DEMON INSIDE [ ✓ ] | Bungou Stray Dogs

ix

"How did you do that, (L/N)-san?" asked Atsushi.

"Oh, well. I've read something like that already in the past. I could have pressed an innocent person to a crime she didn't do if we weren't able to examine the actual crime scene." I sighed. It still frustrates me.

"That's cool. The way you interrogate the suspects, I almost thought too that it was the younger sister who killed the victim. Right, Kyouka-chan?" the girl walking beside him nodded. "We were supposed to be the one who'll solve the mystery though."

"I'm very sorry!" I stopped walking as well as him. I put my hands on a prayer position and raised it until my head level as I bow down.

"N-no! It's okay." I saw panic go to his face. "Besides, we learned something new by watching you solve the crime."

"I should be the one who was supposed to observe you though," I said.

We're on our way back to the Armed Detective Agency.

Apparently, we were able to unveil the man behind the death of Esashi Seiko. Based on the victim's last position, the victim died when she tried to open the shower. When she opened the shower, a knife suddenly stabbed her. That's where the thread will come in.

It's not a murder, it's a suicide case.

The thread was attached from the shower all the way to the end of the knife. When Seiko opened the shower, the water running down exerted force towards the knife, so after a while, it detached from the thread and went downwards all the way to her back. That explains how her death happened.

Seiko's friend told us that his friend must have killed herself because she cannot endure the pain anymore. She cannot stand watching the guy she loves being happy with another girl, what's worse is it's her sister. He also informed us that next week will be his sister's wedding.

It must be a torture for Seiko. She's been in love with the guy since they were in college. He met her first yet he chose her sister. Now that they'll be tied to each other, that must have hurt her.

The pain continuously stabbed her heart until there was nothing left. In the end, she took her life by literally stabbing her heart. Maybe, this is her suicidal note. Instead of writing one, she alluded it through her death.

Atsushi suggested we should stop by first at the diner located on the first floor of the same establishment where the Agency is. Both me and Kyouka agreed on him. Besides, I haven't eaten anything yet.

When we arrived at the building, they told me to come inside first. I didn't bother to ask them why anymore so I entered the diner.

Actually, it's not my first time here. I've been here before. Most probably because of Haruno-san, who ordered me to call her by her first name. I have no choice since I'll be with her sister for a few days. I don't want to cause confusion if the two of them happen to be in the same room.

A red-haired girl styled in twin braids approached me. She must be working here and she's going to ask for my order because she has lent me the menu.

As I scanned the menu, I furrowed my eyebrows. I am not familiar with most of their recipes written here. I am familiar with the few foods listed here, to be specific, with five foods. I learned some of it because there's a picture attached to it. But of course, the other one can't be considered as a food since it's a drink.

I was about to tell her my order when I heard the sound that something had broken. My eyes quickly went to the red-haired and her ball pen was snapped in two. She was staring-with a pissed expression-while looking somewhere. I followed her gaze and let out a small "Ooh~" when I saw that it was Kyouka and Atsushi that she's looking at.

What's the matter with her? I think she's jealous. Is she his girlfriend? But Akemi didn't mention that Atsushi has a girlfriend because if he does have one, I'm pretty sure, she'll break down and that would be the last thing I want to see in my whole existence. She's a hardcore Atsushi fangirl, afterall!

Their eyes scanned the whole diner. Kyouka's gaze landed on where I sat. I waved at her, then she tapped Atsushi at his arms and pointed at me.

Once again, I heard that something was snapped into two pieces.

I can feel that the aura around the redhead seems to be darker and darker. Wow, she's really jealous. But the atmosphere surrounding her immediately shifted into a light one when Atsushi sat across from me and Kyouka sat beside me.

"M-May I get your order?" I don't know if her stuttering was caused by the incident earlier or she's nervous because of Atsushi or maybe it's natural for her. I can't differentiate.

"Er... I'll have your (order)," I said. I am craving some of it today.

"Have you tried their tea on rice, (L/N)-san?" Atsushi asked me.

Tea on rice? That sounds weird but it looks like it was Atsushi's favorite food since he recommended it to me.

"Uh... No," I answered.

He flashed me a wide grin before saying, "You should try it! It's delicious!"

"Sure. I'll also have Tea on Rice." When I looked up at the redhead, she's spacing out while staring at Atsushi. I can see some glint of pink shade tinted on her cheeks. When she heard me, she immediately snapped out of her thoughts and wrote down my order but the pen she was holding snapped.

Uh-oh.

I turned to Atsushi who was looking at Kyouka. If I remembered it right, he asked her what she wanted. That's why they ended up like this but I think that the redhead misunderstood the scene.

"Hey, Atsushi, I think you really got a green-eyed girlfriend," I said, throwing glances at the redhead who stared at me with disbelief while her body stiffened. He looked at me, confused, as if there's something wrong with what I've said.

What?

"Green-eyed?" he asked and his face turned red, "Girlfriend? I-I can't remember me having a girlfriend."

I gasped in surprise.

Oh. I've made a mistake. Then this redhead must be Atsushi fangirl also, just like Akemi.

After that day I told her the Rashomon incident, she never stopped talking about Akutagawa. I think I could even write a bibliography on everything she has said. She's a creep because the way she said those to me, it just made her sound like an obsessed stalker.

Now I'm curious about Atsushi and why these girls keep falling for him.