Déjà Vu// bsd X Child!reader

-30-

"Thank you for your assisstance, I'll let you know if we have more clues about the missing people." Fukuzawa ended a call.

[Name] was at Fukuzawa's place too. They just nervously listened to the president's conversation with one of the higher ups from the police while buring their face in their palms and elbowing on a table.

"The police has no leads either." Fukuzawa sighed as they turned to the child. "No traces of the missing people."

The kid knew how bad the situation was. It all felt surreal, almost like a silent assassin wandered around Yokohama and kidnapped random people to his liking, just so that the victims had little to no connections to each other. The culprit must be very skillful. How could he destroy all evidences in such a short time? Who even are they?

[Name] couldn't get their head around one small problem, which could crumble down the tiny bits of information about the kidnapper.

"Then how the fuck did a whole building disappear in the maximum span of an hour?" they mumbled to themselves. "The guild already stopped with their shenanigans."

Fukuzawa sat opposite them on the table.

"I have no idea."

The kid groaned as they rubbed their temple. This case is going to be hard.

"Only if Ranpo would be here....."

The man closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts about how to phrase what he wanted to say, without sounding so nonchalant and careless about it. He then decided to glance at the kid, with a more straight face than he expected to.

"The agency relies on Ranpo too much." he spoke. "We finally get to experience how it really is to be without him, and the other can really but one hundred and ten percent into the case. I'm not saying this, because I am happy about Ranpo's or the other's disappearance, I am rather disturbed, but because it was time for the others to live through this as well."

"Is this a new type of coping?" [Name] looked up with a slight smile.

"You could say so."

The kid examined the man's face, taking in the sight infront of them. The light circles under his eyes -  which weren't so noticeable, but [Name] was already experienced with how Fukuzawa looks like when he is tired, - his mouth forming a straight line, and his relaxed eyes made him appear a bit too calm. Was he not worried? They knew he values his apprentices, so how did he managed to keep his chill? Such a master of either managing his emotions or masking them, [Name] thought.

"Damn, how are you so calm? Teach me."

"I am closer to my stress limit than you think, kid."

"Well, then you are not alone, Fukuzawa. Don't worry, I am approaching my breaking point too."

Fukuzawa didn't know, if any of the other detective's would get kidnapped as well. If they did, who would be the next? When? How much until there is no one left? What if the kid disappears too? It would definitely be his fault. He shouldn't have let them get involved with the agency's business. Is it really okay to let a 13 years old unexperienced child deal with this stress coming from the kidnapping of their friends? 

He knew the answer, and it was not pleasant.

"I wish I could help somehow..." [Name] looked at Fukuzawa. "Is there really no way I can do something?"

"I think there might be one, actually."

"Really?" their eyes lit up.

The man nodded.

"I would like you to search for any clues near the area Ranpo and Kenji investigated. You are not going alone, of course."

"That's understandable." [Name] said. "I have a feeling you can't come with me though."