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The Man Who Fell Into the TrapAuthor: Kōga Saburō
| Original Title | 罠に掛った人 |
|---|---|
| Author | 甲賀 三郎 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the shadow of crushing poverty, a desperate couple teeters on the edge of ruin. Tomoki and Nobuko, ravaged by debt to a merciless moneylender named Tamashima, face a bleak year-end with no escape. Hunger gnaws at them; hope has long withered. When Nobuko vanishes into the night seeking aid, Tomoki’s anguish twists into rage—he resolves to murder their tormentor. Yet fate intervenes: a mysterious bundle of cash appears at his feet, offering salvation. Relief floods him—until he discovers Nobuko, too, had plotted Tamashima’s death. Racing to stop her, they confront the usurer in a chaotic clash, only to settle debts with unexpected fortune. But their fragile reprieve shatters when news arrives: Tamashima lies dead, slain by another. As suspicion looms and guilt festers, Tomoki grapples with a harrowing truth—their narrow escape may be a trap set by destiny itself. How far can desperation twist morality before it snaps? The answer lingers in the cold echoes of choices unmade. |
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