"Impersonating Scotland" by Xingye
Synopsis:
Inspector Morofushi was reborn. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the year in Yamawashi before he died for him.
At that time, they were pretending to be in a passionate romance. He was on guard against that dangerous codename member, while also weighing exactly how much he could gain from this relationship. He never expected that one day in the future, the other would take all the blame for his crimes, resolutely die for him on a rooftop under the label of a traitor.
After his rebirth, the tragedy had not yet unfolded, but he knew everything about the future and knew exactly how to find the optimal path.
Everything went smoothly, until the third night after his rebirth, when Yamawashi, lying beside him, pressed a dagger firmly against his throat and questioned him gloomily.
Where is Scotland?!
*
Inspector Morofushi had been reborn, reborn in the year when Yamawashi loved him most.
The bad news was that Yamawashi only recognized the Scotland of that year, firmly believed that the man who had returned through rebirth was an impostor.
After exposing his identity as a public security officer, Yamawashi was even more convinced that he was an undercover agent who had infiltrated the organization by stealing Scotland's identity.
To keep Yamawashi stable, he had no choice but to resort to a threat:
“If you don't cooperate with me, then the real Scotland will..”
Just as Yamawashi was willing to die for him three years later, Yamawashi eventually put down the dagger and compromised for the sake of the man he had been three years ago.
*
Yamawashi (gritting his teeth): Damn it, this guy's acting is actually quite convincing. Once I rescue Scotland, I'll tear him to pieces!
Inspector Morofushi (breaking into a cold sweat): What was I like three years ago, three years ago, three years ago, three years ago.. Think, you stubborn fool, think!!
Content Tags: Strong/Strong, Devoted Love, Rebirth, Growth, Conan
Protagonist: Yamawashi, Scotland. Supporting Characters: Save File
Other: Scotland × Yamawashi
One-sentence summary: You wouldn't want Scotland..
Theme: The essence of love is being seen
Chapter 1
The wine glass fell, but just before it could hit the floor, it was steadily caught by a hand reaching out from the side.
Aotsuki breathed a sigh of relief and was about to straighten up when his movement suddenly froze.
The culprit who had just knocked over the wine glass leaned almost his entire weight against him, his forearm wrapped around his waist, his chin, covered in a bit of stubble, rested against his neck. No assassin could tolerate this level of close contact. Aotsuki instinctively wanted to break free, but since the other person was Scotland, he couldn't bring himself to actually push him away. Even if Scotland might not remember him after drinking too much, he still didn't want to do that, he forced himself to suppress the urge to pull out a dagger.
Scotland?" he asked in a low voice, "Are you alright? Do you feel like throwing up?
The person slumped against his back did not answer, their hot, alcohol-scented breath spraying against the side of his neck, the arms wrapped around his waist tightened repeatedly, as if they wouldn't stop until they had pressed his entire body into their chest.
".. How did you actually get drunk?" Aotsuki said helplessly.
He had indeed come to this drink with the intention of getting Scotland drunk, but he hadn't expected Scotland to actually get this drunk.
Making Scotland feel unwell was certainly not the outcome he wanted to see.
“Yamawashi..” His voice, raspy from the irritation of the alcohol, was a rare departure from his usual tone, yet it still sounded clear.
Aotsuki helped Scotland sit back up and asked, "What's wrong?"
Scotland said nothing more, only continuing to deepen this embrace, if it could even be called an embrace.
The empty wine bottles on the table were arranged neatly, as if one could see Scotland counting inventory during a mission. Aotsuki tilted his head, looking at his lover who was leaning against his shoulder and still hadn't let go of his wrist, for a moment, he was speechless, letting out a silent sigh.
This was too strange.
The two of them did not have a relationship where they would embrace like ordinary lovers.
**
Hiromitsu Morofushi sat up while clutching his head. The curtains were drawn, leaving the room in dim light. He instinctively reached out to his side, but the other half of the bed was empty and devoid of warmth.
Yamawashi had already left.
He hadn't originally intended to actually drink last night, but with the living, breathing Yamawashi sitting right beside him and handing him a glass, he ended up getting drunk after a few rounds.
There was honey water on the nightstand. Hiromitsu Morofushi walked out of the bedroom holding the cup and sent a text message to Yamawashi, asking if he would be back in time for dinner. As usual, Yamawashi replied very quickly, though the content was nothing more than a plain "Mm."
Breakfast was laid out on the kitchen table, just like the honey water, it had already gone cold. By this time, it had been quite a while since Yamawashi had left the house.
As a lover, Yamawashi was a choice without flaw: good looks, a good personality, good strength, good connections. He held his own place in this world filled with crime and violence, he was never stingy about yielding interests to lend him a helping hand.
The reason he had chosen to be with Yamawashi in the first place was nothing more than for that assistance; the two of them simply took what they needed from each other, sincerity was the least important part of this false romance. He had thought this was a mutual understanding.
Hiromitsu Morofushi slowly chewed his sandwich; the taste was mediocre, but he had never sat down and seriously considered before, as he was doing now, why someone like Yamawashi would do something that seemed so superfluous—specifically, preparing honey water and breakfast for his lover before heading out on a mission.
Yamawashi, his lover, was also his enemy in his capacity as an undercover investigator.
It should have been that way; everything should have been tacitly about interests alone. He had indeed always acted that way in the past, he naturally assumed Yamawashi was the same.
But today was the third day of his rebirth.
It sounds absurd, but that is indeed the truth.
Three days ago, upon waking up, he had miraculously returned to three years prior. Much had happened during this year; his undercover mission had made significant breakthroughs, bringing back a wealth of intelligence for the Public Security Bureau. It was also during this year that his undercover identity was exposed, leaving him at a dead end, where no matter how he planned, it seemed his only path was to flee to the underworld.
But he did not die; instead, three years later, he witnessed the downfall of a massive transnational criminal organization.
It was a difficult journey, one that required countless sacrifices to achieve such a result. Only a few people remember that on the list of casualties, there was a name that belonged neither to the Public Security Bureau nor to any official department in the international community.
When he was driven into a corner, Yamawashi set a trap without warning, dying in his place under the guise of a traitor.
Hiromitsu Morofushi could even clearly recall that scene. He rushed onto the rooftop, where the "traitor" and the organization members who had gone to hunt him down were in a silent standoff, the traitor calmly holding a dagger against his carotid artery.
Seeing him burst in, Yamawashi froze for a moment, then said with a smile, "It's not bad to see you one last time, Scotland. Let's not meet again."
The scream caught in his throat as the dagger instantly pierced his neck, blood splattering everywhere. In the years that followed, he would never see Yamawashi again.
Unfortunately, the goddess of fate never showed Yamawashi any favor.
After all the twists and turns, they met again.
**
The mission ended smoothly as usual. Gin tapped his cigarette and glanced at his silent partner sitting to the side.
They had crossed paths when they first entered the field, so they were somewhat more familiar with each other than the other guys in the Organization.
“Did you break your wrist?”
"No." Aotsuki didn't look up, still staring at his own wrist.
This morning, before dawn, he got out of bed to prepare to head out when Scotland suddenly grabbed his wrist.
He turned his head in confusion; Scotland hadn't woken up and seemed to have made the movement unconsciously in his sleep.
He and Scotland were not the kind of lovers who would care about each other to that extent.
Who is the person Scotland wants to hold onto?
He tightened his fingers, clenched them into a fist, then slowly released them.
Scotland's unusual behavior these past few days wasn't limited to this; otherwise, he wouldn't have intentionally gotten Scotland drunk last night.
“Gin.”
Speak.
I might really be breaking up with him this time.
Gin glanced sideways and mocked, "Finally growing a brain?"
It seems Scotland has someone he likes.
The killer codenamed Yamawashi said calmly, "I can't exactly stop him from pursuing true love, can I?"
Gin: ".."
**
The first time he sensed something was wrong was when Scotland suddenly gave him a call.
At that time, he was on a mission in Hokkaido. He had just finished off an oncoming enemy with a single strike when he answered that call, feeling completely bewildered.
Perhaps realizing he was busy, Scotland didn't explain clearly and hung up in a hurry.
He thought something unexpected had happened on Scotland's end, so he handed over his mission and immediately rushed back to the safe house in Tokyo.
After confirming their relationship, he and Scotland lived together, but since both of them had their own things to do, the actual time they spent together wasn't very much.
Upon reaching the door of the safe house, before he could even take out his keys, the door in front of him suddenly opened on its own. A figure appeared unexpectedly; he had no time to dodge, fortunately, he didn't need to, because it wasn't an ambush as he had expected, but rather his lover.
Scotland hugged him tightly without saying a word. After a long, stunned silence, he finally snapped out of it and pressed down on Scotland's shoulders, asking seriously what had happened.
"It's nothing.. I feel like I haven't seen you in a long time, probably as long as three years." This was Scotland's answer.
He couldn't control his expression; it was hard not to be puzzled, after all, Scotland never said things that sounded like sweet nothings.
To keep his surprise and confusion from being so obvious, he explained, "I only left for three days."
Scotland just stared at him blankly. He couldn't help but glance back, but there was no one in the empty hallway behind him.
In short, during the three days he was away from Tokyo, Scotland underwent a subtle change.
He cared enough about Scotland that even a subtle change would feel like a world of difference, let alone something that had already completely transcended the realm of subtlety.
So he asked Scotland out for a drink, hoping to see if he could get him to spill the truth. He didn't get the truth, but Scotland certainly ended up drunk.
This already speaks volumes about the severity of the problem.
How could the ever-cautious Scotland allow himself to get that drunk in front of others?
Scotland must have encountered something, or perhaps it was someone.
Yamawashi.
Aotsuki snapped out of it: "Hmm?"
It will probably be about fifteen minutes before we can eat.