Fynn nodded with a triumphant smile, "And that's exactly why they have been just hoarding bullets instead of using them this entire time! They were putting off the full execution of their plans until Swiftrain sent you to the other side!"
Noah, "…" 'I appreciate your enthusiasm, and I don't want to rain on your parade, but… As a bro that came from the other side, I can confirm that their plan was 100% effective…' 〒▽〒
Blackie, "Too bad it didn't occur to them that sending goes both ways, ah! If they can send people to the other side, the other side can send people over right back!" (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞
Noah, "…" (◞‸ლ) 'I appreciate your attempts of lifting the mood, but that just sounds really creepy… like… rise-of-the-undead level of creepy…'
Fynn's declaration still echoed in the room, yet Noah remained silent, his expression unreadable.
There was nothing wrong with Fynn feeling a sense of achievement and victory due to this big breakthrough in the case. But Noah just couldn't bring himself to feel the same. He didn't think there were any winners here. Many people were harmed, Aris lost his life, and once caught, the terrorists would lose everything BUT their life.
In the end, there would be no gains, just varying degrees of loss.
–No, actually, if they were to talk about benefits, there was one person who DID gain a lot out of this – Noah himself. If the terrorists hadn't acted out, Aris wouldn't have died, and he wouldn't have been sent over to replace him.
But how could Noah feel joyful about his gain when he knew that this happiness was built upon someone's sacrifice? And yet no one would ever know of this sacrifice, nor that their future peaceful lives had been paid in blood by a soul that quietly disappeared from this world.
When he had thought that Aris' death was an accident, he just felt it was a pity. At the time, there was no one to blame but the fickleness of fate. Yet, now that he knew that all of this had nothing to do with luck and was manmade, there was this indescribably stifling and bitter feeling in his chest that Noah didn't know how to vent.
The only thing he could do was to direct this suffocating indignance into loathing for the psychopaths who caused all of this. He couldn't bring Aris back; the only thing he could do for him was to make sure that people who harmed him rotted in prison while the people whom he had loved lived in bliss.
While Noah remained uncharacteristically quiet and still, Levi, too, felt immense fury bubbling in his chest. How could he stand the idea that there were people out there that made it their goal in life to take his precious darling away from him forever?!
If you asked him, tearing off their flesh and drinking their blood would be letting them off easy!
Well, the blood-drinking was, of course, metaphorical (the only one he actually wanted to "drink" and "eat" was his baby (／≧ω＼)), but the sentiment behind it was real.
Yet, even though rage boiled inside him, as long as his lifeline was there, sitting on top of him, he could neither lose his temper nor his head to anger. Especially when he keenly felt the changes in his baby's mood. Changes that instantly dumped a cold bucket of water on top of Levi's internal flames.
What he needed to do right now was not to plot how to dismember the terrorists but to comfort his darling!
And thus, Astar Levi did what he was the best at – distracting his baby. Levi wrapped both of his arms around his favorite person, brought him fully into his embrace, end then started to drop soft consoling kisses on the side of his face. From the corner of those beautiful amber eyes, to those soft pink cheeks, towards those tempting plump lips. Even managing to whisper sweet nothings in between the words: "Don't be afraid. From now on, no one can hurt you."
Noah, who was so "violently" interrupted by this sudden assault, completely lost his train of thought due to sheer shock! –No, not only did he forget what he was feeling down about, but it would be more accurate to say that his mental train flew out of its tracks!!!
What was this fiancé of his doing?!? And he even thought the other had turned over a new leaf in life, acting very obedient today!! Yet he was just laying low, waiting for an opportunity to pounce!!! (ꐦ °Д°)
How could he drop so many kisses onto another man's face so casually?! Hadn't he already taken this whole play-pretend too far?! Give him an inch, and he wanted a mile! Was sitting on top of his lap in public still not lovey-dovey enough?! What kind of nonsense was going through that head of his?! щ（ﾟДﾟщ）
'You think people won't believe we are together unless they see you leaving saliva all over me?! What are you? A dog marking his territory?!'
Noah struggled to push Levi away from his vulnerable face, but the other refused to let go – since a kiss had already been dropped, then he might as well kiss some more. Judging by his baby's angry little face, who knows when he'll be able to be this intimate with his precious again?
In his desperation, Noah was forced to turn towards Fynn to ask for a moment to "settle" this naughty child from his household, but before he could even let out a single word, Fynn got up and marched out with, "When you are done, head back home. Let's continue this discussion remotely."
Fynn didn't even wait for a response before slamming the door behind him. A useless effort because the door was immediately opened again by Levi's and Noah's bodyguards, who lined up to exit as if passengers lining up to board lifeboats off their sinking ship.
Ai, they better stand guard outside! Good bodyguards knew when their masters needed some privacy…
Seeing everyone flee the room as if there was a fire alarm, Noah felt so embarrassed that the shame turned into anger. His cheeks flared up into shades of neon red, with only half of the reason being due to anger and the other half… ahem… (／≧ω＼)
Anyway, Noah whirled around to glare murderously at Levi and spat, "Acting lovey-dovey sure comes naturally to you! I think there is no need to practice it further!"
Levi eyed his puffed-up kitten, and seeing no remaining traces of gloom left, he let out an internal breath of relief. An angry kitten he could handle. It was the sad kitten that he couldn't bear to see.
Levi remained silent for a moment, seemingly pondering over something. Then his lips parted, and a confident, husky hum came out, "That isn't so. I feel like there is still room for improvement."
"Oh, you do, do you?" Noah was so angry he laughed. "As a matter of fact, so do I! Your acting is so over the top that I think we should practice social distancing next! Stay six feet away at all times and learn how to express your 'love' without touching!" (ꐦ ◠‿◠)
"That won't work," Levi protested, "The difficulty level is too high and the time given too short. It's too late to start practicing other methods of expressing affection now." (︶^︶)ノ
Noah's vision turned black for a moment. This person was completely missing the point! "If the difficulty level is too high for you, then forget it! If they think we are a fake couple, so be it."
The moment the words left his mouth, Noah regretted it. He had let his anger get the best of him. He didn't really intend to let Levi take the blame for this entire marriage change fiasco. He just… he just… wanted Levi to tone it down a bit…