“This white wedding kimono… it’s really heavy.”
Kirishima Ren stood in front of the mirror.
Although she hadn’t formally put it on yet, just trying on the layered inner lining and outer coat had already left her a bit breathless.
But her face was overflowing with the shyness and happiness of a soon-to-be bride.
Saori Saiyonji stood behind her, carefully helping straighten some messy strands of hair.
“If it’s too heavy, we can simplify the ceremony tomorrow. Just go through the motions of the Shinto-style wedding.”
“How can you say that!”
Kirishima Ren turned around and lightly punched his chest.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
Saori Saiyonji took her hand and brought it to his lips for a light kiss.
“Sorry.”
Kirishima Ren leaned into his arms and looked out at the dazzling nightscape of Tokyo.
“Saori, tomorrow… it’ll be good weather, right?”
“Ah, I already spoke with the weather bureau. Even if I have to use artificial rain, I’ll disperse the clouds.”
Saori Saiyonji made a joke, trying to hide the faint, inexplicable unease in his heart.
His right eyelid had been twitching since evening.
He glanced at the security report on the nightstand—everything was normal.
‘Hope… everything really is normal.’
……
Tokyo’s night was dyed red by the blaze of bustling neon lights.
This giant beast, which had just caught its breath from war and chaos, was now showing its most charming and most hypocritical face.
The “Chunshan Villa” Hotel, site of the wedding, was brightly lit tonight.
This top-tier hotel, with its long history and famous garden scenery, was already surrounded tightly by security personnel from the People’s Coalition Party and plainclothes officers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
After all, the protagonist of tomorrow was the nation’s hottest young political leader at the moment.
……
Two kilometers from Chunshan Villa, on the top floor of an unfinished office building.
The night wind howled, making the waterproof sheets flap loudly.
Several figures in black battle suits stood at the edge, looking down at the brilliantly lit hotel in the distance.
“Do we have to make our move during the wedding?”
“This is the happiest day of their lives… It’s just too cruel…”
Mizuki Hoshi frowned, bringing up the matter again.
“Since we’ve made up our minds, we won’t change it.”
Beiye sat cross-legged to the side, playing with two coins in his hand.
“Saionji finally came out of his nest. We need to seize the opportunity.”
“And…” Sasaki’s voice came from the darkness, “according to intelligence, a ‘third party force’ will be involved tomorrow.”
“Third party?” Koji Hattori frowned.
“A bunch of sewer rats.” Sasaki sneered. “They seem to want to make a big splash, stage a massacre at the wedding.”
“Isn’t that perfect? Let them cause chaos, and we take the target while they’re distracted.”
“No.”
Koji Hattori lifted his head sharply, his eyes sharp.
“If we let those lunatics run wild, Saori Saiyonji might die. The family head’s orders are to ‘bring him back alive,’ and… I won’t allow innocent people to be dragged into this.”
“Hattori, you’re too naive.” Sasaki glanced at him. “We’re here to kidnap, not to be vigilantes.”
“If Saori Saiyonji dies, the mission fails!” Koji Hattori stood his ground. “Since those rats want to make trouble, we need to control the situation first.”
“We can use those rats.”
The silent Mizuki Hoshi suddenly spoke, looking through binoculars at a certain hotel window.
“The moment chaos erupts, we cut into the battlefield, approach Saionji in the guise of ‘rescuers,’ and then… forcibly extract him.”
Sasaki thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Fine. But remember, the primary target is Saori Saiyonji. If that bride gets in the way…”
He made a throat-slitting gesture.
Koji Hattori’s hand clenched the railing tightly.
“I’ll handle Saionji.” He gritted his teeth. “The bride… leave her to Mizuki. Try not to kill her.”
“Ah, I knew the dirty work would be mine.” Mizuki Hoshi sighed, but a flicker of relief passed through her eyes.
“Everyone, make your final preparations.”
……
Basement level three of Chunshan Villa Hotel, the food pre-processing area.
The smell of fresh ingredients and the peculiar chill of cold storage filled the air—a world away from the luxury upstairs.
“Hurry up! Send this batch of seafood to the cold storage! It’ll be needed early tomorrow morning!”
The chef’s roar echoed through the corridor.
A short porter wearing a mask and cap, head down, pushed a cart loaded with frozen tuna, blending into the busy team.
Taking advantage of no one watching, the porter steered the cart into a dead corner deep in the cold storage.
Instead of unloading, he reached into a bloody gap in his clothes and pulled out a sealed glass bottle.
Inside the bottle was a dark green liquid that writhed slowly, as if alive.
“Hehe… a big shot’s wedding, huh…”
“This is what they call… a surprise.”
……
The room was piled high with all kinds of clothes, like a secondhand store hit by a typhoon.
“This one’s no good! Too flashy!”
“This one’s no good either! Looks like an insurance salesman!”
Tsubaki Kagegaya frantically threw a pink shirt onto the bed, turning to look at Gin Kazama, who was wrestling with a tie in front of the mirror.
“Kazama! Are you tying a tie or strangling yourself?”
Gin Kazama’s face was bright red, the tie around his neck knotted into a deadly snare, his eyes rolling back.
“Cough, cough… Help! Someone help me!”
“Honestly, Kazama, you’re so clumsy.”
Tsubaki Kagegaya walked over to him, nimbly untied the mess, and smoothly completed a perfect Windsor knot.
“Whew… I’m alive.”
Gin Kazama looked at himself in the mirror.
Though he was wearing a suit borrowed from Senior Watanabe—slightly too big—paired with the polished katana, he looked somewhat presentable.
‘But of course, a dangerous item like a katana can’t be taken into the wedding venue.’
“This is our first time attending this kind of high-society gathering.”
Suoluo Hanyu sat on the bed, already dressed neatly.
A well-tailored navy blue suit made him look like a real little young master—if you ignored his pale complexion and dark circles.
“I wish I could pack some of the pastries there…”
“Did you come to eat or to broaden your horizons?”
Tsubaki Kagegaya finally picked a little black dress. Even though it was rented, it looked quite cute on her.
“And we need to back up Senior Yuki!”
Tsubaki Kagegaya clenched her little fists.
“I heard there are a lot of snobs at those events. If anyone looks down on Senior the way he is now, we’ll…”
“Do what? Beat them up?” Suoluo Hanyu shook his head helplessly. “This is Mr. Saionji’s wedding. The best help we can offer is not to cause trouble for Senior.”
“Besides, who would look down on Senior Yuki? You think this is some low-budget drama? Tsubaki, you should watch less TikTok.”
“Dammit! What’s your problem with TikTok?!”
……
The Amuro residence.
The clock hands pointed to midnight.
Funae Amuro had already gone to bed, leaving only a dim floor lamp on in the living room.
Yuki Asahi stood in front of an ironing board, holding the well-preserved navy blue suit—the same one he’d kept for years.
This suit was bought for him by Koji Hattori back when he attended the celebration party for GSAC’s successful operation.
Hiss—
The steam iron sprayed white vapor, smoothing the wrinkles on the fabric.
Yuki Asahi’s movements were slow and focused, as if performing a ritual.
‘Saionji…’
‘He’s really getting married, huh.’
A faint, bitter smile tugged at the corner of Yuki Asahi’s mouth.
‘If… the war hadn’t broken out, maybe someone would be walking down the aisle with him too?’
Yuki Asahi shook his head, casting the thought away.
After finishing the ironing, he hung up the suit, walked to the window, and pushed it open.
The night breeze was cool, carrying the earthy smell of spring.
He looked up at the lingering crescent moon high in the sky.
His golden eyes lit up in the darkness—no longer dim, but burning with suppressed edge.
His Emotional Perception Domain silently expanded, instantly covering all of Tokyo.
Chaotic voices, whispers of desire, screams of fear…
‘I feel… something’s off.’
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