One Of Us

I Get A Phone Call

Osamu Dazai

One Month Later

So I might've been dozing off... But my excuse is I spontaneously decided to fall out of my office chair when the phone started ringing. I hit the ground with a grunt, scrambling to my feet and rushing across the room to pick up the phone.

Kunikida raises a blonde brow at me, but I only make a face in return to him.

I check the number, and realize it's from the hospital. Brows furrowing, I lift the phone to my ear.

"Armed Detective Agency, this is Dazai speaking, how may I help you?"

"Mr. Dazai? Yes, hello, this is Amy from the Yokohama hospital. One of our patients just recently came out of a coma about three days ago. She's been asking that we call you and the Agency."

My heart leaps into my throat and I push the speakerphone button. Kunikida gets up and stands next to me. Ranpo also comes over, slightly confused as well, and I ask Amy to repeat what she just said.

"She's been asking for us?" Kunikida asks, head tilted, "What's her name?"

"She um... she told me not to say, but only that it is urgent that you come down here. Today. Oh, and visiting hours are from 8:00am until 10:00pm, incase you were wondering. Should I tell her you're planning on-"

I hang up the phone and am halfway down the main hall within ten seconds, Ranpo and Kunikida – albeit still confused – on my heels. I know it's not good to get my hopes up, but I can't help but hope this girl asking for us is who I think it is.

The drive to the hospital consists of Kunikida – who's driving – telling me to sit still, and Ranpo crunching loudly on potato chips.

Once we pull into a parking spot, I can't sit still any longer. Together, we make our way into the main entrance and speak to the receptionist. And after the woman behind the desk gives us a bored, "one moment, please," she typed in a few words on her keyboard.

She instructs us to follow her into a visiting room. The room we're brought into is big. There's a hospital bed, a table, a few chairs, and a window, but other than that and a few ugly paintings on the blank white walls, it's pretty boring and colorless.

The three of us sit in silence for a minute.

      Then two.

                      Then three.

        Then ten.

                          Then fifteen-

"What is taking so long!?" Ranpo groans.

I sink back into my seat, my eyelids growing heavier, disappointment weighing down my heart, but I refuse to let it show.

Right when I'm about to decide to just leave, the door opens slowly and a silver-haired girl with an all-to dead face appears in the doorway. Her green eyes are dull and tired and she's got a scar along her cheek, and one through her eyebrow. Both are new.

I stand up slowly, hesitantly, "Sayuri?"

She only stares at me.