.
[-Continuation-]
…
[-Third Person View-]
A particular room in OrgoCorp's headquarters seemed to get louder as Hachiman sat in a closed cabin, fidgeting with his new ID card.
The words -Temporary Audit Team- glared back at him in bold letters.
Man, they are going all out with this, huh? He couldn't help but smirk at the irony.
"So, we are playing auditors now, huh?" He muttered, glancing over at Ryota, who was lounging in his chair like he didn't have a care in the world.
Jim, Ryota's go-to problem solver extraordinaire, had just dropped off their new IDs.
From Hachiman's perspective, the guy looked like he had just seen a ghost - or maybe just the impending disaster of letting HIM and Ryota loose on the company's finances.
Hachiman wasn't exactly close with Jim, but he knew a useful connection when he saw one - and he wasn't about to let go of that just because he wasn't socially adept.
And Jim's loyalty to Ryota definitely had its perks.
"I can't believe the Chairman put you two on this." Jim said, shaking his head. "It's like he is trying to start a fire in the accounting department."
His disbelief was palpable, and for a second, his professional façade cracked.
Ryota frowned, sitting up a bit straighter. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
Yeah… Hachiman bit back a snarky comment as he kind of agreed with Jim, but no need to say it out loud.
Jim held his hands up defensively, laughing nervously. "I am just saying… assigning a technical department to an audit when you are already swamped with other tasks? Seems a bit unfair."
Ryota gave him a wary look, as if considering the remark, then shook his head dismissively. "So, about those funds..."
Hachiman perked up, leaning forward. "Right. We are still talking about the 50 million yen for the research team, yeah? And Tanaka was leading that team at the time. So, it's pretty clear he had a hand in all of this."
The issue was as clear as day to Hachiman.
Initially, the research team had requested 250 million yen, a figure based on their detailed budget calculations.
The amount had been approved and sent, no questions asked, with Tanaka, the now 'Mr. Former-Employee', acting as the mediator.
However, instead of assigning the proper 250 million yen, Tanaka funneled 300 million yen into the project, keeping the extra 50 million yen for himself.
Ryota, now fully engaged, nodded thoughtfully. "So we just need to figure out where the money actually really went, and how it was moved."
Jim's face grew serious. "His involvement doesn't surprise me, and just to be careful, watch out for him. That old fox is a crafty one. And when the audit starts, he might try to pull 50 million yen from thin air to cover his tracks."
Hachiman's face had gone from confused to concerned to downright worried in the span of a few seconds.
"This... this is above my pay grade." He grumbled.
….
.
A couple of hours later, Hachiman found himself standing outside Meeting Room 3B, hand hovering over the doorknob.
He tugged at his collar, more out of habit than anything else.
He glanced at Ryota, who gave him a silent nod. They both knew the plan - Hachiman would take the lead, and Ryota would play observer.
Taking a deep breath that was part -Let's do this- and part -How did I get roped into this?- Hachiman pushed open the door.
The room was fully lit, matching the afternoon sun casting long shadows through the blinds.
Tanaka sat at the far end of the table, his posture relaxed, scrolling through his phone like he didn't have a care in the world.
This was the same guy who had shot down Hachiman's game proposal in the past without even blinking, his dismissal faster than a microtransaction pop-up.
When Tanaka finally noticed them, his brows furrowed briefly, as if trying to place them.
A flicker of recognition passed over his face when he spotted Ryota, and he straightened up slightly, his attempt at a friendly smile looking forced.
"Ryota." Tanaka greeted, his voice carrying a false warmth. "What brings you here?"
But beneath Tanaka's awkward greeting, he had a wild guess on what's happening.
From the moment he had been unceremoniously stuffed into this room without any proper explanation, he had known something was off.
In normal circumstances, he would be breathing fire at such treatment, but the order had come from Satoshi himself.
So here he sat, stewing in his own juices, ready to dig his heels in at the slightest provocation or if he didn't like the direction the meeting would head.
Now, seeing Ryota, he was a little taken aback.
Pride born from years of corporate climbing wouldn't let him admit it, but a sliver of fear mixed with anger wormed its way into his gut.
After all, the punk in front had been the catalyst for his inglorious demotion down the corporate ladder.
…and Tanaka is also not an idiot, he understood that this bart had connections that made his skin crawl.
But he wasn't about to roll over.
Whatever strings this brat could pull, he doesn't care.
Ha! It's not like his father is the Chairman of the company. He thought.
"Oh. How are you doing these days, Team leade–!" Ryota started, his words dripping with faux politeness.
"Look." Tanaka cut in, his voice a cocktail of irritation and bewilderment. "I am waiting for a meeting with the finance department. You have clearly got the wrong room."
The words 'Team Lead' hit Tanaka like a punch to the gut. He would rather gargle nails than be reminded of his new, less-than-stellar position.
Not bothering to respond, Hachiman slid into a seat across from Tanaka. Meanwhile, Ryota melted into a corner, doing his best impression of stylish wallpaper.
"Actually, Mr. Tanaka." Hachiman said, his voice calm and professional. "We are right where we need to be. I am Hikigaya Hachiman, and this is Ryota. We are here to discuss some... financial discrepancies."
He introduced himself and re-introduced Ryota.
Tanaka's eyes widened slightly, darting between Hachiman and Ryota. "Financial discrepancies? I don't understand."
"Surprise!" Hachiman suddenly cheered, unlike his earlier professionalism. "We are here for your exit interview, Mr. Tanaka."
Tanaka's eyebrows shot up faster than a speedrunner's completion time. "Exit interview? But I haven't-!"
"Oh, but you have." Hachiman interrupted, sliding a folder across the table with all the drama of a magician revealing his final trick. "Or rather, you will. Right after you explain the contents of this little treasure trove."
Tanaka glanced at the folder, then back at Hachiman, his dismissiveness turning to anger. "You!? You look barely out of high school. What could you possibly know about corporate finances?"
"Enough to know when something doesn't add up." Hachiman countered, tapping the folder. "The numbers don't lie, Mr. Tanaka. Even if people do."
Tanaka's eyes narrowed, the first sign of genuine concern breaking through his bewilderment. "Now wait just a minute. I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just come in here throwing around accusations. Do you even work here?"
"I do." Hachiman said, leaning back in his chair. "I am an intern in the game design department. But today, I am here as a representative of the Chairman's office."
Tanaka laughed, but there was an edge of nervousness to it. "An intern? This is ridiculous. I am leaving. I will be speaking to Satoshi about this... this farce."
As Tanaka started to stand, Hachiman spoke again, his voice low and steady. "I wouldn't recommend that, Mr. Tanaka. Unless, of course, you want your... creative money management to become the hottest gossip by the coffee machine."
Tanaka froze, his face paling. "What are you talking about?"
Hachiman gestured to the folder. "Why don't you take a look? I think you will find it... illuminating."
With shaking hands, Tanaka opened the folder.
"Oh, and just so we are crystal clear." Hachiman added, casually brandishing a small device. "This meeting of ours is being recorded."
Tanaka managed a weak nod.
As he flipped through the pages, his face cycled through a range of emotions - shock, fear, and finally, defeat.
"I... This is..." Tanaka stammered, looking like he was desperately searching for the quicksave option.
Hachiman leaned back, a small, satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
"Oh, don't strain yourself. I will summarize - You have been cooking the books faster than a speedcook minigame. Quite impressive, really. If only you had put that much effort into actually doing your job."
Tanaka's foot tapped anxiously beneath the table, his thoughts racing.
Shit, shit, shit. He kept repeating to himself, mentally rehearsing his lines.
Hachiman's face was a masterclass in innocent naivety. It was like he was an employee on his first day of the job, and he was given the duty to lead a big project.
Tanaka's eyes widened slightly, a sliver of hope igniting.
He actually thought he might get away with it.
A flicker of hope ignited in Tanaka's eyes. Maybe... just maybe I can weasel my way out of this, he thought, banking on Hachiman's inexperience to save his skin.
Hachiman leaned forward, pointing at the first set of documents.
"Please take a look at this data. This is the original proposal submitted by your team." He spoke softly, his tone friendly but precise. "If you notice… the requested amount in this research plan is 250 million yen."
Tanaka stared at the file like it was written in alien hieroglyphics, his throat constricting.
His fingers drummed an anxious beat on the table.
"Not... 300 million yen?" He croaked, trying and failing to mask the tremor in his voice.
Hachiman' shook his head, his expression never changing. "No. Without a doubt, it's 250 million yen. So, I have to ask. Did the funding plan change after the proposal was submitted?"
Tanaka stammered, eyes darting to the side. "Uh… th-that's…"
"Nope. Nothing of the sort happened." Ryota chimed in from his corner, his dry tone cutting through any Tanaka's feeble excuse.
Hachiman's eyes flashed. He had him now. "Then what's going on here?"
"..." Tanaka opened his mouth to speak, but Hachiman didn't let him.
"Let me explain." He flipped to the next document, highlighting the discrepancies in the records. "This here? This is the actual amount that went into the project - 250 million yen. But there's 50 million yen missing. Was there any money transferred to another account?"
Tanaka's face paled. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to buy time. "The remaining 50 million yen…"
"…went into anonymous accounts. However, once traced back, we found it was you, Mr. Tanaka." Hachiman finished for him, his tone eerily calm.
The room fell silent.
Tanaka's heart thundered in his chest like a trapped bird. What should I do? He thought frantically. Deny everything? Come clean?
Hachiman leaned forward, voice dropping a little. "Did you embezzle it, Mr. Tanaka ?"
"That..." Tanaka began, his voice as weak as wet tissue paper.
"Mr. Tanaka." Hachiman's voice hardened. "Answer properly. Embezzling 50 million yen is a serious crime, but lying to us here is an even bigger offense."
Tanaka's mind raced at light speed. If I can just...
He took a deep breath, deciding to roll the dice. "I was planning to replace it later, I swear. No one was supposed to know. I never meant to keep it permanently."
The words tumbled out, each one dripping with desperation.
Hachiman's innocent smile twisted into something darker.
"Oh, I see. So that's how it is…" His voice was sweet as honey, but with a hidden sting.
Tanaka's hopes soared. Huh? What? Is this... Are they going to let me off the hook if I play nice?
From his corner, Ryota watched the scene unfold. There he goes again, he thought. Always playing the merciful judge before lowering the boom.
"Yes, exactly. I was going to return every yen." Tanaka pressed on, sensing a lifeline.
"Hm... alright, I see." Hachiman mused.
And then, a few imaginary face slaps followed…
The air in the room seemed to lighten, and Tanaka visibly deflated with relief. "Yes... that's right."
Hachiman's smile widened, but his next words hit like a slap. "Well, congratulations, Mr. Tanaka. You have passed the exit interview."
Tanaka blinked, his brain struggling to process this sudden turn. "I am s-sorry?"
"I said you passed." Hachiman repeated, his voice cold and final. "With flying colors if I may add."
"...." The room fell silent….
Tanaka's face went through another round of emotions, finally settling on resigned defeat. "How did you...?"
"Let's just say your cheat codes weren't as hidden as you thought." Hachiman shrugged. "Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice."
Tanaka slumped in his chair, looking like he'd just lost on the final boss. "What's the easy way?"
"You resign. Right now. Write a nice little letter about how you are 'pursuing other opportunities' or whatever corporate BS you want to spin. You return the money, and we don't press charges."
"And the hard way?" Tanaka asked, though he looked like he already knew the answer.
Hachiman's smile turned predatory. "We get the legal team involved. Trust me, they make Dark Souls look like a walk in the park."
Tanaka nodded slowly, defeat written all over his face. "I... I will take the easy way."
"Smart choice." Hachiman pushed a pre-prepared resignation letter across the table. "Sign here, and here. Oh, and one more thing..."
Tanaka looked up, pen hovering over the paper. "What?"
"Next time you reject a game proposal? Maybe actually read it first."
As Tanaka signed away his career at GamiCorp, Hachiman couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction.
Revenge, corporate style, served ice cold with a side of karma.
.
….
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
[Author Reminder : +5chapters advance in Patreon]
-->patreon.com/WrightBrothers