DEMON INSIDE [ ✓ ] | Bungou Stray Dogs

xii

I slowly opened my eyes. An unfamiliar ceiling greeted me. I carefully sat on the bed where I'm laying and looked around.

I gasped when the curtain next to me moved. I exhaled in relief seeing Atsushi.

"You're awake now," he said. I nodded at him. My gaze shifted on the tray he's holding. He put it in front of me. "I've brought you some food. You've been unconscious since yesterday."

I glanced at the window beside me. The sun was waving at me already. I froze when I realized something. I looked at Atsushi.

I tried to utter something but there was a lump in my throat holding me back.

"D-Did I do---" before I can even finish what I've said, Atsushi has already answered.

"No, you didn't do something while you're asleep. We've been watching you the whole night." But there's something in his voice that doesn't convince me totally.

My eyes accidentally went on his arms. When he noticed it, he immediately hid it behind his back and attempted to give me a reassuring smile but failed.

I raised one of my eyebrows at him. He's hiding something.

"Atsushi, can you be honest with me?" I said while staring at nowhere.

"What is it?"

I turned to him, "Does the agency already know the individual behind those attacks?"

It seems like he didn't see it coming. He gulped. He hesitantly opened his lips but tightened it afterwards. I eyed him suspiciously.

"No, we don't know yet."

Liar.

I looked at my wrist and there were marks there. It looks like they've restrained me and I unconsciously tried to fight back.

The thing is, I can't understand the reason why Atsushi lied about it.

"The President said that you may stop tagging along with our cases already but if you still want to gather more information, you may continue going here--"

"He also added that if you want, you may join the Agency." Atsushi was cut off when someone came in-we turned at Kunikida.

"I can?" But why?

"Yes but you can only come here in your free time. The President doesn't want you to neglect your study." I nodded at him.

"I'll think about it. Thank you."

"For now, you should eat and take a rest. Atsushi..." He turned at Atsushi who nodded at him. They left the room.

I looked at the food in front of me.

Why do they still care about me? I'm a hundred percent sure that they already know my ability.

I'm a monster, a cold-blooded creature. They were supposed to hunt me down but why are they welcoming me?

Do they think they can avoid what's bound to happen if I became one of them? I can't even control my own ability so how are they going to do it?

Or maybe by joining them, it will make their work easier to do?

"We have to find that one immediately. Who knows what the Special Operations Division or the Mafia will do to him once he is tracked."

I remembered what Kunikida-san said. They have found me, now what?

Even though I still have my doubts, I can't explain why I have a feeling of reassurance in this place. I feel so safe here. I feel that this is the place where I truly belong though I've only been here for a few days.

Maybe they can help me.

There's nothing wrong if I'll try, right?