Chapter 29 Interrogation
Chapter 29 Interrogation
"Now, stand and bow."
The students bowed in unison. "Thank you for the lesson, Sensei."
Hideo Tanaka ended his classes with a deep, exhausted breath and walked out of the classroom. It was finally the end of the day on a Friday. Good thing I don't have to stay after school for guard duty today, the overweight, bald, forty-five-year-old teacher thought as he officially ended his shift.
As he walked out toward the exit, he spotted a few female students who had already changed into their extracurricular sports uniforms. The tight fabric clung to their bodies, accentuating the toned curves of their butts and thighs with every step.
A greasy smile crept onto his face. Well, having to stay late does have its perks when you get a view like that, he thought with a creepy leer.
But his mind was already drifting toward his plans for the night.
I wonder which girl I should pick from the lineup tonight... or maybe it’s time to hit a different establishment and find someone entirely new. Hehehe. Sadly, the truly good ones never stay here for long. They always get sent off to the big fish.
Licking his lips in anticipation, he boarded the train home, still wearing that greasy little smile. After getting off at his stop, he began the walk back to his apartment, taking a quick detour to a convenience store to grab a microwaveable bento.
At the register, he flashed the clerk a smile, wasting no time in trying to chat her up. “Hello... nice night, huh? How’s your shift going?” The clerk gave him a polite but uncomfortable smile and quickly finished ringing him up.
Still in a good mood, he left the store and continued on his way. He was just steps from his building when his phone rang.
“Shit,” he muttered, glaring at the caller ID. “This bitch... all she ever wants is money.”
He answered his ex-wife’s call, his tone instantly dismissive. “Yeah, yeah, I know... I don’t have the money right now. You’re just going to have to wait.”
His voice grew louder as he paced the sidewalk, the argument quickly escalating. Finally, he ended the call and grumbled under his breath, “Nagging, ugly hag.”
He stepped inside his home—a cramped, dingy unit in an old apartment complex. After scarfing down his meal, he collapsed onto his bed for a long nap.
Just past midnight, Tanaka woke up and began preparing for the evening. He bathed, splashed on cologne, and brushed his almost fully bald head. Armed with a pocketful of cash, he stepped out into the dark, ready to hit the red-light district.
As he walked through the night, already savoring the anticipated pleasures, a sudden, heavy blow slammed him sideways into a narrow alley. "Argh!" he cried out as he lost his balance and hit the ground, a sharp pain radiating through his shoulder.
He tried to stand up, but a heavy shoe slammed into his stomach. He rolled over, retching and gagging onto the pavement. "Ah... ack," he choked out.
"No, don't hit me! I don't have any money!" he pleaded. But another blow landed—a direct punch to his arm. He dropped back to the ground, rolling and curling into a tight ball as another strike hit his back. Every impact sent waves of agony through his body. "Help," he gasped.
The attacker suddenly closed the distance, roughly grabbing him and digging into his pockets.
"Just take my wallet... my phone is in there," Tanaka stammered, paralyzed by fear.
The man pulled Tanaka's phone from his pocket and checked the screen. Trembling, Tanaka looked up, hoping the assailant had already fled, but the figure was still standing there, calmly scrolling through the device. He wore a black hoodie, a cap, dark glasses, and a face mask—clearly someone who didn't want to be recognized.
Finally, the attacker tossed the phone back; it landed squarely on Tanaka's belly.
The man unlocked his own phone and shoved the screen into Tanaka's face.
The old, fat teacher gasped. On the screen was a photo of him leaving a hotel, hand in hand with a thin, painfully young girl.
His stomach dropped. Slowly, he looked back up at his attacker.
The man had him by the balls now.
Iryoku POV
"Now, fatso, you're going to listen to me, or this picture gets shown to everyone. You will lose your job, and even your freedom."
I shoved my phone right into his face, deliberately disguising my voice so he wouldn't recognize me.
"And be aware, fat fuck, I know exactly where you live. So don't try to run," I growled. "If you don't do everything I ask, your family is going to get a visit as well. I know you don't care about your ex, but what about Saki?"
He was terrified. "Please, I... I—"
I gave him another swift kick, this time aiming for his other arm.
"Agh!" he cried out.
"I don't have any money!" the old man stammered, his body trembling on the ground. "What could you possibly want from me?"
"I want information about that school of yours. Everything," I demanded. "Starting with a couple of specific students. First, a tall, buff guy from last year named Kenta. I want his phone number, his address, where he is right now—everything. Next, a tall, nerdy kid. Yoon, or something like that. Supposedly the student council president."
I leaned in closer. "I also want to know about the sketchy shit going on behind the scenes, especially with that council. I heard a freshman girl got pregnant and disappeared. Did you have anything to do with that?"
He shook his head violently. "No! I didn't—I swear! You mean Fushigi! She was a top student, well-behaved, but she hung around with this delinquent. He was the one who got her pregnant! He even got sent to juvenile detention last year for attacking a cop. He was a deadbeat who didn't want to take responsibility for the kid! It's a well-known fact—she told everyone herself!"
My anger flared hot. That fucking venomous bitch… once I find you…
I drove my foot into his ribs again. "Don't hide anything."
"Agh! Please, no more!" he wheezed, curling up.
"The students' information… I'll give it to you. But you'll have to wait until Monday—"
I stepped closer and raised my fist.
"Tomorrow!" he gasped, throwing his hands up defensively. "I'll have it for you tomorrow. I need to check the school office first. And the Fushigi girl… the police came to investigate not long after her disappearance. Her family came too, looking for answers, but nothing was concluded. They just said she ran away. The last time anyone saw her was at her house—she even left a note. That's all I know!"
"Fine. Tomorrow, same time. I'll see you here." I moved in closer, my voice low. "And if you're lying, I'll find out. And I'll break your fingers."
"Ahh!" Tanaka yelped, yanking his hands behind his back in terror.
But I took advantage of the opening...
After planting a couple more hard kicks to his soft spots, I walked away, leaving the old man crying and begging on the ground.
"Tch… what a pathetic bastard. He almost pissed himself," I muttered to myself. "But he isn't the one who took that fucking whore from me. He's too much of a coward."
I hadn't found anything incriminating on his phone, either. His contacts were sparse; the only ones that stood out were 'Stupid Bitch'—which was probably his ex—and 'Saki.' My earlier threat had been a shot in the dark, but his terrified reaction had confirmed my guess: Saki was definitely his daughter.
There was no sign of any videos or pictures of Alice. He did have some photos of students in their sports uniforms, though. This old man was exactly what he looked like: a dirty, degenerate bastard. His browser history was filled with nothing but call-girl listings and hardcore porn.
Though it felt good to give him a beating, I would have to wait until tomorrow to get the real information out of him.