Antique Shop?BEAR? - Chapter 38
Chapter 38 – One-carton Resentment
“What’s with those eyes?” Takada glared at Kuma with a low voice.
“Isn’t that illegal?”
“Ah?”
Today he was at the site of kodokushi. The death was sudden and unexpected, the result of myocardial infarction in an elderly man. A family member who regularly visited the house discovered the body early before decomposition had progressed. When a relative entered the room, he found him lying dead on the bed, chewing on a cigarette.
The room was overflowing with belongings, but fortunately, there was no accumulation of garbage and other filth as the family had been visiting regularly. The incident occurred after Kuma and Takada had disposed of all the furniture and other unused items in the room, completed the purchase assessment of the priceless articles, and confirmed the room with the client.
Takada, who had been working for Kamata Estate Liquidation Company since its inception, was caught by Kuma with a carton of cigarettes in his backpack, which he had divided up as trash.
“I don’t need to be told what to do, young man.”
“That’s illegal. I’ll report you to the president.”
Takada’s face flushed scarlet in exasperation. “Damn it, I’ll hit you!”
“If you want to hit me, go ahead. It’s illegal for you to do so.”
In a fit of rage, Takada slammed his fist into Kuma’s gut. Kuma staggered and crashed against the wall behind him. However, his expression stayed unchanged as he watched Takada. That expression infuriated Takada.
“Do as you wish, report it or whatever.”
“… I understand.”
?????????
Upon returning to the sales office, Takada stood in front of the president’s desk.
“Kamata.”
“Hey, good work, Takada.”
“Listen, would you mind separating duties between me and Kuma? We’re not getting along.”
“Why? Kuma works fast and is respectful.”
“Our personalities don’t click.”
“… I see. Anyway, I can’t change the other employees for tomorrow’s cleanup, so I’ll leave the two of you to it. I’ll make sure the rest of the work won’t overlap afterward.”
Takada nodded silently. At the sales office, he was glaring at Kuma to check if he was going to chide to the president, but once Kuma arrived back at the sales office, he was working on importing the camera data into the computer to produce a report and left after the end of the working hours.
That guy. After all that stuff I said, he was freaked out by me, wasn’t he?
Takada couldn’t hold back his laughter, so he rose from his chair and let out a good-humored laugh before heading home.
Takada’s house was an apartment within a 15-minute walk from the Kamata Estate Liquidation Company. He was a single aristocrat, not struggling with money, and owned a wine cellar in his house where he collected liquor and cigarettes from all over the world and kept one of the rooms as his personal space. The first thing Takada did when he reached home was to take a shower to clear off the smell and dirt. After showering, he would have a smoke. Today, he brought out a carton of Seven Stars from the site of kodokushi from his backpack. After retrieving the carton, he pulled out his long-time favorite lighter, a Zippo, and smoked it immediately. The smoke entered his lungs and the smell was penetrating his nostrils. A sweet and bitter tobacco-like aroma spread strongly. It was as if the smoke had invaded every nook and cranny of his body. Although he often smoked Seven Star, this was a different kind of smoke and taste.
“This is good…! Did that old man gobble up these delicious cigarettes…?”
The cigarettes were such a delight that he almost couldn’t contain his glee. Though his favorite brand of cigarettes was displayed on the shelf in his room, he was not particular about what he smoked on a daily basis and smoked whatever he could find. The price of cigarettes continues to rise year after year, which is frustrating, but he will never quit until his death. In the first place, neither did he intend to quit, nor did he consider switching to electronic cigarettes.
Taking a beer out of the refrigerator, he chugged it down on the spot. With a cigarette in his mouth, he poured hot water into a cup of ramen and chilled some frozen fried rice to finish his meal. His refrigerator was stuffed with beer, and his freezer was stocked with frozen foods. Such a lifestyle was not unpleasant. Takada, being single, was unrestrained.
Alone, he lay in his bedroom, enjoying a cigarette in his sleep. Since tomorrow would be Friday, on the way home he would head to the cabaret club, and next time he would go for some fun. All by himself, he was grinning, yet his mood was growing better. The cigarettes were so enticing that in no time at all, he had smoked a pack and was reaching for a second one. Closing his eyes, Takada shuddered at the feeling of floating in the air and the pleasant sensation of his head sparking. The room was white with cigarette smoke and it was as if he were in a mist. From the top of his head to his toes, the sweet and bitter smoke, the aroma, and the numbing pleasure spread. His hands refused to stop. One… after another, he smoked again and again.
“Oww!”
Takada leaped to his feet a few minutes later. Bitterness swept through his mouth. He had chewed off a piece of tobacco. In a frenzy, he dashed to the washroom and gargled.
Takada paled as he nearly consumed a cigarette. Apparently, he had fallen asleep while smoking in his sleep.
“That was close.”
It was about to catch on fire. Takada was about to pass through the living room and return to the bedroom when he was shocked. A pack of cigarettes he had taken out was scattered all over the floor.
“Did I sleepwalk all the way to…?”
He picked up the carton from the floor and placed it on the table.