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VIDEO: Minagoroshi-hen | TIP 9: Sending the Brat Back
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He got another call from that annoying teacher again, so he yelled at her and hung up the phone.
That woman is too persistent, Teppei thought.
She won't give up that easily. He was sure that she'd call the child consultation center again.
The biggest reason why Teppei refused to let Satoko go to school was his fear that she'd seek help when going there.
She pretended like nothing was wrong when the social worker from the child consultation center showed up, but that was only because he was right beside her.
She'd probably betray him as soon as she got her chance.
Then the consultation center would show up immediately.
No, maybe even the police would come and get him for assaulting Satoko.
One of his friends had told him that the consultation center works with the police sometimes.
If the police came, they'd end up questioning him about the other trouble he was involved in. He couldn't let that happen.
All he needed was the money.
Teppei could leave this awful village behind as soon as he found his brother's bankbook.
Teppei usually stayed at home, as he found the way the other villagers looked at him unpleasant.
So when playing mahjong with his friends, he played it at Satoko's house.
But mahjong requires at least four people.
When Teppei couldn't get that many people to come over, he just stayed home alone and watched TV instead.
Satoko would end up cleaning the mess he made.
Besides, it wasn't his home anyway.
What did it matter to him how much furniture he broke?
He cleared out the closet, and went up to the attic... He also pulled out all the chests and searched them thoroughly.
His wife had been a pretty clever woman.
She must have hid it somewhere very unusual.
"What the hell?!!"
"No! You can't go inside Nii-nii's room...!!!"
Teppei immediately assumed that she was hiding the bankbook in there.
He threw her off and forced his way inside the room.
...However, Satoko tried to stop him with all of her might.
It was amusing for Teppei to see Satoko resisting him to that extent, but it also surprised him a little. He asked her why she didn't want him to go into Satoshi's room.
"You don't want me there just 'cause it's your brother's room? You don't even know if he's still alive!"
"Nii-nii is alive!! He will come back home!! Waaaaaaaah!! Don't destroy his room!!"
"...What are you saying? I'm not going to destroy the room. I'm just... trying to clean it up. Why would you have to save this room for someone who's not here anymore? I need to clean it up."
"No!! No, you can't! Waaaaaaah!! Waaaaaaaaah!! Nii-nii!! Nii-nii!! Waaaaaaaaah!!!"
"The hell? You really don't want me to go inside, huh...?"
...While Teppei was very talented at threatening people,
despair makes cowards courageous.
If he ignored Satoko and tore apart the room, she might just run away.
He didn't want Satoko to be nearby, but he also couldn't let her run loose.
"Fine then!! If you promise to be a good girl, I won't go inside this room. Alright? Got it?"
"Yes... yes..."
"...Yes... yes... Thank you for giving me a chance..."
Teppei was sure the bankbook was inside Satoshi's room.
...But Satoko would lose it if he went inside.
He wasn't pleased about the promise he made with her, but at least it would keep Satoko under control.
If he kept her home again tomorrow, that teacher might come to the house with the police in tow.
He was only keeping her at home because he was afraid that Satoko would talk to other people.
If she wasn't going to do that, it'd be better for him to send her to school.
He could sneak into Satoshi's room while she was out.
"Satoko, you've been a good girl, so I guess your cold is all better now. Go back to school tomorrow."
He was the one who told her to say 'thank you' when he gives her approval to do something.
But it annoyed him to hear her say it over and over.
