He stepped over with long strides, the ends of his silver hair swaying slightly with his movements. Gin's pace was neither fast nor slow, yet it possessed a sense of crisp decisiveness.
With long, well-defined fingers gripping the edge of a chair, Gin pulled it out and sat down casually. The wooden chair hit the floor with a moderate thud. Hearing the noise, Akai snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at the man who hadn't paid him any attention at all, then shook his head helplessly and pulled out the chair opposite him.
Four dishes were placed on the table, consisting of both meat and vegetables. They were indeed home-cooked dishes, neither complex nor anything special; at the very least, they were common meals. The colors looked normal, the aroma was normal as well. At a glance, no problems could be detected—they appeared edible upon preliminary inspection, though it remained to be seen how they would taste.
The food was still warm, but not hot, emitting a unique savory aroma across the dining table. To Gin, it wasn't particularly enticing, but he didn't reject it either.
He had only had a third of an Americano and a few scattered sips of black tea all afternoon; his stomach was empty, he was actually feeling quite hungry now.
There was also a small bowl of miso soup on the table, with steam curling up from the bowl. Gin lowered his eyes, focusing on the food, then picked up his chopsticks.
And he did not notice that the person opposite him was propping their head up with their hand, watching him quietly.
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Author's Note: (1) In case the Little Angels don't understand, I will explain the cooperation between Brandy and Gin from two perspectives.
Gin: His goal is to investigate the cause of Midori's death, which is why he approached Miyano Shiho. However, he is unaware of the connection between Midori's death and the Miyano family, nor is he aware of the Miyano family's research. He agreed, partly because cooperating with Brandy is more convenient, partly because he does not understand the significance of Brandy's cooperation with him, so he is attempting to obtain intelligence for nothing.
Brandy: He knows the relationship between Shiratori Midori and Gin, he knows about the Miyano family's research. He mistakenly believes that Gin needs the Miyano family's research because of Shiratori Midori (he is half right). He is cooperating partly because it is easier with Gin's help, partly because it involves Spoilers that cannot be explained at this time.
That's just how it is.. Actually, I feel like I'm just talking nonsense..
..
When I was writing the final scene, I unexpectedly felt the urge to add: For a long time, whenever he was looking at him, he was always looking at something else.
Hahaha
Akai..
Ye Shun Little Angel guessed correctly! There is one more update coming, but don't wait for it, it will be very late. Everyone should just wake up and read it in the morning. Mwah~
..
Thanks to Meow Unspeakable Little Angel's landmine, love you mwah~
Thanks to Black Bean Flower Little Angel's grenade, love you mwah~
Mew~~
Chapter 44 Chapter 42 "Probably because.. I just feel like it.."
Gin has never been one to cook.
He and the kitchen seemed to be naturally incompatible, their auras clashing; being able to coexist peacefully was already quite an achievement, forcing them together would only result in mutual destruction.
For his own sake—and for the sake of others—it would be better not to hurt each other.
However, he had plenty of experience in judging people's cooking.
Akai Shuichi really wasn't being modest—or perhaps Gin simply had high standards. The food looked decent, the aroma could be described as quite good, but the taste could only be described as mediocre.
But it was still edible.
The Black-haired youth was actually quite attentive; he didn't usually cook for himself every day. Nowadays, with technology so advanced, ordering takeout was naturally easy, convenient, saved both time and effort. Even without takeout, instant noodles would suffice.
Even if he had cooked for himself, two or three side dishes would have been more than enough; he had only cooked a bit extra out of respect for the current Boss, adding an extra bowl of Miso soup—he hadn't prepared any for himself.
Gin hadn't eaten anything all afternoon except for coffee and tea; right now, his stomach was empty and churning with nothing but liquid. It was excellent for staying alert, but unfortunately, it did nothing for satiety. For the sake of his health, he gave the food a few respectful bites.
Fortunately, hunger is the best seasoning, everything tastes delicious on an empty stomach—except, of course, for terrible food. Because of this, Gin began eating at a relatively normal pace.
But that was about it.
He ate a little over half a bowl of rice, took only a few bites of each of the four dishes, drank a couple of sips of miso soup. With some food finally in his stomach to suppress the hunger and discomfort, Gin stopped eating.
It was clearly just a perfunctory meal.
It was far from the appetite of a normal adult man, let alone for people like them who frequently exercised and consumed a great deal of physical energy.
Akai was somewhat surprised. He blinked, struggled for a moment, but ultimately could not help but ask, "Have you already eaten?"
"No." Even without looking at the expression of the person opposite him, Gin could sense what he meant from his tone. He gave a simple answer, but the Silver-haired youth still had no intention of taking another bite.
Asking such a question was about as much as they could exchange; they didn't have much of a deep connection to begin with.
However—
“Is this enough?” Akai Shuichi asked, his mind momentarily clouded by a sudden impulse.
".." Gin was speechless for a moment, thinking to himself that you were simply asking a question you already knew the answer to—of course it wasn't enough.
But.. he really didn't want to eat.
"I'm not hungry anymore." Considering how smoothly they had been working together lately, Gin did not give him a look of contempt as he usually did, but instead replied quite cooperatively.
He was no longer hungry, so he didn't want to eat.
Gin was not a picky eater. If it were truly necessary, as long as the food was safe, he could swallow even the most bizarre-tasting morsel without changing his expression or skipping a beat—as for whether his stomach would churn afterward.. that was not something he considered for the time being.
He could endure hunger and thirst for an entire day without a single drop of water, ignoring the dryness in his throat and the cracking of his lips, feeling the pulse of blood flowing through his veins and limbs, listening to the vigorous thumping of his heart within his chest, as he focused all his concentration to deliver a fatal shot to his prey.
But normally, he was quite demanding when it came to food; he wouldn't say he completely rejected things that didn't suit his taste, but he would only make do with them perfunctorily.
He was a man who had sampled takeout from every single shop within a radius of dozens of kilometers before settling on the few that served as his regular daily takeout spots.
As for the shops that don't deliver.. isn't there still Vodka?
But there was no need to tell anyone about these matters.
Akai Shuichi was unaware of the inside story, but that didn't stop him from making some well-founded guesses.
The Ace Agent's reasoning abilities were top-tier, using them to observe why someone was eating so little was a complete waste of his talent. Unfortunately, he had no self-awareness about it and remained quite serious. "Do you not like it? Or is my cooking just that bad?"
He looked like he was seeking feedback on the client's experience.
The freeloading client lazily lifted his eyes, casting a brief glance at the Black-haired youth. At dusk, the sky gradually dimmed, with a halo of sunset glow spreading across the horizon. After experiencing a day of chaotic events, it was inevitable to feel a bit weary.
Gin wasn't exactly exhausted, but his expression was somewhat listless: "Both."
His words were, as always, utterly merciless.
Even though Akai Shuichi was mentally prepared, his mouth still twitched at this moment, thinking to himself that he really was being quite blunt.
However, the Ace Agent's psychological resilience had always been incredibly strong; he was just as composed facing silent mockery from his current superior as he was facing life-and-death missions amidst a hail of bullets.
He curled the corners of his mouth slightly, his green eyes appearing a bit softer under the light, yet the clear brilliance within them did not diminish in the slightest: "The dishes I excel at making are not just these few."
It could be considered a rebuttal.
Gin glanced at the watch on his wrist; his wrist was fair and agile, yet possessed a sense of strength. The silver Glashuttet shimmered with a metallic luster under the light, complementing the small patch of exposed skin at his wrist. The minute hand on the face rotated slowly, chasing after something that could never be caught under the drive of the mechanics.
"Dishes you're good at making?" It was still early, since he had nothing better to do, Gin took the opportunity to say a few more words on the topic.
Exactly. However, there are no ingredients in the refrigerator today. Buying them now would take extra time, I assume you're too lazy to wait?" Akai Shuichi explained leisurely, his expression appearing somewhat regretful. "If I had known the Boss was coming over, I would have gone grocery shopping in advance.
It was hard to tell if he was being serious or merely making casual conversation.
"Is that so?" Gin replied with a perfunctory remark that carried little weight.
Exactly." However, the person responding seemed very enthusiastic. He rested his elbows on the dining table and leaned forward slightly, propping his head up with his fingers interlaced. His Green eyes held a hint of cunning. "Next time you come over, give me a heads-up, okay? I'll show off a bit for you.
This time, Gin truly felt a bit more spirited.
He raised an eyebrow and asked with a half-smile, "Next time?"
“That's right.” Akai nodded with great solemnity, his slightly curly bangs swaying slightly with the movement: “You are very welcome to—"
After speaking half a sentence, Akai trailed off, his voice turning slightly husky. He left the thought hanging for a moment before finishing the second half of the sentence with a hint of a smile.
I just don't know if Boss would be willing to do me the honor.
Gin blinked, his phoenix-like eyes lifting to reveal a sharpness ingrained in his very bones, his green eyes appearing to carry a toxic flame that could lead one to ruin. Sitting still, he leaned his body slightly forward, while shifting his center of gravity forward, he extended his left hand with extreme speed. His short sleeve rose with his movement, revealing a small section of his wrist, which appeared blindingly white under the light.
Before the black-haired youth could even react, a pale and incredibly powerful left hand had already gripped his cheek. With a twist of the wrist, three slender fingers supported Akai's head, while the thumb and index finger hooked in with effortless precision, seizing his entire jaw in an instant.
His wrist bent slightly. They were so close that if Akai simply lowered his head, he could see the ankle bone at the wrist, slightly protruding and possessing a certain aesthetic beauty. The small patch of skin in his sight was pale, the part touching his chin carried a slight chill, a cool temperature just like the man before him.
Gin laughed, a smile that carried a sharp edge in his eyes. His gaze was somewhat dark, lacking clarity and gaining a hint of depth; his voice was not loud, but low and textured.
“Your objective?”
Akai Shuichi met Gin's shimmering green eyes. Gin did not hold back his strength, Akai could clearly feel the pain radiating from his jaw to his brain. It felt as if a surge of hot blood was rushing straight to his head, with stimulation, excitement, panic, surprise, a sense of crisis all intertwining to light up his eyes.
Akai flashed an interested smile. "What do you think?"
“Pleasing you?” The Black-haired agent asked himself, as if asking the other person, yet as if asking himself, “No—I have no need to do such things.”
There are many ways to achieve a goal, I don't need to do these things for my Target.
—At least not right now.
Moreover, whether from a rational analysis or the current reality, it is inappropriate.
Then—
What was the reason for this unusual invitation, after all?
He fell into thought, unable to come up with a suitable reason to explain it all, so he simply answered according to his heart's desire:
Probably because.. I just feel like it.
As soon as those words were spoken, a fleeting spark of inspiration flashed through his mind, but he failed to grasp it properly.
The pain from his jaw intensified. Gin pressed his thumb against the man's face, his dissatisfaction with the answer causing the pressure from his fingertips to increase. To avoid interfering with his use of a handgun, he always kept his nails trimmed, yet they still extended slightly beyond his fingertips, now they were pressing into the Black-haired youth's cheek, leaving crescent-shaped marks.
A single drop of blood seeped out.
As it met the pale fingertips, it added a touch of eerie strangeness.
Gin stared fixedly at him, but Akai showed no sign of guilt, meeting his gaze with composure.
Two pairs of green eyes locked onto each other for a moment.
Gin released his grip.
The moment he released his grip, the droplets of blood on his thumbnail were flung off by inertia, dripping onto the dining table and spreading out.
The Silver-haired youth lifted his gaze to look out the window; the sky had grown even darker, the minute hand on his silver watch finally landed on the appointed time.
As if the tension in the air from before had never existed, Gin spoke indifferently, "I'm heading back."
Akai Shuichi gave a nonchalant smile. "Shall I see you out?"