A Conversation Between Spiders
The waiting had been long.
But Hayashi Yoshiki never minded waiting.
He had already sent Dr. Narumi Asai away—grateful for the man's help, but determined to keep him in the dark for his own safety. The less he knew, the longer he would live.
Now, seated calmly, Hayashi Yoshiki flipped through Shiho Miyano's files.
After over half an hour, Shiho Miyano emerged.
Her eyes were red and swollen, but her posture was composed.
"Would you like to chat a little longer, Ms. Shiho Miyano?"
"...Thank you, Cointreau."
She looked him directly in the eyes.
But this time, something had shifted.
The suffocating darkness that had surrounded him—so vivid the night before—was now distant. Mysterious, yes. Dangerous, certainly. But no longer monstrous.
Her heart was filled with gratitude.
Her sister was alive.
Nothing else in the world mattered more than that.
"Don't get too comfortable."
Hayashi's voice was calm, but his words pierced.
"The Organization doesn't yet know you've... changed. But they still have leftover stocks of APTX4869. If they ever test the drug and discover its effects... your situation could become far more dangerous."
The reprieve might only be temporary.
She hesitated, then asked the question burning inside her.
"Why did you help us? What you did... was betrayal. The kind no one survives."
"Yes," Hayashi nodded.
"Because I think it's worth it."
"You and I… we're very alike."
"Once you're stained by the Organization, it never washes off. Whether it's you, your sister, or me—many don't want to serve it. But with a gun pointed to your head… who can say no?"
He gave a soft laugh.
The kind you might hear in an afternoon café, not while discussing organized death.
Shiho felt herself draw closer unconsciously.
A Gentle Smile—And Something Else
"Did your sister mention it?"
"That the pajamas suit you."
Shiho's face flushed deep red.
Not because of the pajamas.
But because of what it implied.
He changed me into them…?
She said nothing but silently resolved never to mention it.
Freedom, or Something Bigger
"You want to escape, don't you?"
"Escape... such a modest ambition," Hayashi said lightly. "But prey hiding under the hunter's gaze never stays safe for long. And when the gun fires—no amount of tears can stop the bullet."
His tone was almost cruel now.
"This world is not that gentle."
She knew it was true.
All she had ever wanted was to run.
Hayashi's gaze sharpened.
"I don't even know what exactly I want."
"But I know I will not bend."
"That conflict some time ago—between us and another syndicate? I caused that."
"Theft of APTX4869? That was me, too."
"The Organization is a spider web. I am the spider in its darkest corner. And one day, the web may burn—"
"—but when it does, you might see me wear a crown."
Shiho stared at him, stunned.
"I'm not bluffing," he said flatly.
"Those who truly believe they can shape their lives… can shape everything."
He closed the black notebook in his hands.
"So, Ms. Shiho Miyano... are you interested in helping me?"
That wasn't a proposal—it was a summons.
She thought he might be joking.
But the intensity in his eyes—the raw confidence—left no doubt.
He wasn't like anyone she'd ever met.
No wavering. No fear.
He wasn't trying to survive the Organization.
He was trying to break it.
"No need to answer now."
"There's nothing I need from you—yet."
Her response died on her lips.
"You should focus on adjusting. Life as a child is quite different than life as a researcher."
"Your sister will need at least another week of bed rest, according to Dr. Asai. And she should not go outside. If the Organization finds her alive..."
"We know. She keeps the curtains drawn at all times."
"By the way—Gin's real name is Kurosawa Jin, isn't it?"
She recalled a moment during an assignment on Mermaid Island, a mission investigating the legend of immortality.
All three of them—Shiho, Gin, and Vodka—had to sign a local roster.
Vodka had muttered: "Sign your real name."
So that's it... Kurosawa Jin.
Hayashi Yoshiki's smile deepened.