The First Investigation of Rookie Career Police Officer Akechi - Chapter 14
Chapter 14 : Within the Ministry of Defense part 2
“Oh, excuse me, I tend to get off track in conversations… Well, it was quite a hectic situation, but we were discussing going out for drinks as a farewell party for our department, and Mr. Yoshida agreed without hesitation.”
Upon Kadono’s reminder, Takayanagi changed the topic. While inwardly sighing, Kobayashi continued with the questions.
“So, you went to an izakaya in Akabane, right?”
“Yes, I live in Kawaguchi, Saitama, but I often go drinking in Akabane. Mr. Yoshida also used to live in Akabane, so we decided to have a drink at my regular spot. It’s a place called ‘Noro-chan,’ known for its delicious fish and Japanese sake. Since we couldn’t leave the office on time, I believe we started drinking around 8 o’clock.”
“How many people went with you?”
“Well, um, it was Mr. Yoshida, me, Kadono, and also someone from ‘In’…”
“Takayanagi-san, it was just the three of us.”
Kanno pointed out with an annoyed expression once again. Takayanagi hurriedly corrected himself.
“Oh, uh, I apologize. I got it wrong. It was three of us, right. So, we drank until around 12 o’clock and then dispersed in front of the restaurant.”
Nakamura looked puzzled. Kobayashi continued with the conversation.
“How was Mr. Yoshida’s condition?”
“He was drinking more than usual, but he seemed steady on his feet.”
“Is work-related talk the main focus during these drinking sessions, then? When I go out for drinks, it’s usually just complaining about the boss.”
“Hahaha, it’s the same everywhere, isn’t it? We’re no different. It’s always complaints about our bosses from the Facility Planning Section and our department. Oh, but Mr. Yoshida is an exception. He really worked hard because he wanted to make the Ministry of Defense better. We were hoping to make some progress while Mr. Yoshida was in our department.”
“If I remember correctly, it was ‘BC,’ wasn’t it?”
Kobayashi interjected with a question. Takayanagi looked surprised.
“‘NBC,’ was it? You’re quite knowledgeable! Honestly, the Facility Planning Section’s indifference is a real problem. It’s a form of neglect. Mr. Yoshida was working to change that…”
“Takayanagi-san!”
Kadono raised his voice loudly. Takayanagi had a startled expression and apologized to Kobayashi and the others.
“I’m sorry, I almost got into disciplinary trouble. Please forget what I just said.”
Kobayashi nodded with a smile and changed the subject.
“Kadono-san, do you also live in Akabane?”
“No, I reside in the Ouji government housing.”
“Oh, Ouji, is it? I’ve actually been stationed at ?ji’s police station before. Was it the housing near the post office?”
“Yes, that run-down one.”
“How long have you been in Tokyo?”
“I transferred here from Sendai in April of last year.”
In response to Kobayashi’s questions, Kadono provided minimal information. Perhaps noticing this, Takayanagi began to speak.
“Kadono is a city boy, you see. He likes Tokyo. As for me, I’d actually prefer to transfer to a rural area sooner, but I’m already in my third year here.”
“Was Mr. Yoshida in the same department for a long time?”
“He served as the specialist for two years before me, so it adds up to a total of four years. Quite an exceptional duration, I must say. He was truly irreplaceable. It’s really unfortunate that he had a traffic accident.”
†?†?†
As the conversation came to an end, Kobayashi and the others left the conference room. In the hallway, there stood a tall man in his fifties. He had a hairstyle that seemed to cover his slightly thinning crown, and his face had a sharp gaze with a somewhat nervous expression. Takayanagi, who followed the three out into the hallway, looked at the man and began speaking with a slightly surprised expression.
“Huh? The planning officer, why are you here?”
“It was taking longer than expected, so I thought there might be some trouble.”
“We’ve just finished now. These are the people from Akabane Minami Police Station.”
“Ah, I’m Haruki from the Facility Technology Section, working as a planning officer. Thank you for your hard work today. Do you think you’ll catch the hit-and-run suspect?”
“Yes, definitely.”
Akechi responded immediately.
“I see. Well then, excuse me.”
With that, Haruki sneered dismissively and turned on his heel before walking down the corridor. Kadono followed after him. Takayanagi, who remained, whispered something to Kobayashi in a hushed tone.
“Planning Officer Haruki joined us in April, and just before that, he was a full-time department member in the Facility Planning Section. You see, he’s the person we talked about earlier. Until Mr. Yoshida’s successor arrives, he’s also handling the duties of a department member. We were in the same batch as Mr. Yoshida, and he used to be a good guy, but as you can see, he’s become quite nervy lately. It’s troublesome. Haha, well then, see you later. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to contact us.”
After saying that, Takayanagi hurriedly walked away.
†?†?†
The three of them, Kobayashi and the others, exited the hall in Building D. The open space in front of the staircase was bathed in the evening sun.
“They didn’t check our IDs when we left, did they? I was actually planning to return the favor and point at them.”
“Is it just during the entry process?”
Kobayashi called out to Nakamura and Akechi, who were chatting about various topics.
“Are both of you free tonight? How about going for drinks?”
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Translated by : Cutae30