Gin could not tell whether it was the physical pain or the heartache that was more unbearable for him.
Dazed and helpless, it was as if he had returned to that rainy night many years ago.
Even though he was clearly in the Punishment Room, even though it wasn't raining and no raindrops were hitting him, Gin felt as if he could still sense the freezing cold of that year spent in the rain.
He felt a chill run through his entire body.
Leaning against the wall, he finally could not hold back his sobs.
At this moment, he felt as if he had turned back into that youth in the rain, looking utterly wretched.
But this time, he had even lost Shiratori Midori.
Author's Note:
----------------------
It seems the hints in the previous chapter weren't clear enough.. Actually, one should have been able to see that the point about "Shiratori wasn't silenced but instead joined the Organization" was problematic..
Maybe I didn't provide enough hints ORZ
I'll just say it straight.
At first, it was said that Shiratori was involved unintentionally and had entered the Black Organization by accident, but in reality, that was just a story used to deceive him.
Unless there are special circumstances, the Black Organization's general method of dealing with people is to silence them—for example, Kudo.
They have ways of forging crime scenes (for example, Takao; Amuro Tooru survived because Gin went easy on him, Shiratori couldn't bear to do it, besides, he hadn't truly discovered their identities).
Shiratori Midori's parents and little sister are all ordinary people, they are also unaware of Shiratori's situation, which indicates that the only special one is Shiratori himself.
And Shiratori had not previously shown any signs of being "special"; this specialness was something brought upon him by others.
This is the Puzzle mentioned in the previous chapter.
The fundamental cause of Shiratori's death was his psychological issues, the trigger was Puzzle.
I will organize everything for you once Shiratori's side story is released, don't worry, mwah~
..
I can't help but say a few words about Shiratori's characterization.
This girl's appearance is necessary; to be honest, her emergence is not merely for angst, nor is it solely to shape the image of a "White Moonlight."
To be honest, I originally created her for Gin.
Shiratori's "Shiro" corresponds to Kurosawa's "Kuro," and Midori is the color of his eyes—and Gin's eyes are also green.
She was exactly that kind of character; as I was writing her, I suddenly realized there were many aspects of her that could be explored in depth..
Then, I added some subplots to her character and enriched her personality.
So, when I actually reached this chapter, I felt an inexplicable sense of melancholy and sadness..
..
The beginning of this chapter was very difficult to write; I tried to make the middle part more lighthearted, but it didn't work well; instead, it only started flowing smoothly toward the end..
After writing the last sentence, I feel a bit down..
By the way, I originally intended to write Shiratori facing death with composure, but I later added a part where he cries; I personally feel this makes it feel much more real.
She was only in her early twenties.
Little Spider in Avengers 3.. so heartbreaking.
For Shiratori, fearing death was normal, in front of Gin, he didn't need to hide anything.
I can't bear to let Gin be sad for too long; there will be hope in the next chapter.
The author keeps his word! Little sister didn't die.. she really didn't die! She will be off-screen for a long time, but she really isn't gone.. Pay attention to the details in this chapter, everyone!
I have some good news for everyone (who has been suffering): the character that many Little Angels have been asking about is going to make an appearance in the chapter after next. Do you feel a bit better now? Are you feeling a little excited?
Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen: It Just Didn't Fade Away Completely..
By the time Vermouth saw Gin again, he had changed a great deal.
His long silver hair was no longer tied up in a high ponytail, but hung loose; his bangs had grown longer, the fringe that once barely reached his eyebrows now covered half of one eye; he had lost a lot of weight, despite wearing a gray knitted sweater in the early autumn weather, his thinness was still evident.
And his green eyes, which once held a certain warmth and flamboyance, had now grown increasingly calm.
Or rather, it was a silence.
Vermouth felt these changes were understandable.
After all, being suspected by the Black Organization and being tortured was no small matter.
And the fact that he actually made it out unscathed was a rarity.
The Blonde-haired woman knew that the only reason he was able to come out unscathed was because he had personally killed Shiratori Midori.
Even so, the fact that Gin's current status had been affected without being fundamentally shaken still took Vermouth by surprise.
But thinking about it carefully, considering the Silver-haired youth's abilities and how much that Great One favored him, while this matter was unexpected, it wasn't entirely unbelievable.
Vermouth thought this to himself, gazing at the Silver-haired youth sitting before him, feeling a sense of melancholy in his heart.
That is the general situation regarding the Mission. Do you have any other questions?
Regardless of his inner emotions, the business at hand could not be delayed. Vermouth explained the background of the Mission with fluency, his red lips moving as he delivered a final concluding remark.
Stirring the coffee with a long, slender finger, Gin showed no reaction to Vermouth's words, appearing to be lost in thought.
Vermouth fell silent for a moment, feeling no displeasure at being ignored; instead, she wondered if she should repeat himself if Gin truly hadn't heard him.
Just as she was hesitating to speak, the Silver-haired youth's slightly hoarse voice rang out.
I understand.
His tone was calm and emotionless, making it impossible to tell what he was actually thinking.
"Then—" Somehow, upon hearing the youth's reply, Vermouth seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his tone becoming relaxed:
The Mission starts in the middle of next month. How about I help you book your flight for the day after tomorrow?
The woman's voice was sultry, carrying a hint of amusement. "How about going away to relax for a bit?"
No need." Gin finally looked up, his green eyes meeting Vermouth's, carrying an inexplicable sense of pressure. "Just book the flight for the ninth of next month.
The blonde-haired woman frowned slightly. "The mission is on the twelfth.. If you go on the ninth, won't the schedule be too tight? After all, you're going to the USA, you'll need to adjust to the time difference."
It's fine," Gin said with certainty. "There's enough time.
He couldn't go to the USA too early; after all, he still had matters to attend to.
Seeing his persistence, the blonde-haired woman nodded and conceded, "Alright, I'll send it to you once I've booked the flight tickets."
Gin nodded, casually picked up the black coat draped over the back of the chair, stood up to leave without looking back.
At the beginning of next month, he was to attend a funeral.
..
Gin would clearly not appear on the guest list for Shiratori Midori's funeral.
However, the Shiratori family was just an ordinary one, he always had his ways of sneaking in.
Gin did not make a scene; he wore a black suit and stood quietly in the distance, without saying a word.
It was obvious that his decision to attend Shiratori Midori's funeral was not a wise choice—the Black Organization would certainly not want to see such a scene.
But—
Gin let out a cold sneer.
—He didn't care.
If his every action had to prioritize the will of the Black Organization above all else, leaving him no room for even a hint of his own "willfulness"..
He might as well find an opportunity to defect early!
The Silver-haired youth's appearance was quite eye-catching, but he deliberately kept a low profile and stood at the edge of the crowd; amidst the solemn atmosphere of the funeral, no one paid much attention to him.
The cause of Shiratori Midori's death was disguised as an accident involving a local gang fight, where he was unfortunately killed in a shooting. The Shiratori couple could not bring themselves to believe the news until they saw their daughter's cold corpse, at which point they were stunned into a state of grief-stricken acceptance.
In just half a month, the middle-aged couple had aged considerably, their brows and eyes etched with the agony of losing their daughter. They leaned against each other at the funeral, supporting one another so that neither would collapse.
Gin knew that Shiratori's case had been transferred to the Metropolitan Police Department, where the police were working hard on the investigation, the Shiratori couple also frequently inquired about the progress of the case, hoping to find the killer as soon as possible.
Unfortunately.. Gin knew that this case would never reach a conclusion.
At the very least, there would be no real conclusion.
As the funeral proceeded, Shiratori's mother was already sobbing uncontrollably, his father also wore a face of profound grief, though he was merely suppressing his tears. Beside them, the young Shiratori Nana rubbed her eyes over and over again, clearly wiping away her tears.
Gin did not react.
After that unforgettable pain had passed, as time went by, he drifted into a state of numbness, unable to find any energy for anything he did.
Gin knew that he had calmed down—or rather, had forced himself to calm down, was no longer in as much pain as he had been then.
But that hollow feeling in his chest remained, an emptiness that could never be filled.
As time passed, the void in his chest grew even larger.
He watched the funeral proceed in silence, watching the funeral come to an end in silence.
He stood there until the sun began to set and the sky grew dark. Once everyone had left, Gin finally set off, walking toward Shiratori's tombstone.
Because he had been standing still for so long, the Silver-haired youth's legs were somewhat numb, he felt a faint pain as he walked over step by step.
So Gin walked very slowly.
His expression remained unchanged from beginning to end as he arrived before Shiratori Midori's tombstone.
Only when he looked at the girl's black-and-white memorial photo on the tombstone did a ripple of emotion flash through Gin's calm green eyes.
The Silver-haired youth stood in silence before his friend's grave. After a long time, he bent down and placed the balloon flowers he was holding in his left hand before the tombstone.
"I'm leaving.. I'll come back to visit you later." Gin's voice was hoarse—it was clear that the injury to his throat from before had not yet fully healed—he kept his eyes lowered and spoke with great sincerity.
I'll be fine.. I hope you will be fine too.