What started out as a cliche distant lovers meeting turned out to be a gruesome discovery of a treasure trove of National secrets. Yokohama was all that Atsushi Nakajima knew. He knew its every nit and grit and he would risk his life to protect the...
"Sooo what do you think?" Ranpo asked while leaning against the table.
Gregor leaned back, away from the man.
"No," he simply said.
Ranpo groaned. It's the 17th time he has asked today.
"Come on! I have so many books to solve," Ranpo sulked as he pointed to a stack of books on the table.
Gregor glanced at the books then at Ranpo then out the window. There wasn't a single hint of reluctance in his actions. They were in a classroom together and it was evening. The sun painted their skins golden, the air smelled like lavender—but the luxurious kind and everyone was slowly returning to their respective dorms.
Ranpo stared endearingly at the boy before him, he cannot help but feel so intrigued. What was his ability? Why was he in red when he came? Why was he so tattered and bruised when he did come? Who did he work for previously?
"Your move," Gregor murmured while signaling to the board with his palm.
Silence fell.
"Checkmate," Ranpo concluded as he moved a piece.
Gregor pursed his lips and shut his eyes closed, preparing for Ranpo's unnecessary reaction.
"150-147," Ranpo exclaimed while erasing the mini whiteboard on the table and adjusting it appropriately.
"Okay," Gregor mumbled.
His fingers reached out for the books but Ranpo quickly pushed them away. Gregor tilted his head in confusion, he had assumed that Ranpo would want him to solve the stacks of mystery novels if he reached 150 wins before him.
"The favour that I request...is for you to ease my curiosity."
"Curiosity kills the cat," Gregor muttered while he retracted his hand.
Ranpo smiled.
"And satisfaction brought it back! Gregor-san, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Gregor stared Ranpo in the eye. This was playing off just as he had calculated but it still chokes him to reply. His muscles ache and twitch, perhaps if he stayed quiet then Ranpo would lose interest. The opponent cannot play if you offer nothing for them to play.
"You remind me of a vermin, I can't seem to hold you in one place, I don't think anybody could," Ranpo added once the boy fell silent.
Gregor shut his eyes closed, "Ranpo-san-"
The door burst open, revealing Fukuzawa with a frantic expression.
"The agency is under attack! The clerks are held hostage," he exclaimed.
Ranpo quickly jot up from his seat. With an agitated frown, Gregor gripped onto the edges of the chessboard and turned it over, causing the chess pieces to fall on the floor with a loud thud. Once the pieces scattered across the floor, Gregor shot Ranpo a peculiar look.
Ranpo could see through this kid-like glass, and he wasn't willing to look away.
"We'll continue this later on," Ranpo said calmly before running off.
Once Ranpo and Fukuzawa left, Gregor stood up and whipped out his phone. It was an old vintage flip phone with a broken cross keychain. The cross was snapped in half but only a quarter of it was left attached to the phone. The metal was rusting and the black string was fraying, it was like a dead snail on the pavement. That's exactly how Gregor felt—its removal brings more burden than its presence.
He smoothly dialed a number and placed the phone close to his ear.
"Hey," Gregor whispered.
The other party chuckled, "Ah Mr Right strikes again...I was only off by a day...anyways, I just got Aulis-san to make me a key. I'll be going now, you're covering for me, right?"
Gregor nodded, "Mhm."
"You can relax for now, sir," the other party teased playfully as a way to get back at Gregor's previous remark.
They sounded like old friends reconciling after years of separation.
Gregor sighed heavily, "I shouldn't have been tasked with him...he's too close to the edge, I'm always on my toes...This is too much work...!"
"That's the exact reason we put you with him, only you can keep him at bay while I tantalise him. I lure the crocodile under a pretence of safety while you jump on its back with a chain."
"How crude, do not describe Ranpo-san like some beast."
"Mm, that sounds serious coming from you."
"Pride goeth (goes) before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall," Gregor recalled.
"You make me sound like the devil's advocate HAH! You never fail to humour me, Gregor though I doubt god would appreciate your sentimental recollection after this."
"There is no god to appreciate me...Charles and Father always recite these kinds of things and they stick with me."
"Good, maybe then you'll have a chance to go to heaven."
"HAH, you're the humorist. Maybe you should try reciting a line or two without burning up."
There was a pause, the person on the other line was taking a pitiful breath.
"There is no light to where I am heading."
"Bask in the darkness and that's all you'll ever know."
"You're right. You're the only one who understands, Gregor-san"
Gregor could imagine the person smiling forlornly through the phone. It was annoying, to say the least, yet it was enough to evoke some form of pity to any stranger. He knew there was no hope in saying anything against the caller. The caller didn't seem to want to argue but Gregor knew he was unconvinced.
Whenever Gregor talks to him, he can't help but feel hollow. The caller was conspicuously empty—and his emptiness could suck the life out of you when you talked to him like an infinite vacuum.
"See you."
"Yes see you too."
Gregor scooped up the books gently in his arms and smiled softly.
"To have someone care for you so much that they would write their soul out for your approval," Gregor hugged the books closer to his chest and chuckled woefully, "I can feel the loyalty, Ranpo-san. The fresh loyalty of an enemy."
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