The Journalist

Part 78: Winter in London

After a long walk in uncertainty, I have now reached the end of my fatigue. In the end I could only pick up on this feeling and reminisce like a classic.

Mina-chan, you and these memories are enough for me to stop remembering our story ....

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The next day, I went to the office where I worked as usual. There is something different today, some employees seem to pack their things. There are also desks that have been empty as if they do not belong. I asked my colleague who was sitting next to my desk. He explained to me that there were many employees who started resigning and applying to other media once they knew the company was in a financial crisis. They just don't want to get a PHK first.

Hearing that, I can only smell. It is not their fault that they want to save themselves. Since our media is caught in a case of defamation, not only losing revenue from advertising, the investors also withdrew. The printing power of our newspapers declined to cover production costs.

I looked at our leader's room. Since the court's decision to win the prosecution, the leadership has never been seen again. Instantly, I rushed out of this building and rode my beloved motorcycle at an above average speed. I went to the bank to make my deposit withdrawals all this time. From the bank, I headed to the residence of my leader. Upon arrival there, I found the middle-aged man who had each stopped by was packing as if he was about to leave.

"Shachoo, where are you going?" my many.

(Shachoo: chief executive)

"I'm leaving Japan."

"Why? Do you want to escape?

"I've sold my entire stake to the Jnews tv company."

"Huh? Why would you do that? Did you just give up?"

"It's precisely my way of saving the company and the people in it, including."

I put the money suitcase on the side table where we were standing. "I have a little money for the fine we have to pay. Please accept!" my door while bowing.

"Auto ...."

"Please accept this money! I'm giving it not because of my guilt, but this as my thanks to you. If I hadn't read the paper in your press, I wouldn't have made a big step in my life as a journalist. You are a teacher to me."

My boss looked at me with a smile. "Ayano, thank you!"

Because I still have a lot to do, I say goodbye to him. This is our farewell.

He's holding my shoulder. "Keep being yourself!"

I fell silent and could only look at him helplessly.

My heart is so relieved to be able to help him. Although my initial intention to help Ameena might be even harder to achieve.

A few months later, the company was eventually acquired by the first company I worked for where I was a reporter and a battlefield journalist as well as a news anchor. This is quite a relief because I myself have known the ranks of the company officials.

I gasped why ordinary employees like me were invited to a meeting of all company investors. I was even more surprised when they read out the shareholders, where my name was mentioned there as a prospective owner of five percent shares in the largest media company in Japan.

"Ayano-san, we have communicated with your attorney for the purchase of this stock. Next please meet in person to sign the approval as an investor."

After the meeting was over, I immediately contacted my previous leader.

"Shachoo, can you explain this? I am listed as an investor in this company. Are you the ...."

"Why? Didn't I give it to you?" my question is not to understand.

"Just because you gave it to me, then I'm free to do anything to the money.

"But what about the fine money you have to pay in court?"

He chuckled at my anger. "That's exactly the reward. You give me money and I give you the rest of my shares."

"Eh?"

"By owning a stake in the company you work for, you will not only benefit from the money you invest, but you will also have little power over that company. This can help you realize your expectations as a journalist" he explained. There was no doubt of his tone.

I'm stunned. Never hesitate to help others. There is no useless good. Maybe this is the wisdom of the big decision I made at that time.

I returned to the screen after having my own speech degree program by inviting political officials. This makes me more widely known to the public because the show I guide is in the main hours of television broadcast every day.

Six months later, I decided to enrich my horizons by studying media law in London. Since I'm active on social media, I need to know how to anticipate if anyone tries to speak my writing. Besides, I think in London I can more freely find out information about the Syrian war. Until now, the Japanese government still prohibits its citizens from traveling in the conflict country.

One day, I was standing on the side of a London street. The sky of the city looks sad because of the ongoing winter. Even so, do not drown the excitement of those who welcome Christmas. Not far from where I stand, a group of street musicians are playing saxophones to entertain pedestrians.

source: nationalgeographic

I watch every snow that falls. The white cotton grains that hit me made me realize that it was already heading towards the end of the year. Soon I will enter the sixth year of my farewell to him. Until this year, I still actively email him just to ask him how he is doing.

At the same time, I received the latest international news from a subscription broadcast on my watch. The news is about Syria's increasingly heated situation. Government militant forces in the country carry out airstrikes on every region controlled by the extremist group. They also attacked every prison made by the group. Millions of lives lost. The victims were civilians and prisoners of extremist groups. Not only that, it was also reported that the leader of the extremist group was killed.

Knowing the news, my heart was hit instantly. I sat on the sidewalk. Like getting a big rock hit to make my body melt that second too. Bitterer. Stuffy. Crushed. That's how I feel. I even cursed myself. Next to my hand it crept to my chest, hitting it many times in the same place. I don't want to guess anything that happened to Ameena. I really don't want to think about the no-no. But my heart was fragile first.

The snow is falling. It was cold as if biting my skin. I'm still frozen still in the middle of the pedestrian traffic. I let my hair turn white. The river flooded both my cheeks. I don't know how long I've been like this. As if punishing myself. As a result, I had a hypothermia attack.

I was admitted to one of the London Hospitals for a few days. A thick man came up to me and sat down by the side of the bed.

"I've checked the victim of the woman who died during the attack. There were many female prisoners named Ameena there. The problem is, we don't know his full name or at least his father's name is usually embedded in the back of his real name. But one thing is for sure, all named Ameena were killed by air strikes" the man explained. He's a well-known private detective in London who I hired to figure out Ameena's situation. He also provided photographs from the scene. The uncensored photos are so gruesome that they feature rows of bodies that have been torn apart that they are difficult to identify.

"What about the women who were the wives of the leader of the group?" I asked in a voice almost whispering.

"None of them is named Ameena" he replied.

"Is it likely that he was released or escaped before this incident?" tanyaku.

"I guess .. it's just a slim possibility. Considering extremist groups is very merciless. The freed woman is always in a state of taking lives."

I turned my face away. No more sounds I make. The sparkle of hope I had faded slowly. Only a clear melt continues to flow in the corner of the eye. Six years ... wasn't it long enough just to get this heartbreaking news?

From that moment on, I stopped finding out about him. Not because of giving up. Wasn't it! I'm just not ready to accept the possibility that Ameena was one of the victims of the attack. I'm not ready to admit that I failed to keep my promise to him. I am not ready to face my pain and regret.

I know, I'm strong with lingering sadness. I was able to hold on for a longer time. However, as powerful as I am, my soul is frail when faced with frightening possibilities. Logic forces me to win against my heart and my feelings. In the end I decided to keep all the crazy expectations about him. Not to rule out the possibility, someday, the memory of the events I experienced with Ameena will be buried by itself.

I returned to Tokyo after finishing my education. My return from the city called Big Ben's home has changed me completely. I became a cold and ambitious man. Meanwhile, this soft organ called the liver has hardened.