A minute later, the Brown-haired girl let go of Gin and turned around, looking at Vermouth's rare expression of surprise with an air of arrogance, before tilting his head triumphantly and leaning against Gin's shoulder.
Gin frowned slightly, looking somewhat displeased, but in the end, he did not push her away.
He rarely ever pushed her away.
Shiratori Midori flashed a flamboyant smile.
Vermouth..
She felt as if she had been force-fed a bowl of dog food for no reason.
This time, it was Vermouth's turn to show an awkward yet polite smile. Just as she was about to say something, she saw the Silver-haired youth sit up straight, his attitude humble yet unyielding as he spoke.
“Vermouth, since now isn't the right time to discuss business, how about we meet at the 'Lemon' bar today?”
The blonde woman scrutinized the two young partners with amusement, her gaze meeting Gin's green eyes in a silent stare-down. After a few seconds, she finally nodded.
The moment she turned around, Vermouth couldn't help but sneer inwardly: She really is protective..
..
Only after the blonde woman's figure had completely disappeared did Gin turn his head to look at his good friend.
Shiratori Midori blinked and smiled, looking completely innocent.
Gin rolled his eyes helplessly. "I only asked you to help me out of a tight spot; was it necessary to use this method?"
“No need.” Although Shiratori Midori was in the wrong, he was quite stubborn. His green eyes rolled as he asked back without changing his expression, "Are you angry?"
Gin raised an eyebrow and reached out with his left hand to flick the girl's nose, "No."
They looked at each other and laughed together.
..
The lights in the bar were flickering.
After Vermouth left, Gin sat drinking a cocktail while lost in thought.
Having just finished a battle of wits and discussing matters with Vermouth, the Silver-haired youth was truly exhausted, his vigilance had slightly declined.
Then, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
His vigilance had not yet dropped to the point where someone could approach him and tap his shoulder without him noticing, so he knew exactly who that person was.
Shiratori Midori.
Only she could make Gin lower his guard slightly.
And so, without even looking back, the Silver-haired youth spoke a single word: "Sit."
Why did you come to this bar?" Shiratori Midori didn't mention at all how long he had been waiting for Vermouth to leave. "I've been looking for this place for a long time.
This bar was not large, nor was it particularly famous, but despite its small size, it was fully equipped with all the necessary facilities. It was especially meticulous when it came to mixology, attracting many regulars.
The Silver-haired youth swirled the drink in his hand, his eyes looking lazy and nonchalant. "Convenient, right?"
It is quite convenient.
Gin knew this bar because he was learning mixology here.
He couldn't learn the essence of mixology by attending classes with a large group—not to mention that his identity made it unsuitable for him to participate in a training course with a dozen or more people.
Gin learned mixology at a bar run by a friend upon the recommendation of his subordinates—the bar owner was also a member of the Black Organization.
The bar owner was sitting in a corner, the Silver-haired youth could almost imagine his expression of frustrated disappointment, yet being unable to speak out in anger.
He suddenly felt it was somewhat amusing.
The Silver-haired youth [male] thought kindly to himself that he shouldn't trouble the Bar owner anymore; he had learned enough from these lessons.
He had learned mixology entirely on a whim, once he realized he lacked much in the way of natural talent, he had no intention of obsessing over it.
However, he did manage to pick up a few moves to fool people, as well as how to sophisticatedly mix a few drinks that interested him—after all, when you learn something, you might as well have a few tricks to show off!
The bar was filled with colorful, dazzling lights. On a stage not far away, men and women were partying wildly. Gin watched for a while before finding the lights too blinding.
Shiratori's curious voice reached his ears: "Why is this bar called Lemon?"
"Maybe because the lemons in this bar are particularly delicious?" He offered a blatantly fabricated answer.
I don't like eating lemons." The green-eyed girl spoke just to fill the silence; she hadn't ordered anything yet, was currently leisurely observing the decor of the bar, leaning his arms against the counter to support himself. "It's too sour.
"It certainly is," Gin agreed with him.
He watched the man and woman's revelry with listless eyes, listening to the roaring music inside the bar, feeling a sudden, restless urge to "start something big."
Moreover..
The Silver-haired youth tilted his head and offered Shiratori Midori a faint, shallow smile, the frost within his cold, dark eyes seemingly melting into the brilliant lights of the bar, revealing a hint of warmth amidst the shimmering glow.
Come here.
After saying those words, he stood up and walked toward the bar.
The youth looked to be only in his early twenties; with his long legs, handsome features, a rare head of silver hair that shimmered like moonlight, he had long since attracted the attention of many.
Moreover, he made no effort to hide himself and had absolutely no intention of keeping a low profile.
There were even many people discussing him, both men and women.
It was just that the youth's aura was too cold, since he had only been alone for a short time before a brown-haired girl arrived, no one dared to approach him recklessly to strike up a conversation.
At that moment, he suddenly stood up and walked to the bar, causing a small stir.
The youth was indifferent, a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth as he spoke a few words to the Bartender at the bar.
Shiratori Midori did not understand why, but he had always listened to Gin. At this moment, he stood up and walked toward Gin.
The Bartender recognized this Silver-haired youth; he glanced at the Bar owner, after receiving instructions, he fulfilled Gin's request and stepped aside.
The Silver-haired youth began to mix the cocktail.
He first used sugar to rim the cocktail glass; his slender fingers were agile and incredibly fast, in just a few short seconds, the glass appeared as if it were coated in frost. He turned, his green eyes sweeping across the selection before picking a bottle of Vodka as the base spirit, pouring two-thirds of it into the shaker. Then, with an effortless grace, he picked up the White Cointreau beside him and poured in one-third. The entire sequence of movements was fluid and seamless.
He gripped the bar spoon in his left hand, twirling it casually around his fingertips before using it to add two scoops of fresh lime juice. The small section of the youth's wrist revealed under the flickering lights was blindingly white, yet even while focusing intently on his mixology, his expression remained one of nonchalant coldness.
He began to shake the cocktail shaker.
He had always done well in this regard—one could even say he was the only one who satisfied the bar owner.
Gin is wearing a loose beige shirt today, the movement exposes his forearms. Years of training have given his forearms a thin layer of muscle, concealing an explosive power.
The Silver-haired youth Shaker's movements were not exaggerated, yet they possessed an extraordinary tension and a sense of power. The youth had a handsome face and cold eyes, but at this moment, they seemed to reveal an inner aggression, wild and dangerous.
It was also exceptionally sexy.
Midori seemed to hear someone beside him swallowing hard.
He glared fiercely at the person beside him, the killing intent, though not intense, was sharp enough to make the person shudder.
Gin seemed to sense something, he lifted his eyes to glance at him.
Then he slightly raised his eyebrows, his emerald-green eyes flashing with a sharp light as he curled his lips into a smirk.
This time, it was the sound of a sharp intake of breath.
..
After shaking the cocktail, Gin poured the drink into a cocktail glass coated with a layer of sugar to create a snowy effect, then garnished it with a mint cherry.
The cocktail was white, appearing icy and transparent under the lights, with a rim of sugar snow that looked incredibly elegant and ancient. A single green holly cherry sank to the bottom of the glass, its color resembling a holly tree, serving as the perfect finishing touch.
Yujiguni Cocktail
Snow Country.
A wine with the meaning of "tranquility" was held in a fair, slender hand with well-defined knuckles.
The lights in the bar were colorful and flickering, weaving together into a gorgeous and decadent scene. The gazes of men and women alike fell upon the Silver-haired youth; he was the center of attention.
He has always been the center of attention.
Shiratori Midori thought he might feel jealous, but he found that he did not.
He wasn't jealous; she was happy and proud.
He should have been the center of everyone's attention.
The Silver-haired youth did not care about the gazes surrounding him; although he usually exercised restraint, he was a person who followed his own way to the core. The youth took his glass and left the bar, walking ahead of Shiratori Midori under everyone's watchful eyes.
Gin handed the drink in his hand to Shiratori Midori,
The lights shone down, making everything dazzling and magnificent; a shimmer danced in the youth's eyes, as if they contained ten thousand stars.
In that instant, the cheers and jeers of men and women in the bar erupted, everyone laughing, making a scene, chatting. All the sounds blended together, merging into a low, constant hum. In such an environment, unless one was screaming at the top of their lungs, it was difficult to hear a single person's voice clearly.
But the clear voice of the youth before him was not loud, yet it was exceptionally distinct.
Shiratori Midori heard every word clearly.
He said, "Happy birthday, Shiratori."
..
The Blonde-haired woman, who had not yet left from not far away, was not blended into the crowd; she was smoking a cigarette, quietly watching this scene.
After a long silence, she let out a sigh as if filled with emotion, then she revealed a smile.
It was a smile that was different from her usual ones, yet exceptionally genuine.
Author's Note:
----------------------
(1) A plant god from Greek mythology, the earliest source of the Western concept of a "handsome man." I think you all should have an impression of him? However, I will still note it here; please search Baidu for more details.
(2) Do you all remember the Magic Bird? He is the special one!
(3) Information regarding the cocktail "Snow Country"
Snow Country is a type of Japanese cocktail. I haven't tried it, but it is exceptionally beautiful; you can search for pictures of it.
The cocktail Snow Country has a special meaning.
A Silver Bullet can be made with Gin and Rye (Akai Shuichi's codename).
A Martini can be made with Gin and Absinthe (Vermouth).