She couldn't help but think of the evaluation given by her nemesis-turned-lover after they had become friends, thinking to herself: Caravaggio is a spirit distilled from apples, the first performance Vermouth gave was the Golden Apple..
Pfft—
In the distance, Vermouth seemed to sense something; he raised an eyebrow and looked over with a half-smile.
Shiratori Midori gave an awkward smile and averted his gaze.
The others were all quite boring.
Eh—?
She saw a white-haired girl.
That girl was only about seventeen years old, with rare white hair, her appearance looked somewhat familiar.
"Do you know that girl?" she asked Bagdad beside her.
Bagdad looked in the direction Shiratori Midori was pointing and gave a soft hum in response, saying, "That one is under Rum's command. It is said she has special talents and will likely receive a codename in a couple of years."
Shiratori Midori.. I feel like her configuration is very similar to Curacao?
She was lost in thought, privately pondering, when her reflections were interrupted by a familiar male voice.
“What are you thinking about?”
"It's that girl.. she looks somewhat familiar." Considering there were people around, Shiratori Midori did not speak too clearly.
However, his answer was quite clear.
"That is Curacao," Gin answered bluntly.
Shiratori Midori was startled. She turned to look around, only to find that Bagdad had already left.
She turned back, looked at her close friend, asked, "Is it really Curacao?"
"Correct." Gin was certain; there was no way he hadn't been involved in anything over these past three years. He had made contact with all the Black Organization members mentioned in the Spoilers.
"I see.." Shiratori Midori couldn't help but recall the first time he heard the codename "Curacao" three years ago, a sudden wave of inexplicable emotion rising within his heart.
Time flies so fast.
Noticing that Shiratori Midori was in low spirits, Gin asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
I'm fine.. just a bit bored.
Anyway, there's nothing left to do," Gin thought for a moment, then said directly, "If you're bored, let's leave first.
Under the lights of the gala, starlight shimmered within the silver-haired youth's dark green eyes; his eyes, which usually held a faint chill, rarely showed a hint of concern. As the brown-haired girl looked into them, it was as if she were falling into an emerald lake.
He smiled and said, "Okay."
The banquet was filled with clinking glasses and toasts, with everyone dressed in suits and ties, creating an atmosphere of celebration.
The moment the Silver-haired youth looked at him, everyone else seemed to lose their importance.
He should have been happy, but at this moment, a sudden wave of immense sorrow welled up in his heart for some unknown reason.
Author's Note:
----------------------
First, let me clarify one thing: this is indeed a pure love story.
Miss Shiratori holds the script of a first love and a white moonlight, but his role is far more than just a first love and a white moonlight; his influence is immense, note that [it does not only act upon emotions].
Here is a hint: Shiratori's mental state is problematic; don't assume Gin is without issues—it's just that his issues aren't with his [mentality].
I can say no more than this; to say anything more would be Spoilers.
I really, really don't want to give away any Spoilers.. Even though the revelation isn't far off.. But I refuse to give away Spoilers! — From the author's firm inner monologue
The internal monologue at the beginning of this chapter contains hidden meanings; I have left quite a few obvious and non-obvious foreshadowing clues..
Some clever little angels have already guessed the obvious ones—though they aren't entirely correct, not a single subtle one has been noticed QAQ
Although I plant my foreshadowing subtly so that it goes unnoticed, it's actually a bit upsetting that no one has noticed it; it's quite strange..
If any little angels guess it before the next chapter is released, I will release bonus chapters!
..
Besides, why is everyone's focus only on Midori? Don't you think Gin has been incredibly charming these past few chapters?!
The young Gin is wonderful!
In a few more chapters, I'll have to use "Time Flies***," so I'd better cherish the still somewhat youthful Gin!
The next chapter contains an important plot twist; it will likely be a long chapter—or perhaps two.
Chapter 11: This is Not His Limit
Gin knew he was dreaming.
The dream was about something that happened several years ago.
He was young back then, only fourteen or fifteen, but he was undergoing training that far exceeded that of his peers.
He was struck hard in the abdomen by a powerful punch, collapsing weakly to the ground with his head hanging low.
His silver-haired ponytail had come undone as the hair tie snapped, allowing his hair to fall loosely across his face and obscure his expression. The youth's handsome features seemed frozen under a layer of unmelting frost, cold and chilling, while his emerald eyes shimmered with an icy light.
It was so sharp it felt like a blade, piercing straight into one's heart.
He no longer remembered the instructor's crude verbal abuse; he only vaguely remembered that the words were extremely foul—at least, they were foul enough for his past self.
Insulting words emerged from the man's muffled throat, as sticky and unpleasant as a piece of chewed, saliva-soaked gum. The burly man spat thick phlegm from time to time, his eyes burning with rage and malice.
It was a toxic fire born of jealousy—the resentment of a man whose talents were limited, a man who, no matter how hard he struggled, would spend his entire life merely scrambling through the middle ranks, directed at a young man who was still green and tender, yet already clearly possessed of infinite potential.
He envied the Silver-haired youth's youth, envied his body that had not yet been eroded by scars and pain, envied his outstanding talent.
He vented this jealousy through fists and harsh punishments upon the young boy—even though the Black Organization had regulations regarding the training intensity for youths of this age, he had far too many ways to push the limits and make life difficult for the Silver-haired youth.
In the future, Gin would have countless ways to retaliate, but at that time, he was still too naive.
The Silver-haired youth was punished by being made to stand in the training ground. A heavy summer downpour poured down, with large raindrops lashing against his face. The exhaustion of the day combined with the pain in his body made it nearly impossible for the youth to keep his eyes open.
The rain was bone-chillingly cold, as if it were freezing his very heart.
Isolated and without help.
However, amidst the rain, another cold body embraced him, shouting something loudly into his ear.
The girl was screaming with all his might, but he could not hear clearly what she was shouting.
The only thing he remembered was that, despite it being an equally cold body, he felt a hint of warmth from it.
The Silver-haired youth's breathing grew heavy, his dark green eyes snapped open. In an instant, the confusion of having just been startled awake from a dream vanished completely.
He felt an inexplicable sense of panic.
The phone not far away vibrated, its screen lighting up with an incoming call and emitting a faint, cold glow that added a touch of mystery and omen to the darkness.
The silver-haired youth stood up and walked a few steps to the table. He looked at the phone that was vibrating tirelessly on the table, his gaze somewhat vacant.
His fingertips on his left hand trembled slightly.
He picked up his phone.
Vermouth's seductive voice carried a hint of indescribable seriousness at this moment.
Gin, Sherry is suspected of betrayal.
..
Sherry was truly the most outstanding among this batch of newly promoted executives.
Under the joint investigation of three veteran members of the Black Organization, traces of the Brown-haired girl were constantly reported, but no one could truly find him.
She was like a drop of water, falling silently into the crowd; you knew clearly that she was right there, yet she was so difficult to find.
Even the seasoned Vermouth could not help but speak highly of Sherry after hearing about this situation.
However, the person who couldn't be found did not include Gin.
He was truly too familiar with Sherry, knowing her habits inside and out; in fact, there were many things he had taught the brown-haired girl himself.
In the eyes of others, Sherry was like a drop of colorless water, but in her eyes, Sherry was a drop of colored water; even if she fell into a cup full of water, she would still be seen clearly.
He found her.
"You found me.." The Brown-haired girl smiled at him, his smile just as it had always been, his green eyes sparkling like leaves freshly washed after the rain.
"Why don't you leave?" Gin met his friend's green eyes, suddenly feeling a bit confused about what she was thinking.
Shiratori Midori blinked, a smile still lingering on the corners of his mouth. "I can't escape."
But he would have preferred not to have found him.
"You could have escaped," Gin emphasized, stressing several syllables.
—He was too familiar with his habits, so every trace appeared so obvious.
—He knew his habits too well; how could she not notice when he was almost deliberately leaving his traces?
I can't escape," Shiratori Midori said very seriously. "As long as you are here, I won't be able to escape.
Gin remained silent for a long while. Just as Midori thought he would not speak and was preparing to be taken back, the youth's clear yet slightly husky voice rang out.
"I want you to run." The youth's voice was not yet the deep, melodic tone it would become in the future, but it was crisp and clear, like a cool, refreshing spring from the mountains.
It also carried the stubbornness and solitary courage unique to youth.
His grandmother's green eyes gazed steadily toward him, the faint chill that usually resided within them having completely dissipated, revealing a sense of purity and brightness deep within his eyes.
It was as if something was growing within his eyes, forcefully breaking through every restraint.
A clear yet indescribable hope and determination appeared in the youth's eyes, making his entire being seem to shine.
Leave this place, Shiratori Midori.
Remember, don't look back.
..