There is more than one of him

Chapter 4

"Well, no Atsushi! I was simply here, because the president had wanted to have morning tea with me and wish me luck on my daily try of a new found suicide method!" When Kunikida heard that voice shortly before opening the door to the office, his entire body froze.

Ranpo had a similar reaction. At the very same second, both of them were frozen in place with their current client. Said client seemed unsurprisingly confused by this action.

What the hell was he doing here. The president knew, what kind of job they had at the moment, why would he-- what time was it? It was likely too early for the shifts in cooperation with clients to begin. Shit, they should have kept that in mind. Of course the president wanted to speak to Dazai about this, but why now of all moments in time? Why not after the brother had left?

"Are you two alright?" Itsuki ripped Ranpo out of his thoughts. He had to find a solution how to convince Itsuki to leave the building, but how? All their materials were in the office and even if they were to decide to go for a coffee first, Dazai would be seen while leaving, as the cafè and the agency shared an entrance and exit.

He couldn't find a reason to go back downstairs, not this fast, not with all the thoughts of what happened to him and Dazai running through his mind. Even a look from behind at Dazai would be enough for Itsuki to recognise it was him. Once he turned around it would be over for sure.

And then for all their luck, a mail man came from behind, carrying hell a lot of packages and papers, obviously unable to open the doors by himself.

"Execuse me, I'm a little packed, could you open the door for me?" When Kunikida and Ranpo didn't react still frozen thinking very hard how to fix this, Itsuki stepped, which was Ranpo and Kunikida's first mistake.

"Sure thing" He told him and went up to grab the door nob, in the same second, the door opened from the inside.

In front of Itsuki now stood a tall man, dressed in a trench coat. But that wasn't the detail that let the cup of hot coffee slip form Itsuki's hands and land on the other mans shoes, leaving them drenched in burning hot coffee. It was the mans face, the all too familiar eyes, the face so much like his own, the foolish smile frozen in place, leaving the facial expression empty.

The only thing that could be done now was being honest, while the very confused mail man brought the mail in and left, Ranpo spoke up.

"Well, I supposed this comes unexpected, but ehm. Itsuki, meet Dazai, Kunikida's partner. Dazai, this is Itsuki Tsushima, but I guess you knew that already"

Dazai and Itsuki remained carefull silent and unmoving for a moment. Then out of nowhere Itsuki basically jumped into the other mans arms, almost forcing Dazai down to the ground with the force and speed he wrapped his arms around him.

By now the president had also appeared in the corner of the, to Ranpo and Kunikida now completely visible, room, into which they both walked, walking by the two men hugging each other.

Itsuki realized very little about it. He had his arms wrapped around his lost brother, taking in his smell, something he had missed so dearly. But not only the smell,
It was his brother no doubt, but he didn't fail to notice the hug not being returned. After a while, he could feel the man in his arms grow more and more tense. He let go of the hug. Taking a step back, accomplishing two things, one getting a better look at him, two blocking the door, so the man couldn't run away.

Dazai, the words Ranpo had just produced were rinnging in his ears.

"I suppose there is a lot you and we need to talk to about. Why don't we go have a seat." After the president said this, Ranpo signaled Kunikida, they were no longer needed. Itsuki nodded, but hesitated to step away from the door, sensing Dazai's instinct to run off.