Chapter 48
Early the next morning, Asuka Kazuya went to see Tanaka Airi, who was being held by Public Security. The woman was reading in the enclosed room, two officers standing guard outside the one-way glass.
“Morning, Kazami.”
Adhering to the principle that a friend of a friend is a friend, Asuka Kazuya greeted the dark-circled Kazami Yuya enthusiastically as soon as he entered the room.
“Morning,” Kazami Yuya nodded. “Amuro-san isn’t here yet, why don’t you find a place to sit?”
Asuka Kazuya immediately put on a stern face: “What’s going on?!”
“Amuro Tooru is actually late?! Aren’t you going to condemn him?!”
Kazami Yuya: “…”
Complaining behind his back was fine, but you’re the only one who condemns him in front of Amuro-san.
“Oh, right, Akemi-nee told me some embarrassing stories about his childhood, do you want to know who his first love was?”
Suddenly hearing explosive news, Kazami Yuya’s pupils constricted. He exchanged glances with his colleague, feeling that this sudden kindness was a trap.
Tanaka Airi turned a page in her book. Asuka Kazuya noticed she was reading Tolstoy. The book was new; Public Security would occasionally fulfill her requests before she gave them all the information.
But Tanaka Airi wasn’t free. Once she revealed Theos’s intel, Public Security would no longer keep her under protective custody. This was an international case, difficult to handle.
“Why are you still standing there?”
The elevator doors opened, and Amuro Tooru, in a different outfit, walked out. He first glanced at his “I knew it!!” subordinate, then focused on Asuka Kazuya, who was staring blankly at Tanaka Airi through the glass.
“Or did you skip breakfast and are starving?”
There was breakfast on the table when Asuka Kazuya woke up. Nakahara Chuuya had already left for work; he seemed busy recently.
Asuka Kazuya didn’t know much about the Port Mafia’s situation. He tried messaging the Public Relations Officer, who only replied, “Just you wait and see ^_^.”
Asuka Kazuya stared at the various breakfast items, suspecting Nakahara Chuuya had kidnapped a chef and hidden him somewhere.
“I ate,” Asuka Kazuya replied, looking righteous, completely unlike someone who was just gossiping. “Why did you call me over so early? Won’t your private actions be discovered now?”
“The organization’s forces in Japan have mostly withdrawn.” Amuro Tooru said casually, walking to Asuka Kazuya’s side, also observing the woman behind the glass. “If it weren’t for this incident being exposed, I wouldn’t have known there were so many armed forces besides the police in Japan.”
First the Verlaine incident, then the attack on the research team, to save face, the higher-ups called back the previously withdrawn military and police.
As for why they hadn’t considered involving them before…
Amuro Tooru thought about it, realizing cynically that the lives of undercover agents weren’t worth much in the eyes of politicians.
“What were you talking about just now?” Glancing at his subordinate, who suddenly stood at attention, Amuro Tooru realized Asuka Kazuya had been up to no good, casually asking him.
“About you being late,” unlike the sweating Kazami Yuya, Asuka Kazuya was used to speaking half-truths, “and about you being inhumane or something, look, my subordinate isn’t afraid of me.”
Amuro Tooru raised an eyebrow, sensing something wasn’t right: “Where did you get a subordinate?”
Asuka Kazuya turned, silently staring at Amuro Tooru.
Amuro Tooru was silent, then smiled faintly, not bothering with it.
“Fully recovered?”
“More or less.”
“Living with that mafia member now?”
“Chuuya has a name, don’t even think about it, Amuro Tooru, I’m not telling you anything about him.”
“Oh,” Amuro Tooru’s tone was flat. “You said we were best friends before, now you’ve switched sides.”
“…Is that the same thing?” Asuka Kazuya rolled his eyes. “Friends are friends, Chuuya is Chuuya.”
“Is that so?” Amuro Tooru smiled meaningfully. “So you have a special ‘Chuuya’ category in your relationship list? Is that why you classify me as a colleague?”
Asuka Kazuya hesitated, his CPU overloading again.
He looked up at Bourbon, asking, puzzled, “Why do you care so much about Chuuya?”
“It’s nothing,” Amuro Tooru emphasized certain words. “He’s your younger brother, after all. A younger brother is a younger brother, understanding a friend’s family is important. What, do you think I’m targeting him?”
Kazami Yuya’s expression contorted, shocked by his boss’s cunning.
Asuka Kazuya: “…”
Asuka Kazuya reflected, taking Amuro Tooru’s words seriously: “So that’s it. Sorry, Amuro Tooru, I doubted you.”
Kazami Yuya: …
Kazami Yuya: You’re even apologizing!! No wonder Chief Amuro likes teasing you!
“That’s enough, open the door,”
Amuro Tooru cleared his throat, a hint of amusement in his voice despite talking about business.
“Tanaka Airi has something to tell you, I’ll be watching outside.”
Asuka Kazuya instinctively asked: “You’re not coming in with me?”
Amuro Tooru looked down, asking back: “Do you want me to come in with you?”
“…On second thought, no.”
Asuka Kazuya looked at Tanaka Airi. Although it was one-way glass, Tanaka Airi closed her book, sitting upright and smiling at him.
A bit dangerous, and a bit strange.
“Amuro Tooru, I have something to ask you after this is over.”
This was the third time Tanaka Airi had seen Asuka Kazuya.
The first time was in the slums, he saved her from enemies even though they didn’t know each other.
The second time was in Tokyo, he stopped her from committing suicide, saying he would let her live and take revenge on her brother herself.
The third time was now.
Not a prison, but like one. In fact, Tanaka Airi spent most of her childhood in similar places. She was trained as an assassin, specifically to seek revenge on Asuka Kazuya and the Vongola.
“It seems you’ve improved your ability usage.”
“You had Public Security call me over just to say that?”
Faced with Asuka Kazuya’s casual question, Tanaka Airi chuckled softly.
“Then why did you agree to see me?”
Asuka Kazuya was silent for a few seconds. He was wearing a turtleneck today, no weapons on him, his soft hair braided and draped over one shoulder.
“I encountered a case on the street a few days ago,” staring at the subtle changes in Tanaka Airi’s expression, Asuka Kazuya replied slowly, “the victims were also children, with pages from the Bible left beside their bodies, any thoughts?”
“I thought it was done by a psychopath in the police?”
Tanaka Airi tilted her head, her words alerting the Public Security officers outside.
Even after spending so long in this isolated room, she still had access to outside information.
“Probably treating those children as their own? Killing them immediately if they don’t react as expected—Asuka-kun, didn’t you already catch the murderer? Why ask me?”
“I showed him your photo before arresting him,”
Asuka Kazuya leaned against the door, speaking to Tanaka Airi directly.
“He looked quite scared, your organization’s members are truly everywhere.”
Tanaka Airi didn’t deny it.
“I can leave any time,” she said.
“I know.”
“Aren’t you curious why I’m staying here?”
“You have nothing to do outside,”
Asuka Kazuya’s nonchalant tone hit Tanaka Airi’s sore spot.
“Your brother was sentenced to five years, and your mother has moved away from Tokyo, where else can you go?”
Tanaka Airi traced the cover of her book, chuckling sarcastically: “He ruined my life, and only paid the price of five years.”
Asuka Kazuya tilted his head, catching the book she slammed against the glass.
[Everyone is flawed, like an apple bitten by God.]
He glanced at the words, casually putting the book aside. To prevent Tanaka Airi from self-harming, there were almost no decorations in this room.
A book, a bed, a toilet, and a small round table.
That was all there was.
Tanaka Airi took a deep breath, apologizing for her outburst: “Let’s make a deal, Asuka-kun. If you agree to completely destroy that place, I’ll give you all the information about them.”
“Wow,” Asuka Kazuya deliberately raised his voice. “I’m not a killer, and you’re inciting me to commit a crime in front of a police officer?”
“The organization’s ability research is supported by another organization.” Tanaka Airi continued expressionlessly, not playing along. “You’re looking for their location, right? I’m certain Theos is mixed up with them.”
“Haha,” Asuka Kazuya didn’t believe a word. “You asked me to leave the organization and join you before, why have you changed your mind now?”
“Is there such a thing as loyalty between criminal groups?”
Tanaka Airi sneered.
“They want our weapons, we want their money, our new leader isn’t a good person, ultimately, he just wants to absorb them.”
Asuka Kazuya considered the credibility of this statement.
In the last operation, Public Security and the military police seized most of the organization’s assets. If, as Amuro Tooru said, the organization had shifted its forces abroad, joining forces with Theos wasn’t a bad idea.
So troublesome, the Special Abilities Division was watching him closely. Asuka Kazuya guessed that as soon as he arrived at the airport, a group of ability users would surround him and accuse him of treason.
But there were still Morofushi Hiromitsu, Amuro Tooru, Akai Shuichi from the FBI, and a few CIA members in the organization…
Asuka Kazuya realized something.
If that was the case, why ask Tanaka Airi? He could just ask Amuro Tooru directly.
Trying to trick him, huh? Good thing he was quick-witted.
“Besides,” knowing her bargaining chips weren’t enough, Tanaka Airi closed her eyes, not planning to live, “the Special Abilities Division has ability users specifically prepared for you, a new war is coming, you should at least consider that person.”
“New war?”
Asuka Kazuya repeated her words, slightly interested.
“You mean the recent unrest among the Kanto mafia groups? Isn’t that just for the 500 billion left by a deceased ability user? What does it have to do with the Special Abilities Division?”
Tanaka Airi stood up.
“If you agree first.”
Asuka Kazuya: “What if I don’t?”
“This war will undoubtedly change the balance of power between the mafia groups.” Tanaka Airi said. “You know, in the last conflict of this scale, the Port Mafia’s leadership changed, and all members were reshuffled.”
“If you care about that person, or your undercover friends, you should agree.”
Asuka Kazuya lowered his eyes, looking at Tanaka Airi’s outstretched hand.
There were many small scars on those hands, just like Chuuya’s, mostly from when he unleashed Corruption last time.
“Is this a threat?” he asked.
“A deal.”
Asuka Kazuya smiled faintly. He grabbed Tanaka Airi’s hand, pulling her closer, whispering in her ear softly enough for the Public Security officers to not hear.
“Miss Tanaka,”
He said.
“My ability, you see, can keep someone alive with just their head. Since you’ve said so, if you tell a single lie…”
Tanaka Airi understood.
“I know,” she said. “You’ll turn me into that kind of monster.”
Tanaka Airi’s information was also given to Public Security. Asuka Kazuya tossed the USB drive, smugly asking Amuro Tooru to treat him to dinner.
Amuro Tooru: “Do you even need me to treat you?”
Asuka Kazuya: “Food tastes better when someone else is paying.”
Just like snacks tasted better when snatched, Asuka Kazuya had a bunch of reasons, and Amuro Tooru, to save time, usually indulged him.
But this time, he didn’t agree immediately, instead scrutinizing him.
“What did you just say to Tanaka Airi?”
“Just some blah blah blah, then some bluh bluh bluh.” Asuka Kazuya said evasively, then condemned him with feigned righteousness, “Can’t I keep it a secret? You actually suspect me, you hateful Amuro Tooru, I’m severing ties with you for five minutes.”
“No.”
Amuro Tooru’s reply was swift. To prevent Asuka Kazuya from looking away, his fingers brushed against his ear, leaning down to meet his gaze.
“Don’t tell me you’re having self-sacrificing thoughts again? I don’t want to carry you back covered in blood again.”
Asuka Kazuya, looking at Bourbon’s hand, felt a bit uncomfortable.
“Didn’t I give you the car wash fee?”
Amuro Tooru’s smile turned nuclear: “Who said anything about a car wash fee? What are you even thinking?”
“Ah! Speaking of which!”
Besides exchanging information, Asuka Kazuya finally remembered his question.
He recounted the conversation between Verlaine and Rimbaud to Amuro Tooru, then asked, “Do you know what it means?”
Amuro Tooru was expressionless. Although he understood halfway through, he still played along: “I don’t know, you’re so smart and you don’t know, how would I know?”
Asuka Kazuya didn’t suspect him at all: “You’re right.”
Amuro Tooru: “…”
Asuka Kazuya: “I also think I’m smart, and how could Chuuya be wrong?”
Amuro Tooru: “…”
Although sympathizing with the mafia went against his beliefs, he did sympathize with Nakahara Chuuya for a second.
“Bye bye, Amuro Tooru.”
After completing the task, Asuka Kazuya pulled away Amuro Tooru’s hand, opening the car door.
“Don’t miss me too much during your time in the organization.”
Amuro Tooru was exasperated and amused.
“Who would miss you?”
“You didn’t shoot me that day, weren’t you thinking of me?”
“Bingo and Gin were in the way.”
“I don’t care, it’s all excuses, whatever you say.”
Asuka Kazuya started the engine, one elbow resting on the open window, casually saying goodbye.
Amuro Tooru wasn’t sure if there would be a next time, but he looked at his hand, his work-related stress seemingly alleviated.
This guy had been hurt so many times, but thanks to his optimistic nature, he didn’t have any psychological trauma.
Amuro Tooru sighed helplessly, getting into his white Mazda, leaving in a different direction from Asuka Kazuya.
Asuka Kazuya watched Amuro Tooru’s figure in the rearview mirror, only turning the steering wheel after he completely disappeared, heading towards another street.
It would be troublesome if his current address was known. Chuuya had turned that place into a fortress, anyone unregistered would be shot between the eyes upon opening the gate.
Asuka Kazuya, believing less is more, parked the car in the garage before entering the room with the USB drive.
Nakahara Chuuya got off work earlier than usual today. He initially had his back to him, probably talking to his subordinates about a mission, Asuka Kazuya vaguely hearing words like “annihilation.”
Nakahara Chuuya turned around upon hearing the noise, cutting off the communication after a brief “understood.”
“I thought you wouldn’t be back for another hour,” Nakahara Chuuya said.
Asuka Kazuya looked at him: “Why do you look like you’re hiding something from me?”
Nakahara Chuuya: “I’m not.”
Asuka Kazuya: “Really?”
Nakahara Chuuya: “…No.”
He frowned: “Did someone tell you something?”
Many Port Mafia members died in the Kanto conflict. Nakahara Chuuya had just fought with a GSS executive this morning, washing off the blood before coming here.
What a waste of time.
He wasn’t allowed to help. He still wasn’t planning to tell him.
Asuka Kazuya sighed, walking towards Nakahara Chuuya.
Then, without warning, he attacked.
Nakahara Chuuya didn’t dodge.
He lay on the ground, looking at the hand Asuka Kazuya placed beside his face, asking patiently, “Where did you learn this from?”
Asuka Kazuya: “Bour…never mind, not telling you.”
Asuka Kazuya: “Honesty is the best policy, resistance is futile, who’s Shibusawa Tatsuhiko? Have you met him?”
Nakahara Chuuya had never even heard of this name.
Yokohama was indeed in chaos recently, but Dazai was still investigating the instigator, Nakahara Chuuya was in charge of counterattacks and defense.
…This guy was too close.
Nakahara Chuuya was expressionless, not expecting to have to endure this one day.
His ears felt hot, his voice rough and low.
“Are you an idiot?”
“Get up.”
