the beauty of water: deep end | o. dazai ✔

chapter two.

Ding!

The elevator doors slid open, Dazai stepped out as (Y/n) followed closely behind him. She gripped her bag strap tightly, nervous for wait laid ahead of her.

This place still looks almost exactly the same as when I left, she thought as they passed Yosano's room, growing closer to the agency's main office with every step. I wonder if Ranpo's desk is still across from the door and looking upon all of the other desks—maybe he still has that snack pile in his drawer next to that safe he has hidden away.

Her thoughts cleared as Dazai abruptly stopped, causing her to bump into his arm as she was so entangled in her own mind. She looked up to him, noticing that he had been looking at her nearly the entire time. "What's wrong, Dazai?"

"I think that's something I should be asking you," he replied, a bit of concern lacing his words. "Are you ready? I'm sure that Ranpo will be upset that you left him for so long, especially since we were the ones communicating instead of you and him."

"Are you trying to make me feel better or worse?" she retorted in a snappish tone. "Cause your relaxation technique needs a lot of work."

He shrugged, putting his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her close. He leaned down as he said in a near whisper, "After we get greetings out of the way, I'll need your help with something just the two of us. So let's get the hard part out of the way and then it'll just be us~"

(Y/n) swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding slightly as she understood what he was saying. So this is going to basically be ripping off the band-aid? I think the harder part for me will be once I'm alone with Dazai, who knows what could happen?! I mean, this is the first time we've seen each other in person since—

She was once again ripped away from her thoughts as Dazai let go of her and swung the door open. He announced as he stepped inside, the (h/c)-haired girl close behind him, "I'm back! I have what I need!"

"You weren't attempting suicide again, were you?" a familiar voice asked in a harsh tone. "This errand isn't just something to use to kill yourself later, is it?"

That's Kunikida! I'm surprised he hasn't noticed me yet, but that's probably because he's too engrossed with his laptop and other work to notice—not that it'll matter if he sees me now or later.

"No, no, Kunikida!" Dazai replied with a cheery voice. "This is something serious, this errand was for big plans that I have in the near future."

They continued to walk towards the president's office, most likely to let him know that (Y/n) had returned to assist in their battle against the Guild. But their journey back was interrupted when an unfamiliar voice asked, "Uh, Dazai, who's trailing behind you? It's almost like she's trying to hide using your body."

The two froze, turning towards the office area as they heard the question. Kunikida was still staring down at his computer and going through other files, but the question came from a redhead that (Y/n) hadn't met yet with a blonde boy standing next to his desk—Kenji and Junichiro. Ranpo and Yosano weren't in the room, but that was probably for the better as (Y/n) was only growing more nervous and embarrassed by the somewhat obvious yet reasonable question.

"This," Dazai wrapped his arm around (Y/n)'s shoulders, squeezing him close to his torso, "is an ex-member of the agency whom I requested to come back and help us with this tough situation."

"Don't tell me you managed to somehow get Tayama out of his house for whatever reason—" Kunikida cut himself off as he looked up from his desk, making eye contact with (Y/n) which rendered him silent. "(Y/n)... you've returned."