"That story is kind of heartwarming." At the agency, after hearing the whole story, Qian Xiaoyi teased, "A bullied nobody suddenly gets taken in by a kind group, rescued from bullying, and helped out of the darkness in his heart... It's just like something out of a manga. So, Heitaro, did it move you?"
"That's assuming any of it was real and not staged." Inuyama Heita sighed impassively. If he hadn't known about the other side's elaborate setup in advance, it would've been pretty effective on an inexperienced student like him. He might've immediately become their loyal follower and bowed down before them.
But unfortunately, knowing the truth meant that the more moving the events were, the more wary and guarded Inuyama Heita became. Even the kindhearted believers Matsui had brought along seemed like venomous snakes to him—people you couldn't judge by their appearance. Their heartwarming words hissed in his ears like flickering snake tongues. Even now, his body was still stiff, as if he'd fallen into an icy pit. According to the "script," he was supposed to keep infiltrating their ranks and stealing information. He'd only ever seen that kind of spy operation in movies and TV shows.
Seeing how tense Inuyama Heita looked, Qian Xiaoyi smiled and reassured him. "Well, don't be so nervous. From what you've said, apart from Matsui, the others were probably fooled by him and genuinely wanted to help you. They're kind people, not con artists."
"Huh? Is that so?" Inuyama Heita was taken aback. "How do you know, Mr. Qian?"
Qian Xiaoyi explained, "Earlier, Matsui and President Oiwa both botched their act in front of you. That stuff about 'talent' and the like didn't work on you, so Matsui obviously realized you weren't that type. After that, he switched to the 'win you over' approach. For students like you, the edgy, rebellious types at school, if you're not driven by some childish ambition to 'conquer all of Japan,' then you're probably the naïve, hot-blooded kind who believes in 'hard work, friendship, victory.' So, of course Matsui would pick a few loyal, genuine people to bond with you and become your friends, making it harder for you to leave the group."
"The adult world is so filthy..." Remembering the sincere smiles of the Mutual Aid Society believers, Inuyama Heita said helplessly. Still, he felt a little more at ease. At least not everyone in the society was bad, so he didn't have to tread on eggshells, terrified he'd give himself away.
"What's that compared to the real darkness of society?" Qian Xiaoyi said with a laugh. "You haven't seen anything yet. So there's no need to be afraid—you don't have anything to give away. As long as they don't know about me, the person in the shadows, they won't figure out our purpose. Just relax and take it as it comes. Pretend you're just working at some other place. It's not like you're going undercover in a yakuza organization. Even if you're found out, they won't dump you in Tokyo Bay... Well, probably." Qian Xiaoyi muttered the last two words so quietly that the other boy didn't hear.
"I understand." Inuyama Heita nodded, then asked, "So what do I do next? Keep waiting for them to call me?"
"No, you can call them now and tell them you want to take part in their activities. Act a little excited. That'll make you seem all fired up and not thinking straight yet, which suits your high school student persona," Qian Xiaoyi said. "Matsui will definitely pretend to be reluctant, then finally let you join. He's already got it all planned out."
"Okay, I'll call now." Inuyama Heita immediately took out his phone and dialed Matsui. To be honest, he was still a little nervous about talking to him alone. With Qian Xiaoyi there, though, he could fix things if anything went wrong, which put him at ease.
The call connected, and Inuyama Heita put a hint of excitement and eagerness into his voice. "Um... is that Mr. Matsui? This is Inuyama Heita. I really want to thank you and everyone for what happened today..."
"No, I'm really grateful to everyone. If it weren't for you, I don't know how much money those two would've taken from me..."
"I didn't really believe what you said before, Mr. Matsui, but now I understand. The Mutual Aid Society was founded to help people! I want to do my part, too. You said before that I have talent, so could you let me help out? I want to give something back to everyone."
"Huh? Is it a problem? I'm terribly sorry. I was too presumptuous..."
"What? I really can? That's great! I'll be there on time. Thank you, Mr. Matsui. I really am grateful!"
After hanging up, Inuyama Heita turned to him. "It was exactly as you said, Mr. Qian... He said I can come tomorrow to a gathering for senior members only."
"Heitaro, you're a great actor," Qian Xiaoyi said approvingly. "You nailed the tone. Did you join a drama club or something at school?"
"It's Heita," Inuyama Heita corrected him with a shake of his head. "No, I never joined any clubs. But I've had plenty of part-time jobs, so I know how to deal with difficult customers."
"That explains it," Qian Xiaoyi said. "Then go to work as usual today. I've got drinks with someone tonight."
Inuyama Heita was speechless. Just as he was about to leave, Qian Xiaoyi's phone rang. He answered at once. The person on the other end was speaking loudly enough for Inuyama Heita to hear, even without speakerphone. He was inviting Qian Xiaoyi to keep drinking at the izakaya that night. Qian Xiaoyi cheerfully agreed and hung up, but Inuyama Heita looked at him in surprise and asked hesitantly, "Um... Mr. Qian, that person's voice sounded familiar. Could it have been..."
"Oh, you recognized him?" Qian Xiaoyi put his phone away and replied, "The person I'm meeting is none other than President Oiwa."
Inuyama Heita was astonished. "You've been drinking with him every night these past few days?" A frightening thought occurred to him: Could Mr. Qian be on their side, too, and trying to lure him into a trap?!
Seeing that Inuyama Heita had gotten the wrong idea and was growing more and more alarmed, Qian Xiaoyi slapped his forehead and explained, "Oh, that's my fault. I forgot to tell you. I really have been drinking with that old buddy of mine at the izakaya every night these past few days, but it's not quite what you think. Since we still have some time, let me explain what's really going on with the Lucky Mutual Aid Society..."
Before you continue