RH Chapter 31

Chapter 31 – Catch Him Off Guard

Resonance 6, Part 3

Novel Title: 共鳴発情 オメガバース (Resonance Heat: Omegaverse)

Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)

Illustrator: 蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 本浄天音 (Honjou Amane) & 苅谷煌騎 (Kariya Kouki) / 首藤煌騎 (Shutou Kouki)

*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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“What should we do?”

Kouki asked what their next move would be. Just then, the automatic doors to the left of the reception opened with a soft whirr, and a group of five or six men in suits emerged. Laughing and chatting, they headed towards the elevator hall. Among the two men leading the group, Kouki immediately recognized the tall man with slicked-back hair and silver metal-framed glasses, dressed in a well-tailored double-breasted suit.

It was their current target, Ryouichi Iwaki.

It seemed that the white-haired man Iwaki was conversing with was a guest, and Iwaki himself had come out to see him off, suggesting the man was an important visitor. The three dark-suited men following behind appeared to be Iwaki’s secretary and other subordinates.

Caught off guard by the unexpected appearance of the man they had just been denied a meeting with, Kouki hesitated, unsure how to proceed. He turned to look at Amane for direction—only to see him already stepping out from behind the pillar.

“Honjou-san?”

Ignoring Kouki’s call, Amane walked straight ahead, turning at the elevator and positioning himself directly in Iwaki’s path.

Iwaki frowned as this man, wearing multiple earrings—an appearance decidedly out of place in a business setting—blocked his way.

“Who are you?-“

Before Iwaki’s secretary, who had hurried over, could finish his question, Amane calmly held up his police badge.

“-I’m with the Downtown East Police Station.”

“…The police?”

Iwaki’s secretary, startled by the badge being presented so close to his face, froze in surprise. Without paying the secretary any further attention, Amane turned his gaze straight to their target, Iwaki.

“You’re Ryouichi Iwaki, correct?”

“…Yes, that’s right. But isn’t this rather inappropriate, even for the police? As you can see, I’m in the middle of seeing off a guest.”

“My apologies for the intrusion. I believe your secretary has informed you. But we’re investigating the incident that occurred in Downtown four days ago. It concerns the death of a boy named Shou, who fell from a pedestrian bridge.”

“…”

Iwaki adjusted his glasses, pushing the frame up with a slight movement.

“Even a brief conversation will do. Could you spare a moment to speak with us?”

Under Amane’s piercing gaze, Iwaki averted his eyes.

“I don’t see why the police would want to speak with someone like me, who has nothing to do with the incident in Downtown. However, I have an engagement scheduled right now. My secretary handles all my scheduling, so please arrange for another appointment on a different day.”

With a chilly tone, Iwaki delivered his refusal. He then turned to the white-haired man beside him and apologised, “Sorry for the commotion.”

“I’ll escort you to the lobby. Let’s go.”

He ushered the guest toward the elevator, which had just opened. They both stepped inside. His entourage of suited men followed. As the doors slid closed, Iwaki stood upright, staring straight ahead. He never once glanced at Amane, who stood just ahead of him.

As the elevator doors closed completely, Kouki walked over to Amane.

“He was trying to appear composed. But I could see signs of his inner turmoil.”

“…When I mentioned Shou’s name, he blinked repeatedly.”

“Ah, and he fiddled with his glasses to cover it up.”

“Whether he was directly involved in Shou’s death or not, he definitely knows something.”

“He said we should reschedule for another day. But do you think he’ll agree to a voluntary interview?”

Amane shook his head.

“Not likely, judging by that attitude.”

“Then should we gather evidence by questioning people around him and secure a warrant once we’ve solidified the suspicion?”

Kouki proposed following standard investigative procedures. But Amane snorted in response.

“If we take that roundabout approach, it could take years.”

Hearing the word ‘years’ made Kouki’s sense of urgency crawl up his spine. They had a key person who might hold the truth behind the incident, yet they couldn’t lay a hand on him.

“Then what should we do?”

As Kouki asked, frustration seeping into his voice, Amane remained calm. He tugged on one of the piercings in his left ear.

“If playing it by the book gets us nowhere, we’ll just have to catch him off guard.”

***

That night, Kouki and Amane were parked in a luxury residential area on the outskirts of Midtown.

“What time is it?”

Amane asked from the passenger seat. Kouki checked the dashboard clock and answered, “It’s 10:05 P.M.”

From the driver’s seat, Kouki could see the towering iron gates and the solid stone walls surrounding the estate. About two hours ago, they had driven around the perimeter of the property to find a parking spot. The area covered a vast amount of land.

Even Kouki, who was accustomed to seeing mansions in the affluent Upper Hills district, was impressed. So it was fair to call this place a grand estate.

Iwaki, despite being a beta, was undeniably a highly successful man, given both the luxurious residence and his office on an entire floor of a high-rise in a prime urban location.

But what connection could such an elite figure have with a male Stray Omega prostitute like Shou?

Kouki couldn’t yet see the link between a prominent educator and a Stray Omega, but he knew it would become clear soon enough.

“…He’s not coming back.”

After two hours of staking out in the car, the tension started to wear thin. The confined space, with just the two of them for such an extended period, was causing Kouki’s thoughts to shift from the investigation to the ‘special event’ from earlier that morning. He found himself battling against his brain’s insistence on replaying Amane’s seductive voice and sensual image.

Glancing sideways at Amane, who was fiddling with his smartphone while biting down on an unlit cigarette filter, Kouki knew he was suppressing his urge to smoke. With the windows closed, the smoke would fill the car. If he opened the window, the smoke would drift outside and draw attention.

Unable to smoke, Amane continued to occupy himself with his phone. Kouki doubted that Amane had entirely erased this morning’s intimate encounter from his mind, but he acted as if it had never happened, not even glancing in Kouki’s direction.

(So, in the end, I’m the only one still hung up on it.)

To Amane, that sex was literally an ‘accident’, nothing more than an insignificant event.

Kouki was the only one who had felt a resonance that shook not just his body but his heart as well…

To Amane, Kouki was just a convenient outlet for his heat, nothing more. He was someone who had just happened to be nearby when it struck…

As those thoughts raced through his mind, Kouki suddenly felt suffocated. He tugged at the knot of his tie, loosening it a bit to catch his breath.

“…He’s not coming.”

Beside him, Amane muttered softly. There was a hint of irritation and impatience in his voice.

“Iwaki’s schedule was supposed to end with a dinner meeting at 8, right?”

Kouki, who had been distracted by unrelated thoughts, pushed them aside and shifted his focus back to work mode.

“Yes, that’s what she said.”

This information had come from a young female staff member at Iwaki’s company’s reception desk. After their conversation with Iwaki, they had waited for her to go on break and then approached her to extract the details of his schedule. As a receptionist, she shared information with Iwaki’s secretary and had access to his daily itinerary.

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*Translator’s Note: Volume two of this series is hella loooonggggg and there’s sexual assaults (which I feel uncomfortable reading)… I’m reading the last few chapters now. Dear self, hang in there! -K

Next update: 2024.12.19

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