He took a few steps forward almost by instinct, his hand suspended in mid-air. Although he was only a few centimeters away from touching Yamawashi, he still felt that this person was beyond his reach.
Hiromitsu Morofushi's voice was dry: "You are also.."
Yamawashi suddenly turned around and pressed his head into the crook of his neck, interrupting the words that had been so difficult to speak. The two of them were of similar build, with Yamawashi being even more slender, yet whenever they embraced, it was always Yamawashi who drew him into his arms.
“I love you more than I hate lies; even until this moment, I still hope for your happiness more than I want to see you suffer.. everything will end soon.”
Hiromitsu Morofushi took a deep breath, pulled Yamawashi into a tight embrace, repeated, "It will all be over.. it's almost over."
Chapter 43
Upon infiltrating that mysterious villa, Hiromitsu Morofushi unexpectedly discovered that not only were there no mechanisms or traps, but there were even no guards as expected, just like an ordinary residence.
Hiromitsu Morofushi asked about the situation over at Yamawashi, two seconds later, Yamawashi's voice sounded in his headset: "Everything is normal."
Alright, be careful. Keep me updated if anything happens.
The voice, carrying a slight static crackle, paused for a moment before sounding again: "You too. I wish you all the best."
Hiromitsu Morofushi didn't think much of it and gave a low response. The other side fell into silence, there was no further sound.
..
Can you really tell whether you are devoted to him or just given up on him?
Kurumaru Soshi sat composedly behind his desk, feeling neither the tension of an outsider invading his residence nor the slightest urgency of the Organization he led being dismantled; the tip of his fountain pen glided calmly across the paper until the ink marks began to fade.
Opposite him, the gray-haired traitor calmly removed his headphones and crushed them in his palm, letting the fragments fall scattered onto the floor.
Kurumaru Soshi slowly refilled his fountain pen, a look of sympathy on his face. "You don't know because you have never truly loved anyone, nor have you ever truly been loved. Whenever you think of love, you can only associate it with death. That is what makes you so endearing; even though you understand nothing and no one has ever taught you, you still stumbled upon the truth by chance, because love and death are essentially no different."
He wiped away the excess ink with a tissue and scribbled a few words on the scrap paper, as if he were commenting on something as trivial as the weather: 'So? Are you going to kill me?'
He spoke as he wrote, "Do you think that killing me will make your life any different? The way your life has gone wrong was never the fault of others; it was your own choice. Unfortunately, what you are doing now is no different from the mistakes you made in the past—you've simply changed employers and are continuing to carry out missions that do not come from your heart.. Number 57 was willing to leave you a way out, but what can the police give you? They will only be even more heartless than we are. You know better than I do how Number 57 died."
As the other party remained silent, Kurumaru Soshi curled his lips into a smirk. 'I can forgive you for the first time, I can certainly forgive you for the second. Aotsuki, you are the only one who knows that in this study, no one will care which Kurumaru Soshi dies here; even a DNA test would show no difference. That is more than enough to ensure the person you want to protect receives their glory.'
After hearing those words, the gray-haired young man slowly raised his hand, holding a black dagger in front of him. The blade reflected no image, only the purest black that swallowed everything.
“That's why only I can do this,” he said softly. “You aren't leaving, are you? You're just waiting for me to come, aren't you?”
The tip of the pen paused, leaving behind an ink blot, as Kurumaru Soshi let out a low laugh. "That's why I said, this is what makes you so charming."
He tore the manuscript in front of him into pieces and tossed them into the air, watching those gray eyes through the slowly falling scraps of paper until everything fell into silence.
Only one blank sheet of manuscript remained on the table. Kurumaru Soshi leaned back against his chair, relaxed and composed, as if everything was within his expectations, or even something he had long anticipated.
I think I know why Number 57 called you Aotsuki. Although it's quite rude to take the name of the protagonist from a novel written by his younger brother and give it to a bodyguard, it's just like that guy.
The last page." He smiled, as if speaking to the person in front of him, yet also as if talking to himself. "The end of the story, will you write it yourself.. Aotsuki.
**
Yamawashi went missing without warning, leaving Hiromitsu Morofushi in a state of extreme anxiety. By the time he followed the hidden tracking device in his earpiece to that sealed study, the person inside was already dead.
There was more than one corpse in this villa; they had identical faces and died in different ways, but the person in this secret study was different.
Considering the angle of the fatal wound, this person actually committed suicide.
.. More importantly, it was the shape of the wound.
A wound like that, Hiromitsu Morofushi could only think of one thing: a weapon.
He suppressed the unease in his heart and synchronized the information with Public Security, attempting to contact Yamawashi once again, but there was still no response.
Fortunately, the documents here didn't perish in a fire like last time; perhaps the secrets of the Organization are hidden within them.
Hiromitsu Morofushi walked toward the bookshelf, paused, lifted his left foot.
Underfoot was a broken earphone, identical to the one he was wearing at this moment.
Hiromitsu Morofushi raised his head and looked at the door in front of him. At that moment, he was struck by a sudden, powerful premonition, almost instinctively, he rushed out the door and sprinted forward along the secret passage he had come through.
At the end of this corridor was an open window. Outside, the sunlight was just right, the lawn and flowers swayed gently in the breeze; it was a beautiful, bright day.
A gentle breeze stirred his hair as Hiromitsu Morofushi gazed fixedly at the window. It felt as if a piece of his heart had been hollowed out, within that confusion and emptiness, a subtle sensation began to grow: he might not see Yamawashi again for a very, very long time—just as long as it had been before he returned to the past to see Yamawashi again, or perhaps even longer—he might not see Yamawashi again for a very long time.
The voice in his heart grew even clearer: perhaps he would never see Yamawashi again, just as he once thought he would never see Yamawashi again.
After that day, Yamawashi vanished completely, like a drop of water merging into the ocean. After extensive investigations, only the surveillance footage from a small path leading to the harbor briefly captured his figure.
The surveillance footage only captured half of Yamawashi's body; he seemed to have planned his route well, walking calmly through the frame. After he disappeared from the shot, it was as if Yamawashi himself had vanished completely from this world, leaving no trace behind.
For several days in a row, Furuya Rei would push open the door to that temporary office, see that figure leaning back on the sofa after a day's busy work had temporarily come to an end, sigh silently, place the brought food on the table.
".. I should have thought of it," Hiromitsu Morofushi said, looking up at his friend, unable to help himself.
“I should have thought of it sooner.” He repeated, word by word, his teeth trembling slightly, as if with an uncontrollable rage.
It should have been expected; Yamawashi would not trust the police, even if that policeman was him.
No, perhaps it was precisely because this policeman who made the promise was him that Yamawashi would assist with the investigation while simultaneously planning an escape.
Yamawashi loathed lies; he had already deceived Yamawashi once, then a second time, there was no guarantee there wouldn't be a third. It was right for Yamawashi not to believe him.
“You saw the footage from the surveillance cameras; he left of his own accord.”
Furuya Rei leaned forward, pressing his hands against his friend's shoulders, said earnestly, "I understand what you're thinking, but no matter how his actions are explained, those corpses are certainly connected to Yamawashi, his sudden flight is also a fact. Seventy-two hours have already passed; we can't delay any longer. A wanted poster must be issued for him, otherwise, we won't be able to account for it to the higher-ups. You must ensure that you can stay on the task force, so that you might have a chance to find him in the future, help him."
After a long silence, those bloodshot eyes squeezed shut tightly, Hiromitsu Morofushi looked up at the ceiling. "Issue it.. once there is any news, you must notify me immediately."
Furuya Rei hesitated, then let out a sigh.
The sound of the door closing rang out, his gaze fell blurredly upon the ceiling; Hiromitsu Morofushi's facial muscles were numb, leaving him unable to make any expression.
He doesn't believe me.
Hiromitsu Morofushi thought.
Yamawashi would only run away because he didn't believe him.
He didn't believe I would choose him.
Hiromitsu Morofushi bowed his head and buried his face in his palms.
Since you didn't believe in him at all, why did you save him, why did you keep helping him time and time again?
Yamawashi.
..
After daybreak, Hiromitsu Morofushi stepped out of his office with dark circles under his eyes, just as usual, as a new round of investigative work began once more.
Public Security conducted a comprehensive analysis of the documents in the study, among the many files regarding the Organization, Hiromitsu Morofushi's attention fell solely upon a strange manuscript.
The protagonist's name in this manuscript was identical to that of the mysterious member of the Organization they had been investigating, after testing the ink, everything pointed to the fact that the contents of the manuscript were written by Kurumaru Soshi himself.
Some even began to suspect that Aotsuki did not actually exist, but was instead a character fabricated by Kurumaru Soshi, after all, no one had ever seen Aotsuki's true face.
In this uncertain situation, Ino Seigo, who had contact with Aotsuki, became the only clue.
Only Hiromitsu Morofushi knew that Ino Seigo would publish that manuscript on his behalf several years later. After a long time, he visited Ino Seigo once again.
For a long time, the investigation regarding Ino Seigo had been followed up by Yamawashi. Having not seen him for a long time, the image of this young master of the Ino family had become completely different from his memories. Or rather, the current Ino Seigo was approaching the Ino Seigo from his original memories; rather than a bookstore clerk, he was more like that smiling tiger of the Ino family from many years later.
Before he could speak, Ino Seigo spoke first: "He said if you come looking for me, I'll give you the answer."
Ino Seigo's expression was a mixture of jealousy and mockery, blending together into a complex look.
Ino Seigo didn't mention a name, but Hiromitsu Morofushi knew that the "he" in Ino Seigo's mouth referred to Yamawashi.
Hiromitsu Morofushi's fingers curled, his nails pressing into his fingertips.
He came to investigate Aotsuki, but perhaps Ino Seigo knew Yamawashi's whereabouts.
Ino Seigo picked up the photo frame placed in the most prominent position on the table, which showed his graduation photo from his youth, suddenly raised his hand, smashing the frame against the corner of the table.
Glass shards flew everywhere. Hiromitsu Morofushi watched the scene quietly, his body remaining motionless.
“Aotsuki was my high school classmate. He enrolled as someone's bodyguard, we spent three years together.”
Ino Seigo took the photo frame apart and pulled out another photograph from the inner layer. It was a graduation photo that wasn't quite a group shot, taken candidly from a tricky angle; in the background, a young man was sharply glancing sideways, his gaze cold, as he stood protectively beside someone whose face had been blacked out.
This person is very strange. He's nothing more than a bodyguard, yet he acts as if he's someone extraordinary, looking down on everyone except for that employer of his. When his employer takes a nap, he stays by his side reading. He didn't come here to study, yet he seems to love reading; before graduation, I was generous enough to hire him to go study abroad with me, but his employer just said to let him do as he pleased, he actually ignored it. Later, when I returned to Japan and opened a bookstore, I got in touch with his employer and only then learned that he was no longer a bodyguard, but had become a mercenary instead.
"This guy clearly doesn't hold anyone in high regard." Ino Seigo chewed on those words, then looked up, shoved the photograph into the person in front of him, walked away, stepping over the broken glass and picture frames on the floor without looking back.
Butler, see the guest out!
Hiromitsu Morofushi gripped the photograph, his hands trembling slightly. He took a deep breath and flipped the photo over to take a look.
At that moment, the blood rushed to his head, he failed to even notice the butler's voice asking him to leave.
His pupils dilated violently, his breathing nearly came to a standstill.
The Boss's former personal bodyguard, the legendary and mysterious high-ranking member of the Organization, Aotsuki.
But the face in that photograph was clearly the former Yamawashi.
..
Hiromitsu Morofushi did not know how he had returned to the National Police Agency. He pushed open the office door, his gaze falling upon the desk. He stumbled half a step, steadying himself by leaning against the corner of the table, his hands trembling uncontrollably. Once again, he flipped open that manuscript, his eyes grinding over every single word.
[His name was Aotsuki.]
He was born on a cruise ship destined to sink, his ideal was to escape the deck.
【..】
【He finally realized that he could never escape this vast ocean in this lifetime.】
..
On the other side of the world, a gray-haired young man sat in a corner of the deck.
He looked into the distance. It was quiet and silent around him; no one would suddenly sit down beside him for no reason.
He is a man without a name.
For twenty-seven years, it has been just as it always was.
-----------------------
Author's Note: I have always used Hiromitsu's perspective, rarely Yamawashi's, because Aotsuki is not Yamawashi.