Is Zero Really That Hard to Win Over?

[All the loose ends have been tied up, and the protagonist gets a happy ending. I never planned to take down the Black Organization, since the original story hasn’t ended yet.] At nineteen, Shiro, a member of the Black Organization, received a new assignment: keep an eye on Bourbon and investigate whether he was an undercover agent. However, Shiro understood the assignment as: get close to Bourbon and, while he was at it, enjoy a company-funded romance with him. Gin: “?” Vermouth: “Bravo.” And so Shiro began living a double life. By day, Shiro dressed up as a socially awkward college student, making a show of following zero around every day and insincerely confessing to him: “Mr. Amuro, please go out with me.” At night, Shiro returned to his identity as a true member of the organization, going back and forth through dark alleys to carry out various deals and secret operations, causing all sorts of trouble for zero, who was a police officer. More than once, zero pointed a gun at Shiro’s forehead and asked him, “Who are you, really?” Disguised as a stranger, Shiro smiled. “How rude. I’m your lover, you know.” zero: “?” * zero was very troubled. For the past few months, a man named Shiro had kept clinging to him. The guy was a bit of a dolt and spoke softly. He was always timidly whispering his confession: “I-I like you best, Mr. Amuro. Would you go out with me?” zero’s inner thoughts: “Do you think I’m an idiot? You’re obviously getting close to me so you can investigate me.” That was what zero thought, but on the surface he maintained an insincere smile. “All right, then let’s date.” With the intention of investigating each other, the two began a game of pretending. * Shiro kept switching between his two identities like this. A year later, Gin asked Shiro how the assignment was going. Shiro replied, “It’s going great. Bourbon and I are planning to get married next month. Don’t forget the wedding gift.” Gin: “????” Vermouth: “Bravo!” Rye: “Do you even remember that your assignment is to investigate Bourbon?” Shiro: “I am investigating him. Once we get married and register our household, I’ll find out whether Bourbon’s real name is actually Furuya.” *Happy ending. Coming soon: How to Refuse Ranpo’s Offer to Become My Childhood Friend Nan Qing, born into a prestigious family, became the top student at the police academy thanks to his outstanding powers of observation and deduction. Nan Qing thought he was one of the smartest people in all of Yokohama, perhaps even the world, until a person called “Ranpo” appeared in Yokohama. Ranpo’s arrival plunged Nan Qing into deep self-doubt. “What? So I’m not the smartest person in the world? Ranpo is?” Ten-year-old Nan Qing began to quietly resent that guy named Edogawa Ranpo. One day after school, Nan Qing met a lost boy at the school gate. The boy was handsome and looked relaxed and carefree. His narrowed eyes caught Nan Qing’s attention. Kindhearted Nan Qing stepped forward and asked, “Hey, you’ve had your eyes closed this whole time. You must be blind, right? Come with me. I’ll take you home.” And so Nan Qing took the boy’s hand and led the boy who couldn’t open his eyes back home. A few days later, Ranpo’s parents came to thank him. From that day on, Nan Qing had a childhood friend named “Ranpo.” “A childhood friend?” Nan Qing shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t do that.” The next day, Nan Qing took the red bean paste daifuku he had made himself and went to find Edogawa Ranpo. Nan Qing: “Ranpo, I don’t want to be friends with you. This box of red bean paste daifuku is a breakup gift. No, wait, it’s a friendship-ending gift. Please take it.” Ranpo asked, “You can make red bean paste daifuku?” Nan Qing: “I can.” Ranpo: “Could you make some for me every day?” Nan Qing: “I don’t have time.” Ranpo: “Oh, I see. So could you make some for me?” Nan Qing: “I hate making sweets.” Ranpo: “Oh, I understand. So could you make me red bean daifuku every day?” Nan Qing: “...Are you completely incapable of understanding what people say?” And so, Ranpo latched onto him over red bean daifuku and kept clinging to him from childhood into adulthood. Theme: If you want to find a beautiful relationship, you have to give it your sincere heart.