𝑺𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒅

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟛𝟟 - 𝕃𝕚𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝕒𝕟𝕕 ℕ𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕝𝕖𝕤

Days had gone by, and the day that she had been waiting for had arrived.

It was the day Shinichiro came into this world.

She already got permission from the president a week before this and asked that she take a day off to go to Tokyo, the city she now calls home. None of the Agency members knew about her adopted family, as she asked the president that this information about her be kept confidential. Of course, this excludes Ranpo and Dazai. Even with or without further investigation, Ranpo will know about her family, which is more of a reason why she never even tried to hide the fact that she had an adopted family, but any further information of her past will remain confidential as she only shares what is necessary to avoid their skeptical eyes.

The fresh and old scent of books had fallen to her nose—a faint scent of vanilla that made it satisfying to smell. It was more refreshing than the scent of gunpowder that she had been smelling since the day she was with Tanizaki. The faint scent of the gunpowder was still present after a few days. It wasn't that bothersome, yet she felt relieved that a new scent had entered her sense of smell.

The tip of her fingers touched each book she happened to cross, looking for a book that would pique her interest. She came across someone familiar to her, a young man who she had seen with Inui Seishu when she happened to roam around the city months before she had the chance to see the sunflower-blond teen. The young man is slim and tall, with wavy black hair styled in a death hawk style that was combed to the right, leaving the left side of his head trimmed and split in equal furrows. He has brown almond-shaped eyes, thin-arched brows, ovular ears, and fair skin. What drew her attention the most was the gleaming golden dangling earring on his right earlobe, which was reflected in the fluorescent lamps in the library.

She immediately took a book without even looking at the contents or knowing what the book was all about. She noticed that she had been staring for a while, so she took it on instinct. She had looked for a spot to sit down with a peaceful yet good ambiance for her to read as the book was still resting on her arms, and she took some books that she needed to read. She ascended toward the second floor of the building. She saw a perfect spot for solitude on the corner near the window, where a desk was mounted on the wall and a high stool served as its seat. It was just what she needed.

"No matter how much time passes, I still feel hideous." She muttered as she sighed, perched down on the stool, and placed the books gently on the desk. With her fingertips, she reached for the paper, flipping it over and over until she had fully read the whole page. On her outer appearance, she looked emotionless, like a person who had an aloof personality and was hard to approach as she continuously read the book that she had been wanting to read. Inside, she cherished the feeling of solitude she gained. The warm temperature of the sun that hit her face while, from outside her window, the trees rustled and birds were chirping made the atmosphere more satisfactory for the young girl. It was her definition of a wonderful summer ambiance.

It was the first time that she was able to find herself some enjoyment, as she never once was seen alone in most of her days. When she is alone, she will run her errands. She would always be seen accompanied by Manjiro, Emma, or Haruko before she left Tokyo for work. While working with the Agency, she would be seen with a partner in the cases that were handed to her. Either with Dazai and Kunikida, Yosano, or with Ranpo, he would take a train ride towards the location where the case takes place.

Today was the day that she was able to relax, and later tonight, she would be seen with everyone again.

After all, it's Shinichiro's birthday.

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