Akashi couldn't help but exclaim, his voice laced with frustration and worry:
"Didn't I tell you to hide? Why didn't you listen? How did you still get shot?"
Akemi, gravely injured and barely clinging to consciousness, found her eyelids too heavy to lift. Her breaths were shallow, but she managed a faint, bitter smile.
"It's okay… it doesn't hurt," she whispered, though her voice trembled with pain. "Shi…it's so great that you're alive."
Her voice softened further, almost as if she were speaking to herself. "I was worried you'd be lonely going to the afterlife alone. I thought I'd have to accompany you… But now it seems I'll be taking the first step."
Akemi was fully aware of the severity of her injuries. The blood loss was too great—her body was cold, her strength fading. She knew there was no saving her now. Still, she held on, determined to say her final words.
"After I'm gone…" she began, her voice trembling with both resolve and sorrow, "you must live on. Shiho… she's still trapped in the organization. You have to rescue her. Protect her."
Her gray eyes flickered with the faintest glimmer of a smile. "I know she likes you too… When you two are together, promise me you'll take care of her. And—oh… wait…"
Her voice faltered, her eyes suddenly widening in confusion and shock.
"Who… who are you?"
---
Akemi's gaze locked on the childlike face leaning closer to her. Panic surged through her as her mind struggled to comprehend the situation. The last bit of breath she was holding nearly slipped away.
But before she could react, the boy kissed her—an innocent yet oddly deliberate gesture.
Suddenly, 『Imported Sugar』skill was activated.
Akemi, too weak to resist, was kissed repeatedly. To her bewilderment, the sweetness spreading through her body dulled some of the pain in her abdomen. But it was still there, a constant reminder of her injury.
The sheer absurdity of the situation left her reeling.
She was dying—how could a child kiss her like this? Why was a child even here? And why… why wouldn't he leave her alone?
Her heart raced as her thoughts spiraled. 'What's happening? Where's Shi? '
With what little strength she had left, Akemi pushed the boy away, her hands trembling.
Then, the boy spoke.
But the voice that came out was not a child's. It was mature, familiar, and unmistakable.
"Akemi," he said firmly. "It's me, Akashi."
Akemi froze. Her mind raced as she struggled to process the absurdity of what she'd just heard. It was Akashi's voice. She couldn't deny that.
But her instincts screamed in disbelief. "I don't believe you!"
Her eyes darted around the empty warehouse, searching for the man she knew. But there was no one else—just the boy standing before her.
---
Akashi sighed, frustration building in his voice.
"I told you—it's me. Akashi." he said again. "Why don't you recognize me?"
With a mischievous grin, the boy leaned closer. "Come here, Akemi. Let me give you another kiss. Maybe that'll convince you."
But Akemi's fear overwhelmed her. Her pale face twisted in horror as she used every ounce of her willpower to crawl away, her body trembling.
"Stay back!" she cried, her voice breaking. "You're a monster! How can you speak with Shi's voice!?"
Akashi felt his patience fraying but tried to remain calm. "A monster? Akemi, stop being ridiculous! I'm really Akashi—your boyfriend!"
He took a deep breath and added, "It's just… after taking a new drug Shiho developed, my body reverted to this younger form. If it weren't for that drug, I'd already be dead—drowned in Tokyo Bay!"
Akemi's wide, terrified eyes blinked as she absorbed his explanation. Though still wary, she hesitated.
Her sister's research… Could this really be true?
But she wasn't ready to fully trust yet. "If you're really Shi," she said, her voice shaking, "Then tell me—where did we first meet? What coffee shop?"
The boy frowned, his expression darkening with irritation.
"What kind of question is that? We didn't meet at some coffee shop like you're thinking," he shot back. "The first time we met was on the main road. I was using the alias Wayne. I purposely let your car hit me, so I could stay at your place for two months and recover."
Akemi's heart skipped a beat. Her pale lips parted slightly in astonishment.
It was true. That was exactly what had happened. And only the real Akashi would know such a detail.
She had deliberately lied about the coffee shop to test him. His reaction left no room for doubt.
Akashi's voice cut through the tension, his tone sharp and impatient.
"Stop talking nonsense. Aren't you the one about to die? Don't waste time."
He had no intention of continuing the back-and-forth about his identity with Akemi. There was no time for that.
Without hesitation, the boy stepped forward again, his small face determined, and kissed her.
Akemi felt a surge of sweetness, but her hazy, oxygen-deprived mind could hardly make sense of it.
'I'm dying… What does being kissed have to do with anything? ' she thought vaguely. 'Does it even matter at this point? '
Yet, the strange skill activated again— 『Imported Sugar』 Lv.1 .
The therapeutic effects were faint but real. The bleeding from Akemi's abdomen lessened, though the wound was far from healed. The limits of the Lv.1 skill were painfully evident.
Realizing the inadequacy of this approach, Akashi refocused. If kissing wouldn't save her, he needed to act fast. He remembered another skill designed for situations like this— 『Preaching and Imparting Liquid』 Lv.1 , a skill specialized for rescuing those on the brink of death.
Akemi, hovering on the edge of life, was the perfect candidate.
Without delay, Akashi use another item from his inventory:『Power Spinach』.
As the medicinal energy surged through him, his strength increased dramatically. He moved quickly to lift Akemi, his small body working against the odds. But his short arms struggled to support her, even though her waist was slender.
Frustrated, he shifted his grip, wrapping his small hands around her thighs instead. He hoisted her up awkwardly, letting her sit on his shoulders as he staggered toward the exit.
The image was bizarre—a young boy carrying a dying woman like a reversed version of "riding a horse." But there was no time for appearances. Gin and Vodka could counterattack at any moment, and they couldn't stay here.
---
When they reached the red Mazda, Akashi gently set Akemi down.
He rummaged through her pockets and quickly located the remote control for the bomb in the trunk. Disabling the trigger mechanism, he let out a small sigh of relief.
With the bomb neutralized, he opened the car door and carefully placed Akemi in the back seat.
Akashi slid into the driver's seat, started the engine, and drove deeper into the abandoned transshipment port. Rows of rusting warehouses and containers stretched endlessly around them.
He maneuvered the car into a remote area surrounded by towering containers, a place so secluded no one would think to look.
Once the car was hidden, he turned off the engine, stepped out, and opened the back door.
As soon as the door swung open, Akemi's long legs, still clad in high heels, slid out. They were too long to rest entirely inside the shallow back seat.
Akashi hesitated for a moment but quickly climbed into the back seat to check on her.
---
Akemi's voice was weak, her breath shallow.
"Shi…" she whispered, her tone soft and resigned. "I'm really about to die. I don't think I'll make it to a hospital…"
She shivered slightly. "I feel so cold…"
Her trembling lips formed a faint smile as she added, "I only have one wish… Please, promise me you'll take care of Shiho."
Before she could finish, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"What are you doing?!" she gasped, alarmed.
Despite her weakened state, she couldn't believe what was happening.
"No, Shi, you—!"
But Akashi silenced her panic with a sudden, decisive slap to her thigh.
"Stop with the nonsense!" he barked, his tone unusually firm. "You'll be fine. Trust me!"
His expression was intense, a deadly seriousness etched across his youthful face as he moved with quiet precision. His small hands worked skillfully, sliding down her lower garment with deliberate care.
*He hooked his fingers into her panties and slowly pulled them down her legs, exposing her most intimate areas to his gaze. Akemi's cheeks flushed a deep crimson, but she made no move to stop him.
Guided by familiarity and an innate understanding of her body, he prepared her with practiced ease, ensuring she was ready to receive him. His touch was gentle but purposeful, coaxing a warmth that quickly turned into a delicate wetness.
*Akashi worked with expert skill, his fingers pumping in and out of her tight channel while his thumb circled her clit. Akemi was lost in a haze of sensation and blood loss, her body tiredly writhing beneath him.
Once everything was perfectly aligned, he positioned himself with care, entering her slowly. As he moved, he activated his unique ability,『Preaching and Imparting Liquid』 Lv.1, determined to save Akemi at all costs.
---
『Preaching and Imparting Liquid Lv1: The host's bodily fluids have undergone miraculous changes. By "preaching," the host can heal the critically injured. 』
---
Akemi, drained from blood loss and on the brink of unconsciousness, could barely resist.
Slowly, the coldness consuming her body began to dissipate. A faint warmth replaced the chill, spreading through her limbs.
As Akashi continued to work, Akemi's breathing steadied. The unbearable cold gave way to a growing heat, almost as if life itself were being reignited within her.
Outside, the setting sun dipped below the horizon, casting golden rays across the rippling waters of the port. The light faded, leaving the two figures shrouded in shadow, hidden from the world.
Only the waves bore silent witness to the moment.
---
Ding!
Yin energy is being absorbed. Yin energy +100!