Double Black

leave application

Yokohama was usually a peaceful city. Well, it was peaceful often enough. As a result of the Tripartite Framework, members of the Special Division of Supernatural Powers, the Port Mafia and the Armed Detective Agency worked hard to maintain the peace in the city.

The Framework was well known in Yokohama's Underworld. The government's Ability Users Division ruled the day, the Port Mafia led by Mori Ougai ruled the Night, and twilight was ruled by the Armed Detective Agency, led by Fukuzawa Yukichi. 

The point is, the members of the Armed Detective Agency worked hard to protect the peace of the city. So, it was kind of ironic that the Agency offices were always overridden by absolute chaos. The reason of the chaotic atmosphere was Dazai Osamu, more often than not. The man was an absolute genius, but he was also really, really idiotic and his co-workers were so done with his bullshit most of the time.

Dazai was very well known for slacking off during work hours. Like, the man never did any paperwork and he showed up to work in the afternoon, when half of the work day had already gone by. He also didn't show up to work at all, most days, and his co-worker Kunikida couldn't recall a single time he had applied for leave, instead of just not showing up.

That's precisely why Kunikida was ready to have a heart attack when Dazai sidled up to his desk one fine morning and deposited a bunch of papers on it. He had an annoying, smug look on his face, as if he was expecting to be praised and rewarded for bringing a few papers to his co-worker. The papers were probably not important anyway.

Kunikida raised his eyebrows at the the other detective, "What, you've finally done some of your paperwork for once?"

Dazai waved his hands in denial, "Of course not, Kunikida-kun!"

Yosano-sensei, who was happening to walk past them at that instant, stopped to chat as well. She laughed, "Kunikida-kun, you know better than to assume that Dazai here has done actual work. That'd quite be the end of the world, don't you think?"

Dazai said cheerfully, "Yosano-sensei is absolutely right, of course! And being a good, law-abiding citizen that I am, I wouldn't want to end the world now! Hence, it's best for me to not do any paperwork."

Kunikida muttered under his breath, "That is the stupidest reasoning I've ever heard."

The bandaged man gasped dramatically, "Kunikida-kun! Don't you know I am a genius? There's no way my logic can be flawed!"

Before the argument could progress any further, Yosano interrupted, "Anyway. Kunikida-kun, shouldn't you be asking him what the papers are?"

The blonde man gave her a nod of acknowledgement before turning to the man who'd brought said papers, "Right, yes. What are these papers?"

Dazai clasped his hands together in response, "Leave application! I need the next week off, you see."

For twenty whole seconds, there was utter silence. Neither of the idealist nor the doctor could comprehend the words spoken by their co-worker. Leave application? Since when does Dazai apply for leave? That just might be more surreal than the world ending right now.

Then finally, Ranpo, who had been overhearing the conversation, walked over to Kunikida's desk, "Dazai's applying for leave? Oh, is this about what I think it is?"

Dazai gave the detective a smile, his eyes twinkling, "Probably, yeah."

The fact that Ranpo might know what's going on was enough to induce Kunikida and Yosano into chorusing loudly, "What?!"

And in turn, they were loud enough to attract the attention of everyone else in the office. Soon enough, all the Agency members were crowding around Kunikida's desk. Atsushi asked hesitantly, "Um, what's going on?"