CHAPTER 66: 61. SISTER’S INVITATION

Exquisite dishes were served one after another, the aroma of food beginning to fill the air.

Kasahara Fumi ate quietly, and Fujiwara Reya also remained silent. The intense midday sunlight spilled onto the glass tabletop like splashes, and she occasionally jabbed the plate with her stainless steel fork, sometimes taking a sip of whiskey.

"Do you want a drink?" she suddenly asked, looking up.

"Not this," Fujiwara Reya cut a piece of duck pâté, sending it to his mouth with a fork while shaking his head, "I can’t handle strong liquor, usually just beer and low-alcohol sake."

"Waiter," Kasahara Fumi raised her hand, "a bottle of beer, please."

Beer was brought over, and Fujiwara Reya grabbed a glass to pour it.

Kasahara Fumi put down her fork, resting her chin on her hands, looking at the foam in the glass with a cold expression, "Who buys the beer and sake for you?"

"Miss Kasahara, that’s my private matter." Fujiwara Reya covered the beer can with both hands, observed her face, and seeing she wasn’t going to let it go, he relented, "I pay ten times the price to get the store not to check my age to sell it to me, does that work?"

"My intuition tells me you’re lying," Kasahara Fumi said, putting her hand down, leaning back on the chair again, lightly lifting the blue hem of her skirt and crossing her long legs under the table, "unless you can tell me which store violated the rules selling alcohol to a minor."

Fujiwara Reya initially intended to casually name a shop.

But on second thought, she might verify it directly and might even close the shop, so to avoid harming innocent citizens, he had to tell the truth, "I had Gouzi buy it for me."

"Gouzi?"

"An adult friend."

"Where is he?"

"Miss Kasahara, you’re crossing the line." Fujiwara Reya evenly divided the remaining duck pâté before looking at her seriously, "Our relationship isn’t close enough for me to have to account for my personal life."

Kasahara Fumi was silent for a long time, seemingly contemplating something else.

About three minutes later, she seemed to return from somewhere else, sipping whiskey from her glass where the ice had melted. The grilled sea bream on the table exuded a rich aroma.

"Time to discuss business."

Kasahara Fumi said calmly.

"Been waiting long enough!" Fujiwara Reya finished the sea urchin soup and straightened his posture.

To Kasahara Fumi, his appearance seemed as obedient as a preschooler about to take a class. But she was absolutely sure that this was a facade, concealing an unknown darkness beneath the artistic aura of the young man.

"I know the history of Asakusa Shrine." she began.

Fujiwara Reya’s expression didn’t change, "Which big shot doesn’t know? No need for Miss Kasahara to repeat it."

"That’s true, I said something redundant." Kasahara Fumi nodded, then as if remembering something, she took off the sunshirt. Like a beautiful snake shedding its skin, her movements brought her down to just a thin dress sticking to her skin.

No jewelry, no makeup either.

Her chest was conspicuous, nicely shaped, enough to catch the eye. Fujiwara Reya was initially sitting upright, but fearing he couldn’t control his gaze from wandering to her chest, he lowered his head to eat.

Placing the sunshirt on the adjacent chair, Kasahara Fumi took the last sip of whiskey, it was time to talk about the important matter.

"I want to invite you to join Section 9." she said with a voice lacking emotion.

"What?" Fujiwara Reya doubted his hearing.

"I want to invite you to join Section 9." Kasahara Fumi repeated, her tone thoroughly robotic.

"Sorry," Fujiwara Reya shook his head decisively, "I’m not interested in this offer. If you just want to talk about this, we can settle the bill and leave."

"Joining Section 9 would be a safeguard for you." Kasahara Fumi folded her arms, her voice icily void, "You could operate outside the existing legal system, even if you break the law, the prosecution cannot indict or arrest you; you can apply to access tens of thousands of confidential files, have the entire nation’s intelligence services at your disposal; during combat missions, a three-person squad can request airborne fire support."

She listed three privileges, each very enticing.

"Sounds exciting..." Fujiwara Reya took a sip of beer to steady his nerves, "but I’ll still have to decline."

Kasahara Fumi said nothing, just silently scrutinizing him.

She didn’t seem to mind maintaining long silence, nor did she care if the conversational atmosphere was tense, and she didn’t consider how the other party felt.

Fujiwara Reya didn’t want the stalemate to continue, so he had to explain, "For me, no amount of privilege equals freedom. I live alone, exorcise alone, why join an organization with strict regulations to constrain my actions?"

"What do you understand by freedom?" Kasahara Fumi asked, but without waiting for him to answer, she gave her interpretation, "Is it doing whatever you want?"

"Rather than do whatever I want, I align with Rousseau’s view." Fujiwara Reya looked up, striving to control his gaze, "Freedom is not having to do what you don’t want to do."

"As a citizen, you are obligated to do things you do not wish to do, such as paying taxes, maintaining national security, and adhering to public order." Kasahara Fumi responded with citations, "To use Montesquieu’s words: Freedom is the right to do everything that the law permits. If you do what the law forbids, then you are no longer free, because others will also have that right."

"Sorry, that doesn’t apply to me." Fujiwara Reya drank the remaining beer, "Since birth until now, I haven’t done anything illegal, so for now, I’m still free."

"There will come a day when you break the law." Kasahara Fumi stated with certainty.

"We’ll see when that day comes." Fujiwara Reya responded with a nonchalant smile.

A male waiter approached, cleared away the bone plates with rubbish, and placed new ones. Only after he left did Fujiwara Reya curiously ask, "Why am I being recruited into Section 9 when we don’t know each other?"

"Firstly, it’s to understand you." Kasahara Fumi said.

Her tone still perpetually cold, though the words were somewhat suggestive, yet it was entirely impossible to develop such thoughts.

"Understand what about me?" Fujiwara Reya raised an eyebrow.

"From hair to toe, I want to know everything. Especially how you grew up, family background, and why you came to Tokyo, these three things."

"All trivial matters, as you listen Miss Kasahara, you’ll feel like sleeping."

"No problem," Kasahara Fumi continued in her monotone, "I have a penchant for unearthing seemingly trivial people, and often unexpected discoveries await."

Can’t handle this robotic woman... Fujiwara Reya chuckled bitterly inwardly.

Kasahara Fumi seemed to read his thoughts, directly asking, "Are you cursing me in your heart?"

"I’m afraid I’m not the only one who thinks this," Fujiwara Reya admitted frankly, "Miss Kasahara, have you never considered people often talk about you behind your back?"

Kasahara Fumi was silent for a few seconds, then shrugged slightly, "Whatever."

"Whatever..." Fujiwara Reya repeated, then laughed, his vibrant young face looking at her, "I like this phrase. If our relationship could go further, I would even candidly tell you embarrassing things like wetting the bed in childhood, but not now. Understand?"

"Understood." Kasahara Fumi nodded slightly, "The second reason, I’m short-handed."

"Hmm?"

"In the last five years, cases of population disappearance and paranormal crimes have surged in the Tokyo area. Especially severe in Taito District." Kasahara Fumi explained, "The upper echelons of Section 9 suspect there’s a connection, so they formed a task force to investigate in Taito District. I’m the captain. The team members are temporarily assembled, lacking tacit understanding, not easy for me to work with, so I wanted to invite you to join."

"I’m afraid you also intend to monitor me." Fujiwara Reya probed.

"Yes." Kasahara Fumi didn’t hide it.

Fujiwara Reya looked at her like she was an idiot, "Then I absolutely can’t join."

"This ends today, let’s meet when you’ve made up your mind." Kasahara Fumi picked up her handbag and sunshirt, ready to leave.

Standing, she was extraordinarily tall, with the heels almost reaching a height of 1.8 meters.

I’d have to stand on tiptoe to be the same height in shoes... Fujiwara Reya eyed her legs with perfect proportions, reminding her, "Miss Kasahara, let’s go Dutch."

Kasahara Fumi turned, pulled a wad of cash from her bag, not bothering to count it before placing it on the table.

"Hold on, let me tally it..." Fujiwara Reya picked up the money.

"No need." Kasahara Fumi walked out with long strides, her enchanting silhouette quickly disappearing through the door.

"..."

To be fair, Fujiwara Reya liked such a woman who didn’t treat money as money.

On the premise that his safety was assured, he hoped each subsequent meal could be shared with this older sister.