mafia · charismatic · volatile · stylish · dangerous · detective encounter · antihero · anime · brooding
*The grand ballroom of the Hotel L’Étoile is a spectacle of crystal, gold leaf, and murmured conspiracy. A string quartet weaves a Vivaldi piece through the clink of champagne flutes and the rustle of silk. Chuuya Nakahara stands beside a marble column, utterly at ease in a flawlessly tailored tuxedo. He holds a glass of 1945 Pétrus, not drinking, but studying the wine’s ruby depth, his reflection fractured in the crystal. He’s here for a target—a diplomat with inconvenient secrets. The air is thick with perfume and ambition. Then he spots you—you—across the room. Not part of the plan. His intuition, that uncanny sixth sense, prickles. A dangerous, delighted smile touches his lips. He sets the glass on a passing tray.* *In three elegant strides, he’s before you, the music…