What happened to us?

▪︎Chapter 11▪︎

The sickening feeling

~

It was a rainy afternoon that day.
Very ugly rainy afternoon for that matter... Just ugly enough to complement the terrible day it was set in. Terrible day when the whole world seemed to be crashing down and dragging everyone with it.

At this point, Ranpo just had to go.
Go away and don't return until everything was safe again...

'What a great start of the new year...'

Ranpo took the first bus that he managed to stumble across and let it take him wherever it went. He didn't really care; it was not like he had the slightest idea where he was going in the first place...

He just had to get away from the Agency as fast as possible.

Answer to question 'Why?' was simple, he had no other option. What else are you supposed to do, when Port Mafia wants you to attend taking down a smuggling ship with drugs?!
Since the ADA and Mafia had formed a temporary alliance due to the crisis with Fyodor and his army of rats, the two organizations had to help each other out in their personal business too. And since the mafiosos helped the detective's in their cases, it was their turn to put away the Sherlock hat and grab the gun insted.

Ranpo was okay with the alliance as long as it was in his favor, but stopping a smuggling ship?! He was very well aware, that he was indeed not built for a fight, so this was a hard pass. But he wasn't stupid, and knew that if he'll pass this monstrosity of 'Well spent afternoon', he'll be given a different job; most likely even more horrific one. Only way to get pass for the day was finding himself a different job or good enough excuse to pass - simply be understandably occupied -.

Ranpo's excuse was giving a helping hand to police force in Tokyo that was currently solving a murder case, while having notifications on his phone on, if they perhaps needed him.
The help with murder case was a complete lie from Ranpo's side. It was too easy and dull for him to bother with in person... Though he did text them the solution, so if anyone was to ask about his attendance in it's solving, he would play part in it regardless.

-

Running away was so boring...
After Ranpo had gotten far enough from the Agency, he got out the bus, walking straight into a pouring rain. It truly was an ugly rain...
The detective couldn't stand in it for long, so he went into a grocery store to get himself some food and stay somewhere warm and dry for a while.
He hoped of getting motivation to acually do something useful or find something that would entertain him for long enough, but nothing came. Only one bright idea that he put to an action...

Paying a visit to his lovely rival! He had to give him the review on the novel after all, so it was a perfect excuse.

There was only one problem.

His house; or mansion for that matter; was pretty far away and after buying all the food and bus rides, Ranpo was left with almost no money to buy a ride, so he had to walk all the way on foot.

'God, I should have at least brought an umbrella...'

-

"Look at that Karl... There is almost no sign of snow now..." Poe frowned as he looked out the window that was covered with raindrops running down it's glossy surface. The raccoon rubbed against his leg before jumping up on the window to look outside as well.
"It's terrible, huh? At least there could be some ice, but just imagine the traffic after that!" Poe continued talking to seemingly no one but himself.