?!”
“Y-You wot...?!”
The landlord scolded him like a child, like a stubborn father from a bygone era.
It made even the arrogant Iguchi shrink in on himself, and had enough intimidation to calm the current scene at hand.
“Tabuchi, is Takebayashi okay?”
“Y-Yes! Actually, he’s still sleeping...? Chief?”
Tabuchi had been too distracted by Iguchi’s fists and the pain lingering in his abdomen to realize something was off until now.
Takebayashi was in a T-shirt and shorts for sleepwear. He was lying face-up in those casual clothes, his left hand placed over his stomach. The way his eyes were closed made him look like he was indeed asleep.
However, could anyone sleep through such noise, on top of being kicked multiple times?
Upon closer inspection, his skin was bruised.
From their long association with each other, Tabuchi knew that Takebayashi’s body was much tougher than average.
But he wasn’t so thick-headed that he would sleep through bruising kicks.
“Chief? ...Chief?”
With that thought in mind, Tabuchi gradually increased the volume of his voice, but Takebayashi didn’t even twitch.
Then, he finally noticed.
As he was watching Takebayashi for a reaction, he saw that his chest wasn’t moving up and down.
“...Please wake up!”
At the same time as his pleading shout. He reached a hand out to shake awake the body before him, and —
“It’s cold...”
The sensation of a body that had lost its heat and stiffened.
Without any room for dispute, it informed Tabuchi that Takebayashi was dead.
■ ■ ■
“Thank you for your assistance.”
“Yes...”
After Takebayashi’s body was discovered, the landlord immediately called the police and everyone who had been in the room was questioned on the situation.
Although they had been released from the police, the commotion out front had brought out spectators.
To avoid the meddlesome looks from busybodies, Tabuchi dragged his feet heavily to the apartment garden.
“You’ve worked hard today, Tabuchi.”
“Ah, Mr. Landlord.”
The landlord stood there, avoiding the crowds like Tabuchi.
“Want a drink?”
“Yes, please.”
The landlord suddenly offered a can of tea.
After passing the can over, he looked towards Takebayashi’s room that was occupied with busy officers.
“Tabuchi, I’d like to apologize for earlier.”
“Huh?”
“Before we entered the room. I vented my complaints about that kid’s attitude to you.”
“Ah... Don’t worry about it. We really were the ones at fault here.”
“You must have it rough too. And... I’m sorry about Takebayashi.”
“...I expected the Chief to live longer than me.”
“As did I. I never imagined he’d be the first to leave...”
A silence fell over the two of them.
“Tabuchi, what will you do now?”
“For now... I have to contact the company. I’m just waiting for Iguchi first.”
“That boy still isn’t done?”
“Not yet. He said he’d come find me when he was done.”
“Let me go, goddammit!”
““?!””
Speak of the devil.
Just as their conversation turned to the topic of Iguchi. Iguchi was brought out of the empty room the landlord had given the police officers to use for questioning, his arms pinned behind his back.
“Iguchi?!”
“Stop right there! Don’t come any closer!”
A different officer to the one that had opened the door ran up to Tabuchi to stop him.
“Umm, I’m his coworker. What happened?”
“He flew into a rage in the middle of questioning. Though he’s still raging now...”
“Let go of me! I didn’t kill him! That codger snuffed it long before I even touched him!”
“All right, all right. We’ll listen to the details at the station.”
“I said— Hey?! Oi, Tabuchi! Get off your lazy ass and help me!”
“H-Help you how?”
The officer blocking his way shook his head.
“You fucker! Don’t forget this! Once I’m out of the can, you’re fucking dead!”
“...Take him away.”
“Yes, sir!”
After spitting out more self-incriminating remarks, Iguchi was taken to the police car parked out front.
“Umm, what will happen to him?”
“Assault against a police officer. Obstruction of a public servant from their duties. He’ll be restrained for a while, but if he calms down then he’ll be released in a few days. He did many things to extend his sentence, so unless anything else happens he’ll be let off with a fine.”
“I see... May I contact my company?”
Thus, Takebayashi’s death was reported.
Each relevant place received notice and dealt with it accordingly.
But at the same time...
“Ah, Head Editor. Thanks for picking up, it’s Urami. Actually, I found some interesting material just now... Yes, I had my phone hidden while filming. I’ve sent the clip to you, so if you could have a look at it— yes. He was just yelling about how he couldn’t tell from the socks and muscles... I’ll email you the details. I believe there’s dirt to be dug up on the man in the clip and his surroundings. ...Yes, please do. Thank you.”
In the commotion leading up to Takebayashi’s confirmation of death, there was a reporter who held an interest in Iguchi and his place of employment...
Takebayashi was a man who had been given simple hardships through an act of god.
His workplace and living lifestyle was a cage prepared to keep a beast, so to speak.
However, with no beast to keep, there was no need for the cage, and no need for the environment to be prepared in such a way.
Just like how an enormous dam can collapse from the smallest crack.
With the death of the beast Takebayashi as the catalyst, his company and its employees were unknowingly proceeding down a path of destruction.
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