The noisy bar was still bustling at midnight.
Yukiko was either drunk or simply tired, practically draped over Toru. The blend of alcohol and perfume wasn't unpleasant—it was actually rather refreshing.
Toru felt that instead of a bar, he should have taken Yukiko to a nightclub. The atmosphere here was still a bit lacking in comparison.
"Yukiko-nee, you've had too much to drink."
"No~ I'm not drunk at all. My tolerance is really good. I only had this much, it's really not a lot."
Yukiko shook her head, clearly pretending to be drunk.
She picked up another glass of wine from the table. The glass wasn't big, but the alcohol content was high. She downed it in one gulp, then shouted excitedly, "Toru-kun, don't call me Sister!"
"Then what should I call you?"
Toru wrapped his arm around Yukiko's waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. His warm breath grazed her neck, making Yukiko shiver.
"Call me Madam!"
"Huh?"
This time, Toru was truly taken aback.
But seeing Yukiko's enthusiastic expression, he hesitated for a moment and called out, "Madam?"
"Toru-kun is so good. Here's your reward!"
Yukiko passed the wine from her mouth to his. It was a little spicy, a little sweet. Only then did Toru realize—she hadn't swallowed the drink at all.
The stimulation from the alcohol, the tension of suppressed emotions, and the wild atmosphere of the bar had fully unshackled Yukiko. The rebelliousness buried deep within had overwhelmed her usual image of a calm wife and mother. It was like she'd returned to those restless high school days.
"Yukiko-nee, want another drink?"
"More!"
"Then call me Daddy, or I won't give you any."
"Hehe, keep dreaming. Who would call you that~"
Yukiko laughed so hard she trembled.
"If you don't, you're not getting another drink."
"Hmph, then I won't drink~"
Yukiko swayed as she stood up, staggering toward Toru. She collapsed into his arms and whispered in his ear, "I think I've had a little too much. Let's go back?"
Toru gave a slight nod, then looked over at Eri, who sat on his other side. At the moment, Eri was nearly lying down on the sofa, her long legs wrapped in flesh-toned stockings propped up, appearing composed, but clearly dizzy.
"Eri, can you still get up?"
"Toru, you're underestimating me. I'm not drunk enough to collapse."
Eri stood with effort, clutching her head.
She didn't know whether Yukiko was genuinely drunk, but her own tolerance wasn't great. Her head was pounding from the alcohol.
Seeing Toru and Yukiko finally preparing to leave, she felt relieved.
Toru supported Eri with one arm and let Yukiko cling to his other. The three of them walked out of the bar.
Though Toru had drunk quite a bit, he remained perfectly clear-headed. The cool night breeze and his naturally high metabolism had sobered him up almost completely.
He didn't drive, but called a taxi and headed for the nearest luxury hotel.
The driver, an elderly man around sixty, glanced at the three without saying a word, then dropped them off at the hotel entrance.
Toru helped the two women into the hotel lobby. At this late hour, it was quiet, so they didn't attract much attention.
All three were celebrities to some extent. If someone took a photo and it made the news, it would be a big problem.
Toru sensibly booked two rooms. After receiving the key cards, he said, "Should I take you both up?"
Eri didn't say a word. In her current state, she was far too embarrassed.
Yukiko didn't speak either. She simply buried her beautiful face in Toru's chest and let out a soft hum, as if she could fall asleep at any moment.
He escorted them into the elevator and brought them to the suite he had booked for them.
He placed Eri on one bed. She immediately buried her face into a pillow like an ostrich.
Eri wasn't sure what would happen next, but her headache was real. She just wanted to sleep it off.
After putting Yukiko down on the other bed, Toru was about to head to the bathroom for a shower.
As for going back to his own room? He wasn't some innocent schoolboy. How could he pass up this kind of opportunity?
However, someone was even more impatient than him.
Yukiko kicked off her silver heels with a clink. Her bare feet, covered in sheer ankle socks, hooked around Toru's waist as her long, slender legs pulled him down beside her.
Toru didn't resist. He let Yukiko tug him down onto the bed.
Looking at that flawless face just five centimeters from his, a sweet scent drifted toward him. His breathing began to quicken.
"Don't go~"
Yukiko said softly.
"I'm going to take a shower."
"No~ I want you to sleep with me~"
She whined like a spoiled girl.
Toru tested the waters. "Yukiko-nee, you're married."
He wanted to see how she would respond.
To his surprise, whether it was the alcohol or something she'd long prepared for, Yukiko didn't back down. Instead, she whispered seductively, "So what if I'm married? Are you scared?"
Before he could reply, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pulling him closer.
Her voice was like honey in his ear. "Daddy? Oh no, calling you that is so embarrassing~"
This woman… she's way too good at this!
No man could hold back at a time like this.
And Toru was a real man.
So of course, he didn't hold back.
Eri vaguely heard what was going on beside her. She muttered to herself that Yukiko had finally gotten what she wanted, then drifted off into a dazed sleep.
Her tolerance was terrible, and her head was pounding.
But just as she started to doze off and the pain in her head subsided a little, she was suddenly jolted awake.
At some point, Yukiko had climbed on top of her, looking down at her with flushed cheeks, her breath hot and sweet, eyes misty, her whole body limp.
Eri, now mostly sober, was startled and cried out, "Yukiko, what are you doing?!"
"Eri, you're not getting away tonight either!"
"Are you insane?"
Eri tried to get up.
She wasn't as bold as Yukiko, and her personality was far less rebellious. She cared deeply about her public image.
"Toru-kun, hold her down. Don't let her escape!"
Toru immediately moved to help. How could Eri break free from the two of them? She was quickly restrained, unable to struggle, and could only curse them angrily.
But gradually, even her curses faded.
Inside the hotel room, only sounds of chaos and passion remained.
...
Tokyo Haneda International Airport. A passenger plane landed.
A dark-skinned man in a knit cap and carrying a shoulder bag exited the airport terminal.
"Big Brother!"
The sudden voice made Akai Shuichi turn his head. A tall man with stubble was walking toward him, smiling.
When he saw who it was, Shuichi couldn't help but smile too. The two embraced tightly.
"Shukichi, why did you come to pick me up?"
"I had nothing to do today. I heard you were arriving and figured it's been too long since we last saw each other. I wanted to see you first."
"I heard our little sister is in Japan too?"
"Yeah, she's in high school right now, staying at a hotel. It's rare for all three siblings to be in one place."
"Any word from Mom?"
"Nothing so far, but I suspect our little sister knows where she is. I didn't ask. You know Mom's situation. She might be on a mission."
Shuichi nodded slowly.
The two walked side by side, chatting. Suddenly, Shuichi stopped in his tracks.
An older man in a sharp suit stood ahead of them, hands in his pockets.
Shukichi glanced between the two and said, "Looks like Big Brother has something to take care of. I'll head out first."
"I reserved a restaurant. Don't forget to come tonight."
Shuichi gave an apologetic smile, then walked toward the man in the suit.
"Sorry to interrupt your family time, Akai," the man said with a light chuckle.
Shuichi shook his head. "I'm used to it. In this line of work, family reunions are a luxury. Shall we talk while we walk?"
"Sure."
The man's name was James Black, an FBI special agent and Shuichi's superior.
They had been dispatched together to Japan to pursue a mission target, though Black had arrived a day earlier.
They walked to the parking lot, got into the car, and continued their conversation.
"Do you have intel?"
Shuichi sat in the back seat and asked.
"We've confirmed the person who stole sensitive data in Japan is part of that Organization."
"She hasn't left Japan?"
"She hasn't."
"How can you be sure?"
"The FBI collaborated with intelligence agencies from Canada, Italy, and a few other countries. We staged a joint op and transferred detailed data on several agents to Japan."
Black drove out onto the main road.
Shuichi paused in thought. "So it's bait and a trap?"
"It's both. But the data is real. If it wasn't, it wouldn't attract her. That woman is a top-level operative, and top-level people crave impossible missions."
"Sounds like HQ is betting big this time. If we fail, we'll be stepping on a lot of toes."
"That's why they brought you in, Akai."
Shuichi looked out the window, clenched his fist, and said coldly, "That Organization owes me too many lives. I'll make them pay back every single one."
"But this time, we may face an additional complication," Black said cautiously.
"What kind of complication?"
"The Central Intelligence Agency."
"The CIA is investigating the Organization too? Are they competing with us?"
Black's car stopped at a red light. He spoke seriously.
"No. It's worse than that. We have evidence that the CIA Director, Spencer, is working with the Organization."
Shuichi's expression turned grim.
(To be continued.)
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