" … and with that, Mr. Fukuoka," Hayashi says, shaking his head, "You are fired."
Ishikawa looks up at Takaro as he stands in silent fury.
There really was nothing he could do.
Takaro gives Ishikawa a quick smile before disappearing back into the office, his feet lightly drag against the rug as he strutted like a zombie in search of food.
When he reaches his office he stares at himself through a mirror by a large bookshelf beside his chair.
Rage erupts within him causing glass to shatter, computer equipment to explode, and people to watch in silence.
When the police finally arrive, they carry him away like a dead body, dragging his legs behind them as they walk.
The policemen shove him into a police car and pull him out once they reach the station.
Takaro stays completely silent the whole time, occasionally biting his lip and tasting the blood that spills from the aftermath.
The policemen throw him in a cell, taking away his phone, wallet, and any other valuables they could find on him.
"Got any family we can call?" One of the men said, placing all of Takaro's belongings into a medium sized cardboard box.
"None," Takaro says, leaning up against the bars, "I'm an orphan."
"How about friends?"
Takaro hesitates.
"None that would care enough to come get me," he said.
"How about her?" The man said, holding up Takaro's phone.
On the most recent calls screen, the cop points to the most recent call Takaro has made in the past week. The caller ID read 'boss'.
"She doesn't…"
Before Takaro can finish, the cop taps on the screen and puts the audio on speaker. He raises the phone to Takaro, signaling him to talk.
"Takaro?" Said a female voice.
Takaro lets out a long sigh.
"Hey, boss," He said.
"I thought you said you never wanted to call again?"
The policeman shrugs and mouths the words: "Sorry, man".
"Yeah," Takaro said, "But something has come and I need a big favor."
"What kind of favor?" Boss said.
"Do you mind picking me up from the police station?"
For a moment the receiver is quiet.
"I'll be there in a bit," she finally said, hanging up the phone abruptly.
Takaro backs away from the metal bars of his cell and sits on a chair in the corner of the room.
"Sorry, man," the cop said, setting Takaro's phone in the cardboard box with the rest of his stuff, "It was either that or you stay the night."
Takaro scoffs.
"If I knew that she was the only one I can call, I would've just stayed," he said.
The cop shakes his head.
"You don't get along," he asked.
"It's a long story I don't give enough a shit about to tell."
"Ah," the cop mutters, "Sorry to pry."
It only takes 15 minutes for Boss to arrive at the police station. When she sees Takaro she frowns and averts her gaze.
She had long black hair that ran down to her butt and a pair of huge earrings that looked to weigh a ton. She had dark green eyes and smooth brown skin that shined in the light as she walked up to the counter to meet the cop. She wore black stockings that looked to be suffocating her long legs, a short skirt that barely hid any of her lower half, and a black blazer paired with a blood red tie. Her breasts were quite small but it was easily compensated for by her curvy waist.
"Just sign here," the cop said, handing Boss a clipboard and pen.
Once she's done signing, Boss turns around and walks out the door.
"Looks like she's not too happy," the cop said with a grin.
He walks over to Takaro and unlocks the cage, shaking his hand before he lets him go.
"Nice meeting you again, Mr. Fukuoka," the cop said, "Don't forget to take her out to dinner or something."
For a second, Takaro ponders about what the cop meant by meeting him again.
"Thanks," Takaro said, rubbing his sore wrists, "I'll make it up to her."
He takes the cardboard box and heads towards the door. Before he leaves, he stops and turns back to face the cop.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Takaro asked.
The cop shakes his head.
"You don't remember me?"
Takaro squints and almost gasps when he realizes it.
"I'm Yasu's dad," the cop said, "It's been a while, Takaro."
"Mr. Hashimoto?" Takaro said.
Before the cop could talk, Takaro runs out of the station and flees to Boss' car in a panic.
Once he's inside, Boss pulls out a pack of cigarettes.
"Want one?" She asked.
Takaro eyes one of the sticks before taking one.
"Need a light?" Boss said, holding a lighter up to ignite Takaro's cigarette.
Takaro lays back in the passenger seat and inhales until the cigarette starts to burn. He turns his eyes to the distant moon looking down at them and puffs out a thick cloud of smoke.
Boss places her hand on one of the dials of the radio in the car and turns it up to 9, the second to highest volume setting.
The sounds of a sad guitar and a sorrowful singing female play loudly throughout the street, echoing down every alley.
"Is this a bad time to ask you to reapply for Rent-A-Lover?" Boss says, flicking the end of her cigarette.
"What do you think the answer is?"
Takaro takes a final huff of his cigarette.
For a minute, the pair sit in silence, staring at the moon as the music continues.
"I wish I could just put this all behind me," Takaro said, lighting another cigarette.
"You can, Takaro," Boss said, "You just have to come to terms with yourself first."
Takaro turns his head back to boss as she stares at him intently.
"You know I can't," he said, shaking his head.
Boss lets out a long sigh before unbuckling her seat belt and shifting her body to face Takaro.
"Sit in the middle seat in the back," she said, pointing to the seats in the back of the car.
For a moment, Takaro stares at Boss in disbelief.
"Go," she said, "I need to prove something to you."
Takaro shakes his head and unbuckles his seat belt. He gets up from the seat and sits in the middle of the back seat.
Boss leaves her seat and mounts Takaro the same way Ishikawa did back at the office.
"You've been carrying quite the burden, Takaro," she said, running her fingers through his hair, "You made someone kill themselves, you had an affair with your co-worker, and lost your job because of it."
Takaro stares into Boss' emerald green eyes as she talks, trying his best not to blink.
"I know it may seem like it but every sin you've committed has already been made up for," she said.
Boss' hot breath raises goosebumps all over Takaro's body.
"If you would stop thinking about that one girl, you would realize how much good you've actually done. How many lives you've saved," she said, "I know it's the last thing you want to hear, but you killed her, Takaro."
A tear runs down the side of Takaro's face.
"It's alright to cry, Takaro," Boss said, planting her soft lips against the base of his neck, "I'll ease your pain just this once. But not until you look me in the eye and promise me you will never think about Hashimoto Yasu again."
Takaro faces her one more time. Boss wipes away another tear as it falls down his face.
"It's in the past now," she said, flicking Takaro's bottom lip with the tip of her finger, "What's done has been done. There is nothing you can do to change it. So face the past and come work at Rent-A-Lover. You need a job anyway."
Boss' green reflected the moon as it shined through the window.
"Promise?" She asked.
Takaro takes a deep breath and bites his lip.
"Promise."