Chapter 2: play in the back streets1
In the latter half of the 21st century, the development of scientific civilization began to stagnate.
In Japan, most of the former gangster organizations disappeared, and instead, new types of criminal organizations, each specialized in various genres of illegal business, sprang up, and the underworld grew larger.
The scale of the underworld swelled to the extent that it could be called one of the country's most important industries, and the government gave it a tacit acquiescence.
For those who lead a clean, righteous, and diligent life, the existence of a backstreet is an unrealistic distant world, or an object of fear.
And the world isn't just filled with honest, honest, and serious people.
"Hey, Touya, let's fall into the back streets."
Toya Shibatani's eyes widened at the first words of Akira Kumozuka, a close friend who came all the way from the class next door during lunch break.
"School is boring, studying for entrance exams is ridiculous, and just thinking about how I lived a normal life and died a normal death after becoming a Lehman makes me shudder. Alright, it's decided. Let's do it. Let's go home.
A high-pitched voice echoed throughout the classroom, and Akira grabbed the sitting Toya's arm and tried to stand him up. The surrounding gazes focused on Touya and Akira.
Akira, who is always expressive and affable, has clear facial features, large wide eyes and impressive long eyelashes, stands out just by his appearance. There are many girls who have feelings for him, and in addition, his eccentric words and deeds are attracting more and more attention, so he is a famous student in each grade.
This line may also be seen as one of the usual eccentricities, but the way Touya was received was different.
"wait a minute..."
Akira's assertiveness is something that happens every time, and although Touya usually obeys without being surprised, this time he was astonishingly confused.
"We're still in middle school. It's impossible to live in such a dangerous world."
The increasing number of teenagers who end up in back alleys has become a social problem and is frequently reported in the news. It is said that the police are keeping a close eye on him.
Until now, Akira had often brought up the subject of backstreets, and Toya had enjoyed himself with Akira, but he had never seriously considered throwing himself into the backstreets.
"The legendary Aizawa-senpai also said that he fell into the back alley when he was in middle school. Come on, make up your mind."
A legend has been handed down at Anraku Second Middle School, where Toya and Akira attend.
Five years ago, there was an uncontrollable delinquent named Makoto Aizawa in this Anrakuni Junior High School. As an assassin, it is said that he is doing brilliantly.
If you go around the back alley-related sites on the Internet, you'll find many unrealistic anecdotes, such as crushing a number of criminal organizations and killing more than 20 people single-handedly.
"Aizawa-senpai was not normal from the time he was on the main street.
"I only want to do interesting things, but I can't find anything interesting anymore. It's so boring. Everything is boring. I want to die because it's boring."
Akira approached the hesitant Toya and spoke with a rare serious look.
"If you ask me what I live for, I live to enjoy it. I don't want to do anything that isn't fun or interesting. It's ridiculous, isn't it? Yeah, it's stupid from the bottom of my heart.But if you live on the main street, you'll end up with such a ridiculous and boring life.You don't have to live in such a stupid way if you live in the back streets. It's a hard world where you're always in danger of death, but that's why you can enjoy it.I'm sure you'll feel worth living.If Touya doesn't come, I'll fall alone."
Toya's last words stiffened her body.
Fear that Akira, who has been with him for nearly ten years, will leave him and go somewhere else. The image of himself left in total solitude in the darkness floats in his mind.
"No... if Akira insists, I'll go too. I'm just... uneasy..."
As usual, I have no choice. Toya just follows Akira's decision. Even in the case of falling into a back alley, a story that could even affect life or death, it didn't change.
In addition, Toya was also thinking about escaping from his father's domestic violence every day.
He didn't even go to high school, he decided to leave home and work. If I fell into a back alley, I might be able to escape from that house before graduating from junior high school.
"And what exactly are you going to do?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll come to Touya. That's why Touya. Actually, I've been preparing for this and that about the back alleys. It seems that there are various behind-the-scenes jobs. Illegal drug production and sales, human trafficking, etc. Weapons bootlegging, bodyguards, wholesalers specializing in dangerous goods, smugglers, information brokers, purveyors, etc. And, like the old yakuza and overseas mafias, one organization is widely involved in this and that. It's not that I do, but that the industry is completely determined by the organization.That's why I can choose the work that I like.
Akira spoke quickly and happily explained. Toya couldn't help but worry that her voice was so loud that it was echoing throughout the class.
"Well, if you're going to do it, it'd be nice to be a pick-up shop. Yeah, that's good. Taking on troubles, so-called jack-of-all-trades. It's often talked about in manga. Actually, I've already talked about that kind of organization in advance. '
Hearing that they had already started talking, Touya was surprised that Akira was right. With this power of action, it seems that even this guy alone at the moment is enough to get by in the back alley.
"Are you serious?
Suddenly, one of the delinquents who had gathered in the back of the class intervened. Perhaps because Akira's story was so out of the ordinary, he didn't want to mention the other delinquents, but he seemed to have a tendency to mess with only one person.
Akira turned to the owner of the voice and smiled amiably.
Immediately after that, a tremendous sound resounded, and the hearts of everyone in the classroom, except for Akira, jumped at the same time.
"I also bought this in advance."
Akira, holding a gun in one hand, turned his face towards Toya and gave a mischievous smile. Smoke billows from the muzzle. The bullet had pierced the floor at the delinquent's feet. The delinquent is stiff with a tense face.
"Hey, I didn't hear you very well, could you say that again?"
Akira spoke in a blunt tone while pointing the muzzle at the delinquent who made fun of him. The rogue only clattered his teeth and shook his head in tears.
"Ah, of course I bought it for Touya. Yes."
"Hey, this, this, here and there, that kind of thing, I want to bang on you for a terrible thing."
Akira pulls out another gun from his pocket and presents it to Toya, but Toya is so confused that he refuses by waving his hand.
"Ah, it would be troublesome if I was reported.
After telling her with a naughty smile, Akira took Toya's hand and quickly led her out of the classroom. Touya just follows suit.
It has always been so, and it will surely continue to be so. Even if I escape from my daily life and enter the extraordinary world of a backstreet, I still believe and doubt that the path I walk will always be the same. I didn't.
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