the beauty is quiet like a stone statue

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it had to be well into the afternoon when you stepped out of the car. chuuya drove off without another word and you headed into the building. you entered the office quietly, trying not to cause too much of a fuss about your return. you don't know how long you were gone for, your only hope was that it was a relatively short amount of time. causing any kind of scene or alerting your coworkers about your brand new semi-alliance with the port mafia wasn't exactly in your interest. even if you doubted you would actually work with them any time soon, considering you are currently in the port mafia vs armed detective agency arc, it'd probably be best if you kept this to yourself for the time being.

you heard your name shouted at you from across the office.

"where have you been?? we've been worried sick! not to mention you've missed a whole day of work without notifying anyone in advance!" kunikida began to lecture you. despite his words centering around your productivity he seemed genuinely relieved to see that you were alright.

"oh god, you're okay! i really thought something terrible happened to you..." atsushi stood up from where he was sitting outside the infirmary, right next to where kunikida was standing. it seems their conversation was just wrapping up.

"told you guys they'd be fine." ranpo interjected through bites of his donut.

"you don't look injured... you're not hurt, are you?" yosano peaked her head out of her medical office and looked you up and down. after a brief moment of analyzing you from where she stood she crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "you know, when dazai disappeared i knew he'd be fine, but you suddenly cutting contact was pretty worrying. seriously, be more careful! and let us know whats going on.. something could have happened."

"speaking of that suicidal bastard..." kunikida grimaced, "we assumed the two of you were with each other while you were gone. do you know where he is?"

you paused, blinking for a second as you tried to process everyone basically talking over each other.

"no.. im sorry, i haven't seen him since we had that altercation with akutagawa in that alleyway." you began slowly, giving yourself time to answer the elephant in the room. "oh, uh, yeah sorry about that i ah, i... got lost. this city is just so big isn't it? i swear... i have no idea how many hours i spent walking before i managed to find my way back to somewhere i recognized. sorry about that."

the room was quiet for a couple of seconds as everyone thought over your shitty excuse. everyone seemed to individually come to the conclusion that they believed you or saw no point in questioning you any further.

"anyways..." you began again, quickly changing the subject. "how's kyouka doing?"

"she actually just woke up." yosano answered.

"can we speak with her?" you tilted your head slightly.

"yeah, that shouldn't be a problem." with a nod yosano opened up the door, allowing you to walk in with atsushi and kunikida. the latter two who seemed to be waiting to go in.

"are you okay?" atsushi leaned over kyouka's bed, speaking with her in a gentle tone.

...

"oh! uh you're in the infirmary at the agency. how are you feeling?"

...

"you remember who i am, don't you?"

"tell me, who's behind all this?" growing sick of atsushi's attempts of conversation failing, kunikida jumps into the actual meat of the discussion. "the port mafia is like a snake, unless you cut off it's head it'll just keep coming."

...

"answer me, girl. who is your superior?"

"hey mister kunikida-" atsushi began before you cut him off.

"tachibana-do's boiled tofu." you nudged the questioning along.

"huh, tofu?" atsushi peered at you quizzically.

"kyouka thinks it's good."

"is that it? you want us to get her some?" kunikida raised a brow, he knew by now that your knowledge probably came from your ability, but he couldn't discern why you thought it was important to bring up now."

"she'll talk if you do." you shrugged.

"oh that's no problem. it's a deal, let's go." atsushi smiled down at kyouka, who's eyes were on you. she blinked at you in some kind of awe. probably wondering if you were a mindreader.

"hey- are you crazy!?" kunikida hissed at the two of you under his breath.

___

you gazed out the window, it really was a nice view. the animation had done it justice.

"more please!" kyouka's voice pulled you out of your line of thought and you focused back in on room that the four of you occupied.

"kunikida...." atsushi began.

"i'm not helping you pay." kunikida shut atsushi down before he could even finish.

"now then, is there anything i can bring you, sir?" a paricharika poked her head into the room.

"j-just water..." atsushi mumbled into the menu, at that you giggled softly.

"atsushi, if you need help paying i can pitch in. i still have all that money from that betting pool when i guessed dazai's last job."

"really you would?! thank you so much!" atsushi gazed at you with genuine appreciation in his eyes before he seemed to process the rest of what you said. "oh yeah, i forgot about that. you never told the rest of us what it was."

"i think i'll keep it that way. solving mysteries on your own is way more fun than getting the answer handed to you, wouldn't you say?" with a sly smile you shook off the question, knowing well atsushi was unlikely to try and push any harder.

"oh.. alright."

"are you ready to speak?" kunikida addressed kyouka, effectively killing any chance atsushi had to question you further.

"i was left without a home when my parents passed away, then the port mafia took me in. they wanted my special ability, demon snow. it only follows orders given through a phone."

"this is the phone they used, correct?" kunikida placed a gray flip phone down on the table. noticing kyouka's petrified expression, kunikdia continued on. "the battery's been removed. their goal from the start was to turn you into an assassin. they were clearly very good at using your ability to their advantage."

"hang on, i don't understand. why didn't you toss the phone?" atsushi knitted his eyebrows together.

"they would've killed me." kyouka picked the phone up into her hands, giving the attached plush a small squeeze. "besides, even if i got away from them i'd have nowhere else to go."

"who was manipulating demon snow through the phone?" kunikida continued his line of questioning.

"a man called akutagawa." at kyouka's words atsushi flinched.

"i see. i'll go report this to the agency." kunikida stood up from his seat before looking down to atsushi. "and you."

with a gesture from kunikida to follow him, atsushi stepped out of the room. the two no doubt going to continue their conversation from earlier on turning kyouka in to the police. you didn't follow them.

"why didn't you go with them?" kyouka eyed you curiously as she drank her tea. "you have to tell atsushi to turn me in, don't you? or is kunikida in charge of that?"

"hm, you already memorized their names? i'm sure everyone's only said their name in front of you one time at most. but i'm not surprised, you memorize things quickly, don't you?"

"i do. but you didn't answer my question."

"oh, don't worry about those two. you won't end up in the police's custody. i'll make sure of it."

"how can you say that with any certainty?" she narrowed her eyes, skepticism clear.

"it's simple." you shrug your shoulders with a smile. "i'm never wrong."

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