Chapter 101, Twentieth Round (20)
Sera Masumi is stalking her older brother.
Shuichi Akai, the older brother who disappeared several years ago.
Although there's no news, Xiu Ge should be in the United States.
Last year, after watching a movie with her friends, Sera Masumi saw him on a train platform in Tokyo and was so shocked that she wanted to go and see him right away.
But after changing buses several times, she completely lost track of her brother.
She later asked her mother, who said she didn't know anything about his situation, but told her not to interfere.
Sera Masumi, of course, could never truly let go of this matter. Hiding from her mother, she would often search for her brother at Tokyo Station, hoping to bump into him again.
I never expected that she would actually bump into me today.
This time she was prepared and followed quickly and discreetly.
She must have been dumped by Xiu Ge last time because he found out she was a nuisance. I wonder what he's been doing secretly coming to Japan. He was carrying a huge guitar bag both times, even though I'd never heard of him playing any instruments before.
When I saw Brother Xiu more than half a year ago, he was accompanied only by that man who liked to wear blue hooded clothes, and he was carrying the same instrument bag.
This time, there was an additional blond-haired, dark-skinned young man, who was also carrying a guitar case.
Are they in the same band?
But they seem to have a bad relationship, especially Xiu Ge and that blond youth. It looks like they could start fighting at any moment. Are they really okay?
Hmm... it should be fine. Although it looks noisy, it also proves that we are very familiar with each other and that our relationship is actually quite good, right?
Sera Masumi tried hard to see the blond youth's face, but he was too far away and there were many obstacles to avoid. In addition, he had pulled his hat brim down very low, so she couldn't see what he looked like at all.
She followed the three of them, changing trains twice. On the third time, she saw Xiu say something to the blond youth on the platform. The blond youth didn't seem very happy, but he still lowered his hat brim and left the group.
Now there are only two people left.
Sera Masumi hesitated and turned to look around. This platform was no longer in the bustling city center. After the group of people got off the train, they were the only ones left on the platform. If they wanted to continue following them, it would be very obvious.
Should we go directly to talk to Brother Xiu?
Before she could decide to come out, a long-haired man in a black trench coat strode over with a terrifying aura.
Oh no! We've been discovered!
And Xiu Ge looks really angry, he's definitely going to get yelled at!
Sera Masumi clenched her fist, mustered her courage, and looked up, saying, "Shu..."
"What are you doing following us?!" The man's loud shout interrupted her. Even with sunglasses on, he couldn't hide the murderous aura on his face. He stood with one hand on his hip and stared at her angrily.
Sera Masumi froze, completely blocked by the tall man, and stammered, "I-I'm sorry, it's because I saw Xiu..."
"If you want to play detective games, go find someone else. If you keep following us, we won't be so polite. It's time for the brat to go home now." The man interrupted her loudly again, his attitude extremely fierce.
At this moment, another man wearing a blue hood slowly walked over, but he didn't say anything, and his face was not clearly visible in the shadow of the hood.
Sera Masumi looked down at her feet in frustration: "...I'm sorry, but I've gone too far with you guys and I don't know how to get back now, and I'm out of money."
The long-haired man clicked his tongue: "Fine, I'll go buy you a ticket. Now you should go home obediently and stop following us, understand?"
Sera Masumi no longer dared to look up, and nodded softly with her head down.
Only after the man turned and walked away did she dare to look up at his back.
She just wanted to spend more time with her brother. Although she had changed trains so many times with them and was now at a completely unfamiliar and desolate station, she was still a junior high school student and had money on her, so of course she knew how to get back.
Sera Masumi was a very clever child. She sensed something from her brother's unusual attitude, so she obediently went along with him and prepared to go home, and stopped calling him by his name.
But after not seeing him for so long, I almost got scolded to tears when I went up to him to talk to him. Even if there was a reason or hardship, it was still too much.
Sera Masumi is still just a child, and the more she thinks about it, the sadder and more aggrieved she feels, with tears welling up in her eyes.
"that……"
Sera Masumi turned her head.
"Do you like music?" The man standing quietly beside her had taken off his hood at some point, revealing a handsome face that was still striking even with stubble, and gave her a gentle smile.
His voice was very soft and pleasant, and his gaze was gentle as he smiled and offered her his silver bass to play with.
"Thank you..." Sera Masumi's emotions stabilized a little, and unconsciously followed his rhythm, her curiosity shifting to the bass guitar. She couldn't help but ask, "Are you... are you friends? Are you music lovers?"
This person is so gentle. I never expected my brother's friend to be such a gentle and easy-going person.
"Well, I guess so." The man with upturned blue cat-like eyes smiled and raised his eyebrows.
He was wearing very loose clothes and looked very thin with a slender body. However, when Sera Masumi was being taught to play bass while leaning against him, she could clearly feel the strong muscles on his body, especially his powerful arms.
Is it because you often carry your bass guitar while playing?
Sera Masumi couldn't help but glance back.
The bag that man used to carry his bass was clearly a soft bag, but after he took out the bass, the bag still stood upright on the pillar.
There's definitely something else inside.
Sera Masumi didn't think much of it at that moment.
Nestled in the man's broad, warm embrace, listening to his gentle, pleasant voice, she unconsciously became completely immersed in learning basic scales and trying to play the bass, a happy smile appearing on her face.
This person is really nice; no wonder he can become friends with my brother.
About ten minutes later, another blond, dark-skinned man wearing a baseball cap appeared.
He called out from behind, "Scotland."
The man, who was half-embracing her, turned his head and hummed in agreement.
His name is Scotland?
Sera Masumi turned her head curiously, wanting to see what the blond youth who didn't get along with her brother looked like.
As a result, she immediately saw the older brother who had just bought his train ticket walking over quickly with a cold face.
Shiliang Zhenjun: "..."
Sera Masumi immediately forgot about the blond youth and lowered her head nervously.
"Here, take the ticket and hurry home."
Sera Masumi took the ticket, whispered a thank you, hesitated, but still obediently boarded the train that had just arrived.
"Good luck, Xiu-ge," she silently wished for, looking forward to a future reunion that could be open and aboveboard.
I think I can get to know my brother's friends properly then.
“I didn’t know you liked children.” Ray turned to look at Scotland, who had carefully put Beth into his bag along with the sniper rifle.
“After all, it’s during a mission, and we’re carrying things with us. It would be terrible if he started crying and attracted other people’s attention,” Scotland laughed.
"Him?" Bourbon chuckled, stroking his chin. "It should be her, right?"
Ray's jawline was taut, and his eyes behind his sunglasses sharpened for a moment before quickly relaxing.
"How did you figure it out? I also thought he was just a naughty, annoying little boy," he said.
"Do you think this is something you can tell at a glance?" Bourbon mocked him.
“Wait, that child is a girl?” Scotland’s expression froze.
Bourbon immediately smiled and reassured Scotland, "You thought she was a boy, so you naturally held her and taught her to play bass, right? It's okay, after all, her style is quite androgynous, it's normal to mistake her for someone else. Besides, she seems very happy and likes you a lot, so don't worry about it."
But Scotland still seems to care a bit.
With his hands in his pockets, Rae subtly observed the two as they boarded the tram again to return home, his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses.
Did they realize something was wrong?
This mistake was far too big. Even if his response had been flawless, he was unsure how much Bourbon had observed, and even less certain what information Scotland had received from his sister during those ten minutes.
On the surface, Lei showed no reaction, but cold sweat was still running down his back, and countless thoughts were flashing through his mind.
Did Scotland extract any intelligence? Will they tell Bourbon? Will Bourbon investigate his true identity based on any clues?
He slowly exhaled.
Be prepared for the worst.
Then, let's test the waters.
*
March 21st arrived quickly.
This day is Rei Furuya's 26th birthday.
However, Matsuda Jinpei's gift was not successfully delivered.
Actually, they wouldn't have just let Rei Furuya take such a large Unit-00 away; they just wanted Rei Furuya to see it for himself.
The three of them were also quite worried about Furuya Rei's condition and wanted to take this opportunity to have a good talk with him, to tell him not to be too nervous or scared, and to remember to discuss things with them if anything happened, so that everyone could work together.
This is also a way to cheer on Unit-00.
After all, Furuya Rei can now disguise himself and change his voice, so sneaking over to celebrate their birthday wouldn't be a big problem.
but……
"I'm sorry, but that awful FBI agent has been watching me very closely these past few days and has done a lot of annoying probing. I'm in a bit of a bind right now, so it's best if you don't come over. You'll be in big trouble if he notices you."
Remember, stay far away from Shuichi Akai, that plague, and absolutely do not have anything to do with him.
——zero】
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
Matsuda Jinpei could only film a video of Unit-00 walking, then fixed the phone with a tripod, and helplessly sandwiched between the squad leader and Hagi to say happy birthday to the person on the other side of the video.
"I won't die," he said one last time, looking directly at the camera with a determined gaze.
*
The whiskey safe house on the other side.
It was just past midnight.
Lai was sitting on the sofa in the living room, busy with his laptop and keyboard, when he suddenly saw Bourbon's door open. The blond youth ignored him with a happy expression, grabbed his phone, opened the door to the Scottish room next door, and ran inside.
"Bang!" The door slammed shut.
Lai stopped what he was doing and listened quietly for a while, but there was no unusual noise coming from the well-insulated room.
He refocused his attention on the computer.
Bourbon ignored him, so whatever happened was probably none of his business.
Two days have passed, and he is still safely in the organization. Perhaps his identity has not been exposed?
Neither Scotland nor Bourbon has mentioned that day's events in the past few days. Did they really manage to cover it up?
Lei pondered for a moment, then relaxed slightly.
At least, he didn't detect any malice or murderous intent from those two people.
Oh, not counting the time Bourbon got so annoyed by his probing that he hit someone, that's just part of the routine.
*
The next afternoon, Rye heard that Scotland was teaching Bourbon to play guitar again.
Scotland uses bass, while bourbon uses guitar.
Unlike his simple use of the instrument case as a tool to hide his sniper rifle, Scotland has always loved music and often plays and sings when he is not on a mission.
Later he taught Bourbon, and the two would occasionally play together.
Lai had planned to take a nap, but after being woken up, he decided not to sleep anymore. He got up and went to the refrigerator in the living room to get a bottle of coffee to continue studying programming and hacking techniques.
He opened the door, his eyes slightly stung by the bright sunlight, and he squinted for a moment before he could see the scene before him clearly.
Bourbon and Scotland sat facing each other in chairs by the window, which was open and the white curtains were blown up by the wind, revealing cherry blossom petals dancing in the sunlight outside.
Ray took a can of iced coffee from the refrigerator, opened it with one hand, and watched them as he drank it.
Scotland glanced at him, said nothing, just smiled and looked back at Bourbon, plucking the strings at the same time Bourbon made his move.
The melodious music played by the two began, and even the wind outside the window seemed to blew down a cherry blossom, adding another touch of color to the scene.
It's in G major, "Hometown".
"The green hill where I chased rabbits, the great river where I fished for crucian carp—I often return to my hometown in my dreams."
"Unforgettable, unforgettable, my hometown."*
For him, the place where Hiro is is his hometown.
The blond youth strummed his guitar and hummed softly, his smile gentle and beautiful. Wearing a white shirt in the sunlight, he looked just like a happy, innocent boy, creating a warm and tender scene.
Lai was walking by with coffee, heading back to her room, when she saw his expression and froze for a full three seconds. After realizing what was happening, her expression turned complicated.
Honestly, for a moment he wavered and had the thought that Bourbon might actually be a good kid.
Lei felt it was a bit jarring, a bit jarring, and even more ironic. He was alarmed and wary of his own wavering, so he said expressionlessly, "It's awful."
Bourbon's face darkened instantly, and he immediately swept his leg out, yelling, "Mind your own business!"
Ray jumped up and dodged perfectly. After seeing Bourbon's nasty expression, he became much more relaxed and even smiled: "I'm just stating a fact."
Bourbon raised his fist again and punched him in the face, sneering, "You talk as if you're a great singer, why don't you sing a couple of lines and see?"
Lei silently blocked the attack.
No, although he can play a few musical instruments, he is tone-deaf when it comes to singing.
Although Bourbon sings a bit off-key, his voice is deep and gentle, so it's not too bad. But when he actually sings, it's a disaster.
"Alright, alright, we still have missions tonight, stop fighting." Scotland, as usual, took sides. "Besides, Bourbon sang so well, Ray must be joking."
"Really?" Bourbon's lips curled into a smile.
“Scotland, the filter has blinded your ears,” Rye said.
Bourbon threw another punch: "Ray, has no one ever told you that if you can't talk, you should just shut up?"
Leige blocked and retorted, "It's my freedom to say what I want, what? Are you angry?"
Bourbon was furious.
The two started fighting again.
Scotland stood by, sighing helplessly.
*
October has arrived.
The weather is starting to cool down, and the leaves are turning yellow and falling.
At 8 p.m., the three members of the Whiskey Team met at a bar called Lupin in Ginza, Tokyo, after completing their mission.
Scotch ordered a bourbon, bourbon ordered a Scotch, and Rye ordered a bourbon.
Bourbon looked shocked, his expression one of disgust and offense.
Lei was initially a little annoyed, but seeing his expression made him feel much better.
“I just like drinking bourbon,” he said. “I haven’t even complained about you taking my favorite name.”
Bourbon, expressionless, said, "I'm going to throw up."
Sitting between the two, the Scottish man helplessly tried to mediate: "Bourbon, don't copy Gin's scary expression."
In the midst of their usual playful banter, a clear "click" sound came from the side.
The three paused, turning their heads to see a long-haired girl awkwardly holding up her phone at a table in the corner, while her two companions next to her also blushed and looked nervous.
Bourbon got up and walked toward them.
"Taking photos without permission is not a good idea," he said with a smile.
"I'm so sorry, you guys are just too handsome, I couldn't resist..." the girl apologized hastily. "I'll delete it right away!"
After she deleted it, Bourbon smiled and clicked on "Deleted Images," selecting the photo of the three people to delete, but paused slightly after seeing it clearly.
In the photo, Bourbon and Rye are arguing while staring at each other, while Scotland, with her blue cat eyes and a helpless expression, tries to mediate.
That photo was actually very well taken. The three handsome young men, the lighting and atmosphere of the bar were all excellent, so it's no wonder she couldn't resist taking it.
but……
Bourbon eventually deleted the photos, smiled and said goodbye to the blushing girls, and returned to the bar.
However, instead of returning to his original seat, he moved his chair and squeezed in between Scotland and Rye.
Scotland:"?"
Lei: "..."
Bourbon nonchalantly picked up his glass and continued drinking.
He just suddenly remembered that folk tale.
Legend has it that if three people take a photo together, the person in the middle will soon die.
That's really bad luck.
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