Episode 6 (Part 1)

A Sense of Wrongness (1) — “Something Is Off”

The Balance Kept Rising

The numbers in the account kept going up.

And yet—

I couldn’t withdraw a single yen.

At first, I thought it was just a procedural issue.
“Verification is required.” “We need to confirm your funds.”

It sounded reasonable enough. So, I accepted it without questioning.

A Growing Sense of Doubt

However, a sense of discomfort slowly began to build.

I had transferred money multiple times. Yet, not once had I been able to withdraw anything.

Each time, a new reason appeared. A new explanation. A new requirement.

The “Tax” Request

Then one day, an email arrived.

“You need to pay taxes.”

The amount was far beyond anything normal. For a moment, I couldn’t understand what I was reading.

Do you pay taxes to a securities company?
Why would taxes be a condition for withdrawal?

The First Real Suspicion

At that moment, a quiet voice inside me started to speak.

“This is strange.”

That was the moment the doubt truly began.

I had no idea how deep this situation would go.

End of Episode 6 – Part 1

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