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They came and went. Acquaintances, allies—naturally, they were fleeting in this world. After all, it was necessary to sever bonds from time to time. It never stung to part ways. That was, until now.
Lost in his mind, Ginji aimlessly walked down the street at night. This time, he wasn’t the one who made the choice to cut ties. It vexed him. He couldn’t blame Morita for quitting, and Ginji had no intention of trying to get Morita to change his mind, but it was so hard to forget him.
What do I want, anyways?
To transcend money was to conquer it. It was to have so much that it didn’t matter anymore, so much that you could control anyone. But no, that wasn’t right. Even with all the money in the world, there are people you just can’t tame. Perhaps, to truly transcend money, it needs to be tossed aside for something else.
A couple walked by, stifling giggles as they spoke to each other. Bright eyes, wide smiles, cheap clothes. Ginji felt something tighten in his chest. In his long life, he had seen this kind of thing a million times. He never cared about it. But then again, he never knew what he was missing. Maybe it was possible to be satisfied with nothing more than the right person by your side.
Ginji sighed and put a hand into his pocket. He was weaker than he thought. Lifting out his phone and moving out of the walkway, he called Morita’s number.
A voice responded, taut and filled with hushed surprise, “Gin-san?”
In contrast, Ginji’s voice came out smooth and controlled. “Are you free tonight?”
“Ah, u-uhm, yes,” Morita answered.
“Have dinner with me.”
This time, Morita responded without any hesitation. “Okay.”
Ginji gave the details. They would meet up at the hotel suite he was temporarily staying in. He was vague on the purpose of their meeting, hoping to save it for when they were in-person. As he hung up, he savored the memory of Morita’s voice and walked back to the hotel.
The suite was large and luxurious, its windows revealing a marvelous view of the city. Though the sky was bare of stars, the city lights twinkled brilliantly. Ginji turned to look at the table in front of the couch. Not long before, a light dinner with fine Japanese cuisine had been prepared and set out.
There was a knock on the door. Ginji made his way over, opening the door to see Morita standing in the hallway. As usual, he had dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and looked sharp in his dark olive suit.
“Gin-san,” Morita said, standing straight as he tried to maintain formal composure. Ginji could tell very well that Morita was secretly bubbling with delight. He had arrived so quickly, after all.
“Welcome,” Ginji said slyly, moving back to let Morita in.
After Morita stepped inside, he briefly froze in place. The whole scene must’ve been overwhelming. It wasn’t uncommon for Ginji and Morita to share a dinner like this, but he probably thought it would never happen again.
“I want to make this clear,” Morita said, his eyes following Ginji as he took a seat on the couch. “I’m not doing work for you anymore.”
“I know that,” Ginji said. “I just wanted to spend time with you.”
Morita looked doubtful. He was perceptive—yes, Ginji did have motives beyond merely spending time with Morita. Smiling, Ginji pat the spot on the couch beside him. Morita looked a little flustered, a subtle blush on his cheeks as he sat.
They began to eat. After a few bites, Ginji began the small-talk. “How have you been lately?”
Morita paused for a moment to think, then responded, “I’ve been fine.”
“Did you get together with that cute nurse?” Ginji teased, eliciting a frown from Morita.
“No, I’ve been living alone. I haven’t done much.”
“Oh? That’s a shame.”
Morita clasped his hands together, a pained look on his face. “I know I made the right choice. Instead of acting to benefit evil, I decided to live for myself. But. . . I still feel like that isn’t right.”
The smile on Ginji’s face grew bigger and his eyes narrowed in contentment. “Then live for me.”
“I just told you—”
“No, I don’t mean for work. I’ve also decided to retire.”
Morita’s eyes widened as he looked at Ginji. “What?”
“My reasoning is a little different from yours, but I’ve reached the same conclusion. There’s something more than money that I want, something far greater.” Ginji brought a hand to Morita’s cheek, curving fingers around the side of his face. His blush reddened, but his expression soon became soft. Of course, he understood clearly. Placing a hand over the one which caressed him, he pressed his face further against it.
“Gin-san, I’ve missed you so much,” Morita said, tears welling up in his eyes.
“It’s alright now,” Ginji whispered, using his other hand to stroke the back of Morita’s head. Ginji’s heart swelled in his chest and the sense of emptiness receded away. “Morita, be mine.”
Smiling, cheeks wet with tears, Morita whispered back, “Yes, Gin-san."