At the Police Station
Eri’s PoV
The next day. I arrived near the police station at the time I was told.
“Ikenobu-san!”
A private detective approached me immediately. Anyway, I feel relieved. What if the detective never showed up? What if it was a lie? I was so worried because it was my last hope.
“Please take care of me today…”
I bow as politely as I can.
“Yes, of course. This way, please. We’ll go in the back door.”
As if he was used to it, he walked casually to the back door of the police station. Several policemen saw him and me, saluted, and greeted us.
They immediately returned to their work as if nothing had happened.
He went to the visiting room and immediately got permission. Although he wasn’t a policeman, he seemed to be used to it.
“I’m an ex-cop, you know. So I can do this kind of thing.”
Sensing my astonishment, he said that.
“Please wait here for a while. Kondo-kun will be here soon.”
Aoyama-san said and waited in the back of the room.
I waited, fidgeting, wondering when he would arrive.
After about five minutes, the door on the other side of the glass partition opened.
Kondo-kun walked in slowly. I haven’t seen him for a while, but his face seems to have gotten thinner.
“Eri! Why here? Did you come to see me?”
I guess he didn’t expect that I would come to visit him. He came in with his head down and his face lit up right away. How cute. I could finally meet you. The one I love.
“Yes. Actually, a kind person helped me…”
“I see. I see! Thank you so much. I’ve been feeling sad for a long time, so I’m very happy.”
I was a little touched by his words, which were more sincere than before.
“Are you okay? Are you being mistreated?”
“I have been mistreated. I’m supposed to be the chosen one, but the police treat me like a criminal.”
Poor Kondo. The ever-confident Kondo-kun seems to have become smaller.
His self-esteem has been damaged and he’s losing himself.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be the only one on your side no matter who becomes your enemy.”
We pressed our hands together through the glass. I wanted to feel some body heat, but all I felt was the coldness of the glass.
“That’s right. I have a talent for soccer. When I get out of here, I’ll play soccer again…”
He speaks quickly as if clinging to his last hope.
“Yes, right.”
But I know the truth. So I could only say meaningless words.
“What’s wrong? Eri knows about my soccer talent, right?”
The situation was so depressing that I couldn’t say anything.
But suddenly the private detective interrupted the conversation and told the truth ruthlessly.
“Let me tell you…”
“Who the hell are you?!”
“Kondo-kun. The soccer club will be disbanded. Your recommendation has been officially rescinded and you will be expelled. You can’t return to the soccer world anymore.”
When he heard those words, he made a face as if it was the end of the world.
“What? That’s a lie. Because I’m the man who will become the supreme treasure of Japanese soccer…”
“You better get a grip on reality.”
With that, the private detective sighed and walked out.
“It’s a lie, it’s a lie, it’s a lie ahhhhh!”
The screams echoed in the small visiting room.
I can no longer stand it, I say,
“Hey, Kondo-kun. I lost everything too. So have you. So will you please die with me?”
I smiled at him with a voice that was colder and more desperate than before, and he stared at me with eyes as if he saw a ghost.