Chapter Text
Dazai and Atsushi walked through the streets, bags in hand. Atsushi had suspected from the start that Dazai had bought more than just snacks with the Agency’s money. He had tried to stop him, but Dazai merely brushed him off with a carefree laugh, saying he could handle Kunikida. Now, as they approached the Agency, Atsushi’s heart pounded. He wasn’t ready for another one of Kunikida’s 30 minute lectures about financial responsibility. Meanwhile, Dazai rambled on about new and absurd suicide techniques, as usual.
When they finally reached the Agency’s doorstep, Atsushi bit his lip anxiously, tightening his grip on the bags. Dazai chuckled at the nervous cookies & cream beside him. Hearing Dazai’s laughter, Atsushi groaned.
“Hey! This isn’t funny! Kunikida’s definitely going to yell at us because of you! I shouldn’t have come along.” He let out a sigh before hesitating at the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, he finally pushed the door open.
As expected, Kunikida the matcha macaron stood in front of them, teeth clenched, foot tapping impatiently. His eyes burned with fury. Atsushi gulped.
“DAZAI, YOU DUMBASS! YOU WASTED 11,865.12¥ OF THE AGENCY’S MONEY! ARE YOU STUPID?! WE NEED THAT MONEY TO PAY OFF OUR EXPENSES!”
Dazai stood there lazily, whining like a spoiled child. “But Kunikidaaaa, it’s not that much! We can handle it!”
Kunikida’s jaw tightened. “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! YOU—”
Before he could finish, Yosano interrupted.
“The President is calling for a meeting,” she announced before heading toward the meeting room.
“Ooooh, a meeting! I wonder what the case is this time~” Dazai mused, clearly trying to change the subject. Kunikida shot him a glare but turned away and followed Yosano. Snickering to himself, Dazai trailed behind, stopping when he noticed Atsushi standing frozen.
“Hey, come on, Atsushi!”
Atsushi glared at him, as he placed the bags in a corner before Crossing his arms then huffing, following right after
Once everyone gathered in the meeting room, Fukuzawa sat at the head of the table, looking anxious. His fingers tapped against the desk uncontrollably, and his brows were furrowed in thought.
Kenji tilted his head. “What’s wrong, sir?”
Fukuzawa sighed deeply before speaking. “We have a new mission.”
Everyone straightened up.
“There have been increasing reports from the forest near the city,” he continued. “A few months ago, some people went camping there… and were never seen again. As concerns grew, others went to investigate. They, too, disappeared. Eventually, the police got involved, but last night, they reported hearing horrific screams from within the trees. This morning, they found the bodies of their fellow officers completely torn apart. Their organs were scattered everywhere, making it impossible to identify them.”
He then placed a series of gruesome photographs on the board.
A wave of horror swept through the room.
“That’s… horrifying,” Tanizaki murmured, covering his mouth with his sleeve.
Kyouka made a gagging noise, her face pale. She looked like she might vomit, prompting Fukuzawa to swiftly remove the images.
“I know,” he said grimly. “It’s disturbing. But the police have asked us to investigate.” His gaze hardened. “Kunikida, you’ll be in charge of organizing a strategy. You have two days to plan.”
“Yes, sir,” Kunikida responded firmly.
Fukuzawa gave a curt nod. “Dismissed.”
As the meeting ended, Kyouka lingered near the Agency’s entrance, her mind replaying the horrific images. How could a human being commit such thing? Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she got lost in her thoughts.
A gentle hand on her shoulder pulled her back to reality. Kenji stood beside her, his usual warm smile replaced with concern.
“Are you okay…?” he asked softly.
Kyouka swallowed hard and nodded. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine.”
Kenji didn’t believe her for a second. Without a word, he pulled her into a hug.
Kyouka let out a small yelp at the sudden gesture but soon relaxed, melting into the embrace. When he pulled away, he smiled reassuringly. “I know the pictures were scary… but it’ll be okay. I promise.”
She stared at him for a moment before offering a small, hesitant smile in return.
“Do you want me to walk you to your dorm, or are you waiting for Atsushi?” he asked.
“I-I’ll wait for Atsu…” she mumbled.
Kenji nodded and waved goodbye before heading out. Shortly after, Atsushi finished his work and left with Kyouka. Noticing her unease, he bought her a strawberry milk to help calm her down. They walked in silence, the comfort of each other’s presence easing the weight of the horrifying mission ahead,
Going back to their dorms drifting off to sleep.