MONSTER || YANDERE!D.OSAMU

2. RECONCILIATION.

Your walk to the Armed Detective Agency building is accompanied by the music blasting in your ears from your earphones, attached to your phone which was deep in your pants pocket. You cross a road; green light and all, the flood of people swarming your vision until your peripherals are filled with grey and blues. You hum along the tune of the music, following its highs and lows, uncaring of the side-eyes you received. You've bloomed like a flower under the European sun, becoming more and more extroverted and breaking out of the carapace you were trapped in. Granted, the carapace was your skin, scarred and messy, but you were becoming more and more outgoing, more easily humoured, and generally happier.

You're relaxed. It was unheard of pre-vacation for you to be relaxed: you were constantly on edge, constantly on the verge, inching towards the fall of the cliff; locked in a water box Harry Houdini style, nearing drowning.

You press the button to the fourth floor of the Agency building, and you exit the elevator to the hallway of the Agency office. The little window on the door is black, signifying the lights are out.

Maybe you're the first one to clock in? But that can't be possible—it was 3 PM. You unsurely open the door, and—

"SURPRISE!!!"

"Whoa!" The light blindingly flashes on and you're met with most of the Agency members standing by a cake, each flashing you a grin. You smile at Ranpo already greedily making his way towards the white-iced cake. "What's all this?"

"A party for your return!" Kenji says, throwing his hands up into the air. On his face is a sunny, toothy grin. "We missed you tons!"

"Really?" You take a step towards them, flutes of champagne poised next to the cake. "Looks like Ranpo's happier about the cake than my return."

"That's just Ranpo," Yosano pipes up, her hand already cradling a champagne glass. You pick one up and clink glasses with her, watching the rest (apart from Kenji, who receives a glass of orange juice) follow suit. Even Kunikida takes a sip of the glimmering gold beverage. You cut the cake into even pieces and give the first slice to Ranpo, who mysteriously already has smears of icing on the corner of his mouth. Interesting.

"What have you guys been up to? Hopefully nothing big," You say, carefully cutting through the sponge cake with your fork. Kunikida raises his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose.

"Nothing that warrants any alarm," He states. "You haven't missed anything major."

"That's great to hear," You look around, albeit wearily, and smile wanly at him. "Where's...You know."

He immediately picks up on your subtle tone. "Dazai? He said he's not attending."

"Did he give a reason why?"

"He said he didn't want to," And Kunikida imitates Dazai's voice, with an eerie accuracy, "Rain on your parade. But he was present when we picked out the cake and the champagne. He knew your favourites."

Of course he did.

You feel slightly relieved that your ex boyfriend wasn't in on the party, as reconciliation while a handful of people watching you two would mean an awkward conversation. It was an awkward, haphazardous breakup, and reconciling after that harrowing breakup would lead to explanations, justifications, and reasoning that you would much rather keep private than out in the open.

"You look glad he's not here," Kunikida comments. You quickly wipe whatever emotion was on your face and look at him.

"Do I?" You let out a short laugh, pivoting on the conversation. "I guess we're on the same boat; aren't you tired of him constantly on your ass?"