DECEPTION (Female Reader) [SAKAMOTO DAYS]

27: "A Billion Yen"

"You fell for my trick!" Nagumo laughed, brandishing a toy knife. "You really thought I stabbed you! Hahaha!"

"Ugh, you always do this. Can you just put me down already? You're carrying me like a cat."

Before Nagumo set me down, he took a moment to observe me from head to toe-not in a judgmental way, but more like he was sizing me up after all these years. As soon as his grip loosened and he let me go, I shot him a glare, which only made his smirk widen.

"Whew! Looks like someone's mad just because I've been out of touch for, what, four years?" he teased, his voice dripping with smugness. The sound of it made my blood boil even more.

I forced a smile, masking the irritation. "Nagumo, I get it-you've been busy with your work, and so have I..." I said, my tone deceptively sweet. "After all the headaches of tracking down the 'Burnt Offering' organization and tearing them apart, I'm left with... nothing. No fun, just endless, boring quests from the underworld." I sighed dramatically, rolling my eyes for emphasis.

Nagumo just chuckled, clearly enjoying my frustration, but I wasn't about to let him have the last word.

*
"(Y/n)... (Y/n)... hmm, 'Puppet'? Do you prefer that?" Nagumo's voice slithered into my ear again, the teasing tone grinding on my nerves. I was trying to focus, flipping through files on the 'Nameless's' past victims, but everything in front of me was useless-just dead ends. Meanwhile, Nagumo wouldn't stop. "Hey..." he whispered again, leaning closer, but I kept ignoring him. "I know it's random, but... remember the day we first met?"

I sighed, finally giving in, and turned to face him. "Is this about why I gave back that coat you lent me? Because it was too big, didn't fit me, and, oh right, it wasn't mine to begin with." I said flatly, not bothering to mask my irritation.

Nagumo pouted, feigning hurt. "Oh, like I just lent it to you? Is that really all it meant to you?" His tone shifted, just slightly. "Here I was, thinking you finally started to consider me a friend..."

I glanced at him and forced a smile. "You are a friend! The 'Ultimate Puppet's' friend, obviously! Come on, don't act like I've been keeping you at arm's length."

For a second, something flickered in his eyes, and his playful smirk faded. "Say... who are you, really? (Y/n)? The 'Puppet'? Or just a byproduct of that cruel organization?"

His voice was softer now, serious-a rare shift for someone like Nagumo. I felt a shiver, not of fear but something close, crawling up my spine.

"You already got your coat back..." I replied coldly, my expression hardening to match his. "So why bother asking me now?"

His face softened again, but not in the way I expected. A strange, unreadable smile curved his lips. "Why did I even bother saving you from that hellhole in the first place...?" His voice was light, but the weight behind his words hit me like a punch.

Without another word, he reached out and placed his hand on my head, stroking my hair like I was some fragile thing. His dark eyes, the ones that had seen more blood than anyone should, stared into mine with something deeper than I could decipher. This man in front of me-he was dangerous, relentless, and yet, one of the most fascinating people I had ever met.

I slapped his hand away, breaking the moment. "I'm not a little sister, nor a pet. Don't treat me like one." I muttered, turning my gaze away.