Like I said, most of you would notice, and most wouldn't.
Just chill and wait for more chapters.
Enjoy.
....
The alley wasn't exactly dangerous — just one of those narrow, half-forgotten gaps between two office buildings where the light never seemed to reach. A dented vending machine hummed in the corner, half its buttons taped over.
Somewhere deeper in the shadows, a man leaned against the alley walls. Not far away, a cat watched him with the unblinking patience of a seasoned landlord.
"This is taking all day." Taneo muttered with a sigh as he held a paperback copy of Avatar: The Last Airbender – open in one hand.
The biggest hit sensation of the year, and current reason he was here.
"Meh. I don't know what all the fuss is about. It's above average at best."
Despite being a Journalist, Taneo Tokuda had rarely found fictional works entertaining. Creative imagination, as he put it, paled when compared to true non fictional literature.
What was the point about obsessing over what never actually happened?
Too bad though.
His opinion was just one among millions. And the vast majority of citizens in the country felt this was top tier work for some reason.
Well, who was he to judge?
He was about to get his next big scoop from it anyway.
Tall, mid-thirties, blazer neat but lived-in, Taneo had the kind of smile that could pass for friendly in a café and mildly threatening in an alley. People usually didn't know which version they were getting until it was too late.
THUD!
His reading was disturbed by the sound of footsteps. 'About time.'
A woman's shape appeared at the mouth of the alley, glancing over her shoulder before slipping inside. Mrs. Takamine — mid-forties, professional polish frayed just enough to suggest recent sleepless nights. She clutched a manila envelope like it might sprout fangs.
"You came," Taneo said, tucking the book under his arm.
"…You asked me to," she replied, voice low.
"I did, didn't I?" He gave a small nod at the envelope. "Let's not drag this out. You've got what I asked for?"
Her fingers tightened on the packet. Hesitation flickering in her eyes. Seeing this, Taneo didn't rush her. She had to come to terms with what she was about to get into.
"How do I know you'll keep your word?"
Finally, her voice fell into his ears.
His smile didn't change. "Mrs. Takamine… relax. I've got no interest in making your dirty little secret public." He stepped closer, keeping his tone conversational. "Frankly, even if I did, it's not front-page material. Burning a bridge over something this silly earns me nothing. My line of work… requires that I keep relationships."
She studied him for a beat, like she was trying to figure out which version of Taneo Tokuda she was dealing with.
"And if I decide to believe you?" she asked.
"Then you can rest assured this doesn't come back to you in any way. I get what I want, and your husband stays oblivious. A win win if I do say so myself." he said, gently taking the envelope. "After all…" he let the paper's weight settle in his hand, "…I can get in just as much trouble as you could."
Her eyes flicked to his blazer pocket — where her mistake now sat — and back to his face.
"Fine," she said, stepping back. "But if this shows up—"
"It won't," he cut in. "Now go before someone sees us looking this shady."
She left without another word.
Taneo waited a full thirty seconds before strolling out to the street. He didn't open the envelope right away — tacky, and besides, he preferred better lighting. A café on the corner smelled faintly of burnt toast, so he claimed a seat by the window, ordered a coffee he didn't plan to drink, and finally slid the contents free.
A name.
A date of birth.
He stopped, read it again.
"Eighteen…?"
A low whistle escaped him.
"You've got to be kidding me. The author of the year's biggest novel… still can't legally buy a beer." The contents included nothing more than a name, age, and photograph of a greyish dark haired boy with dark eyes and good features.
K.T.R.T
Real name, Rei Takumi.
Confirming his eyes weren't deceiving him, the man let out a low chuckle.
"Well, the conspiracy theorists would definitely be disappointed, but no matter ..."
Tucking back the info into the envelope, Taneo let out a sly smile. "... The rest of the world is gonna love this."
___
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