Chapter 189. [Crime And Consistency]

<<I’ve been living in America for quite a while now. To the point where English comes out more naturally than my native language in spontaneous conversations. However, there are moments like these. That incident happened when>>

The robber began to speak of his struggles.

In reality, his English was remarkably fluent.

If he hadn’t been in America for very long, I might have noticed.

There was a subtle hint in his pronunciation, similar to the accent of the store clerks.

<<I was blessed with a good workplace and colleagues. I believed I could continue working there forever. But, on that day, the friends I thought I had turned their backs on me! My hell began that day.>>

The robber laughed self-deprecatingly.

It was a story that made the listener feel uneasy.

<<According to them—apparently, I’m an accomplice to murder. Born with a predisposition for evil. It started as a joke, but gradually, I began to face serious discriminatory remarks.>>

Bullying and harassment in America are not as insidious as in Japan.

But they are more direct and, above all, aggressive.

<<It’s not your fault.>>

<<Exactly. It’s not my fault! But I was accused a lot, condemned. I faced a lot of harassment. It was as if I had been leading a war.>>

<<That’s terrible, isn’t it?>>

<<Will you say that? But still, I endured it. I had to work to survive. But one day, finally…>>

<<What happened?>>

<<They started mocking my parents. I couldn’t take it anymore, and I snapped.>>

The robber, who seemed to be confessing, glanced briefly in my direction.

His gaze seemed to be pleading for something.

<<What do you think happened then?… I got fired. How many years do you think I contributed to the company? And they let me go so easily. Why do I have to go through this alone?!>>

<<Regardless of the reasons, you shouldn’t have resorted to violence. A crime is still a crime. Why didn’t you report or consult with your boss or employer beforehand?>>

<<I did!>>

The robber countered the words of the female customer with a shout.

Perhaps he had heard similar remarks many times before.

<<I repeatedly consulted with the employer about harassment and verbal abuse. But they never took it seriously. Yet, the moment I acted out in self-defense, I was fired immediately. Isn’t this discrimination based on nationality?!>>

<<Even so, violence is—…>>

<<They were even worse! They hurt my dignity! I endured ‘verbal’ violence for so long! That was self-defense for me! And yet…>>

At times like these, it becomes unclear which side is morally right.

Is it America where employees can be easily fired, or Japan where it’s difficult to dismiss someone indefinitely?

<<I desperately searched for a job. As someone on a work visa, I can’t stay in America without working. I need to quickly find a new employer, and have them apply for a visa for me.>>

Visa-related matters were something I had to research before coming here, so I have some knowledge.

In the case of a work visa, working part-time during job hunting is generally not allowed.

<<Financially, I was tight. No matter how many companies I approached, none would hire me, despite having no issues with my skills. It was because of my criminal record and, above all, my nationality.>>

<<That’s…>>

There’s no way to confirm if it was truly due to nationality.

But being a non-American makes job hunting difficult.

Adding a criminal record to the mix…

<<If things continue like this, I’ll become an illegal resident… That day was approaching when I found this store.>>

<<Huh?>>

<<I saw it. Despite all the misfortune I was going through, seeing a compatriot working normally!>>

The robber directed a resentful gaze at the battered store clerk.

It made sense now.

The fact that both the attacker and the victim hailed from the same country wasn’t a coincidence.

In a sense, the failure of the plan was inevitable.

<<Why do I have to go through this alone?! I lost my job because of those fools back home. And yet… you get to live an unfair life!>>

<<For such a reason…>>

The clerk muttered softly.

For him, it was like being in a traffic accident.

But for the robber, it was different.

He glared at the clerk with a terrifying expression.

<<Such a reason? This is a legitimate reason! It’s unfair! I became unhappy because of my homeland. If that’s the case, it’s strange if you don’t become unhappy too!>>

Clearly, the robber’s motive wasn’t just about money.

He had been using his nationality as an excuse or perhaps genuinely believing that his inability to find a job was due to it.

However, upon seeing a compatriot working a regular job, a contradiction arose within him.

So, to maintain consistency, he tried to bring misfortune to the clerk or maybe sought a companion in misery.

<<… Mister Robber,>>

I couldn’t solely blame this robber.

I had some involvement in the situation he found himself in.

People are most prone to committing crimes when they have nothing to lose.

If that incident hadn’t occurred, he might have still been a hardworking ordinary person.

Nevertheless, even so…

Perhaps that’s why I made up my mind.

I had to fight and defeat him.

Because someone “important” was waiting for me!