The rest of his workday was fretful. Jiro tried hard to focus, but he couldn't. Around lunch time, he received a phone call from Hiroyuki, notifying Jiro he would have to work late tonight.
Jiro didn't know if that was good or not.
When his work was finally completed, Jiro walked back upstairs. He showered and then did the laundry. He also dusted the room. After tidying up, Jiro anxiously waited for Hiroyuki to return home.
Jiro rehearsed the things he wanted to say to Hiroyuki while he waited. Finally, Hiroyuki returned two hours later than normal.
Hiroyuki put down the groceries. Because of his late work hours, he managed to go shopping during the time food went on discount. He took out two premade discounted bento boxes. The bento boxes were still warm to the touch.
"Let's eat first," Hiroyuki told Jiro, leaving no room for disagreement.
The silent meal felt long, terribly long.
At its completion, Hiroyuki took the trash downstairs to throw into the rubbish bin. Once everything was done, Hiroyuki sat back down at the dining table.
"I don't understand why you'd want to let a bad person get away with a crime," Hiroyuki started.
"It's because, I used to be like him," Jiro blurted out. Then he explained, "In the past before I met you, when I lived on the streets, I was so hungry, I snatched a pastry from an elementary school girl's hands. I know what it's like to be hungry."
Hiroyuki frowned. "But you never hurt people physically," Hiroyuki rejoined.
"I've pushed people down and stolen their purses before," Jiro confessed. "I did terrible things."
Hiroyuki startled at the news. He felt both saddened and angry. Jiro had to live through difficult hardship and face survival choices a person his age should not have to experience.
"What else happened while you were out on the streets?" Hiroyuki asked him gently.
"That's the worst of it. I know I robbed people of their purses, but that was only once. And stealing food from the elementary school girl's hand happened only once. Later, I found a place to beg for food. But another homeless man chased me away. And then in order to eat, I would dive in the trash looking for food. That day when we met, I had earlier trespassed into a local high school and showered in the locker room. I thought if I was clean, I could find a job. But no one would hire me because I didn't have an address. So, that's why I understand what Wada is going through."
"Listen to me, you can't compare yourself to him. You ended up on the streets out of no fault of your own. But that man had a choice. He chose to perform poorly at his job."
"No, it was my fault. Because I wasn't good, that's why my mom left me."