Chapter 8

Dinner Date with the Idol

The restaurant was dark and with shades of blue and purple, but was bathed in a soft glow from lights that hung directly above the industrial chairs and tables. On one table sat an unlikely pair dining together while murmurs and soft voices could be heard from the crowd staring at them.

“Ah, that hits the spot!” The pop idol — Natsumi Sakurai — exclaimed as she gulped down from a highball glass.

“You look upset, come on, what’s on your mind?”

“You tried to shoot me.” Felix answered, his face firmly placed atop his palm.

“That was a long time ago. And those were blanks that you would have avoided.”

“That was two hour ago, and you would’ve shot me twice if it was real.” He pointed to his chest, then shoulder.

”Yeah, but I didn’t, so it’s all good.”

“I might have retaliated for it.” He retorted, looking to the side with an annoyed expression.

“But you didn’t, so we all good, yeah? Don’t be a downer and tell me more about yourself.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Fine, I’ll just look up your file in the records then.” She threatened as she pulled out her phone.

“… there should be clearances for that info.”

“Which I have. Felix Aster, twenty years old, real name—”

“Enough.”

“Feel like talking now?”

“Hurk… Well, you called me the abyss earlier, so let’s start with that.”

“C’mon. Moody, dark outfit, sharp eyes. You must’ve made the connection at least. Though I must say, you do clean up nicely.” She commented as she eyed him down. His messy hair, slicked back and combed, and dressed in a sleek black vest.

“If that’s a compliment, I hate it.”

”C’mon, let’s take a picture while we’re here!”

“Aren’t you at all bothered by the fact that I’m a bodyguard?”

“Aren’t you glad that I, Natsumi Sakurai, am offering to take a photo with you?” She teased as she took off his sunglasses.

“I took one with the rest of your group earlier, so no, not really.” He replied as he pushed away her face with his index finger.

Her mouth opens slightly, insulted before pouting. As the waiter approached, Natsumi pulled Felix up by the collar and asked the waiter; “Would you mind taking a photo of us?”

“Ah, certainly, madam.”

Felix stood up beside her, letting out a half-hearted smile, “The food you cooked is gonna go to waste.”

After the shutter had clicked, Natsumi asked, “And this drink, I like it. Another, please.”

As the two of them sat back down, she murmured to herself as she looked at the picture, “I’d say you have rotten eyes, but they’re actually really pretty. The blue one at least. Don’t worry, I’ll post it after we’ve left.”

“The other one will change soon enough. Besides, you shouldn’t get so comfy with me, I’m your bodyguard.” He retorted as he put his sunglasses back on.

“Why not, we’re friends now, aren’t we mister super-spy?”

“Sorry, but I only have one friend at the moment, and she’s already pretty insane.” He shrugged as he referred to Maria.

“Really, you’re breaking my heart, but tell me more about her.” Her tone was full of glee.

“I’d rather not get a headache. In fact, why am I even telling you these things?”

“Never underestimate an idol’s charisma!” She boldly declared before putting her phone down, “Anyways, there are people watching us. Not the good kind.”

“The only threat now are the three men watching from over there. And there’s… I can feel another one from far away.” Felix turned his head to the window behind him, but the silhouette watching had vanished.

“I’m surprised you could tell. Is that a superpower too?”

“It’s called bloodlust. It’s a gut feeling, a sixth sense that we were trained to sharpen.”

“How do you… sharpen a sense?” She scoffed with disbelief.

“How do you get better at singing, or any skill?” He answered as he added creamer into his cup of coffee before idly taking a sip.

“That… doesn’t answer my question at all.”

The waiter came back as he brought her order of lemonade and spoke, “Excuse me, but you wouldn’t happen to be Yumiko Sakurazawa of Starry Sweethearts? Would it be alright to shake your hand?”

“Of course, of course. In fact, could you get me something to sign on?” She smiled.

“I told you to wear a disguise.”

The waiter gave her a glass, which she signed on, and shook her hand.

As the waiter left, Natsumi spoke, “Not my fault he recognized me, besides you’re here with me, aren’t you?”

“Your confidence in me is unnerving.”

“It’s why I tested you.

“You’re still testing me, aren’t you? Putting yourself out here where it’s vulnerable.”

“I’ve heard that they even allow ex-convicts to be agents, so I want to see how necessary they really are.”

“But I’m not—”

“I know. But you are an Elite Agent… Maybe I’ve taken things too far. It’s time to go.”

“Hm? Go where?”

“I’m craving for some ramen next.” She smiled with her index finger held up.

“Alright.” Felix stood up in response as he grabbed his things from the table.

As they were about to leave the restaurant, three men stood up and blocked the door.

The man at the front spoke, “Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to be Yumiko Sakurazawa, would you? From Starry Sweethearts?”

Why is everyone here speaking English? Felix thought to himself.

“I get that a lot. I guess I really do look like her.” She snickered with an unfazed smile.

“No, I’m pretty sure we saw you sign a glass.”

“Is that so, then I take it that you’re all fans of mine then?”

“We are, and we would like to borrow you for a moment. In private.”

“That’s tough, ‘cause I’m here with my bodyguard. Anything you say to me, you say to him.”

“Bodyguard, eh?” One of the men cackled with a wry grin as he pulled out a gun from his suit.

Felix’s dull and tired expression turned into disinterest as he looked at the grinning man.

“Obsidian Industries owes us a debt! You’re coming with us, Natsumi Sakurai!” The man clutched her arm and dragged her.

“H-hey, watch it!” She yelled out as they dragged her out of the table.

Felix rushed to her side, and struck the man with a direct blow to the face, throwing him over two meters to the ground. The other two’s faces were ridden with shock, while Felix’s hand was still and steady, ready to throw another.

The murmurs of the other customers grew louder in response.

“Wh-why you!”

While one of them pointed their gun at Felix, the other grabbed Natsumi with his arm over her neck.

Felix rushed forward and ducked beneath the man’s hand before he could fire, and coiled his hands on the man’s wrist. A tight grip that got tighter the more he struggled, his arm turned red as he dropped the gun.

Felix held a steady grip on him until his arm had turned purple. As he fell to his knees, the one who had Natsumi hostage fired at him.

“Felix!”

Screams and shouts of panic echo loudly in the room. Natsumi’s eyes widened at the sight of her bodyguard getting shot.

The bullets loudly fired, one, two, three, and four. Felix had been struck four times before letting go of the man’s twisted, violet hand. Once on the arm and three to the chest. A red stain began to grow larger on his white polo as he staggered, but he had yet to fall.

“What the hell?!” The last one yelled out.

“Let—go! Let me go!” Natsumi began to thrash about.

As they walked back with Natsumi in tow, she grabbed a cup from a nearby table and splashed the lemonade on the man’s eyes.

“Argk!” The man yelled out as his eyes stung, letting go of the idol and wiping away the lemonade with his sleeve.

Though before she could get to Felix’s side, the man dragged her by her ponytail, and grabbed her back by the arm like a ragdoll.

Felix tried to go toward her, but before he could take another step forward.

“Enough, or else I’ll shoot her instead!” The last one declared as pointed his gun against the idol’s head and slowly he made his way toward the exit, but as he got out through the door, he suddenly tensed up, as if an overwhelming pressure slowed him down, but before he could turn around, Natsumi bit into his arm.

The man’s face contorted as he swung out his arm.

As she got out of his grip, the man yelled out as he turned towards her, “You bitch!”

But as he did, he found that a gun was pointed at him from still inside the restaurant, “She… has no business with you.” Felix declared.

As it fired, the man was thrown away with great force.

“Wh-what’s going… on.” The man convulsed on the ground, struggling to speak.

“Now, you’re going to answer me honestly… are you with the Jackal?”

“The… Jackal?”

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’, but just in case.”

Red and blue lights lit up the restaurant as police sirens howled against the silent night.

*

The streets were brimming with bright lights all around as the two had left the restaurant and traveled together. Felix, who was heavily injured, made little sound in his steps while the popstar nonchalantly hummed the entire way.

“So, how are you doing?” She asked as she leisurely strolled around.

“First, I get fake shot at, then I get real shot at. I’ve definitely been better.” Felix sharply responded.

“R-right… but you had fun at least, right?”

“Mhm…”

“Again, I’m sorry. If there’s anything you want to say to me, just say it.”

“We should go back before you get targeted again.”

“You already got them, so no point in me worrying now. Don’t be glum, sugarplum, our date was fun... before the last part. I know I definitely enjoyed it.”

A vivid memory plays in his head as he hears Maria’s comment about him not knowing how to flirt. Felix changes his expression. His eyes open and the edges of his lips reach his cheeks.

“You know Natsumi, you’re really cheeky.” Felix replied in an unusually upbeat tone.

“You’re… smiling?”

“Yeah, I just thought maybe this’d be a little better, is there something wrong?”

“Okay, okay. Not bad, you almost seem human. It’s difficult to tell that you’re faking it.”

“Really now, that’s cold, Natsu-chan. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what I said.” Felix beams with a positive smile.

“N-Natsu-chan? Okay, stop. My bad, I’m sorry. Stop being sociable, and please don’t call me Natsu-chan ever again.”

”I wasn’t trained to be a spy for nothing, y’know. Besides, I thought you wanted to see the night at the town?”

“What’s this, you can’t wait for your date with the cool and cute Yumiko Sakurazawa~?”

“I’d be honored to stay with a star such as yourself.”

“Eugh, right. Stop.” She shuddered in disgust as her retort backfired.

“Stop what?” Felix grinned victoriously.

“Enough.” Steps echoed from all directions, as the happy-go-lucky idol expressed her grievances to a strangely enthusiastic agent while they searched for a restaurant. “Anyway, I’m surprised you’re still in one piece.”

“I’m not. The reinforced vest underneath may have kept the bullet from killing me, but it’s thin, so I felt every hit.”

“… Sorry. Again, are you absolutely sure we shouldn’t go to the hospital?”

Felix clicked his tongue at the thought of the other agents, “If this were enough to keep me down, then I wouldn’t be an Elite Agent, would I?”

“So that’s where your pride lies…and that gun you shot him with?”

“You mean this?” He responded as he pulled out the gun.

“It just… stopped him from moving?”

“It’s an energy gun. Like a taser, or a stun gun, basically.”

“So the thing about you not killing people…”

“Agents who kill without reason are “unprofessional.”“ Felix scoffed.

“Is that how you think? Can I take a look?”

“No.”

“Yoink!” She grabbed the weapon out of his hand and hopped away.

Felix reached for her, but could barely move as his body still ached, while Natsumi jumped all over him with a teasing demeanor.

“Hey, give that b—”

The moment Natsumi hopped away, there was a quick, sharp noise that had struck the bridge’s rails.

“Eh?” She mumbled.

Suddenly, Natsumi’s cheerfulness turned into shock and fear. As Felix was tossed and rolled against the ground.

“F-Felix?” Natsumi mumbled out before she rushed toward him. “Felix? FELIX?!”

Felix gasped and his mouth spat out blood.

“S-sniper fire?” He could barely voice out.

He watched with a sharp ring in his ear as Natsumi’s face was full of fright as she sat beside him, crying out his name, before seeing a small flicker of light in the distance behind the buildings and the trees.

With his mouth still full of blood, he yelled out, “Let’s go!”

“Wh-what?”

“Hold tight.”

He picked up Natsumi and put her on his back, and despite the intense pain in his arms, he put his arms low and his hands on the ground and ran.

He catpassed over the bridge, then continued mindlessly moving forward until the two of them escaped.