Behind him lay the silent menace of The Illuminations.
After working overtime for an entire week, Asou Akiya informed the Boss that he needed to go home and catch his breath.
If he didn't go back now—
his husband was going to explode on the spot!
His phone had been overwhelmed with calls and text messages. Asou Akiya's heart was filled with longing and anxiety, terrified that during these days of information isolation, Randou might do something befitting the personality of "Arthur Rimbaud."
The Port Mafia Boss's physical condition still hadn't improved. He cursed Asou Akiya out thoroughly, then finally relented: "The Port Mafia headquarters has dormitories for high-ranking executives, with a private elevator going straight up. Move into a larger dormitory instead of living in the office." At this point, the old man's face darkened, and he made a reluctant promise: "Let your boyfriend move in too."
Asou Akiya's face showed utter disbelief. "Boss, you're agreeing to let me meet with him at headquarters?"
The Port Mafia Boss said coldly: "Consider it a reward for your overtime."
Asou Akiya had worked himself to the bone doing overtime, handling classified documents he normally never saw. The reward he should have rightfully received naturally wouldn't be this trivial. The Port Mafia Boss had intended for him to refuse.
Unfortunately, he had underestimated this man! He had underestimated Asou Akiya's love-addled brain!
The foul stench of romance was suffocating him!
"That's wonderful, thank you, Boss!"
"...Get out!"
After being thanked, the Port Mafia Boss flew into a rage instead.
During his illness, he had deeply felt the danger of Ability users and had promoted this man, also appreciating his intellect as a non-Ability user. Who would have thought the other would be wholeheartedly entangled with a man, completely unworthy of his cultivation!
Dodging a teacup hurled at him, Asou Akiya felt rather pleased with himself for the martial arts skills he hadn't let rust.
In his previous life, he definitely would have been hit.
The Boss really wasn't what he used to be.
Asou Akiya spoke briskly: "Boss, I'll wrap up today's work for you within three hours. After that, please let me get off work for a while. I need to go look at the dormitory and pick up the access card for the private elevator."
The Port Mafia Boss was so furious his vision swam. He collapsed back down and said weakly, "If you end up angering me to death, I will absolutely make you accompany me to the grave, brat."
Asou Akiya: "..."
Asou Akiya said respectfully, "That would certainly be my honor."
Hearing his words, the Port Mafia Boss was startled for a few seconds, studying Asou Akiya's composed expression.
What breed of subordinate is this???
For the next three hours, Asou Akiya worked hunched over the desk, reporting on various matters. During the final half hour, the Boss's personal physician arrived to examine him.
Asou Akiya stood by, serving tea and water, listening to the physician's instructions and memorizing when to administer medicine, when to take his temperature, and other such details. He inexplicably felt as though he had slipped into the role of "family member." What the hell? How had he suddenly risen to this level? It felt a bit abrupt.
Ozaki Kouyou stood in the shadows at the corner of the wall, her "Golden Demon" flickering in and out of sight behind her, its blade partially unsheathed.
She remained constantly on guard, watching the physician's every move.
"Hah..."
After confirming there were no issues, Ozaki Kouyou relaxed her taut vigilance. She rather admired the completely unguarded Asou Akiya. This man was clearly so weak, since a single strike from the "Golden Demon" could kill him, yet he possessed remarkable courage!
Her gaze swept across the magnificently colored carpet.
There were a few dark stains upon it.
These were the bloodstains left behind after she had dealt with an enemy assassination attempt the previous night—an unavoidable aftermath.
With Asou Akiya's assistance, the Port Mafia Boss finished taking his medicine. His consciousness grew hazy, and before resting, he rasped out: "Little Kouyou, don't let anyone disturb me. Kill all the enemies—all of them—"
Asou Akiya's movements, as he helped him lie down, faltered for a moment.
The Port Mafia Boss's eyes remained closed, yet he still did not forget to mock the other: "You, you are bold, yet timid as a mouse."
Asou Akiya said, "Thank you for the compliment, Boss."
Precisely because he was so bold did he dare to accept the responsibilities of a secretary. And because he was timid, since joining the Port Mafia, he had only taken a handful of lives—all in self-defense and retaliation.
His "goodness" was something the Port Mafia could not comprehend, yet it was precisely the source of the Boss's current peace of mind.
"Good night, Boss."
May you find brief tranquility in your sleep.
...
The dormitory on the forty-first floor was quite luxurious.
A private elevator, a private changing room, and enormous floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the nightscape of Yokohama!
After the elevator arrived, Asou Akiya and Randou entered the dormitory and witnessed the material standard of a sub-executive class. In addition to the mafia's salary and gray income, one could indeed live like an immortal here at headquarters.
Randou looked through all the rooms and said to Akiya, "I still prefer a standalone villa."
The French kitty was hinting at the kind of cat nest he desired.
Message received!
Asou Akiya took Randou's hand. "I've already got my eye on one. I'll buy it as soon as I'm not so busy."
Randou smiled at his unhesitating response. The sub-executive dormitory represented power, status, and security, yet his lover had chosen an outside villa without a moment's hesitation.
He would protect Akiya, and Akiya had entrusted his life and safety to him.
What a wonderful lover he was.
After bathing, the two of them sat on the small sofa, opened a bottle of red wine, and gazed out at the scenery together.
From this angle, they could see the Ferris wheel in the distance.
"Ordinary wine." Randou drank the red wine, not particularly fond of the taste. He opened Illuminations, and a golden subspace enveloped the entire room, shielding against things that might exist and things that might not.
Beneath the cold golden light, Randou's tenderness was boundless: "How much longer will you be busy?"
Asou Akiya clinked glasses with him and said, "The Boss's emotions are stable, so I estimate he won't keep me here for too long."
Randou was puzzled. "What do you mean? Doesn't he trust you?"
Asou Akiya said, "There's no telling when he might take a disliking to me."
Randou understood—the foul temper of an old man.
"Do you need my help?"
Randou swore his voice was gentle, his expression harmless. He hadn't expected to startle Akiya across from him.
Asou Akiya hurriedly stopped him: "Randou, don't think about taking out the Boss!"
Randou said innocently, "I wasn't."
Asou Akiya set down his wine glass. Truthfully, he didn't much care for this foreign wine either.
"I have no intention of clawing my way up through bloodshed. The position I hold now, I earned through hard work. Moreover, the Boss was the first superior who truly valued my talents and was willing to promote me." Asou Akiya spoke his inner thoughts to Randou. "Just as you feel joy when your writing gains recognition, I too feel driven by my own steady rise. It isn't simply for money and glory—people always need a goal to strive toward."
Asou Akiya took his hand. "I don't want to rely on you for everything and have you look down on me, Randou."
Suddenly, he clumsily performed a magic trick before Randou.
"Look."
"Life is full of surprises at every turn."
A dewy, delicate rose appeared from within his clasped hands.
Its specific origin was a fresh flower sitting on a Port Mafia member's desk—he had secretly plucked one and slipped it into his pocket, then calmly walked away from the "scene of the crime" under the surveillance of the overhead camera.
What Asou Akiya pursued was the thrill of breaking free from constraints, and Randou could feel the mischievous delight in that act.
Randou placed the rose at an angle into the wine glass.
The stem drank in the red wine.
A beauty like a flower, each enhancing the other—the waist-length-haired Randou smiled tenderly.
"Say you don't want to rely on me, but what you really mean is you don't want to be overshadowed by me. You'd rather shine through your own efforts." Randou saw through Akiya's little straight-guy pride. "You could have just told me directly. I wouldn't have been angry.
Asou Akiya laughed dryly. "Give me some face, would you?"
Randou propped his cheek in his hand, gazing at the rose, watching the reflected black-haired youth through the red wine.
"It's fine. This kind of Akiya is dazzling."
A hardworking genius?
Compared to himself, who had suddenly gained an Ability, what Akiya could rely on was his innate intellect and acquired knowledge.
While Randou was pondering Akiya's situation, he heard the other say: "Randou, are you thirsty?"
Randou lifted his head, a trace of confusion drifting through his eyes. "Thirsty?"
Asou Akiya wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully.
Randou instantly caught on. "Yes, I'm thirsty."
Randou was about to get up when he saw Akiya bring the unfinished red wine to his lips, coaxing his lover.
"Here, don't waste it. It's very expensive wine."
"..."
This man—sharp when he shouldn't be, deliberately foolish when he shouldn't be!
Randou sullenly downed the wine in one gulp.
Asou Akiya drew the curtains. The two figures blurred together on the wallpaper, indistinguishable from one another, their love like honey. And so, a night passed in bliss at the Port Mafia headquarters dormitory.
Two months later, Asou Akiya was kicked aside by the Port Mafia Boss he had so carefully tended to.
The reason: he had grown tired of looking at that face.
The comprehensive reasons: he resented his youth, resented his handsome looks, resented that despite having no Ability, he was so brilliantly talented, and that he could spend every day sleeping with his wife right here at Port Mafia headquarters!
Asou Akiya: "???"
What an utterly unreasonable excuse! You can't resent my happiness just because you're ill!
In an instant, the disgraced Asou Akiya returned to his original post in high spirits, using the vast amount of information he had gathered during this time to push forward his goal of earning a billion dollars.
In the spring of April, Asou Akiya's entire family moved into a luxurious, tranquil villa.
This villa was, remarkably, the very place Randou had lived in the original story.
Expensive! As! Hell!
To find this villa which nestled among greenery and trees, with hundreds of square meters of flower beds outside and vines creeping across the roof, Akiya had scoured every real estate listing for villas in Yokohama. From brand-new villas to secondhand old ones, to properties that appeared at auction, he sifted through them all, ultimately confirming this was the location of the original story's pivotal events.
Without realizing it, he had acquired the financial means to support Randou, rather than waiting for the sub-executive Randou to earn money and keep him.
The taste of growing stronger for the sake of a beautiful person... was exquisite.
Asou Akiya installed a fireplace for his lover, half-crouching in the room where the ceiling had been blown open in the original story.
He turned to Randou, who was organizing books in a chair.
"This place needs to be properly protected."
No blowing it up.
No burning the books.
I spent so much money on this—even the cash from the "Twilight Mansion" wouldn't enough to fix it.
You can't ruin the family finances, Randou!
Randou didn't understand the reason and looked at the worried Akiya with puzzlement. Outside, the twilight spilled into the room, warming the atmosphere, and the man installing the fireplace for him seemed like a living masterpiece. His thoughts drifted in another direction.
Akiya has such good taste. He didn't choose some random economical little villa and he shares my aesthetic sense ✓.
"I will, Akiya."
This was their home. No one was allowed to destroy it.
No sooner had Randou finished speaking than Edogawa Ranpo's voice rang out from beyond the room, bright and piercing, shattering the intimate conversation between the lovers. "Akiya! Come quick, I need your help over here!"
It sounded exactly like a child in a normal household calling for a parent when something was the matter.
Thoroughly. Mood-ruining.