Chapter Fifteen — Gin-san (Part One)

New employee Shun Kano had a problem.

Back when he was a student, he could smoke whenever he felt like it.

At work, however, he couldn't.

“Could I just... go have one cigarette?”

Not long after joining the company, Shun had once asked his immediate senior, Sasaki, directly.

Sasaki hadn't said anything at first.

But his face clearly said:

Are you kidding me?

That was the first time Shun realized that, apparently, words could actually appear on a person's face.

Ever since then, he'd been slightly afraid of asking his seniors questions.

People called that kind of thing trauma.

Shun, who hated studying, wouldn't learn that word until much later.

---

One sunny day, Shun was told to go to the Second Factory and pick up some parts.

Going around the back, past the row of cherry trees, is closer.

Being naturally lazy, he decided to take the shortcut and pushed open the back door.

The early summer sunlight hit him in the face.

Is it already going to get hot?

Thinking mournfully about the long summer ahead, he started walking.

Then he noticed someone standing near a bench.

He recognized the man.

But they had never spoken.

The man was leaning one hand against the back of the bench and smoking a cigarette.

It wasn't a smoking area.

And it was the middle of the workday.

Wait... what?

Even Shun understood that this wasn't the kind of person you should stare at.

So, making sure not to reveal what he was thinking, he deliberately walked past him slowly.

The man stood there, looking calmly up at the sky, following the smoke from his cigarette with his eyes.

But there was one problem.

Shun's own face had clearly given him away.

Across it, in large invisible letters, were written the words:

Are you kidding me?

---

After that, Shun couldn't stop thinking about the man.

Break time was the only time at the company when he could smoke.

About fifteen minutes before every break, Shun would begin getting restless.

Somehow, without even realizing it, he had developed a strange ability.

His body could sense when break time was fifteen minutes away.

The man appeared often.

Once Shun started paying attention, he saw him everywhere.

He stood out.

He didn't use a cane, but he dragged one leg slightly behind him.

His left.

There was also his thick, solid build, his tall frame, and his slightly long, completely white hair.

Other than that, Shun knew nothing about him.

He needs a parrot on his shoulder.

Without asking anyone's permission, Shun gave the man a nickname.

Captain Silver.

---

One day during break, Shun casually asked Sasaki about him.

The man was sitting alone in the corner of the cafeteria, eating.

“I see that guy around a lot...”

“Hm? Who?”

Sasaki looked confused.

“The white-haired guy. Over there. At the far end, by the window.”

Sasaki turned his head to look.

Then he immediately turned back to Shun.

“Wait. You mean Handa-san?”

His voice suddenly sounded nervous.

“Did something happen between you two?”

“No. Nothing.”

Shun shook his head.

“His name is Handa?”

“You're kidding, right?”

Sasaki leaned closer.

“Don't mess around with that guy.”

“Apparently, he's pretty strange. I've heard some things.”

Shun listened.

“People say he's argued with the plant manager. Even stood up to the supervisors.”

Sasaki lowered his voice.

“And apparently, he's even gone after the president.”

He paused.

“It's all rumors, though.”

Then Sasaki stared at Shun.

“But seriously, Kano...”

By then, Shun had stopped listening.

So he's a dangerous character.

Just like I thought.

“Please,” Sasaki said, watching Shun shovel food into his mouth.

“Just promise me you won't cause any problems.”

Shun continued eating.

(To be continued.)