lost kitten

(A/N: I don't own anything from this franchise. Respectful ownership belongs to Metric for this song and Kafka Asagiri for this manga).

Don't say yes if you can't say no

Victim of the system, say it isn't so

Squatted on the doorstep, swollen on the blow

Leaving without you, can't say no

Nothing gets past Ranpo's keen, chartreuse irises.

So, when his line of sight grazed over Atsushi's form the next time the other placed the stacked of papers onto his desk with an awkward smile on his lips and a pure sparkle of curiosity pooling around his amethyst eyes, he's quick to dismissed him as a lanky male with an airheaded disposition and a terrible person who can't say no to other people even if he doesn't want to do it.

A doormat with no self-preservation.

Atsushi's existence wasn't worth thinking about so he focused on other things.

Even when the other was kidnapped back then he didn't hold back on his own opinion of questioning the agency's want of saving him when it's Atsushi's fault for falling into that kind of situation in the first place.

Because of his stupid kindness. Naivete. And didn't have an ounce of self-regard for himself.

Even if Fukuzawa had persuaded him successfully back then to rescue the young lad, a twinge of acerbity pooled within him as he complied with his team's wishes and successfully rescued him with his great assistance.

Ranpo had tried to dismiss it and paid attention to other important variables of their mission even though numerous emotions had arisen within him which had his mind and heart swam into pools of confoundment.

Halfway starts with happiness for me
Halfway house, lost kitten in the street
Hit me where it hurts, I'm coming home to lose
Kitten on the catwalk, high-heeled shoes

Boarding on the train was a pain in the ass.

There were a lot of things that needed to be considered which always made Ranpo's mind came into a screeching halt when processing more important information inside his head.

But most of all he hated it when he had to stare at the railway map at the train station like it was an object consisted of alien language.

For all his cleverness and intelligence, he had a terrible spatial awareness when it came to directions.

Most of the time he loathed some missions that required for him to take on the train.

"Ranpo-san...?" Atsushi's hesitant voice in the background reached his line of hearing and halted his thoughts and concentration.

"Yeah?" He asked noncommittally.

"I already bought some train tickets so we're good to go..." The other's voice faltered slightly at the end which caught Ranpo's attention and turned around to face him.

Ranpo saw the look of hesitation and slight embarrassment coloring the other's face but what caught more of his attention was the other holding a bottle of—

"Ramune?" He voiced out.

"Oh. Uh, yeah. I figured that you might be bored and probably thirsty from the heat and waiting for too long because of the long lines at the booth. So, this one's for you Ranpo-san but I'm not sure if you'd want a drink like this—."