By the tail end of December, all construction work halted at a stage where the house can be left behind on its own for a few weeks. Much of the essentials have been installed take away the places that need work, but the house albeit work in progress has slowly been looking more like a home.

  "You know what, the more I look at it, it starts to look like your old house now."

  The walls are bare gray, and the floors aren't tiled yet there sat Gin and Rin in middle of one of the bedrooms, having lunch with a portable heater and accompanied by the reverberations of their voices.

  "Not this room, though."

  "Yeah, I see that. But there is definitely a 1:1 resemblance in the living room and kitchen apart from all the rooms being moved around. Isn't your family a stickler for perfect replications?"

  "It's not like it's an obsessive thing, but it takes a while for us to reach an agreement. This lot is quite bigger than our old house so I pitched in some adjustments to use the space better."

  "Still though, I do forget that the rooms are smaller because your house is simply spacious."

  "We like the cozy feel of it."

  A look out to the window, Rin's silverware slowed down as various thoughts visited her mind.

  "Don't you think this year kind of flew by?"

  "How so?"

  "To be very frank with you, it's probably because nothing so serious happened this year."

  "When you put it like that, I guess. Some of the stuff that happened is our trip to Japan, construction started… and we got stranded in the mountains. Other than that, I think it's all work for me."

  "And the Exiles just steamrolled the making of this house. The building is not going to take a year?"

  "We're at seven months now… and we'll most likely finish early next year if we're on schedule. Maybe you could help us on painting later."

  "Only if I have free time, I might give it a shot.

  I always end up trying new stuff when I'm with you, huh."

  "Is that so… Anyway, any plans for the next year?"

  "Hard to answer that aside from just working. I really want to get a few years under my belt and save up for, you know, stuff. Maybe go on a trip with the girls, I don't really know yet.

  You?"

  "Probably the same old things. After this house is done, I just want to work and chill as much as possible. It feels weird saying this at 25 but I really, really just want to get settled with nothing serious to worry about."

  "You could say this year is a step to that direction."

  "Sure, but you have to remember that I'm not as clean as you think I am."

  "I wasn't even thinking about that… yet you brought it up. I still acknowledge that there's some wrong to what you did with one of Horach's men, but I never brought it up anymore because I can see that you're actively trying to better yourself.

  Let's just stop talking about this before our food suddenly start tasting bad, okay?"

  "My bad."

  "I say all we have to do is think about how we'll have a better next year."

  ? ? ?

  27th of December.

  Right as Gin clocked out after a hectic holiday rush in Giotto's, his eyes landed on a man leaning on a car parked in the restaurant's lot.

  "It's for customer parking only," sighed he did, and walked towards the person unenthusiastically.

  "I ate earlier. Anyway, it's been a while."

  "No offense, but I'd prefer if it was 'it's been never' or something like that."

  "Maybe this really is the last time."

  "I'm surprised it's not Oregano that came to meet me but you, Strawman."

  One of the spies of Orio's shadows reappears in front of Gin, who is privy to information that not even Oregano, or Ban Tobei, had access to due to his involvement in the case of Joseph Horach after his undercover operation.

  "Can we talk?"

  "Hahh…

  Hot dang it, I thought we're all done with the spy chapters…"

  Thusly, Gin hopped in to the back seats of the sedan, not knowing where he is being led to.

  "Oh, gotta inform my family I'll be late…"

  Upon pressing send, he put back his phone into his pocket at which his hands fiddled around before putting them back out. At the same time, the large screen in the front seat had started partly malfunctioning.

  "Hmm… Why is this suddenly acting up…?"

  "I don't own a car myself, but is this world dystopian enough that you'll have to pay a subscription for your car's software much like heated seats?

  But your heated seats work, though. Nice and toasty back here."

  "That's not it. I think it's the first time this bugged out. Navigation and Bluetooth stopped working among other things, but nothing hindering driving."

  "I'm just happy that all the cars I've driven have physical meters in them. While I'm born in this day and age, I'd still say I'm quite evasive with technology.

  I just don't want to see myself getting trapped in a room with an electric lock breaking on me or something. Also, what's up with refrigerators having screens? I get ice dispensers, but what the hell?"

  "I never really thought about it but sometimes you bring out a bit of old man qualities."

  "I'm afraid how I'll be once I get older if this is a hill I'll choose to die on. The younger generation at that point would probably think I'm weird."

  "I can't help but notice but you're a bit chatty today."

  "Can you blame me? One of the spies wanting to talk to me can only mean they need something from me.

  Or what, do you just want someone to play with you at a batting center or at a mini golf or whatever?"

  "Wait, no, that's actually where we're going."

  "Huh…"

  "I was about to say it felt like you read my mind, but that's one of the things I'd like to talk about with you."

  "Ah, right. He's a spy and all so he should also know about the prison's hospital ward."

  "One of Horach's men admitted to having the ability to read minds, as absurd as it sounds. I reached a guess that that was how Horach was able to learn information about you."

  "I am of the belief that the mind is much more than our current science knows, as weird as that sounds."

  "It's been reported that at a questioning done by one of our people, said person experienced a severe episode. From that point, he hasn't spoken a word and is afraid of the thought of being seen or watched that he throws a fit at the sight of a hand bringing his food in."

  "…"

  "We do suspect that someone has found a way to take advantage of the supposed mind-reading ability of that man and turned it against him. We just don't know what thoughts he had seen to have left him that incapacitated."

  "How about… the others?"

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Gin could still remember that night.

  Those others, that he mentioned, pertained to the people of Horach who he had hurt as a result of him losing hold of his mind, leaving them with permanent injuries.

  "As far as we know, there's only one. We employed the same actions on them to see if they can also hear out thoughts, but it seems that-"

  "No, what I mean is if all of them are still alive."

  "…They are. But they are most likely going to be staying at that prison for the rest of their lives."

  "…"

  The road lights turned red, and in the growing dark, Strawman looked at his rear-view mirror where Gin could be seen hugging his bag and looking out at the window.

  In Strawman's mind, he was reminded that the nature of the spies is that they do not work clean. They are in fact way worse in treating enemies than the result of the incident nearly two years ago. While it may seem that the events of that time were brutal, he thought, those people got out of it fairly well.

  Nevertheless, such information was not something he could disclose to anyone as regardless of the status quo with the society and the shadow organizations of Orio, the police would have to crack them down as it does not align with their laws.

  Until the lights turned green, he did not take his eyes away from him.

  "On another topic… the chairman of Kagurazaka Conglomerate hired us."

  "I would've said that will be a tall price, but I think that's not an issue for them. I wonder how they're going to explain such expense in stating their revenue and taxes."

  "We always have a way to cover our tracks. And that service is part of the fee."

  "Hahh… of course, you guys do. Why tell me, though?"

  "There's some internal conflict brewing within their company."

  "Okay, I rephrase my question: Should you really be telling me this?"

  "I'd like you to listen first… but we've arrived."

  "Oh."

  There was a large recreational facility and a gym in one building. In the former, several courts are found in a large area including, but not limited to a basketball half-court, a tennis court, a bowling alley, and courses in mini golf that are tightly adjacent to one another.

  "So you weren't lying when you said we're here to play?"

  "Have you ever played golf in any capacity?"

  "Absolutely not."

  "Then maybe this is a good start."

  …

  "Anyway, as I was saying earlier… there is conflict within the company, and they enlisted our help."

  "So the Kagurazaka's have chosen to go this path?"

  "Not exactly. The chairman has recently done a more thorough background check on their employees and it's been found out that their money is being siphoned little by little over the past few years."

  "I'm scared to know what their definition of 'little' means."

  "What the company wanted from us is to keep their name clean and prevent any records from beginning to trace back to usage of their money for criminal use and laundering. Basically, a culling of black sheep."

  Gin's club stopped just right before the ball and fell silent for a few moments.

  "I didn't really stop to think about this… but we're able to have this conversation here because of how awfully empty this place, huh?"

  "This actually isn't open for business yet."

  "Well, that answers my question.

  But going back, you're telling me that Kagurazaka dough is unknowingly being used for nefarious purposes?"

  "Basically, and the chairman is furious."

  "Journalists are going to be drooling over a scoop like that."

  "Which is why they are avoiding it from happening, not by silencing them, but by nipping the problem from the bud."

  "Quite an assignment you've got."

  "We've had worse.

  We agreed to this because it just so happened to align with our goals, see. We've had operations on every single corner of the country, dark or otherwise, in erasing any remains of Horach's footprints."

  "Ah, so that's where we're going.

  That man really is like the Reverse Fl*sh, huh?"

  "Uh, I don't follow? I don't really watch those superhero shows."

  "They're the same in a way where they're gone but they still continue to be an absolute pain in the neck. But if this is how it goes, then perhaps I should leave soon."

  "H-Hold on, Mr. Sakato."

  "I was right earlier, wasn't I? You need something from me, and I don't like where this is going."

  "To be frank… you can put it in a way where we didn't exactly need to see you, but we felt that it's something that you need to see."

  "Huh?"

  "The thing is, the operation had already started long before this day, and we hope to reach a climax at the year-end party to be held by the company with staff, executives, and shareholders at the 30th.

  The chairman suspects that in those dinner seats, are people who are either directly or indirectly involved with Horach, and they want the problem gone immediately before they escalate."

  "And what does this have to do anything with me?"

  "We want to invite you for the sole purpose of observing everything."

  "…?"

  Strawman put down his club and began walking away from the courses.

  "Maybe hitting a few baseballs will help you blow off some steam."

  "…"

  The sharp sound of hitting the ball on a bat shortly began reverberating around the empty space.

  "Isn't it cool that even the machine that launches the ball are fully automated?"

  "How empty is this place exactly?"

  "Have you tried hitting a homerun with a bunt?"

  "I… actually have done it once."

  "You really are built different…

  But where was I again?"

  "You were at the mini golf course earlier."

  "…"

  As someone not used to how Gin banters, he was given a stale look.

  "We plan to seize them as peacefully as possible, so you shouldn't worry about anything happening. I heard from Oregano that you don't have a good experience at this kind of thing, so I can sympathize a little."

  "That's an understatement."

  "Anyway, it's been found that the brunt of Horach's remaining men are under the Kagurazaka to milk them as much as possible, so we prepared some things to threaten them just a tiny bit in case they act up."

  "So it's still dirty work in the end."

  "To be very sure, we planted spies in clothing stores in the event they pick new clothes, and had undercover maids employed just so that things go smoothly even before the event day itself."

  "So it's still dirty work in the end."

  "I'm saying all of this to reassure you that we also want this to end once and for all. It coincides that we have the same wishes, but in this case, we don't want you to do anything aside from just see everything unfold. We used up a lot of resources for this more than our previous operations, so that something as big as the accumulation of everything doesn't happen again-

  …!"

  An unusually louder sound left Gin's bat as the ball flew like a passing jet and hit the other end of the batting area with another loud sound.

  "Just say it to me upfront. You just don't want a repeat of another walking disaster.

  You're not just keeping tabs of Horach's remaining men, but also of me because you see a threat in me. Not that I can blame you. I never asked for a body and mind like this."

  Strawman chose to remain silent. Instead of responding, he pressed a button and a target showed up from the other end of the facility. He let go of the bat, took a ball, and assumed a pitching stance.

  Much like the hit earlier, the ball passed like a blur as it left the spy's fingers and hit the target at the very center…

  At his next pitch, and again, and again.

  A whistle unconsciously left Gin in awe while the spy shook his arm and rested for a while.

  "I just couldn't lie to you after all."

  "Much better to have a bit of an abrasive connection rather than me being all buddy-buddy when in reality I'm playing at the palm of your hand. I've said it many times, but I've had enough."

  "Then wouldn't it be better to see things unfold with your very own eyes than let the years pass knowing that there might be people after you even if the likelihood is low?"

  Gin was stopped on his tracks before he could even say anything back. As he took a seat, Strawman continued.

  "You're already engaged, right? And one way or another, you got the help of the Exiles to build your parents' new house. Where it seems like things are finally settling down, can you really feel at ease when at the back of your mind you are still worried that a threat will come to you and your family?

  Suppose they have an info from your thoughts being read, that means that they have info that even we don't have. At that point, who can do anything about it if we don't know who could be one step ahead? Is it you or them?

  I ask you to give it some thought."

  In Gin's pondering, Strawman continued to throw baseballs with an unchanging, consistent form.

  Thoughts began swimming in his mind, in assessment of whether the proposal given to him was indeed a good idea, and if he will truly come out of it without even the tiniest scratch.

  "Uwack…!!"

  But his thoughts were interrupted as a voice echoed within the batting center.

  "Did you not keep count, Strawman…? What if I got a concussion or a fracture? I have a mission early morning tomorrow…"

  "S-Sorry, I think I lost count."

  Out of nowhere, the other spy Oregano appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the facility, eating a ball in between the bridge of his nose and his left cheek that has begun reddening.

  On the other hand, his nose had started bleeding.

  "Anyone has tissues?"

  Almost immediately, a packet of tissues came flying to the spy's hand.

  "I didn't think you'd actually have some, Ryogi."

  "Why that name…?"

  ※ Referring to chapter 137.

  "And did you just tank a baseball pitch?"

  "Oh, I guess I did. Your curve balls haven't gotten rusty at all. You could still make it to the league again if you weren't stuck with this job."

  "League?" asked Gin in curiosity.

  "You could say I was a national-level pitcher before I was a spy… but I got injured."

  Not even pretending to be unsurprised, Gin truthfully let out, "Well, I'm sorry but I can't really understand how amazing that is since I don't really watch the sport and I just go unga bunga with a bat."

  "What started as a hyperextension got really worse, but one of us were watching his game and he got treated with utmost care because of his potential."

  "Can we not tell my backstory, Oregano…? This is sensitive info you're blurting out."

  "Turns out his talent is at aiming," Strawman was ignored. "He gets consistent bullseyes at darts with little margin of error, then he got his start at airsoft because he needed getting used to the recoil of a gun, but he's one of our best snipers."

  "What a jump on lines of work. Where did you come from, anyway?"

  "We have a passage in one of our hideouts here and you need to hit the target ten times in a row to open it. Problem is, it can only be opened from the outside since stuff aren't finished yet.

  That said… I'm on Strawman on this one. I heard a bit but not everything. While it's true that you pose a threat to us because we don't know if we have the means to apprehend you at the ready in case another incident happens, but that's also the more reason we want to prevent it from happening.

  I can't tell you to believe us but our interest is for this country's greater good, even if it means we have to achieve it in our own, dirty ways. That's why on the deep end, we can't exactly go hand-in-hand with the government's laws, or with what we presume as the Exiles' pacifism. We're much closer with the underworld in terms of work, but we don't align with them at all.

  All those words when what I just wanted to tell you is that we want you to see us wrap things up… until the next big bad comes, but that's not for you to be concerned of."

  At those words of wanting to reassure, Gin could not take his eyes off of the spy, hearing and feeling the conviction that was conv-

  "Ah, sorry. I heard you loud and clear, but I can't help but be distracted when blood keeps dripping from your nose. Please lean your head up.

  Also you can have the whole packet."

  "Thank you."

  "W-Well… what he said. The things that have happened in this country in the past few years opened our eyes that we're moving too slowly, so in part, we are also at fault for what happened to you, and we would like to amend that.

  I hope you give it some careful thought. But whatever your decision is, we will respect it."

  "…"

  ~ ~ ~

  After a dinner treated by the spies, Gin was drove back home and was dropped at Cerulean street where he stopped by the construction site of their house as he began dialing on his phone.

  "Hello? Good evening, it's been a while. I'm sorry for calling this late and for such a selfish reason, but can I ask you for a favor?"

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