Belle âme || Bungou Stray Dogs × Child!Reader

IV.

"You have been staring at me for quite a while now, mister."

There came the soft voice that broke the tension of the atmosphere only occupied by the sound of each chess piece being delicately placed on their respective positions. The little girl looked at the great detective who sat across the next booth - his closed eyes ignited a curiosity so unmistakably ingenuous.

"If you're looking for Dazai, then I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer." He stated.

Both of her eyebrows raised in thought, though her eyes still remained in a reverie with his. "Is he the pretty boy with bandages?"

"Yes, he is."

"Then the wait will be worthwhile." Concluded the child. "I have all the time in the world to wait until he remembers me."

"He does remember you. It's just he who doesn't have all the time in the world to meet you here."

"...oh."

The girl's despondency became the cause of a budding guilt to swell on his chest. He found it quite difficult to reason out with himself that he was simply telling the truth, and bluntness was not necessarily a mistake to add on how he had spoken to her. She averted her gaze to the chess board she had taken time to prepare, and wondered if she could spare a few more minutes to wait for the pretty boy with bandages.

To her surprise, she saw the man making himself comfortable on the seat across hers.

"Do you want an opponent?" Ranpo questioned. "I see that you're waiting for Dazai, and I'm a little bored."

The girl tipped her head lightly. "Will I still have to teach you?"

"No, no, I'm great at chess." He replied, a poised smirk making its way to his lips. "If anything, perhaps you should concern yourself."

Without further words, he proceeded to commence with his first move, as the white pieces were in his favor. He placed a knight on the square of F3, therefore inciting her interest.

"That's a very bold move," commented the child, "do you plan to scare me with it?"

"Well, don't tell me you are." Ranpo responded. His chin rested on one palm as he looked at the features the little girl's face had to offer. His eyes remained closed, though his loopsided grin told away obvious amusement.

Daintily, she took a pawn and put it down square F5. She said, "I'm not necessarily scared."

There were the small things about her that the detective discovered himself adoring intently. Might it be due to the raw emotions displayed on her face like an open book, or her child's play chess moves that he would always elude for the sake of prolonging the game, he ascertained no regrets in suggesting to play with her from the start.

But he could already discern an aspect that supported his doubts about the girl.

"That's a lovely scarf you have." He remarked. "Where'd you get it?"

"Thank you. It's a gift from someone special to me." She replied. A smile formed its way up to her lips, and her tiny hands grabbed on the verge of the clothing.

"Who is this someone?"

"He who promised to come back." The girl answered. "I waited, and waited, and am still waiting. I lost count after fourty-four sunsets, but it matters not to me."

"That's a long while." He said, claiming with his rook a black pawn and putting it to sleep. "Do you not fret that he had forgotten his promise?"

"Not at all. If I have all the time in the world to wait for the pretty boy with bandages, then likewise should be for him."

He took contemplation to the definition of her statement, and realized that he needed not to be sagacious with everything she spoke of, as she had sentiments alike with other children: clear, innocent, and felicitous. The little girl before him was a primordial epitome of purity, spurring him to think that it was his obligation to protect her at all costs, as he feared her ephemerality.

▪︎

"Tanizaki, do you remember that one case you offered me a few days ago?"

The called male lifted his head from his screen to look at the great detective. He appeared to have kept himself busy with his snacks, but what had gotten Tanizaki in confusion was his sudden query.

"Oh, um..." he trailed off, contemplating, "there are many cases I offered you the past few days, Ranpo."

"Yes, yes, a handful of boring ones - but the case of the criminal ability user, has anyone taken that?"

"Not yet." Tanizaki answered, proceeding to search through his files of amalgamated documents a folder which held the crucial information of the requested case. He slipped it out, walking over to Ranpo and extending it for him to reach.

Ranpo opened the folder, his eyes scanning the paper and deducing immediate conclusions even without his glasses on. He gazed over the face of the criminal: on his neck rested a scarf an exquisite shade of yellow, one unnervingly similar to that of someone he had met not too long ago.

On one side of the room sat Dazai, who glanced at Ranpo with thoughts already carrying conjectures of the girl.