The handsome young man with white hair and blue eyes slowly withdrew his smile, his expression becoming blank. The aura he radiated at this moment seemed even more dangerous than Gin's.
If Aoko Nakamori were present, she would never believe this was the same "Brother Gojo" who had been so kind to her.
Seeing the freezing atmosphere between the two, the staff member asked hesitantly, "Do you two know each other? Or did I make a mistake?"
"...We know each other."
Gin broke the silence, a rare move for him, as he pulled out his wallet to settle the bill. The staff member stopped worrying.
"Understood. Then I wish you both a pleasant meal."
Under the warm lights, Gin's silver-white hair shimmered slightly, looking like molten platinum flowing over his shoulders. His brow was high and his features sharp, looking more mature than he had a few years ago. However, he wasn't wearing his signature trench coat today, nor was he wearing his fedora. The common black turtleneck he wore softened his ice-cold demeanor, adding a touch of a literary, almost artistic vibe.
He showed no surprise when Satoru forcefully pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down. He simply picked up a piece of sushi with his chopsticks like an ordinary diner and took a bite.
"So... is this the secret you were trying to keep from me?"
Gin's eating motion stalled for a fraction of a second. His chopsticks made a sharp scraping sound against the bottom of the plate. "And how did you find me?"
"I checked your recent schedule and knew you were active in Shinjuku," Satoru said rapidly, his fingers interlaced. "You aren't a picky eater; you usually go for whatever is convenient. This is the street closest to the Organization's safehouse. I figured you wouldn't want to go into a restaurant with too many people, so this sushi shop was your only likely choice."
Well, he decided not to mention the part where he called Vodka to confirm Gin's exact route.
"How about answering my question first?"
Satoru wasn't in the mood to taste the mountain of sweets on the table. He leaned forward, his voice carrying a sense of pressure. "What happened to your hair?"
Gin swallowed the sushi and used a napkin to wipe a smudge of soy sauce from his lip. "I dyed it. So what?"
Satoru almost laughed out of pure frustration.
"Which barbershop did you go to? Recommend it to me."
"I forgot such a boring detail long ago."
"..."
Gin tried to pick up another piece of sushi, but his wrist was suddenly and violently seized.
"Jin."
No one called him by that name except Satoru Gojo.
Gin tried to pull his hand back, but he felt himself clamped by an incredibly powerful force, unable to move an inch. He frowned, lifting a pair of cold, dark-green eyes. "Let go."
"Do you know your pupils dilate by 0.1 millimeters when you lie?"
As Satoru spoke, he slightly rolled up the sleeve of Gin's sweater, revealing a patch of pale skin. His gaze followed the man's wrist, eventually stopping at several tiny needle pricks and nearly invisible injection marks. "You went to test a drug."
"..."
Satoru sighed and let go of Gin, his suspicions confirmed.
His Six Eyes could detect an energy within the other's body that didn't belong to the natural order. It wasn't a Curse-like fluctuation like that of an Ability user, but a pathological change clearly originating from an external substance.
Furthermore, there had always been a debate regarding Gin's hair color between the original manga and the anime. Some said he was silver-haired from the start; others said he was blonde at first and then turned silver for no apparent reason.
The System had mentioned that for such vague details, the World Consciousness would provide a relatively logical "fix" to the setting.
And here was the fix. The World Consciousness had found a reason for Gin's change.
No wonder the Boss hadn't asked him about gemstones for a while. It turned out... the pharmaceutical experts might have actually made some progress.
"Why did it have to be you?" Satoru stared at Gin. "Aren't you highly valued by the old man?"
He meant "That Person."
The correction was on the tip of Gin's tongue, but he gave up on it. It was a waste of breath anyway.
"...This was a special case."
Aside from researching the elixir of immortality, the Boss's pharmaceutical team also developed lower-difficulty drugs intended to strengthen the physique. The reason Renya Karasuma had been able to live for so many years was inseparable from the effects of these drugs.
As for whether the developed drugs were beneficial or harmful to the human body, they could only be verified by humans, not animals. Many traitors imprisoned by the Organization who had lost their value had unfortunately become lab rats for the experts.
Originally, as a "gold-medal" killer increasingly trusted by the Boss, Gin wouldn't have been forced to test drugs like a traitor. However, to reward his performance, the Boss had specifically given him an "opportunity."
According to a certain expert at the lab, this newly developed serum contained special nutrients that could promote the efficiency of cellular energy intake, thereby increasing endurance and physical strength—perfectly suited for Gin. Although the expert admitted there were risks, they were claimed to be nearly non-existent.
Thus, under the Boss's suggestion, Gin accepted this "opportunity."
Unexpectedly, something went wrong during the injection. The original nutrient serum was mixed with an unknown chemical, causing his cells to undergo an unforeseen mutation.
The silver lining was that after a full week of bone-deep pain, Gin managed to survive. His constitution had indeed been strengthened, but the price was the hair color deformity caused by the drug.
Supposedly, the experts had found new data in his vitals that benefited the research for the immortality drug, so the Boss didn't punish them for the error. To compensate Gin, the Boss said he would soon be able to replace Pisco and intended to give him command over the entire Action Group.
For now, though, Gin's physical condition still required observation. He was essentially on a period of paid leave.
"...That's how it is."
"Sounds like it's all benefit and no harm for you?" Satoru observed the faint, indelible dark circles under Gin's eyes. "But you know that isn't the truth, don't you?"
It was obvious... that unknown drug had caused damage to Gin's life force.
"So what."
The silver-haired man spoke flatly. "My life has belonged to the Organization for a long time."
Even if he were to die right then, he would have nothing to regret.
Satoru clicked his tongue and stood up, placing both palms on the table. "What do you mean 'so what'... there's a limit to being reckless!"
"Value your own life a little more, you bastard."
"—Say something cursed at the end, at least."
Satoru closed his eyes as memories of losing his best friend in another world resurfaced.
"If I were to lose you... someone would be very sad."