Spirit - Bungo Stray Dogs Fanfiction - Atsushi Love Story - 1215

Episode 21

I blinked, my arms crossed as I thought about it, "He's asked you about romance?"

"Yes."

"But not about my favorite cake?"

"Nope." He popped the p and I rose my head to look at him with wonder in my eyes.

"There's no way he would have figured it out himself."

"Probably not."

"The only person who could know that is..."

"Ranpo-san." We both said together.

No way. I growled in my mind, stomping through the hall to get to Ranpo, who gladly was in the kitchen right now. I can't believe he's been inquiring about me to more than one person!

"Ranpo-san." I called out, and he craned his neck from his seat, sucking on a jello drink, "I have something I need to ask you."

"Oh. Okay."

"Please answer honestly." He rose a brow, urging me on, "What's my favorite cake?"

"Cheesecake."

"Good. Thank you... um, one more thing."

He sighed heavily, "Yes?"

"Has Atsushi asked you about anything strange in particular recently?"

"He asked more advice on impressing girls." He snorted, "What a nerd, he has no idea what he's doing."

"Did he say who it was he was interested in?"

"Oh, he didn't have to." Ranpo shrugged, "That much was way too obvi-"

I leaned forward slightly in anticipation, but he'd completely cut himself off and started shoving more food in his mouth as if he hadn't said anything in the first place. Did Atsushi ask him not to tell?

Great. If I can't get answers from the best detective, probably in this entire country, then I was really going to have to up my game.

"Kunikida-san. Good day."

"Yes, it is." He replied curtly, not turning to look at me from his note book, "Now what do you want?"

"I have a question."

"Is it work related?"

"Well, not exactly, but-"

"Then it's not that important is it?"

This... little... I cleared my throat, taking a breath to calm down, "Would you consider yourself someone qualified to give advice on a subject such as... romance?"

He finally turned in his chair to glare at me, "You too? What's with you people and romance? Is something going on that I don't know about?"

"What do you mean 'me too'? Who else has asked you?" I tilted my head in the most dumb manner I could, playing innocent.

Kunikida pinched his nose, holding his breath, "You and that brat, Atsushi. Honestly, this whole scenario is too weird to be-"

My eyes bulged as very suddenly, Naomi smacked Kunikida over the head with a magazine absolutely mercilessly.

"What do we have here~" She sang, "Are you looking for Atsushi, Ayame-chan? He just went out to mail something for me. He should be back any second!"

"Oh, right. I did have something to ask him too." I reminded myself, snapping my fingers, "I guess I'll be going. I'll be back."

"Have you finished your report?!" Kunikida yelled after me, and I yelled back that I had. So unless something crazy happened in the next few minutes, I was basically free all afternoon. Kunikida wasn't very happy today, and I can't imagine how much worse his mood got after Naomi smacked him for seemingly no reason at all.

I shut the office door behind me and took a moment to lean my ear against it.

"Do you know anything about confidentiality?!"

"What do you mean? I'm tired of pretending like I don't know!"

"It's not your job to confess for him! It's supposed to be spontaneous! Surprising! That's what gets the girl!"

I leaned back from the door and continued down the hall to find Atsushi. It looks like Atsushi was talking to not only Dazai about romance, but also Kunikida and even Naomi about it too - and confessing no less. But even with all that, could I still say with absolute positivity that the person he is asking these things about for is me? Not Kyouka?

I stopped in the cafe on the first floor. The boy walked in the door just as I stepped down the last stair onto the hardwood floor. It shut behind him and his head rose slowly to meet my eyes. His face was glowing, maybe just to me.

"Hi." He said sweetly, clearly he didn't expect me but he didn't seem unhappy to see me either.
With all this behind me, all this new confusion, things felt different. My heart was still racing, and I still felt the need to control myself from just walking over there and kissing him, but now I felt like I had a chance.

What a dangerous rush.

"Atsushi, what's my favorite cake?"

"Oh. Cheesecake."