止めないで
Title: 止めないで
Pairing: Nakamaru/Kamenashi
Rating: G
Summary: Being a demon was harder than Kamenashi thought.
Warning: slightlycreepy!Taguchi
Disclaimer: I don’t own anybody.Author's Note: Originally written and posted at JE Devil or Angel 2013. Posting was delayed due to my laziness in fixing formatting issues. Many thanks to sunshine_lambo for agreeing to be my co-author despite her busy schedule and to the wonderful comments left on the original post ♥
Kamenashi Corporation CEO dies in fire
July 17, 1999
The Asahi Shimbun
Kamenashi Kazuhiko, chairman and chief executive of Kamenashi Corporation and one of the most influential figures in the clean technology industry, died Friday when the mansion he was residing in with his family went up in flames.
The death of the 48-year-old stunned Kamenashi Corporation, the largest maker of light emitting diodes (LEDs) based in Tokyo, and rumours are rife that rapid change will soon sweep the company.
Along with Kamenashi Kazuhiko, seven others died in the fire, including Sato Yuriko, 45, his wife, Kamenashi Takuya, 20, Kamenashi Seiya, 15, and Kamenashi Tomoya, 7, three of his four sons.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has ruled the fire as an accident, with Inspector Tanaka citing …
The family leaves behind 13-year-old Kamenashi Kazuya, who cannot be reached for comments.
***
The rain had been heavy that night, prattling persistently against the windows of his cram school. If it wasn’t for the rain, Kamenashi Kazuya had no doubt he would be lying six feet under with his family, or what was left of them. Dental records had been needed to distinguish one charred body from the next, and Kamenashi sometimes wondered if he should be thankful for the small mercy of not having to identify his parents and brothers from their burnt features.
Perhaps it would have been more merciful to have let him die in the blaze with his family, but Kamenashi had come to realise that his survival entailed a greater purpose. And it was for this purpose that Kamenashi kept moving, even as the largely silenced part of his heart screamed at him to stop.
But he cannot stop, not now, not when his plans had finally been placed into motion.
“Sorry to have kept you waiting!”
Kamenashi pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against, but stayed rooted in his corner by the candles and waited instead for the other man to make his way over. When the taller man finally appeared in front of him, Kamenashi scoffed a quiet “You’re not sorry at all,” which was acknowledged by a shrug of the other’s shoulders. It had taken Taguchi two whole minutes to saunter his way down the aisle.
Chuckling, Taguchi tossed a USB flash drive his way, which he caught instinctively. There was no telling if the files he had requested for were inside, but Kamenashi would take his chances. Six out of ten times made for some kind of reliability, he supposed.
“I don’t see why we must always meet here. A church, of all places!” Taguchi wrinkled his nose, his voice petulant. “I’m afraid I’ll be damned if we continue to…”
“You don’t believe in Heaven or Hell,” Kamenashi interrupted, wanting nothing more than to end this meeting.
“That’s right, I don’t,” Taguchi quipped, a carefree smile hanging from his lips, “but you do, don’t you?”
However necessary, conversation with Taguchi was always an infuriating affair.
“If you’ve kept your end of the bargain, I’ll keep mine by noon tomorrow.”
“Sure thing,” Kamenashi heard Taguchi reply as he prepared to leave, “It has been good working with you.”
And Kamenashi exited the heavy oak doors without looking back.
***
“This folder will self-destruct upon the next incorrect password.”
Kamenashi blinked at the words flashing before him, resisting the urge to gnash his teeth. Not for the first time, Taguchi had set his perverse kind of test on him again. Kamenashi knew it wasn’t for security reasons; the man had said so himself on their last meeting.
“Bypassing security is fun, Kazuya.”
Muttering under his breath, Kamenashi shook his head to clear himself of the memory. Taguchi had been unbearable when confronted about the password-protected files, teasing relentlessly in a sing-song tone. The man lived to make life difficult for others it seemed, Kamenashi included. As far as Kamenashi was concerned, Taguchi was hired to only crack passwords on his behalf, not set them on the files he needed to complete his plan.
Well, if Taguchi had hoped to lure Kamenashi into another meeting so soon, he was in for a disappointment. From the delighted smile Taguchi had shown him the first time it happened, complete with exaggeratedly fluttering eyelashes, Kamenashi had learnt not to play into Taguchi’s hand.
Nothing was worth the frustration.
Besides, Kamenashi thought as he wheeled his chair back from the table, it had been some time since he visited Rika-chan.
***
INTERVIEW/ Kamenashi Kazuya, CEO of Kamenashi Corporation: “It’s my duty to give back.”
December 24, 2012
The Asashi Shimbun
In the true spirit of Christmas, Kamenashi Kazuya has once more brought joy to the children at Shooting Star Institution by pledging, on behalf of Kamenashi Corporation, to finance the upgrading of existing facilities such as heating to combat the increasingly harsh winters and the installation of new facilities, including a baseball field.
This announcement comes a month after Kamenashi made a personal donation to the institution to ensure the children could have a good Christmas celebration this year.
Shooting Star Institution is special to the Kamenashi family - building the institution was the last charity project Kamenashi Kazuhiko, the previous chairman and CEO of Kamenashi Corporation and the father of Kamenashi Kazuya, embarked on before his untimely death in a fire that also claimed the lives of his wife and three other sons.
In a recent interview with the Asashi Shimbun, Kamenashi, 26, talked about the reason behind the company’s and his own continued support of the institution and other charity projects in the Edogawa region.
The following are excerpts from the interview with Kamenashi…
***
“Kazu-nii!”
Kamenashi braced himself as a little girl with twin pigtails charged right into him, giggling madly as her momentum brought them both to the ground. Well, if Rika was here, then Taro should be right round the corner.
“Rika-chan! Don’t just run away like th- Kazu-nii!” The boy started running back in the direction he had come from, “Kazu-nii is here! He’s here!”
Suppressing a smile, Kamenashi silently stubbed his cigarette into the dirt, before helping Rika up with the hand he had freed. He probably had another few seconds before the rest of the children came running. In front of him, Rika held out both her arms, a sure sign that she wanted to be carried, but Kamenashi just shook his head ruefully.
“Not till I’ve put these away, Rika-chan.”
As Rika peppered him with questions on what he could be hiding in those bags he had brought along, Kamenashi let the tension that had been building all week slip from him, shoulders relaxing and posture slacking as he followed the girl’s cheerful gait at a more moderate pace. He felt his lips quirk when Taro, Riku, Kei, and several other children who had come running out besiege him, their tiny hands grabbing onto his pant leg, the bags, and pretty much everything they could reach.
Everyone had thought that it was the children’s fortune that Kamenashi had been kind and generous enough to look out for them, but in truth, Kamenashi had simply been selfish. It had always been the other way round. From the day Kamenshi had received the nondescript envelope delivered by hand, he had needed the kids, needed their smiles, and their unconditional love that Kamenashi knew he didn’t deserve.
For he was no saint, but a sinner looking for redemption.
***
“Nakamaru,” Kamenashi drawled in a bored tone, even when he was the one late for their meeting. As usual, Nakamaru had been on time, waiting at their agreed meeting point in his drab grey suit and pants. Even his tie looked boring, dark blue without any other features.
“It’s Nakamaru! Wait,” Kamenashi made sure he looked impressed as his senior connected the dots, “you got it right this time, Kame.”
“I’ve always been getting it right, Nakamura.”
Kamenashi knew Nakamaru had to have become suspicious, but the other man merely continued their harmless banter, all the while steering Kamenashi towards one of the galleries. Wasn’t confronting him the reason Nakamaru called him out today?
“Here we are, Kame. It’s titled Feathers in the Dark.”
Kamenashi stared. The painting covered the entire wall. In the middle, two figures were intertwined - an ivory creature beginning with horns and ending in a spaded tail, an ebony figure with wings that looked impossibly soft. Where they touched each other, the colours melded into shades of grey, and feathers of every shade filled the painting. It was impossible to tell where one figure began and the other ended, tangled as they were with each other. Kamenashi thought he understood why this painting was in a room of its own.
Something about the painting was causing ripples in his heart.
“Ne, Yucchi,” Kamenashi began, hesitated, then continued, “What do you see in this painting?”
“Hmm, me?”
Kamenashi watched Nakamaru from the corner of his eye, saw him move towards the painting to take a closer look.
“Well, since you asked I guess I see the angel purifying the demon, or devil, or something. The angel might have gotten tainted in the end, but I think the angel would have felt his deed is worthwhile. I mean, I’m sure no one wants to be the devil if he has a choice, so the angel is giving the devil a second-”
“Too long, Yucchi,” Kamenashi didn’t want to hear anymore. Nakamaru’s words were cutting too close to home. And yet Kamenashi had interpreted the painting differently. He saw the devil craving for goodness, for warmth it didn’t deserve, and in the process it had corrupted the angel and condemned them both.
“Kame, I never knew you would be interested in art! I was afraid you would find this trip boring.”
Perhaps Kamenashi had been staring too intently at the painting, thoughts whirring. It was safer to go back to simple chitchat.
“Being talentless in drawing speaks nothing about my love for art.”
Nakamaru stifled laughter, and failed. He continued laughing even as Kamenashi came to a decision.
“I’ll bid for it.”
Kamenashi appreciated Nakamaru not questioning him about this; though his curiosity was palpable, Nakamaru had fallen and remained silent. And the painting, while expensive, was comfortably within the reach of Kamenashi’s deep pockets.
It would be but a small price to pay for such a personal reminder to his commitments.
***
IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
The statement, font Times New Roman size 12, stared boldly out from the paper. They weren’t eye-catching, not by a long shot, but nineteen-year-old Kamenashi felt his body freeze over. It had been six years already, hadn’t it? It had been hard, almost impossible even, but Kamenashi had finally resolved to put the incident behind him, to live life to the fullest on behalf of his family.
Why now?
Hands trembling, Kamenashi shook out the rest of the envelope’s contents. A flurry of paper strips greeted him. URLs, links to something, were printed on most strips, and Kamenashi could hardly breathe as he entered the first of the links into his browser address bar.
Followed by the next, and the next.
He could not believe his eyes. There were documents that showed monetary transactions, a signed promise to never reveal the truth, even an audio interview with someone who was ‘just paid to carry out my job’. Kamenashi needed more information. Who sent him these? What were his or her motives? Why now? Why not earlier? But the most important question was ‘How can he verify the information?’ He needed to know.
Because if these were speaking the truth, then Kamenashi had been a fool for six years.
***
“How stupid of you, Kazuya!”
Kamenashi felt his eyebrow twitch in agitation.
“I want the files.”
Taguchi caught the USB drive Kamenashi lobbed his way easily, and even had the gall to smile as he handed a second drive over.
So the bastard had it all prepared huh.
Resisting the urge to lash out at Taguchi, Kamenashi turned to leave, but not before he heard Taguchi’s ‘why do you always fail to break such a simple system?’ It was uttered in a sad, kind of disappointed tone, and it only fuelled Kamenashi’s ire. Tightening his hold on the USB drive, Kamenashi left the church.
It was only when he spotted a group of children playing baseball that his frown softened into a smile.
***
Twelve hours later, Kamenashi was ready to make his next move. Taguchi was good in what he did, despite being the most insufferable person to work with. Once the plan fell into place, Sato Kenji would be eliminated and Kamenashi would have reached a milestone.
Halfway through, only two more to go.
As he spun himself in his armchair, contemplating his next move, Nakamaru called. The proposed drinking session at the izakaya would no doubt be full of Nakamaru’s whining about the abuse he had suffered under his boss over the week, but Kamenashi agreed to meet him in a heartbeat.
Yamamoto Toshiro should count his blessings at being given a few more hours of respite.
***
Hand reaching automatically to the spot on his dresser where his phone should have been, Kamenashi startled into the realm of reality when the Giants victory theme song continued jangling. He was still dressed in the clothes from last night, phone tucked into the back pocket of his jeans.
Damn, he forgot to set the alarm last night. If this was his weekend alarm he was too late. The files needed to be loaded into the system for his accusations to stick, or the board meeting would be a total flub.
Kamenashi felt his stomach clench, and he sat up so quickly the hangover made itself known immediately. But then he noticed the calendar.
Sunday. The board meeting was tomorrow.
Feeling his racing heart slow for the first time since he had woken up, Kamenashi shuffled off the bed to start his morning routine. Sato Kenji was a special one, he thought to himself, that’s the only reason why I’ve been so restless.
It had nothing to do with anything else.
Just as Kamenashi was leaving the main house for his morning jog, he spotted a flash of colour. And frowned.
“Hi,” Taguchi greeted with a cheery smile, “here to show me in personally?”
“How the hell did you enter my estate?”
“No ‘morning Junno it’s good to see you again’?”
“If this is a social call, I’m telling security to remove you.”
“How mean, Kazuya. I come bearing news.”
Of course Taguchi brought news. It was the same for the past few trips. Taguchi was easily excitable; once an idea struck Taguchi needed to share it. It seemed he couldn’t even wait for their weekly meetings in the church.
But Kamenashi knew. Without Taguchi’s help, those bastards would never be behind the bars they deserved.
Frown deepening, Kamenashi led the way to the parlour.
***
Kamenashi hesitated before exiting his car. In his hands were the documents Taguchi had passed him earlier, containing detailed information about their fourth and last target:
Chief Superintendent Tanaka.
The man had been the sole biggest obstacle to their plans. Earlier attempts to reopen the original case had been rebuffed by Tanaka, who had rose quite a few ranks since offering condolences to Kamenashi. And no wonder, for the man was as crooked as the people he put behind bars.
“Deal with him indirectly,” Taguchi had suggested, “I hear he has a son.”
There was no way Taguchi could have just come about this piece of information, but Kamenashi was too tired to question Taguchi further. This could help land the final blow, but Tanaka Koki was innocent. Just because his father had done Kamenashi wrong didn’t mean he had a right to punish Tanaka junior.
“So are you in or not? If you aren’t I’ll have to adopt this Koki as my pet project myself, you do realise?”
Taguchi might have issued an ultimatum. But he had also given Kamenashi a chance to walk away, a chance they both knew he wouldn’t take. The end was near, and both were getting too impatient to wait for another idea, another opportunity to present itself.
Besides, Kamenashi thought as his hands tightened round the papers, what was one more mistake?
***
Taguchi had been waiting. Even without a prior call the man knew Kamenashi was coming. Kamenashi made a mental note to sweep his house for bugs when he returned, and didn’t bother to reciprocate Taguchi’s enthusiastic waving.
“Junno-kun, welcome back!”
Kamenashi hung back as Taguchi returned the greeting, and noted how Taguchi seemed to be friends with everyone who passed the lobby in the five minutes he and the landlady made small talk.
So Taguchi played the friendly neighbour.
“Kazuya, let me finally welcome you to my humble abode.”
Kamenashi stared. The kitchen might have been artfully furnished, cherry wood against beige walls, but the living room was practically an arcade. A large screen TV took up one wall, while gaming consoles littered the living room floor. There were two of those shooting machines you see at the arcade, and the cabinets held no books but games.
“I know those games are tempting, Kazuya,” Taguchi started with a knowing smirk, “but let me show you my office first.”
With a flourish, Taguchi opened the door on the left, where a collage of photographs and post-it notes greeted Kamenashi. The details on the notes made it apparent that Taguchi knew way more than just ‘what he heard from the grapevine’.
“How did you get all these?”
“I got myself employed within the police force, of course.”
Of course. Just what the hell was Taguchi thinking?
“This one here,” Taguchi pointed to a photograph on the top right, “is our target this round, Tanaka junior.”
Kamenashi turned to where Taguchi pointed. From the photo, Tanaka junior looked to be around their age, cigarette dangling from his lips and sporting way too many earrings. Tanaka Koki was written below in Taguchi’s neat handwriting.
“He’s quite well-hidden. Officer Tanaka took pains to make sure no one knows they are related.”
“Hmm?”
“Koki was caught stealing before. Not once, but thrice.”
“Criminal record?”
“Juvenile detention centre.”
“And how did you come by this information?”
“I observe well. And consulted the system of records.”
Besides the photograph, Taguchi had pages of information on Tanaka Koki, as well as the less than cordial relationships he had with his father. Even his shoe size was listed. It was probably a good thing that Taguchi was on his side; if Kamenashi had been working against such a person, chances of success would have been zero.
Something caught his eye. Several points were highlighted in pink, and Kamenashi tried to piece the information together.
“You’re trying to get Tanaka Koki arrested again?”
“Bingo! It’s as you said, and by his daddy’s own hands too.”
“They don’t even get along.”
“The media then comes along and finds out that daddy happens to be the Chief Superintendent.”
“What would that achieve? Besides ruining his son’s -”
“Maybe the higher-ups can finally be persuaded to run checks on Tanaka then, and guess what they’ll find?” Taguchi continued as if he hadn’t heard Kamenashi, intent as he was on sharing his plan.
A plan which would ruin not just Chief Superintendent Tanaka’s life, but Tanaka Koki’s too.
***
Sato Kenji was arrested the next day.
The man had pleaded innocence, but the file Taguchi provided made sure Sato had no hopes of winning the prosecution.
Though the punishment for embezzlement is nowhere near that for murder.
Those dark thoughts niggled at Kamenashi, and not for the first time, he wondered if Taguchi was rubbing off on him. Because Taguchi was right. Somewhere in his heart, Kamenashi was not satisfied with just ruining Sato Kenji’s career.
Kamenashi wanted more.
***
“Ne Yucchi, would you date a bad person?”
Kamenashi had always wanted to ask that question, but was afraid of the answer. His drunk self accomplished the feat one night, even before his consciousness could protest. Although it was a mini celebration for the launch of a new product, Kamenashi should have watched the number of shots he was downing.
Nakamaru flushed, though Kamenashi might have been mistaken.
“Kame isn’t a bad person. He’s just… a little lost.”
"Hmm… Why does Yucchi say that?"
"You ramble when you're drunk. More than you think," Nakamaru replied quietly.
If Nakamaru had said anything more, Kamenashi didn't remember the next morning.
***
One week after the fiasco with Sato Kenji, Taguchi delivered a set of two playing dice to Kamenashi in person. On the back of the envelope they were in was scrawled ‘his fate is in your hands’, complete with a smiley face at the end.
“Feeling lucky today Kazuya?”
Two dice… And then it clicked. Taguchi had been sending hints via email for days after all.
“You’ve created different plans?”
“Yup. Kazuya has gotten smarter!” Taguchi’s eyes shone with approval. “There’s options 1 to 36. What shall it be Kazuya?”
“Not today, Taguchi. The incident with Sato is trouble enough for the company. I’ll get back to you some other day, okay?”
Kamenashi didn’t intend to roll the dice till he could commit to the plan. He was no saint, and would just be a hypocrite if he refused the plans on the basis of not causing harm to innocent parties. In pursuing his own twisted justice, hadn’t he already destroyed families? But this seemed different, or maybe it was Kamenashi who had changed. Either way Kamenashi wasn’t ready.
“Kazuya, won’t you play with me anymore?”
As minutes went by in silence, Taguchi turned and left.
***
“Sir, someone who identified himself as Nakamaru Yuichi is waiting outside.”
Kamenashi nearly dropped his mug of coffee.
“Yucchi? Send him in.”
Frazzled hair, creased shirt and mismatched shoes; Kamenashi had never seen Nakamaru so unkempt before.
“Yucchi, what happened?”
“Stop it, Kame. You’ve got to stop it!”
“Stop what?”
Wordlessly, Nakamaru handed a crumpled sheet of newspaper over. A side article stated that someone named Yamamoto Toshiro had committed suicide yesterday, most likely due to financial troubles from bad choices made in the stock market. How could Kamenashi have forgotten it? Right after the board meeting which resulted in Sato Kenji’s arrest, Kamenashi had been eager to strike down his third target, and had instructed Taguchi to drop Yamamoto a visit, leaving ‘hints’ as to what stocks were good to invest in.
Good for his revenge plan, that was.
Kamenashi had considered this scenario when it was first laid, or had he wanted it? Suicide meant the man chose to die himself, wasn’t it? His death should have nothing to do with Kamenashi, yet it felt as if something icy had taken hold of his stomach and was spreading throughout his veins at the knowledge that the man had died.
It had finally resulted in blood on Kamenashi’s hands.
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
Lying to Nakamaru was futile; they had known each other for too long. Or perhaps Kamenashi was trying to lie to himself too, unwilling to face the situation.
“Kame, I never intended to confront you about your… plans. And that man you meet weekly. But just tell me, despite your successes,” Nakamaru shuddered, “are you happy?”
Kamenashi gritted his teeth. If Nakamaru knew so much already, there was little point in denying further.
“You don’t understand.”
“That’s right, I don’t,” Nakamaru placed his hands on Kamenashi’s, “but I would like to try.”
“And how would that help Kazuya?”
Taguchi! Kamenashi spun around to see the taller man leaning on his door, face devoid of his usual smile.
“Kame never wanted revenge so badly till you came along!”
It was the first time Kamenashi had heard such heat in Nakamaru’s voice. If it had been a less severe situation, Kamenashi would have pointed it out. As it was, Kamenashi had to stop Taguchi from retaliating. Taguchi was no simpleton one should cross.
And Nakamaru was wrong. Kamenashi did want revenge, with or without Taguchi.
“Nakamaru Yuichi, age 29. You know Kazuya since high school. You work in a decent IT firm, and lived with your parents in Kita-ku till recently. Now you stay in Meguro-ku, don’t you? I’m Taguchi Junnosuke, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Now Taguchi smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“Yucchi, come back some other day,” Kamenashi mumbled. He would never forgive himself if Nakamaru become tangled in their schemes. When the other man made no effort to move, rattled as he seemed from Taguchi’s introduction, he added, “I’m sure your boss has more work lined up for you.”
“You-” Nakamaru swallowed visibly, “are more important than my work.”
“Very touching.” Taguchi clapped and gave a sardonic smile. Kamenashi would have been touched too, had the situation been less unpleasant.
“Nakamaru Yuichi, aren’t you selfish? Preventing Kazuya here from getting closure just because you think your values above ours? Or is it because your father’s in the force too, and you’re a coward?”
“Taguchi, I need your help for something.” Kamenashi interrupted, wanting nothing more than to prevent Taguchi from saying more, “it concerns the game of dice.”
At this the man immediately brightened, and he followed Kamenashi to the adjoining room without fuss. Kamenashi didn’t want to leave Nakamaru in his living room like that, but it was necessary if he wanted to keep Nakamaru out of harm’s way.
The “I believe in you, Kame” text that he received just before he cast the dice broke his resolve.
***
Transcript of interview with Rika, 5, resident of Shooting Star Institution, excerpt
Q: Rika-chan, what do you think of Kamenashi Kazuya?
R: Kazu-nii? He’s the best person in the entire world. (giggling) Rika will work hard to grow taller, so that I can be Kazu-nii’s bride! (more giggling)
***
“Kazu-nii, where have you been recently?”
“Rika-chan, can I ask you a question?” At Rika’s nod, Kamenashi continued, “If someone bullied Rika-chan, would she retaliate?”
Rika wrinkled her nose up at him.
“Is this a trick question, Kazu-nii? Of course Rika wouldn’t! Kei-chan said Kazu-nii once told him that retaliating would turn him into a bully too. Rika doesn’t want to turn into a bully.”
***
“Taguchi, change of plans. I want to go after Tanaka directly, without touching Tanaka junior.”
“Why? I’ve already started making friends with Koki! Such an agreeable young man, says he will show me his pets too.”
“All along we’ve kept to our targets. Their families were just unfortunate collateral damage,” Kamenashi knew such terms would appeal to Taguchi, “In our game of hunting down these people, we’ve always kept to our unspoken rule of direct punishment. We can’t break our own rules now, can we?”
“Hmm… But I’ve invested so much time into Koki already.” Kamenashi could hear the pout through the phone, but he needed Taguchi’s cooperation for this.
“You once said that to truly enjoy a game, one mustn’t use shortcuts the first time round. I want Tanaka senior exposed. Can you help me achieve this, or not?”
“Kazuya remembers what I say? And how come you’re calling this a game now…”
“Yes or no, Taguchi?”
“Does this have to do with the Yucchi of yours?”
Taguchi was shrewd, but Kamenashi called prepared.
“If Nakamaru had gotten his way I wouldn’t be calling you, but the police station to confess now. I just thought it would have been a better way to end, exposing Tanaka senior directly and presumably those other three. Even if Yamamoto is dead his name remains to be shamed.”
“Hmm? Not letting go of a dead man. Now that’s the Kazuya I love.”
“I’ll leave it to you then.”
Kamenashi disconnected the line, feeling like he had aged five years. There was no holding Taguchi back, not when they had come so far together, but perhaps Kamenashi could stall the inevitable, and even minimise the ‘collateral damage’. He couldn’t be like Rika, sweet, innocent Rika who hadn’t yet seen the world; he was a hypocrite, and a greedy man, who wanted the best of both worlds.
It was only being human, wasn’t it? Kamenashi had never aimed to be a saint, and being a complete demon was too hard. Especially when he was still surrounded by people who cared.
He was only human.
***
Ex-Chief Superintendent commits suicide in holding cell
June 23, 2013
The Asahi Shimbun
Tanaka Hayato, 59, disgraced ex-Chief Superintendent, was found dead in his holding cell late last night, two days before the trial would be concluded.
The trial also involved Yamaguchi Aki, 63, and Sato Kenji, 51, both Tanaka’s accomplices in the high-profile fire incident that killed seven people in 1999, including Kamenashi Kazuhiko, then chairman and CEO of Kamenashi Corporation.
Kamenashi Kazuya, 27, current CEO of Kamenashi Corporation and only surviving member of the family, has declined to comment.
Tanaka Hayato faced five other counts of corruption, three counts of …
The Tanaka family cannot be reached for comments.
***
“I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.” ― Billy Joel