"Sir, your phone has been vibrating non-stop!"
The taxi driver turned back impatiently to remind Fujiwara Shunsui, wondering what was wrong with this passenger—he'd already told him the phone was buzzing, yet he wouldn't set it to silent.
But the moment he turned around, his eyes met Fujiwara Shunsui's gaze, and only then did he belatedly realize: this passenger seemed rather imposing.
Fujiwara Shunsui's current gaze was terrifyingly cold.
There was a moment when he considered letting these people live,
but it was only for a moment.
Recently, he had been annoyed that the opponents were like loaches, completely untraceable.
But today, the opponent used "Provocation" against him again, so he could only respond with "Kill."
Now, it just depended on whether the opponent's "Flash" could actually evade him.
Harumizu realized his gaze might have scared the taxi driver, so he quickly adjusted his expression and nodded apologetically: "I'm sorry, Master, something unexpected happened at the company, and everyone is sending me text messages to notify me. I couldn't keep up for a moment."
"I sincerely apologize."
Although he was a Syndicate member, Harumizu maintained a high level of courtesy toward ordinary people.
He deeply believed in the saying: "From the People, Back to the People."
Syndicates were the same; a Syndicate without ideals was not a good Syndicate.
The taxi driver, knowing when to back down, responded:
"I apologize, sir, I was just in a bad mood earlier. I shouldn't have spoken to you with that attitude. I hope you don't mind!"
The two exchanged glances again via the rearview mirror. This time, the driver seemed much more docile.
Meanwhile,
Fujiwara Shunsui began replying to the messages one by one. Naturally, he only needed to reply to the important people.
Fujiwara Shunsui: ["I'll be home soon. The soundproofing isn't great here, so watch your noise level."]
He first replied to Nissho Taro, taking the opportunity to put the kid in his place. Recently, staying in the apartment and skipping work, the boy had become a bit too full of himself, like a wild cat in heat during spring—a real headache.
Fujiwara Shunsui: ["You doing yoga makes a vigorous young man like me feel his blood surging. If I didn't go out for a walk, I'd be afraid of bleeding out and dying right here!"]
Kojou Yuna: ["You still have time to joke? Hurry home so we can discuss what to do!"]
As expected of his long-time girlfriend. Yuna-chan's instant reply warmed Fujiwara Shunsui's heart.
Indeed, both men and women value emotional connection.
Fujiwara Shunsui: ["Thank you, Aoi, you worked hard~"]
Nakamura Aoi: ["I'm happy to be able to help Brother Shunsui, I just don't know if the opponent will—"]
Fujiwara Shunsui: ["That was thoughtful of you, Nagasawa Family Head!"]
Finally, there was Nagasawa Kawa. The old guy didn't let him call him Family Head, but calling him that on his phone should be fine, right? If he didn't know the guy was a "title fanatic," he truly would have been fooled by that humble, unassuming appearance.
Of course, having just left his territory and gotten some results,
it was necessary to exchange pleasantries and express thanks. Fujiwara Shunsui understood this level of social etiquette... "Ding-dong~"
Fujiwara Shunsui hadn't brought his keys when he left, and more importantly, with so many people living at home now, he didn't need them. No matter how late he returned, Kiko-chan would always be waiting to open the door for him.
Of course, Fujiwara Shunsui usually didn't go out much. Even though he didn't look like a shut-in, that was the truth.
He was just someone who disliked leaving the house.
Kojou Yuna was the first to run to the door, open it, and anxiously ask Fujiwara Shunsui, "Where did you run off to this early in the morning?"
"You exercise first thing in the morning, can't I go for a walk first thing in the morning too!"
Fujiwara Shunsui acted exactly like a child who had done wrong. Knowing that Yuna-chan was worried about him, he deliberately lowered his voice, feigned grievance, and then added, "I won't do it next time~"
Miya Harukiko, who was inside the room, felt goosebumps rise upon hearing Harumizu speak like that.
"Can you be serious for once!"
Kojou Yuna looked at his frivolous and casual attitude, and angrily punched Fujiwara Shunsui lightly with her fist.
"Ah! That hurts!"
Fujiwara Shunsui used the momentum to fall, collapsing right there in the entryway. Even Miya Harukiko in the room was drawn over by his voice.
"What happened, what happened!" Kiko-chan's voice held a slight edge of panic. Now that she knew a few things, she was afraid Sister Yuna had hit him too hard in anger. She hurried over to the entryway, looked at Harumizu sitting on the floor, and continued to ask, "Are you okay? Did you bump anything?"
He didn't bump anything; I watched him "fall down" myself. Kojou Yuna watched this man play pitiful in front of Sister Kiko. She had serious business to discuss with him! Why was he acting like a child now!
"Stop teasing Sister Kiko! Get up quickly, or I won't talk to you anymore." Kojou Yuna yelled at Fujiwara Shunsui, feigning anger.
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore!"
Fujiwara Shunsui laughed and stood up again from the entryway. Miya Harukiko gave Fujiwara Shunsui an exasperated look. It seemed she still didn't quite understand Fujiwara Shunsui's personality, even the current version of him.
"Get in here quickly, I have something serious to tell you!"
"I know, I've been put up for a bounty on the Dark Web." Fujiwara Shunsui waved his hand dismissively, indicating he didn't care.
Who knew this would provoke Kojou Yuna's displeasure again? She angrily rebuked him: "When are you going to change your careless attitude? Can't you take important matters seriously?"
[system prompt]
[Kojou Yuna seems to have recalled a sad memory, causing intense emotional fluctuation. Kojou Yuna Favorability Rating -5]
[Kojou Yuna Favorability Rating: 84/100]
Seeing the system prompt, Fujiwara Shunsui truly realized Yuna-chan was angry. He hadn't expected a simple joke would make Yuna furious, and the reduction in Favorability Rating was something he was seeing for the first time with either of his two girlfriends.
Fujiwara Shunsui adjusted his attitude and seriously said to Kojou Yuna, "I'm sorry, Yuna, I was wrong. Don't be angry with me, let's go talk in the living room."
Harumizu subconsciously reached for Kojou Yuna's hand, but she shook him off.
"Yuna, it's my fault. I shouldn't have acted like that just now."
Although the apartment was small, Fujiwara Shunsui still followed closely behind Kojou Yuna, patiently explaining himself.
Sometimes people really have to pay the price for acting like a jerk.
Harumizu was experiencing that now.
"When you sent me the message, I actually already knew someone had put a bounty on my information on the Dark Web," Harumizu continued, patiently explaining as he followed Yuna.
"Oh? So you're saying the message I sent was unnecessary!" Kojou Yuna turned back and glared fiercely at Fujiwara Shunsui.
"No, no, what I meant was that out of all the people who messaged me, I only replied to you! And didn't I come straight home immediately!"
Sometimes comforting a woman is a skill, because when you make a woman angry, even breathing is wrong.
These were the lessons bought with the blood and tears of his predecessors, and Harumizu naturally wouldn't make such mistakes.
"So what do you mean? That we don't need to worry about this? Or that we don't need to worry about the opponent?"
"Have you forgotten how many people you've offended!"
Fujiwara Shunsui muttered inwardly. He truly couldn't remember how many people he had offended. Now that he had the system "backing him up"—even if it was a Romance System—with Attribute Points in hand, he ruled the world!
"I'm sorry, Yuna-chan. I neglected your feelings!"
Hearing this, Kojou Yuna felt like her head was going to explode, and she unconsciously raised her voice again: "It's not about neglecting *my* feelings, it's about *you*! Can you please care about yourself for once!"
Harumizu was a bit stunned.
He truly hadn't expected Yuna-chan's attitude on this matter to be so absolute, brooking no doubt whatsoever.
Perhaps he had misjudged his standing in her heart; Yuna cared too much about him.
If he had another chance, Fujiwara Shunsui wouldn't have joked so carelessly, especially about something like this.
He could only say that experience was the best teacher—he would remember next time!
"Ding-dong~"
Just then, the doorbell rang again.
A savior had arrived. To be honest, Fujiwara Shunsui was truly grateful for whoever was outside the door right now; no matter who it was, they deserved a big hug.
Yes, even if it was Sister Nakamura Aoi, he was going to hug her.
Fujiwara Shunsui quietly tested Kojou Yuna: "Should I get the door?"
Kojou Yuna didn't reply.
"Ding-dong~"
The doorbell rang again. Fujiwara Shunsui didn't dare move, but Kojou Yuna turned back, glared at Harumizu, and said, "Go open the door! What are you standing around for?"
"Got it! Your wish is my command!"
Seeing Fujiwara Shunsui's attitude, Kojou Yuna was about to scold him but instead broke into a helpless smile.
When exactly had this man become like this?
Fujiwara Shunsui opened the door and found Nissho Taro outside. Anxiety, and even a hint of worry, showed in his eyes:
"Are you alright, Lord Harumizu!"
At a time like this, Nissho Taro's arrival was incredibly timely. He didn't dare imagine how low the temperature in his home would have dropped if Taro had arrived a few minutes later.
Nissho Taro first bowed, then hurried forward, checking Fujiwara Shunsui up and down, front and back—he was practically ready to strip Fujiwara Shunsui's clothes off.
"What are you doing! There are other people here!"
Miya Harukiko glanced over again. What was the meaning of this? Did it mean that if no one else was home, the two of them could flirt?
This behavior must be possessiveness. Sharing a man with Sister Yuna was acceptable, but sharing him with another man was definitely not!
"Kojima Bin called me and said someone put a bounty on you on the Dark Web, so I rushed over to check on you."
When Nissho Taro saw that Fujiwara Shunsui had no obvious external injuries, he seemed to transform into a different person, angrily cursing again:
"I want to see which idiot dares to provoke the Sankou-gumi!"
"Putting a bounty on Lord Harumizu? If I find them, I'll be the first to kill them!"
It had to be said that even though no substantial conflict had occurred yet, Taro's attitude warmed Harumizu somewhat.
While minor squabbles with these people were normal, and Yuna-chan having small emotional outbursts was also normal,
Fujiwara Shunsui was determined to "handle this properly" this time.
"Stop talking! Those guys from Chuo Ward even sent me messages today to mock me!"
Hearing Fujiwara Shunsui say this, the breathing of the three people in the room—Kojou Yuna and Nissho Taro, excluding Miya Harukiko—slowed by half a beat. They all looked sideways at Fujiwara Shunsui, as if they had heard something unbelievable.
They had been in Shinjuku for a long time, and this was the first time Fujiwara Shunsui had voluntarily mentioned "those guys from Chuo Ward."
Kojou Yuna, conversely, became slightly flustered, thinking:
If that was the case,
and Shunsui-kun had still tried to dismiss the matter and pretend he didn't care in front of her,
had she lost her temper too severely?
Because in Yuna's heart, the matter involving Chuo Ward was Fujiwara Shunsui's Dragon Scale—everyone always chose to "forget" it. But clearly, today Fujiwara Shunsui had deliberately provoked himself, and she now understood his abnormal behavior.
Harumizu looked at the two of them, bewildered.
What was wrong with them? Why were they looking at him like he was an idiot?
And wasn't Yuna-chan angry just a moment ago? Why did her eyes now hold a hint of... pity?
He was confused, utterly confused!
Instead, Taro was the first to speak:
"Don't worry, Lord Harumizu, those people from Chuo Ward will tremble beneath your feet again someday!"
What was all this talk? He wasn't interested in men or old men. Fujiwara Shunsui gestured for Taro to sit down, and smiled at Kojou Yuna, saying, "Yuna-chan, standing is tiring. Let's sit down and talk!"
Miya Harukiko didn't say anything, but very naturally served tea to the three of them, then sat down beside the dining table.
"Oh, right, here's some tea leaves someone gave me this morning when I went out. Keep them at home, they taste good."
Fujiwara Shunsui suddenly remembered something, handed the tea leaves he had swiped from the Higashikawa Club to Miya Harukiko, and then said to Kojou Yuna and Nissho Taro:
"I took a trip to the Higashikawa Club this morning."
"Why did you go there first thing in the morning?" Taro didn't speak, but Kojou Yuna felt a surge of anger again. In her view, Fujiwara Shunsui had already fallen out with the Nagasawa Family, and there was no need to repeatedly go there provoking them.
It could only be said that Kojou Yuna's "version" of events was a bit outdated; she didn't know the current relationship between Harumizu and Nagasawa Kawa.
"I went to gather some intelligence."
Hearing Fujiwara Shunsui say this, the tense atmosphere finally eased somewhat.
Kojou Yuna also felt suspicious of herself, wondering why her emotions were fluctuating so much today.
Harumizu then added:
"I already know who put the bounty on me this time!"
"Who!"
Nissho Taro and Kojou Yuna asked simultaneously.
In this day and age, not many people dared to openly provoke the Sankou-gumi. If Fujiwara Shunsui knew the opponent's identity, dealing with the matter would be much easier.
Even if Fujiwara Shunsui was someone who had been "exiled," he had contributed effort and spilled blood for the organization, and this kind of public provocation was unacceptable.
"It's the organization behind Mino Hisashi!"
Hearing this, Kojou Yuna frowned.
She knew that the organization behind Mino Hisashi had targeted them twice, and both times involved life-threatening danger.
This was already a blood feud, but their resources and intelligence had been unable to uncover the opponent's identity.
Yet, at a time like this,
the opponent actually jumped out to provoke the Sankou-gumi.
That was quite interesting!