Chapter 33: The Lady Who Has Grown, and the Murderous Takeda

Qingshan Hidenobu frowned in silence.
Nozahara Irene dared not disturb him. She tiptoed over with the tea set and quietly knelt on the carpet by the table to begin preparing tea.
Because of her ample figure, when she straightened her back and leaned forward, it was as if her heavy conscience was being placed on the table, pressed to appear even rounder, filling the air with a sense of happiness just to look at her.
To be full is to be content; who agrees, who would object?
“Can you find out if this man has borrowed money from any other financial companies?” Qingshan Hidenobu picked up Sato Toshitomi’s file and handed it to Nozahara Irene.
“Information on key clients is strictly confidential at every company.” Nozahara Irene had clearly begun to learn the ropes of managing a company, understanding much more than before. Seeing Qingshan Hidenobu’s displeased frown, she hurriedly lowered her head and shifted her tone. “But please rest assured, Mr. Qingshan, our company works closely with many peers. I will help you inquire.”
“Are you able to control the company?” Watching her timid, quail-like manner—she dared not even meet his gaze—Qingshan Hidenobu doubted her.
Nozahara Irene swallowed, then summoned her courage to look up and speak carefully. “A few executives did question me, but I promised to resolve the threat from the Noguchi group. Now that Noguchi Matsuo has been arrested, there shouldn’t be any more opposition.”
“You’ve got a bit of cunning after all,” Qingshan Hidenobu smiled. With Noguchi Matsuo’s arrest, the senior staff at Nozahara Financial Corporation must believe Nozahara Irene has found herself a powerful backer, so they have no choice but to accept her.
Nozahara Irene blushed, lowered her head, and said softly, “It’s all thanks to your guidance, Mr. Qingshan.”
She then bent forward and offered him a cup of hot tea with both hands.
Qingshan Hidenobu took it absentmindedly, sipped once, set it back on the table, and patted her head. “As long as you find what I want, I can make sure you earn not just a fortune in favors, but real wealth as well.”
He had plenty of ideas in mind; just a slight move on his part could change the whole lending market.
“Yes!” Nozahara Irene might not grasp the depths of Chinese culture, but she understood that Qingshan Hidenobu was promising her a reward, which was enough. “I’ll do my best.”
“I’ll be off now. If you run into trouble, just call me.” Qingshan Hidenobu stood, carrying himself with the air of a Commissioner rather than a mere Inspector. But what could he do? He had the right connections above him.
Asai Aya’s father was a Senior Superintendent, and Asai Aya listened to him; by association, it was as if his own father held that rank. So what if he acted a little high and mighty as a second-generation official?
“Yes!” Nozahara Irene rose to see him off, bowing deeply with utmost respect. “Take care, Mr. Qingshan. I will inform you as soon as I have news.”
Qingshan Hidenobu left without a backward glance, slamming the door behind him.
“Phew—”
Hearing the door close, Nozahara Irene finally breathed a sigh of relief and slumped, exhausted, onto the sofa.
She then picked up the phone and called the office. “Summon all staff at section chief rank or above to the conference room for a meeting. I’ll be there in half an hour with an important announcement.”
About thirty minutes later, the conference room of Nozahara Financial Corporation was already packed, people chatting idly.
When the door opened and Nozahara Irene entered in a black business suit and heels, the chatter fell silent at once. Everyone stood to greet her.
“Madam.”
“Please, everyone, be seated.” Nozahara Irene walked to the head of the table, raised her hand for everyone to sit, bowed slightly, and then raised her head to speak. “I’ve called you here urgently to announce good news: from today onward, we need not worry about the Noguchi group’s designs on us. Their chairman was arrested by the police last night for drug trafficking.”
A wave of shock swept the room.
“Noguchi Matsuo was arrested? Is that true?”
“If it’s true, that’s wonderful. That man was insatiably greedy—he even tried to buy us out for a pittance.”
Amid their astonishment, everyone began to look at Nozahara Irene with newfound respect. After all, she had said she would deal with the Noguchi group’s threat, and now Noguchi Matsuo was actually arrested; it surely had something to do with her.
The image of the naive, sweet company wife she once projected vanished, replaced by an unfathomable presence.
Yet they did not know that all her composure and coolness was an act. In reality, her heart was in her throat, her pale hands gripping her bag tightly, toes curled with tension in her high heels.
She had never involved herself in company affairs while her husband was alive and was half a social phobic; facing this scene was an enormous strain for her.
“So now, regarding my succession to my husband’s role as company president, can everyone rest assured?” Nozahara Irene forced herself to smile, trying to appear calm.
There was a moment of silence before a white-haired elder stood and bowed. “President.”
He was the company’s vice president.
“President!” The rest of the management along the table rose, bowing in support.
Nozahara Irene finally exhaled, deliberately raised her chin with pride, and slowly sat in the chair that once belonged to her husband. Seeing those who had scorned her only days before now bowing and yielding, she felt an indescribable satisfaction.
And all of this she owed to Mr. Qingshan.
She would be sure to repay him well.
………………………
Setagaya Ward, Akatsutsumi 3-chome.
Inside Imamura’s restaurant, the place was bustling. The proprietor, Imamura Fumiken, a corpulent man in his forties, wore a warm smile as he made sushi for his customers.
“Take care, please come again!”
He saw off every guest with polite words.
“Father, that man is awake.” Imamura Fumiken’s son came up and whispered to him.
“You look after the customers for me.” Imamura Fumiken handed over the sushi bar to his son, excused himself to the waiting customers, and left.
Imamura’s restaurant was both shop and home; the ground floor was the eatery, while the upstairs and backyard served as living quarters.
Imamura Fumiken went up to the second floor, pushed open the sliding door, and saw Takeda Ichiro sitting on the tatami, smoking. He couldn’t help but comment, “You certainly have a calm mind, Takeda-kun, sleeping from dawn till now. Aren’t you afraid you’ll wake to find yourself surrounded by police? And, if you could, please put out the cigarette.”
“It seems you live a happy life, Imamura-kun. People with worries usually don’t mind the smell of smoke.” Takeda Ichiro snuffed out his cigarette, then rolled his neck, stiff from sleep. “It’s been a long time since I’ve slept so soundly. As a guest, to sleep so late in the host’s house is quite rude.”
“If you’ve rested enough, please leave as soon as possible, Takeda-kun,” Imamura Fumiken said earnestly.
“I will go,” Takeda nodded, then fixed his gaze on Imamura. “But first, I need to know who the partner was in that last job.”
“Takeda-kun!” Imamura Fumiken raised his voice slightly and frowned. “If I were so loose-lipped, you wouldn’t still be sitting here. I didn’t make a single yen from that last job. For the sake of our past friendship, I won’t pursue it, but now I must ask you to leave.”
With a thud, Takeda Ichiro hoisted a large bundle at his feet and tossed it over. Then he nudged it with his toe and said, “I didn’t get a single yen from that job either, but I’ll pay you every bit you’re owed. That’s your share inside.”
“What are you talking about?” Imamura glanced at the bundle but paid it little mind, pressing on, “You say you got nothing? But the other party claims he didn’t get a cent either, and that you took seven hundred million for yourself. He was furious at me over it.”
“Heh, now that’s interesting.” Takeda Ichiro rubbed his close-cropped head, a dangerous smile flickering across his face. “Between me and him, one of us is lying. Who do you think it is?”
Imamura fell silent at these words.
“Clearly, you don’t think I’m the liar, do you? If I had seven hundred million, why would I risk returning so soon?” Takeda Ichiro slowly got up, bowed to Imamura, and said, “Please, tell me who that person is.”
“I don’t know,” Imamura shook his head.
Takeda’s expression turned dark in an instant. He grabbed Imamura by the throat, “You don’t know? You were the middleman! How could you not know? Idiot! I even suspected you two colluded to play me for a fool. When I escaped Tokyo, I thought of coming back to kill you first!”
Talk of murderous intent might sound hollow,
but as a hardened criminal with more than one life on his hands, Takeda Ichiro’s ferocity was truly intimidating when he turned grim.
“But... but you didn’t kill me, and you even had me pick you up. That means you trust my character, that I wouldn’t break the code,” Imamura managed, breathless, face blanching, yet meeting Takeda’s gaze head-on.
Takeda stared at him for a long moment, then released him with a shove. “It’s the other guy who broke the rules first. There’s no need to keep his secret—tell me who he is. I came back not just for my money, but to take that man’s life as well!”
Coughing violently, Imamura bent over, gasping until color returned to his cheeks. He waved his hand and said, “I’m not lying, Takeda-kun. I truly don’t know.”
“You don’t know him, you don’t know anything—how could you work with him?” Takeda’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, for he knew Imamura to be a cautious middleman.
Imamura finally caught his breath, straightened up, and explained with a wry smile, “That man only ever contacted me by phone. Before that, he sent me a letter, which, to my shock, contained evidence that I’d been involved in several robberies and fencing operations.”
“There was also a phone number. When I called, he asked me to gather people for the Choshin Bank job, said he could provide inside info on the bank and help the crew escape police, and if I refused, he’d hand the evidence to the cops. Afterward, aside from berating me over the phone for not getting the money, he never contacted me again.”
“I see! No wonder you thought I took the seven hundred million but didn’t blame me—you felt guilty toward me.” Takeda laughed bitterly, then punched Imamura in the face, seized him by the collar, and snarled, “Idiot! You not only got some of my brothers killed, you nearly got me killed too!”
Imamura had no answer to the accusation.
“Give me that number,” Takeda said, suddenly bored by Imamura’s resigned demeanor, and let him go with a curse.
Imamura wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, shook his head, and replied, “It’s no use. I’ve tried calling, but no one picks up.”
“I’ll make him answer.” Takeda sat back down on the tatami, his tone calm and cold.
Imamura glanced at him, then pulled a notepad from the drawer, scribbled the number, and handed it over.
Takeda pocketed it without a glance, then pointed at the two bundles. “One was meant for you, but forget it. There’s about a hundred million yen in total. Get me some gear, and I’ll give you four addresses—deliver the rest there.”
Those four men who robbed the Noguchi group’s casino with him had been lured with the promise of a share; Takeda hadn’t blown them up for the money, but to keep them from breaking under interrogation and giving him away if caught.
So he would pay their families not just what he promised, but even more.
“Yes!” Imamura lowered his head, then looked up in concern. “Takeda-kun, that person’s background might be more complicated than you think. Are you sure you want to go through with this? Sometimes it’s best to let things be.”
“Background is the most unfair thing in the world—but the most fair is that everyone only has one life.”
“He owes me money. He owes me lives.”
“And all of it must be repaid.”