Chapter 46: A Day of Worrying About Whether or Not to Have a Name

On the eve of the first New Year after Dazai Osamu left the Port Mafia, Hayana Kotori, wearing a thick down jacket, raided the residence of Oda Sakunosuke, whom she had investigated.

Opening the door, Oda Sakunosuke was stunned to see the sudden visitor: "Ms. Kotori Yu?"

Someone who comes suddenly.

After a brief moment of shock, he understood the purpose of her visit.

He opened the door and invited people in.

Takanashi Hayana changed into disposable slippers, went in, and took a quick and purposeful tour of the house.

Oda Sakunosuke's new residence was not big, with an old Japanese style, and the room behind the shoji door was empty.

"The children have gone out to play." Bringing the hot tea to the coffee table, Oda Sakunosuke looked at the girl who was staring at the messy bedding in a daze.

At that moment, the girl turned around to look at him and pointed at the extra bed: "There's one more."

Her face was expressionless when she said this, but the expectation deep in her tone, and the trembling of the last word that she herself didn't even notice, made Oda Sakunosuke not know how to answer her.

Finally, he said calmly, "It's a newly adopted child named..."

"Oh." After a cold response, Hayato Yasana took a sip from the teacup and said, "Happy New Year."

"..." Oda Sakunosuke: "Would you like to stay for dinner? Lunch will be very sumptuous."

Didn't stay for dinner.

Hayana Kotori carried a bag of fried chicken and some food she had bought at the supermarket. She entered the password, opened the door, put the bag on the table, and said to the man busy in the kitchen with his back to her, "I bought the things."

"Thank you for your hard work." Nakahara Chuuya took out two potatoes and started washing them. He asked her, "What took you so long?"

"We went on a raid to arrest someone, but we didn't catch any."

Hayana Kotori lay on the sofa: "I originally thought that if I caught him, I would bring him back and beat him up."

"What a shame, what a shame~"

There was a funny ups and downs in her tone, and her eyes were curved, and she didn't look disappointed at all.

Watching the magic movie playing on TV, Hayana Kotori murmured, "Could he be one of those [Suicide Spirits]? Do I need to draw a formation to summon him?"

"If you want to try it, I'll help you find the stuff to draw the summoning circle later." Nakahara Chuuya was not disappointed at all.

"By the way, Chuuya, you're such a good wife and mother." Looking at the apron-wearing boy busying around with his back to her, Hayana Kotori jokingly said, "You're versatile at housework and have a lot of patience. You're the perfect type of father to take care of children."

With his back to the girl, Nakahara Chuuya's body stiffened when he heard this comment. Redness quickly climbed up his neck and cheeks. He almost missed the heat and the fried fish in the pan became burnt.

After realizing what was happening, he quickly flipped the fish over and shamefacedly retorted, "You can't just have children casually, right?!"

"Yes, yes, it requires careful consideration."

"It is precisely because we share the same suffering that we have to spend this boring New Year's Eve together."

The Port Mafia will hold a banquet tonight, and everyone will have a day off tomorrow. Hayato Takanashi will go home for the New Year, and Chuuya Nakahara will take on the task of guarding the building, becoming one of the office workers who has to work overtime during the New Year.

Undeterred by the teasing about being single, Nakahara Chuuya turned around and gazed with his cobalt blue eyes at the girl sitting on the sofa, changing channels with the remote control. "If you're willing, I can also be one of those who are no longer single."

"Yes, yes, if I let you... well!"

The finger that was pressing the channel change button suddenly stopped. Realizing the meaning, she accidentally bit her tongue hard. Hayana Takanashi covered her mouth with her hands and tears came out!

"Hey! What's wrong?!"

He turned off the fire and rushed over quickly. Nakahara Chuuya held the girl's tearful face and checked it anxiously.

"Wow, wow, wow~ You confessed to me the day before New Year. I was so touched." Hayana Takanashi was crying loudly, but she refused to let go of her hand that was covering her mouth.

"Then why don't you put your hands down?" Nakahara Chuuya raised his eyebrows, seeing through everything.

"I'm afraid you'll kiss me."

“…”

"I don't think I'd get your consent to do such an intimate act." Nakahara Chuuya sighed helplessly, "I'll take you to the clinic."

"What a gentleman, Chuuya."

"... Go early and come back early, and you can still catch lunch."

She took off her scarf and was pulled out by Chuuya Nakahara. The cold air hit her face, and her tearful eyes blinked uncomfortably. Hayana Takanashi exhaled a puff of white mist.

"You must use any means to get what you want, and you must use tough measures to keep the person you like. We are the port mafia, and we will do everything we can to protect the people we want." She suddenly said this.

Holding her hand and walking forward, Nakahara Chuuya said calmly: "The first two sentences are just possessive and plundering desires, and the last sentence is a realization of expressing love."

"Mafia members aren't beasts. They're just ordinary people when it comes to the people they like. There's no need to connect this with the first two sentences."

Looking at the fair and handsome face of Nakahara Chuuya beside her, the serious expression on his face when he said this, and the light glimmering in the depths of his beautiful eyes as quiet as the sea, Hayana Kotori suddenly realized -

She will never be abandoned.

Always being accommodated.

Always be gently protected.

"So gentle, Chuuya," she sniffed, feeling strangely heavy.

"No." Nakahara Chuuya glanced at her and quickly looked away. "In fact, sometimes Hayana's purity also makes me feel heavy. That kind of all-out dedication sometimes makes me feel that our relationship is more than what we show now."

"It's all the same. We're all carrying the same burden," she said. "It might sound pretentious to say it, but we're not friends, we're not companions, we're more like life-or-death companions."

Someone you can walk side by side with.

Delivery back presence.

It can't be described in words.

Once two people in this kind of relationship become an intimate couple, it will be the beginning of all the trouble.

Disputes, estrangement, entanglement, and pain follow one after another.

"So what?" asked Nakahara Chuuya.

Kotori Hayato said seriously: "We can have sex, but we can't have a formal relationship."

“…”

“…”

She pursed her lips and wanted to refute, but Nakahara Chuuya was speechless.

Such a bad woman’s remarks should be condemned directly.

She said she shouldn't be so mean to someone she knew so well, and that she shouldn't be responsible for the consequences of sleeping with him.

But——I can’t say it.

Because deep down he knew what she really wanted to say.

"What?" He rubbed her head in mock anger: "I'm not confessing just to sleep with you."

“It’s okay to not be so indulgent sometimes.”

Kotori Hayato nodded: "Mom said that the first man should be handsome and not entangled after the relationship is over."

"What...? Are you thinking about this now?!" Nakahara Chuuya was shocked!

"I'm a woman in a high position, powerful, wealthy, and I'm almost 20." Hayana Kotori looked at him strangely, thinking his reaction was a bit exaggerated. "Isn't it normal to think about this kind of thing?"

"After all, every day is very stressful."

"I don't smoke anymore, and now I even drink less. I have to find a new way to relieve stress."

"You're still a whole year away from turning 20..." Midway through his rant, Nakahara Chuuya suddenly frowned, "Have you been led astray by that guy A?! I knew he had to be inviting you so frequently lately for something bad to happen!"

Unable to watch her fall into depravity, Nakahara Chuuya decided to give A a good warning!

"It all comes down to you, Chuuya, drinking with me less lately."

"...That's because neither of us is a good drinker, and it's easy to get drunk without anyone watching... Anyway, it's okay to drink lightly, but it's not good for relieving stress."

In the past, Dazai Osamu was watching over them, but now that Dazai Osamu is not here, since both of them cannot drink well and because of their affection for each other, they cannot control their repressed thoughts after drinking, Nakahara Chuuya deliberately reduced the number of times he got drunk.

"I think it's more likely to go wrong if you drink lightly."

"Why?"

"You're fine if you drink lightly, but you definitely can't get completely drunk. You should think the other way around now and be wary of yourself if you drink lightly."

“…”

“…”

Nakahara Chuuya felt that he couldn't refute it again.

Why are the two of them discussing this so calmly?

Is it simply because Hayana had grown into a mature woman with thoughts without his knowledge?

Absolutely not!!!

Just thinking about it is not enough!!!

Nakahara Chuuya found that he needed Dazai Osamu's help at this moment.

…

"You stepped on my foot."

"Excuse me!"

"You stepped on my foot again."

"……Feel sorry."

“…”

After the dance, Hayana Takanashi, wearing a black dress, walked to the dining area and picked up a glass of wine.

A walked up to her. He was dressed very brightly and handsomely for the New Year's celebration party.

"It's beautiful." Looking at the jeweled hairpin in the girl's hair, he looked like a radiant peacock. "Everything for this banquet was generously sponsored by me."

Hayana Kotori looked at him and said, "You look so proud, you guy."

"Thanks, the dress and hair accessories are very beautiful."

"Dance with me next time."

"Please spare me, my feet still hurt."

"What a rude fellow who has no sympathy for women."

"I don't know why, but he's been smuggling a lot today."

On the other side, Nakahara Chuuya, holding a champagne in his hand, stared at the two people standing together and talking, the champagne tower behind him sparkling under the lights.

That guy A is trying to seduce Hayana again!

His back teeth creaked as he gritted his teeth.

"The look in his eyes is really full of gnashing teeth."

An elegant voice suddenly sounded, and Ozaki Koha, who was wearing an exquisite kimono, looked at the boy beside her teasingly.

Nakahara Chuuya retorted subconsciously: "What...! No way!"

Seeing the elegant woman beside him clearly, his stiff body relaxed: "It's Sister Hongye."

"Are you jealous?"

"...No, I just think that guy A has bad intentions."

"Saachiana won't be fooled." Ozaki Kouye covered the corners of her lips, and looked down at the boy with charming eyes: "If you are jealous, just say it directly, it will save a lot of unnecessary trouble."

Nakahara Chuuya: “…”

Will it gain any status if I say it directly?

His fingers tightened around the goblet.

Seeing that the reminder was almost enough, Ozaki Hongye changed the subject and deliberately teased: "By the way, you seem to be smuggling seriously today. You even did the ungentlemanly thing of stepping on your partner's foot while dancing."

"...I didn't mean to do that." In front of the big sister who once led him, Nakahara Chuuya could hardly hide his awkwardness.

Just looking into Hayana's eyes would remind me of what she said at noon.

Inevitable absent-mindedness.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" asked Ozaki Kouye.

"?" Nakahara Chuuya was puzzled: "What arrangements?"

When he met the smiling eyes of his former boss, Nakahara Chuuya choked.

He had to suppress those thoughts with great difficulty!

Besides, his relationship with Hayana is not a casual one!!!

It was as if everyone's thoughts were opened up overnight.

He was the only one who still held on to his stubborn idea.

Nakahara Chuuya looked at the girl who was talking to A, and when she noticed his gaze and looked over, she raised her glass to him with a smile.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" Person A asked, then said in an elegant tone, "After what happened last time, I'm very experienced in arranging people. I won't have any embarrassing situations again."

"I don't want anything bloody to happen on your ship during such an important time as the New Year." Hayana Takanashi refused.

"So cold, is he interested in me?"

"Ah? Do you think I'm blind?"

After arguing with A, seeing his deflated expression, Hayana Takanashi looked seriously at the leader who was walking towards him.

Having just been rejected by Ozaki Kouyo's request to dance, Mori Ogai, as the leader, extended an invitation to Kotori Hayato according to the ranking among the female executives.

Taking the hand extended by Mori Ogai, Hayana Takanashi and he walked into the center of the dance floor.

"Will everything be alright after dancing with me?" she asked.

"I also have to greet the directors of various companies who come to compliment me." Mori Ogai sighed tiredly: "What a hassle, New Year's Eve."

"Alice-chan won't dance with me. Momiji refused because of her clothes. Only Hayana gave her face, which is a relief."

“My feet hurt too.”

"...This is Chuuya-kun's fault. By the way, do you have any plans for tonight?"

"uncertain."

"The Black Organization's recent drug research," Mori Ogai suddenly said, his face serious. "Kajii-kun's research results are beyond imagination. We have already learned enough."

Kotori Hayato became serious: "What do you mean?"

"They think we want immortality, but immortality is meaningless. I have Chuuya and Hayato under my command. The future of the Port Mafia is clear."

"As for the ones we're going to use," Mori Ogai said in an elegant voice, his crimson eyes condensing with coldness, "we can make them disappear."

"Shall we take action ourselves?"

"The police and undercover agents who are secretly investigating them will act as the vanguard."

However, no drug that can completely cure lung disease has been developed yet.

Finding Motojiro Kajii in the food area, Hayana Kotori received the sad news from him.

No matter how much he studied, all he could achieve was a delay.

"Those guys in the Black Organization are very wary of us. Every drug they trade is carefully screened." With food in his mouth, Kajii Motojiro was indignant.

Then launching an attack on the Black Organization and seizing their laboratory is the most direct and effective way.

New Year's Eve.

Hayana Takanashi and Chuuya Nakahara looked at each other.

"You can say we have plans for tonight, right?" she said.

"Yeah." He nodded.

There is no need to worry about the previous entanglements in my mind.

All the ambiguous thoughts were swept away.

Don't be afraid of waking up without a status.

Because, on this night, he and Hayana stood in the cold night, carrying out the task of blocking the police and giving intelligence about the Black Organization.

Regarding the leader's arrangement, Nakahara Naka didn't know whether he should be glad that Hayana didn't go with A to choose a lover, or whether he should be angry. His defenses had been broken, and it was time to let go of his thoughts.

But he stood in the street and felt the cold wind.

Forced to calm down.