Chapter 5
January 6, 2025 at 1:45 PM
After sleeping off the night security before lunch, Mai Sakurajima reached for her phone with her usual listlessness.
Looking at her messages, Mai saw that a couple of hours ago, Sakuta had texted
her to come to his house at the request of his sister. An hour later, Sakurajima was
standing in front of Azusagawa's apartment door.
- (Opening the door) Good morning Mai.
- It's 13:47, what morning is it?
- Then good day to Mai.
- Good day is a greeting to the good
it doesn't apply to the morning.
- No need to say hello and that's it.
"If I had greeted you, I would
have been the wrong person, but you love me like this, don't you?"
- That's for sure.
After entering the apartment, the couple sat down on the sofa in
the living room.
"Where's Kaede?"
- She has already left for class and will be late for
extra lessons.
Damn, I let you sleep until half past twelve.
- Ah, what were you doing, that you
slept until how long? This one isn't like you." It's impossible to reach you after eleven
at night."
- I was busy, half the night reading books
that were given to me by a friend from the film industry that I told you about earlier.
- I saw you get out of your car last night and
go home."
- (Made a serious and confused face) and
you probably have nothing to do at night, what half the night from the balcony watching the city?
- At night, I was woken up by Kaede's
phone ringing, which stopped charging. I told her it was a common occurrence,
but she insisted on checking it out. I came, looked at the panels and really the light
was gone not because of the fact that somewhere the wires broke or problems at the station.
I had to go to the balcony to get my tools, and that's when I saw you."
- Can you restore light?
- Well, yes. My father is an electrician. As a child, I
I taught them with the words: you will definitely need this in your personal life.
- As if your father saw the future.
- Well? So you're going to tell me who
gave you a ride home last night?" It's useless to lie to me. If they were friends,
you wouldn't have told me a few minutes ago that you were reading books last night."
- (Sigh) I don't know how to tell you.
- Speak as it is.
- This is related to my friend who gave me
these books.
- Were you with him yesterday?
- How many books have you read
that I gave you?
- Do not translate to another topic.
- Answer mine first, and then I'll answer
yours.
- I read Ustryalov's book, The State and
Lenin's Revolution. I will soon finish reading Trotsky's Permanent Revolution.
Satisfied with my answer?
- (Making a serious face) If it wasn't important, I wouldn't have asked you this question.
"Have I satisfied you with my answer now?"
- More than.
- Happy for you of course. Now answer my
question.
After an hour of talking and arguing, Sakuta finally made Mai\ ' s decision.
"Okay, if this is important to you, then
go ahead, even though I didn't expect this from you."
Sakuta, I understand you." You can join me so you don't have to worry about me so much.
- As for me, I will worry no less.
- (She placed her palm on the top of
Sakuta's hand) Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself." Remember
the moment I threw myself into the car last year.
- How can you forget this. In those days, I was all
stressed and panicked.
- If that's the case, let me introduce you to my
friends in the organization. They will answer all your questions.
- (Sigh) Okay. Kaede will be home from school later
this afternoon." We'll be there in time for her arrival."
Mai Sakurajima wrote to Artyom that her
boyfriend is interested in joining a radical organization and he needs
to prove that he has followed the only correct path. In response, Artyom wrote
that they should go to the fish restaurant "Fish Day". At first, Mai didn't understand why
Bakunin suggested a meeting in such a public place." After Sakurajima
entered the restaurant, she understood everything. This restaurant had several rooms in which
there was a dining table for four guests. The waitress led the couple to
such a room, and Artyom and Dmitry were already sitting in it. Artyom met Sakuta warmly, but
Dima met him with his usual gray face and cool eyes.
Artem (Sakuta opened the door) – - hello Sakuta Azusagawa! So we met.
Dmitry-Hi.
Sakuta-Hello. So you are friends
Mai?
Dmitry-You can say that.
Mai - Tukhachevsky,
I thought you couldn't come here." When I
corresponded with Bakunin, he wrote to me that you would not come.
Dmitry-Decided to spend time with your
boyfriend. Besides, it's my job to dig into people's heads and straighten them out."
Artyom-Tukhachevsky well, of course you gave out. I could
have said\more warmly.
Dmitry - I can also talk on the mat. Yes, but the Japanese will not understand their essence. I'm not in the mood to talk
any other way."
Sakuta - Mai, why do you and the other call it Tukhachevsky?
Artem – Everyone in our organization has
a pseudonym, so as not to disclose their first and last name. My, as you understand it, pseudonym
Bakunin. Your girlfriend has a Rabbit.
Sakuta is a Rabbit because she Mai puts
on a bunny costume to stay invisible?
Dmitry-Yes. Each alias contains
information about its carrier. This guy's name is Bakunin, because he's an anarchist.
The waiter came into the room and said, " Good
afternoon again." Have you chosen something for yourself? After everyone had chosen the dishes, the waiter
came out.
Sakuta - So you want to eliminate
the current government of Japan and come to power?
Dmitry – or rather, kill
the oligarch families that control everything in the country." Even if we kill the entire
Japanese government, the oligarchic clans will find new puppets to
control the country's power." This is how capitalism works. Any state can be rebuilt
only by changing the system, not the government.
Sakuta – Aren't you afraid of being killed?
Artyom – If we were afraid,
we wouldn't be doing all this right now." Everyone who came to us is people who are ready to give
their lives for the benefit of the Japanese people.
Dmitry – After the revolution and
the establishment of people's power, Bakunin and I plan to return to our homeland,
Russia.
Sakuta-Now it is clear why you have such
pseudonyms and Mai at home there are books in Russian.
Artem – We could certainly print these
books in Japanese, but it would take too much time and money. Your
girlfriend knows Russian, and no one will seriously translate books
into Japanese, except for cops who would like to pretend that they work and
protect citizens from evil.
Dmitry-Bakunin, Mai come out, I want to talk to
Comrade Azusagawa in private.
Artyom-Okay.
Mai-Understood.
Artyom and Mai left the restaurant and sat down on
a bench that was located near the entrance doors of the restaurant.
Artem-I hope your boyfriend won't
talk nonsense and will successfully pass the interview.
Mai-I thought you were going to interview him.
Artem-No, work with people, organizing
lectures, preparing for outings is handled by Tukhachevsky University. Of course, I also take part
in preparing for sorties and conducting lectures, but Tukhachevsky copes with this
better than others. I am only complementing him in this."
Mai-I know about training, and
you also know that despite shooting in films, I study well.
Artem – 6 basic lectures and 5 additional
ones you are certified. Soon Tukhachevsky at one of the lectures will analyze the works
of the Japanese anarchist Kotoku Denjiro. More precisely, I proposed to Tukhachevsky, and he, knowing
my anarchist views, supported me, otherwise we have only communists and left
-wing nationalists."
Mai – I probably already asked, but I'll ask
you again, do you mind working with Tukhachevsky because you have different
political views?
Artyom – Let's switch to you, otherwise it's
not very convenient.
Mai - But okay.
Artem-Sometimes it gets in the way, but mostly it doesn't, because
we have only one goal: to free the working people from the clutches of the criminal capitalist
system and to fight totalitarianism.
Mai – It seems to me that you are good
at campaigning, because thanks to you, I came to your organization.
Artem - When you left, I
got a hat from Tukhachevsky because I brought you to our headquarters, even though I blindfolded you
when we came in. He also said that if he wasn't busy,
he would be the one who would come to your house."
Mai – Don't lose heart Bakunin! You can
be happy that you are making progress in this area. Everything is still ahead of you, and therefore
you will learn to work. I am sure that if you put in more effort and your desire, then
you will succeed.
Artyom (Smiled excitedly\ – - Thank you,
Mai. I'm glad to hear you say that." I want to say that
I mostly invite people to join us. Tukhachevsky is cautious in
this regard, and therefore, thanks to me, much more people come to us
more people than it could have been.
Mai (Smiling\ – - You see, you
have achievements for which you can be praised. You
have become not only a commander, but also a friend to me over the past few months."
Artyom (With a sad face he lowered his head) is
a friend. It's a pity that only a friend.
Mai – And you don't have girls?
Artyom-Alas, I haven't had
the chance to meet a woman for life yet. Tukhachevsky has a wife. Unfortunately, when
We were leaving Russia for many reasons, and Tukhachevsky had to leave his
pregnant wife in Russia. Two years later, he is still very worried and
constantly hurt that he is not next to her and not with his
daughter who was born without him. Of course, he often texts and calls her, but it is clear that
this can not replace the real feelings and touches of his family.
Mai-Oh, my God. The brutal life of a revolutionary.
It's hard for me to imagine that a person can't see their child alive."
Artyom – The only thing that pleases him now
is the expansion of our organization and the systematic, gradual approach to
the revolution, but also the prosperous life of his wife and daughter in Russia. I also came to
this country at my own request, when there was an opportunity to exchange students. And I
took my lottery ticket on the way to my destiny. When I got to your school, I
learned more about you in person, and not from newspapers and magazines. And I guessed
about your difficult fate and therefore did not worsen the situation, despite
not caring for you, letting you understand it yourself and become strong like me! To do this, I joined the local secret anti-monarchist organizations to save not
only you, but the whole country from this bad phenomenon of totalitarianism!
- Is that so? Did you do it for me and not
only that?! And what's your next plan after getting the weapon?
- I will agree to play in one of your next
"romantic films", where I will portray a love relationship with
you, especially since I already have them. Are you ready for this final
turn of events and the complete liberation of yourself and your country? Do you love me
What about yourself? Do you have any feelings for me that might help us with
the case?
Tukhachevsky came out of the restaurant. Looking
around, seeing them called out-Hey, lovebirds! I talked to Sakuta, and if he
passes the test, I will be ready to enroll him in our organization."