Vodka froze, and at the same time, abruptly realized something: Akai Shuichi... that tall back that had seemed vaguely familiar—was actually Akai Shuichi?!
Akai Shuichi, who had become infamous only a few years after joining the Organization and turned into the nightmare of countless cadres?!
Vodka: "..." He had passed that man by without even knowing it, and gotten away unscathed?
No, the words "passed by" and "gotten away unscathed" alone could not possibly encompass what he had experienced today—strictly speaking, he had actually rammed Akai Shuichi with his car and nearly hit him for real!
Vodka felt both lingering fear and a surge of excitement, intermittently mixed with curses aimed at Uzo: That bastard had actually used a dignified Organization Cadre like him as a cannonball! And fired him at such a dangerous enemy, no less. What if he didn't make it back after the crash?!
"...Fine, Uzo wouldn't consider any of that. Even if I really died crashing into Akai Shuichi, that little schemer would only write me a tearjerking eulogy, express some nonexistent regret and remorse, then happily usurp my position as Brother Gin's driver and assistant to use it to harm Brother Gin and every other cadre he came into contact with."
Vodka wiped his face and rapidly came to terms with the likely outcome: "If things really reached that point, the only thing that would comfort me is this—Brother Gin would never let someone that dangerous become his assistant! Even if I died, he still wouldn't get his way... Sigh, if only I could make him clearly understand that fact."
Perhaps because he had been spacing out for too long, Gin tapped off some ash and cast him an impatient glance.
"!"
Vodka immediately snapped back to his senses as all sorts of thoughts flashed