"So, the reason they're targeting me is because they think I have something left behind by my parents," Kazawa said, folding his arms and leaning against the bedhead, turning the toy gun in his hand. "Then why did they send me all the way to Tokyo? To make my 'disappearance' look legit?"
Toru Amuro silently handed over a photo. The picture showed a small standalone house engulfed in flames, fire roaring high into the sky. Kazawa's eyes locked on it, a suffocating feeling crawling up his throat.
That was Kazawa Akira's home.
"Three days after you left Kyoto, your house caught fire."
"Looks like they've already turned the place upside down," Kazawa crumpled the photo. "So your job is to find those things on me?"
"Yes."
Kazawa fell silent for a moment, then looked away. "…You'll probably be disappointed."
"That's good," Amuro smiled without a hint of pressure. Even if Kazawa really had something, there was no way he would hand it over casually.
Amuro's current work wasn't at the stage of transferring technical data yet. First, he had to follow the clues from Kazawa's case to find the planted moles in Public Security, the suspicious politicians. Then, he needed to evaluate how important Kazawa really was.
…Like whether he was important enough to justify sending a deep-cover undercover agent who had been undercover for years.
"So, how did they… I mean, how did my parents…" Kazawa hesitated, then asked.
"Lab accident," Amuro lowered his gaze, his heart hardening. "They worked in a high-risk lab. Dangerous materials leaked by accident, and they died."
Teacher Elena was the same — she died mysteriously in a so-called lab accident. Her two daughters later fell fully under the organization's control. Rescue was impossible; he never even got the chance to reach them. The youngest daughter was a teen genius scientist, now working in an organization research institute.
Looking at Kazawa, it felt like an endless cycle. The tragedy of Elena's family seemed to foreshadow Kazawa's hopeless end.
But he wouldn't let history repeat itself. He had to save this kid.
"Accident…" Kazawa let out a bitter laugh, inwardly cursing the organization's sloppy silencing tactics.
Why not just shoot me eight times in the back and call it suicide?
"That's why I managed to get the task of monitoring you," Amuro bragged shamelessly, "You're very unsafe now, and you've already been attacked. I'll do my best to buy time, but there are other watchers. I can't always be by your side, and I don't know what they might do. You have to be careful."
So stop playing house with that kid upstairs. Kazami and the others are busy investigating online, wiping out news, they really can't handle you running around. You better stay put in the shop. Rei is a strong sniper — running wild outside is dangerous.
Kazawa pretended not to hear the hint, and asked instead, "Then, how can I help you?"
"Describe everyone involved in your case," Amuro focused, serious. "People who had conflicts with you, the woman you saved, the officers who interrogated you, the thugs in the cell… try to remember everyone, and describe them in detail. They might all be like me, people assigned by someone. If we don't find the source, neither you nor I can fight back."
Amuro slightly exaggerated the seriousness, and painted himself as equally powerless, hoping Kazawa would take this seriously.
"Alright." Kazawa nodded solemnly.
The reason sounds a bit forced, Amuro, but fine. Let's just say I'm an easy mark. Not a bad thing.
"I'll make arrangements to prepare a way for you to escape," Amuro relaxed a little, then got to the point. "There might be some planned accidents and chaos so you can leave my surveillance. Someone will meet you step by step, help you change identities and live a new life. It's not simple; give me some time. But please trust me."
Amuro reached out and pressed Kazawa's head. "I'm your guardian. I will protect you."
It was the second time he said it, but the meaning was completely different from the first.
"What about you? Your mission is to find something from me. If I disappear, what will happen to you?" Kazawa asked softly, head still pressed down.
"Don't worry about me. Adults have their ways." Amuro rubbed the hair in his palm.
Kazawa guessed the idea: blame Akai Shuichi, blame other unlucky whiskey agents, or just give up. There are more useless guys in the organization anyway. A failed mission won't cost Bourbon his life.
Too bad if Kazawa's guess about recognition power is true — his importance to the organization might be more than that. If they lose him, the undercover in Japanese Public Security is lost.
Luckily, Kazawa didn't plan on running away.
Thinking of his plan, Kazawa smiled.
The result will be good, but for the plan to succeed, Amuro must remain unaware.
Hope that when Toru Amuro discovers the truth, he'll be a bit less angry.
"Stop touching my head already." Kazawa shrank his neck, breaking free from Amuro's grip.
For some reason, since he brought it up, Amuro seemed to purposely do the opposite and kept messing with his head. Such a terrible adult.
Amuro felt they had exchanged enough information for now. Rolling up his sleeves, he stood. "You didn't eat dinner today, right? I'll make something simple in the kitchen. By the way, what should I call you now? Akira?"
Thinking of the forum posts where the "middleman" was always addressed by name, Amuro considered whether he should switch to that nickname to get closer.
"…Forget it." Kazawa wasn't used to being called by his given name. After all, in his previous life, his full name was just Kazawa. Calling him Akira or Akikun would be too much too soon.
Besides, no matter what relationship Kazawa and he had now, wherever Kazawa was, he didn't want to take away the name. At least he wanted Kazawa Akira to keep something that belonged to him.
"Just call me Kazawa, Amuro-san." Kazawa looked up at the low attic ceiling. "I'm the only one left. There won't be another 'Kazawa' anymore."
The Sera family genealogy was all red — a whole line of loyalists…
He wondered if he could save the Miyano sisters. Akai Shuichi's remaining relatives weren't many.
Amuro, about to go downstairs and open fire, stopped and, maybe misunderstanding something, covered Kazawa's eyes with his hand.
"Remember to come down for dinner." Amuro turned without looking at Kazawa's expression and quickly went downstairs.
Kazawa, suddenly blinded: …
Amuro must think he's crying…
Realizing the undercover's overactive imagination, Kazawa sighed.
Ah well, as long as he's happy.