Chapter 61
In the end, Furuya Rei still went.
Because Usuha Izuki said: "If you don't want to come, I'll have to consider using my executive authority to order you. Midorikawa says it's best not to do this to friends since it's not respectful enough, so I wanted to consult your opinion—do you mind or not?"
Furuya Rei: "......I mind a little, but I'll go."
Hiromitsu's educational direction wasn't wrong, but your way of understanding it really has problems.
What kind of thought process makes you think that asking first before ordering means it doesn't count as disrespectful?!
This is no different from direct threats!!
Morofushi Hiromitsu felt somewhat helpless and somewhat alert.
This person Usuha Izuki seemed heartless and carefree, not caring about anything, but certain details would show he actually remembered things you'd said... No one knew which carelessly spoken words had also been remembered and might come back to haunt them later. One really couldn't be too careful.
Although the invitation process wasn't very pleasant, when Furuya Rei arrived at Usuha Izuki's house, he still put on a happy attitude.
Since he'd come anyway, he might as well take the opportunity to build good relations and not waste the chance.
When he arrived at Usuha Izuki's house, Usuha Izuki seemed absorbed in watching TV. After a greeting, he sent him to the kitchen to help Morofushi Hiromitsu.
This suited Furuya Rei perfectly.
Anyway, during their first mission cooperation, he and Morofushi Hiromitsu had worked together while Usuha Izuki just waited to eat. Continuing this pattern now wouldn't be awkward.
After entering the kitchen, outside was Usuha Izuki watching TV, while inside the range hood created noise. If they chatted quietly, even if there were listening devices, no one could hear what they were discussing.
Moreover, this was an open kitchen where Usuha Izuki could actually see what they were doing, which was even better. From a psychological blind spot perspective, people always relaxed their guard about things happening right under their noses.
Furuya Rei glanced at Usuha Izuki, who seemed already absorbed in his drama, and asked quietly: "What happened? Why does Botanist suddenly want to find people to discuss undercover agents?"
Even as a real organization member, asking this question was normal. Besides, Furuya Rei was in the organization's intelligence division—seizing every opportunity to gather information was perfectly natural.
"Gin asked him to participate in a mission, and he suddenly asked if someone was saying Arak Wine was a Soviet undercover agent again. He probably made some associations. Theoretically I shouldn't tell you, but he'll probably mention it later anyway..."
Through this seemingly casual chat between organization members, the two quickly exchanged intelligence.
Furuya Rei understood the situation.
The two worked together to prepare dinner. Furuya Rei casually complained: "When I came last time, it seemed like different brands were displayed here. Do you use things up so quickly?"
"I threw out the previous ones." Morofushi Hiromitsu frowned. "Botanist can't cook at all. He was just buying randomly—those brands weren't good."
Furuya Rei: "......You're practically treating this place like your own home."
"From a residence time perspective, I have indeed lived here longer."
Morofushi Hiromitsu didn't want it this way either, but after living here long enough, he couldn't help making changes toward greater comfort for himself. Especially since only he used the kitchen and basically only he ate here—having poor taste due to ingredient problems was really hard to bear.
Anyway, as long as he didn't mess with Usuha Izuki's collections, it was fine. He'd already asked clearly what he could and couldn't touch.
Furuya Rei felt somewhat conflicted.
Although when he occasionally contacted Morofushi Hiromitsu before and expressed concerns, Morofushi Hiromitsu always acted like he was overthinking things, Furuya Rei deeply understood how difficult Usuha Izuki was to get along with and how easily conversations with him could make one's blood pressure fluctuate. He firmly believed Morofushi Hiromitsu was just pretending to be relaxed in front of him.
Even hearing strange rumors from Vodka, Furuya Rei only felt that Morofushi Hiromitsu had made more efforts behind the scenes to achieve such results.
But today, visiting Usuha Izuki's house after a long time, he found traces of Morofushi Hiromitsu everywhere starting from the entrance. The most extreme was the kitchen, which had completely changed compared to when he last saw it. Though there was still some disguise that outsiders might not notice, in Furuya Rei's eyes—having grown up together—it clearly leaned toward Morofushi Hiromitsu's own habits.
Furuya Rei felt both relieved and worried.
Relieved because if Morofushi Hiromitsu weren't actually doing well, he wouldn't have the leisure to do these things but would cautiously maintain the original state.
Worried because wasn't this being too relaxed! Currently it was just kitchen habits that no one would compare to Morofushi Hiromitsu's previous home, but what if relaxed vigilance led to exposing more obvious habits in the future?
"Doesn't Botanist care?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu sighed: "I'd actually prefer if he did care, but I really can't find him..."
In the organization, he was either idle or killing fugitive criminals while drawing organizational salary. He felt really guilty and preferred having Usuha Izuki come back frequently to cause trouble, making him mentally exhausted so he could feel like he was actually contributing to the organization instead of wondering if the organization's good treatment had some conspiracy.
If Usuha Izuki knew what Morofushi Hiromitsu was thinking, he'd definitely tell him: You've been PUA'd...
The two carried plates to the dining table and called Usuha Izuki over for dinner.
Usuha Izuki turned off the TV, hugged the skeleton frame, placed it on an empty chair, then picked a seat for himself and greeted them: "Sit down quickly!"
Morofushi Hiromitsu calmly sat in his usual spot: "Sit down. Don't mind that skeleton—Botanist probably just thinks three people isn't enough."
Usuha Izuki nodded.
Furuya Rei: "............"
I feel like you two are the ones in cahoots now. I'm the one who still cares about these things and seems out of place with you.
Furuya Rei sat down speechlessly. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Usuha Izuki across from him suddenly become very serious.
"I know you're hiding something from me. Confess honestly, or don't blame me for being rude."
Before Furuya Rei could react, Morofushi Hiromitsu had already responded very calmly.
"Don't learn Japanese from TV dramas."
Usuha Izuki, who failed to successfully scare anyone, said regretfully: "Oh, okay. I just thought that line was cool."
Furuya Rei: "......???"
He looked at Morofushi Hiromitsu woodenly, his eyes seeming to say "why are you so practiced at this."
Morofushi Hiromitsu explained: "When I was preparing ingredients earlier, I listened along for a while and happened to hear that line... mainly worried that sometimes I might not keep up with the conversation if he suddenly asks things like 'why would you betray'..."
Usuha Izuki said righteously: "Because I'm a returnee! You Japanese people's logic is so hard to understand!"
Furuya Rei: "......"
So practiced! Too practiced! What has Hiromitsu been through?!
How to put it—earlier he was worried whether Hiromitsu might be too relaxed, but now he felt that Hiromitsu, who would even pay attention to what TV dramas Usuha Izuki watched to avoid being trapped in conversations, probably didn't need his worry at all.
He should just focus on not dragging Hiromitsu down.
Morofushi Hiromitsu was also taking care of Furuya Rei, who hadn't yet adapted to Usuha Izuki's pace, naturally steering the conversation away: "Earlier Amuro asked me why you'd suddenly want to discuss undercover agents—did you discover any undercover agents in the organization?"
"Undercover agents are very hard to discover." Usuha Izuki seriously picked up a piece of tempura shrimp. "But because my foster father is always suspected of being an undercover agent, I couldn't help thinking about what undercover agents are really like... I think I've found a way to distinguish undercover agents and wanted to share it with you."
Furuya Rei got into character, using an expression that wasn't very convinced but was willing to listen to his nonsense for the sake of Usuha Izuki being an executive: "Really? What method?"
Usuha Izuki didn't speak. He was focused on eating while staring intently at Furuya Rei.
Furuya Rei felt uncomfortable being stared at.
Eat if you're eating—why stare at him? Was this also one of his methods for distinguishing undercover agents? Did he want to demonstrate on the spot? But undercover agents couldn't eat in any special way!
Usuha Izuki, who had become unscrupulous in his pursuit of suspicion values, finished his tempura shrimp, drank some water to moisten his throat, then said: "If you don't like eating tempura shrimp, you can give it to me."
Furuya Rei, who had imagined a hundred thousand word drama: "............"
He speechlessly pushed the small plate of tempura in front of him across the table: "What was that method you mentioned for distinguishing undercover agents?"
Only then was Usuha Izuki satisfied—Furuya Rei's suspicion values were indeed easier to farm: "It's actually simple. What would undercover agents most want to do after entering an organization?"
"Get important intelligence, I suppose..."
"Then to get important intelligence, they'd definitely need to climb up, right? To climb up, they'd definitely work hard and show themselves off, preferably establishing contact with Boss." Usuha Izuki said, "So I think Gin really seems like an undercover agent. What do you think?"
Furuya Rei felt like an idiot for thinking he could actually get important intelligence from Usuha Izuki: "He's just too loyal to the organization."
Usuha Izuki angrily slapped the table: "Others are loyal to the organization too, but which one is like him, working all the time as if he can't sit still, always putting on an attitude of 'how can you be so idle when you should serve the organization' in front of others, as if the organization belongs to his family... Don't you think this work enthusiasm is abnormal? Is this a normal person? This is obviously a performance for Boss! There's no other explanation except that he's an undercover agent!"
"Uh..." Furuya Rei felt like he understood something. "So you want to...?"
"Later I'll call Boss to complain. You two back me up and testify that you think Gin is problematic, so he'll stop scheming to change my job or make me work overtime."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "............" So he really is still holding a grudge about Gin making him work overtime and wanting to change his job!!!
Furuya Rei: "............" Can you really call Boss about such nonsense? Usuha Izuki's foster father's influence really is extraordinary.
Not even having a codename yet being able to talk to the organization's Boss—what tremendous progress.
But having the first conversation with Boss be about throwing dirty water on the organization's model worker felt very suicidal, like a sowing-discord spy... Oh wait, they really were spies, so the problem was even bigger!
Most importantly, they couldn't be sure whether "agreeing" was the right answer.
Because according to Usuha Izuki's theory just now, seizing opportunities to establish contact with Boss also seemed very much like undercover agent behavior.
This might be a test.
Should they agree or not?