Ingenue || Bungou Stray Dogs × Fem!Reader

2

Delete my existence.

Throughout the first few weeks she had been part of the Armed Detective Agency, there was but one thing she had been concerning herself with. A mild dilemma, though she didn't want to arouse any possible circumstances had she left it unattended.

The flowers were beginning to wilt, and there was nothing she could do about it.

With a sigh, she stared at the banal appearance of the camellia plants in the small veranda of her apartment - they have yet to bloom, and yet to wilt. She wondered how much joy they could bring to her once they do, and how much sadness they would strike when they die. A small part hoped they bring her great misery; she was sick of feeling lackadaisical, and wished that she could bare colorful emotion to a topic however small it seemed to be.

She slid the door to the veranda closed with languid effort. She stared into abyss, and caught sound of the endless ringing deafening her ears. There was consolation found in the midst of her lonely lifestyle, and it was those instances that made her regret not the time she chose to leave the mafia.

▪︎

Message had just been received regarding intel of an organization with plans on havocking Ranpo's trip to Tokyo in order to delay the conclusion of the crime. Ranpo, of course, had already been aware of the situation, and seeked to request the agency to halt the organization's ultimatum. Therefore leading the agency to hold an urgent meeting.

"Haruno, assess the current whereabouts of Ranpo."

"From Kanagawa ramp heading to Yamashita Park." She replied. "I don't think there are any opportunities to stop. But it's a toll road."

"He can buy time." Tanizaki suggested. "It's an approximate forty-minute trip to Tokyo. He isn't the only one being bothered by the group. There are other passengers."

It amazed her how flexible their ideas could be with the faced situation, though it also left her wondering why the world's best detective would ask for help when he could simply find a way out himself. Then again, perhaps she had underestimated the circumstances.

"Well..." she started, but wasn't as surprised when she got cut off.

"What about stopping the vehicle?" Atsushi asked, to which Tanizaki countered,

"How can we stop a subway?"

"Actually, can we--"

"Can we inform the subway manager?"

"Well maybe--"

"Is there something important you want to say, (l/n)?"

All eyes darted to the girl, and her form visibly waned at the unheeded attention. She bit her lip, moistening the walls of her throat by gulping, before meekly explaining, "How about we call Ranpo? I-I'm sure there are plenty of things he preferred to keep subtle."

She was rendered paralyzed under their gaze, and a wave of anxiety permeated her body. Just then did she hear a sigh from the resident doctor. She took her phone out, then called the detective, setting it on loud speaker.

"I said to stop the organization's plans." Ranpo's voice transmitted through the device. "Not my trip! Really, you lot can be a bunch of idiot sometimes. Next time, maybe you can try clarifying things instead of getting straight to action."

A long beep followed afterwards, signalling the end of the call. Majority of the members heaved a sigh of relief as Haruno began erasing the inked contents in the whiteboard. A few decided to exit the room, while the rest waited the others to move about. And soon enough, only the girl and the president remained.

She thought of the camellias back at her apartment, and wondered if they were doing a better job flourishing in their place than she was. She knew the president was looking at her with eyes that seemed to express mild concern. She wouldn't blame him, because truly was she treated an outcast still in the agency despite the considerable number of weeks she had stayed.

"If there is one thing I'd ask you to do to make me feel okay..." she spoke sooner than he expected. Her gaze settled on the vacancy of the table, barren of emotion.

In silence, he anticipated her statement.

"It is to keep hidden the fact that their ignorance causes me great pain." With her words she stood up, leaving the president to ponder the meaning of what she had said.

The flowers were beginning to wilt, and there was nothing she could do about it.