And also—" Nana blinked, watching Niwang's contemplative expression, said with feigned casualness, "It's boiling hot.
Having said that, she tossed her coat over Yaji's head, letting out a lighthearted laugh amidst his annoyed shouts.
Her laughter was clear and bright, as if she had never experienced hardships in the past, nor was she currently facing any troubling cases.
Laughing, Nana let out another silent sigh. The brows that had finally relaxed began to furrow once again.
I wonder how Zhenjun is doing now..
Nana raised his hand and touched the hearing aid in his right ear, a hint of confusion appearing in his eyes.
Time flies.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Gin is temporarily off-screen.. He will appear in the next chapter, the interlude will also conclude in the next chapter.
Little Angels who don't remember Chikamoto Chieko.. I suggest you flip back through the previous chapters.
Nana's right ear.. well, it's exactly what you're thinking.
Chapter 126: Interlude 8: I've Never Seen an American Smile So Silly..
As for the longing in the heart of Nana, who was far away in Tokyo, Japan, Gin, who possessed no such thing as telepathy, expressed that he had not sensed it in the slightest.
And what he was more concerned about now was escaping from the FBI's investigation and returning to Japan.
—carrying an injured person named Vermouth.
Although Vermouth's beauty and strength were extraordinary, she was not only composed and decisive in her actions but also possessed various additional skills—no matter how outstanding she was, in the current situation, she was still a shining burden.
However.. if we're talking about difficulty, it's actually not that high.
Leaving Vermouth to handle his own wounds, Gin strolled aimlessly through the streets of New York with his hands in his pockets, showing no awareness that the security of the city worsened after dark.
After all, in terms of danger, he was far above the average for New York at night.
South Brooklyn is the most populous district in New York City; if one walks along a bustling street, even in the deep of night, there are usually scattered people around.
Of course, that was not the case in the early hours of the morning.
Stopping on the street, very close to the famous Brooklyn Bridge, he looked up into the distance. Under the Light, this steel bridge, built by John A. Roebling and his Son, connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. Centuries have passed, yet it still displays its charm.
Gin gazed at it silently, after a few seconds, he averted his eyes.
This was not his first time in New York, nor was it his first time seeing this bridge.
So he turned around, casting his gaze in another direction.
Most of the time, Gin is a man with very strong goals—at the same time, his efficiency and decisiveness are among the best in the Organization.
However, there are also times when he.. does not particularly like to do something intentionally.
Walking and looking around without thinking about anything.. treating it as a leisurely stroll is also a pretty good idea.
The moonlight was slightly cool, creating a silent atmosphere; occasionally, a night breeze would blow past, brushing the loose hair from the Silver-haired man's forehead and bringing a gust of desolate chill.
But Gin didn't care about that—at times like this, the black trench coat always served its purpose.
Green eyes casually scanned the surrounding shops; the bustling streets of Brooklyn also had many restaurants, although most had already closed, a few convenience stores remained open, asserting their presence.
Gin scanned a brightly lit CVS, suddenly feeling an impulse to buy a bottle of Soda.
However, before he could put it into action, his gaze froze.
In the next second, his steps, which had been slow and seemingly casual but never truly halting, came to a stop.
The man opposite him, wearing a knit cap and a black sweater, seemed to have been seen not long ago—to be precise, it should have been the day before yesterday.. he had seen him just then as well.
After staring at him with green eyes for three seconds, Nemesis gave a calm and sincere invitation: "Shall we take a walk together?"
..
So, why did things turn out this way?
Gin found it utterly baffling.
Oh, it's not that he doesn't understand why Akai Shuichi didn't arrest him—that was quite easy to understand; the FBI had no evidence, even if Akai Shuichi had notified someone at this time, they might not have been able to catch him.
He wasn't afraid of a direct confrontation with Akai Shuichi—he never was.
Especially on the streets of Brooklyn.
He has several ways to escape from the FBI Agent, who likely prioritizes his own safety—at most, it would just be a bit of a messy retreat.
However, even so.. it doesn't mean they can walk side by side so easily, does it?
You should know that the wound on Akai Shuichi's right shoulder was a "gift" he gave the day before yesterday.
Gin tilted her head slightly, although her expression remained unchanged, he couldn't help but feel a sense of inner conflict.
However, he did not know that Akai Shuichi's inner thoughts.. were actually a bit flustered.
To him, Gin was a very special existence—special in every sense of the word.
For the ever-rational Akai Shuichi, facing Gin, he would often act in a somewhat "bizarre" manner—actions that could not be explained by reason.
Just like now.
Sometimes when I think about it, it is quite distressing—but Akai Shuichi has accepted it quite well.
How should I put it? Even if he didn't accept it, he wouldn't have been able to control it anyway, would he?
If it could be controlled.. from the very beginning, he wouldn't have.. fallen into it.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, its moonlight thick and radiant.
Tonight's night sky.. is actually quite beautiful.
Gin tilted his head slightly and asked his former partner a question that was unexpected yet sounded perfectly natural.
You can play the Accordion too?
"Huh?" The person being asked this question widened his eyes slightly, his cold and handsome face showing a momentary look of confusion and surprise, appearing.. a bit dazed.
"Ah.. I will." He answered blankly.
A hint of a smile flashed through Gin's green eyes.
..
CVS was open, there was a Target nearby that was also still in business, making shopping very easy.
In the USA, you need an ID to buy liquor—to prove that you are at least 21 years old. This was not difficult for Gin, even though he was not using his real ID.
Or rather, it was a real ID—it just wasn't his own.
Akai Shuichi made no comment on this—if one were to truly pursue the details, he was the one who felt stifled.
The two had parted ways an hour ago, only to reunite as if by unspoken agreement—it seemed neither was worried about the other breaking their promise, or perhaps, that the other might never return.
It was that kind of inexplicable, yet undeniably real, tacit understanding.
Gin carried two bottles of red wine in his hands. They weren't particularly high-end brands, barely worth noticing—but considering there was only a convenience store nearby, it seemed like not much could be expected.
Akai Shuichi had somehow obtained an accordion from somewhere; it was black and clearly second-hand, or perhaps even more, appeared quite worn out.
I wonder if it even works.
But Gin didn't care about that.
He found a random spot and immediately handed one of the bottles of Red wine to Akai Shuichi. Akai accepted it calmly, identifying the brand under the moonlight.
The FBI agent in plain clothes gave a soft whistle. "Not bad."
Gin did not answer.
The two of them sat on the ground, drinking two bottles of red wine from one another's bottles under the moonlight.
Although the alcohol content of the Red wine was not as high as Liquor, after drinking an entire bottle of Red wine, both of their faces had become slightly flushed.
They exchanged a glance, then picked up the bottle and stood up.
"Are we going?" Gin closed his eyes, allowing his slightly groggy brain to clear a little, was the first to ask.
"Don't rush," Akai Shuichi shook his head.
He let out a smile, then lifted the Accordion he had set aside.
"What do you want to hear?" After fiddling with the accordion in his hands, the seemingly old black accordion emitted unmelodic sounds. Akai Shuichi adjusted it with a practiced air before lifting his eyes to look at Gin, who was standing a few steps away.
Whatever.
I can't play 'Whatever'," Akai Shuichi joked casually, before turning serious. "I'm actually quite good at the piano; you pick a song.
During his university days, he even worked part-time at a Bar to earn his living expenses.
But perhaps Gin knows about this? The first time they met was at the Bar.
Gin lowered his gaze slightly, his green eyes appearing much softer under the light. With his hands in his pockets, his gaze swept across Akai's face and the accordion in the other man's hands. After a long moment, a slight curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Yesterday Once More." He said calmly, "Can you play it?
Akai Shuichi did not answer. He gave a faint smile, raised his hand, began to play that classic, world-famous single from the last century.
He answered Gin with action.
Gentle, faint music flowed through the streets of Brooklyn, its melody undulating gracefully, as shadows cast by the lights fell in an elegant arrangement. Behind Akai Shuichi stood the Brooklyn Bridge; the light spilled over him, he stood tall and elegant, his features softened by a gentle expression.
Unknowingly, some passersby returning late had gathered around, more or less. They had different colored hair and different skin tones, forming a loose, irregular circle around Akai Shuichi.
Akai Shuichi acted as if he hadn't noticed, playing on as if in his own world.
It was as if this was his stage alone, he faced only a single audience member.
Gin adapted well to this—he was a man who took great pride in himself, he showed no sign of embarrassment at being the center of attention in such a scene.
He was a darkness independent of the mortal world, a solid ice composed of blades and blood; he did not belong to the light, nor would he ever dissolve into it.
On this cold, moonlit night, amidst the gaze of Onlookers, the song came to an end.
Akai Shuichi flashed a somewhat wanton, wicked smile—at this moment, he acted much like he had when the two of them worked together before—he reached out and grabbed Gin.
The latter did not refuse.