Choices & Chains

Kyoka Joining

 " Hush! I can hear them coming!" Kath pushed herself away from the door just as footsteps approached it from the other side. " Everyone, get ready!" She hissed at them as she held up her own cracker.

When the door swung open and five crackers burst, confetti came cascading down on Kyouka as she took her first step into the office.

" Ready, and..." Rampo called as everyone followed suit. " Congratulations on joining the Agency, Kyouka-chan!"

One could tell the young girl was touched to have a party thrown for her sake. Soon, everyone had picked their drinks and cheered. Each had their like, the adults had Sake and alcohol, the younger ones juice except for Kenji, who picked a tomato instead. An unusual pick, yet interesting.

Kath stuck with juice herself and looked at the table laid for the occasion. No table could be more mismatched. It had snacks that they had to protect from Rampo, traditional dishes cooked by her teacher and prepared with all care so everyone could have a well-balanced nutrition even while enjoying the party, and fresh vegetables that Kenji brought from his village...

In short, everyone brought whatever the heck they wanted.

Tanizaki went into his older brother mode, also showing his cooking skills. Kunikida was fussing about the costs before Kath snatched the calculator and smashed it.

In short, everyone was enjoying themselves and doing what they wanted for that brief moment of peace.

Kath turned around when the door clicked open and someone peeked through the crack with a raccoon on his head. " Rampo-kun, I brought the new piece that you inquired about over the phone."

" Oh." Kath blinked twice as she recalled him. " You're the one from the castle... your name was..."

" Oh, Poe." Rampo greeted from over the snack table before approaching him. " Thanks for coming."

" Do I really belong here? I'm from an enemy organization," he said holding his book tightly to his chest.

Rampo didn't seem to hear him. " I'll be right back. Stay right there."

" Rampo-kun..."

" Rampo-san, it's rude to call a guest and then leave him on his own," Kath told him.

" Oh, then you can keep him company, Kath. You already know each other from the castle." He waved as he made his way to the president, like a child awaiting to be praised.

" Hey, don't push your responsibility on me." She was totally ignored, which prompted her to heave a defeated sigh. " When does he intend to grow up? So, Poe-san, do you want me to get you anything?"

" Um... nothing... I don't think I'll be long though." He looked up at the fuss between Kyouka, Atsushi, Tanizaki, and Naomi. " They seem to be having fun, huh?"

" I don't know if it's really what an ordinary person would call fun." She scratched her cheek with a half smile as Kyouka punched Atsushi in the guts. " But yeah, at least, it never gets boring here." Her eyes trailed over to the book he was cradling. " Is that a new story?"

" Ah... um, I've been working on it for Rampo-kun."

" Can I take a look? And please, don't use your ability on me," she said taking the seat by his side.

" ... Sure."

Kath quickly leafed through the book, before something crossed her mind.

" Since when?"

" The day of the challenge."

" Eh!! And you already finished it?!" Kath exclaimed, eyes wide open.

" I'm a fast typer."

" That's not what I meant..." she shook her head and smiled broadly. " I get it now, why Rampo-san acknowledged you as a rival."

" Huh?"

A story, no, a mystery novel thought up and completed in less than a week. That was no ordinary feat. And by the look of it, it was well-balanced and written. It was such an amazing work, almost as amazing as being able to deduce the truth in less than a minute. Those two, Rampo and Poe, their minds worked at a different level from any of them. Now I understand how you piqued Rampo-san's interest.

✦ -─────────- ✦

" I'm full... guess I'm going to bed early tonight." Kath snuggled under her duvets and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts until she came across a certain number one she had acquired very recently.

Higuchi was very reluctant about it, but in the end, with all the help Kath had offered to her so far, she wasn't able to refuse. Not that Kath was any persistent or nagging, not at all.

But she still didn't even call or text him once. And she wondered what should she ever tell him. Closing her eyes and thinking deeply, she recalled his face when they stood on the port, watching the giant whale returning to the ocean. An idea came to her.

She scrolled through her images of the party and picked the one with Kyouka hugging Carl and smiling softly before enclosing it in a message along with the words ' She found her place, you don't have to worry about her anymore '.

Satisfied, she sent him the text and went to sleep, not expecting an answer. So when she woke up the next morning to find one from him, she was beyond bewildered.

' She's in your hands now.'

After much deliberation, she decided to send him another picture, this time, of Kyouka thrashing Atsushi. ' She doesn't need me, you taught her well.'

Almost an immediate response.

' Good girl.'...