Trapped in a Romance Novel!

Prolouge: Poe's only romance novel

The Armed Detective Agency and the Port Mafia are currently in a truce for the meantime, and they are collaborating on a mission to erase an enemy organisation.

The Armed Detective Agency consisted of Dazai Osamu, Nakajima Atsushi, Izumi Kyouka, Miyazawa Kenji, Kunikida Doppo and Tanizaki Junichirou. Along with them is the former Guild member and current Cafe Waitress, Lucy Maud Montgomery.

While the Port Mafia consisted of Nakahara Chuuya, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Higuchi Ichiyou, Akutagawa Gin, Tachihara Michizou, Ozaki Kouyou and Hirotsu Ryuurou.

After they had defeated the organisation, Kunikida and Chuuya both brought out their phones to call their respective bosses to report about the completion and to request a driver.

A few minutes later, a van appeared. The window then rolled down to reveal Yosano Akiko as the driver, with Edogawa Ranpo beside her.

After they boarded, the ride was mostly quiet as the ADA and Port Mafia didn't get along well.

"So!" Ranpo exclaimed, breaking the silence. "I happen to snoop around Poe's room yesterday and look what I foundd~" He exclaimed as he brought out a book.

"TADA~" He exclaimed as he jazz hands the book with one hand.

"What's that?" Kunikida asked.

"Poe's first romance novel, way back when he was a teen most likely!" Ranpo declared. "Who wants to read it~?"

A silence reigned over the van.

"Hmm? No one?" Ranpo glanced at the passengers. "Welp, I'll read it....killjoys." He grumbled.

"Umm.. Ranpo-san.." Atsushi called. "Won't it be infused with Poe-san's ability? Since it was written by him?"

Murmurs of agreement went through the van.

"Nope! Most likely not! Poe's ability only activates when it involves mystery...or so he told me.." Ranpo grinned.

"Plus," Dazai chimed in. "If it activates, I can always cancel it!"

"Okay!" Ranpo pumped a fist in the air. "I shall read it now!"

He opened the book and read,

"The two pairs with the strongest bonds

Shall be the ones to enter."

"Huh?" Chuuya laughed. "What's that cheesy line? Wasn't the writer the guild member that can trap people in books?"

Suddenly the book lighted up, and swirls of kanji burst out, all in yellow color.

Yosano abruptly stepped on the brake in alarm, making them lunge forward a bit, but they hadn't cared.

"Dazai!" Kouyou shouted. "Cancel it!"

"I can't!" Dazai shouted back.

"Dazai!" Kunikida shouted in alarm. "You're disappearing!"

"Huh?" Dazai asked, before he disappeared completely.

"Atsushi!" Lucy turned from Dazai, only to see the man beside her also disappearing.

"Senpai!" Higuchi tried to grasp Akutagawa's hand, only for it to slip by he grasp.

"Ane-san!" Chuuya shouted, as he also began disappearing.

Before they could reach the three men, they had already disappeared.

Ranpo's eyes were wide in shock, but it soon went away as Higuchi started shaking him.

"You said it won't activate!" She shouted.

"He told me it won't work!" Ranpo shouted back.

"Let's calm down now!" Kouyou shouted.

Higuchi quickly shut up, bowing her head. Ranpo only pursed his lips.

"Since it activated even with Dazai here, it is obviously immune to No Longer Human. We can only wait till they solve the book. Getting involved with it will only suck us inside as well." Kouyou continued.

Higuchi frowned at this, but she also saw the point that Kouyou made, so she sat back down.

Yosano, after seeing that everyone had calmed down, stepped on the gas and resumed the drive, heading towards a hotel they'll stay in for the night.

 ──────•❥❥❥•──────

Yosano slammed the book down at the table.

After the ADA and PM arrived at the hotel, they booked four rooms for each organization and sorted it according to gender.

Now, both organizations had assembled in the male room of ADA.

"The book didn't do anything wrong, Yosano. Calm down." Ranpo commented.

"Well, I think it did something wrong." Yosano shot back. "It kidnapped Dazai and Atsushi, along with that dog and that shortie!"

"Do not call Akutagawa-san and Chuuya-san such names!" Tachihara protested.

"Okay! Let's stop this chit-chat!" Lucy declared irritably. "I know you Port Mafia's are angry, and trust me, we also are. So let's stop complaining and start investigating the book. Unlike you guys, I looked at the book and saw that there's a limit to how many people can enter. And that is two pairs. So I can surely say, that we can read the book without being sucked in."

The two organizations just blinked at the former guild member.

"Yes, Lucy-san is correct. We should start investigating if we want to help the ones taken." Hirotsu agreed, inhaling his cigarette right after and puffing out smoke.

Ranpo then opened the book and read the first page.

"The two pairs with the strongest bonds, shall be the only ones to enter."

"So, the four of them has the strongest bonds, then?" Yosano asked.

"I guess.." Ranpo replied. "Atsushi and Akutagawa has a strong dislike towards each other. Dazai and Fancy Hat had been partners in the Port Mafia for years."

"Good point. Please read the next page, Ranpo-san." Kunikida requested.

"M'Kay!" Ranpo replied, turning to the next page as he nibbled a lollipop. "Oh, there's a guidelines here.

"Really?" Tanizaki asked. "What does it say?"

"Hmm.." Ranpo hummed, skimming through the guidelines. "Okay. I'll summarize it.

1. Only two pairs (four people) can enter.

2. The person/people that wasn't sucked in has to read the book.

3. In order to free the captive pairs, the people outside the book must finish one chapter for each pair.

And finally.." Ranpo raised a suspense before dropping the final guideline.

"4. This is a romance book with stories about the pairs for each chapter."

A silence befell the group.

"It can't be that bad...right?" Higuchi fearfully asked.

"This is Poe when he was a teen. He was a kid. It probably wasn't that bad.." Ranpo reassured.

"Okay.." Kouyou nodded unsurely.

"Okay!" Ranpo pumped a fist in the air. "Let's start!"

He then opened the book to the first chapter.