Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens Volume 1 Chapter 5

Top of Fifth Inning

"Let's blow them up."

Was what Reiko suggested when they were discussing what to do after kidnapping Murase and his friends at university and putting them to sleep.

"After all wouldn't it be a quick way to clean up all three of them in one go? We can have it written off as an accident stupid students caused from drinking and driving."

Munakata also was in agreement with her suggestion. If three people of the same circle and of the same university died at the same time it would intentionally leave an impact. It would be the most natural thing to do to deal with it as a car accident with the three of them together.

If it was explosions then that was Shinohara's specialty.

"For an opportunity to test a new work of mine so quickly," Shinohara excitingly said while setting up an explosive near the car's fuel tank. "Still, what a strange feeling. Killing students going to the same university as me. …….Well, it's not like I know them, and I don't really care."

They put the three sleeping students into the stolen vehicle. Naturally that was after they poured down large volume of alcohol from their mouths. From atop the car Ivanov was spreading around the gasoline. They planned to cause a minor explosion and set the car on fire.

When they were finishing the preparations,

"All right, let's go. Everyone, please move away." Shiohara started the count down in a large voice. "Three, two, one, pshh"

The moment he hit the detonation switch, the sound of an explosion went off. The gasoline caught on fire, and in a flicker of a moment the car was aflame.

"Hey, this isn't the level of a traffic accident." Munakata grasped his head in his hands. "Isn't this like a terrorist bombing?"

"Ahh, sorry. It seems I put too much gunpowder." Shinohara said without any introspection on the matter.

Munakata smacked him on the head, "idiot!"

"Isn't this fine? The police guys will make the arrangements." Shinohara took out his smartphone while saying that. "h.e.l.lo? It's me. Thank you for your a.s.sistance. Three people were blown up near the Nagatani dam, so can you handle this as a traffic accident? Really, my apologies as always. I'll leave you to it. The payment will be sent to the bank account as usual. Right. Excuse me."

Munakata and everyone else already got back into the car. While people were still absent they quickly leave the site.

"Now then, next is that perverted son's case." Shinohara spit out tiresomely. "What will we do? Throw him into a psychiatric hospital?"

"Even if we did that, his sickness wouldn't be cured." Munakata shrugged his shoulders. "Since he's a helpless crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

"But that guy periodically gets urges to kill women." Ivanov was also tired of it. "If he's let loose, the same things will happen again."

"If he can't be cured, then we just have to accept it. For us to move on our own it'd be better to just prepare women. Shino, you kidnap university women and bring them in. Do it without getting caught."

"Ehh, no way. If I do that our university will become a male campus."

"I have an idea." Reiko spoke up. "Do you know the Kakyuu group? They're an organization the boss has become acquainted with recently."

"Yeah."

"It seems the Kakyuu group has connections to the Chinese mafia. And that mafia is famous as a human trafficking broker."

"Human trafficking. I see. So we purchase a suitable, unrelated woman to satisfy that perverted son?"

"Yes."

"That's a good idea."

Trafficked women would not have a notification for their disappearance, so the risks that could develop in the case were low. That was as long as Yusuke did not throw away the bodies on his own before that.

"What would you do with the body? Should we just leave it to the professionals to take care of?"

"I have an idea for that too."

Munakata nodded. "Alright. I'll leave the clean up of the body to you then. I'll go meet up with someone from the Kakyuu group and make some negotiations."

Munakata made contact with the Kakyuu group soon after. He met with a Chinese man named Zhang in a high cla.s.s club in Nakasu. "I want a young woman." When he tells him of his request, Zhang agreed to it with a smile.

"That's fine. I'll introduce you to our broker. We were just about to have several women arrive to j.a.pan. I thought to have them work at our pub, but I can divide them up and give some of them to you."

"Thank you."

"However, I have just one condition."

Munakata furrowed his brows. "A condition?"

"Let's have it be like the give and take concept. We will grant your wish. And in exchange I would like for you to work for us."

"Of course, I plan to. If that is what you wish." Co-joining on evil deeds together was a method that was difficult to build trust on. "We'll kill anyone."

Zhang was pleased. "Oh, you're a great help. Actually, there's a kid I want punished."

"A kid, huh." Everyone is having difficulties with kids, Munakata chuckled in his mind.

"It's a killer of ours, but he made a dispute about his payment and just won't listen to what you tell him. We don't need a dog that bites the hand of his master."

"So it is alright for us to kill him?"

"Yes. I would like one of your people to finish him."

It did not seem like a trivial issue. "In that case, what is that killer's preferred weapon? Is it a gun? Or a blade?"

"I think it's probably a knife." It was an ambiguous answer. He doesn't know the specialized weapon of the killer he employs? Munakata was slightly surprised. "I ordered him to not use it since he'd stand out. Besides, his targets were always stabbed or cut up."

"Then it is without a doubt a blade then." When it comes to close combat Ivanov is the most qualified. "I have one man who specializes in close combat. He's the strongest man even among us. I'll give you his contact information."

"Thank you. And here's the broker's contact address."

They both exchanged numbers. The negotiations were established.

Bottom of Fifth Inning

In front of Saitou's eyes the preparations for the revenge was taking place steadily.

"Say, Murase-kun," Jiro asked him with a metal pipe carried on his shoulder. He probably planned to use that to beat him up with. "You beat up a foreigner to death just previously right."

Saitou shook his head in haste. He did not do anything like that. He was not Murase in the first place. He desperately tried to form words, moving his mouth sealed by the packing tape. The adhesive lessened and once the tape was half way off he raised his voice.

"Wai-wait a second!" Saitou pleaded innocence. "I didn't do anything!"

He was not believed. "You just said it not too long ago. You really don't know when to give up."

"I'm really not Murase!"

"Haa?" Jiro frowned. "But you said it. That you're Murase."

That was true. When he was asked "are you Murase-san?" he answered with a "yes." However, there was a reason for that.

"Thinking of killing Murase, I sneaked into his room."

Jiro snorted as though he said a poor excuse. "Sure, sure."

It seemed to make him believe him he would have to give him his true name.

"I had the request to. To kill Murase. Since I'm a member of Murder Inc."

"……Murder Inc, you say?" Jiro grit his teeth. "Wait, what do you mean?"

"Ah, if you want proof I have it! There's a business card in my breast pocket!"

Jiro searched inside his pocket and took out a business card just as he said there was. It was a fake business card, a necessary article for this industry. At a glance it looked like a normal business card, but heat it with a flame and the characters would disappear and other characters would surface in its place. And when the temperature decreased it returned to normal.

Jiro warmed up the card with a lighter. And he read out the characters that appear. "Murder Inc. f.u.kuoka Office, Takuya Itou?"

"That is a fake name, and my real name is Saitou."

Jiro placed his hand at his mouth in surprise. "Oh my, you really are a person from Murder Inc? Isn't that one of our precious clients?"

It seemed he finally believed him. Saitou let out a sigh of relief.

"Well now I'm very sorry. It was my mistake." Jiro chuckled. He thought it was not an issue to be let off with just an apology, but since he then released him from his binds he decided to just forgive and forget it. And he was finally let go.

"……W-well then, I'll just be going now."

He wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. He did not know where he was, but for now he would get out on the street and take a taxi home.

Jiro called out, stopping him. Both of his shoulders were grabbed and turned around suddenly.

"Y-yes. What is it?"

"If you ever want something to be avenged for, contact me. I'll give you a discount as an apology for this."

He received his card. [Manager of Bar. Babylon, Jiro Tanaka] was written on it. When he warmed it with a lighter, the Bar. Babylon section changed into the characters Avenger.

It was evening by the time Banba finished his business and returned home.

With no explosion there, the Banba Detective Office was safe. In the brief moment of relief, he noticed his office was unlocked. With discretion and care, Banba opened the door. There was someone in the room. The person was sitting cross-legged on the sofa watching television. The person's hair was long, and they wore a skirt. By looking they appeared to be a young woman. Noticing Banba, she said "welcome home" while still facing the TV. For a woman her voice was a bit low pitched.

"……And who'd you be?" He asked for the time being.

"A killer."

So they really came, he thought. It seemed they took the bait.

"Are you Zenji Banba?" After the killer glanced over at him once she snorted. "Ahh, you really have a horse-like face."

What a rude la.s.s. She was a type to say what she thought. "That hair is like a bird's nest." She even said that, but Banba decided to let it slide.

The killer had her gaze facing the TV. She was lost in the variety channel. Once again Banba spoke up. "Hey there, killer-san."

"What is it?" This is not a good time right now, so don't talk to me. That was her att.i.tude.

"What you be doin' here?"

"What do you mean what? Isn't it obvious? I'm watching TV."

That was not what he wanted to ask. Why was a killer watching TV so nonchalantly? Banba tilted his head in question. There were two reasons a person that called themselves a killer would visit Banba's office. They would have a job for Banba, or they came to kill Banba. A killer that came to watch TV was beyond his expectations.

"You came 'round here to watch some TV?"

"As if. Even I have a TV at my place." The killer finally looked over to him fully. Her eyes were both raised, and she was making a face like a proud cat. "I was given the request to kill you."

So it really is that, Banba felt relieved. It was strange he would feel relieved being told she came to kill him, but not grasping the intent was more unsettling.

For now to drive her away Banba reached for his bat case. At that the killer projected her right hand and stopped Banba. "Just wait. I haven't come to kill you."

"Ha?"

What is up with this killer? But she said, "I was given the request to kill you," this time she says "I haven't come to kill you." It is illogical. He did not understand.

"Then what are you here for?"

"I thought to protect you."

"Ha?"

"In truth, I had a bit of a disagreement with my employer about my payment. A certain person I meant to kill is already dead. Even so, he says I won't get payed even the advance payment. And then he gave the order for me to kill you without any break. So I got mad, and now I'm on strike."

"……That is troublesome." Just do whatever.

"Your life is being targeted. I think other killers will be sent here. I thought to beat them at their own game and cause a trouble for my employer. In other words, I'm saying I'll be your bodyguard."

He understood what she was saying. However, being protected by a woman was a shame for a man of Kyuushuu. "Nah."

"Ah?"

"I can at least protect myself. Go home. I'll get a taxi for you."

At Banba's words the killer's complexion changed. Displeased, she frowned deeply. "……Do you know what position your in?"

The next moment the killer suddenly closed the gap. She thrust out both hands towards Banba. She was stronger than he expected. Banba was taken aback. He was pushed back onto the bed face up. Slow to respond, the killer leaned over him from above. She pinned both his hands with his knees and nimbly drew something out. It was something that took the shape of a knife. Then he felt a chill along the back of his neck. The blade was pressing against his throat. He could not move.

With a proud expression, the killer looked down at Banba. "What is this about you being able to protect yourself?"

Haven gotten in the position with his head put right in her skirt, Banba unconsciously looked away. "I can see your panties there."

The killer was calm. "And what's wrong with that?"

"They're red," Banba grimaced, "boxers."

"They're my victory panties."

"……You're a guy?"

"What," the killer smiled. "You just realized that?"

"I'll tell you upfront, but it's not like I dress as a woman to deceive people." Since it was commonplace for people to think that, Lin told him ahead of time. "This is just a hobby."

"A hobby?"

"I like dressing as a woman. I always thought this. Even though women can wear pants, why can't men wear skirts?"

Lin moved both his legs and released Banba.

"Well now you understand right? Just how powerless you are. As long as you don't say anything I don't like you'll be protected by me."

'What a strong killer you are. It's rea.s.suring being protected by someone like you.' He thought he would cry out in joy saying that, but Banba's response was frank. "Go an' do what you want," he only spit out that disinterested. Is he trying to act tough? Or does he still not aware his life is in danger?

"Ah," Getting off the bed, Banba whispered under his breath when he opened the refrigerator. "Gone and runned out of mentaiko."

Lin dropped down on the sofa and decided to continue watching TV.

Banba started talking to him. "Hey there, mister killer."

"What is it?"

"Go buy some mentaiko."

"Ah?"

"The f.u.kuya mentaiko. Regular. Uncolored."

"Ha? Stop kidding around."

Banba was serious. "I ain't kiddin'."

"Banba, was it? Why do I have to go out and buy it for you?"

"'Cause it's dangerous. My life is targeted, right? I can't go outside." He handed over a five thousand yen bill. "That there change is gonna be your tip."

It's come to this? This s.h.i.t bag, Lin tutted and took the change. He reluctantly got up. "Just this once okay."

"Okay."

"Lock the door."

"Okay."

"Absolutely do not answer the door no matter who comes besides me."

"Okay."

Does he really get it?

From the other side of the door he heard, "The uncolored f.u.kuya one," but he ignored it.
Why does someone like me have to do this? Lin pondered over that in his mind.

He thought to run off with the five thousand yen bill but he could not for some reason. The man's carelessness, someone he just met, giving money to a killer like him was in turn tugging at Lin's reasoning. It was as though he trusted him, and so he thought, 'it would be a bit pathetic if I betray him like this.'

Mentaiko was a f.u.kuoka specialty, so thinking he could buy plenty if he went to the souvenir shop Lin dropped by the shopping mall in Hakata Station. Just as he thought mentaiko was being sold here and there. However, there was contrarily a problem. There were too many stores selling mentaiko.

What store did he say to buy it at again? I forgot. I feel the first character was fu, and the last character was ya. He thought it over for a while, but he could not remember. In the end there was a store with a similar name to that in front of him, so Lin decided to buy it there. Finishing his shopping, he left through the station's back exit. When he was walking down an lightly dark, uncrowded street a large black man walked towards him from the front.

As they pa.s.sed each other, the man grabbed Lin's arm.

What the h.e.l.l's he doing? Before he could question that the man spoke.

"You're Xianming Lin, right?"

Being called by his name by a man he did not know, he was taken aback. And at the same time the man's large fist sunk into his stomach. He dropped to his knees on the ground while choking. If he did not have an empty stomach, he would have thrown up.

What is he doing, so suddenly. Lin looked up at the man and glared. Who is this man? Someone from the same trade as me? Or maybe he's a killer hired by Zhang. Did he come here to kill me?

"I knew you were dressed up like a woman. 'Cause I'm gay. My nether regions react when I see a man."

"……Who the h.e.l.l are you?" Lin scowled at the grinning man. "Don't look at me with those creepy eyes."

"That's a nice face. Saucy kids who are ignorant to the ways of the world are my favorite."

What kind of attack will be next? Lin fixed his stance and put up his guard. With an expression baring vigilance, he waited for his opponent's move.

However, the man turned around. "See you."

"Ha?" This was a disappointment to Lin as well. He thoughtlessly called out to him. "Wa-wait a second. Where are you going?"

"What do you mean where, I'm going back. With this my job is done."

He did not follow. "Aren't you a killer hired by Zhang?"

The man tilted his head while brushing the hairs around his mouth. "Zhang? Who's that? I was hired by an avenger."

"Avenger?" He had heard it from rumors.

"You punched a man who's a host yesterday, right? That guy was super p.i.s.sed, and he wouldn't be satisfied without giving back a punch. Don't you think he should have done it himself then? He's an unbelievable loser."

He remembered. It was the man who pickpocketed his wallet. Actually, that man said, "I'll have this avenged" or something.

"You won't kill me?"

"Avengers have a contraband on excessive offense. If someone crushes an eye, then they crush their eye. They can't do more than that. And so having punched you my job is finished. Besides, I'm not a killer in the first place. I'm just a torturer. Here is my card. If there's someone you want tortured, give me a call anytime."

He told him, and on the business card he received it said 'Chiropractor José Martínez.' He warmed it up with a lighter as a test. The characters chiropractor turned into torturer.

"Ahh, that's right. I'll give you a warning." As he was leaving Martínez said, "Throw away the receipt immediately."

The receipt? He did not understand what that meant at all.

When Lin got back the door to the Banba Detective Office was unlocked. Even though I told him to lock it. He entered, exasperated.

"Welcome back."

Banba was watching TV. He was watching the screen as though eating into it. It was the exact opposite situation from a while ago.

"You was late."

"I was attacked. By a man." It was quite the trouble, he raised his voice.

"What!?" Banba turned out swiftly. "Is it alright!?"

"…..It's nothing, I'm fine. I was just hit once."

"Not you, what about the mentaiko!?"

"You're not concerned for me!?" He threw the bag with the mentaiko in it at Banba.

"Ow!" The bag hit Banba square in the face. Checking the contents of the bag, Banba grew sullen. "Ah, ain't this here f.u.kusaya mentaiko?!"

"What's the big deal with that?"

"I done said to go buy some f.u.kuya mentaiko though."

"Stop your complaining. Aren't both of them the same?" Whether there was a sa in the name or not, it was not a huge error.

Banba was pouting. "You'd say the names Itou-san and Saitou-san are also the same then?"

"Ahh, you're annoying." Even though he went out and bought it, he would not even say a word of thanks. It p.i.s.sed him off.

Banba turned his gaze back to the TV again. He appeared to be watching the relay of a professional baseball game. He did not have any interest in baseball, but he had nothing else to do, so Lin also sat next to him and decided to watch the game. It was just pa.s.sing boring time.

It was a game with the Hawks versus the Carps. Each time the batter swung the bat or the pitcher threw the ball Banba flipped between being joyous and being sorrowful. Lin could not understand what was so interesting in baseball at all.

With the Carps in the lead, the game was approaching the end. Top of the nineth inning, it was the Hawk's offense. Two outs. The score was four to five. The point difference was by one point. The set up was with runners on second and third base. At plate was player number eight, the catcher. From inside the TV, he heard the disappointed voice of the announcer as though he had given up. [The batting average this season is 19.5%, the BA/RISP is 18%. At such a big stage, could he hit those numbers?]

The batter swung twice, but both were clumsy misses. Seems it's hopeless, Lin thought. Even a novice would know from watching. There was no way he could hit.

[The count is one ball and two strikes. They've been cornered.]

"Please hit," Banba was watching as though in prayer. I see, since the team he supports is losing he was so cross.

There was the call for one more pitch raising from the audience.

"Alright, they're going to lose anyway." He thoughtlessly whispered.

"You don't know that." Banba objected, flaring his nostrils. "You don't know what is gonna happen 'til the end."

The pitcher made his throw. It was a curve ball. The batter's bat would miss. Yes, with three strikes. It would be game set.

So he thought.

The opponent's catcher missed the ball. Having turned behind, the ball pitilessly rolled far away.

[Ahh, this is an error! The catcher bounced the ball off!] The broadcaster's voice boomed in excitement. [During this time the runner on third is coming home! It's a tie! Furthermore, furthermore, the runner on second kicked off to third! The ball won't make it!]

"Oh? Ohh!" Banba clasped his hands. He was enjoying himself like an excited gorilla. "Whooa! Whoooa!"

[Now what is this!] The voice of the announcer was close to a yell. [That was an unbelievable safe two runs! It was a turn-around for the Hawks!]

"Yess! They done it!" Banba also yelled. "They done it! Gosh darn it! Woo-hoo!" So annoying.

[No way. For something like this to happen.] The commentator was also surprised.

He was not well acquainted with the rules of baseball, but he managed to understand from the broadcaster's tension.

After that the relief pitcher gave up with three strikes in a row, and so it was a game set. Protecting their one point difference, the team Banba supported had obtained victory.

"Ahh, that there was quite some luck." Banba was in a good mood. "You don't know what will go down in baseball when there's two outs and three strikes in the ninth inning."

Because of the prolonged relay, his beloved drama he watched every week without fail started thirty minutes late. This was why he hated baseball.

Banba smiled and said as though he just remembered, "Ah, thank you. For buying the mentaiko."

Really, just now?

Lin ignored him and watched the TV. "I wanted to eat one from a different store once in a while. The f.u.kusaya was darn good too. The flavor had some s.p.u.n.k there."

He was making a comment that was completely opposite from before. He just gave complaints about Itou-san and Saitou-san. What a man with an att.i.tude.

"Don't talk with me. I can't hear the TV." He increased the volume with the remote.

"You watch that kinda thing? That's unexpected." Without paying mind to the warning, Banba started chatting with him. Right about now it was at a scene with a man and woman embracing one another. "Even though you're a killer, you like this here love drama?"

"Not really. It's not like that. ……Since I do this kind of work, I want to have a glimpse into normal human life once in a while."

Though you probably wouldn't get it, he ridiculed, yet Banba shook his head. "Nah, I got it. That feeling."

"How so?"

"This sort of work builds up stress. Actually, whatcha think about doing some sports? I'm in an amateur baseball team. Would you join?"

"You stupid? Who would."

"You ain't no fun."

Banba stood up and started boiling water on a portable stove. It looked like he was preparing dinner.

"You hungry?"

"Not really." He was actually hungry.

"I'm cookin' dinner. You want a bite?"

"Don't need it."

Banba took out two cup ramen from inside the cupboard and poured it into the hot water. Then, he placed one of them with disposable chopsticks in front of Lin. "Alrighty, here. Eat up."

"I hate tonkotsu ramen. It's too greasy, and it makes my stomach upset."

"……I gone and made it for you though."

Banba frowned. Though he said he made it, didn't he only just put it in hot water? How condescending.

When he reached out for the disposable chopsticks, Banba smiled, "What, so you will eat it."

"If I don't then it'll be a waste, right. It's principle to not waste food."

"That's admirable."

"Hey," he asked suddenly. "Have you ever eaten food fallen on the ground before?"

Banba shook his head. "Nadda."

"Probably not."

He remembered the past. The village Lin lived in was poor. He gathered and ate the food sc.r.a.pes others always threw away. They were unpleasant memories.

He thought this country was peaceful. No one ate food fallen onto the street. Since they did not throw away the sc.r.a.pes, food never was left behind. They preferred it clean here. He thought he rather liked that about j.a.panese people.

"Thank you for the meal." Banba said as he clasped both his hands together.

Lin also did the same. "Thank you for the meal."

Actually, he thought. This may be the first time in his life that he was given anything from another person besides money. He never had been given something to eat by someone before now. Actually being given food in a proper bowl was also a first for him.

He slurped the miso in one go. The rich flavor spread throughout his mouth.

Ah, this is delicious.

He meant to have whispered that to himself in his mind, but he must have accidentally let it slip past his mouth. "It's good ain't it?" Banba smiled proudly.

It was a day where a lot of things happened. When he went to kill someone, he got captured by an avenger. He was dangerously close to being beaten to death. Saitou was exhausted in mind and body.

He decided to stay at a business hotel in Tenjin during this time until he settled on a new place of residence for him. After returning to the hotel by taxi, Saitou slept like the dead. By the time he noticed, it was already night. He had three missed calls on his cellphone. All were from his superior at the Murder Inc f.u.kuoka Branch.

c.r.a.p, he thought. Since he was in danger he completely forgot about his job. Even though he was supposed to kill Jun Murase, it was already way past the time table. Just like the time in Tokyo headquarters he was unable to harden his resolve to go through with murder, had continued to hesitate, and now it had pa.s.sed the time limit. He failed again. This time he would be killed by the company.

While he was bracing his head wondering what to do, his phone rung again. This was also probably from his superior.

Fearfully he answered the call. "…….h.e.l.lo?"

[Ah, I finally go through.] His superior's voice was cheerful. [Well, Saitou-kun, you done great.]

"Eh?"

He thought he had misheard. He did great? It was not a "now you've done it?"

[I heard from headquarters you was a problem employee who couldn't do the job at all, yet you was punctual.]

"Um……What are you talking about?" He did not understand at all.

[You killed that university student in an accident, right?]

"Yes?"

[The client is very pleased. Your payment as been already deposited. Double check it.]

His superior cut the call.

Wait a second. What is the meaning of this?

He opened his laptop in a haste and searched the f.u.kuoka local news. On the net a news story was posted saying three university students got into an accident from drunk driving and died. Jun Murase's name was there among the university students who died.

Hey, wait. You're kidding me. Murase is dead? What the heck. Is it a coincidence? Could something so lucky happen?

Perhaps, he suddenly considered. The man's face from yesterday came to his mind. The avenger Jiro. Could this be their work?

Saitou could not contain himself. He called the number on the business card on a whim.

[h.e.l.lo, this is Bar. Babylon.] The man answered. It was Jiro's voice.

"Ah, um, is this Jiro-san? It's me. Saitou."

[Oh my, Saitou-chan? Sorry about yesterday.]

Getting to the point, he asked. "Um, I heard that Jun Murase died in an accident, but by chance did you guys kill him?"

[Well, about that.] Jiro laughed. [It wasn't us.]

"……So then did they really die in an accident?"

[I wonder about that.] Jiro said profoundly.

"Eh?"

[We took a request to kill the three students who died in the accident. All three of them.]

I wonder if it's just a mere coincidence, Jiro muttered. And there the call was dropped.

This is a coincidence? There's no way. Someone had to have killed them and then show cased it as an accident for sure.

He felt uneasy about it. However, thanks to this he was saved. Saitou did not play a part in it directly, but his target died. Furthermore, he got payment for it. Without doing anything and without committing any crimes, he only received the money. It was the best outcome. He felt like gaining a point with a walk when hit by a pitched ball after three consecutive foul b.a.l.l.s.

After Saitou left the hotel, he headed to the convenience store. It was to make sure whether he actually was deposited his payment or not. In the balance inquiry, Satiou felt he was going to lose his footing from the shock of the displayed amount on the ATM screen. An amount more than that of a salary man's annual income around his age group was deposited in there. Actually, he had heard that in the case of killing the target and presenting it as an accident or a suicide the company would give a special reward, but for there to be this much.

Since he was now completely awake, Saitou went into the city thinking of going out to eat. When he was wandering around the entertainment district he was called out in front of the Nakasu information center.

"You there young sir, how about it? I'll introduce you to a nice venue!"

He unconsciously halted in his path by the pleasant voice of the guide wearing a blue jacket. Since he came all the way to f.u.kuoka, what would he do if he did not enjoy himself in Nakasu. Although he came to an amus.e.m.e.nt park, it seemed he could not get on the roller coaster. He just got money, so there was no harm having fun for a night. Saitou grinned.

Translation Notes:

The Ban is Banba's name is written with the character horse (馬), hence Lin's comment about his face. Mentaiko – pollack roe. These are genuinely expensive. Tonkotsu ramen – A ramen dish that originated from f.u.kuoka. It's a specialty in f.u.kuoka and the Kyuushuu island. In f.u.kuoka it is commonly referred to just Hakata ramen as well. The broth is based on pork bones (tonkotsu)