The day after his request to stop writing was rejected.
As usual, Randou slept pressed close against Akiya, with ninety-nine percent of his body tucked beneath the blankets. Only a small tuft of soft black curls peeked out, making him look like a lover who could never bear to be apart.
But this morning, he reached out and felt something fluffy and warm.
Some fearless little creature had wedged itself between them, shamelessly claiming Akiya's embrace. Still half-asleep, Randou instinctively pushed the furry intruder aside before snuggling closer again. In the process, he accidentally undid one of Akiya's pajama buttons, his cheek brushing against warm, smooth skin instead of soft cotton fabric.
A series of insistent meows shattered the quiet of the morning.
The chinchilla tugged at the blanket, determined to squeeze its way inside. It had no interest in sleeping off to the side.
Asou Akiya was roused by the commotion. Seeing that it was still too early for work, he hurriedly stuffed the chinchilla under the blanket, placing it behind Randou's back. He gave it a few gentle rubs before flopping back down and drifting off for another hour of sleep.
An hour later, the alarm clock rang.
"Ahhh—!"
Realizing he had been ambushed by the chinchilla, Randou let out a startled scream. He didn't even have time to look in the mirror before instinctively reaching for his hair. His long, meticulously cared-for curls had been transformed into a hopelessly tangled ball of yarn.
Asou Akiya picked up the chinchilla, which had curled itself into a fluffy little ball. A few stray tufts of fur were scattered across the blanket.
"You are not allowed to treat Randou like that."
Lowering his voice, he deliberately used the special tone people reserved for scolding cats.
When dealing with a cat, you couldn't hit it, splash it with water, or yell at it. You had to make it understand that you were displeased.
"Meow~."
The chinchilla wrapped itself around his arm, rubbing against him with its soft, fluffy body. The long-haired white cat Shibusawa Tatsuhiko had sent them had a pair of emerald-green eyes, an astonishingly thick coat, and dainty little paws. Whenever it acted clingy, it resembled an irresistibly charming little fairy princess.
It was also showing signs of being in heat.
Although Asou Akiya loved cats, this was the first time in both his lives that he had actually raised one. His lack of experience was beginning to show.
"Randou, wasn't Ryuu-chan neutered?"
"..."
The French beauty, still sitting on the bed with a dark expression as he patiently untangled his knotted hair, glanced at the tomcat. He distinctly remembered the pitiful state it had been in when it first arrived at their home after being neutered.
Without another word, the straightforward Randou flipped the chinchilla onto its back and inspected its rear. "It was neutered."
"Meeeow—! Meow! Meow!!" The chinchilla struggled frantically.
The moment Randou let go, it bolted straight into Asou Akiya's arms, trembling pitifully. But only a few seconds later, it regained its "manly spirit" and immediately resumed every possible display of feline courtship toward Akiya.
Asou Akiya pressed the cat down with one hand to stop it from rubbing all over him, then picked up his phone and searched for the reason before getting out of bed.
The vast collective wisdom of cat owners provided the answer.
There are different methods of neutering male cats, but with the standard procedure of removing the testicles, hormone levels can temporarily spike during the first six months after surgery. The cat may still experience instinctive sexual urges and continue trying to mate despite being neutered. Once that period passes, those urges gradually subside.
Keeping a perfectly straight face, Akiya deleted his browsing history after reading.
"Male hormone activity can increase for about six months after the operation. By next year, he should settle into the normal post-neutering state."
Having finally finished fixing his hair, Randou reached over and poked the chinchilla on the forehead with a finger.
"I'll let you off this time."
Mistaking the two-legged creature's gesture for a concession, the chinchilla gave a sweet little meow in response.
Afterward, Randou got out of bed to take a shower and give his hair its usual meticulous care.
Behind him, Asou Akiya wore the expression of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster. Scooping the chinchilla into his arms, he vigorously ruffled its fluffy fur.
"You little idiot! Do you want to get snipped too?"
"Meow?"
"Off the bed, go find the other two. I need to get dressed and wash up."
He shooed the family pet out of the bedroom before changing into a suit. He also replaced the bedding with a fresh set, taking great care to keep the house clean. There was no way he or Randou were going to sleep in a bed covered with cat fur.
On the second floor, the chinchilla scratched uselessly at the bedroom door for a moment before gracefully padding away on all fours in search of the other two members of the household.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Nakahara Chuuya stepped out of his room and nearly stepped on the cat.
"Huh? Oh, it's you, little kitty."
He scooped up his parents' pet. Besides Asou Akiya and Randou, the person who had spent the most time with the chinchilla was Chuuya himself, thanks to his summer vacation in August.
He stayed up playing video games at night, and during the day he was responsible for looking after the cat or taking it outside to play.
His eyes lit up with mischief. "Let's go ambush Ranpo."
The person in the next room still hadn't woken up.
That simply wouldn't do.
Every time Chuuya saw Fukuzawa standing patiently outside with Yosano Akiko, waiting for Ranpo to get up, he couldn't help thinking that Ranpo was taking advantage of an honest man. Someone as responsible and patient as Fukuzawa was a rare find in all of Yokohama.
Ranpo's bedroom looked exactly like a child's room. Plush toys were piled everywhere, and his favorite green crocodile sat proudly in the middle of the bed. Sometimes it would get kicked toward the edge in his sleep, ending up twisted into an awkward pose. Fast asleep, Edogawa Ranpo had completely shed the aura of a genius detective. He looked no more than a child who had never grown up. His pajama pants had slipped crookedly down to his hips, and his sleeping face was irresistibly adorable. Whenever he slept on his side, a tiny trail of drool would even escape from the corner of his mouth.
As soon as Nakahara Chuuya sneaked into the room with the cat, loud cries erupted from inside.
"What is that?! Waaaah—!"
"Ryuu-chan, get him!"
After enduring a barrage of kitty punches, Edogawa Ranpo was finally "beaten" awake. He hid behind his pillow, retreated into the corner of the bed, planted his feet on the carpet, and glared furiously at the two troublemakers.
His green eyes shone even more brilliantly than the chinchilla's emerald ones.
"Ranpo, time to get up." Chuuya wasn't afraid of him in the slightest. He used his gravity ability to protect the chinchilla, and with gravity enhancing its movements, the cat's little punches became surprisingly powerful.
Floating in midair, the chinchilla gleefully flailed all four paws, thrilled by its own newfound "strength."
After breakfast, Fukuzawa Yukichi successfully collected the Armed Detective Agency's "brain"—Edogawa Ranpo, the most important person he needed to protect after founding the agency.
Dressed in his kimono, Fukuzawa walked through the morning streets of Yokohama, enjoying the fresh air as he always did.
"Ranpo, you're up early today."
"There's a cat at home..."
Ranpo grumbled resentfully. Two cats, in fact—one orange cat leading around one chinchilla.
Yosano Akiko offered him the ramune soda she had bought for him at the convenience store, but Ranpo clasped both hands behind his head and lazily replied as they walked,
"No thanks. I already had a full breakfast."
As if suddenly remembering something, Ranpo hurried over to Fukuzawa's side, rose onto his tiptoes, and whispered into his ear.
After listening, Fukuzawa nodded.
"That can be arranged."
Yosano Akiko had no idea what the two of them were discussing, yet she couldn't help smiling.
These days were the happiest and most carefree she had enjoyed in a long time.
They never demanded that she save lives. Every time she reached out to help the weak, it came from her own heart—not because it was a doctor's duty.
Edogawa Ranpo understood her, and Fukuzawa Yukichi accepted her with patience and compassion. Together, the two of them broke through the barriers surrounding her heart, allowing the light from the outside world to shine onto that battlefield of sorrow.
The "Angel of Death" from the battlefield had finally found redemption.
After half an hour of walking and jogging, which doubled as morning exercise for Ranpo and Yosano Akiko, the three arrived at the Armed Detective Agency. The four-story office building carried Fukuzawa Yukichi's ideals and Edogawa Ranpo's dream of becoming a great detective. A new day began, and they set about drafting a recruitment notice.
Yosano Akiko helped clean the office and took care of various chores. Before long, she received an unexpected surprise.
"Akiko, would you like to join the Armed Detective Agency?"
"M-Me? Am I really allowed to?"
"Ranpo says you are, and I agree. We all believe in you."
After saying that, Fukuzawa turned to look at Ranpo. The black-haired boy, who had never been particularly good at interacting with ordinary people, was busily scribbling away on a sheet of A4 paper.
Sensing their eyes on him, he beamed and proudly held up the recruitment notice.
"Fukuzawa-ossan, I'm done!"
[The Armed Detective Agency is now recruiting one Agency Director's Secretary and several Agency Members.
Applicants must possess special talents and have no criminal record.
Yokohama citizens with investigative or combat experience will be given priority.
Candidates must be willing to undergo both written and oral examinations conducted by the Agency.
Let us all work together to contribute to the peace of Yokohama!]
After reading it, Fukuzawa Yukichi felt even more gratified, and even more impressed by Akiya-san's way of raising children.
This child...
He could actually write like a normal person now!
"As long as I put my mind to it, I'm the greatest!" Ranpo declared triumphantly. "Next year, I'm entering the Seishun Award again and publishing my second novel; I'm going to sweep first place every single year and make them all submit to my legendary reputation! Hahaha!"
Having finished boasting, Ranpo faithfully carried on Akiya's long-standing tradition of dragging other people into his passions.
"Akiko, do you want to try writing with me?"
"Writing... what?"
"Novels, poetry—anything! As long as people can understand what you've written!"
"I've never written before... I might disappoint you..."
"That's okay."
Ranpo casually twirled his fountain pen around his fingers. A drop of ink promptly splattered onto his face, leaving a little black smudge on his cheek.
Completely oblivious, he climbed onto his chair and continued striking a profound, unfathomable pose.
"I'll teach you. We'll take it one step at a time."
"...Okay."
Yosano Akiko looked at the black-haired boy her own age with eyes full of admiration.
Ranpo-san is so brilliant and so amazing!
He was working so hard to guide her, inviting her to write and play alongside him. To her, Ranpo-san was an angel—someone even more capable of saving others than she was. She was more than willing to learn writing from him.
There was only one new problem.
How could she politely point out that he had ink on his face without hurting his pride?
Fukuzawa Yukichi gave a quiet cough.
"Ranpo, don't stand on the chair."
Ranpo immediately hopped down.
Fukuzawa took out a handkerchief and wiped the ink from his face, having gradually evolved into half a parent.
Ranpo wasn't embarrassed in the slightest. On the contrary, he looked immensely pleased with himself. After Fukuzawa finished wiping one cheek, he obligingly turned his head so the other side could be cleaned as well.
"Uncle, praise me! Come on, praise me some more! I wrote the recruitment notice for you!"
Fukuzawa Yukichi sighed.
The greatest blessing of his life had been meeting Ranpo.
The greatest misfortune of his life was that his job had somehow changed from bodyguard to babysitter.
He recalled the words Ranpo had whispered to him before they arrived.
["Fukuzawa-ossan, Akiko's emotional scar is tied to her Ability. If we want her to become herself again, we have to help her gradually let go of the past. Once that happens, her Ability will naturally recover as well.
We'll work together with her and save people together. She'll become the best doctor our Agency could ever have."]
Fukuzawa Yukichi had never coveted Yosano Akiko's Ability. In truth, he had no idea just how miraculous her healing power was. The only reason he had joined Ranpo in rescuing the girl was because, as a matter of conscience, he could not stand by and watch an underage girl be imprisoned by adults.
As for Ranpo, who was eagerly fishing for praise, Fukuzawa remained steadfast in refusing to hand out compliments so easily.
"A task like this is simply your responsibility. Whether you do it or not doesn't make much difference. It isn't something worth praising."
"..."
"Ranpo, go wipe up the spot you dirtied by standing on the chair."
"...Damn it!"
Edogawa Ranpo suffered a heavy blow, finally understanding why Fukuzawa Yukichi was so unpopular with cats.
Fukuzawa-ossan, if you want cats to like you, you have to spoil them!
You're the worst cat lover ever!
Meanwhile, after becoming the Port Mafia's "Great Hero," Asou Akiya found himself deeply "trusted" and "valued" by the Port Mafia Boss. No longer worked to the bone, he had transformed into the most leisurely executive in the entire organization. Every day, he casually skimmed financial reports while sipping nourishing herbal tea brewed with goji berries, angelica root, and ginseng, all while waiting for the workday to end. Countless people envied his relaxed routine.
Today, however, he sat flipping through a French-language collection of poetry, his expression unusually solemn.
When Mori Ougai entered the room, he immediately took notice of the book.
It was the work of a foreign author.
From June to September, Mori Ougai had endured in silence. His patience had deepened along with his scheming, and his wariness of the man known as the Port Mafia's "Analyst", Asou Akiya, had only grown stronger.
After the Boss's treatment, Mori realized that no matter how hard he tried to curry favor, the Boss's most trusted subordinate would always be Asou Akiya.
It hadn't been like this before.
Just where had this man found an Ability user capable of curing illnesses brought on by old age?
Surely an Ability like that had its limits.
Mori was willing to lie low, but he refused to remain so passive, as though he had been sentenced to spend the rest of his life as an overworked office employee trapped inside the Port Mafia.
"Akiya-dono, I'd like to request something."
"Go ahead."
"I have an adopted little girl who's been living at my clinic for years; I'm worried about her safety..."
"Of course, feel free to bring her here."
Without even looking up from the French poetry collection in his hands, Asou Akiya agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Mori refused to believe that Akiya hadn't seen through his intentions. Wearing a troubled expression, he continued, "Wouldn't that invite gossip? The Port Mafia doesn't exactly have a tradition of letting people bring their families to work."
Still reading, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Akiya's lips.
"Who says it doesn't?"
After all, he brought his own family to work.
"...Well, you and Randou-dono are a special case."
Mori conceded with a helpless smile.
"Very well, I understand what you mean. Once my little Elise-chan grows up, she'll work for you too, Akiya-dono!"
He declared it with absolute conviction—so earnestly that it sounded even more believable than Edogawa Ranpo claiming he wouldn't eat any snacks.
Asou Akiya replied calmly, "I hope I live to see that day."
Yeah, right. Not a shred of sincerity whatsoever.
As an employee, all he ever thinks about is sweet-talking his boss and writing checks he has no intention of cashing.
Thinking about it that way, Akiya felt that he and Mori-sensei were really two of a kind. Any superior saddled with subordinates like them would probably end up lamenting their utter lack of ambition.
At noon, Mori Ougai headed to the cafeteria for lunch, conveniently leaving his superior enough time for a private rendezvous with his lover.
Asou Akiya and Randou ate lunch together in the executive office.
"Akiya, are you reading my poetry collection?"
"Mm."
Naturally, Akiya wasn't about to admit that he was trying to estimate André Gide's current level of insanity.
He hadn't thought much of it before, but once he realized just how profoundly the poems had affected the Mimic organization, he became certain that Gide had become one of Randou's most devoted admirers. Moreover, the comfort those poems provided would only deepen with time.
The loneliness in André Gide's heart had been sustained entirely by poetry.
A fan like that was incredibly dangerous.
Randou didn't give it any further thought. "I've been reading medical books lately; my eyes are so sore."
He pointed at his eyes, and Akiya immediately understood. Smiling, he gently massaged around them.
"My dear, why don't you rest here during lunch? By the way, what are you studying medicine for?"
After finishing his meal, drowsiness overtook Randou. He lay down on the sofa, using Akiya's lap as a pillow.
Out of habit, he unfolded Illuminations, sealing the office off from every form of communication with the outside world. In a lazy, sleepy voice, he murmured,
"I need to fine-tune our Boss's settings."
Akiya fell into thought.
So even Ability users had to keep studying to improve their abilities.
Randou continued, "We can't have him staying this healthy forever!"
Randou counted on his fingers. "I need to give him more human details—catching colds, sneezing, the beating of his heart, the way his pupils contract, and so on."
He buried his face against Akiya's waist and muttered, "Why did you arrange for a private doctor to stay by the Boss's side? I'm worried he'll see through me."
Before Asou Akiya could answer, Randou spoke again in a muffled voice.
"Let's kill him, the Boss told me he's not truly on your side. All he cares about is flattering the Boss."
Akiya nearly burst out laughing.
The Boss certainly hadn't wasted any time passing that along.
He gently reassured Randou.
"You don't have to be so nervous. A few flaws won't matter. As far as Mori-sensei is concerned, the Boss' illness has simply been forcibly suppressed by an Ability user, leaving him in an 'abnormal' state. No matter how you look at it, this isn't the level of health an elderly man should naturally possess."
Randou fell silent for a moment before asking in an unreadable tone,
"Akiya... do you like this doctor that much? A lot of people think I should be your direct subordinate."
Asou Akiya stroked the French beauty's hair in his lap.
So he's jealous.
"You're not my subordinate," he said softly. "You're my lover, Randou."
"But no one else knows that."
"Isn't that even better? We have a secret that belongs only to us, it has nothing to do with anyone else. They'll never be part of our world."
Akiya's heart belonged entirely to Randou. There was no chance he would ever cheat on him with the soon-to-be thirty-year-old Mori Ougai.
To put Randou's mind at ease, he decided to reveal something.
"My relationship with Mori-sensei is completely aboveboard. It's strictly business—we exchange money, nothing more. If you don't believe me, you can ask him yourself. Haven't I bought medicine from him every year?"
Randou suddenly shot upright, murderous intent flashing across his face as he glared at the utterly innocent-looking Akiya.
"He's that man?!"
The doctor who had turned a naturally robust Frenchman into someone so hypersensitive that even the slightest touch overwhelmed him, leaving him unable to last more than a few brushes of contact before losing the upper hand in bed!
"Akiya!
You're not allowed to buy that medicine anymore! If you're going to top me, then do it with your own ability! What kind of man relies on medication?!"
Randou flared up and bit down on Asou Akiya's shoulder.
Akiya felt a little guilty too.
Even so...
He decided that he'd consider ending the arrangement when he could manage seven rounds in a single night and fully satisfy their sex life without any assistance.
His under-the-table deal with Mori-sensei was simply too good to give up!
That afternoon, while walking down the corridor to see Asou Akiya, Mori Ougai ran into Randou.
The Frenchman shot him a vicious glare, his gray-green eyes gleaming with an icy golden light and faint killing intent. Without a word, Randou walked past him, as though Mori had committed some unforgivable crime.
Completely baffled, Mori went to ask Akiya what had happened.
With a grave expression, Akiya declared, "Our secret's out."
Mori was so thrown by the wording that he couldn't help asking, "Which secret?"
Akiya slapped the desk. "What other secret could we possibly have?! Buying the medicine! He found out!"
Mori didn't know whether to be relieved or dismayed. "Ah… So it was that..."
How embarrassing…
Does that mean our arrangement can finally come to an end?
Mori tried to convey the question with a meaningful look.
Pretending not to understand in the slightest, Akiya spoke with complete sincerity.
"Mori-sensei, I never expected him to get so angry. Next time, let's switch to a different medicine, I'll just tell him it came from another doctor. I won't expose you again."
At long last, Mori couldn't hold it in anymore.
He looked at the man before him with utter contempt.
What a disgrace to Japanese men!
Asou Akiya didn't take it seriously. Leaning back in his Executive chair, he looked like he was only missing a cigar between his fingers as he bitterly imparted some life wisdom: "You know how the French are, right? Those beauties from that romantic nation come with an innate talent—they won't stop until they've wrung you dry."
He sized up Mori Ougai, who was still in his white coat. "You—you're not still a virgin, are you?"
"…No."
"Got any proof?"
"Sir, saying something like that to a man is an attack on his dignity."
"Oh, oh, my apologies."
Asou Akiya covered his mouth and muttered through his fingers: "I thought your type was girls under twelve. Turns out I was wrong?"
"…"
Mori Ougai, who hadn't yet brought Elise into the Port Mafia, stiffened. He realized that the jokes he'd made to the injured patients at his clinic had been overheard.
So, to maintain his cover, Mori Ougai straightened his expression. "No, you're right. I am."
Asou Akiya said gravely, "No, you're not."
Mori Ougai really wanted to hit him, but he held back, swallowed his pride, and put on a delighted face.
"I used to like mature women, but now I'm all about little girls!"
"Proof?"
Asou Akiya rested his chin in both hands and watched the doctor's performance.
To ensure Elise could come to his side smoothly, to serve as his eyes and ears, and his bodyguard, Mori Ougai declared without hesitation: "For instance, I can't get it up for a mature woman!"
Asou Akiya grabbed the receiver of the desk phone.
"Kouyou-kun! Take Mori-sensei to the Interrogation Department! He says he's impotent!"
"...!!!"
Moving faster than he ever had in his life, Mori Ougai clamped a hand over Akiya's and hung up the phone.
He leaned in close, his voice dropping into one of pleading surrender.
"Senpai… please don't do this..."
The rich, magnetic timbre of Mori's voice nearly made Akiya's brain short-circuit for a moment.
Then he thought: You haven't even become my kouhai yet!
Since Mori had gone that far, Akiya saw no reason to keep up the polite distance between them any longer.
"So, what's your mission as my prospective kouhai after joining the Port Mafia?"
With complete "sincerity," Mori replied, "To help Senpai rise to the top."
Akiya let out an astonished laugh.
"So the man who proposed the 'Immortal Regiment' turned out to be such a selfless saint? Who would've thought?"
When it came to driving a knife into someone's pride, Asou Akiya was a consummate professional.
Mori ground his teeth.
You saw through me from the very beginning, didn't you? So who exactly are you trying to disgust by saying it out loud now?!
"Senpai, let me ask you something—Was Akiko taken away on your orders?"
"Yeah."
"You actually admitted it?!"
"I already paid you for it."
Akiya pushed him away. The man had stopped bothering to shave regularly after leaving the military, and had become noticeably lazier as a result.
The Port Mafia Executive, Asou Akiya smiled gently. "Otherwise, why do you think I gave you all that money? Did you think it was because you're handsome?"
"..."
Mori Ougai opened his mouth, overcome with grief and indignation.
You never even saw me back when I was young and handsome!
The military's once-renowned flower had been thoroughly rejected.