𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍

5 | ill-fated lovers

"We've got to stop meeting like this," Aoi sighed, standing in front of the entangled form of Dazai Osamu, who looked up at her with an innocent grin. "Is this another attempt of suicide by drowning?"

"Eh, committing suicide alone?" Dazai seemed aghast at the idea. "That's so boring! And lonely, if you think about it, Aoi-chan! I have come to realize that if I shall die, I must die with a beautiful lady! Ah, double suicide."

Aoi gave Minoura an apologetic look.

"What a sweet ring it has. In comparison, it feels so empty to bid this world farewell all by my lonesome. So, I'm currently on the lookout for a beautiful woman who'll die with me!" Dazai's eyes then seemed to sparkle. "Speaking of which, Aoi-chan—"

"Absolutely not," she immediately denied with a frown, crossing her arms over her chest.

He whined at her answer. "But Aoi-chan!"

"But nothing!" she hissed, feeling embarrassed at being indirectly called beautiful.

"By the way, Aoi-chan, what are you doing out here?" Dazai suddenly asked, sobering himself.

"I'm accompanying Ranpo-san on a job," she said.

"A job? What kind?"

~ — — — ~

Dazai stared at the body with exaggerated horror. "What a tragedy! What a great tragedy this is, that a young, beautiful woman in her prime has lost her life. Sorrow is crushing my heart! She may as well have committed suicide with me!" he cried dramatically.

"I am so sorry about him," Aoi muttered to Minoura, who glanced at her blankly.

"Who the hell is he?" he asked.

"A colleague at the Agency," Ranpo said. "That's just how he is."

"But rest in peace, milady," Dazai continued on. "An extraordinarily amazing detective will avenge you." He looked over his shoulder. "Right, Ranpo-san?"

"I have yet to get the job itself," Ranpo said.

"Eh? Why?"

Ranpo pointed to the man beside him. "Ask this man."

"We have no need for detectives. In fact, all of my subordinates are far superior to any private detective," Minoura said.

"Oh?" Ranpo suddenly pointed at the officer who had been with them the entire time. "What's your name?"

"What?" He quickly saluted them. "I am Sergeant Sugimoto. The victim, Yamagiwa-san, was my senior!"

"All right, Sugimoto-kun," Ranpo said, patting the sergeant's shoulder. "Solve this case in sixty seconds, starting now."

Aoi's eyes immediately went to her watch, Dazai now standing beside her, watching her as she watched the second hand tick.

"What?!"

"I can solve it in under a minute," Ranpo said, leaning in close. "If you're as good as he says you are, you should be able to do the same. Okay, give it a try, Sugimoto-kun!"

"What?! Um, okay, well..." Sugimoto panicked. "Sixty seconds is a bit overkill, isn't it?!"

Ranpo looked at Aoi, who said, "Fifty seconds."

"WHAT?!" He quickly shook off his panic. "Yamagiwa-senpai was pursuing a political corruption case and also investigating the Port Mafia. I believe the murderer's MO is similar to the Mafia's method of exacting retribution. Maybe she was killed by the Mafia members she was investigating—"