What It Feels Like to Have Connections

Fujino and Sato had already driven to the company of the eyewitness, Mr. Dejima.

Dejima was the president of a company. Though it was not particularly large, it still made him part of the wealthy capitalist class.

The sort who harvested the little guys.

They had just arrived at Dejima Corporation's underground parking garage.

A black Mercedes-Benz happened to pull up beside Fujino's car.

Fujino glanced over and spotted Dejima in the driver's seat.

Sato Miwako greeted him first. "Good morning, Mr. Dejima."

Dejima froze at her words, a flicker of evasiveness passing through his eyes.

Fujino caught that flicker and asked bluntly, "Mr. Dejima, you said last night that you saw the hit-and-run suspect's face. Was that correct?"

"Yes, but... I was mistaken yesterday."

Dejima hesitated. "After I got home last night, I sorted through my memories. The driver seemed to have been a woman, and I had the license plate number wrong as well."

"Hey, are you kidding me?"

Sato Miwako frowned. "Yesterday, you swore it was your son's birthday!"

Dejima lowered his head. "It is shameful to admit, but as a father, I actually remembered my own son's birthday incorrectly."

"You..."

"That's enough, Sato."

Fujino stopped Sato Miwako from continuing.

He looked at Dejima and asked in a low voice, "Someone came to see you, didn't they?"

"..."

Dejima's silence confirmed Fujino's suspicions.

His expression did not change in the slightest.

He had expected this already. What was there to be surprised about?

After thinking for a moment, he looked at Dejima. "Mr. Dejima, I will not force you. But surely you can at least tell us what the person who came looking for you looked like?"

"After all, you, me, everyone knows perfectly well what this is about."

Dejima fell silent for a while before speaking.