The moment he entered onto Tokyo's main road, Suwabe parked into a convenience store lot and killed the engine. His body slumped against the seat with a violent thud.
"Damn it!!"
He scratched his pomade styled hair, dark streaked with white, the steering wheel still trembling faintly from where he'd slammed it earlier. Counting today's failure.
"Even though I was careful enough…" he groaned with frustration.
That guy suddenly driving like a madman right after leaving Ashigara…
His fingers tapped restlessly against the dashboard.
"I knew it felt off when they stopped there. Good thing I didn't take the chance…"
But the doubt gnawed.
Did they notice me? No… no, I'm sure he noticed. The way he drove all this time— that boy was crawling the whole time, boring, slow and steady, nothing unusual… then suddenly flooring it, deliberately slipping through trucks and cars to block my line of sight…
The scene replayed vividly, one car after another, sliding behind a passing truck, until the road seemed to fold against him. Suwabe had gritted his teeth, gripping the steering wheel tight as he fought to keep pace without looking like he was tailing. Every time he thought he'd close the ideal gap, another vehicle cut across, severing his view.
At last, instinct told him what he refused to admit, if he pressed harder, he'd blow his cover completely, or worse, getting caught by an actual patrol. So, at the interchange, he forced himself off the trail—took the Numazu exit—and turned back toward Tokyo.
Shit… I got careless and making such a newbie mistake like that…
He struck the wheel again, the horn giving a pathetic squeak. Then, he pulled out a cigarette, tapped it twice and light it.
"Fine, let's lay low for now."
Damn you, Yamagami. This Renji kid is nothing but question marks, and you just let him slip away…
"Three weeks… three damn weeks just circling Tokyo. And now they finally go somewhere outside." He sneered bitterly, closed eyes reading at every possible scenario. "No plane, no train. That means private business."
A long silence filled the car. And the smokes inside blurring his eyesight, but he didn't blink at it.
"…In the meantime… I'll dig somewhere else. Especially while he's not around."
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Renji's tired eyes and questioning frown stares at his phone screen—
24 December 2024. 10:18 pm.
—Glowed against his chilled fingers. He shoved the phone back into his pocket, blowing a white plume of breath that instantly dissolved into the dark. The air cold with that biting winter sharpness, seeping into his bones no matter how tightly he hunched into his jacket.
He shifted his eyes from the ground, from where he stood, to the sea in the near horizon, reflecting the moon perfectly on its surface.
"Akada… huh…"
Earlier, on the drive through the city, he'd passed the square where Christmas was in full swing. Decorative lights draped the trees like shimmering vines, peddlers in Santa costume, couples strolled shoulder to shoulder, and family happily hand in hand. The glow of Christmas had followed him all the way to the strait, until finally the lights thinned, overwhelmed by the silence of this desolate underdeveloped shoreline.
… Christmas Eve… and what the hell am I doing out here, in some frozen wilderness by the sea?
Ahead, Shira and Jin talking in a hushed voice. They stood at the edge of the dead-end road, where the asphalt side by side with the weeds tall as men jutting through snow, as if swallowed by winter.
Isn't tonight supposed to be the main moment for warmth? Or a special moment where man and a woman together… not this?
Renji rubbed his arms, mumbling under his breath, "… Cold, lonely, and dark…"
"Hey, Renji. Let's go." Shira's voice cut from distance.
"…Eh? I'm not waiting in the car?"
"You're coming with me."
… And there goes my 'at least' plan to watch cheesy Christmas movie on the car O-led screen with surround sound system and a heater cranked to heaven. Never mind…
"Okie dokie…"
His lazy gesture earned him an audible scoff from Jin, who already had a seemingly heavy bag slung across his shoulder. The older man walked forward first into the wild plants, leaving deep grooves in the snow. Shira followed close, and Renji dragging behind as the last.
What are they even planning on doing? From yesterday's talk… infiltration or something? Are they serious?
From the rear, Renji's eyes naturally examine what's in front of him, to the bags they carried.
Mr. Jin's bag… looks like camera equipment. Is it actually a real X-ray cam…? And Miss Shira—still hauling that tall canvas bag… What the hell is in it?
The same bag when he first picked her up at KHX's managerial office. Not once had she opened it. Or at least, not that he'd seen.
"Uwaaah, it's so cold…" He hugged himself tighter, watching his own breath fog out.
Yet the two people in front of him seems fine, as they walked in steady pace. Few distance later, it hits him.
"Uwah! Damn, it smells!" Renji yelped and covered his nose with his hand.
"Shut your trap, kid. Tch." Jin had enough of Renji's complaint, and hushed him.
Okay, okay, chill sir… I get it…
"Well, Akada has sewage treatment plants, we're near it, I think." Shira answers him nonchalantly.
"Cold… lonely… dark… and stinky…" Renji mumbles as he could feel his teeth rattling.
The trek was slow and steady—through wild paths that barely existed. By the time they reached the shore, 15 minutes had passed.
The sea opened before them, the waves brushing against the frozen sand. The scent of salt and metal grow stronger, concealing the unpleasant smell earlier. And in this silence, the faint creaking of a cargo crane echoed from afar could be heard.
Jin strode to a half-buried stack of driftwood and weeds. With one pull, he dragged out an already prepared black rubber boat, military-grade, big enough for four. When the craft finally above the water, swaying against the current. Shira walked onboard and set down her bag.
"Bit late to ask, Jin, it's not petrol, right?"
"Don't worry, it's electric. Not total quiet but the port noise will cover us when we're closing in."
"And the entry point?"
Jin opened a tablet, the overview map glowing pale blue in the dark. He handed it to her, while still carefully setting up the boat engine in the dark. "We'll land under that northwest side crane that I marked, second platform. It's the best spot from what I can tell, had not as many lights and since it's not their main unloading dock, activity is thinner."
"I see, so we walk from there to the main platform… Security cam?"
"That, we can't do anything about, as long as the searchlight didn't zeroing on us, we're safe."
"Still, let's keep sharp... Since we didn't know what PMC they come from. Oh yeah, there isn't any water patrol, right?"
"No," Jin said, tying a knot tight around the engine. "They stick to guarding the cargo." His head then snapped around. "—And what are you doing, kid? Get in the damn boat already!"
Renji had been standing a few steps back, staring at the looming port lights. "Y-yes! Right away!"
He scrambled inside, and feeling the waves under as he settled onto the rubber seat. Jin crouched at the stern, adjusting the tiller. The silent motor hummed to life, vibration rippling around. The boat pushed off, cutting smoothly through the dark sea.
Renji glanced at the only two souls around him. He forced a chuckle. "W-well… nice night for a boat ride on Christmas Eve, right? Ha… ha…"
But Shira and Jin didn't even respond, since they still busy with the prep.
"Jin, is this the comm?" she asked, pulling one equipment case lying on the boat.
"Yeah. Pre-tuned, but we'll sweep again just in case."
Jin already wearing his comm, Shira slipped the earpiece into her ear with practiced ease, then clipped a slim radio unit to her belt. She tested the mic with a low murmur, and Jin nodded in silent confirmation.
Then her gaze shifted to Renji. He froze. Her hand dipped back into the case, came up with another earpiece, and shoved it into his palm.
Renji blinked down at it, confused. "Uh… w-what's this for?"
"So you can hear us later on." Shira answered in a bored tone.
He fumbled with the earpiece, he jammed it in, in the wrong ear at first. The moment it clicked, a faint hiss of static whispered into his skull, making Shira's and Jin's voice clearer. And he clipped the radio to his belt just like Shira did.
After getting used to the sensation in his ear, his eye shift to Jin as he muttered to himself, crouched and pulled another waterproof case under one of the rubber seats, it clicked open, and followed by another sound of metal brushing metal. He slid something into a holster at his waist.
Renji's stomach knotted when he realized what he was seeing.
"Huh…?"
… He's holding… a… gun…?
Then he looked at Shira, who had knelt beside her long canvas bag, finally unzipping it. Inside, the faint gleam of lacquer caught the moonlight—a black saya, and unmistakably, a katana handle. Next, she drew out a pistol with a suppressor already threaded on. She casually holstered it under her coat like it was nothing more than a phone.
Renji froze at the sight. His throat scraped dry.
"…W-wait." His voice cracked, weak against the waves. "… W-what the heck… that's a real gun?? what's all this?"
Again, neither answered right away. The only reply was the slap of water against rubber and the wind cutting his ears. At last, Shira spoke while keeping her stare far at the horizon.
"As I said, it's inspection."
"Come on! I can still believe about the X-ray cam! But gun and blades are in no way have something to do with checking cargo!!"
"Yell again and I'll shut you up myself," Jin hissed and gritting his teeth while taking out the cam equipment.
Shira's smile was thin, cold, already expecting his reaction.
"…Think of it like an umbrella, Renji. You may not actually need it, but you might want to have it on you in case it rains."
"No… no, no, no. You guys seriously need to explain this to me NOW—what are we really doing out here??"
"Miss Shira—" Jin already took a stance about to lunge at Renji, but she stopped him with a hand and instead asking back with indifference.
"—Renji, how do you see the world you live in?"
"…What?" He blinked as his body sways from the waves like a doll.
"You heard me the first time. Answer."
"… I… I…"
Shira's calm voice reverberating inside his head through the earpiece.
—I don't know!! Heck! Why does it feel like picking the wrong answer might cost me my life here?? Bad ending? I've got no save button dammit!! What's with this sudden question anyway?!
Minutes crawled before he managed to speak. "…The world I live in… it's bad. But I'm sure some people would say it's not as bad as I think."
"Hmm…" Shira waited, eyes steady on him.
"…As of now I just… I live in… just try to endure what life throws. At least… I want to live a life where I can say… my grass is green…"
Silence. Only the hum of the motor and the water. Jin and Shira's eyes turned to him. Yet he kept staring at his feet.
Shira lips turned into an amused smile. "Look, Jin. He answered honestly."
"Heh, no shit." Jin let out a humorless sigh.
"…What?!" Renji snapped his head to look at the two of them.
"Don't mind it too much, Renji. Wasn't a serious question," Shira said casually while shrugging her shoulders.
The hell? Were they just playing with me??
"Hey, I'm—" Just as Renji about to respond, Shira interrupted him.
"—Renji, so far, I can clearly say that you're stupid. You wear your heart on your sleeve. But… somewhat, strangely perceptive."
Renji froze, eyes narrowing at Shira's eyes that met his gaze head-on.
"Seeing all of these in front of you, if you can already guess, your guess might be on the right track."
"…What are you talking about…?"
"Mind you, Renji. Neither I… nor Miss Reika have ever intentionally lied or hidden what we really are."
The memory rushed back—Reika's words at the garden, the drug incident, the bail-out. The offer as driver, Shira's detached confidence.
Are you for real…?
"So, didn't I tell you already…? This is normal… In our line of work." She smiled at him—sweet, almost tender, and utterly terrifying.
The water around them brightened. They were nearing the port, its industrial lights glaring like patch of floodlamps across the sea. The creak of metal cranes loomed louder.
"Miss Shira," Jin muttered, steering carefully. "We're close to the entry point."
Shira gave Renji one last look. "Sometimes I wonder. Whether you're just playing dumb… or just living the reality with ignorance."
Renji said nothing, only stared at the artificial port rising before them, fully in their view—massive cranes silhouetted against the night as they hide under the shadow of the platform.