COTE: The White Room War

Vol 2 WR Interview 2: The Sakayanagis

Year 1

Season 1

Volume 2 - "The Whistleblower"

White Room Interview #2: The Sakayanagis

"Let's get this started," Fumihito gestured for Director Sakayanagi to sit down next to his wife. "Sakayanagi-kun, let me start by asking you this: Why did you accept your position as Chairman and Director of ANHS?"

'Another repetitive question.' Fumihito held back a sigh. 'This is all just to see if we can meet a minimum of 5 minutes per interview.'

"To provide for my family and become my father's successor."

"Interesting. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, but here, it says you invested in the White Room." The couple gasped. "Is that true?"

"No," Mrs. Sakayanagi shook her head.

"Really? But we poked our noses into your credit card history, and it says otherwise."

"That would be my father," The Chairman clarified. "He ran that investment on his credit card before a stroke took him. After his death, everything he owned was given to me including that card."

"How was your relationship with your father?"

"It was... rocky, to say the least. He and I never saw eye to eye on a lot of things. He'd always say how I need to provide for my family by any means necessary, but to what end? Where do we draw the lines?

Since the beginning of mankind's existence, the women usually stay at home to tend to the house and their kids while the men are out hunting for food in order to feed their loved ones. We have evolved that way.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, upon his interview to enroll at my school, asked what is equality? To that, I can say that there is no such thing. Even with changing roles given by society, there are things certain groups of people can and cannot do exclusive to one another, such as men and women.

Biologically proven fact: Most men are physically stronger than most women, but we also have one-track minds that usually only go a certain direction we don't even want to go towards, that being sex.

Due to their nursing nature, female doctors are in much higher numbers than males: fact.

My father loved me, even towards the end of his life, but sometimes, he would take things too far as he would often go gambling and do who knows what else to be the so-called hunter as the head of his household."

"I see. No offense, but I would have to agree with your father. A real man knows no bounds when it comes to his family. Like Hector from Breaking Bad said, 'la familia es todo,' or family is all that matters."

The Director chuckles. "Yes, well, ever since my daughter was born, I began seeing what my father meant by that. I try to keep an open mind for a different view."

His wife frowns. "Would you kill for Arisu and me, darling?"

"I would prefer not to, but if I absolutely have to, then yes, I would. However, only as a last resort."

She grinned and let out a triumphant laugh.

Fumihito reads off a sheet, "And you, Sakayanagi-san. Are you concerned at all about your husband's decision-making policies at your daughter's school?"

"Not at all. I have full faith in my husband, even when it comes to this dangerous White Room stuff."

"If I may, what are some of the things happening behind the scenes to deal with the White Room?"

The husband nods. "Recently, just yesterday as a matter of fact, we finally restored the school's internet security firewall after the White Room Agency had hacked into it back in April. And for the future, the classes we'll be teaching our students are undergoing a complete revamp. The White Room wants a great Japan? Then we will be the institution to challenge their part played in that common goal we share, albeit with different methods."

"Has this White Room Agency said anything of note to you?"

"Yes, they did. They said that I have a deadline of 11:59 PM on the 31st of July to hand over the White Room's masterpiece. Through my silence, my lack of communication with them, I basically told them to shove it."

"Why is that?"

"Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is one of my students. He came here to seek asylum, to live a peaceful life. He's a good kid who deserves the freedom he was never given throughout his life. I intend to protect him to the best of my abilities, both as a professional courtesy and as the decent thing to do."

"But is it really the right thing to do?"

Mrs. Sakayanagi furrows her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Are the lives of hundreds of students really worth more than one person?"

Director Sakayanagi took a steep inhale. "I... I do not know."

"What if they threaten the lives of your wife and daughter? Who would you choose?"

"... My family, of course. I think Ayanokouji would understand that betrayal and wouldn't be too upset about it, because I would just be doing what needs to be done for a greater good."

Horikita-kun signaled for the camera operators to stop recording. "Hm. I don't think you understand, Sakayanagi-kun."

The Chairman's wife is beginning to feel a little angry. "What are you getting at?"

"Ayanokouji is worth far more than all those students combined. Would you be interested to hear my business offer?"

They nodded.

Mr. Horikita took a deep breath. "It's called the-"

To Be Continued

That Breaking Bad reference I made is quite fitting considering how both the White Room and the Mexican cartel operate in the criminal world by trying to stay under anyone's radar.

Chairman/Director Sakayanagi, one of the four characters who was never given a first name in canon. Because of this, I will not give his wife a name either since that wouldn't feel right.