Doesn’t Mr. Fu Jian have his own room? Why would he hide money under the sofa?
Minamoto Tamako noticed a blind spot, and with a look of suspicion, she looked down at Taira Sakurako. This little guy was wearing a mask, hiding her expression, and wearing pajamas with little ducks. Her hands were clasped behind her back, standing at ease, exuding an aura of strength.
"Do you know where this money came from? Don’t lie! Only bad kids lie!" Tamako asked, leaning forward.
Usually, she had to go to work, leaving only Sakurako and Fushimi Roku at home. There were only three of them, so it had to be either Mr. Fu Jian or Sakurako... It couldn’t have been her hiding money while sleepwalking, right?
Sakurako originally wanted to say it was Fushimi Roku paying her, but exposing the fake sibling relationship might lead to chaos. With Minamoto Tamako’s relentless pursuit, the situation could get completely out of hand... it’s not something hiding in a cardboard box could solve!
"It was Ah Jun who hid it," Sakurako blurted out a lie.
Fushimi Roku had done the same thing, and Sakurako, following the example, lied without a shred of guilt, speaking confidently.
Ah Jun didn’t understand what they were saying, but hearing his name, he barked once in agreement and happily wagged his tail in circles.
Minamoto Tamako was shocked. Could it be that Ah Jun was really as smart as a human? When he fell into the stinking ditch, was there some deeper reason?
"Ah Jun, do you know what this is?" She squatted, waving the money in her hand at Ah Jun. "Did you hide this? Where did it come from?"
Ah Jun sat halfway down, tilting his head, trying to understand Tamako’s meaning.
"It’s him who hid it!" Sakurako continued to frame him: "I saw it with my own eyes. Ah Jun sneaked into Fushimi Roku’s room at night, stole a lot of money, and hid it all under the sofa."
Ah Jun heard his name again and barked happily.
Minamoto Tamako was slightly surprised, but she had heard that Border Collies had high intelligence and that some pets liked to hide small items, so it wasn’t too unusual for Ah Jun to hide money.
As for whether Sakurako was lying... Tamako didn’t consider it at all. How could an autistic child lie? Moreover, Sakurako was so obedient and well-behaved, surely she wouldn’t steal money.
"Next time, don’t do this, okay?"
Minamoto Tamako rolled up the money and secured it with a rubber band, seriously advising Ah Jun: "Even if you’re a dog, you should be a moral dog. Stealing things from your owner is very unethical, and I must sternly criticize you!"
Ah Jun noticed Tamako’s stern tone, and his ears drooped into airplane ears, whining in grievance.
Tamako didn’t let him off easily, making him obediently squat in the corner to reflect on his actions. As the future famous detective and police chief’s pet dog, Ah Jun must aspire to be like a police dog, at least earn a certificate like Ah Dun.
Sakurako felt guilty, especially seeing Ah Jun whimpering at the wall, feeling even worse... She couldn’t understand how Fushimi Roku could be so heartless. It seemed being bad was a complex skill.
"Since it’s Mr. Fu Jian’s money, I’ll return it to Mr. Fu Jian..."
Tamako gave herself an excuse, pretending to knock on Fushimi Roku’s room door, planning to snoop around.
She had searched the living room thoroughly; maybe there would be new clues in Fushimi Roku’s room.
Sakurako was shocked, but luckily she wore a mask to hide it.
If Tamako found Fushimi Roku’s stash, ten Ah Juns couldn’t carry such a heavy load, and this family would fall apart!
Sakurako took swift steps, sliding in front of Tamako, spreading her arms, leaning against the door, and seriously saying, "It’s impolite to enter someone else’s room without permission."
Tamako felt a pang of guilt, instinctively stepping back: "I’m not entering casually, I’m returning money..."
"Excuses. Leave it in our room; when Fushimi Roku comes back, you can give it to him," Sakurako bluntly exposed her lie.
"Haha, I-I was so anxious I didn’t think of that!"
Tamako feared her little scheme being exposed, clutching the money with guilt and avoiding eye contact.
"No worries, luckily I reminded you, otherwise you’d have made a huge mistake." Sakurako intensified her tone with some intimidation: "Fushimi Roku really hates people entering his room without permission; when he gets mad, he often turns against people."
It was commendable she could say so much in one breath.
Upon hearing this, Tamako was shocked. When she was at the station, she often entered Fushimi Roku’s dormitory. After moving, she frequently visited his room and occasionally tried staying in his big bed... Could it be Mr. Fu Jian got mad because of this, and that’s why he left home?!
"H-How could this happen... Mr. Fu Jian never told me... Why didn’t he tell me?"
Tamako turned pale with fear, guilt rushing over her. She thought Fushimi Roku was angry because she said something wrong; now it seemed Fushimi had long been resentful toward her!
"This kind of thing is difficult to say directly, right?" Sakurako continued with her fabricated story.
"I wouldn’t mind, if he had told me directly, I would have been careful... Why hide it, why not tell me..."
Tamako felt terrible, trying her best to hold back, but her eyes wouldn’t listen, continuously shedding tears. She didn’t want Sakurako to see her weakness, claiming dust in her eyes as she sneaked into the bathroom to cry secretly.
Sakurako could hear the sobs and felt very tired.
It seemed she was the one leading Tamako around, but in reality, Tamako had always been the real protagonist. Sakurako could only tirelessly cover up the truth, using tricks that couldn’t withstand scrutiny time and again.
Sakurako genuinely understood the saying that evil will not triumph over good.
In short, through Sakurako’s tireless efforts, Fushimi Roku’s disappearance from home was confirmed.
In Japan, leaving home isn’t unusual; it’s common with teenagers, and adults frequently disappear too... sometimes the head of the family would suddenly drop off the grid, hiding under a bridge pier, joining the Arakawa Laughter Group.
At first, Tamako seemed downcast, couldn’t eat well, couldn’t sleep well, and lacked energy overall.
After a while, Tamako gradually became numb to it. She kept it buried in her heart, trying not to think about it daily.
Time flew by, and spring equinox arrived.
One day, after work, Tamako passed by a shrine, intending to draw a fortune slip, wondering when Mr. Fu Jian would come home. Suddenly two believers in peculiar robes brushed past her, murmuring, "Mr. Fu Jian’s method really works..."
"But isn’t it inappropriate, preaching at other cults’ doors feels a bit disgraceful..."
Tamako paused, quickly chasing after them, calling out to those two believers, asking them to confirm Mr. Fu Jian’s full name.
"Fushimi Roku," the believers sized her up, "Do you know him? What’s your relationship with him?"
Tamako’s mind buzzed, her suppressed emotions surged instantly.
—This guy disappeared for over a month and went off to join a cult!
"We’re colleagues! Where’s he now? Can you take me to see him?" Tamako was frustrated and anxious, both excited and sad.
"No, it’s against the rules. New cult members can’t see outsiders." The believer shrugged, "Unless you join the cult too, or your relationship with him is close enough, then you can have the privilege to meet."
Upon hearing this, Tamako gritted her teeth, her face reddening, speaking with animosity and resolute pace: "I’m his girlfriend—does that qualify?!"
The two believers exchanged a glance, silently pausing for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"Just so you know, Mr. Fu Jian’s current lifestyle... may be even harder than you imagine, since it’s all part of the spiritual journey!"