It Seems Kubota Punched the Department Manager | The 2nd "Last Line Novel Grand Prix"

Good morning, it's Rio🤗

Today, I have submitted an entry to the 2nd "Last Line Novel Grand Prix" hosted by Itodaki-san.

Although only the last line is required for the submission, I had so much fun thinking about the final sentence that I ended up writing the whole body text as well🤣

Since the judging is based solely on the final sentence, my entry is envisioned as follows.

───────Beginning───────

───────Last Line───────

Since I went ahead and wrote the body text for this, I will record it here.

It seems Kubota punched the department manager

The phrase I heard during training, "If you're going to be reborn, do it while you're still alive," must have really struck a chord. I thought I was the only one who noticed that, along with Sawamura from the HR department.

The company I work for is not a large corporation. Therefore, the rumor that Kubota had punched the department manager spread through the office immediately.

I, Sawamura from the HR department, and Kubota, who punched the manager, are all in the same cohort. Before the incident, the three of us went out for drinks at an izakaya in Shimbashi on our way back from training. At that time, Kubota, who is usually talkative, barely spoke and drank in silence.

The name of the training was [The Forbidden Seminar to Unleash 120% of Your Potential].
I heard from Sawamura in HR why the company decided to hold this as training.

It was apparently recommended by the future president, who is the son-in-law of the current president.

"That sounds a bit fishy," I asked Sawamura. "I was curious too, so I looked into it. And I found out something incredible."

Sawamura, sitting next to me, said that while narrowing his eyes. "What do you mean by incredible?"

"Oh," Sawamura said, reaching for his glasses.

"The next president's younger sister is involved," Sawamura said, looking proud. In short, I thought, isn't that just an introduction within the family? But it seemed that wasn't the case.

"It's not that simple," Sawamura said, narrowing his already thin eyes so much that I worried they might disappear entirely.

"The sister's boyfriend is involved."
Things were starting to get a bit complicated. At this stage, it involved outsiders.
"I see. And who is this boyfriend? Was it the boyfriend's company that conducted the training?"

At that moment, Sawamura's eyes glinted.
"No, the boyfriend is just involved. The training company was actually the company of the woman the boyfriend's father is having an affair with!"

"Sawamura. I understand that you're impressive. But doesn't that have nothing to do with our company?"
Sawamura flashed a fearless smile.

"Don't be surprised when you hear this. The boyfriend's father is the department manager. And the woman he's having an affair with is Kubota's wife."
"What!!" I shouted in surprise.

"And it was the department manager who decided on this training. Yes, Kubota found out his wife was having an affair with the department manager and punched him. That's how I interpret it."

"Then, does it have nothing to do with the opening sentence! Isn't the reason he punched him important to the content of this opening?" I grabbed Sawamura by the collar and shoved him against the wall. In the process, the glasses Sawamura was so proud of fell to the floor.

Sawamura brushed my hand away and said,
"Calm down. 'If you're going to be reborn, do it while you're still alive' is what Kubota's wife said. Those were the words Kubota's wife used when she asked him for a divorce the other day. Yes, those were the words he heard during the training."
"I see. So, hearing those words, Kubota was convinced the department manager was having an affair and punched him?"

"That's right," he said, wearing a beaming smile.

I learned the full story. Kubota had loved his wife. Even though he loved his wife just as much as he loved his mistress, a female employee in the same department.
What a pitiful incident. I felt like I was about to cry.

However, I stopped the tears from falling.

Come to think of it, who exactly is Sawamura? Why does this guy know all these circumstances in such detail?

Could it be that my affair with Sawamura's wife is also...

Sawamura, with a look as if he had been reborn, stared at my face, down which cold sweat was streaming, while wearing a smile just like Kubota's.

The end