Chapter 71: He likes your sister.
Akai Shuuichi, the eldest son of Miyano Elena's older sister—the kind of son who is related to her by blood.
Actually, this wasn't Akai Shuuichi's first time in Japan. When he was still a minor, he would come with his parents to visit during certain holidays. After starting university, Akai Shuuichi, as his mother described him, "got his wings and spread", and he rarely came home anymore, so they didn't come to Japan together for those few years.
After graduating from university, Akai Shuuichi used the money he earned from part-time jobs during his university years to travel the world.
Because of his parents being both secret agents, Akai Shuuichi possessed exceptional physical abilities and had been trained by them, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Even if his parents hadn't originally intended this, their identities as secret agents made it difficult for them to connect with ordinary people's concepts; what seemed normal to them might be quite abnormal to ordinary people.
Akai Shuuichi was their first child. Parents Akai had no experience in raising children and initially made quite a few jokes.
This is the situation that made Miyano Elena sigh, "Maybe if Shuuichi had grown up on his own, it wouldn't have been so dangerous."
After all, the most serious injury Akai Shuuichi sustained was inflicted by his loving mother. Incidentally, his mother didn't fare well either.
In short, Akai Shuuichi never took a penny from his family while attending university. He grew up like a weed, and even after graduating from university, he continued to live this carefree life.
He has a good education, a quick mind, and isn't a black-and-white thinker. He was already quite successful as a musician in some chaotic bars during his university years. In addition, due to his parents' connections, he is also extremely skilled in combat. With both intelligence and fighting ability, this kind of person can live very easily in other places or countries, even without a single penny to his name.
A while ago, Akai Shuuichi happened to be traveling in Japan and was out of money. Having lived in the United States for so many years, this British-Japanese mixed-race man has become very free and has no habit of saving money.
So he picked up his old skills and rented an accordion (on credit, without paying anything in advance). He started playing his old skills in the bar, and the owner took a liking to him at first glance. He noticed that the owner was strong enough and even made him his bodyguard.
"Then, I met Akai." Morofushi Hiromitsu explained.
Morofushi Hiromitsu doesn't have the habit of going to bars. He prefers to have a drink at an izakaya with colleagues after get off work rather than going to a Western-style bar.
Moreover, my brother has been working recently, so the only chance he could have run into Akai Shuuichi was... "My brother's undercover mission?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu was taken aback, then his eyes crinkled into a smile: "Ah, I can't hide it from Sora'aki."
"I can't go into the specific details of the mission, but that's how we met—Zero and I even thought Akai was the bad guy back then."
Even though Morofushi Sora'aki is already a high school student, Morofushi Hiromitsu still habitually uses a coaxing tone to refer to "good people" and "bad people."
Even Miyano Shiho wanted to complain, but she held it back because Miyano Akemi was right there.
To put it simply, it's about Furuya Rei and Morofushi Hiromitsu secretly infiltrating a large entertainment company, first as bar musicians, and then they happen to meet Akai Shuuichi, who has the air of someone who's involved in organized crime.
"Haha, but Akai is surprisingly a good person. He even cooperated with us to find the evidence later." Morofushi Hiromitsu said with a smile, "So that's how we became friends."
Furuya Rei: "Only you, Hiro, I am not friends with him."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "Yes, they're friends."
Furuya Rei: "...Hey!"
Morofushi Hiromitsu seemed genuinely puzzled: "I don't recall Akai doing anything to offend you, Zero."
Furuya Rei frowned: "He certainly didn't offend me. Maybe some people are just born with a clashing aura? Anyway, I felt really annoyed the moment I saw him."
"It's rare to see Rei-kun."
"He can be so willful sometimes." Miyano Elena happened to be passing by and overheard this line, and couldn't help but sigh.
Completely unprepared for Miyano Elena's arrival, Furuya Rei's face immediately flushed red: "Elena-sensei!"
"Haha, I won't bother you. There are cakes and drinks in the fridge. Help yourself if you want some—but Shiho can't eat too much, okay?"
"I know, Mom." Miyano Shiho replied, a little annoyed. She'd recently started showing signs of cavities, so she was being forbidden from having sugar.
Miyano Akemi gently patted her sister's hair to comfort her, then stood up and said, "I'll go get a drink."
Morofushi Hiromitsu also stood up: "I'll join you too."
The two kindest older brothers and sisters left the scene, and the moment they closed the door, Akai Shuuichi, who had been quiet the whole time, immediately felt the atmosphere in the room, which had been relatively gentle, drop to freezing point.
Akai Shuuichi glanced at the air conditioner out of the corner of his eye: The air conditioner isn't broken.
However, he didn't seem to care much about the atmosphere and sat calmly to the side. On the contrary, Miyano Shiho couldn't hold back and nudged Morofushi Sora'aki with her elbow: "Morofushi, what's with the photos on your phone?"
Akai Shuuichi: "..."
Furuya Rei also looked over curiously.
"I met him in an alley on my way home." Morofushi Sora'aki glanced at his phone: "Then I called the police."
"But before I called the police, she mistook me for someone else and called me Scotch."
Furuya Rei, who was initially watching the show, uttered: "...Pfft, cough cough!"
Morofushi Sora'aki and Miyano Shiho turned their heads simultaneously, their large eyes meeting Furuya Rei's. They immediately grasped the key question: "What's wrong with Scotch?"
"Uh…" Furuya Rei coughed and turned his attention to Akai Shuuichi: "So Akai, you really don't remember that lady?"
Akai Shuuichi: "No, but it's not uncommon for people to look alike in the world."
Akai Shuuichi also helped answer the question from earlier: "As for Scotch, it's a code name that everyone in the bar uses to refer to and sell related drinks."
Simply put, it's advertising.
Morofushi Sora'aki and Miyano Shiho understood, with Miyano Shiho even saying, "I thought it was some important information."
"It's just a nickname." Morofushi Sora'aki said. "So my brother is Scotch?"
When Morofushi Hiromitsu returned with snacks and drinks, he immediately heard the word and his eyes crinkled into a smile: "What are you guys talking about?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "We're talking about my brother's nickname."
Morofushi Hiromitsu: "..."
Miyano Akemi: "...Ahem!"
The nickname "Hanamei" (花名, meaning "flower name") easily becomes associated with some rather subtle adult topics, and Morofushi Hiromitsu's smile softened even more: "Ah, is that so?"
"Are you going to read as usual, Sora'aki and Shiho? I have something to say to a friend, so I'll be leaving for a bit."
Morofushi Sora'aki and Miyano Shiho exchanged a glance, but did not refuse. However, as they watched the adults leave, Morofushi Sora'aki nudged Miyano Shiho with his elbow: "Tone down that 'watching the show' expression."
Miyano Shiho scoffed, "Your brother's protective instincts are too strong, aren't they? I understood that kind of thing back in kindergarten."
Immersed in medical knowledge every day, Miyano Shiho probably knows more relevant information than these adults combined.
and...
"I know what books my family has, and you've read quite a few, haven't you?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu: Um, the door isn't closed yet, is it? We can all hear you.
Miyano Akemi: ...Although, but, um...ah, as long as Shiho is happy.
After they left and closed the door, Miyano Shiho and Morofushi Sora'aki didn't pick up their books as they had expected. Perhaps because of her mixed heritage, Miyano Shiho matured faster than other children; compared to her still-childish peers, she possessed...
She possesses a maturity beyond her years and a striking appearance.
Miyano Shiho tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "Who exactly is that woman in your phone?"
"..." Morofushi Sora'aki: "You watched a melodramatic soap opera with your sister last night?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "A revenge story of twin sisters?"
Miyano Shiho: "...How did you know?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "Just a guess."
Miyano Shiho clicked her tongue, then looked up and said, "It's not that there aren't people who look alike, but it's too much of a coincidence that someone knows your brother, knows the related flower name, and looks like him."
"After eliminating all the impossible, what remains, however improbable, is still the truth."
Miyano Shiho pointed out the answer: "The woman in your phone is Akai Shuuichi, right?"
Morofushi Sora'aki was a little surprised: "I thought you were a scientist."
"This is indeed one of my future options—" Miyano Shiho smiled and said, "I've known you for so many years, while Akai Shuuichi doesn't know you at all. Logically speaking, you should completely ignore him."
Even if there were photos on his phone, Morofushi Sora'aki wouldn't have acted that way.
"So what did he do to offend you that made you resort to such methods of revenge?"
Morofushi Sora'aki paused, then belatedly realized that Miyano Shiho hadn't noticed anything beyond the norm; she simply assumed that Morofushi Sora'aki had met Akai Shuuichi once before, that something had happened, and then photoshopped or forged the picture.
But surely no normal person would immediately think of a parallel world, right? Hagiwara Kenmi and Matsuda Jinko are probably exceptions, so if that's the case...
"So they haven't gotten over their chuunibyou phase yet." Morofushi Sora'aki realized.
Miyano Shiho: "Huh? Who?"
In short, after exchanging feelings with each other, Morofushi Hiromitsu left the location with his younger brother before dark.
Because Christmas was approaching, Akai Shuuichi didn't leave, which made Miyano Shiho increasingly annoyed with him.
She had originally planned for the other party to leave after Christmas, but before Christmas arrived, Miyano Shiho received a text message from Morofushi Sora'aki.
Morofushi Sora'aki: [I've received some news.]
Morofushi Sora'aki: [It seems Akai Shuuichi likes your older sister.]
Morofushi Sora'aki: [(Photo) (Photo)]
Miyano Shiho glanced at the photo, took a deep breath, and then took another deep breath—however, she still couldn't calm down.
Furuya Rei likes her mother, and Akai Shuuichi likes her sister. Are you two just trying to take advantage of each other in the same family?!