Chapter 93, My dear, are you willing to spend the rest of your life with me...?
In an inconspicuous corner bar in a French city.
The dim lighting illuminated the bar, but couldn't dispel the oppressive atmosphere surrounding the two men sitting opposite each other in the corner. Morofushi Kagemitsu and Akai Shuichi, who should have been happy to have just received their codenames, had codename drinks in front of them, but these drinks seemed more like a way to drown their sorrows than a celebration.
Morofushi Kagemitsu: "..."
Akai Shuichi: "..."
"Sizzle—" Morofushi Kagemitsu dropped a cold ice cube into his glass. The amber-colored liquor touched the transparent ice, instantly releasing wisps of white steam. He picked up the glass and took a large gulp of liquor in frustration. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, but it couldn't suppress the weariness that came from within.
Morofushi Kagemitsu sighed deeply, his eyes unfocused. "I thought that getting a codename would make things a little easier and help me close the gap with Bourbon, but I never expected that Bourbon would raise the standard for an excellent employee to an inhuman level. The gap between us and him has only widened."
Even in a 2v1 match (Nekono Ikuya: lol, actually it was 2v2), Morofushi Kagemitsu stared at the whiskey in his glass and muttered to himself, "Bourbon... what a terrifying man."
He recalled the legends circulating in the intelligence group about Bourbon, how he used his extraordinary charm and shrewdness to thrive in Paris, and how he managed to make the codename 'Bourbon' a legend in the French region in a short period of time.
...This person is terrifying.
Sitting opposite him, Shuichi Akai didn't speak, but simply swirled his glass and silently took a large gulp of his drink. He still wore his knitted hat, and a few strands of curly hair fell across his forehead, adding to his aloof demeanor. But upon closer inspection, one could see an unyielding weariness hidden deep within his eyes.
To avoid appearing too incompetent in comparison to Bourbon, he and Scotland traveled between cities almost non-stop. The tasks piled up one after another, leaving them no time to catch their breath; this week alone, they had already visited three cities and completed four tasks.
I thought this efficiency was amazing enough, but I didn't expect that I was still completely suppressed by Bourbon.
That guy seemed to belong here by birth, blending into the glamour and shadows of Paris like a drop of water into the ocean, silently building a vast and sophisticated intelligence network at an astonishing speed, which even drew praise from the mysterious organization's boss through Vermouth.
Bourbon's reputation and standing within the organization skyrocketed, becoming an insurmountable mountain for them. Even Shuichi Akai couldn't help but want to swear. Just who exactly is this Bourbon?
No, we can't go on like this. If we continue, Bourbon will be fine, but they'll collapse first.
Shuichi Akai silently poured himself another glass of wine, took a deep breath, and suddenly said, "Think about it carefully, we're not even in the same league as Bourbon."
He calmly analyzed: "Bourbon is an intelligence officer, we are snipers. The types of missions, evaluation standards, and even the way performance is calculated are different. What exactly are we competing with him on?"
A flicker of realization crossed Zhu Fujingguang's eyes. He tentatively replied, his tone much more relaxed: "You're right. Then... how about we just let it go?"
The two men, exhausted both physically and mentally by an invisible adversary, exchanged a glance and saw the same sense of relief in each other's eyes. They raised their glasses.
"bite--"
The crisp sound of glass colliding rang out, symbolizing a tacit understanding being reached.
However, in the next mission cycle—
Akai Hideaki stared blankly at the mission list: "The next mission is in Lyon. We can leave half a day early to make more thorough preparations."
Morofushi Kagemitsu nodded in agreement: "Agreed. The equipment should also be checked again to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Shuichi Akai and Hiromitsu Morofushi: How could we not get involved? We can't be undercover police officers who work harder than an organization member, can we?
Sooner or later! He (Shuichi Akai/Hidemitsu Morofushi) will put these despicable criminals (especially Bourbon) in jail!!!
Is this a way of forcing the other person to rest to prevent them from dying from overexertion?! (Akai Shuichi/Morofushi Kagemitsu's darkened expression)
Brandy stared dumbfounded at the three newly packaged whisky performance reports: his hand holding the report trembled slightly.
Being swept away by a newcomer.jpg, Painful mask.jpg.
Stop rolling around!
...
The evening breeze along the Seine, carrying moisture and romance, caressed the figures walking hand in hand on the bank. The river shimmered, reflecting the lights on both banks and the sparse stars in the sky.
Having just finished a long journey, Shuichi Akai, his face still showing signs of fatigue, strolled leisurely along the riverbank towards their temporary lodging. Paris was merely a stopover; he would be heading to the next city with Scotland early the next morning for a new cleanup mission. At this moment, he only wanted to use the beautiful scenery along the riverbank to wash away some of his mental exhaustion during this brief respite.
In the quiet of the night, his gaze inadvertently swept across the distance and he saw two familiar figures whom he had met once before—a one-sided encounter.
During his stay in France, Shuichi Akai had been hearing about the genius painter Cécile in various places. He was leaning against the railing, his signature long black curly hair swaying slightly in the evening breeze, his deep blue eyes reflecting the shimmering light on the river. His demeanor was serene and melancholic, more poetic than any painting he had ever seen.
Standing beside him was a tall, blond, dark-skinned young man. The artist was gazing at the starlight falling into the Seine, while the blond youth was quietly gazing back at the artist.
"Oh, we meet again? What a coincidence." Shuichi Akai continued his stroll, his hands in his pockets.
"What are you looking at?" The artist's voice, with its distinctive intonation, remained fixed on the fragmented moonlight reflected on the river.
The blond youth did not answer immediately; his gaze remained fixed on the other man's profile outlined by the moonlight. After a moment, he suddenly spoke.
“Sometimes I feel like it’s all a dream that’s too beautiful.” His voice was deep and gentle.
Samuel finally turned to look at him: "Afraid to wake up?"
The blond youth gently shook his head.
"Aren't you afraid, Amuro?" Samuel's gaze suddenly took on an artist's sensibility: "Our encounter is merely a brief act of kindness from fate, which must ultimately be repaid?"
(Shuichi Akai frowned. Why the pessimistic tone? Is it a bit too sentimental? Return it?)
Samuel's voice was soft, and he looked away: "We are like two rivers that meet, and after a brief entanglement, we will eventually flow to our respective oceans. This is perhaps just a brief encounter destined to separate."
(Shuichi Akai: It seems like just another normal sentimental remark...the melancholy of an artist)
Amuro Tooru's smile faded, replaced by intense focus and seriousness. He stepped closer to Samuel, his voice firm yet gentle: "No, afraid? Of course not!"
He took Samuel's hand and held it gently: "I'm not afraid. The moon hangs high in the sky, unreachable! Perhaps... perhaps you won't be the moon that ultimately belongs to me! But—"
Amuro Tooru's fingertips tightened slightly, and he paused for a moment. "But there is one thing I am absolutely certain of: your moonlight shone on me so realistically!"
His gaze was so gentle and focused, as if he were truly looking at the moon in the sky, or gazing at the one and only treasure in his life.
The love in his eyes seemed genuine.
The artist's eyes shimmered, and he spoke softly, as if to himself, or as if he had just realized something: "...You love me."
The blond youth chuckled: "Of course I love you."
Then the artist's expression suddenly changed. He no longer concealed the same love in his eyes and gazed deeply into the blond youth's purplish-gray eyes.
"...You love me too," the blond youth suddenly murmured.
Amuro Tooru's soul trembled at that gaze, suddenly struck by an impulse.
His eyes shone with sincerity and fervor as he earnestly took Samuel's hand: "It is precisely because the future is uncertain that we must seize the present moment. I love you, Samuel, and I know you love me. Now I no longer want to be just a passerby in your life. Forget about those unattainable moons and oceans!"
The blond youth suddenly released his grip, paused briefly, and took out a dark blue velvet box from his pocket, opening it as the artist's slightly widened eyes widened in surprise.
A simple yet exquisitely elegant platinum ring rests quietly in a velvet box, reflecting a pure and romantic luster in the moonlight and starlight.
“Perhaps this is a bit impulsive,” the blond youth said, his eyes filled with sincerity and longing, his tone urgent, “but I really want this moment to last forever. Samuel, my dear Samuel, will you spend the rest of your life with me?”
He knelt down on one knee.
Shuichi Akai, who hadn't gone far, happened to see this scene and unconsciously slowed his pace. He watched as the blond youth knelt on one knee. The artist was stunned at first, but after a brief moment of surprise, the corners of his lips turned up, and an uncontrollable smile bloomed on his face, a smile that made the stars in the sky pale in comparison.
The night breeze carried intermittent cheers, and passersby in the distance spontaneously applauded the couple.
How bold and romantic! France happens to be one of the countries where same-sex marriage is legal, so it seems Paris has gained another romantic legend.
Shuichi Akai turned and disappeared into the night, a gentle breeze carrying whispers.
Samuel: "Oh, by the way, I have a gift for you too."
Amuro Tooru: "Oh, what gift?"
Samuel: "It's a sapphire Poirot bow tie."
Amuro Tooru: "The color of the gemstone is very similar to your eyes... I like it very much."
...
Inside the temporary shelter, Scotland, who was carefully inspecting his weapons, watched as Rye, who had just gone out for a walk, looked completely refreshed.
Since arriving in France, Scotland had been partnered with Lyle, acting as sniper and spotter respectively. Snipers and spotters need to be close and have a good understanding of each other, which brought Scotland, who had grown much closer to Lyle, naturally asked curiously, "Lyle, did something good happen to you while you were taking a walk just now?"
Lay didn't hesitate to use this topic to get closer to Scotland, who was a good partner, and getting closer might come in handy sometime: "It's nothing, I just happened to witness a romantic love story."
It's fate that we met for the first time and that he happened to be there when I proposed.
The atmosphere and eye contact between the artist and the blond youth were so genuine... I'm totally shipping them.
The Scottish man, who felt like he'd misheard, was thinking: "???"
ah?
...
Two months later, Scotland and Leigh, having finally completed most of their tasks, returned to Paris, weary from their journey.
As Lai casually passed by the newsstand, he saw a newspaper and his eyes narrowed.
Scotland looked around warily: "What's wrong, Ry?"
Lei's tone was low: "It's nothing."
It's just that the couple he shipped seemed to be separated by an insurmountable chasm of life and death, and it ended badly.
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