Outbound

Peaceful Life of Naoya Koji

Naoya woke up from a deep sleep. It was still dark outside, and he could hear the sound of raindrops hitting the windows. He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes to clear away the exhaustion. It had been a long day, and he was feeling quite tired. He slowly swung his legs off the bed and stood up, stretching his body out before walking over to the bathroom mirror. He looked at himself in the mirror, seeing the wound from the gunshot, he sighed. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was ruffled and unkempt. He looked a bit haggard, like someone who had not slept well in a while. Naoya was not concerned about his appearance, however, as he had more important things to worry about. He turned away from the mirror and walked out of the bathroom, towards the living room. He sat down on the sofa and turned on the television, hoping to find some mindless entertainment to keep his mind off things. He flipped through the channels, looking for something interesting to watch. After a few turns, he came across a news channel airing a segment about a popular gang war that had recently broken out in their city, Tokyo. Naoya's eyes widened when he saw the censored images of gunfights in the streets and bodies littered all around. "This looks bad," he thought to himself. After a few more seconds, he decided to turn off the TV because it reminded him of his past.

Naoya's past was filled with violence and bloodshed. He had been a gangster for many years, working his way up through the ranks. He had experienced everything from shootouts, gang clashes, drug feuds, and turf wars. He had even seen friends and people he cared about die in the crossfire. He had no desire to go back to that life, so he turned off the television and sat in silence for a while, reflecting on the past. Naoya slowly but deliberately gets dressed for work. He puts on a clean t-shirt and jeans, then puts on his jacket. The day is now brighter outside, and the sound of raindrops hitting the windows has died down a bit. He ties his shoelaces and goes to the front door to leave for work. Before leaving, Naoya takes one last look around the apartment. Everything looks the same as it was when he first moved in. He lets out a deep breath and heads out the door. The air outside is damp and chilly, but Naoya doesn't seem to mind. He walks down the stairs and out of the building, the light of the sun shining on him as he leaves. He starts walking down the street towards the subway station, feeling more relaxed than he has been in a while. Naoya walks towards the subway station, his mind filled with thoughts about work, his past, and what he wants to do with his future. He feels a sense of peace as the stress of the day fades away. He arrives at the station and heads down the stairs to the subway platform. The subway train is waiting for him, and as he gets on board, he finds a seat and sits down. The train slowly accelerates, speeding towards its destination, and Naoya relaxes as he looks out the window at the passing scenery.

The subway train glides smoothly along the tracks, its speed increasing with each passing moment. Naoya looks out the window and sees the city unfold before his eyes. He sees bright buildings and busy streets. Soon, they reach his stop, and Naoya gets up and gets off the train. He heads towards his office, walking with a sense of purpose and determination. Naoya arrives at his office building and heads inside. He walks up the stairs to the office, feeling more focused on his tasks than usual. The work environment is busy as usual, but Naoya ignores the noise and the people around him. He heads straight to his desk and sits down, opening his laptop and getting to work. He gets on with his daily tasks, working efficiently and quickly. Naoya works vigorously throughout the morning, getting more and more tasks completed as the day progresses. The office environment remains busy, but Naoya is able to concentrate on his work and ignore the distractions. By late afternoon, he has completed all his tasks and is feeling a sense of satisfaction. He saves his work on his laptop and shuts down, stretching his arms and getting up from the desk.

"Hey there, Mr. Naoya. I was wondering if you would like to maybe come join me for some late lunch action?" she says politely and smiles." Naoya turns around to see who is speaking to him. He notices a woman, Ms. Fujiwara, a coworker who is always kind and friendly towards him. Naoya smiles back at her and says, "Sure, I'd love to join you." He likes Ms. Fujiwara, and it was always nice to spend time with her. Naoya and Ms. Fujiwara then make their way to the cafeteria together. On their way to the cafeteria, Ms. Fujiwara makes small talk with Naoya, asking him about his day and what he's been up to recently. Naoya answers her questions politely, but keeps his responses brief and concise. He is not especially talkative, but doesn't mind the conversation. Ms. Fujiwara then asks Naoya if he has any plans for the weekend. Naoya shakes his head, saying, "No, nothing special. I'm just going to relax and probably only do house chores."

Ms. Fujiwara smiles and nods understandingly, but doesn't press him any further. They reach the cafeteria and head towards the counter, where they order their lunch trays. The lunch menu is a typical Japanese fare of sushi, noodles, and curry. Naoya decides to have curry today, as it is one of his favorites. After picking up their trays, Ms. Fujiwara leads Naoya to an open table near the window. They make some small talk as they eat, but mostly enjoy their food in silence. Eventually, both Naoya and Ms. Fujiwara finish eating their lunch. Naoya pushes his bowl away from him with a sigh of satisfaction. "That was delicious," he says with a smile. Ms. Fujiwara laughs and nods in agreement. Naoya then stands up and carries his tray over to the cafeteria trash bin. As he throws away his tray, he turns to see Ms. Fujiwara standing behind him and smiling. "You seem overly happy today, did something happen that I do not know?"

Ms. Fujiwara gives Naoya a playful smirk, "Well, it's been a good day so far." She crosses her arms and leans against the counter just beside him. Her eyes dart around the room, taking in the various people rushing about, eating their lunch and chatting. "Maybe I'm just in a good mood, that's all." Naoya laughs gently and turns to look at Ms. Fujiwara. "You're not usually this cheerful," he replies, "But it's nice to see you like this." Ms. Fujiwara laughs back, "I guess I'm just feeling good today." They stand there silently for a moment, just enjoying the presence of each other. Ms. Fujiwara then reaches out and brushes a lock of hair out of Naoya's face, "Are you busy this evening?" Naoya is taken aback by the unexpected touch, but he doesn't pull away. He looks at Ms. Fujiwara with a hint of interest, "No, nothing special planned." She smiles and nods, "Maybe I'll see you later then?" Naoya smiles back, "Sure". The two of them stand there for another moment, looking at each other without saying anything.

A man who seems to be in his teens approaches them. And then he starts speaking. "I've been looking for you, Mr. Naoya." Naoya and Ms. Fujiwara turn around to face the man speaking to Naoya. Naoya raises an eyebrow in surprise, not recognizing the man. The man looks to be in his late teens, and his tone is confident and authoritative. He stands directly in front of Naoya, looking down at him.

"It's been a while Mr. Naoya. We need to talk."