Chapter 97: 5.8

Mamoru drove the car through the busy street, he took a few familiar shortcuts, these shortcuts were what Yukio showed to him once he was still in police force. It was convenient if they were chasing a criminal or hiding from them. 

"You still remember the narrowest road shortcut I told you before, impressive," Yukio praised. Which made Mamoru laughed embarrassedly;

"I always take Amano-San's teaching in heart! You are really a great cop, Amano-San. I strive to be like you!" Mamoru said. He glanced at Yukio who didn't seem to like what he just said. 

"Don't be like me, you will get beaten by the people in power. We are just small ants to them," Yukio sighed, "I really appreciate your dedication, Mamoru. But I want you to have a good life first in Neo Yokto. Besides, you are already twenty five, right? You might already have someone you love, maybe someone you plan to marry. You should focus on that first."

Mamoru's heartbeat skipped for a second, he glanced at Amano-San while slowing down the speed of the car, he gulped and replied in a low voice, "I do…"

Yukio smiled and rubbed Mamoru's head, "You are a handsome, sunny man. That girl must be lucky to have someone like you." 

"It's not a girl…" Mamoru said.

"Not a girl?" Yukio was a bit surprised, but then he laughed it out, "Fine, fine! We are in 2121 already, you can pick whoever you want, I will always support you!" Yukio patted Mamoru's back like a proud father figure.

[Mamoru is so cute! Look at that cute blush! He is obviously in love with Yukio! Maybe it is an admiration that turns into love? I'm positive that he is in love though.]

[Pupa: And then what? You want to date him too? Don't you remember our past world with Bi He? You might mess the world again.]

[No, no, don't worry~ Sakuma is holed up inside his man cave for a long time. He won't be able to know. Besides, Mamoru fits my taste more, too bad he is not the master of the world.]

[Pupa: Just don't do anything stupid. I don't want my body to get hit by bullets again.]

[Yea, yea. I will not date Mamoru. But I will be his wholesome crush, hehe.]

Pupa could see the devil horn slowly protruded from Yunyu's head, and his devil tail slowly circled around Mamoru's neck. Pupa rolled its eyes, whatever this stupid host was going to do, he would just be ready with his shield again. He didn't want to go on long hibernation because of his spicy chicken host.

"Y—You will always support me, Amano-San?" Mamoru asked carefully. He wasn't sure how to approach Amano-San romantically. Truthfully, he knew that Amano-San worked as a vigilante, and had trouble with his subordinates a few times. Mamoru gladly handled Amano-San's case skilfully, so Amano-San could continue his vigilante work without much trouble from the police division.

However, Mamoru was afraid that Amano-San would be disgusted with him if he knew that he was in love with him for a long time. It was truly an admiration turned into love.

"I will always support you, Mamoru," Yukio cheered on him, "Now, now, let me treat you with some ramen. It's already dinner time."

"T—Thank you, Amano-San!" Mamoru parked the car in a small ramen stall. Yukio was pleasantly surprised that Mamoru still remembered their favourite ramen stall from five years ago. They ate together in a warm atmosphere, and both looked very happy and content. 

But there was someone who was not content at all. His heart was burning, as if he had been cheated on the whole time. 

"Master is in bad emotional state, shall I execute Operation Assassination on Mamoru Ito? I will make sure that nobody will notice," The AI said while floating around Sakuma. Sakuma scoffed and replied;

"No need, but it seems that gathering data for one month is not enough. Turns out, Amano-San still has the chance of living a happy fulfilling life, unlike me…" Sakuma laughed at himself for expecting someone to have the same sense of justice as him, but also the same loneliness as him.

But he didn't want to let Amano-San go. He already put so much on Amano-San. He wanted someone as similar as possible, so he would be accepted by that person. 

"If Amano-San falls in love with this guy, we might never get a chance together," Sakuma typed something in the keyboard and then his AI, W41-FU reacted by confirming the order, "Master, confirming operation program solo. Attacking Mamoru Ito and Yukio Amano, casualty of civilians is not allowed, Yukio Amano shall not be harmed to severe degree. I shall dispatch Stealth Saya as the tool for this." 

"Do it," Sakuma said. He stared coldly at the monitor, showing Amano-San was having a great time with this Mamoru guy, "We are in this together, Amano-San."

Yukio and Mamoru were patrolling around in the empty street with a full stomach after that warm ramen. They were talking about many things, but Mamoru always blushed whenever Amano-San teased about this mysterious man he was in love with.

Yukio knew that Mamoru was an orphan, so he said, "When you want to marry this person, I will be attending as your family member. Haha!"

"Y—You will have to attend," Mamoru said sheepishly, "Because the wedding won't happen without you…" 

[Pupa: Ding! Fatemeter increases to 35%.]

[Huh? What's with the sudden notification? Is Sakuma around?]

[Pupa: Not in my radar. I don't know what happened with his Fatemeter increase.]

[Hehe, maybe he's got a spring dream about me? Aiya, he can just ask me later!]

The moment he laughed with the system about Sakuma, he saw a medium sized energy bullet shot at their way from Mamoru side. 

"DUCK!" Yukio said, Mamoru's reflex reacted immediately ducking. Yukio also ducked at the same time, and the energy bullet shot through the car window, it missed, but the energy bullet was strong enough to pierce the strong car window all the way to the other side. 

Mamoru lost control of the flying car and it crashed into a tree. The flying car had a self-recovery system, so when it crashed on something, it automatically hovered down slowly. Mamoru shook his head after the crash to retain his consciousness. He looked at Amano-San immediately to check on him, and he was glad that Amano-San was alright.

"Amano-San! I will call my—"

Another bullet silenced Mamoru when it penetrated through the roof and barely missed his head. He was terrified, whatever weapon this assailant had, it must be a newest high tech weapon he never heard of. Because all police cars had been equipped with tough glass and steel to avoid assassination in criminal chase or gang war.

But this assailant's bullet could pierce the car's tough glass and steel easily. 

Yukio looked up and his eyes scanned detected no heat from anyone near him. It baffled him for a moment, either this assailant was far away from them, or he was not a human. Yunyu had a bad prediction in his heart, but he couldn't find a reason why Sakuma attacked him and Mamoru. 

[Pupa, in the character background, Sakuma Hoshino is a good guy, albeit all his shortcomings, right?]

[Pupa: Correct.]

[Then this… who would have this kind of technology and weaponry other than him?!]

[Pupa: That… I don't know either.]

Another bullet shot as directed at Mamoru again, Yukio identified the energy bullet and shot the same energy bullet to stop the attack, "Mamoru, stay here!" Yukio said. 

Mamoru looked at Amano-San who didn't have a trace of fear at all, he gulped at the risk that Amano-San had to bear everyday as a vigilante, then he said, "I will immediately call for reinforcement! Please be careful, Amano-San!"

Yukio nodded, he traced the source of the attack. He flew to the direction and prepared for an attack. Another energy bullet was directed towards Mamoru's location again, which Yukio deflected with his palm. 

"Show yourself, you coward!"