The charity auction was filled with wealthy elites and prominent figures from around the world, chatting with one another at ease.
Most of them were regular visitors to Hawaii, owning private islands or private jets. They attended events like this largely to expand their social circles. Many of their faces were familiar from television and magazines.
Japanese guests, however, were few and far between.
As soon as one appeared, they inevitably drew the attention of the reserved, aristocratic Europeans, who would exchange quiet remarks and knowing smiles.
Passing through the security checkpoint, Asou Akiya entered the banquet hall.
Just like in the movies, the venue was arranged around an open buffet, allowing guests to help themselves to food while mingling freely.
"Fukuzawa-san, you don't have to look so tense. Care for a glass of wine?"
Asou Akiya accepted two glasses of red wine from a passing waiter and handed one to his companion.
The silver-haired man maintained his stern expression as he followed a step behind, every bit the professional bodyguard.
"No, thank you. I've already had dinner."
He had taken on the responsibility of protecting Akiya tonight, and he had no intention of letting his guard down. If Akiya were to suffer even the slightest injury, he wouldn't just have trouble facing everyone back home—he would never forgive himself.
Fukuzawa Yukichi had relied on Asou Akiya's help time and time again.
Tonight, he intended to repay at least one of those debts.
Even if he knew he could never truly repay them all…
Still, a man had to have something to strive for.
Asou Akiya didn't press Fukuzawa Yukichi any further. With a hint of regret, he returned the untouched glass of red wine to the waiter's tray.
"Sorry for the trouble," he said with a smile. "Do you accept tips here?"
The waiter nodded cheerfully.
Akiya slipped a bill between his fingers and handed it over with effortless grace.
"Thank you for your service."
A moment later, amid the hum of conversation, Asou Akiya caught the familiar sound of Japanese.
A middle-aged man was chatting amiably with a group of European acquaintances. He wore a warm smile and sported a prominent belly, the very picture of a portly Japanese businessman.
"That's Suzuki Shiro," Akiya said with a quiet chuckle.
"Suzuki..." Fukuzawa repeated, committing the name to memory. "The chairman of the Suzuki Group."
"He must have brought his family here for a vacation."
Akiya's gaze drifted toward the area where the female guests had gathered.
There he spotted the young Suzuki Sonoko from the world of Detective Conan. The little girl, with her light brown hair held back by a pale headband, was wearing a white princess dress as she happily ate cake beside her older sister.
"Wow... she's such an adorable little girl. She must be his younger daughter."
Without realizing it, Akiya found himself looking at her for a few moments longer, the way an elder might fondly watch a younger generation.
As he strolled through the crowd, he recognized familiar faces wherever he looked—movie stars, internationally renowned tycoons, and other influential figures from around the world.
Among all of them, he felt he was probably the most ordinary.
Even Kudo Yusaku, the owner of the invitation he was using, was a celebrated Japanese novelist and a respected consultant to the police, having assisted in solving countless cases. His wife was a famous actress in Japan. Although the couple had settled in Los Angeles after immigrating to the United States, they remained widely known.
Hearing Akiya make light of himself, Fukuzawa Yukichi shook his head.
"Akiya-san, don't sell yourself short."
This time, Akiya really had been joking.
He smiled helplessly and nodded.
He had never believed he was inferior to any of the people gathered here.
After arriving in this world, he possessed the advantages of both a transmigrator and someone reborn with knowledge of the future. Had he been living in China instead, he imagined he would probably have carried himself with the same carefree ease as these wealthy elites...
A few minutes later, his gaze settled on a blond young man who was animatedly conversing with those around him. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald.
The owner of the money-powered Ability from the Bungou Stray Dogs world named "The Great Fitzgerald".
As long as the assets belonged to Fitzgerald, he could spend his wealth to enhance his physical abilities. The more money he burned, the stronger his body became.
In other words, he had all the makings of an American Transcendent.
Unfortunately, the Ability consumed money at an astonishing rate, and the enhanced strength it granted lasted only a short time. Even the United States couldn't justify funneling taxpayers' money into fueling his Ability. Instead, they simply watched as Fitzgerald rose to prominence in the business world, turning a blind eye whenever he occasionally crossed the line.
With that distinction hanging over him, Fitzgerald enjoyed exceptional treatment in America.
To the public, he was the face of a new generation of American success: passionate, outgoing, relentlessly optimistic, enamored with wealth, and deeply devoted to his family.
He also possessed an extraordinary instinct for investing. Starting from poverty, he had built his fortune from the ground up, amassing billions within just a few short years.
Fitzgerald was younger than Asou Akiya.
He had a wife named Zelda, and together they had a beloved daughter.
In the first season of Bungou Stray Dogs, the thirty-two-year-old Fitzgerald would lead the Ability organization known as The Guild to Yokohama with overwhelming force. His sole purpose was to save his mentally broken wife and resurrect his daughter, who had died in a plane crash. He was one of the three people who placed a bounty on the "Tiger," hoping to use him to uncover the whereabouts of the legendary Book, said to possess the power to bring the dead back to life.
When Asou Akiya made a beeline for the blond, blue-eyed American, the man seemed to sense his approach and turned to look.
His fashionably styled bangs swept upward across his forehead as he casually brushed them back with one hand. There was an effortless confidence about him, the unmistakable air of a man in his prime.
"Another international friend who knows me?"
Fitzgerald showed no trace of prejudice toward Akiya's Asian appearance. Instead, he looked him over with open curiosity.
Part of that curiosity, admittedly, stemmed from Akiya's looks.
Though he didn't possess true phoenix eyes, his long, gentle eyes, warm smile, and approachable expression naturally fit the European image of a "black-haired, narrow-eyed beauty."
Even setting those stereotypes aside, he was undeniably a strikingly handsome man with an exotic charm.
"Mr. Fitzgerald, my name is Asou Akiya. I'm from Japan. We've crossed paths in business several times before, I wonder if you remember me."
"Japan... Asou Akiya?"
Recognition flashed across Fitzgerald's face, followed immediately by a sharper look in his eyes.
So this is the guy who kept stealing my investments!
More than once, he had set his sights on a promising investment, only for Asou Akiya to swoop in right behind him. Before long, the two had found themselves competing over several highly profitable opportunities.
The second impression Fitzgerald's has of the man was:
Fast, ruthless, decisive, and backed by ample capital.
He had investigated him before. Asou Akiya was an investment specialist for the Port Trade Company in Yokohama, Japan—a company with ties to the underworld, not the sort of investor anyone could casually suppress.
Even so, Fitzgerald had always wanted to befriend him.
After all, it wasn't every day you met someone with such uncanny investment instincts. Ordinary people simply didn't have that kind of eye.
With a broad smile, Fitzgerald stepped away from the circle of American businessmen, raised his wine glass, and lightly clinked it against Akiya's.
"My old friend whom I've never met, care for a chat?"
"Gladly."
Asou Akiya ignored the hidden edge beneath Fitzgerald's smile. He was confident he could make a friend of the man.
Businessmen didn't discuss Abilities at business functions.
Fukuzawa Yukichi watched the two men in puzzlement. It was clearly their first meeting, yet each wore a brighter smile than the other. They were both still young enough to pass for university students, but each was more calculating than the last, carrying on as though they had known each other for years.
His instincts as a swordsman warned him of one thing:
This American was not nearly as well-intentioned as he appeared!
Unable to make sense of it, Fukuzawa simply focused on protecting Asou Akiya as he accompanied the two of them outside.
The charity gala was still some time away from the start of the auction.
"Is he your bodyguard?" Fitzgerald asked.
Though still young, Fitzgerald had met enough people to recognize excellence at a glance. It took him only a moment to see that Fukuzawa Yukichi was no ordinary guard—he was a battle-hardened professional someone could entrust their life to.
A sly smile crossed Asou Akiya's face.
"He's a friend, who also happens to protect me."
Looking at the American whose family had not yet fallen apart, he shared his own philosophy.
"Don't you think it's far more reliable to make someone like him your friend than to hire him with money? Money can buy obedience, but it can't make someone genuinely want to protect you."
Fitzgerald shook his head.
"I think a financial transaction is the purer arrangement."
Asou Akiya merely smiled.
Standing beside him, Fukuzawa Yukichi's expression softened ever so slightly before returning to its usual impassive calm.
Friend.
To him, that single word was worth infinitely more than money.
Asou Akiya and Fitzgerald quickly steered the conversation toward investing, discussing companies with promising futures. Every so often, their voices rose into spirited debate as they argued their respective positions without giving an inch.
Akiya showed Fitzgerald no special courtesy whatsoever. He stubbornly stood by his own views, criticizing Fitzgerald's habit of setting elaborate traps in the market as unnecessarily risky. In his opinion, steady, reliable investments were far superior to taking dangerous shortcuts for greater returns.
To Fukuzawa Yukichi, the entire conversation might as well have been written in an alien language.
Once again, he became convinced that running a company was no easy task.
Now that he had founded one—even if it was only an Armed Detective Agency—he intended to see it through no matter what. So he forced himself to listen, hoping to learn something.
It only made his head hurt more.
At a time like this, I could really use Ranpo…
...No, on second thought, Ranpo would probably fall asleep listening to this too. I'll have to figure it out myself.
Fukuzawa knew perfectly well that Ranpo's talents were highly specialized. He had no intention of making the cheerful boy study subjects he had no interest in, only to end up wearing a miserable expression.
"Mr. Fitzgerald," Akiya said at last, "we've been standing in the sea breeze for quite a while. Why don't we head back inside and continue our conversation over a seat? I hope your wife is here tonight. It wouldn't do to neglect a lady."
"Oh, my dear will be upset if she can't find me."
Fitzgerald looked theatrically chagrined, though the grin on his face betrayed how much he had enjoyed the discussion. There was also a hint of smugness in his voice.
"Mr. Asou, it seems you didn't bring a date."
They were both young men, and neither was above a little friendly competition.
Fitzgerald had already acknowledged Akiya's talent as an investor. The two of them were cut from the same cloth, and judging by Akiya's investments, his wealth was undoubtedly considerable as well.
More importantly, Asians tended to look younger than they really were. Fitzgerald still found himself wondering whether Akiya was truly only twenty-four.
"Are you asking about my partner?" Asou Akiya replied without the slightest hesitation, refusing to be outdone. "My wife was tired from the fun during the day, so they're resting at the hotel."
Fitzgerald seized the opportunity to nitpick.
"What? A hotel? You really don't know how to pamper your partner."
Asou Akiya gritted his teeth inwardly.
It's my first time in Hawaii, all right?
There was no way he could admit that.
He could already imagine Fitzgerald putting on an exaggerated look of surprise and saying, "What? You two don't travel abroad very often?"
No way!
There was absolutely no way he and Randou would lose to the Fitzgeralds when it came to their relationship!
After all, in the original story, Fitzgerald ended up a lonely, pitiful widower!
"In order to keep Randou looking as beautiful as ever," Akiya said calmly, "I've invested in an entire line of skincare and haircare products. My darling's skin is flawless—he looks younger than most people his age."
Fitzgerald snorted.
"That's nothing. I hired the finest private beauty and wellness team money could buy for Zelda."
From there, the conversation somehow devolved into an absurd contest over who spoiled their spouse more.
Akiya talked about all the artwork he'd won for Randou at auctions.
Fitzgerald proudly countered with the priceless jewelry he'd bought for Zelda.
Akiya praised Randou's impeccable taste, saying ordinary gifts would never catch his eye.
Fitzgerald laughed and declared that Zelda loved every gift he gave her, no matter what it was.
And then he delivered his trump card.
"Besides—we have the greatest proof of our love: our daughter."
Akiya answered with an equally blissful smile.
"We're raising two sons. They're absolutely adorable."
The smile froze on Fitzgerald's face.
I misjudged you.
You're that young, and you already have two children?
He adored his little princess—but he had always wanted a son, too. Someone who could grow up protecting his daughter.
Listening from the side, Fukuzawa Yukichi was thoroughly bewildered.
Akiya-san... please come back to reality!
As far as I know, you and Randou-san aren't even legally married yet!
And Ranpo and Chuuya aren't children you and Randou had together!
By this point, Asou Akiya had completely lost himself to the competition.
He didn't care anymore.
He was determined to beat this American.
Why should Fitzgerald be the only one feeding him dog food? He was going to return the favor!
Before they realized it, their conversation had shifted entirely to their families.
"Randou wanted to spend more time with me during the day, so he insisted on working alongside me. He even learned to cook and makes dishes from all over the world for me every day."
"Cooking, huh... Zelda isn't much of a cook, but she's talented at music and ballet. I love watching her dance. Every time I see her, it's like looking at a soul burning with fire."
"Randou speaks beautiful French. His voice is beautiful too, and he's published a very successful collection of poetry."
"Zelda speaks French as well. She reads French novels and poetry all the time."
"I've invested in facial massage devices. Have you ever thought about getting one for Mrs. Zelda? We could even invest together to develop an even better model—something that helps reduce age spots and slow skin aging."
"Zelda doesn't have age spots! ...Though... ahem, I'll think about it."
"Buying my wife a gift every year is always a headache. Mr. Fitzgerald, do you have any recommendations?"
"I keep a gift list. Give me yours, and I'll give you mine."
"Deal! During the auction, you can go after the gemstones while I bid on the artwork. Let's avoid competing for the same items. It's not worth driving up the prices—wasting money is a sin. Money should be spent where it counts."
"Haha! No argument there!"
Fitzgerald burst into hearty laughter and gave Asou Akiya a solid slap on the shoulder.
The blond American, who stood a full 191 centimeters tall, couldn't help feeling a little jealous himself.
This Japanese man was even more meticulous than he was when it came to spoiling his spouse. Clothing, food, housing, transportation—Akiya had invested in every aspect of Randou's life.
The most infuriating part was that those everyday investments had also earned him an enormous fortune.
He'd managed to have it both ways.
Money and happiness!
Fitzgerald decided he absolutely had to copy this strategy.
"Mr. Fitzgerald," Asou Akiya said with a raised eyebrow, "I think we've reached an understanding. Did you really have to hit my shoulder that hard?"
His shoulder was still numb from the slap.
When it came to being attentive and caring for a partner, no one understood Randou—or spoiled him—better than Akiya did.
He had made Randou even more radiant than his original counterpart. His skin was soft, healthy, and glowing.
That was the result of Akiya's tireless efforts...
Day and night.
The insincere politeness from earlier had vanished completely. They exchanged a look of mutual understanding.
What was the point of making money?
To live happily.
To make your spouse and children happy.
Among the world's wealthy, people who truly understood that and genuinely cherished their families, were a rare breed. Mistresses, illegitimate children, affairs with celebrities... those things only destroyed what could have been a complete and happy family.
Both Asou Akiya and Fitzgerald had built their fortunes from nothing.
Because of that, they understood better than anyone the determination it took to protect what they had built.
Neither of them intended to give in to temptation.
As they returned to the banquet hall, Akiya heard a sudden swell of excitement.
The commotion seemed to be coming from the gathering of elegantly dressed socialites, where beautiful women were especially numerous. Curious, he looked in that direction.
Fitzgerald asked his secretary what was happening and quickly received an answer.
"An Englishman has just arrived and completely stolen the spotlight. He seems to be someone of considerable importance—look, the British tycoons are all trying to flatter him. He also announced that he'll present tonight's most expensive gemstone to the most beautiful person at the auction... and invite them on a moonlit tour of Hawaii afterward."
"...Huh?"
Asou Akiya wasn't unfamiliar with grand romantic gestures that involved spending lavishly on a beautiful woman.
But there was a time and place for everything.
The guests attending tonight's auction were people of considerable status. No one would risk ruining their reputation over a single gemstone.
Fitzgerald's secretary lowered her voice.
"I heard his surname is Wilde. The moment that name came up, all of the British tycoons started treating him as their leader."
Fitzgerald searched his memory.
"Wilde?"
Akiya's curiosity was instantly piqued.
"What do you mean... which Wilde...?"
Just then, the auction was about to begin.
The Englishman who had been surrounded by beautiful women finally stepped out into the open.
The moment he appeared, his unconventional attire and overwhelming presence seized the attention of everyone in the room.
Fitzgerald's wife, Zelda, had only just returned to her husband's side when she let out a startled gasp.
"That outfit is so bizarre!"
Even a lady renowned for her impeccable taste couldn't help blurting it out.
Asou Akiya's eyelids twitched.
He, too, noticed the Englishman emerging from the crowd—
And the pair of high heels clicking against the carpet.
The vivid red stilettos were strikingly seductive, embracing feet clad in sheer black stockings. Beneath tailored suit trousers, they elongated the already impossibly long legs of the man, making his towering 193-centimeter frame appear even taller.
Holy...
His first impression was an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
Hisoka?!
But that thought vanished almost immediately.
Like everyone else present, Akiya found his breath stolen by the man's dazzling beauty.
A glossy black fur coat—the kind adored by aristocratic ladies—was draped over his shoulders. Every inch of him radiated nobility and effortless sensuality.
His shoulder-length golden curls spilled across the lustrous black fur like strands of molten gold catching the light.
That brilliance belonged to Apollo himself.
That irresistible charm seemed born of the goddess of love and beauty rising from the sea.
It was as though the gods upon Mount Olympus had turned their gaze upon the mortal world, watching over a man favored by heaven itself.
Who else could this Wilde possibly be?
None other than the man later hailed as "the living embodiment of Aestheticism."
His most famous words were legendary enough to shake the world:
"I can resist anything except temptation."
Oscar Wilde—the nineteenth century's unrivaled wit and connoisseur of delightfully poisonous aphorisms.
Asou Akiya was genuinely stunned by the man's entrance.
His eyes remained fixed on this Oscar Wilde—so familiar, yet so different.
What a surprise this trip abroad has turned out to be...
This man was very likely a Transcendent on the same level as Rimbaud!
In this world, the great literary figures of history had become one with their masterpieces, and only then were they reflected into existence as they were here—
Souls whose brilliance was beyond compare.
They were beauty incarnate.
So beautiful that no real person could ever rival them.
Because their works themselves were priceless treasures.
Oscar Wilde walked straight toward them.
Without realizing it, Fitzgerald smoothed his hair into place, only to have Zelda secretly pinch him.
Fukuzawa Yukichi's muscles tensed as he instinctively prepared to protect Akiya, alert for any sign of danger.
Only Asou Akiya remained perfectly still.
The shock faded from his face, replaced by sincere admiration.
This was not an enemy.
At least...
Not until Randou's identity was exposed.
"Good evening, my foreign friends."
Standing before Oscar Wilde, anyone's presence seemed diminished.
Asou Akiya found himself tilting his head up to meet the gaze of the man who stood nearly half a head taller than he did.
Oscar Wilde's brilliant blue eyes sparkled with life.
They were nothing like the cold depths of the sea. Instead, they resembled a dreamlike realm inhabited by spirited fairies, where people sang, danced, celebrated freedom, and embraced the romantic soul that had devoted an entire lifetime to the pursuit of beauty.
"Would you be interested in becoming friends?"
...Are you sure?
By "friends"... do you really mean friends?
The red wine glass in Asou Akiya's hand had long since been emptied, but it still tilted slightly in his grip—
A perfect reflection of his state of mind.
So this is what the Asian buff feels like...
Ah, right. Europeans really do have unusual beauty standards when it comes to Asians.
To many Europeans, black hair, black eyes, and phoenix-shaped eyes were a perfect 100 out of 100.
It couldn't be helped.
In this world, every imaginable combination of hair and eye color existed—silver hair with crimson eyes, black hair with violet eyes, and countless others.
Ironically, truly pure black hair and black eyes had become exceptionally rare.
Asou Akiya chose not to beat around the bush.
"Sir," he said frankly, "I have a family."
A flicker of surprise crossed Wilde's face before he laughed softly.
It was obvious he had mistaken Akiya's age and assumed he was still unmarried.
"What a pity."
Oscar Wilde's gaze lingered on Akiya's face for another moment.
He couldn't help recalling the European men he had dated in the past.
One by one, they had all seemed to age far too quickly. After only a few years, they had already lost much of the beauty that had first attracted him.
In that regard, Ability users—and Asians in general—were much better at preserving their looks.
He had arrived with effortless grace and warm enthusiasm.
He departed just as elegantly, though not without disappointment.
Fitzgerald held it in for a few moments before finally bursting into laughter.
"Hahaha—!"
Even Fukuzawa Yukichi looked at Asou Akiya with an expression beyond words.
If Akiya hadn't immediately exposed what Wilde had actually meant, Fukuzawa never would have realized that "becoming friends" had carried an entirely different implication.
Akiya quietly exchanged his wine glass for a fresh one and took a small sip to steady himself.
"..."
You have no idea I just prevented an Anglo-French war.
In the end, the evening's grand finale—a pink diamond brooch—was won by Oscar Wilde.
No one had dared compete against him.
As promised, the proceeds from the auction would go to charity.
True to his word, Wilde presented the brooch to the person he had found most appealing at the auction.
Along with it, he left an unsigned card.
[Sweetheart, you're just like the lover of my dreams. I don't mind that you already have a family. Care to have some fun?]
...
The Picture of Dorian Gray
"I make a great difference between people. I choose my friends for their good looks, my acquaintances for their good characters, and my enemies for their good intellects. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies."
— Oscar Wilde