( Introduction )
Seemingly ordinary e-mail that asks Takayuki for selling his paintings to the owner of the sender, was sent from US. But it was a transaction with some counterfeit money orders. The suspect also appeared to have contact to Takayuki's girl friend Yuko... Short story in US international money order and spy.
1
- Yuko -
Light-black visibility is being spread in the middle of the night while it is awaking my unconscious.
Tightly bound both hands and feet by pieces of rope. I attempt to untie them from my feet somehow, but there is no movable sign of the pieces of rope that is united regularly like fishing-line tighten on a hook.
A gag increases amount of saliva beneath my lips. There is only slight vibration sound in the inner throat though I'm trying to say something. An organ just under my chest makes the breathing difficult. Insensitivity pain around the epigastrium is being spread like a magnetic field.
Among between unconscious and conscious whether breathing or not, there is a sense of enchanting relief. Insignificant amount of air exchanged helps keeping the state to maintain being aware of this condition.
That uneasiness might have been true..
"Are you awake?"
"Um..."
"Can't breathe, but this.."
"Sorry.."
"..?"
"I went to bed as usual last night, didn't I?"
"There is not so much noises in comparison to my apartment."
"It's quiet here..."
Few dim light that is leaking through a piece of cloth which blindfoldeds me, doesn't help me to understand where I am...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2
- Takayuki -
Hi, your lovely paintings were found somewhere on internet when I was looking for my favorite's kinds.
I would like to purchase some paintings available.
Are those paintings below still being sold?
- Street in Paris, London view, Fruit.
It would be wonderful that imaging your art works hanging at our new house's wall.
We are now moving to our new house in South africa from US here.
The payment may be certified US international money order.
I look forward from your reply.
Hillary
Takayuki received an e-mail from a woman named Hillary who ordered his art works some days ago. He was very grad then becasue the art works which she asked, were a series of his favorites.
Takayuki Ninomiya, a painter also a single. The painting activity still had been continued as usual. It is already a cohabitation life with a dependent of Yukos who met at a computer-related company when I was a part-time worker of the company.
Takayuki replied an e-mail to the person named Hillary then.
Thank you for your e-mail and good evaluation of my works.
Those would fit your new villa I think.
Selected all paintings are at hand now, so you would be able to purchase all you want, those prices are as follows.
Street in Paris - US $ 400
London view - US $ 400
Fruit - US $ 200
Then, a postage charge from Japan to South Africa takes about US$100-150, for example.
If all of the paintings were purchased by the case, the burden of shipping will be no charged.
Thus the total amount will be US $ 1,000.
US international money order is okay you to pay, but I would like to confirm the money order before the paintings is sent.
Thank you for your purchase.
Takayuki Ninomiya
The woman who would be likely to purchase the three of his art works in a same time named Hillary, were moving to their new villa at South Africa. She and her husband had been looking for some paintings being suitable for the villa. It seemed that they found the website exhibiting his works through somewhere a link to be searched out on internet.
E-mail inquiries sometimes to his website from overseas hadn't been negligible. As the custom to keep hunging on their walls for foreigners was likely to be rather than Japanese people. Takayuki enabled to deal with the inquiries of such e-mails from overseas.
Takayuki didn't think to make some effort to sell out by the procedure same as before, because of some experiences of selling act, even though the order from internet had been less than the exhibitions.
"Is the 'Street in Paris' a painting of F10, Takayuki? 400 US dollars, uh.. 40,000 yen on 100yen a US dollar? It is too cheap!" complained Yuko.
"Really?"
"Who would pay so much for a stuff which was painted by an unknown artist?"
"But in the future, you are going to be famous, then is that okay to sell so cheap?"
"In addition, are those your favorites, aren't they?"
Takayuki understood what Yuko meaned. What she wanted to say, was that Takayuki should not sell his own favorite's works so easily, even if he was not a famous artist.
"Lack of confidence on my career as a painter refuses me to be the one, or different problems in each other's business sense?"
But, Takayuki couldn't complain about the thing as a bloodsucker of her.
"It could be honored that there are those who want to purchase my works at least, Yuko?"
"Much better than those who sell nothing."
Yuko said a bit cynically.
"The willingness to draw will be depending on their existence."
Takayuki said so while looking straight up Yuko, no making an excuse.
Meanwhile, the cost of whole their living almost relied on Yuko.
"Could be."
Yuko already had given up to enrich their living without her own work.
"I wish to have the profits like this a month at least."
The frequency of how many paintings would be sold in a month was few. Those who would purchase his works were like God. Takayuki remembered that similar sensation that was world-class authorized.
A few days later, a reply came from Hillary.
That's right, I would like to purchase those pretty paintings.
They might be suitable for new walls of our new house.
I will let my husband coming and going among United States and Johannesburg, know about the payment, please wait for a while.
Hillary
Hillary and her husband were moving separately, also the payment by US international money order would be sent here from her husband.
"What's the international money order?" asked Yuko.
"Well, it can be used as a substitute for cash, so-called cheque kind. Remittances from abroad cost their charges, so it doesn't take the effort and expense."
Takayuki said cock-a-hooply a little.
"Well, I would use bank transfer even though."
"Bank transfer would be troublesome, also she want me to do so, anyway."
Takayuki just expected her purchase being likely to buy his arts, so he didn't want to oppose her intentions.
Selling on internet was different from regular face-to-face commerce sales.
Exchanging e-mails during the processes, it would not be successful without trust, nevertheless they would pay before the shipment of art works.
"They might be rich?"
And the next day, Hillary sent an e-mail that in information of the payments that was already sent from her husband.
How are you?
My husband already sent to your address the payment on the way South Africa to West Africa, becasue of three days conference. Before the trip, he forgot to send it to you.
The payment will be posted soon.
Hillary
It seemed that her husband sent the payment to Takayuki on the way to the trip.
The information from Hillary got rid of Takayuki's worry a little, though he thought "What's kind of conference will be held in West Africa?".
Takayuki was doing the packaging of his art works in order to post them as quickly as the money orders would be arrived.
"There was a suspicious person who was standing and watching this apartment on yesterday's morning." asked Yuko anxiously.
"Morning? I've never seen such a suspicious one."
"Wearing sunglasses, might take a little age, and.. he doesn't seem to be a Japanese, maybe.."
"That's feel like the creeps."
"Yes.."
Yuko had rarely worried about such little things so far. Takayuki became worried, because Yuko's intuition was often hit.
"Well, this issue should be careful when we go out."
"Yes, something eerie feel of the sort of.."
"It's OK..."
3
- Yuko -
"Saito-san.."
It was Kobayashi-kun who entered the company at the same time. The relationship had been since the informal ceremony promised to the company. There were not so new employees in the same many as other companies. He was one of the employees who were almost guy in a computer-related company.
"What?" asked Yuko.
"Yeah, a some."
Kobayashi was considering practice swing on the topic.
"Are you busy now?"
"So, so.."
In comparison to the bubble heyday, the heat-up had been cools down around ITs. I aged as the generation that should be asked to have ability to manage within the section.
"Well, did you get married recently, anyway?"
Yuko changed on the topic.
"Yeah, it was last month, but still like a single." smiled Kobayashi.
"Oh, you just got married."
Yuko smiled making fun of him.
"Oh Yeah."
Kobayashi seemed embarrassed. Yuko had been keeping up with him not only as a colleague simply, but also as a boyfriend like girlfriends. Comparatively speaking, he looked to be good-natured tone talking? His existence offen helped me, my boss here for example. The two might be a couple seen around. When other colleagues knew his marriage last month, they asked me whether to marriage him.
"How many children are you going to make?"
Yuko asked so suddenly, then Kobayashi's face turned into red.
"Uh.. Wmm.."
"Why?"
Though I asked him questions being in trouble on purpose, Kobayashi answered with a smile.
"So, how is your boyfriend?"
My mind was fluctuated by the question that he'd never asked. It wasn't the talking of Kobayashi as usual. That was why I was surprised and my head was shaken.
"Oh, yeah, still.."
Somehow, as it was not Kobayashi's atmosphere as usual, so that my eyes moved toward my desk at glance likely to resume.
"Take care."
Kobayashi was also away from there, due to something discomfort or difference from my usual attitude.
Alone, alone, to get marriage. There was no longer female's remainder among colleagues in this company except for Yoko. I was thinking about marriage with Takayuki in my head.
"If we get married..."
We were already living in concubinage as ever, and almost no change from now.
"Our life would not be changed, but the shown view of us arround?"
The situation was that I was supporting him, who had almost no income.
"That reality, his family and relatives how they feel the reality?"
It was hazy with indicative of wedding so far.
"Saito chief?"
One of my subordinates whispered standing before my desk.
"Oh, now what?"
"The data, but.."
He might has seen my face being blankly.
I received the CD-R given to me while feeling a little embarrassed.
"Hello, I'm back now."
"Hi, welcome back."
Every day, just continued to take my age, but it was difficult to find quite happiness living with Takayuki.
"How he feel the future between us?"
Yuko was thinking about it while looking at his face.
"Something on my face?"
Did he understand today's my sensitiveness seldom seen?
"What?"
Takayuki was looking at me and wondering curiously.
"Oh, I..."
I came myself and was looking for the words which should be responded.
"Well, I didn't see it queer character today."
"So..."
I answered so unconsciously mostly.
4
- Takayuki -
- A few days later.
An envelope with international money orders arrived here.
"Hey, I received a something."
"Finally.."
It was a light brown envelope that the address was written in Roman. The sender wrote it copying from the e-mail which Takayuki sent before, the writing was so untidiness as wondering whether to be written by Hillary, the sender's name and address were not written.
Takayuki quickly broke the envelope suppressing his excited feeling. Rarely to get the sales money, Takayuki wanted to see the evidence of the sales.
"Wow, there are some.."
"Uh-oh? Something……"
Four of international money order US$ 650 were within. Request for the payment of US $ 1,000, more than double was sent.
"Hey, I think it's a little much?"
Yuko happily asked.
"Yes, very much so, why?"
Takayuki was wondering with the money orders in his hands. Bank transfer had been usually employed among international tradings, therefore Takayuki had never seen the orders. The printing technology was not so different from Japanese one, but a little bright colors.
"It's pretty classy design."
Takayuki immediately wrote an e-mail to thank Hillary, at the same time asked about excess money orders.
I received money orders today.
These will be taken to the post office to cash tomorrow.
By the way, it has excess four of US$650 order.
The total amount of money orders sent is US $ 2600.
The total payment you need to pay is US $ 1,000.
The remainder of US $ 1,600 should be sent back to you, or cashed to bank transfer.
Please let me know what should I do.
Takayuki Ninomiya
Takayuki was thinking to take the surplus of US$1600 secretly. But Takayuki honestly would ask her, why her husband sent them amount of calculated to advance or a mistake something. And waited for the reply.
Payment from my husband was being proceeding that is more than anything.
It was his misunderstanding about the excess payment, the hauler told him it would cost as much because of from Japan to South Africa.
But welcome to have the service and shipping if you can, it will help us.
Please exchange all of the money orders to the cash as soon as possible.
Also please put the remainder US$1000 into your art works after taking the amount of the payment US$1600.
Sincerely yours.
Hillary
"Wm..."
An answer that wouldn't ask Takayuki to send back the excess that would be expected, but it was that the exchanged money orders ought to be sent back to them. Though Takayuki was a little disappointed, the payment would to be remained here.
"Three paintings were purchased anyway."
Murmuring so, Takayuki was expecting to exchange those money orders to cash.
5
- A post office.
"Excuse me."
"The watermarks is invisible, a little more investigating is necessary."
"Take a moment please."
The woman in 50s disappeared into a room behind.
"It takes too much though they have rare the experience of taking care of money orders."
Takayuki was complaining about the clerk who was lingering to cash.
In a moment, another clerk, elderly man walked to in front of Takayuki.
"Oh well, actually.."
"There's room in detail……"
Takayuki was taken into a dark room behind.
- The postal inspector, Nobuhito Satake.
Dressed in a dark blue suit man was waiting there. Seemed to be late 30s, a business card was outstretched. Takayuki recieved the name card gingerly.
"Please come.."
There was doubt against Takayuki a little in his voice.
"Yes.."
Takayuki sat on a designated chair. He was taking so long whether preparing to record this in his pocket secretly.
After a while, the postal inspector started talking.
"Well, this international money orders……"
"Yes..."
Takayuki murmured so anxiously.
"These are fakes.., counterfeited money orders."
He saw Takayuki calmly.
"Is that truth?"
Takayuki was fairly upset, never thought about it.
It was a counterfeited money order that was forged by named Hillary and that was thought as real one. Takayuki was trying to exchange them into cash by his hands. Although he didn't know the fact, but the crime involved with him.
The nasty one who was named Hillary herself and who was trying to use Takayuki for avoiding the evidence remained. The fact made Takayuki feel uncomfortable with that clever tricks impressed.
"Post office was recently careful against these kinds of matter."
"So some questions.. having them, okay?"
The inspector asked that the counterfeit money orders background, detailed and objective redeemed.
Takayuki explained the e-mail's history detail between Hillary named herself.
"Okay then the person named Hillary herself sent these to you for proceeds of your art works, and after exchanging to the cash, the person ordered you to send remainder of them back?"
"Yes."
"Then, you have no acquaintance with the suspect, don't you?"
"Yes, only e-mail exchanges."
"Okay"
The inspector was considering about something for a while.
"So now, the suspect does not know that we recognize the counterfeiting?"
"Yes."
"Well, could you give us the envelop sent and the e-mail address the suspect used and so on?"
"Oh yes, I will send them later."
The interview by the postal inspector was finished.
6
A few days later.
"Ring.. Ring.."
"Yesss.."
Yuko opened the door while having annoying face so busy early morning.
"Is Takayuki Ninomiya here?"
A suit man with sunglasses was standing there.
"Your customer? Takayuki.."
Yuko called Takayuki anxiously.
"Sorry.. so early.."
He took the sunglasses off.
"I came here instead of Satake inspector.."
He gave his business card to Takayuki, who was walking with the teethbrush.
- The Postal Inspection Advisor, Yasushi Kanemoto.
"What's happened?"
"Oh, calling by telephone was enough, but.."
There had been incidents like this happening at the other post offices on the same way that letting the seller send the suspect back the remainder after them cashed, as Kanemoto said.
As the post office's analysis of the e-mail from Hillary named herself provided by Takayuki, there were the same occasions that happened, also same server was used among those cases.
It seemed that those e-mails were sent from suspects or a group. The counterfeit money orders in the envelope postmarked by a faked stamp was posted by a suspect or someone related. Same money orders with same serial numbers were found. There may had been possibility to develop counterfeit money enough on their skill which could make this money order. The man said anxiously.
"The series of incidents by a foreign group seems to be involved in the counterfeit bills. Online shopping is convenient for anybody but on the other hand, this kind of crime would be more susceptible."
"They are aiming at Japanese who is relatively wealthy and honest, and……"
He suddenly stopped talking.
"So what?" asked Takayuki.
"Oh yeah, have you seen strange person arround you?"
Takayuki remembered that Yuko talked to him before.
"You said that you had seen a suspicious man before, right?"
Takayuki turned his face to Yuko standing behind him.
"Yeah, I saw a suspicious man, just like him who was wearing the kind of sunglasses."
Kanemoto sub-inspecture was wry smiling, after then was seriously looking at Takayuki.
"If something else happened, could you contact the police too, please."
"Is there something?"
Takayuki was worried.
"There is information that members of a group already are hiding in Japan, but this can not be in publicly."
"Wm.."
Kanemoto sub-inspecter said us to be careful, then left here.
It seemed that the situation was not so good, even came here so busy morning time.
A week later.
There was no e-mail from Hillary any more. Investigation by the Post office or the Police had to be done. Takayuki stopped sending e-mail to Hillary named herself after then, also had feeling of that already finished.
"Well.. it was a good study, bank transfer will be employed for the next time as you said."
Takayuki said so while looking at Yuko.
7
- Yuko -
The next day.
There was a chatting between a female employee of the general affair and Yuko in the meeting space at the company.
"Hey, are you going not to married the man who had been associating with..."
"Well, it seems not yet.."
"Do you know Kobayashi-kun, a colleague at same floor of yours?"
"Yeah."
"Recently I think he got married.."
"He seems to get married a foreigner, also blond.."
"Oh, really?"
Yuko unexpected and could not image how he made advances to the woman.
"Such a kind face as a boy, he has.."
I had felt a little worried, as I had a friendly attitude for him. His girlfriend was not a Japanese. Why he had to be with the foreign woman, though there was me fascinating beside him. It was not that foreign guys did not interest me, their some good lookings, tall and mighty chest of their body. I had not looked for the good opportunities with those guys, becasue of the prejudice to differences from languages and customs, and so on. I had pre-decided on my own before looking for.
"Also, are there any procedures of paperworks more than as usual."
"Really?"
"Becasue of the procedures in their countries.."
"Well.., complicated just for marriage?"
I was thinking that I would not mind such a tiny thing if there was man who got married me.
"But he is likely to talk in English fluently, so.."
"Wow."
Yuko felt being at out of him.
He seemed to be a type that relies on the grilfriend and likely to cause her maternal instinct, further more never had the image his fluent speaking a foreign language.
"Do they go for the honeymoon?"
I was wondering that he was still working by late at night almost every day, though his marriage had been passed more than a month.
"Is he so busy?"
"I think so.."
"I will get angry with his boss, if I was his wife." she said.
"I will call his boss to complain!" I said.
"You have to!"
"Ha ha.."
She went walking to the downstairs while laughing.
Walking to the floor of my section..
"Hi"
"There is the person behind the rumour.."
Kobayashi was walking down from the upper floor.
"Hello."
A different sort of greeting was done then.
"Wow, something nice to you today?"
He was gazing at my face having some documents written in english for the general section maybe in his hands.
I understood myself it would be necessary for their marriage.
"Are your wife.."
I stopped talking after then..
"Oh.. no, thanks."
I kept walking to the stairs.
Kobayashi's eyes followed my back vaguely.
"Good evening"
I went home leaving the office earlier than usual.
"Welcome back, it's early today."
"Yeah, I feel a little sick"
"Are you OK? Did you catch a cold?"
Takayuki asked anxiously.
"No, just a little tired, so don't worry, so e-mails from Hillary wouldn't come again, should I abandon this envelop away?"
Saying so, Takayuki took the envelop from Hillary on a bookshelf, and was goint to put into the trash can.
"Ah.."
The words written as rough angularly..!
"Oh, that.."
"When I talk to Kobayashi and his hand-written documents, and there's.."
"Is that..?"
"If he would had written this, then the group related with the counterfeit money orders?"
"No.. never.." I murmured.
"What are you.."
"Oh no, nothing.."
I said nothing about Kobayashi to Takayuki, even if there were some evidences. In addition, I did not want to let him know the existence of Kobayashi. Although Kobayashi and me were not have the relation among man and woman, I did not want to talk to him.
"okay.."
Takayuki thrown the envelop into the trash.
After Takayuki's snoring bigan, I was carefully left my bed and picked up the envelop from the trash, also put it into my handbag.
"I will check this at company someday." I murmured, and quietly returened into my bed like nothing happened.
Kobayashi got married a foreign woman, and fluency would talk in English. The counterfeit money orders with the envelop written a similar handwriting of Kobayashi, and they had been posted to the mailbox here.
Yuko had an uneasiness feeling...
8
"Excuse me."
This voice..
"Uu……"
Few possibles to make any voices.
Blindfolded eyes, gaged mouth, tightly bound hands and feet with ropes, jumper is wore on my body.
It is the pajama I was wearing last night. I'm not able to immediately understand that involved me into this situation or this criminal incident until hearing this voice.
"Saito-san.."
My prediction who caused this occasion hit the fact, the counterfeit stuffs ought to be Kobayashi's. Actually done such a incident like an assault, shocks and disappoints me. A betray act to me, though we have been related as friends or colleagues in the company. Are there any other reasons? I can not understand why he attacks forward me.
"Are you wondering why?"
Kobayashi ask me.
I nodded instead of say "Yes" owing to the impossibleness to open my mouth.
"Wm.."
"It was likely to be successful until your boyfriend went to the post office to cash, but finally those were found."
"It's okay to get only the half of all we sent."
"It should be a good-bye case unless unexpected your noticing."
"It was a mistake that I sent an e-mail to an colleague."
"Uh... Wh.."
I'm in agony trying to open my mouth with the gag to say something against him.
"What?"
Kobayashi lets the gag be a little loose.
"Hou.."
"It was you? Kobayashi-kun.."
"Yes.. it was me.."
"What is your purpose?"
"We don't have any purposes, no... we are impossible to know the purpose precisely, we are only.."
"The e-mail was supposed to be coming from overseas."
"We operated the IP address like your boyfriend as 'a step', e-mail could be sent you via the 'step' especially."
"Then, did you bring and put the money orders with the envelop in our post box?"
"Yes.. it was me too."
"So those of the incidents caused were all your strategies?"
"Well, the executers were almost me."
Yuko is looking toward just extension of eyes blindfolded become Kobayashi's position.
"Then, why you have to do these stupid things to me?"
"You noticed my identity, right?"
"I was not aware of yours"
"No, you ought to have noticed."
Kobayashi's voice become a little louder.
"You didn't have an opportunity to know that I was thinking so, though I doubted you a little."
"That's right. I couldn't know that you were suspicious about me. But, I showed you the documents on purpose, and let you notice those. I expected that you would investigate on me unless talking your boyfriend..."
"If I didn't notice it?"
"Even if you didn't notice, I would do thus. Because you would be ours. A report on the way to upward, I need a something reason to involve you, for example you already knew about us."
"Upward?"
Yuko couldn't understand at all.
"Yes, It is not only me involving these. Developing the counterfeit money order is not so important thing for us. Our true purpose and value..., I can't say any more.."
"You say that I ought to join?"
"Yes."
"No.."
"You have to!"
"If I said 'No'?"
"Sorry.."
I'd never thought such "words" from Kobayashi's mouth.
I want to see his transfigurated face, but the blindfold eyes couldn't see anything of it.
"Your beauty and strong-mind attitude have fascinated me at the biginning when I joined this company. But I also need some kinds of readiness for ordinary love affair."
"Readiness?"
"Yes, If I and you.."
"Nothing much fuss about it, but whether actually do so or not."
"No, that's not it."
"I am not Japanese and I'm a spy."
Yuko is shocked the unrealistic words in her head.
Kobayashi is a foreigner, and a spy?
How can I belive he is a foreigner? He looks so Japanese.
"Therefore there is no place of my love with Japanese, especially ordinary people."
"So, why you are in this company?"
"Because of making of my life in Japan and developing the Japanese Kobayashi as a portrait."
"Then you have true your family?"
"Yes."
"I can't talk details, but my parents are both Asian. Though some reason, they migrated an abroad. Then I was born there."
"I see, just so far, I have been thought you are an ordinary Japanese, a little shock.. OK. So why do you want me to be a spy?"
"That's……"
Kobayashi is hesitating for the answer.
"Fellowship for me, making reason of it, you showed me the writting documents wrriten by you, but you actually made kidnapping force before I would take something action."
"I think so."
"Are there another woman spy trained a lot?"
"Wm.."
"Just you're selfish, and I have a boyfriend Takayuki."
"Ah.. does he..?"
"Don't be so worry.. we made him sleep a while, he will wake up the morning as usual, however it would depend on you.."
"Okay.., fu.., you force me to join, don't you?"
"Yes."
"But I am Japanese, and even family living in Japan. They will make fuss."
"I think you don't neet to be worried. In the meantime long-term overseas trips with me for your boss, also whether an accident happens or not.."
"Oh.. it's enough.."
"Fuu.."
I am considering whether joining his group as he said, a reason of that I doesn't deslike him so much. However, my boyfriend Takayuki was entraped by a group Kobayashi joins. I'm not sure how my destiny to fall down, but I can't fully trust them anyway.
"So, what will you do here in Japan? Even that's your job, has to be painful without ill. What made you so?"
"Why do you ask such a thing? That's none of your concern."
"It's not unconcern, at least if I helped you, I have to know the reason why we will do. I can't be like a robot, just a human. I'm also interested in you a little, so let me know your things."
"Do you investigate in me, or exploit me with your temptation?, That's okay."
"I decided to have no nationality, it means I decided to abandon it due to some reason that I don't want to talk about."
"And I became a so-called spy. The status in the light of what has become once is easy to live. Spoofing others, when getting worse, then switch to another one"
"So spy? I can't acknowledge, but it's your life, and free you to be."
"So - what you will be, Saito-san?"
"Fu..., do I have another way?"
"Wm.. do you sympathize my..?"
"I can't.. it does not justifies the reason to hurt people and make counterfeit money orders. But.. I am now being placed in the position of what needs to be helped if you have a job."
"OK, you will understand."
Kobayashi said so, also uncovers a blindfold covered my eyes, and cut the ropes tightened my arms and legs with a knife.
"Whoof.. it was hurt.."
Somewhere underground, Yuko is sitting in the middle of the room where is not so big.
There is no window in the place.
Cool cozy feeling is tickling each fingertip of Yuko's limbs.
"When you act as betrayal of any cases, know it?"
Kobayashi is to make sure above while glaring at Yuko.
"Yes, I know."
I don't know what kind of organization in detail, and don't intend to run away.
"First of all, do nothing, please."
Kobayashi faces a serious look at me.
"...?"
I am astonished the statement was far from what I thought.
"Do nothing?"
"Yes, nothing to do, just please continue living as Yuko Saito."
"Ha?"
I am discouraged a little an image of spy that Kobayashi talked to me.
"They seems to be ordinary people at all, on the contrary what you have thought. There is rare killing like that you see on the movies and TV. Well.. it's like trusted friends."
"Yes.."
Unknowingly kidnapped by the middle of the night, made a forceful part of spying and let me in. How can I trust them and have the relationships with?
"But you would do like this as usual?"
"Oh, this is a rare occasion."
"Really."
"We just ask and activate you for the benefit of the organization when we want to get something information. It would be normal life except for them."
"Relatives or someone?"
"Of course, you should not."
"I can't.."
"No, you can"
"Physically dangerous acts have never been done for female spys. But you will have opportunities to associate with men to get information what we want. Prepared for it, please."
".. Well, it's pretending to be in love with them. Are you still doing in this human world now?"
"The approach is conservative, but the effect is high enough in comparison to the risk."
"However, as women I would like you to prepare the……"
Kobayashi is now clouded with a different voice.
"..I know."
"Sorry.."
"Don't apologize, you made this, right?"
"Yes."
Yuko is irritating.
"Shit."
The only word comes out.
"Can I do this? ..Keeping a secret to Takayuki."
He will be involved similar circumstances if I told him about this.
"It might be rather fun if I were a single."
It 's shamefull to think such a thing, but it is true that I have felt blocked my life up.
I guess the sky is brighter.
"So expecting you."
Kobayashi said so, the entrance door wide opened.
The dim light on the stairs arrived to the door.
Because whether there is no window, the overcast and heavy air redesigned to be fresh air makes Yuko breath a little easier.
"This place is.. no one should know..., right?"
"I know!"
I obstruct him.
"Whoo.."
There is a defiant look of Yuko that no one could guess she was confined and abducted.
9
( About a year later )
"Saito-san, excuse me you know."
This is the password when Kobayashi ask and activate me.
I was forced into being a spy and agent of them though, it was not so difficult rather than I thought before.
A year has passed since then, the 3 times already have been done until now. Investigating in a person who works downtown whether being a North's spy, that was the first act. I felt difficult to do the job that was investigating in a person being similar position though, thinking as a patriotic role eases me to do that. Also, I could receive some reward.
But what makes me feel painful is not act itself, it is that I have to betray the person who would be closed to without some kinds of emotion. The espionage's acts that I understand to have to betrayed the person being closed from first, might be easier to quit the act than the company's job that there seems was no splitting between job and emotion. Yuko could understand what Kobayashi said before.
After receiving a memo from Kobayashi, Yuko returns to desk work as if nothing done. I have decided where shoud I receive the memo from him, somewhere within the company for no letting Takayuki know about this. Seeing the memo should be done at a dressing room, after then it always has been burned in a ashtray at a park near the company.
I guess that Takayuki doesn't seem to know what I 'm doing at the company, of course being a spy either, even the insident at the night before at all. Being an office lady also Kobayashi's agent in the company, on the other hand Takayuki's live-in partner in my apartment, while adapting to each one. Like just two boyfriends.
I have a feeling sorry for Takayuki, but there was no other way to be current situation. However, I've never have sexual relations with Kobayashi still. There haven't been no such motion from me until now. But I have no idea that my intention and heart caused me done it.
Anyhow, it is necessary the espionage's act to be done perfectly at the moment.
Making sure to dig a grave having a half-hearted attitude.
I notice a familiar name and address written in the memo which Kobayashi gave me.
1-2-5 A-ward, Tokyo, Takayuki Ninomiya
There is possibility of the person being an operative,
Send his information.
It is the time to make a decision which man or status is suitable for me.
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This novel was translated from the original in Japanese by the author.
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This story is fiction. The places, persons and company names, etc. do not exist.
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( Copyright by Takashi Yama )
