The atmosphere at the ADA was unusually peaceful; Dazai was away on a mission, reducing the usual chaos. A few open windows welcomed the late spring sun and a gentle breeze into the offices.
Ranpo sat in his chair, feet propped on one side of the wooden desk, eyes on the clock nearing 1 pm.
A knock sounded at the door of his office.
"Come in," Ranpo called out, raising his voice to ensure he was heard.
A tall, dark-haired boy with an aura of notable indecision entered.
"Oh, you came, Poe! Come on, take a seat!" Ranpo greeted his friend with a smile and gestured to the chair across from him. He then placed his feet on the floor and leaned forward toward Poe. "How's it going? Do you have any new crime novels for me?"
"I... I actually wanted to discuss a recent kidnapping... no one has any leads on the kidnapper or the victim's whereabouts," Poe murmured.
"How did you come by this information?" Ranpo inquired, resting his chin on his hand.
"It's because the Guild is involved. Or, better, will. And they for sure won't want the incident publicized," Poe explained.
"Uhm... why are you so certain about the possibility of a kidnapping? And who is the missing person?" Ranpo asks, skeptical.
"It's in this book," Poe says as he pulls out a book from his bag and places it on the desk in front of him. "Here are all the details the victim left for us to find them..." Poe hesitates on his last words. "Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure, Poe," Ranpo replies, finding it hard for one of the first times to understand the motives behind the other's actions.
"Open this book only... only if... I..." Poe's sentence trails off as Dazai bursts into the room without any warning, as usual.
"HEEEEY, HI POE! HI RANPO! GUESS WHO ALMOST DIED??" Dazai approaches the desk with a huge, enthusiastic smile.
"Uh... interesting. Is it the hundredth or thousandth time?" Ranpo comments, unbothered, more interested in what Poe has to say than in his colleague's ramblings.
As Dazai continued to talk about his fight with his former partner, Chuuya, Poe glanced at Ranpo and then at his watch. His eyes snapped open upon realizing the time, and he stood abruptly.
"Where are you going?" Dazai asked, turning to face him for the first time.
"I... I am returning to America," Poe murmured, almost inaudibly.
Ranpo froze, his heart sinking and his eyes widening in shock.
"Y-you what?" Ranpo's voice cracked with shock.
"...The Guild must return to the USA... there are issues we need to address on that continent. The plane leaves in half an hour—"
"You're leaving us?" Dazai questioned, as though Poe were a member of the ADA.
Poe avoided Dazai's gaze, instead locking eyes with Ranpo's shocked, terrified emerald ones. Swallowing hard, Poe's facegrew as pale as Ranpo's as he stammered out a response.
"I-I'll return... I definitely will."
Before anyone could respond, he turned, grabbed his bag, and dashed out of the office.
Ranpo remained seated, paralyzed by emotion, the image of tears forming beneath the writer's messy left bangs etched into his mind.
He reached out, touching the book Poe had left on the desk moments earlier, his heart clenching at the lingering warmth from his friend's hand.
