"Thank you for saving my wife, Gojima san." Hanazono Satoshi bowed to Gojima.

"No no, I did what I could at that moment. I'll be honest, I'll probably have nightmares for the rest of my life if my own neighbor died from an accident that occured in my own workplace."

"Ahaha... well, that's true for me too. Ah! Where are my manners? Gojima san, this is actually my boss, Tennouji Akira. You must have heard of the Tennouji group, right? I actually work for him."

"Tennouji..."

'Tennouji group is... oh.' Ubs was generous enough to let him remember. Tennoujis are quite famous afterall. It would be really weird if he didn't know about them.

"...Good afternoon, Tennouji san. It's an honor to meet you."

"Ah, likewise. I am also honored to meet such a brave man like you, Gojima san. I am glad that the education system of our country is in such fine hands!" Akira shook his hand.

"You flatter me."

Gojima also shook his hand in return, but somewhere deep in his mind, he really disliked this person. He did not let it show in his face though.

"Well then, I will be going back to my room then." He simply excused himself and went outside the room.

You okay, Ken?

'I don't like that guy.'

...

'Something about him... that look in his eyes, that smile on his face... it reminds me way too much of that bastard.'

Well, I guess he also has that same 'rich spoiled fuckboy brat' vibe as that guy. As for how much your instincts are correct... I can neither deny nor confirm them without you investigating them, which might get you in some serious danger. If he actually is what you fear, I sure hope you will not try to pull off that double car accident with him as well? You can do better than that.

'Well, I will probably look into him once I'm able to get back home. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but there aren't many benevolent people who would simply go visit the injured spouses of their underlings, right? He did not seem like that type to me. I hope Sayuri san won't be in any danger from him.'

'Like her daughter...' is what flashed through his mind, but he instantly discarded it.

Hmm... you hope that 'Sayuri san' won't be in any danger, heh...

'...Yeah? Is it wrong for me to worry about my neighbor?'

No? Not at all! Although, many people might find it wrong for you to be on the first name basis with your neighbor married housewife, right?
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

'?!! No, that—! I—I—stop making that face already!!!'

 

---

 

After six more days, Gojima was simply released from the hospital. Sayuri was still far from recovery, so she remained hospitalized.

The Kobayashi couple offered him to take him home with their car, but he refused. He had been only lying and sitting on the hospital bed for the last ten days. He was extremely bored.

He decided to simply walk back home.

Who knew that walking could feel this good?

'Hmm... its only five pm. Maybe I should pay a visit to the school? To see how things are going?'

The school authority did receive some backlash for allowing such an incident to happen. Gojima saw them on TV in a press conference, where they all bowed and apologized.

He was a little annoyed about how his own name was on news though. That damned Principal must have been using his name as some positive PR stunt. To clear the blot on their name.

'We have incompetent people? Well, we have heroes as well!!!'

Gojima snorted cynically.

He would really have to ask the Principal to raise his salary now. Although, he was really doubtful it will bear any fruit. He did watch the news afterall. Many people lost their jobs thanks to the economic bubble burst.

All in the name of 'company restructuring'. You can use all sorts of fancy names, but it doesn't change anything.

Well, someone's being cynical today.

'Just walking around and spending some leisure time to think about the weirdness of the world. Funny how some things don't change no matter which world it is, right?'

What, the economical crisis or the use of loopholes in words?

'...Both?'

Well... there are incompetent short sighted people in authoritative positions no matter which world you are in, no matter which era you are in. So there will always be some national crisis going on. That's the part of life.

'I guess so. But still... I hope that there would be some world out there that will not have people justifying all sorts of henious stuff with fancy words and loopholes.'

He would know. He had suffered enough thanks to those fucking lawyers—loyal dogs of that bastard.

...There are worlds out there like that, Ken. Its just... no civilized people live there. Demonic realms, where 'might is right' is the way of life... words have no meaning there. Or realms of chaos, where there is no difference between truth and falsehood. But those are not something you would ever want to desire.

'...I guess you're ri—woh!'

He crashed into someone and the person fell on his bottom!

Gojima hurriedly pulled up the old looking office worker.

"I'm sorry sir, are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, I-I'm fine... sorry I wasn't looking..."

"No, it was my fault for not looking. I humbly apologize." Gojima bowed.

"Eh? N-no, the one in fault was me Gojima sensei!" The other person also bowed.

'Hm? He knows me?' Gojima took a look at the face of the weary office worker. He... also knew that person.

Ishida Saiichi. The father of his student, Ishida Saki. He looked... a little...

"Ah! Ishida san! I'm sorry I did not recognize you at first! Let me make it up to you. Well... ah! I have actually been to that restaurant before! We can go there."

"E—no, I cannot be causing you an—"

"You are not causing me any inconvenience, Ishida san. Rather, going there would be more convenient to me. I... had been living on salines and porridges for the last ten days. I really want to eat something decent." Gojima shuffled his own hair with an embarrassing laugh.

"Oh. I heard from my daughter about the fire and your situation. Are you alright now?"

"Hm! Better than ever! Well then, let's continue our conversation after we go inside, shall we?"

Ishida Saiichi realized that the man in front of him would not take no for an answer. Well, he could also use some company right now. So he agreed.

Gojima entered the restaurant where he was dragged by Kobayashi Satoru to drink and play Shogi. Well, he did enjoy the food and the beer served here. He always liked traditional restaurants.

"...How's Saki doing in the school?"

"She... well, the last time I saw her, she was doing really fine. She did try to change her image, and it is giving her a confidence boost."

"That's... good to hear." He lightly sipped the beer a little.
"...That girl... has always been a little awkward around strangers. I am glad that she is opening up to other people. She should learn to be more open and cheerful."

"..." Gojima thought for a moment about the self esteem issues she still might have, and how she almost went alone with a random stranger, but decided not to. This was a delicate matter, after all.

At that moment, a bunch of young college students barged into the restaurant, all laughing and enjoying their time. Ishida pensively stared at them.

"...It must be nice to be young and energetic..."

"...Ishida san? Is everything alright? I... well, part of the reason I invited you into the restaurant is because I felt like you had a lot to get off your chest."

"..." Gojima saw his lips quivering.

"I... am willing to lend you an ear if you feel I am worthy?"

Ishida Saiichi rubbed his face with his hands and then looked downwards. Then after a long momenr, he opened his mouth.

"I... the company I worked for... it went through restructuring...I..."

Gojima knew well enough what it entailed.

"...I lost my job, Gojima sensei."