Chapter 1
The air in the Tokyo underground club was thick with the stench of blood. Scratches, remnants of a desperate plea for mercy, marred the bullet-riddled walls. Amidst this horrific scene, Asuka Kazuya lay on the floor, slowly blinking.
It was his third year undercover in the Black Organization. He’d received this assignment fresh off an investigation into a European crime syndicate.
He should have been on a month-long vacation, but the executive officer, hands clasped, delivered the news of Sakaguchi Ango’s disappearance with a gravity that left no room for doubt.
No way! Without Ango-senpai, 99.99% of his motivation to work hard was gone!
So, to rescue a fellow member of the Special Abilities Division, to rescue his great Ango-senpai who worked 24 hours a day, the fifteen-year-old Asuka Kazuya, an ability user, infiltrated the organization.
Of course, that was three years ago.
During this period, Asuka Kazuya had repeatedly confirmed the situation with his contact, but the responses were always along the lines of, “Don’t you trust me, Kazuya?” or “Ango’s mission is classified. Since you haven’t found him, you must not be in a core position yet.”
Asuka Kazuya believed this implicitly. For two whole years, he went to extreme lengths for the mission, quickly penetrating the evil black forces.
Just when he thought he could smoothly rise to the rank of executive in the Tokyo area, Gin, who was in America, parachuted into Japan.
…He should have slacked off. It would have been better to go through the back door with Rum.
It’s okay, for his respected senior, he could even endure going through the back door.
Every day when he opened his eyes, Asuka Kazuya would stare at the ceiling and tell himself this.
Once he got on good terms with Gin, the next executive position would definitely be his!
“Kazuya, if you don’t get up, Big Brother will be angry.”
A tall shadow blocked the sunlight.
By the time Vodka came over, Asuka Kazuya’s wounds had completely healed. His shirt was stained with blood. As he sat up, his long golden hair cascaded from his shoulders down his back.
“Even though I know you can’t die, don’t take bullets for Big Brother next time. It’s not like he can’t dodge them.”
Asuka Kazuya rubbed his sore shoulder.
His hair was soft and fluffy, his bangs messily brushing against his skin. Coupled with his emerald green eyes under long lashes, his overall appearance was rather cute.
Vodka sighed inwardly, thinking that this guy’s only redeeming quality in Big Brother’s eyes was probably his face.
“It’s not that I can’t die.”
Asuka Kazuya stood up, brushed the dust off his sleeves, and casually corrected him.
“It’s that I recover quickly.”
As if. If Rum hadn’t said he needed Gin’s approval for a promotion, he would have thrown the bullet at Gin’s head.
“Right, right.” Vodka said perfunctorily, opening the car door. “Whatever you say. Don’t waste time, there are a few newcomers coming to the base today. Go back and change your clothes, and properly show them the ropes.”
Asuka Kazuya nonchalantly replied with an “Oh,” his head resting against the window of the Porsche’s back seat, his reaction delayed by half a beat.
“Wait, what newcomers?”
The sense of crisis from two years ago resurfaced. Afraid of another parachuted-in ABC, Asuka Kazuya instantly sat up straight, determined to carry out the so-called nepotism to the end.
“The ones in the email? Are they as tough as me—Big Brother, you said you loved me most yesterday.”
Gin, who had never said such a thing, sitting in the passenger seat: “…”
He was used to being disgusted by Asuka Kazuya, so he wasn’t angry when he heard this. He just glanced darkly at the hand extended towards him.
“Shut up.”
Asuka Kazuya looked at the dried blood on his hand and obediently wiped it on Vodka after hearing this.
Enduring it, huh? He’d see if he wouldn’t blow this place sky-high after finding Ango-senpai.
Asuka Kazuya lowered his eyes, looking obedient and pitiful, but inside, he was darkly plotting the deaths of everyone here except Sakaguchi Ango.
“It’s just a temporary assignment.”
The black car stopped. Before the base gate opened, Vodka considerately explained to him.
“Kazuya, don’t worry, just because you die… recover quickly, ordinary people can’t replace you.”
Asuka Kazuya curled his lip, only half-believing these words.
A man’s mouth is a deceitful ghost.
When those people from the Special Abilities Division tricked him into joining, they also said they’d make him Ango-senpai’s assistant. Now, not only did he not become an assistant, but his senpai also disappeared while investigating those messy drugs.
Asuka Kazuya followed closely behind Gin, got out of the car, and soon saw three people in the base lobby after rounding the corridor.
Newcomer A: Rye, sniper, good overall ability, strong in combat.
Newcomer B: Scotch, sniper, seemed calm, but according to the base instructor, actually a difficult person to approach.
Newcomer C: Bourbon, intelligence officer, close combat ability on par with Rye, a mysterious individual handpicked by Vermouth…
Asuka Kazuya’s gaze fell on his golden hair. Remembering Vodka’s words, he suddenly spoke without warning:
“Bourbon can be thrown to Chianti. I’m not taking him.”
The young man’s arms were crossed, his willful statement successfully attracting everyone’s attention.
Named for no apparent reason, Bourbon frowned, subconsciously analyzing the relationship between the other party and Gin.
His words were directed at him, but his eyes were blatantly staring at Gin. He wasn’t worried about being punished or rejected.
That is to say…
“Who said you get to choose.” Gin glanced at him, rejecting him outright.
Asuka Kazuya withdrew his hand, grinding his molars in anger.
…He’d overthought it.
Bourbon fell silent, withdrawing his gaze speechlessly.
“Asuka Kazuya.” Sensing that no one was willing to speak first, he recalled the other’s name from memory.
Bourbon smiled, his lips perpetually curved, but his grayish-purple eyes held no trace of kindness.
“Having someone without a codename assist us on our mission, Gin, is the organization out of people?”
?
What’s his deal! Why is he implying things about him?!
“Who said I don’t have a codename.”
Highly suspecting that Bourbon’s move was to lower his favor with Gin, Asuka Kazuya retorted warily.
“I got a codename two years ago. I just don’t like people calling me by it.”
“Is that so.” Bourbon smiled. “What’s your codename?”
“It’s—” Asuka Kazuya subconsciously opened his mouth, then stopped mid-sentence, eyeing the other suspiciously. “Why should I tell you? You’re not allowed to call me by it even if you know.”
Bourbon raised an eyebrow, deliberately going against him: “What happens if I do?”
Asuka Kazuya’s expression turned serious: “I’ll curse you.”
“…”
“And then you’ll have bad luck.”
“…” Are you a grade schooler?
To prevent their identities from being exposed, important members of the organization often addressed each other by their codenames.
Asuka Kazuya’s refusal to reveal his codename was undoubtedly suspicious.
Thinking of this, Bourbon glanced at Vodka beside him.
“Calvados.” Before Asuka Kazuya could jump up in anger, Vodka pressed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not that embarrassing, Kazuya. They’ve been specially trained, they won’t laugh at you for Coca-Cola like the first batch did.”
Bourbon: “…”
Rye: “…”
Scotch: “…”
“It’s grape! Wine!” Having been misunderstood countless times, Asuka Kazuya knew what they were thinking just by looking at their expressions. “Nut-flavored! Nuts! Do you understand?!”
“Sorry.” Rye nodded, looking at the person gesturing emphatically. “Touched a nerve, I guess.”
Asuka Kazuya: “…”
Just end it all.
They’re all criminals anyway, it wouldn’t be a loss if they weren’t alive.
“Enough.”
Before things could completely descend into comedy, Gin interrupted the farce, his tone laced with impatience. He coldly glanced at the young man.
“Calvados, how long are you planning to stay in that disheveled state?”
There was a clear bullet hole in the shirt at his shoulder, but the exposed skin was perfectly intact.
Hearing Gin’s words, the Whiskey Trio had their own thoughts.
Asuka Kazuya didn’t care what they were thinking. He was listless, his mind still full of bargaining.
One was a chibi Ango-senpai, the other a chibi ball of yarn Gin.
Chibi Ango-senpai had little angel wings, sadly asking him, “Aren’t we best friends, Kazuya? You’ll definitely save me, right?”
Chibi ball of yarn Gin had little devil horns, coldly pointing a gun at him: “Disgraceful, die.”
When he first joined the organization, Gin found fault with him everywhere. Asuka Kazuya was shot an average of once a day, evolving from writhing on the ground to precisely striking a victory pose. Over time, after discovering that he died and lived, lived and died, Gin became too lazy to waste bullets on him.
So irritable.
As Asuka Kazuya slowly walked upstairs, the little figures in his head were still fighting with chibi ball of yarn Gin.
They say hitting is affection, scolding is love. A year had passed, and Gin had no intention of going easy on him. Although Rum said he’d get promoted if he got Gin’s approval, at this rate, how long would he have to endure?
So painful.
He wanted to kill.
Those wicked criminals who kidnapped Ango-senpai wouldn’t get away with it—
Just a Bourbon! He wouldn’t let him be alone with Big Brother!
Asuka Kazuya was determined. His heavy footsteps stopped in front of Bourbon, whose face was full of inquiry.
“What?” Bourbon continued to smile. “Calvados, are you going crazy?”
“Don’t presume to understand my profound intentions.”
Asuka Kazuya snorted coldly.
His expression was cold, but his words were baffling.
“Since you have nothing to do, why don’t you come change clothes with me?”
“…” Already prepared for a fight, even Bourbon didn’t expect him to say such a thing.
His smile vanished, replaced by a blank expression. Under the contemplative and sympathetic gazes of Rye and Scotch, he thought, as expected of the evil Black Organization, starting with unspoken rules right off the bat.
But as an outstanding public security officer who graduated top of his class from the police academy, Bourbon remained calm and collected in the face of evil criminals!
“Ah,”
He replied, the curve of his lips widening, but his voice seemed to be squeezed through gritted teeth.
“Of course, not just changing clothes, as long as you need it, I’ll help you like I’m taking care of a baby with a rattle.”
“?” Asuka Kazuya tilted his head.
What baby? Was Bourbon’s brain broken, comparing him to Reborn-senpai from Italy?
Asuka Kazuya was puzzled. Although he didn’t know why the other party said that, he curiously extended his hand.
Under Bourbon’s murderous gaze, this colleague from the Special Abilities Division opened his innocent eyes and warily presented his open palm.
“No carrying items unrelated to the mission. Where’s the rattle? Give it to me.”
Bourbon’s fake smile disappeared.
He stared at Asuka Kazuya’s harmless face for a while before realizing that the other party might not be deliberately playing dumb.
Unspoken rules were one thing, but now he was being given an idiot.
The evil Black Organization was actually trying to use psychological attacks to shake his resolve to eradicate darkness—
How vicious.
