Interview
"hello, I am Aimi Inoue. I've been in debt...-"
"AND I AM HERE TO PAY."
Why did I use my full name?
It's because
I am the one who's CEO at Ryou's company after he left.
Though Michael took all the money, which caused me to go in debt, I still made a few connections.
For example, this is how I knew Huang is a fake identity.
How can Huang be real? That's what I had asked myself.
I purposefully took debt from only Huang, knowing that if he's real, he'd give me the money without any source
But I noticed that in the finance department, where I worked, there was a constant drain of money.
This is how I figured out,
"Huang isn't here?" I asked.
"Ah, he's going to come." Harold replied as he got nervous.
"I see, you sure Lee wouldn't show up?"
You're using Lee as the 'Huang' I know of, right?
"Huh?" Michael was confused.
I know, it's an act.
[Michael's Perspective]
W-wait...
SHE REALLY IS INOUE!
What do I do?!
If we capture her,
My company will fall down!
If I don't capture her, Ryou won't show up!
Dammit, Ryou!
B-but...what DO WE DO?!
"Let's begin the negotiation, should we?" She spoke.
Ofcourse, l-lets do this.
Chapter 46: Interview
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At the abandoned factory, Front Room
The Factory is related to electronics, though it was abandoned by the owners.
Who were the owners?
"Inviting me at my previous master's factory, not quite right~" Aimi said as she sat down the seat infront of Michael.
Sfx: drink
Michael took a sip from his tea, and said
"Ah, o-ofcourse." He couldn't get what to say at this point
The factory consisted of three main rooms,
The electric circuit board room, Storehouse and the main room.
Or atleast that's what Aimi knows of, from her floor plan map.
"Could I confirm, I'm not being recorded?" Aimi cleared her throat as she said this.
"Yes. We aren't going to record you without your consent, that is against the law when it comes to debt-" Harold explained.
"Hm? We can't talk about law, when my the money I'm being lent is not white either, isn't it?" Aimi indicated at the papers she brought with her.
"That doesn't matter, you're getting the money right? Wether legal or not, the source, it's none of your business!" Harold exclaims
"Calm down, calm down..." Michael pats on Harold.
Michael leans a bit, placing his elbow on his knees as he's concentrated through the conversation.
"So, could I confirm one thing before we proceed?" Michael asks.
[Harold's Perspective]
Huh? What would he ask?
From what I heard,
She used her last name, 'Inoue'.
Which, to me, is a pretty dumb move.
She knows that this Inoue, and Michael are involved in human trafficking and black money, so by confirming she's Inoue, doesn't she admit to one crime?
We also know that if Aimi is Inoue, it would mean Aimi's murder cases could be related to Inoue's crimes.
It could also be that Aimi used her Inoue identity to manipulate her circumstances into her own favour to keep committing murders, for her curse.
Yes, that's right.
I GET IT NOW!
She must be involved in human trafficking with Michael, she pays Michael for the money, and Michael would provide her with fresh humans. He would gather these victims from Ray, who's dead now.
She would then proceed to kill each human so that her day could pass.
As I kept thinking more and more on this,
My head started to hurt a bit, but I was still okay. Because there's somebody who's thinking more than me.
"Hmmmm..." Michael pondered what he should ask.
And suddenly, Michael spoke
"Are you, and Inoue, the part-time CEO from Ryou's company I've took over, the same person?"
WHAT THE-
UPON EVERYTHING YOU COULD HAVE ASKED HER,
YOU BOTH ARE CONFESSING YOUR OWN CRIMES?!
[Michael's Perspective]
It's simple, very honestly
I've nothing, absolutely nothing to do with Aimi Inoue, whoever this lady is.
All I want, is Ryou.
Harold claims Ryou must be with Aimi, since Aimi is a cold killer she would bring royu with her.
And that Ryou is hiding somewhere.
So with that in mind, I should entertain this, Aimi, for a bit?
And while I do so,
I need a plan to devise to kill.
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And as the conversation went on, The three talked more.
The electric circuit board room has a fault, it's main wires are leaking out to the main room.
Any wrong move, and it can result in a catastrophic disaster.
It's pretty simple, by activating the nearby plug, the factory machine would get electricity to work, and since the machines are faulty, it would cause lots of spark, which would cause a fire show.
This is why, the factory was abandoned.
But why did Michael choose this place?
***
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"Yes, I am Aimi Inoue. As I've told you before, I'm the part-timer at your company." Aimi said with a gentle smile.
"Michael! Youre-" Harold panicked.
"Ah, I see, you're quite talented for your age then! You're only eighteen and yet you work for a living? That's incredible, and commendable!" Michael clapped his hands together.
"Now that you've asked me one question. Could you return the favour by answering my one question too, sir?" Aimi requested.
"Ah, sure!" Michael fell into the trap.
"Hold on. Michael isn't related with the debt you're being given, it's Huang and Me. Michael is a businessman whom we have kept here for financial advisory. Let's not use him, shall we?" Harold interrupted.
"Wait! But-" Michael panicked
"Ah, ofcourse!" Aimi was content.
"So, Mr. Harold, could you tell me the contents of this area?" Aimi asked, as she didn't take a moment to even think of her questions.
[Harold's Perspective]
That's it! You've made one mistake.
You've assumed we have also planned our conversation. Which is something we didn't do for this very purpose!
If you ask me questions without even taking a natural amount of time as your interval, it only confirms more further that you're having it all planned before we even came here.
What does this convey? It conveys you're admitting that you know, that we know about you, a little more than we should.
And this is what I need, to capture you.
Because...
Sfx: twitch
I'm recording this entire conversation. And at the same time, from a USB wire, it's being transferred to the pendrive.
Your second mistake was to trust whatever I would say in this conversation,
You assumed I'm not recording you which made you be relieved and talk freely. Giving us the evidences of you slipping up.
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[Aimi's Perspective]
"Hmm? Mr. Harold, is my question too hard? You haven't told me the floor plan yet~"
Oh my~ Harold, you must be Think what I want you to, isn't it?
Though I haven't figured out where you have kept Ryou, or who has abducted him, or even the fact if his abduction and my debt being raised to such an extent is connected,
I can still assume a few things first, and using the contradiction method, confirm my assumptions later.
I first made myself believe Harold isn't recording me, how?
By asking him, so simple!
Thing is, if Harold wasn't recording me, he wouldn't be so careful of his answers, or even his own questions. Isn't this why he's trying to interrupt Michael whenever he asks something that could get him in trouble?
"Ah, ofcourse, there are three rooms in this factory. There's a circuit board room, main room or the front room, and a storehouse." Harold wouldn't lie.
If Harold lies, then he isn't recording me, and if he isn't recording me and still lies, it's of no use.
So he wouldn't do that.
If Harold says the truth, he is recording me, because he can't show an audio tape of him lying when I'm jailed and in court, right?
Which would never happen, ofcourse.
"Ah! Is that so?!" I fidget as I speak.
"Why, are you excited?" Michael teased me.
Ofcourse I am, you old fool!
Now I have two possibilities of where Ryou could be~
But then again, if I assume Ryou is here, Harold wouldn't drag this conversation at the first place.
Why? He would directly threaten me in the name of Ryou, but since he doesn't have Ryou right now, it means
He has accomplices who are still carrying Ryou to this place.
If I captured Lisa and Aiko, who else could capture Ryou? Lee? But isn't he too fat and old to do that?
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"So, Aimi Inoue, recently, I've noticed you haven't paid your monthly installment to your money-lender, Huang. Is that right?" Michael cleared his throat as he began the negotiation.
"Yes, that is correct." Aimi nodded.
"May I know the reason?"
"My workplace, has a constant drain of money, because of which the distribution of salaries have become very difficult. "
"Huh?"
"I can notice a certain businessman taking the most money into account, because of which inferior workers like me aren't able to afford a monthly installment to the debt we have been taken." Aimi explained.
"Oh, I get it-" Michael was suddenly stopped.
[Harold's Perspective]
Oh crap.
She's getting heavy onto Michael!
She has realised Michael's biggest weakness,
The fact that they are involved in a crime together!
He knows that Aimi knows that Michael is draining all the money that is earned in the finance department of Ryou's company, and he uses that money to give Huang, or more like me and Lee to give debt back to Aimi.
Because of which, he isn't able to hold any arguments!
Maybe it's time for me to take the initiative.
"Huh, but we aren't responsible for what happens in your workplace isn't it?" I speak.
"Well, technically, both of you aren't related to my debt anyways. It's Hang, isn't he? I should be talking to Huang directly." Aimi speaks.
Damn it!
"B-but, I'm his accomplice, that makes me equally responsible as him-"
"Right, an accomplice, right..." Aimi sighs.
"I think we have realised the dynamic of our money problem that we have over here, isn't it? With that being in mind..." Aimi spoke.
"Let's negotiate, shall we?" She added.
"Ah, no. We are still going to be the one who's going to decide what to do with you, you can't be the one deciding when your interest is more than your principal amount of debt." Harold spoke.
"Wait, we should atleast-" Michael interrupted.
"Damn Michael, why so hasty? Let's decide for her kindly, shall we?" Harold added.
It seems Harold did this purposefully, to indicate to Michael that Aimi shouldn't notice who's in control here.
"Say, we reduce your already built-up interest, and calculate the new interest you must pay on the increased Rate?" Michael proposes.
"It seems like a trap." Aimi replies.
"You should be glad we aren't compounding your interest." Harold added.
"Why would you? Such high transaction would require a bank detail and it's obvious black money, so doing that would be quite risky." Aimi added.
"This cheeky brat!-" Harold gets angry.
"Hold on, Harold! Let's hear her too, shan't we?" Michael stops Harold.
"Calling me a cheeky brat just because I have a lot of financial knowledge? It isn't right, not good not good Mr Harold." Aimi teases Harold.
"Can't help it, but you're just so young right? You're eighteen only, so talented to work for a big company at such a young age!" Michael takes control of the situation, hoping he isn't making both Aimi and Harold angry.
"Ugh..." Aimi sighs,
Suddenly, she takes out her lipstick from her bag and sppliesnit onto her face.
"Huh?" Harold is confused.
"I'm waiting my time here each second that I am not with somebody that I love..." Aimi says as she countinuesnon her lips.
"H-huh? What do you mean, what has gotten into you in all of a sudden, Aimi?" Harold was confused.
"You're talking weird-" Michael agrees with Harold.
Suddenly, Aimi says something that surprises both Harold and Michael,
Exposing their covers!
"Say, where have you kept my Ryou?"
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At infront of the abandoned factory
"We meet, greetings." Aiko bows to Lee.
"Yeah yeah... This unemployed girl really did help us a huge this time!" Lee was surprised.
"Oho! I see~ and the last time I was with an unemployed girl, she-..." Aiko indicated towards Lisa.
"Hey! I just got dehydrated, okay?!" Lisa blushed as she got embarassed.
"I'll wait till that bastard Ryou comes out of his car so I can see his pityful face and when the police comes to arrest him, I'll spit on his face at the spot!" Carla says with anger.
"You know, this is exactly why he won't come out!" The taxi driver says as he comes out of his car.
"UWAAAA- He's there in the car?!" Nina blushes.
It seems Nina was very curious of the car,
Sfx: walk
"H-hey...master! Please..c-come o-...out of the c.ca car...!" Nina says nervously.
"Do you act like this or are you actually very nervous?" Aiko complains.
"Oh my~ a maid being submissive to her master, what a fetish to be witnessed!" The taxi driver blushes at his own perverted thoughts.
Smack!
"Ow..." He strokes his head.
"Pervert! Insolvent! Creep!" Carla begins her scold once again!
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In the car
"Master..come out..." Nina says outside of the car.
"B-but...i-... I don't want to!!" Ryou says nervously.
Why wouldn't he be nervous?
He's going. To meet Carla, Aiko and Lisa.
He assumes all of them suspect Ryou to also be a killer.
"Oh my~ why so nervous?" Miko strokes Ryou's thighs...
"I-i...I just don't know how to react when I'll be seeing them! Carla probably thinks I'm her daughter's killer... And her husband, Mr Driver, he was a good man too!" Ryou cries.
"B-but..." Miko tries assuring Ryou,
But suddenly Ryou interrupts what Miko tried to say, by putting his own words
"Though it is true that Aimi has stripped me off from everything! I can't even understand how to say and what to say! How to speak and what to speak! But still, I'm not disappointed! And yet, Everyone... Everyone acts like I'm the victim!"
"Huh?" Miko is taken aback by his words.
What does it mean?
What is he upset about? About Aimi, or about being the victim here? Does he not want to be called a victim in this situation?
"Could you care to explain me a little more?"
"It's like, everyday I wake up, eat and sleep. This has been a daily routine for me, back when I was still living with Aimi, I had to not be required to think about anything on my own! I was so completely dependent on her, right after all the trauma I had faced, the police... everything, i-it...it stresses me out!"
"Wait what? This isn't like you Ryou, the Ryou I know, is different. Are.you sure you enjoy letting her take the initiative of your life? Are you sure you're okay with your life being in the hands of someone else?" Miko said.
"Back when we dated, you were alot more daring! You always did the craziest if things! You were atheletic! You were so approaching! So friendly, and so more! But n-now...you have changed, Ryou!" Miko added.
"AAAHHH!" Ryou broke apart, as he cried
Sfx: cry
"EVEN YOU THINK THE SAME! What's the point of you bringing me out of the hell-hole I was satisfied in if you just release me into the wild with no preparation?! At this point, it's better to just die-"
HUG!
"NO!" Miko tightly hugged Ryou, as she said.
"This isn't true at all! I completely forgot, that we expect from the Ryou we know, is actually only the Ryou we know! There are many versions of Ryou, and to whom Im talking right now..." Miko said.
"Is the true me..?" Ryou tried guessing.
"No! It's the Ryou that Aimi has made and planned carefully. Ryou, I will strip you off from each scent of that devil, and make you a human again! At this point, you're no difference from a toy!" Miko said with a determined voice.
"Uhh, are you guys getting out or no?" Nina said once again from outside the care.
"Yeah we are coming out, and oh, I have something to tell Aiko." Miko said with a high voice.
"Yeah what is it?" Aiko asked.
Sfx: door open
As the gate opened, only Miko came out.
Aiko understood what this meant, and didn't advise the others to ask why Ryou isn't coming out either.
"So, now that we have arrived here. Let's actually follow the plan Harold has told us." Lee started the conversation.
"Alright, who's supposed to be where?" Aiko asked.
"First of all, none of us are supposed to be near the eekcteic circuit board."
"Why is that?" Taxi driver was curious.
"Maybe it's because it contains dangerous wire contraptions that could be dangerous to us?" Lisa guessed.
"How did you know?" Miko asked
"Hmm, because it's an abandoned factory, isn't it? It could be one of the reasons why this factory was abandoned in the first place." Lisa guessed.
"Exactly, all of us are supposed to wait at the at this one place, until, Harold gives us a signal to come." Lee explained.
"I wonder where Mai is, right now?" Aiko wondered.
"Hmm, what did she tell you last time?" Miko asked.
"She told me she's going to meet Michael, I'm assuming it's part of the plan so I didn't ask her why." Aiko explained.
"Alright, then, guys, take your positions!" Lee cheered.
"Alright, but wait! Ryou and I, would be in the storehouse of this factory. It's because I need to console him and isn't this the part of the planning? To not let Michael know that Ryou is here? Keeping him the furthest, that is, the storehouse, is the best." Miko explained
"Got it. Now, let's move move!" Aiko rushed.
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At the main room
"Well aren't you a little straightforward, Aimi?" Harold guessed.
"Huh? So you're acting lik Ryou isn't with you? What a nice tactic! Hoho, we are still waiting for you to give us Ryou, and we will forgive your puny little debt!" It seems Michael assumed Aimi was lying
"Oh, is that so?" Aimi's eyes glowed as her face got red.
It wasn't blush, it was adrenaline.
"I'm asking you once again, give me my Ryou back, and I'll pay you back the debt as soon as possible." Aimi said.
"I think you have forgotten, this isn't about the debt at all, dear Miss unfazed Aimi.~" Harold took his stance.
"Oh, was it ever? I didn't know, thanks for letting me know..." Aimi said in a low voice.
"Letting you know what?" Michael teased Aimi.
But little did he know,
He had caused a spark in Aimi's blood
Sfx: rush, leap
PULL, LEAP!
"HAAUH?!"
"HYAAAA!"
Aimi stood up,
And leaped onto Harold's chest with a knife!
"YOU'LL DIE HERE. JUST LIKE HOW I TRICKED EDRICK TO DIE!"
and suddenly, as Aimi went further
"NO- WHAT THE FUCK!" Michael panicked,
Aimi's hand slowly were about to dig in,
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As she was about to just stab Harold, and end it all, the case, the murders, the everything she could have thought of her problem,
Suddenly,
HUH?
"I am here to, 'fix' you, Aimi~"
Aimi's hand had originally went backwards to generate a force to stab into Harold's chest, but
"HYA?" she couldn't pull her hands back it seems.
"Were we any late?" Lee entered the room.
"We have caught you red-handed, Aimi, just you in action." Aiko spoke.
"No more blackmail." Lisa entered the room with a camera,
Capturing Aimi's attempt to murder Harold.
".. what?" Aimi's eyes were blank, she could not believe it, as Mai kept a strong grip on her hand,
She could not believe, is this it?
Is this the end?
Harold said, as he stood up, recovering from the almost stabbed position, and spread his arms.
"Gentlemen, let's begin our 'actual conversation ' with Aimi~"