And now, it was time for my daily morning routine.
I was Bourbon. Or perhaps, Amuro Tooru.
I was the entity inhabiting the space of Furuya Rei's alternate persona.
I woke at six in the morning, as always, and sat in the lotus position to meditate without leaving my bed.
I had no interest in Buddhism or anything of the sort, but I had adopted this pose simply because it helped me focus.
I concentrated my consciousness, detaching it from reality, and dove deep—very deep—into the recesses of the subconscious.
There, that man with the striking blonde hair and blue eyes lay waiting.
It was the owner of this well-toned physique, Furuya Rei himself, drifting asleep in the void.
In that place, resembling the crushing, sunless floor of a deep ocean, he slumbered on, his eyes sealed shut.
As for me, I bore the same blonde hair and dark skin, swaying gently in the currents.
It was a form identical to Amuro Tooru, and a far cry from my true appearance.
I suspect I acquired this guise because I had merged so completely with Furuya's body. Since the result was that I became handsome, I wasn't about to complain.
It was one of the job's better perks.
I cut through the water, as I always did, approaching Furuya Rei.
The water against my skin was cold, though not unbearably so.
I gripped Furuya Rei's shoulder—clad in a suit as cold as ice—and gave him a gentle shake.
"Hey! Please, wake up!"
I shouted, but there was no reply. I shook his shoulder, yet his eyes remained closed.
This was my daily routine.
A ritual I had performed without fail for two years, ever since I became Furuya Rei.
When I first awoke in this world, Furuya had already fallen into a deep sleep within this body.
The cause remains a mystery.
Was it the shock of my intrusion? Or perhaps the crushing weight of Bourbon's missions?
I cannot say for certain, but for now, he is trapped in an internal, eternal slumber.
After calling out to him for a while, I surfaced from the depths of the subconscious and gasped for air.
Once again, Furuya Rei showed no sign of waking.
Since I was in a safe house, I could afford to rest... yet I would find no peace until I resolved the root of the problem.
What should I do now? Someone, for the love of God, do something.
"Please, someone tell me how to contact Public Security..."
Put simply, I faced a dire problem: I had absolutely no idea how to contact Public Security—my most critical ally.
Since this possession lacked convenient features like "memory synchronization," all I could do was roleplay as Bourbon and improvise based on the situation.
Fortunately, the takeover occurred during the early stages of the infiltration, allowing me to scrape by. Had this happened after the main storyline began, I would undoubtedly be dead.
Was the timing fortunate, or would it have been better if this possession never happened at all?
"Convenient scenarios—like Kazami just happening to walk down the street—don't actually happen... and since I'm not a detective, I lack the means to reach Public Security on my own. Sigh."
Rumors of Furuya Rei's death or betrayal must be circulating by now.
Please, stop. I cannot bear that responsibility.
While I was wallowing in this misery...
I found him. I found him. I found him!
I spotted him—Kazami, in the flesh, walking down the street!
He cut the figure of an exhausted salaryman from behind, wearing that dark green suit that suited him so well.
Short black hair and black-rimmed glasses. Despite his perpetually stern aura, he didn't look like a Public Security officer while just walking down the street like that.
His name is Kazami Yuya.
A liaison officer for the Public Security Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the man who shares a strong lifeline with Furuya Rei.
I pursued him, my eyes bloodshot with intensity, determined not to let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip away.
I slipped up behind him swiftly, donning my "Amuro" mask before addressing him.
In reality, the "Amuro" persona within the Organization is close to my true nature, but here I attempted to channel the "Amuro from the original story" just a little.
"Hey, isn't that Tobita-san? It's been a while! It's me, Amuro."
"—Huh?! Fu—Furu..."
"I am Amuro Tooru. Don't you remember?"
I cut him off immediately; he had nearly blurted out my real name. I understood his shock, but he needed to pull himself together.
"A-Amuro-san, why are you here? And where have you been all this..."
"Hahaha. We have a lot to catch up on. Let's go somewhere we can relax."
Saying that, I led him to a café I had carefully vetted in advance for just such an occasion. I had already confirmed the place was free of bugs and suspicious patrons.
In fact, Vodka was the one who taught me this technique. Since I was originally just an ordinary civilian with no ties to the underworld, he had taught me many things from scratch as part of the "boss escort etiquette."
The café was named Poirot. It was the classic establishment located directly beneath the Mouri Kogoro Detective Agency, where Amuro Tooru was destined to work in the future.
I ordered a caffè latte. Glancing at Kazami-san across the table, I watched him cycle through various expressions of nervousness before he finally stammered out an order for "hot coffee."
His restless agitation was almost pitiable, but he would have to get used to it soon. Or rather, the real work was just beginning; I would be in trouble if he stayed this frightened.
Kazami-san looked at me with a miserable expression and finally got to the point.
"S-So, why haven't you made contact all this time, Furuya-san?"
"...What is the situation at Public Security?"
"There are several theories regarding your death. And... there is also talk that you might have betrayed us."
"Not a favorable development... though I suppose it was unavoidable."
Kazami-san tilted his head, perhaps sensing something off in my tone.
"Furuya-san?"
"The reason I couldn't make contact is that an emergency situation has arisen on my end."
"! What does that mean..."
"Before we discuss that, Kazami-san, there is something I must explain to you first."
As I reached this point in the conversation, Kazami finally pinpointed the source of his unease, furrowing his brow in confusion.
My speech patterns differ from the original Furuya-san's; I generally maintain a polite tone with everyone.
Or rather, one could say I am adhering to the "Amuro" persona.
The real Furuya Rei, however, would have addressed Kazami in a commanding, domineering tone tinged with coldness.
That discrepancy undoubtedly created a sense of dissonance impossible to ignore.
Kazami seemed to search for the right words before opening his mouth, hesitant and fearful.
"Forgive me. For some time now, Furuya-san, you have been..."
"I should have corrected you from the start. I am not Furuya Rei. My name is Amuro Tooru."
"...What do you mean..."
"Furuya Rei is currently suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder."
"...Huh?"
"I am Furuya Rei's alternate personality, formed as 'Amuro Tooru'... or perhaps 'Bourbon'."
"W-wait a moment, please."
Strictly speaking, it is a case of spirit possession. However, leaving aside the occult aspect, this is the explanation that best fits the current reality.
Kazami let out a strangled cry, his voice verging on a wail.
"Furuya-san, you're joking, aren't you!?"
"No, of course not. I only managed to contact you by tracing the faint memories of the original personality."
"...Then the reason we lost contact with you all this time is..."
"Yes. It is due to this emergency. As 'Amuro Tooru,' I fundamentally do not possess the memories of Furuya Rei."
The color drained rapidly from Kazami's face.
It is undoubtedly a dire situation: your superior succumbing to a severe mental disorder and losing his memory in the middle of an infiltration mission.
Yet, the one suffering the most is me... or rather, Furuya Rei himself, who refuses to wake up.
"I-is the infiltration proceeding smoothly!? That Organization is a highly dangerous place; they've caused many deaths, and working there without your memories is...!"
"We face no issues on that score. I successfully secured a leadership rank and a codename. Any attempt to withdraw now would look highly suspicious and prove difficult."
"And Furuya-san..."
"He is asleep. He left everything to me, his alternate persona, and shows no sign of waking from the core of his being. Though I believe a sudden shock might rouse him."
This was the major dilemma. His awakening would solve many problems, but since he hadn't woken in two years, simply rousing him seemed a monumental task.
He could compensate for so many of my shortcomings, such as the various infiltration skills and legal knowledge that I sorely lacked.
In fact, instead of me—just an ordinary person—stumbling through this infiltration mission, Furuya-san simply taking on the role of Bourbon himself would solve everything.
"I am asking two things of you, Kazami-san: First, the details regarding Public Security's communication methods that the original persona would have known. Second, any clue that might lead to improving this mental state."
"...I understand. I will prepare the communication methods immediately. Regarding the treatment for Dissociative Identity Disorder... I will need some time."
"Yes, of course. My priority is simply that the original persona wakes up."
Kazami nodded with a determined expression. When a man realizes he is the only one who can save his superior, a fierce resolve must ignite within him.
I am really counting on you, Kazami-san. My fate rests in your hands!
...But, frankly, treating this disorder will be extremely difficult.
Since I am a victim of possession and cannot leave Furuya Rei's body, the coexistence of our two personalities is inherently inevitable.
Parting with Kazami-san, I opened my cell phone as usual. A lengthy list of mail and communication logs displayed before me—almost certainly from the time Furuya-san was awake.
Wake up quickly, Furuya Rei.
It wouldn't be strange for an ordinary person like me, handling an infiltration mission, to be killed at any moment.
Before I reach my breaking point, hurry, hurry, and wake up.