"Good morning, Ayame-san!"
"Atsushi." I smiled in reply, happy to be back in the office instead of stuck in that stupid underground church, "How many times have I told you to drop the honorific? Good morning to you too, though."
He scratched his temple lightly, "Right, sorry, Ayame."
I watched him as he scanned the office, "Oh. Is Ranpo out for the day?"
"He's meeting up with a special someone after a sketchy call with Yosano-san. He told me to stay here incase anything else came up, but right now things seem pretty dry. The Guild, the Mafia and of course, we, are all taking our next steps very carefully."
Atsushi blinked confusedly, as if too afraid to say out loud what he assumed that meant, so I spoke for him, "It basically means we have a rest day. But we probably shouldn't go about frolicking in the city."
Kenji pouted from the other side of the office, because I had to be stern with him when I told him he wasn't allowed to leave two minutes ago. He insisted he just wanted to by a watermelon, and eat some beef teriyaki, but even getting beef teriyaki could be dangerous. Considering he was trapped in a girls alternate dimension ability in the blink of an eye regardless of his strength said enough, and the last thing we needed was to worry about any of our members being used as hostages.
So, he was stuck here. I did order take out, though, but he didn't seem satisfied yet.
"What about Kunikida?"
"He's with the president right now." I replied, watching his eyes linger on Tanizaki and his sister, and then as their usual annoying, inappropriate squabbling began, his eyes darkened in disgust and confusion, before he turned back to me.
"So... I guess..."
"Our reports are already finished. what about you?"
He frowned, and I noted how he seemed very uncomfortable recalling yesterdays events, "I finished it." He replied in a sigh, and pulled a chair out to sit down beside me, "It was dreadful."
"Wanna talk about it? Dazai said you were put through quiet the rut."
He sighed again, "He sent me home early to take care of it himself. That's how... awful, this person was."
I narrowed my eyes, "And this person?"
"Dazai said they used to be a prisoner of the mafia. But, they let them go on purpose. They had this awful ability to make illusions, and put you against your friends... I..." He glanced again over in Naomi's direction, but quickly dropped his head back down.
His shoulders were slumped, he seemed exhausted. I'd never seen him quiet like this before. I had only seen him happy, or flustered. I'd seen him confused and annoyed, and flabbergasted, and I'd seen him blush. But I'd never seen him angry, or sad like this even though I had seen him shed tears before.
This time, as he sniffled and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and his arm, taking in a deep breath to try and pull himself together, my heart raced. What was wrong with me? There was absolutely nothing attractive about seeing the boy you like cry, if anything, I should be upset and worried for him. I was, but, at the same time seeing him cry... made me want to kiss him.
"A-Atsushi." I stuttered, swallowing. I willed that heat in my cheeks to go away. He's going to think I'm insane, "You don't have to worry like this. No one blames you."
"But the way they looked at me." He whispered, "I felt like a mons-"
The blush faded and I pressed my finger to his lips as he looked up at me. His eyes widened at the touch, and my heart was still pounding. Actually, I felt like I was about to combust for real this time, because actually making eye contact, actually touching him like this. I wanted to kiss him, maybe not just because I found his red, glossy eyes adorable and endearing in a way, but because I found romance in the idea that my kiss could distract him enough to will that sadness away. I could take it from him, I could hold that burden instead.
And, well, he was being vulnerable with me in a way no one had ever done before. Not anyone from my band in high school, and certainly not Mahiro.
My finger lifted from his lips as I thought, That's it!
"Atsushi, I have a great pass time idea!" I announced, making him blink hard twice.
He swallowed, and sat up a little straighter, "Like what?"
"Karaoke!"
Naomi's exaggerated, excited gasp screeched throughout the office, "Oh my god! Yes! It's show time!!"
-
After a few minutes of set up, and after Tanizaki was forced to pay for the take out that had finally arrived with my card because I was too busy being dressed by Naomi, Kenji was finally happy again and Atsushi was excitedly waiting.
"Here!" Naomi suddenly whipped out a guitar from the closet, "I got this after you said you could play!"
I furrowed my eye brows in extensive concern, "I'm sorry, you what? Why? And- and you just kept it in the closet?!"
"Well yeah. For just in case reasons."
I decided I wasn't going to ask what the hell she meant by that, and instead just opted to go along with it and keep grinning like I was still in high school with my half real half fake girl friends who always seemed to turn weird around me when I told them I was in a band with a bunch of dudes. What's with girls liking band boys anyways? They're worse than boys who play hockey.
As I put the strap over my shoulder and frowned in frustration, grumbling through tuning the instrument, I caught Atsushi staring at me excitedly. I knew he was looking at me, everyone was, but his eyes were just sparkling. God, he was so pretty and handsome and perfect.
"Oh." I suddenly blurted, making Naomi snap her head over to me, "I'm kind of nervous."
"What?!" She barked, "You can't be nervous as a retired lead vocalist! It's in your blood to be center stage!"
I sweat dropped. Naomi was very encouraging, but also kind of scary.
"I'm still gonna sing, relax."
Her face brightened as if she forgot what I said, "Good! I'm so pumped! I'm gonna record it, okay?!"
I pursed my lips, shutting my eyes for a minute to compose myself. She was seriously going to record me standing on Ranpo's desk with an old cape on from our costume selection that was meant for the weird exams this organization liked to put its new comers in. Sometimes costumes were necessary, I guess.
"Okay. Um." I began, tapping the side of the guitar lightly, "What kind of song should I sing?"
"Something badass!" Naomi cheered.
"Something romantic?" Tanizaki suggested at the same time, much to Naomi's dismay, and he quickly corrected himself to support his sisters suggestion.
"I'm okay with whatever you sing, Ayame." Atsushi added, as if to make me feel less pressured.
It worked.
"Okay, badass it is then." I took a deep breath, reminding myself of the ways my band mates grinned on stage. It made me forget about everything else.
-
When I finished, out of breath, Naomi had already thrown her phone and was clapping like a madman, and then shaking her brothers arm in excitement, "You were so good! A true rock star! You're amazing, Ayame-chan!"
"Thanks..." I trailed off, flattered, but it was a little too much.
"Here." I turned from the girl and her brother, as well as a clapping and whistling Kenji, to Atsushi as he held his hand out to me. I slipped my hand in his, and the skin of his hands was surprisingly smooth considering the fighting he's done recently. Maybe it's partly because of his regeneration abilities.
I jumped down and smiled to him, "What did you think?" I asked, desperate for his praise and his alone.
"I thought it was great. You really are good at singing. But," He began, and for a second I felt utter dread. My mother always used to do that. You're good, but. You passed, but. You're pretty, but. You're an adult now, but.
"You seemed sad." He uttered, and the dread faded to confusion, "It was obviously an angry song, but, you seemed sad."
"Really?"
He nodded, "Who were you thinking about?"
Oh. I thought, turning away from him as I paled, or was I blushing? I couldn't really feel anything other than the lump in my throat. I was thinking about that stupid, blonde, red eyed idiot. I should have sung something romantic instead, because at least then I could have thought of something better.
Just leave me alone already, Mahiro.
"My turn!" Kenji quickly butted his way to the stage before Naomi could, "I want to sing you a song from my village!"
Naomi was skeptical, "What kind of song... exactly?"
"You'll see! Naomi, feel free to record this for historic reference!"
She grinned like the devil, obviously thinking only of black mail, if that was even a possible weakness for Kenji, "But of course!"
I pulled the guitar off my shoulders and set it on the ground, leaning up against the side of my desk. As I unclipped the cape while Kenji started belting some weird version of Opera and country, Atsushi handed me a glass of water.
"I had another question, if it's alright."
I shrugged, "Sure."
"It's about what Dazai said yesterday about your ability having a draw back. What did he mean? Do you get hurt- or-"
I sighed, "No. Every ones ability has some form of drawback, some kind of catch that makes things complicated. Luckily, mine doesn't really do anything but exhaust me physically if I over use it, but that goes for everyone. My ability is called Spirit Inspiration because even though it's obviously an ability that uses energy, what I will that energy to do goes. The catch is how strong it is. Because it's tied to my mental state, it relies on my emotional stability. If I'm unstable, my ability won't work. The only way I've learned to harness it so far is through anger... especially when I have to be on the offensive."
"So, what you're saying is that..."
"I can lose control, just like everyone else. If something were to tick me off, I could end up being really dangerous."
"But, you don't seem like an angry person, Ayame."
I smiled lightly, turning towards him as he stared at me with this mesmerized gaze, "What ever do you mean? I'm always angry."
"Well, if the you I know is you being angry, then I think the way you are is just fine." He retorted, and the glass almost slipped from my fingers at his next words, "You're such a pretty, kind person, Ayame. Give yourself more credit."
Oh dear god. I'm going to cry.
"CODE RED!" Tanizaki suddenly screamed, "RANPO IS COMING BACK! EVERYONE CLEAN UP AND DISPERSE!"