Byakuyakou The Novel ~ Chapter 3
It is two years later. 1979. Tells from a character named Sonomura Tomohiko's point of view. Sonomura Tomohiko is a 2nd grade student in Ooe Highschool. Kirihara Ryoji is his classmate.
One day, Kirihara came to him. Kirihara, who had never talk before, or at least, Tomohiko never seen him talk before, suddenly talked to him. "I have a part-time job offer for you. A very easy job. You just have to chat with a few ladies, that's it and you'll get 10,000 yen. Good offer, right? For more details, meet me at this cafe," Kirihara gave him a map to a certain cafe.
Tomohiko was quite bewildered but he came to the cafe, anyway. In the cafe, he saw his other classmate, Murashita, reading Shonen Jump (shonen manga magazine). He don't quite know him well, and he's unsure whether or not he'd come on the same purpose so he decided to sit on a different table. When Kirihara came, he chuckled to see them sitting separately, "Why are you two sitting separately?? Oh, sorry. I should've told you there's another one coming, huh,".
Kirihara explained shortly that he will take them to meet three ladies now. "Older than us, but rest assure, they're not babaa(old hag),". Kirihara said, they're just bored housewives who are looking for fun and would like to try to chat with young boys. Tomohiko and Murashita were still pondering about this "job", they kept asking Ryoji about the details and who are the women's names, but Ryoji said for their sake, it's better if they don't know their names. But then they followed him anyway, to a certain apartement. Looking at the condition of the apartement, it doesn't seem like someone live there, so it might be an apartement rented just for this purpose only.
Three ladies were already waiting in the apartement. They seem to be around 30s. Accompanied with beers and snacks, they were just normally chatting for an hour or so, until Kirihara bring out a film projector(note: this is the 1970s) saying, "Sorry to interrupt your exciting chat, but its time for show time!". Tomohiko and Murashita were wondering, but then a porn scene appeared on the wall. One woman started to sit near Tomohiko, and another one came on to Murashita. The two women kept giving comments about the porn movie, "Wow, amazing,", "Hee... so there's such way,", one of them whispered to Tomohiko's ear, "Have you done that before?".
Suddenly, one of the woman, who had been quiet most of the time since they were here, stood up and left the place. No one tried to stop her and the other women only comment, "Yappari, she's not the type who can do this, ne...".
After awhile, the one who sit next to Murashita said she felt hot and so she takes off her clothes, and left only bra on the upper part of her body. Meanwhile the other woman whispered again to Tomohiko, "You may touch me, you know,". And Tomohiko finally completely understand what this is all about.
Murashita and Tomohiko had sex with those two women in separate rooms, while Kirihara waited in the living room, drinking beer. In between intervals, Tomohiko can hear those two women discussing whether they want to switch partners outside the room, but in the end they decided not to switch. This is actually Tomohiko's first time.
After it was all over before they went home, Kirihara gave them the money he promised, and Kirihara said they may not meet those women privately because this is business, Kirihara made them promise and they just nod.
However Tomohiko broke that promise because he likes Hanaoka Yuko, the woman he done it with for the first time. Yuko gave him her phone number, and they frequently contact each other and frequently goes to hotel as well.
Meanwhile, Nishiguchi Namie, the woman who left earlier realized she left her watch on that apartement. She came back to get it and entered the apartement quietly. Seem like no one was there. As she observed the whole room, she found a few computers and one of the screen showed a certain game, "Invader Game"... somehow she started watching the moving screen.... But suddenly, she can hear a voice, "You like it, huh?".
Namie apologized for coming in and explained she was looking for her watch. When she was about to exit the apartement, Kirihara knows she works in a bank, and he offered her an interesting "job".
One night, Yuko told Tomohiko that they can't see each other anymore because seem like her husband has been suspecting her having an affair. They decided to spend the night together for the very last time before parting for awhile, and when Yuko get up from the bed, just about to go to the toilet, she went, "Ukkh..." and collapsed to the bed. Tomohiko was surprised and even more shocked when he find her heart has stopped beating.
In panic, Tomohiko left the hotel and went back to his house. He called Kirihara and asked him to come to his house. Tomohiko told him what happened and Kirihara said, "Tsk, that woman must have an overdose alcohol,", "Overdose?", "Yeah, not to mention she has reached quite an age, she put too much effort to keep up with you, and it must have finally reached her heart,", "Quite an age? Isn't she only 30 something?", "Are you kidding? She's over 40 already,", "No way!", "It's true. I've met her a few times, so I know. She's basically just an old hag who likes virgin boys. You're the 8th young man, I introduced her to,", "No way, she said I was the first....", "This is not the time to be shock about that,"
Tomohiko decided to tell the truth to the police, Kirihara agreed but he doesn't want Tomohiko to tell the police about him. Tomohiko refused to lie to the police, Kirihara said if Tomohiko told everything to the police, the guy who back him up will do something to him. "Back you up?", "You don't think I'd do business like that by myself, do you?", "Yakuza?!", "I can't say....". Kirihara told Tomohiko that in any case, he may not say a thing to the police about him and that gathering where he first met Yuko.
But when he was about to leave, he saw a computer in the room. Kirihara asked, whether Tomohiko can make programs and other certain computer stuff. Tomohiko said he knows the basic and he showed a sample of the game program he made by himself. Suddenly, Kirihara asked, "Sonomura, do you want me to save you?". Kirihara said he'd be able to help him to erase all proofs that he's related to Hanaoka Yuko, as long as he do what he says. He asked Tomohiko his blood type, which is O. And then, Kirihara left saying everything we'll be taken care of.
And so a couple of days later, Tomohiko was interrogated by the police, and as Kirihara instructed him, he made up a story of how he first met Yuko on the bridge. That he went on meal dates with her a couple of times, but they never went to a hotel at all. When Tomohiko answered the police about his blood type, they seem disappointed a bit.
That was the last day Tomohiko asked by the police, seem like he's really clean from the case.
One day, Kirihara called him to come to the apartement and apparently Nishiguchi Namie was there too. Kirihara explained to them that from now on, the three of them will work together as a group. Kirihara handed over a game software titled "Submarine" to Tomohiko and told him to remake that game's program with little modifications. Tomohiko asked where did he get this "Submarine" software from, but Kirihara didn't answer. The game program they modified will be named "Marine Crush", Namie thought of the name. Kirihara said they will sell out this "Marine Crush" game software and their company's name is "Mugen Kikaku" (Infinite Project).
Kirihara said he will go to print some labels outside. As he left the place, Tomohiko and Namie had a little chat. Just how did Kirihara made his name clean, is such a big mystery for him. And so Namie told him, that according to the police Hanaoka Yuko died on 11 PM. Tomohiko said that's impossible because he left the hotel around 9 and Yuko was already dead by that time. Namie shook her head, the hotel staff said a woman called from that room asking for a shampoo. And when the hotel staff came inside the room, a woman was showering inside the bathroom and asked to put the shampoo in front of the door. That was around 10-10.30 PM. Tomohiko immediately know someone else must have act like she's Hanaoka Yuko. "Was it you?", Namie smiled and shook her head, "Nope,". She doesn't know who's the woman as well. And regarding the sperm found in Yuko's body, lab examination reported it is belong to someone with AB blood type. Once again, Tomohiko is shocked, "That's impossible!". Then he asked, "What's Kirihara Ryoji's bloodtype?". Namie nod, "He's AB,".... Tomohiko is very shocked now, "He did it with the corpse!??" somehow he felt like he's about to puke.
Kirihara came in and brought all the printed labels. But then he realized the atmosphere in the room has changed. He started to pull out a cigarette and sit on the opened window, smoking, "What's wrong?" he asked while looking outside. Tomohiko said, "Ano.... I will do anything... I will do anything for you.... anything,". Kirihara stared at Tomohiko, and then to Namie who nod a little bit to him. He turned to Tomohiko once again, and showed him a cold smile. While smoking the cigarette, he said, "Of course, you do,".
Then, Kirihara looked up to the cloudy blue sky.
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I feel that Kirihara Ryoji in the novel is more level-headed, mature and smart than Yamada Takayuki's Ryoji. Yamada Takayuki portrayed him so fragile and seem to always turn to Yukiho on what he suppose to do next. The bloodtype matter also... in the TBS drama, it was Yukiho's idea. But in this novel, it's obvious that it was Ryoji's very own idea. (*vomit*)
I'm liking the novel-Ryoji better, he seem to be a kakkoii and mature guy, although he's disgusting as well, lol. I guess to enjoy this story I have to throw away every bit of my conscience as well, just like the two main characters XD
Anyway, though Yamada Takayuki didn't portray Ryoji exactly like in the novel, I guess his handsome face make up for it, hehe. I'm still waiting for Higashino Keigo to describe Ryoji's face, he has not written that up to Chapter 9, he always described Yukiho's beauty repeatedly, but I wish he described Ryoji's face, at least, for once XD He only described how weird and eccentric Ryoji's character is.
Oh, btw, to those who don't know, Murashita character in this chapter, was acted by MUKAI OSAMU in the TBS drama!^^ If you didn't notice him, re-watch Ep3! hehe~
Oh, and yes, the gist of Ep3 actually follows this Chapter 3 accurately. But they modified many of the details. I wish they'd show scenes of how Tomohiko is related to Hanaoka Yuko. In the drama, they never showed that, and suddenly Tomohiko asked Ryoji's help. It lacks continuity. But other than that, the modifications were fine for me. Ryoji-Yukiho's scenes in Ep3 were definitely one of my favorites! I hope those scenes are in the novel too, in later chapters *_*
The next chapter is one of my favorite and the plot was deleted from the drama, I will summarize it very detailed and would probably even directly translate some of the most interesting dialogues and scenes.
I hope it'll be up either in this Sunday or Monday. Pls, look forward to it!^^