Hiraeth ✔

| 08 | Cromulent

- HIRAETH EIGHT -
| CROMULENT |
n. Appearing legitimate but actually spurious

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Atsushi Nakajima
October 26 - 3:00 AM

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"WHAT?" Was what most could utter.

Atsushi's small frame stood there with a bow, his eyes shut closed while waiting for some sort of answer.

"What do you mean? 'Join the Agency?' That's reckless!" Chuuya grabbed his shoulder, "Something this dangerous... It can't be for you!"

"You can't decide that!" The younger boy argued, almost angered but quickly got his normal gaze back.

"W-What..?"

Atsushi's eyes were filled with determination. He clenched his fists, "I realized something.. The Headmaster.. probably did all that to me because I was that.. I mean, who wouldn't want to try to make a worthless tiger suffer? He probably thought I was a waste.."

Everyone stared at him with pity, they wanted to speak. To raise their voice and stop keeping their thoughts to themselves. To say Atsushi was worth something.. but no words left their mouths.

"But he's wrong." His words struck them, "I hate him, that's no question. But even so, I want to prove to him that I'm not a waste! That I'm something compared to what he thinks I am! So please..!" He bowed down, "I want to be part of the Agency!"

Ranpo plucked out the lollipop on his mouth and said, "What are you talking about? You're already part of the agency, Atsushi-kun."

The two kids looked at him in question. They both took small glances from everyone else's face and they seemed.. the same?

"Isn't it obvious? All that was your entrance exam," The young detective informed, placing a paper in front of them, "And you passed."

Atsushi felt an explosion of happiness and confusion at the same time. Entrance Exam? Passed? He doesn't understand any of it but the fact he was part of the agency now was a huge relief.

"So you were testing us?!" Chuuya asked, almost demanding.

"From the beginning, I already knew both of your abilities and everything else. The Tiger Incident is the entrance exam. I've got tons of precautions if ever any unplanned event may happen," Ranpo elucidated, "The rest were to make sure you're actually willing to be in the agency. And in the end, it was a success when both of you decided to join."

"Everything... Was planned..?"

"Didn't know you'd catch up so easily, chibi." Dazai said, twirling a pen in his hands, "It all was. Except, the President and Akiko-chan weren't informed halfway through the plan so I can't really call it an official entrance exam."

"You're part of this, mackerel?!"

"Of course, I am!" He answered, "I'm Ranpo-san's back-up plan, after all."

"You don't have to word it like that, Dazai-kun.."

"But it's true, isn't it?"

"No, because the Great Detective says so!"

Throughout all the bickering of the two smartest youngsters in the room, Chuuya clutched his pants with gritted teeth.

He looked at the young boy beside him, "Are you... really going to be okay with this, Atsushi-kun? It's.. not even safe... We can't guarantee their words too.."

Atsushi glanced at the older boy. His eyes fell down, a sweet smile forming across his face, "It's fine! As long as you're here, Chuuya-kun, I think I'll be okay!"

Chuuya's eyes widened with joined amazement and relief, "I promise you'll be okay." He beamed a smile.

"And I promise to be by your side, always!"

"I hope I can count on that, Atsushi-kun."

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- · | · -

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With Fukuzawa sighing for a straight eight seconds for Ranpo's strong independence - which is not always good, - he accepted the two on the agency.

Of course, with the rule for Chuuya and Atsushi not to be involved in something so life-threatening. Maybe a few cases that don't involve death.

And as a result, Ranpo was gonna get an earful from the president he loves to hide and secretly plot things from. "Still worth it." He whispered to himself while sitting in front of the older man.

--

Atsushi Nakajima
October 26 - 7:10 AM

--

The next day, Chuuya and Atsushi got up from their bed. After a long trip to the bathroom together, the two set out to the agency rather earlier than the schedule says so - Not that they were excited!

They simply do not want to be late on the first day of the job.

Atsushi tilted his head, "First mission?"

Yosano raised an eyebrow, "Don't tell me you expected to be in the agency for a week before we give you an actual job, right?"

"O-Of course we didn't!"

"Right, says the stutter." The young woman chuckled before clearing her throat, "Anyways, I'm to inform you of your first mission since Dazai was out for who-knows-why."

"What about Ranpo-kun?"

"Bought some snacks for himself."

"..The President?"

"He was out to feed a few stray cats."

"U..uh-huh.."

Yosano quickly spread out a small map. Her finger landing on what seems to be.. a town, perhaps? It was one small location right near the outskirts of Japan.

"Ihatovo... Village?" Atsushi read.

"Yes, and that's where you and I are going to solve a simple case." Yosano explained.

The two widened their eyes, "You mean you're coming with us..?"

"Is there a problem with that?" She suddenly held a rope on her hands with a stare that made both of them obey.

"N-Not at all!"

"Good." She smiled, "Back to the case, there's an abundance of crops there every end of October. The problem is, those crops always disappear before they get their hands on it by morning. They've tried to guard it overnight but no supernatural occurrence happens before in a blink of an eye, it's all gone."

"Maybe they fell asleep and just didn't want to tell everyone that." Chuuya shook his head.

"The agency accepted this case and all three of us are in charge of solving it, got it, rookies?" Yosano cheered as if she were trying to hype them all up.

"Yes, ma'am!"

.

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HIRAETH EIGHT - CROMULENT
| Written On: Dec. 20, 2020
| Published On: March 02, 2021