Chapter 8
Dinner Date with the Idol
Faint blue and purple hues adorned the walls of the dimly lit restaurant, giving the space a cold glow, while hanging bulbs cast a soft, warm light from above, contrasting with the industrial-style chairs and tables below.
Aside from the clinking sound of cutlery, the restaurant had a quiet air of luxury.
At one of the tables, an unlikely pair dined together, their voices blending with the murmurs from onlookers, who couldn't help but stare at them.
"Ah, that hits the spot!" The pop idol — Natsumi Sakurai — exclaimed as she gulped down from a highball glass.
Sat across the table was the black-haired agent in sunglasses, whom she asked, "You look upset, come on, what's on your mind?"
"You tried to shoot me." Felix answered, his face firmly placed atop his palm.
"That was a long time ago. And those were blanks that you would have avoided." She waved dismissively.
"That was two hours ago, and you would've shot me twice if it was real." He pointed to his chest, then shoulder.
"Yeah, but I didn't, so it's all good."
The agent looked over to the side with an annoyed expression, "I might have retaliated for it."
"But you didn't, so we all good, yeah?" She then perched her head over her hands, "Don't be a downer and tell me more about yourself."
"I'd rather not."
"Fine, I'll just look up your file in the records then." She threatened as she pulled out her phone.
"… there should be clearances for that info."
"Which I have. Felix Aster, twenty years old, real name—" Heiress that she was, she pressured him into talking.
"Enough."
She put her phone down with a smug expression, "Feel like talking now?"
The agent glanced at her and gave her a sharp look.
It was a familiar sight, looking at the blonde heiress. But he was looking beyond her, into an older memory trapped behind bars, "What if your name was Felix?" A blonde girl said to him with a cheery smile.
He let out a shaky exhale.
"Are you alright? You look like you were having a flashback." Her voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Ah, yeah, I was just um…you called me the abyss earlier, so let's start with that."
"C'mon. Moody, dark outfit, sharp eyes. You must've made the connection at least. Though I must say, you do clean up nicely." She commented as she eyed him down. His messy hair, slicked back and combed, and dressed in a sleek black vest.
"If that's a compliment, I hate it."
"C'mon, let's take a picture while we're here!"
"Aren't you at all bothered by the fact that I'm a bodyguard?"
"Aren't you glad that I, Natsumi Sakurai, am offering to take a photo with you?" She teased, taking his sunglasses off.
"I took one with the rest of your group earlier, so no, not really." He replied, pushing away her face with his index finger.
Her mouth opened slightly, almost insulted. She then pouted. As the waiter approached, Natsumi pulled Felix up by the collar and asked the waiter; "Would you mind taking a photo of us?"
"Ah, certainly, madam."
Felix stood up beside her, letting out a half-hearted smile, "The food you cooked at your apartment is gonna go to waste."
After the shutter had clicked, Natsumi requested, "And this drink, I like it. Another, please."
With a brief nod, the waiter walked.
The two of them sat back down, and she immediately began to murmur to herself, inspecting the picture, "I'd say you have rotten eyes, but they're actually really pretty. The blue one at least. Don't worry, I'll post it after we've left."
"The other one will change soon enough, and you shouldn't be posting it at all if it involves me."
"Don't worry about it, I'll edit it so that people can't see your eyes."
He sighed, putting his sunglasses back on, "You shouldn't get so comfy with me, I'm your bodyguard."
"Why not, we're friends now, aren't we mister super-spy?"
"Sorry, but I only have one friend at the moment, and she's already pretty insane." He shrugged as he referred to his partner.
"Really, you're breaking my heart, but tell me more about her." Her tone was full of glee, expecting something juicy.
"I'd rather not get a headache. In fact, why am I even telling you these things?"
"Never underestimate an idol's charisma!" She boldly declared before putting her phone down, "Anyways, there are people watching us. Not the good kind."
"The only threat now are the three men watching from over there. And there's… I can feel another one from far away." Felix turned his head to the window behind him, but the silhouette watching had vanished.
"I'm surprised you could tell. Is that an esper power, too?"
"It's called bloodlust. It's a gut feeling, a sixth sense that we were trained to sharpen."
"How do you… sharpen a sense?" She scoffed with disbelief.
"How do you get better at singing, or any skill?" He answered as he added creamer into his cup of coffee before idly taking a sip.
"I feel like that's not a good comparison."
The waiter came back as he brought her order of lemonade and spoke, "Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to be Yumiko Sakurazawa of Starry Sweethearts? Would it be alright to shake your hand?"
"Of course, of course. In fact, could you get me something to sign on?" She smiled.
"I told you to wear a disguise."
The waiter handed her a marker and a glass, which she signed on, before shaking the waiter's hand. All while Felix rolled his eyes.
As the waiter walked away with a hint of excitement, Natsumi spoke, "Not my fault he recognized me, besides you're here with me, aren't you?"
"Your confidence in me is unnerving."
"It's why I tested you."
He lifted his coffee cup close to his face, arguing, "You're still testing me, aren't you? Putting yourself out here where it's vulnerable." Taking a sip.
"I've heard that they even allow ex-convicts to be agents, so I want to see how necessary they really are."
"But I'm not—"
"I know you're different. I've looked over your records, at least, the parts papa had access to… You're life is…" She gazed at Felix with a hint of pity in her eyes.
The expression on her face bothered him. The way she looked at him, he squeezed the handle, snapping the cup instantly and spilling the coffee all over the table, "I don't need that look."
She paused, looking at her reflection in the dark-brown substance, "You're right. Maybe I've taken things too far." There was a hint of melancholy in her voice as she ran her fingers through her ponytail.
"What a waste…" He grumbled.
"Don't worry, I'll pay for it. Let's just get the check. I wanna go some place else."
"Hm? Go where?"
She popped a smile and raised her index finger, immediately returning to her peppy self as if nothing happened, "I'm craving for some ramen next."
"Alright." Felix pulled out a bunch of napkins from the side, wiping off the spilled drink.
"Waiter, the check please!"
As soon as they packed their things, three men in suits stood up and blocked the door. All of them taller than both the idol and the agent.
The man at the front, a bald man with a goatee, spoke, "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be Yumiko Sakurazawa, would you? From Starry Sweethearts?"
Why is everyone here speaking English? Felix thought to himself.
"I get that a lot. I guess I really do look like her." She snickered with an unfazed smile.
"No, I'm pretty sure we saw you sign a glass."
"Is that so, then I take it that you're all fans of mine then?" Feigning ignorance.
"We are, and we would like to borrow you for a moment. In private."
"That's tough." Natsumi smirked, "I'm here with my bodyguard. Anything you say to me, you say to him."
"Bodyguard, eh?" One of the men sneered sharply, revealing a gun hidden in his suit.
Felix's irritated expression turned into one of disinterest.
The trio exuded bloodlust that made the heiress tense up.
"Obsidian Industries owes us a debt." the bald man stepped closer, grabbing her by the arm, "You're coming with us, Natsumi Sakurai."
"H-hey— watch it!" She yelled out as they dragged her out of the table.
Silently, Felix moved. In one swift motion, he struck the bald man in the face with enough force to send him crashing against another table. Plates and other dinnerware shattered as the man was knocked out cold.
The murmurs of the other customers grew into shouts of panic, screams and shouts of panic followed, echoing in the restaurant.
A bead of sweat rolled across the other two's faces, staring at their unconscious companion. The agent got up from the table, ready to fight.
"Wh-why you!"
One of them snarled, aiming his gun at the agent, while the other one locked his arm around the heiress throat.
Felix rushed forward, swatting the second man's arm away before he could shoot. He then grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him in, delivering a straight headbutt.
But as their heads collided, the second man grinned, unharmed. He struck back with a headbutt of his own, making the agent reel back, a pain throbbing as his forehead turned red.
With the gun still in hand, he once again aimed it at Felix. Facing the barrel of the gun, the agent moved again, faster this time. Azure sparks crackling behind as he moved with a supernatural speed, grabbing the man by his wrist and twisting it upward.
The second man pulled the trigger twice, leaving two holes on the ceiling, shattering one of the hanging bulbs.
Glass shards rained down as the remaining diners frantically scrambled towards the exit.
Felix then continued, tightening his grip before grabbing the man's throat, barely letting him breathe as he pushed him down to his knees.
The man's hand turned to a bright tomato-like color, as if it was about to burst.
Under the flickering light, the man could see the cold blue glow piercing through Felix's sunglasses. An otherworldly glow was looking down on him.
But before the second man could pass out, the third man, the one holding the heiress hostage, fired at Felix.
"Blue!" The heiress shouted.
As the agent turned around, the sound of bullets rang out four consecutive times, rapidly unloading his pistol.
Natsumi's heart pounded, each beat louder than the gunshots echoing in her ears.
Felix's grip loosened, letting go of his own hostage. A red stain formed on his white polo as he staggered. He had been shot four times. Once on the arm and three to the chest.
She watched as her bodyguard collapsed to the floor, riddled with holes. She started to thrash about, "Let—go! Let me go!"
The second man gasped for air, "… Fuck!"
He glanced over to the bleeding agent, yelling with a raspy voice, "You little bastard!" His hand shook, still bright red, and barely able to keep the gun steady.
"Just grab the boss and let's get out of here!" The third man shouted.
The third man walked towards the exit with the heiress in tow, but she grabbed a cup from a nearby table and splashed the lemonade on the man's eyes.
"Argk!" The third man yelped as his eyes stung, letting go of the idol and wiping away the lemonade with his sleeve.
Though before she could get to Felix's side, the second man, carrying the bald man, placing his pistol against her head, "That's enough out of you, Natsumi Sakurai. One more stunt like that and I'll—"
Before he could finish his raspy declaration, he was struck with a haymaker from behind, smashing both him and his bald companion straight through two sets of tables.
"Felix, you're—!"
As the tableware scattered with metallic clinks, the third man grabbed Natsumi by the ponytail.
"Don't come any closer, or else I'll shoot her!" The man barked, pressing his pistol against the back of idol's head.
The third man walked away from the bleeding figure, dragging the heiress with him. But as soon as he got out through the door, three transparent, concentric rings passed through his body. An overwhelming sensation rippled through his body, leaving him numb.
Frozen in place, he weakly groaned, "What… the…" He tried turning around, his body refusing to shift, jolting him back to his frozen position.
While he struggled to turn back, however, Natsumi bit into his hand. Her teeth sank through his uncovered fingers. The sudden jolt was enough to let her escape his tense grip, and she quickly rushed back towards her bodyguard.
"You bitch!" He shouted, turning his face back towards the restaurant, only to be met with the barrel of a gun.
The heiress hid behind Felix as he weakly declared, "She… has no business with you."
As he pulled the trigger, it released another wave of invisible energy, and the third man slammed into the pavement outside.
"Wh-what's going… on." The man convulsed on the ground, struggling to speak.
"Now, you're going to answer me honestly… are you with the Jackal?"
"The… Jackal?" The man mumbled, barely able to form the words.
"I'll take that as a 'no'." Felix holstered his cobalt gun, "… But just in case."
Red and blue lights illuminated the restaurant, and police sirens howled against the silent night.
*
The streets were brimming with bright lights all around as the agent and the idol left the restaurant, traveling through an unpopulated park together. Felix, who was heavily injured, made little sound in his steps while Natsumi nonchalantly hummed the entire way.
"So, how are you doing?" She asked lightly as she leisurely strolled beside him.
"First, I get fake shot at, then I get real shot at. I've definitely been better." He sharply responded, a tinge of ache in his voice.
"R-right… but you had fun at least, right?"
"Mhm…"
"Again, I'm sorry. If there's anything you want to say to me, just say it."
"We should head back to your flat before you get targeted again."
"You've already taken care of things, so no point in me worrying now. Don't be glum, sugarplum, our date was fun... before the last part. I know I definitely enjoyed it."
A vivid memory plays in his head as he hears Maria's comment about him not knowing how to flirt. Felix changes his expression. His eyes open and the edges of his lips reach his cheeks.
"You know Natsumi, you're really cheeky." Felix replied in an unusually upbeat tone.
"You're… smiling?" She blinked.
"Yeah, I just thought maybe this'd be a little better, is there something wrong?"
"Okay, okay. Not bad, you almost seem human. It's difficult to tell that you're faking it."
"Really now, that's cold, Natsu-chan. I don't think there's anything wrong with what I said." Felix beamed with a positive smile, his grin growing wider.
"N-Natsu-chan?" She stammered, cringing slightly, "Okay, stop. My bad, I'm sorry. Stop being sociable, it's really creepy. Please don't call me Natsu-chan ever again."
"I wasn't trained to be a spy for nothing, y'know. Besides, I thought you wanted to see the night at the town?"
"Oh, I see what this is! You can't wait for your next date with the cool and cute Yumiko Sakurazawa~"
"I'd be honored to stay with a star such as yourself." He replied with a tone as smooth as silk.
"Eugh, right. You win, just stop." She shuddered in disgust as her retort backfired.
"Stop what?" He grinned victoriously.
"Enough!" She groaned, visibly irritated. As the two of them made it to the bridge, the happy-go-lucky idol expressed her grievances to a strangely enthusiastic agent, "Anyway, I'm surprised you're still in one piece."
"I'm not." His tone shifted back to normal, "The reinforced vest underneath may have kept the bullet from killing me, but it's thin, so I felt every impact."
"… And you're absolutely sure you don't need to go to the hospital?"
Felix clicked his tongue at the thought of the other agents, "If this were enough to keep me down, then I wouldn't be an Elite Agent, would I?" He said, pulling out a small pill bottle marked with a red cross, and popping a pain killer into his mouth.
As he gulped it down, she commented, "So that's where your pride lies…and that gun you shot him with? It just… stops people from moving?"
"Ion? It's an energy gun. Like a taser, or a stun gun, basically."
"So the thing about you not killing people…"
"You only kill if it's necessary. Agents who kill without reason are 'unprofessional.'" Felix scoffed, pulling out the cobalt gun.
"Can I take a look at it?"
"No."
"Yoink!" The idol snatched the weapon out of his hand and hopped away.
"Natsumi! That's not a toy!" Felix groaned, reaching out. But his body ached too much to pursue her.
She giggled mischievously, bouncing around with the weapon in hand, "Lighten up, it's not like it can kill—"
— CRACK.
"Eh?" The idol froze mid-step, her playful expression immediately vanished, and her eyes drawn toward the source of the sound.
Her gaze fell on the bridge's rail, where a freshly dented bullet shell clattered.
Before she could process what was happening, Felix shoved her out of the way. His body then hit the ground hard.
"F-Felix?" Natsumi mumbled out, unable to move, "Felix? FELIX?!"
Her face was a filled with fright and shock as she clutched the cobalt gun tightly in her hands. She stood in front of him, her eyes darting between him and their surroundings.
Felix, disoriented and with a sharp ringing in his ears, could only watch her through blurred vision.
In the distance, a faint flicker of light caught his attention—just behind the buildings and trees. A blue glow traced over his body, forcing him to move.
"S-sniper fire…" He spat out blood, could barely voice out.
"Wh-what?"
Felix picked up Natsumi, instructing, "Hold tight and hold your breath."
"What are you doing?!" He catpassed over the bridge, jumping straight down into the river, disappearing with a dark splash.
~