Drowning in the swamp of memories

Turmoil

Three days with Kenji in his village felt like an escape from the chaos of the Armed Detective Agency (ADA). We had explored every nook and cranny, from the old wooden bridges that creaked underfoot to the bustling marketplace filled with vendors selling colorful trinkets and steaming bowls of ramen. I couldn’t remember the last time I laughed so hard.

One evening, after a particularly long day of wandering, we sat by a small river, tossing pebbles into the water. “Watch this!” Kenji shouted, picking up a stone that looked more like a boulder to me. He threw it with all his might, but instead of a graceful arc, it plopped loudly into the water with a splash, sending ripples across the surface.

“Nice throw, Kenji!” I teased, laughing at his exaggerated effort. “Maybe next time you should aim for something bigger—like your brain!”

“Oh, come on, Mizuki-san! I’ll show you how it’s done!” he huffed, grabbing another stone and aiming it more carefully this time. His throw was much better, arcing high before splashing into the water. He turned to me, grinning. “See? That was perfect!”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Sure, if by perfect you mean it didn’t fall flat on its face.”

“Touché,” he replied, smirking back.

After a few more days of eating delicious village food and exploring the local sights, I felt more relaxed than I had in a long time. But of course, that peace was short-lived. As we headed back to the ADA, I was suddenly sent “alone” to retrieve Atsushi, Tanizaki, and Naomi, who had taken far too long getting back. Really? Was Kunikida thinking I was a babysitter?

As I walked through the familiar streets, I could hear the obnoxious shrieks of Atsushi calling out “Akutagawa!” like a banshee. Shut up already!

Finally, I reached the hallway where the noise was coming from, only to be met with utter chaos. A woman with golden hair twisted into a bun was firing bullets everywhere, dressed in black mafia attire that screamed “bad fashion choice.” Before I could process the situation, a bullet whizzed past and lodged itself in my stomach.

I froze, a surge of anger bubbling up. First, I was starving. Second, I had been forced to come back here. And now I was wounded? My blood, an extension of my ability, reacted instinctively to my rage, knitting together the torn flesh. I smirked, feeling my power surging within me.

“Hey! Are you done?” I shouted at the woman, who had stopped to gawk at me in horror. I closed the distance between us, my hand balled into a fist. With a swift kick, I struck her hard in the gut—a move Kai had taught me. She doubled over, eyes wide as she gasped for breath.

“Who the hell do you think you are?!” she shouted back, her voice a mix of indignation and fear.

I leaned in, my voice icy. “I’m Mizuki-san. And you just made a terrible mistake.”

Without waiting for her response, I punched her again with a fierce swing, this time connecting with her jaw. The impact sent her sprawling back against the wall. “You think you can just shoot people in the middle of a hallway? Do you know how disruptive that is?”

She looked horrified, but I was already moving past her, glancing at the files I had studied about the ADA. “Hugichi, right? Yeah, I remember you. You’re supposed to be a big deal.” I turned away, dismissing her entirely.

But as I stepped further into the hallway, I saw Atsushi—that annoying 4K Dora—in the middle of a brawl with Akutagawa. They were both shouting, and it was painfully obvious that the two of them were making a ruckus.

“Get back here, Akutagawa!” Atsushi yelled, his voice rising in pitch. “I’m not done with you!”

“Shut up, you pathetic little tiger!” Akutagawa shot back, his expression fierce. The two leaped at each other, and suddenly, Atsushi transformed into the white tiger again, growling loudly.

“Oh great, just what we need,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. Boring.

Dazai stepped in, intervening with his usual calmness. “Now, now, boys. Let’s keep it civil.” With a quick motion, he nullified their abilities, leaving them both looking disappointed and frustrated.

Suddenly, Hugichi stood up, glaring at Dazai. “You can’t keep running from your past, Dazai! The Port Mafia knows your blood runs deep with ours!”

Dazai merely chuckled. “People can change, Hugichi. You should know that.”

I leaned against the wall, feeling an unsettling mix of amusement and irritation. I would have loved to see her shoot him, but Akutagawa quickly intervened. “Don’t underestimate him, Hugichi. Dazai is more dangerous than anyone you know.”

Hugichi glared at him, clearly frustrated. “Then I guess we’ll be seeing you around, Dazai. The Port Mafia isn’t finished with you yet.”

With that, they turned and walked away, leaving me rolling my eyes. Seriously? I glanced at Dazai, who looked far too entertained by the whole situation.

“Hey, Dazai,” I called out, crossing my arms. “Is this your idea of fun? Because I’m pretty sure I’d rather fight a hundred Hugichis than deal with these idiots.”

“Fun? Oh, Mizuki-san, you have no idea,” he said, grinning. “This is just the beginning.”

As Atsushi finally got back on his feet, looking more like a confused kitten than a tiger, I couldn’t help but chuckle. “We should probably do something about Tanizaki and Naomi.”

In a moment of mischief, Dazai and I tossed their unconscious bodies at Atsushi. “Catch!” we said in unison, both of us laughing as they landed unceremoniously at his feet.

Atsushi stared down at them, then back up at us, utterly bewildered. “What did I just walk into?”

“Just your average day at the ADA, Atsushi-kun,” I replied, grinning.

As we regrouped, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. I could control my ability and wield it with precision—just like a true blood manipulator. And despite the chaos, I knew I was ready for whatever came next.
Only if I had known the future I wouldn't say that