女面 - Bungo Stray Dogs Fanfiction

Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam - Twelve -

How long has it been since I last sat at my desk buried in mountains of paperwork? I guess long enough for my desk to be powdered with dust.

But I assume that a life's worth of fear instilled into this single day was sufficient justification for my lengthy absence from my own abode. It was due to the efforts of merely three detectives that several people were able to narrowly escape death; although, be that as it may, not all were bestowed with such luck.

Every incident has its own aftermath, which was what I learned after working under this Agency since its establishment; this case was nowhere any different. Time was truly not by our side even for us to have a breather. Soon came the inquiries from the city police, damage reports from insurance agencies, and the persistent clamouring press trying to get a scoop. Sure, we did receive quite a bit of praise for defending the country against an unprecedented tragedy, but there was still much public outcry for us to be held accountable for our response in the first case.

Alas, humans are never one to be complacent beings.

And thus, desks were swamped with stacks of paperwork, the deskphones kept ringing incessantly, and our clerks scurried in and out of their rooms with documents in their hands; the office was in a state that I hadn't witnessed before. We were so busy we couldn't even grab a bite when noon came. Well, except for Dazai, as usual. Maybe he wasn't keen on dealing with myriads of work that he'd decided to leave to "investigate something". I had a hunch that he'd face the wrath of a certain bespectacled detective when he returns, even if our newbie was kind enough to take away lunch for us.

It was late morning when I had just submitted numerous PDF files of reports attached in an email to the police. Putting my laptop in sleep mode, I closed it and leaned back in my chair, letting out a sigh. Yukichi, at that moment, exited his room before making his way toward me.

"How is work going?" he asked.

"I still have another damage report that needs to be drafted." was my response. "The insurance agencies are rather impatient, judging by the tone of their email and the deadline they set." He must've heard my dread and exhaustion for him to let out a quiet chuckle of amusement.

"You've done well." he merely said. "You and Kunikida earned a certificate of merit from the general of police. 'A paragon of detective work for our city,' he said. I must be honest with you, Fumi, there was a time I considered closing the Agency."

My heart suddenly dropped.

But Yukichi was quicker to assure me. As soon as I looked at him, he continued, "No business exists more precious than the human life, as I believe. I thought that if the Agency's existence were to encroach upon the lives of our own allies, then what more there is than to disband. But that matter is now resolved by yours and Kunikida's doing, and it has removed a tremendous weight off my shoulders."

I felt a relieved smile crawling upon my face, for I, too, share the same sentiment as him. When the Agency was established, we were naught of any direction, shrouded by doubt and uncertainty; somewhat fearful of what would've become of this organisation. It was humanising, I thought, seeing that the president of the Agency, who's often maintained his calm composure even when confronted with an adversary, had his own personal anxieties; especially when it involved the lives of his allies. I wouldn't be surprised if he was exhausted by this. But I'm glad to see that he was still the Yukichi that I knew since he entered my life.

"So, what is your verdict on Dazai's status?" I suddenly asked.

Instead, he asked back, "What is your comment on Dazai's position in our Agency?"

I turned to look ahead, staring blankly as I recalled the things that he's done throughout this case. "Well, he tends to ignore orders, wanders off during investigations, is overly fascinated by suicide, flirts with any woman who passes by him, detests jobs that involve labour, and swiftly disappears from his office duties. Although, I'd given him the benefit of the doubt since he's been like that even before he joined us. Nevertheless, he had proven himself to be an intelligent detective with a sharp intuition and foresight like no other. It won't be long before he becomes one of the greatest detectives our Agency has to offer."