After signing the contract, Amuro finally secured the foreman position he'd been aiming for at the coffee shop.
But just looking at the salary made him feel depressed. He began to consider taking on part-time work in his free time, which could also help him gather more intel.
The Black Organization was notoriously stingy. Unless it was a mission with special funding, members only received the most basic salary.
That pay might be enough for an average person, but for members of the Organization, constantly walking the edge of life and death, it was far from sufficient.
Because no one knew when they might die, members of the Organization spent money freely and without restraint.
When funds ran low, many took on private jobs. The Organization didn't interfere with this.
Some went straight into assassination work to earn money. Others even became online celebrity reporters.
As for Amuro, since he had to avoid exposing his identity as a public security officer, he didn't draw any salary from the police. When strapped for cash, he could only take on various part-time jobs.
"My name is Toru Amuro. Starting today, I'll be serving as both manager and foreman, leading everyone's work. If anyone needs to take time off, please inform me in advance, and I'll coordinate the schedule accordingly."
Amuro wasn't naturally talkative.
But when he played the role of Toru Amuro, he became a sunny and cheerful young man, very good at socializing.
Once he got the foreman identity, he quickly built rapport with the entire staff and, with his smooth tongue, easily extracted the information he needed from them.
These staff members were just ordinary people, not CIA agents. So, what exactly was Fujiwara Toru trying to do? Did he really just want to run a coffee shop?
After familiarizing himself with everyone, Amuro used a restroom break to take out his phone and send a message to Rum.
[Bourbon: Mission complete. I've infiltrated the target location.]
[Rum: Well done, Bourbon. Keep working hard to investigate, see if you can find more CIA agents hiding in Japan. I suspect there may even be CIA inside the Organization. Do your best, and the Organization won't treat you poorly.]
Amuro stared at the self-deleting message and fell into thought.
He didn't like the CIA or FBI. He even harbored deep hatred for a certain FBI member.
But as a public safety officer of Japan, he also knew the CIA and FBI were technically allies. With his sense of justice, he couldn't betray them.
It was a mess. He had to hide his identity while infiltrating the Organization to investigate its purpose and the true identity of the Boss.
And now, he even had to stay close to a CIA agent, which meant being even more careful.
Amuro felt an enormous amount of pressure.
Lurking in the Organization, knowing he could be exposed and killed at any time, exhausted him daily.
The only good part was that he didn't need to interact with Organization members constantly. Most of his work was done solo, so the risk of exposure wasn't that high.
But being around Fujiwara Toru brought even more pressure.
That man was a top-level CIA agent, and they crossed paths regularly. The risk of being exposed was way too high.
Amuro desperately wanted to maintain his Bourbon identity. He was genuinely afraid Toru would find out he was with the Black Organization.
If that happened and Toru suddenly struck, leaving him to die with regrets, he really wouldn't even have time to complain.
Being undercover was just too difficult. He had to hide from both sides.
He didn't want Toru or anyone else to discover his identity.
Amuro was a lone wolf. He only trusted himself. If anyone else knew his identity, they might betray him.
"One step at a time."
Putting away his phone and wearing his usual smile, Amuro walked out of the restroom and got back to work.
...
Upstairs in the office, Toru received a message from Vermouth.
[Vermouth: Hey boy, do you know Bourbon? It's a type of whiskey named after a place in Kentucky.]
[Bourbon has a bronze color, elegant and refreshing taste, with a hint of sweetness. It's a style that women tend to like. But some men absolutely hate it.]
She was warning Toru that the Organization had sent Bourbon to monitor him.
She even subtly revealed Bourbon's color, essentially giving away the agent's identity.
[Toru: I really dislike Bourbon. I prefer pairing Absinthe with various rich and aromatic wines. I like Absinthe's mystery, and it's that very mystery that makes it safer.]
Through his message, Toru was also subtly telling Vermouth not to say too much.
If she leaked too much info about the Organization, she might end up being targeted herself.
As for Amuro, Toru had already guessed his identity the moment he saw his resume. He remembered some of the plot from Detective Conan, after all.
[Vermouth: Are you worried about me, boy? That's touching. Once I'm done filming, I'll come to Japan and find you.]
[Toru: I'll be waiting. I miss your passion... and that mystery.]
After a few more exchanges, Toru put his phone down and started thinking.
There was no need to worry about Amuro. That guy was technically one of them and highly capable. He'd definitely generate false intel to fool the Organization's higher-ups.
He could even mess with him and scare him just for fun.
"I think Rum is a sushi chef, right? Unfortunately, that doesn't help much. Killing him won't solve anything. The priority is the Boss who's still hiding in the shadows."
"Letting Rum live allows us to track and respond to the Organization's movements. If he dies, we'll lose a valuable window."
Toru paced the room. He needed to build up some forces of his own.
Back in America, he'd always been under Spencer's eye, which made it hard to do anything freely.
Now in Japan, he had more room to move. Plus, with some CIA agents around, he could find ways to win their loyalty and break away from Spencer's control.
Time passed quickly. Before long, it was close to eight in the evening.
Toru had spent the whole day working on the CIA's financial reports.
Expenses like staff salaries at the shop could also be reimbursed. Of course, Toru inflated the numbers.
Even if the amount embezzled was small, meat is still meat, even if it's just a mosquito leg. He wasn't about to leave money on the table.
He also completed several targeted assignments concerning Japan.
For example, if the Japanese government ever became disobedient, the CIA would use various tactics to incite public unrest and paralyze the nation.
This kind of operation was the CIA's specialty. The civil unrest seen in many countries was often their doing—like the Arab Spring.
Toru hated this kind of work. He genuinely detested these so-called color revolution tactics.
But even if he disliked it, he still wrote the plans. It was a great way to pull in funding.
"Sigh, I'm short on money. Haibara's research is a black hole. If the results pan out, I could become rich overnight, but the upfront investment is brutal."
Toru massaged his temples.
The Shinomiya and Fujiwara families were wealthy, but dealing with them came with strings attached.
And did people really think conglomerates handed out money for free? Their money was always an investment. If he truly got rich, they'd take the lion's share.
That's why capitalists love playing finance. Money makes money fast.
Violence was the best method, yes, but at his current strength, Toru couldn't go up against a nation's military. For now, he had to follow the rules.
"Boss, here's today's revenue report. I also have a few suggestions."
At 8 o'clock, Amuro knocked on his office door. With Toru's permission, he stepped inside and handed over the report.
"I think the store's income streams are still too limited," he began. "The second-floor café doesn't bring in much. It sells some cake, sure, but the revenue isn't impressive."
"There's plenty of space up there. We could add food items like pizza and offer delivery to boost sales."
"The KTV on the first floor is doing well now, but I'm worried it might not last. We should prepare in advance."
Amuro always took work seriously. Even if the salary was pitiful, he gave his best effort.
Toru looked through the report and said, "Good. From now on, send these to my email every day."
"Your idea is solid. Go ahead with it. If revenue increases, I'll raise your salary."
Amuro smiled on the surface but cursed internally. Even if you double it, it's still basic pay!
"As for the KTV, I have some thoughts," Toru continued. "The economy's been rough lately. Look how many more girls are in Okubo Park."
"Even the amateurs on videos and FC2 have improved in quality. No matter how bad the economy gets, there'll always be demand for business entertainment. We could run a high-end KTV."
He didn't say it outright, but Amuro immediately understood.
Isn't this just opening an escort KTV?
These businesses, like hostess clubs and host bars, were extremely profitable. Maybe not on a corporate scale, but for a single store, it was a goldmine.
Amuro replied tactfully, "Boss, that's a gray area. It could easily attract an investigation."
Toru clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. No one dares investigate me. Just go ahead."
Amuro suddenly remembered—this guy's a damn CIA agent!
Toru then gave him a long look. The way it made Amuro's skin crawl.
"Amuro, you're really good-looking. The type lots of girls like."
"Try visiting Okubo Park more often. See if you can spot some top-tier amateurs. Instead of standing around all day, they could work a proper job, with a contract and fixed hours. Isn't that better?"
"Oh, and check out the high-end shops in Ginza too. Use that face and brain of yours to recruit talent."
"The girls in Ginza shops are elegant, educated. I even heard there are graduates from our Tokyo University."
"If you can recruit them, I'll give you a high commission."
Amuro's mouth twitched. What am I now, a pimp? No, more like a male talent scout!
Toru suddenly dropped the smile and said, "I'm a generous boss. Do a good job and your commission will be great."
"But if you mess up, I'll compensate you with a few months' salary... and fire you."
Amuro's expression instantly changed at the word "fire." He quickly promised, "Boss, I'll work hard."
"Good. Then I'm heading home. I'm leaving the shop to you. Don't forget to lock up. You've got the keys. I trust you."
Toru said that with the same sincere tone Spencer used.
After he left, Amuro felt like crying.
Fired? If he got fired, Rum would definitely kill him. If he couldn't even handle this, what use was he? Might as well let Gin handle him.
Looks like he was doomed to be this pitiful guy...
...
"I'm back, Haibara-chan."
"Mm, welcome back."
She was still typing away at her computer, same as when he left earlier. Her attitude was as cold as ever.
Toru glanced at the takeout boxes on the table and smiled. "You even got me a late-night snack?"
Haibara snorted. "Those are my leftovers. Eat them if you want."
Toru didn't mind her tsundere tone. The packaging was clearly new. Definitely not leftovers.
She stopped typing and asked with forced calm, "Tomorrow's Sunday. Going out again?"
"Yeah, I've got a date with a beautiful senpai."
Toru hadn't had dinner yet, so he ate the food while chatting.
Haibara didn't reply, but her expression showed she wasn't happy.
After eating, Toru sat in the living room watching TV while she continued working. They talked on and off.
Around ten, Toru changed clothes and said, "I'm heading out for a night run. You're still in a child's body, so go to bed early. Staying up late is bad for you."
"Mind your own business."
She replied coldly, but obediently closed her laptop.
Toru smiled and didn't say more. Just as he was about to leave, she suddenly said, "I need Kudo Shinichi's blood for research."
Toru paused. "Give it a few days. I'll catch him for you. Do whatever you want. Dissect him if you like."
With that, he walked out.
As usual, Kayako was waiting on the steps. After chatting with the ghost for half an hour, he finally came home.
Haibara's room was dark. She must've gone to sleep.
She might be defiant with her mouth, but her body was obedient.
Toru washed up and got ready for bed. Tomorrow, he had to accompany the Yukinoshita sisters for shopping.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)