Drowning in the swamp of memories

Beneath the Surface"

I’d taken a long holiday without telling the ADA, dodging my responsibilities and vanishing from the radar. Yosano had been training me, trying to draw out my abilities, but it was useless—I still couldn’t heal anyone. “It’ll knock eventually,” she would say. The only thing knocking, though, was my cat Azouzou, begging for attention every time I slumped down in frustration.

After hours of useless training, I returned to the ADA, where Yosano informed me we’d be having a meeting. I sighed, rolling my eyes. "A meeting? Great, just what I needed," I muttered, dragging myself toward the conference room.

Inside, Dazai, Rampo, and Yosano were already seated, with Fukuzawa at the head of the table, radiating his usual serious aura. Dazai looked up as I entered and smirked, “Ah, Belladonna, glad you could join us. Missed you on your little 'holiday.'"

I scowled at him, ignoring the nickname as I settled in. “Missed me? More like you missed my help.”

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

Before I could reply with a snarky comment, Fukuzawa started explaining the mission, laying out the team structure. Rampo, Yosano, and I were apparently critical assets. Rampo’s deduction skills were, of course, unmatched, Yosano could bring us back from the brink of death, and as for me... “Mizuki-chan, you’re almost too powerful,” Fukuzawa said, which only made me feel the pressure mounting.

I shifted uncomfortably as he continued, assigning me to Dazai’s team, along with Atsushi. Great. Just perfect.

Atsushi leaned over to me, his face pale. “Mizuki-chan... are you afraid of the Guild? They’re after you and me specifically.”

I raised an eyebrow, shrugging. “Afraid? Not really. Honestly, I was sleeping through most of the briefing. The Guild is just a bunch of well-dressed nuisances.”

Rampo grinned, joining in. “So bold, Mizuki-chan. You remind me of myself at your age. Except, you know, I was even more impressive.”

“Oh please, Rampo,” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “If anything, I’m the one carrying the team’s style.”

He laughed, ruffling my hair as I dodged. “Keep telling yourself that, Mizuki-chan.”

Suddenly, Fukuzawa leaned forward, his serious gaze on me. Before I knew it, he’d reached out, pinching my jaw in that annoyingly familiar way. “You need to focus, Mizuki-chan. This isn’t just a game.”

I scowled, wriggling free from his grip. “How do you even know where I am? Your eyes are basically closed.”

He smirked in his stoic way, and I was left to glower in silence, muttering under my breath. Meanwhile, Dazai leaned closer, crossing his arms with a grin.

“You’re so bold, Belladonna, but tell me… what exactly are you planning if we actually face Francis?” His tone was innocent, but his eyes held that calculating gleam.

I scoffed, glaring at him. “I’m planning to end this entire thing, Dazai-san. Unlike some people here, I don’t play games.”

Dazai’s grin faded, his expression hardening. “Killing Francis would only create more problems for us.”

“Oh, so you’re suddenly the voice of reason?” I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

A tense silence settled in the room as we glared at each other. Just then, Kenji grabbed my arm, pulling me back. “Mizuki-chan, c’mon. Let’s get this mission done first.”

I took a deep breath, calming myself slightly, but my irritation with Dazai was still there, simmering. However, just when I thought things couldn’t get more aggravating, they did.

Atsushi turned toward me with a concerned expression. “Mizuki-chan… there’s something else. Kyoka’s been kidnapped.”

I froze, my heart dropping. “And why,” I demanded, my voice rising, “was I the last to know this? Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?”

Dazai stepped forward, his tone softer but still firm. “Calm down, Belladonna. We needed to handle this strategically. We didn’t want you running off without a plan.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Dazai-san! She’s out there, and you kept it from me?” I tried to shove him aside, but he caught my arm, his grip like iron.

I glared at him, furious. “Let go of me.”

He looked down at me, his face unreadable. “If you go out there blindly, it’ll only make things worse. Think, Mizuki-chan.”

I ripped my arm free, scowling. “You think I can’t do this? I’ve survived far worse than you’ll ever understand.”

Dazai sighed, clearly frustrated but unwilling to let me storm off. “I know you’re strong, Belladonna. That’s not the point. You need to trust us.”

“I don’t need anything from you,” I shot back, stepping away from him, my heart pounding.

Kenji placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, his face full of worry. “Mizuki-chan… please, trust us. We’ll get her back together. That’s what we’re here for.”

I sighed, looking at Kenji, his earnest expression calming me slightly. “Fine,” I muttered, finally giving in. But in my mind, I knew I couldn’t just sit back and wait.