Chapter 63: The corners of the mouth rise
Chapter 64: The corners of the mouth rise

As soon as Vermouth walked out of the door, she saw a brown-haired girl appear in the room opposite. Vermouth, who had no good impression of Shiho, frowned slightly at this moment, but she didn't say anything. After all, she knew the relationship between me and Shiho, so she left quickly.

Watching Vermouth leave, Shiho walked into my room, and with the help of the faint light from the floor lamp in the dark room, she walked to my bedroom and stood beside me.

"Shiho?"

"Ah."

"Haha. Come and sit down. But please don't turn on the lights. I want some quiet time." I said lightly.

Shiho didn't say anything more, nor did she sit down. Instead, she lay down beside me in the dark, holding my arm and asked softly.

"Bing, is this how Sister Jingliu holds you while sleeping?"

"No, she prefers to put her hands through my neck and hang from my body."

"... like this?" Shiho's cheeks turned slightly red, and she put her arms around my neck and rested them on my chest.

"Ah."

Shiho rubbed my chest. We found a comfortable position. "Haha. No wonder Sister Shizuru likes to hold you like this when sleeping."

"Hmm? Did you find anything?" I smiled faintly.

"Yeah. This position is not only comfortable, but I can also smell the faint scent of lavender on you. It's very comfortable and warm." As she said this, Shiho tightened her arms again.

"Haha. Really?" I also reached out and hugged Shiho's delicate body. "Shiho, are you not angry with me anymore?"

"Yeah." Shiho responded obediently. "Actually, I should apologize to you. I was too impulsive yesterday." Shiho said softly.

"Haha. Why are you so obedient all of a sudden, my queen?" I joked. Hearing what I said, Shiho pinched the soft flesh on my waist hard.

"It was my fault that I failed to control myself. When I returned to the room and thought about it, I realized that the person who was most sad about this mission was not me, but you. Sister Jingliu has been with you for so long, and no one will suffer more than you. The moment you walked out of the door with Sister Jingliu, I suddenly thought that if I were you, I would have collapsed long ago." Shiho said, drawing circles on my chest.

"Haha. Actually, I should apologize to you too."

"Huh? What do you say?"

"Don't get angry after I tell you that."

"You said."

"Today... Jingliu was my girlfriend for a day. Will you be angry?"

"Do you want me to be angry?"

"Haha. I don't know either. I just wanted to ask you."

"Silly." Shiho smiled at me. "If someone else was your girlfriend, you would be dead now." Shiho's words made me feel creepy. "But what Shizuru-neeji said. To be honest. I'm not angry at all."

"why?"

"I don't know." Shiho said gently. "If Sister Shizuru shared you with me, I would be very happy."

"Haha. Shiho, you are really generous." I said with a faint smile.

"You know what? Bing. Sister Jingliu once told me that no one's happiness is perfect, there will always be some small flaws. People need to know how to be content. Sister Jingliu has liked you for ten years. If I were you, I would give up Shiho in front of you and choose to be with Sister Jingliu."

"Idiot." I tapped her nose gently. "You said you're not angry. But you don't sound like you're not angry. It smells so sour."

"No way." Shiho said a little embarrassedly.

"Haha. Idiot." I laughed again. "Didn't I tell you? I'm destined to love you. How can I go back on my word now that I've said it?"

"ice..."

"Ok?"

"Can you tell me what you and Sister Jingliu did today?"

"You want to listen?"

"Hmm. I want to know. How do you make such a difficult choice?"

"...Okay." I reached out and turned on the starlight lamp next to me. Then I picked up the photo album from the table. I started chatting with Shiho about what happened today. It started from when we went to Osaka to eat teppanyaki. All the way to the adventure in the park. And to Kobe to eat steak, and finally to the ending at Akashi Strait. I told Shiho everything without reservation. There was not a single thing hidden. Then in the dim light, we looked at the photos in the album. Listening to me talk about every shot in the park. Every time a page was turned, there was a happy smiling face, and at the same time, Shiho's body would tremble a little. As the photos kept turning, Shiho cried. She cried very sadly and desolately.

"That's probably it. In the end, I didn't choose to use a gun, but a dagger. I didn't want the sound of the gun to taint the peaceful atmosphere at that time." The whole story ended with my sobs. Shiho beside me had already burst into tears. I put down the photo album and tightened my arms to comfort her.

"ice..."

"Ok?"

"sorry..."

"Haha. Why are you saying this?" I rubbed Shiho's hair and said gently.

"I'm sorry..." Shiho buried her head in my arms. She stopped talking and just sobbed softly.

Yoshihisa
"Silly girl. Stop crying. We still have to keep going." I said softly.

"ice..."

"Ok?"

"What did you say to Sister Jingliu at the end?"

"Goodbye, Sister Jingliu."

"Goodbye... Why do we have to say goodbye?" Shiho was puzzled. It was clearly our final farewell, so why would we see each other again.

"...It's late. Go to sleep." I didn't answer Shiho. I just moved my body and found a comfortable position to lie down.

"Bing...did I say something wrong?" After about five minutes of silence, Shiho couldn't help but ask me.

"Shiho. Do you believe me?" I asked after a brief pause.

"Eh?" Shiho was a little stunned by my sudden question.

"I'm asking, do you believe me?"

"Of course." Shiho's tone was unquestionable.

"Unconditional belief?" "...I don't know if that's belief. I just know that after you saved me from the original IceWine, after Sister Mingmei left, you have always been by my side. And I also found that I can't live without you anymore."

"Haha. Aren't you afraid that I will sell you out?" I joked.

"Are you willing to do that?" Shiho also smiled.

"Of course I'm not willing to do that." I answered immediately.

"Haha. Why are you asking?" Shiho pinched my waist again.

"Remember the letter I wrote to you four years ago?"

"Ah."

"So, as long as you are willing to believe, one day, I will take you out of this hell."

"You want to betray the organization and escape?"

“I never said that.”

"But...is it because of Sister Jingliu?"

"Shiho. Don't ask anymore. As long as you are willing to trust me. One day, you will know everything."

"Bing... I don't want you to take any more risks. I just want you to stay by my side safely. Sister Mingmei is gone. Sister Jingliu is also... I don't want to lose her again."

"Fool..." As expected. I can't say this to Shiho yet. It seems that I still have to play the next chess step by step. "Go to sleep." I hugged Shiho gently. I kissed her forehead gently. I closed my eyes deeply.

There was another moment of silence.

"Bing..." Shiho asked again. "Did you really kill Sister Jingliu?" This perceptive girl seemed to smell something unusual in my words.

I didn't answer. I just hugged Shiho tightly. In the dark room, no one could see. At the corner of my mouth, a perfect arc was gently rising.

————The scent of orchids, the scent of lavender, the scent of home & the wings of angels, the wings of demons, the wings of guardians————

The next morning, I left the room quietly without disturbing Shiho. I left a note on my desk, telling Shiho that I was going to complete a mission and would be back in about three days. Then I walked to the cafe and started browsing the missions.

When I went out this morning, I found a detail. That is my door number. The code with white letters on a black background has changed to gold letters on a black background. This proves that from today on, I will have the highest authority and can even talk to that gentleman directly. Unfortunately, I replaced Margaret, which means that endless tasks will come to me, but this is just what I want because my plan requires countless tasks to maintain.

"Bing. Are you here to do the mission so early?" Vermouth's charming voice sounded behind me.

"Yeah." This simple answer made Vermouth a little sad.

"Bing... About Jingliu..."

"Sister Bei. I told you. It's not your fault." I didn't look back and continued looking at the task board.

"ice..."

"And... Sister Bei. Thank you for voting against me in that mission." I turned around and smiled at Vermouth.

"Bing...you really don't blame me?"

"Of course. You are my dearest sister Bei." I smiled at her with my teeth bared.

"Bing... Yeah." When Vermouth saw me like this, the heavy stone in her heart finally fell to the ground.

"By the way, Sister Bei. Do I have to take on all the tasks here by myself from today on?"

"Yes. That's right." Vermouth saw that I had completely recovered and returned to my old self, so she smiled again. "The phone in your hand has been modified to have the same functions as mine. You are no longer under my control, and no one will be watching you from today on. But you must complete the task within the stipulated time, otherwise you will still be treated as a traitor to the organization."

"I see. I understand."

"Oh. By the way. I assigned Ling an infiltration mission to Italy yesterday. It will probably take two months or even longer. Is that okay?" Vermouth asked.

"Yeah. Almost there. Thank you, Sister Bei." I said with a smile.

“Haha. Don’t thank me. I was the one who was sorry to you in the first place…” As she spoke, Vermouth’s eyes dimmed again.

"Okay, Sister Bei, don't talk about those things anymore. It's over." My voice was a little choked. Then I regained my energy. I snapped my fingers and called the bartender.

"Please. These three tasks will be under my name." I said simply.

"Brother IceWine, are you sure you want to take three tasks at once?" The bartender looked at the three tasks I circled on the task list.

"Do you have any objections?" I said lightly.

"Oh no. Sorry. I'll do it right away." The bartender's body trembled, and then ran away quickly.

"Hey. Give me a glass of ice water when you come back." I looked at the bartender with amusement.

"Huh? Bing. The three missions you took are all in Beika Town. Is there anything there?"

"A.secret.makes.a.gentleman.more.style." I smiled mysteriously at Vermouth.

"Hmph, you little brat, have you forgotten about Sister Bei now that you've won the gold medal?" Seeing my answer like this, Vermouth pinched my cheek playfully and said with a smile.

"Haha. I was wrong, Sister Bei. That's what I said." I begged for mercy. "I just want to go to Dorobiga Park again." There was a trace of sad nostalgia in my eyes.

"Ice..." Vermouth realized that she had said the wrong thing.

"Haha. It's okay, Sister Bei. I just went to take a look." I smiled faintly.

"Brother IceWine, I have already written your task. The time is three days. Here is your water." The bartender respectfully brought me a glass of ice water.

"Haha. Thank you." I smiled lightly, grabbed the water glass and drank it all. "Well, I'll leave first, Sister Bei." Smiling at Vermouth, I hurriedly left the cafe.

I drove to Beika-cho. I didn't go to do the task first, but went directly to a villa in Beika-cho 3-chome. I took out a key from a bird's nest on a tree on the left. I walked towards the gate with a nervous mood.

"Don't let anything happen to you." I said nervously. With shaking hands, I inserted the key into the door. Click. The door opened. I pushed the door open and walked inside. With every step I took, I became more nervous. It was even more nervous than when I was doing the mission.

"Don't move!" A cold female voice came into my ears. I clearly felt a gun pointed at my head.

"Hu..." Hearing this sound, I let out a long breath. The nervousness I had just felt disappeared instantly.

"Great." I said softly. Turning back, I looked at the owner of the voice.

"That's great, Sister Jingliu, I'm so glad you're okay."

(End of this chapter)