Chapter 66 Hagi-chan is a good dad again today! ...
The "familiar face" gave each of them a dead fish eye, then turned and let the others in first.
Matsuda Jinpei and Hagiwara Kenji, who was rubbing his arm, were in a daze and walked with their arms and feet moving in unison.
"It's just right that we don't need to explain it separately."
Kitagawa Ryusei jumped onto the sofa, secretly clenching his fist, determined to change back before Date Kouya saw him like this.
He braced himself with his hands behind his back, his legs dangling precariously because they couldn't reach the ground. Skipping over the part about his superpowers, he briefly recounted the events to the three of them, omitting the beginning and end.
...
"...That's how it is, so I'm now forced to 'die in the line of duty'."
After the person involved explained the whole story like a storyteller, using a calm and collected boyish voice, all three people present except for Kenji Hagiwara instantly turned into beady eyes.
Even though he thought he was mentally prepared, Morofushi Kagemitsu was still shocked after hearing the story: "...Ryusei, you're going up against Gin?"
Matsuda Jinpei was even more incredulous, his expression shifting from shock to numbness: "What kind of pill could have this effect?"
This must be at least some kind of supernatural magic!
Kitagawa Ryusei only answered the two men's questions selectively, revealing the part he was most satisfied with in his confrontation with Gin: "Of course, and I also managed to pull out that long hair!"
He vowed, "When I go back this time, Gin will definitely shave his head."
If not, then at least I'll get a bob haircut.
Who can resist the urge to pluck the enemy's long hair that's waving around in front of them during a fight?
This is similar to how a cat's eyes will follow a cat toy, and it can't help but reach out its paw to pounce on it.
"hiss……"
His words sparked his thoughts, and Furuya Rei was already incredibly excited just imagining Gin with a buzz cut. He unconsciously rubbed his chin twice with his index finger: "I wonder if I can get the photo."
As his childhood friend, Morofushi Kagemitsu understood this guy's thoughts all too well. Coincidentally, he also wanted to see it—so he immediately flew over and gave him a meaningful look:
Zero, remember to share good things...
Even if I can't see it in person, a photo will do!
After a series of silent exchanges, Morofushi Kagemitsu turned his head and cleared his throat discreetly, trying to steer the conversation back on track: "What did Zero call us here for?"
Furuya Rei then remembered the important matter, turned around, and lifted Kitagawa Ryusei by the arms with both hands, raising him up to eye level as if displaying a treasure.
He said solemnly, "The organization has been very busy lately, and Team Zero can't be left without people. After thinking it over, I feel more at ease leaving Ryusei in Hiro's care."
To say he's busy is an understatement; the repercussions of the organization's list haven't even subsided yet, and now the police department is stirring up trouble again.
When Furuya Rei's direct superior, Kuroda Hyōe, received the list, especially the list of spies dispatched by the organization, his expression was unusually grim.
The organization has been operating in Japan for many years, and its influence is deeply entrenched. If it were to make a move, it would certainly cause quite a stir.
This officer made a decisive risk, bypassing the Superintendent General of Police and going directly to the Commissioner General of Police's office.
Although the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency does not hold a formal police rank, he is the highest-ranking official in the police system, directly appointed by the National Security Council.
After getting the list back, Kitagawa Ryusei acted as if it was none of his business. His reaction was calm to the point of being indifferent: "Things have come to this point. If the list issue is still a waste, then forget about any organization and just mourn for this country."
"..."
These words silenced Rei Furuya for a long time, his gaze filled with resentment as if he were looking at a heartless man.
Having exhausted the worst possibilities, he could only try to think of something positive: "I think there's still a chance to salvage the situation before the results come out... What do you think, Ryusei?"
Kitagawa Ryusei didn't take it seriously. As an ally, he also gave Akai Shuichi a copy of the list. If the FBI was unreliable, he could always go back to his old profession and do assassinations.
As long as he doesn't encounter a detective who can see through the truth at a glance, Kitagawa Ryusei is quite confident that he can escape unscathed.
The little boy, only 1.1 meters tall, whose full-body portrait in a comic book doesn't even need to be cut to a distant view, was sitting on the sofa, thinking expressionlessly.
...
Despite his height, Kitagawa Ryusei, who hadn't given up on assassinations, was being held high by the blond youth. No matter how hard he kicked, he couldn't touch the ground and could only protest loudly, "Zero, put me down! Stop lifting me up like that!"
He was still wearing a child's bathrobe, made of soft and loose material. With this thud, he not only kicked off his slippers, which were a size too big, but also revealed his short legs, which were less than the length of Furuya Zero's forearm.
Matsuda Jinpei, with his sharp eyes, immediately noticed something was wrong and exclaimed in alarm, "What happened to your knee? What did you do, you blond bastard?!"
His expression was so intense and heartbroken that it successfully drew everyone's attention to Kitagawa Ryusei.
All you could see was the boy's pale, slender leg dangling in mid-air, his knee covered in bruises, indicating he had recently been injured.
Perhaps it is the human instinct to protect their young, but the same scars that might go unnoticed on an adult become incredibly shocking on a child.
Even though they knew what kind of person Furuya Rei was, Hagiwara and Morofushi couldn't help but cast reproachful glances at him.
Furuya Rei was completely baffled.
Kitagawa Ryusei also has a big head.
Although she didn't want to recall the origin of the scar, Kitagawa Ryusei decided to explain it for the sake of her boyfriend's reputation.
He raised his hand to ruffle his bangs, looking somewhat annoyed: "...I slipped and fell myself, when I was stepping over the bathtub."
Having grown accustomed to a life with long arms and legs, Kitagawa Ryusei found it difficult to change some of his habits in a short time.
Not long ago, he got dizzy from being soaked in hot water in the bathroom. After taking a shower, he was about to get out of the bathtub when his legs were too short and he kicked the edge of the bathtub instead, bumping his head on it.
Rei Furuya, who heard something amiss outside, nearly broke open the locked bathroom door.
Thinking of the same thing, Furuya Rei disagreed: "I told Ryusei that he needed my help."
If he were here, this would never have happened.
Unfortunately, apart from him, no one else present agreed with this statement.
Even Morofushi Kagemitsu hesitated to speak after making eye contact with Kitagawa Ryusei, who had a lovely face and was being obediently lifted up.
Matsuda Jinpei couldn't stand it any longer, so he grabbed Kitagawa Ryusei from his arms and placed him on the sofa, not forgetting to take out the little Siamese and put it on Kitagawa's lap.
As the final act, Kenji Hagiwara quickly ended the dangerous topic: "Furuya, you can go ahead and do your work without worry. We can borrow Ruki for a couple of days!"
As he spoke, the black-haired youth's thoughts drifted off course.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and who wouldn't want to gain a friend from a less-than-ideal time of their studies?
Kitagawa Ryusei & Furuya Rei:......
Rei Furuya's gaze grew increasingly suspicious: Now that you mention it, I suddenly feel uneasy again.
With three guys—mainly Kenji Hagiwara—patting him on the shoulder and pounding his chest assuring him that they would take good care of Ruki Kitagawa, and Ruki Kitagawa strongly insisting that her survival skills hadn't disappeared along with her height, Rei Furuya finally left his house, looking back every few steps.
As the door closed, Kitagawa Ryusei looked away and noticed his three classmates bending down and surrounding him.
Their gaze swept over him like a detector.
It looks like three big cats who have discovered a new toy and are crouching in a circle to watch.
He is the new toy.
"..." At this moment, Kitagawa Ryusei's swallowing sound was slow and clear: Zero, come back soon.
The first to break the silence was Morofushi Kagemitsu.
He put on a gentle smile, as if coaxing a child: "Is Ryusei hungry? What would you like to eat?"
Matsuda Jinpei suddenly became very interested in the several sets of children's clothes on the sofa. He unfolded them one by one, picked them up and examined them from the front and back, and occasionally held them up in front of Kitagawa Ryusei to compare.
Having long envied Rei Furuya for lifting and carrying people around, Kenji Hagiwara, without saying a word, picked up Ruki Kitagawa completely: "Little Ruki, do you know what day it is today?"
I don’t know how many times today that her feet have left the ground, but Kitagawa Ryusei has become adept at putting on a dead fish-like expression of silent protest.
He hadn't trusted calendars or weather forecasts in a long time, and shook his head honestly, replying, "I don't know."
"Today is Children's Day!"
The black-haired youth, his voice tinged with childlike playfulness, nearly took flight as he tossed Kitagawa Ryusei into the air and spun him around before setting him down. He then turned to the other two for their opinions: "Jinpei, Morofushi, how about we take Ryusei to the zoo?"
"..."
Kitagawa Ryusei: "I'm not really a child, you know!"
Kenji Hagiwara spoke with such sincerity that he reasonably suspected it was the guy's own idea to go.
The little boy turned his pleading gaze to his two classmates.
Please, stop Kenji Hagiwara from having such a sudden whim.
If we dare to celebrate Children's Day with him today, we'll dare to let him hold a baby milkshake, watch children's cartoons, and call him "uncle" tomorrow!
To everyone's surprise, Matsuda Jinpei put on sunglasses and looked left and right without lowering his head, since Kitagawa Ryusei was now unable to make eye contact with him.
Zhu Fujingguang was pleased with the outcome, but reminded him, "I won't go. Just make sure he doesn't eat anything too cold or spicy, as children have sensitive stomachs."
Kitagawa Ryusei: "..."
Morofushi Kagemitsu had such a patriarchal air about him that Kenji Hagiwara knew the matter was basically settled as soon as he spoke.
He turned and high-fived Matsuda Jinpei, cheering, "Nice!"
Let's go to the zoo!
Unable to resist, Kitagawa Ryusei scurried back to the sofa on her short legs, clutching her cat tightly in her arms, her eyes wary and alert, looking pitiful as she huddled in the shadows of a corner.
A tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs. Sooner or later, he will turn back into his former self, and then none of these guys will escape...
...
It was said to be a Children's Day celebration for Kitagawa Ryu, but it was more like Hagiwara Kenji taking the two kids out for a walk.
The person who appears childlike but is actually a cold adult has likely just experienced something bad; going out for a walk can help distract them.
Despite his mature appearance, his curly-haired childhood friend is as straightforward as a child, and he was genuinely shocked when he received the news of Kitagawa Ryusei's death. Although Matsuda Jinpei didn't bring it up, it was still necessary for him to go out and calm down.
Kenji Hagiwara looked at his two "children" with satisfaction, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
Hagi-chan is a great dad today too!
Matsuda Jinpei, who was walking ahead and whose attention was drawn to the python coiled around the tree, seemed to sense something and turned back. He was still holding Kitagawa Ruki's hand to prevent him from getting lost in the crowd because he was too short.
Upon seeing this, the black-haired youth immediately put on an innocent face and even subconsciously winked, his eyes sparkling.
The curly-haired youth was not fooled by his appearance and remained suspicious for a long time.
He lowered his head and met Kitagawa Ryusei's gaze, confirming that the other had also noticed something was wrong. Then he looked up and glared at his childhood friend: "You... you're thinking of something rude again, aren't you!"
"Hahaha, how could that be?" In the face of intuition, all acting skills are meaningless. Hagiwara Kenji simply stopped pretending and kept looking around, deliberately showing his guilty conscience.
Anyway, Xiaozhenping has no evidence, so the "friendship punch" won't land on his own face.
Matsuda Jinpei's curly hair almost turned into a frizzy mess.
Seeing that he was about to provoke the person, the black-haired youth ran away without looking back, leaving behind a distant remark:
"Jinpei, Ryusei, do you want ice cream? I'll go buy some!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he disappeared.
Once the noisiest one left, the surroundings instantly became much quieter. Matsuda Jinpei looked around, but still felt something was off.
Intuition alone isn't enough in this regard, so he bent down and whispered uncertainly in Kitagawa Ryusei's ear, "Have you noticed the tail?"
Not long after entering the zoo, Matsuda Jinpei felt several eyes following him subtly.
Although there was no malicious intent, it's still difficult to ignore.
Hearing him say that, Kitagawa Ryusei's gaze subconsciously swept over the small flower beds in the zoo, where hydrangeas of various colors were blooming.
Several small figures huddled together behind the flower bed. One boy was too big to hide, so he raised two tree branches to cover his eyes. Soon, a small hand with a blue sleeve pressed his head down.
“Since it’s Children’s Day,” Kitagawa Ryusei said with a chuckle, “it must be a group of adorable children.”
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