Bound by Obsession

Part 33

The ADA office felt different since Dazai's disappearance. It had been days since anyone had seen or heard from him, and the once lively and chaotic energy he brought into the agency was replaced by an unsettling quiet.

Kunikida paced the length of the room, his notebook clutched tightly in his hand. His frustration was palpable. He hated feeling helpless, especially when it came to Dazai, who always managed to get himself into dangerous situations. It didn't help that Chuuya had been suspiciously absent as well, most likely searching for Dazai on his own.

Ranpo sat in his chair, his eyes hidden behind his signature glasses, but the usual smug smirk on his face was missing. He wasn't one to show worry easily, but even he couldn't shake the unease that settled in the pit of his stomach. He knew Dazai better than most—his tricks, his mind games—but something about this disappearance felt different.

Yosano stood near the window, her arms crossed as she stared out at the street below. She hadn't said much since Dazai vanished. Her usual sharp comments were replaced with a quiet worry. When she wasn't cutting into him verbally, she was patching him up, and now, not having him around made her restless.

"Where the hell could he be?" Kunikida muttered under his breath, stopping in his tracks. His eyes flickered to the empty desk that Dazai should've been lounging at, mocking them all with his usual carelessness. "We've scoured the city, and there's no sign of him. It's like he vanished."

"He's with Fyodor," Ranpo said simply, not bothering to look up from his snacks. The room fell silent.

"And how do you know that?" Kunikida asked, though he knew better than to doubt Ranpo.

Ranpo shrugged, popping another candy into his mouth. "It's the only thing that makes sense. He's been too calm lately, don't you think? Dazai always has a plan, but I think this time... he's letting someone else make the first move."

Yosano frowned. "But Fyodor? That's... What does he want with Dazai?"

Ranpo finally looked up, meeting her gaze with a seriousness that made everyone pause. "Dazai and Fyodor have a complicated relationship. You don't grow up with someone like that and not have ties. It's not about wanting something from Dazai—it's about who Dazai is to him."

The room grew colder with that realization. They all knew Fyodor was dangerous, but the idea that he had Dazai in his grasp, with no one else to intervene, was unsettling.

"Why would Dazai go willingly?" Kunikida asked, his voice low. "What's his angle?"

"I'm not sure he did," Ranpo admitted. "But if Fyodor's involved, it's not just about capturing Dazai. There's something more."

The silence hung in the air as they all exchanged glances. They had to do something. Sitting around and speculating wasn't going to help.