"...huh? Quit... my job?"

"Yes..." the manager took of his glasses and rubbed his eyebrows. "Due to the economic bubble burst, our company had a huge loss. We will have to close down at least one fourth of our stores. We cannot keep so many employees either."

"B-but I've got a family to take care of... please sir, can't you just shift me to some other duty? I am willing to do anything!" Sunohara pleaded to no avail.

He was simply handed his compensation and shown the way out.

It took a while for him to process what just happened. He just became another person amongst many others who faced sudden unemployment. And like many others, he had a family to feed.

Even if the family consisted only of him and his niece, the flower his dear sister left behind.

 

---

 

The next few days, he went around with his documents to look for another job. It did not go well. Right now, nobody needed new personnel. The more capable ones were simply given a 'temporary unpaid leave' with a promise to take them back when everything became normal—even though nobody knew when that would happen, and how they would feed their family till then.

Sunohara Masaya was not one of them. Nor did he have some hidden talent for Shogi or anything.

And going around the whole town all day long cost money as well. If he took transportation, that was costly. Walking around all day long tended to get one sweaty as hell. Soaps, shampoos and detergents were not free either.

"Sigh... what do I do now? I haven't even told Ruri anything yet..."

Sunohara was walking aimlessly around a park, until he saw a bench and sat on it. He just had another day of complete failure. He lit a cigarette while looking at the full moon. It made him feel a little better, allowing him to escape the fear of what was to come.

"...I really need to do something or I will not be able to pay the rent and Ruri's school fees. Is this what my fate is? Getting on a tuna boat? Or should I just take Ruri and move to some countryside?"

"Oooh, someone seems really really troubled?"

Sunohara flinched and stood up alarmed. He turned at the source of the voice and saw a man smiling.

Now that he thought about it, wandering around an empty park at night might not have been the best idea. Was he going to get mugged?!

"W-who are you? W-what do you want?!"

"Whoa whoa whoa come down dude!" The man raised both of his hands. "I just saw a man sitting all sad on a bench inside an empty park and got curious, that's all. I just wanted to ask if you were in any trouble!"

"Whether I am in a trouble or not is none of your business. Get lost." Sunohara said with a warning in his tone.

"Well... if you say so. I just thought I finally found someone who would be a good employee... ah well, my bad luck. Bye then." The guy turned the other way and started walking.

'Wait... what did the guy just—'

"W-wait!" Sunohara ran after him. The guy turned back with the same kind of smile.

"Yes, good sir? Do you need something?"

"You... you have a job for me?"

"Oh? Well, I do need a capable man to do some work, and the payment is quite fine as well. Are you interested?"

"...What kind of work?"

"Nothing big, just the job of a salesman of some special stuff," the man grinned. It felt a little ominous to him.

"...What kind of stuff?"

"Well... my man, don't you think people are depressed and anxious in this troubling times?"

"..."
'What is this guy talking about?'

"In these times, it is the job of heroes like us to make sure people are all happy and good." The man walked up to him and handed him... two packets?

Sunohara took a good look at them.

One of the packets was filled with white powdery stuff. The other had round shaped tablets with heart engraved on them.

Even a kid could understand what those things were.

He threw the packets instantly, that were caught by the other man.

"Whoa careful there! They are hella expensive you know?"

"Y-y-y-you want me to sell drugs?!"

"Wow, rude much? They are 'pick me up' supplements!"

"That doesn't change anything!!!"

"Oh, it doesn't? Ah well, then I guess you are refusing to take the job?"

"I don't want to end up in jail!"

"Hm? Oh, yeah... jail! You don't have to worry about police! They also get a fair cut from us, you know? Some of them are even our customers! They really like those tablets you see? Do you know what they are? Get a girl to eat them, and they will be humping you instantly while sticking their tongue out and dripping their pussy juice all over you!"

"I can't... this is too risky!"

"Haven't you heard the phrase? Greater risk, greater reward. You know, even I took a risk to recruit you for the job, you know? Sometimes you gotta take risks!"

"I—" Sunohara was still hesitating. It was true that he needed money, but what if he went down a rabbit hole he could never escape from?

Ruri...

No, it was not worth the risk. 

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline. Find someone else."

"...Oh. That's a shame."

Sunohara simply tried to walk away.

"By the way... can I ask who this 'Ruri' girl is?"

Sunohara froze.

"Girlfriend? Sister? You don't look old enough to have a daughter anyw—"

He grabbed the man's collar and pulled him.

"Don't you dare!" The man grinned at the hostility oozing out of his eyes. Even the long bangs couldn't hide it.

"Oh, we wouldn't. Unless you don't open your mouth about whatever you saw here anyway."

'We?' It was only that moment when he felt the presence of more people around him. Where did they come from?! Sunohara let go of the man's collar.

"Damn... I really like the fire in your eyes! Are you sure you don't want to work with us? It would be such a waste..."

Sunohara started to power-walk away, until the man threw a card at him. He instinctively caught the card.

"Well, give that number a call when you change your mind. And don't try something funny, okay? Or... who knows? Maybe we will be 'testing' that tablet on Ruri chan as well?"

"You Bastard!" Sunohara wanted to punch that guy, but he kept himself in check. One of them had a knife out.

"Well then, I hope we will see each other again, Mister!" They went away.

Sunohara stayed still for a moment. Had he already go down the rabbit hole?

He felt scared for both him and Ruri. He had to make sure she was okay! He ran for his house without thinking calmly. That was a mistake.

 

---

 

"Follow that guy and find out where he lives." The man named Hayate ordered his goons to go after him.

He was good at reading people. It was a really helpful skill in his line of business. Even his boss Tennouji Akira was impressed with him for his abilities. He could easily pick out which one was a potential buyer, which one could be a potential recruit, which one to steer clear off... and which girl would be an easy pray for him to take into bed.

That girl from a few weeks ago... girls with self-esteem issues like her are really easy to lure in. She was not bad looking either. If it was not for that damned teacher...

Hayate felt a shiver in his spine when he remembered that man's hand flying by his side. He was good at street fight and he didn't even register that punch!

That was not a person he could deal with... at least not right now.

He would definitely get back at him some day.