…
…
At night, Hojo Natsuki was extremely sleepy and, as expected, developed a low-grade fever.
He slept in a hazy state, and in a trance he experienced countless bizarre things, as if there was a Rubik's Cube spinning non-stop in front of him, and each time the cube turned, it would play a different image.
It was like clips cut from a movie series, with each scene showing him and Kurosawa Jin at different ages and in different outfits.
[Xia Shu, a male high school student in uniform, jogged across the street and patted the silver-haired girl on the shoulder: "Kotoko, good morning."
Kotoko raised her green eyes, glanced at him, and nodded coldly. 'She' had long hair, three-dimensional features, and an androgynous face. She was filled with a distant and thin boyish feeling, without any feminine temperament.]
Hojo Natsuki saw this scene: "… "
Dead memories also attack him in dreams.
The high school boy with poor eyesight and Kotoko gradually walked away.
The screen rotated, and another clip of Kurosawa and Natsuki in new character settings was played.
"So it's a parallel world." Hojo Natsuki, who was watching the movie, thought, "The 'Book' can influence millions of parallel worlds. As the owner of the 'Book', I also have the ability to influence parallel worlds."
Because of his tricks in the parallel world, Top Killer Gin is connected to him in the form of the mobile game "Travel Frog", and the same is true for that doki... the capture target "Kotoko" in the beautiful girl game whose name I can't remember.
The parallel world images that have been broadcast so far are very different from Hojo Natsuki's personal experience, so even though it is clearly his own face, there is a lack of sense of immersion.
He reads other people's stories with great interest.
The Rubik's Cube kept switching and turning over again.
Finally, a familiar scene appeared to Hojo Natsuki—
[The young boy Xia Shu held a black earring and put it on Kurosawa's earlobe, and curled his eyes: "Now we are even."
The young Xia Shu sat on the sofa, facing Kurosawa, with a calm expression and a hint of subtle tension: "I want to leave the organization."]
Hojo Natsuki off-screen: “!”
The Frog Organization? Or some other messed up organization
Unfortunately, that [Hojo Natsuki] is not a competent actor. The scenes flash by like a revolving lantern, like quickly turning the pages of a book. After a few rustling sounds, the "movie" has come to an end.
[The book was opened, Hojo Natsuki picked up the pen and wrote a few lines.
The camera didn't give a full view. Therefore, only the last small part of the text can be seen -
“… we meet again.”
Then, he closed the 'book' and handed it to his friend beside him.
The friend whose face could not be seen clearly, wearing a black windbreaker, reached out to take the "book", and the hem of his red scarf swung slightly in an arc as he moved.
The screen suddenly went out, returning to a dead black.
In reality, Hojo Natsuki gradually wakes up.
The process of waking up is like rising from the water, with water droplets peeling off the body one by one. The dreams I had also gradually fell off like water droplets, breaking into pieces.
When he opened his eyes, he had actually forgotten most of the clear movie-like scenes he had seen before, but he vaguely remembered that it was the wish of another 'Natsuki' that allowed him and Kurosawa to meet across dimensions - as expected, this was a gift from himself.
"It is still 'I' who understands me best..."
Hojo Natsuki thought so and smiled with satisfaction.
However, the smile suddenly disappeared when he turned over.
I feel pain all over my body when I move.
The pain in his waist, lower abdomen, thighs...was not intense, but very distinct, like needles piercing his skin, constantly reminding him of what happened during the day.
In addition, my head felt dizzy and I had no strength.
He put his backhand to his forehead and made a very skillful judgment: it was a low-grade fever.
Hojo Natsuki has a lot of experience with minor illnesses such as colds and fevers. He yawned nonchalantly and checked the time on his phone...
Yokohama, this workday is halfway over, so I won't go to work, and take a good rest for a day. In total, I can rest for two or three days.
He naturally decided to skip work, closed his eyes and took a nap. He didn't know how much time had passed before he was awakened by the sound of Kurosawa Jin pushing the door.
The silver-haired man sat down at the head of his bed, his coat still smelling a little bit of the outdoors.
As the other person stretched out his hand and his sleeves came towards me, the clear and cold smell became more obvious.
Hojo Natsuki turned his head and avoided Kurosawa's hand.
"Don't touch me." He said gloomily, "You're annoying. Stay away from me."
Kurosawa Jin didn't say anything, nor did he pull his hand back, but touched his cheek and forehead.
Then, Hojo Natsuki slapped the back of his hand mercilessly.
He added, "Go away."
In the past, Kurosawa Jin would have shown some dissatisfaction, such as lowering his eyes and looking at him coldly... However, this time, the other party went out as if nothing had happened, got some things, and came back with water, a board of pills and a delivery bag of food.
Hojo Natsuki: "Take it away. I'm going to sleep."
Kurosawa: "Eat and then go to sleep."
His tone was gentle and his mood was very calm, just like a well-fed big cat, stretching its paws lazily. Even if someone disturbed him at this moment, he would not show any hostility.
"I do not want to see you."
"Then close your eyes." Kurosawa said.
Hojo Natsuki felt even more upset. All the reprimands he could think of went through his mind, but none of them had the power to hurt him - "We agreed not to continue after this time, so why are you..."... Accusations like these would be taken as compliments and happily accepted.
While he was sulking alone, Kurosawa opened the delivery bag, scooped a spoonful of soup and brought it to his mouth.
Hojo Natsuki opened his mouth and drank it, still depressed, angry like an offended pufferfish. His anger swelled into a round ball, but Kurosawa raised his eyelids and used it to polish his shoes, which was hateful.
After a while, he finally thought of a very lethal way of counterattack and blurted it out immediately.
Hojo Natsuki: "Your skills are so poor."
—No man would not be angry and embarrassed upon hearing such words.
In fact, this is not slander.
However, Kurosawa Jin nodded nonchalantly and responded to the comment: "Yeah."
“I had no experience before.”
The other party did not show any sign of anger. His tone was calm and composed. He glanced at the small piece of skin exposed at his collar, licked his canine teeth, and asked, "... again?"
Seeing that he was silent, Kurosawa put down the bowl and slowly unbuttoned his coat.
Hojo Natsuki: “???”
He was so angry that he was fuming: "No!"
Kurosawa Jin stopped, his slender fingers still hovering on the button.
He stared at Xia Shu for a few seconds, raised his eyebrows slightly, and pointed at the bedside table where a soup bowl and a medicine board were placed. The threat implied in this action was self-evident.
Hojo Natsuki sneered: "I won't eat it."
Kurosawa Jin: “Oh.”
The other party picked up the bowl again, as if he had not tried to coerce him at all, lowered his eyes, and fed him one spoonful at a time, with great patience.
Hojo Natsuki became even angrier. He angrily finished his meal, swallowed the medicine, and decided to have a cold war with him for a week.
The next day, while Kurosawa was out, Hojo Natsuki decisively moved back to 2-23, Beika-cho.
He got off the taxi at the intersection and walked straight ahead. On his way home, he had to pass by Kudo's house. Perhaps it was the law of chance encounters, he happened to meet Kudo Shinichi who was returning home from school at noon.
"Good afternoon." Kudo Shinichi greeted him and asked with concern, "Did you work overtime yesterday? You seem very tired."
Hojo Natsuki angrily thought that this little chicken would be boiled into soup sooner or later, and showed his usual plastic smile: "Yes, there is a change in my position, and I have to work overtime recently."
Kudo Shinichi asked, "Is it time for a promotion?"
"I guess so." Xia Shu explained, "The company
A new store is opening in Beika Town. Have you seen the news? I was transferred to work in the new store. "
"Is it the Beika-cho branch that opened in May?"
Kudo Shinichi sighed, obviously having heard of such a thing, but could not say more than that, so he added, "That's really great, and the commute time won't be too long. I'll definitely go and support it when it opens."
Hojo Natsuki's expression froze on his face: "?"
The new store opened, the Chicken God descended, and a case happened on the first day. Isn’t it a bit too unlucky
To be honest, the high homicide rate in houses is caused by Shinichi Chicken, right
"Of course you are welcome." Hojo Natsuki pretended to be calm and polite. "The salary for summer jobs in the store is not low and it is also very easy. When you graduate next year, you can come and experience the working life. It can be regarded as social practice."
After exchanging pleasantries with Shinichi, he returned to the villa and warned Kurosawa Jin of a cold war.
[Natsuki]: I am very unhappy
[Natsuki]: I won't talk to you this week, don't bother me
[Gin]：
[Natsuki]: That’s it.
[Gin]：**********
Hojo Natsuki: “???”
What kind of obscene words could be blocked entirely
He was shocked and thought that Kurosawa was unreasonable. His scalp was tingling and his determination to fight the cold war became more and more firm.
In a secret state of uneasiness, he tidied up the house and used the objects already in the villa to conduct the experiment of traveling between the two worlds again.
Hojo Natsuki [logged in] and [logged out] again and again, rode the roller coaster again and again, felt dizzy, but gained nothing.
The result was the same as the previous test. Except for the 'Frog Heart' worth 50 billion, nothing could cross the dimensional wall - perhaps it had something to do with its value.
Don't be in a hurry, there is a long time to come, explore slowly.
During the two days he was busy, only one working day had passed in Yokohama.
The next day, when he went to work at Port Mafia, Mr. Mori left him alone after the afternoon cadre meeting.
Mori Ogai asked with concern: "The season is about to change, are you feeling unwell, Natsuki-kun?"
A qualified black-hearted boss can ask "Why did you skip work yesterday?" in such a refreshing and refined way. As spring turns to summer in Yokohama, it is not the peak season for seasonal colds.
Hojo Natsuki played dumb and walked down the stairs: "Yeah, I have a fever."
"I see." Mori Ogai said, "Then you should have a good rest. As for the work that has been left behind..."
The real purpose is revealed.
Xia Shu deadpanned, "I'll take care of it."
So Mori Ogai was satisfied, and in this regard, Natsuki perfectly inherited his mantle.
Chief Sen didn't care why his subordinate suddenly disappeared. As long as he completed his job honestly when he came back and didn't delay important matters, there was no need to dig into the matter.
Natsuki, the boss of the Hojo Frog Organization, doesn't care which intelligence organization his employees come from or what species they belong to. As long as they work honestly, he can praise them as hardworking frogs with his eyes closed.
The beating session, which both parties knew was over, was over, but Chief Sen had no intention of letting him go.
The other person stared at him for a moment, and suddenly said: "Actually, there is something I have been thinking about... Xia Shujun, do you have a crush on someone?"
Hojo Natsuki: “?”
He felt a little uneasy and glanced down quietly. The collar of his shirt was buttoned to the top, without revealing any suspicious signs.
The guardian, Mr. Mori, with his eyes as precise as a scalpel, cut into the secret that Hojo Natsuki thought he had hidden very well.
"This feeling is very strong, especially recently." Mori Ogai smiled and shook his head, asking, "Can't you even tell me?"
Hojo Natsuki thought about it and decided that Mr. Mori would eventually have to know about this matter, and it was not something that could not be told.
So he said openly: "I am in love."
Mori Ogai rested his chin on the back of his folded hands, his tone was slightly smiling, his attitude was approving, and he calmly commented: "I thought Xia Shu-kun was not the type who would fall in love. In this case, the other party must be a very cute girl. If there is a chance, you can..."
Hojo Natsuki coughed awkwardly and retorted, "Not a girl."
Mori Ogai immediately stopped talking: "."
Mori Ogai glanced at Natsuki's slightly unnatural expression, and in the blink of an eye he understood what he meant.
As the leader of Port Mafia, Mr. Mori has been in the underworld for many years and is knowledgeable. He is a powerful figure who remains calm even when faced with a catastrophe.
He instantly imagined a man who was a little shorter than Natsuki, with a fair and delicate face, so Mori Ogai paused for two seconds and changed his words: "That must be a cute boy."
Hojo Natsuki was silent: “…”
Cosmic Dog Sublimation.JPG
A 1.9-meter-tall mixed-blood killer doesn't seem to have anything to do with the word "cute"...
After a long while, he responded vaguely: "Well... about the same."
(End of this chapter)