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

24: Detectives from the East and West

Ranpo

I was sitting at my desk, munching on a bag of snacks, enjoying the rare moment of peace in the office. It wasn't long before Kunikida burst in, the door slamming open with a force that shook the walls. 

His face was a mask of frustration as he stormed towards Dazai, who was lounging lazily in his chair, a grin plastered on his face.

"Why did you leave Atsushi behind on the mission again?" Kunikida demanded, his voice loud enough to make the entire office turn their heads. Without waiting for a response, he brought his hand down on Dazai's head with a loud smack.

Dazai, never one to miss an opportunity for theatrics, let out an exaggerated groan of pain, rubbing the spot where Kunikida had hit him. 

"Kunikida-kun, you wound me!" he whined, though the glint in his eye showed he was far from hurt.

Atsushi, caught in the middle, tried to diffuse the situation, but his attempts were futile as the two continued their bickering.

I watched the scene unfold with mild amusement, taking another bite of my snack. The office was loud, chaotic even, but it was a comforting kind of chaos—a reminder that life went on, even after everything that had happened.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts. I pulled it out and saw the Inspector's name flashing on the screen. Answering it, I was greeted by his familiar voice, tinged with the seriousness that always accompanied a new case.

"Ranpo, we've got a body at Nogeyama Park. Can you come over?" the Inspector's voice was steady, but I could sense the underlying tension.

"On my way." I replied, ending the call quickly. I glanced over at Kunikida, who was now trying to hold Dazai in a headlock, with Atsushi looking on helplessly. 

"Kunikida, I've got a case. Tell Tanizaki to pick up some more snacks for me when he's at the convenience store, will you?"

Kunikida managed a nod in between his attempts to restrain Dazai, and with that, I left the office, the sounds of their squabbling fading as I stepped outside.

~~~Timeskip~~~

The scene at Nogeyama Park was calm, almost serene, if not for the crowd of onlookers that had gathered around the taped-off area. I was greeted by the Inspector as I arrived, and he quickly briefed me on the situation.

"A witness found the body of a woman while walking through the park," his secretary explained, her voice professional as she relayed the details. 

"No identification on her, but she appears to be in her late twenties. Cause of death is unclear at the moment, but there are signs of struggle."

I nodded, my eyes drifting to the white cloth that covered the woman's body. A pang of familiarity hit me, though I pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. The park, usually a place of leisure, had taken on a somber atmosphere, the chill in the air biting at my skin.

As I began to survey the area, I caught snippets of conversation from a group of students nearby. Their words caught my attention.