✓ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀: Detectives of East and West (RanpoxY/N)

10: Feelings - Denial to Acceptance

"I resisted the truth in my heart until it became undeniable."

~~~

Ranpo

I was munching on my potato chips, lazily watching everyone talk to uh....—Y/N's old partner from Kyoto. His name didn't really stick with me; I was more focused on my snacks. The room was buzzing with conversation, but my mind was elsewhere, piecing together bits of information I had gathered over the past few days.

Dazai approached me, his usual enigmatic smile in place. He leaned in slightly, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief and concern.

"Ranpo, you are too, right?" he asked, his voice low.

I looked up at him, feigning innocence. "I am what?"

Dazai's smile widened. "I know you're not that stupid enough to not know what I'm talking about."

"It's Ryo"

I swallowed the chip I was chewing and went silent for a moment, my gaze drifting back to Ryo. 

"Yeah, I have a suspicion about Y/N's ex-partner. But I don't have any proof, so I didn't bother telling you or the others."

Dazai nodded, his expression thoughtful. He slipped his hands into his coat pockets. "But we need to be sure. We need to know if Y/N's life would be in danger again or not."

I didn't respond immediately. Instead, I finished the last of my chips, crumpled the empty bag, and tossed it into a nearby garbage bin. Then, I stood up, my demeanor shifting from casual to serious.

"Leave it to me," I said confidently, meeting Dazai's gaze. 

"I'm a genius detective, after all."

Dazai smiled at my declaration. "Alright then, Ranpo."

With a nod, I walked over to my desk, pulling out a notebook where I jotted down my thoughts and observations. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, but there were still gaps I needed to fill.

~~~

Y/N

As dawn began to break, the soft light of the early morning filtered into the agency. Ryo stood up, stretching slightly, and turned to me. 

"I need to head back to Kyoto now. There's some paperwork I need to arrange."

I nodded, watching as he bowed to everyone in the agency.