High heel boots trod against the broken asphalt. They only take one cautionary step at a time. The woman searches around her dull and dark surrounding. It looks the same in every direction, an endless array of lifeless skyscrapers. Each click of her boots echoes for what could be miles. I think I may be a tad bit lost.

She turns her head. There's something there. It's the sound of something metallic rolling across the ground. But that's it. Only the single rolling sound.

A thick smoke emits from the middle of the road. It rapidly covers the entire block, effectively blinding her from any kind of attack. The woman swipes at the air in front of her and gets out the pepper spray from her briefcase. Why does every bad situation only get worse?

She stops moving her hands. Every part of her body stills as she listens. Oh no. There's someone coming her way. Her eyes dart around in a panic. There's no one in sight, but there's definitely someone there.

In the distance, something appears. A silhouette? A figure stands there; it's taking something, raising it in the air. Boom. The sound of a gunshot ripples over the entire area. Okay, so I have most definitely gotten lost. She may have done some shit in her life, but a shootout is some kind of next level.

The figure is still there, and it appears to have gotten closer. She still can't make out any details other than that it's a person. "Are you Natsumi Hayashi's daughter?"

The pepper spray rattles as it hits the pavement. What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck. Who the fuck is this? Who the fuck would ask that? She shakily picks the can up and holds it out. Does this person know her? There's no way she'd know someone who crawls around a place like this. What's the right answer, yes or no? What happens if she gets it wrong?

"Leave." Her hands drop to her sides. He's… letting her go? Right answer or wrong answer, who the fuck cares. The woman switches direction right on her heel, and runs, literally, for her life.

Rei aimlessly taps against the metal table, checking the time on her phone yet again. For someone so uptight about being punctual, she is worryingly late. The mauve haired girl stares at the two polar opposite cups of coffee on the table. I talked to her just this morning and everything was fine. She inspects the area of the small café. There are a lot of people here, but she can't blame them, it is a lovely day.

A low rumbling sound comes from the distance. Rei glances at the ground. Is it shaking? The patrons of the noontime café all look to see a crazed woman with violet hair in a gray business suit hurdle through the street like she's being chased by wild bulls.

Oh dear lord. The agent watches in stunned silence as her sister jumps right over the waist-high fence and nearly tramples the host and other customers on her way over to their table. "Suzume," she says incredulously, not believing that her sister would act like this. "What has gotten into you? Are you okay?"

"Rei," the frazzled woman looks around wildly, like she's an undercover spy or something. She leans in and gestures for the younger woman to as well. "I think I had a run in with the mafia today."

"You what?!" Rei nearly falls out of her seat. "Suzume, you cannot be serious." Out of all the things her sister could've done, it really had to be this, didn't it? Though it's not like she has much grounds to talk here.

The woman nods frantically, her jade green eyes startled with fear. "I was on my way here, and I got lost, like really lost, and I ended up in this creepy ass area with like a billion skyscrapers. And then there was smoke, and a gun, and 'are you Natsumi Hayashi's daughter,' and –"

"Woah, woah, woah." The younger sibling stops her in an attempt to comprehend what's going on. "Did you just say Natsumi Hayashi's daughter?"

Suzume nods. "Yeah, I – black, extra caffeine?" She asks in question to the cup that's now in her hand. The woman across from her nods, though the extra caffeine part was probably a mistake. "There was this guy, and I thought he was gonna kill me, but all he really did was ask if I was mom's kid. I didn't even answer him and he let me go." She moves back a little and takes a sip of her coffee. Oh bitter pulverized beans, the only true solace in this world. She would be impressed that her sister remembered her order after nearly four years, if their mom didn't get the exact same thing. "It was so weird like, what the hell was that? Who the hell would ask that? Like that had to be the mafia, right?"

Rei nods once as an answer. She can see her lunch date start to freak out across from her, but her thoughts are currently way too intertwined. There are so many situations and possibilities, but looking at her sister now, she can pretty much already piece what happened. "You said there was only one person?" Suzume nods in confirmation. The waiter comes by and sets their food down.

The detective sits back in her seat. The coffin's all but built, it just needs its final nail. "Do you know what the mafia member you encountered was like at all?"

"Umm, no, all I saw was some figure in the fog. And anyway, I was too busy being scared as fuck to care," the older sibling takes a bite out of her pastry. She'd be content to leave it at that, but the look on the younger woman's face tells her that that's not good enough. "The only thing I can kinda recall is his voice. It was…" she tries to think of a way to describe it, "silky, if that makes sense." Oh, look, there's that nail!

"And he asked you if you were mom's kid?" the detective asks one more time for clarification. If she's right, she wants to make absolute sure of it.

"Yeah… Are they gonna come after me? Am I going to be put on some mafia list?! Is mom?!" The businesswoman shakes her head frenziedly with her hands on her face. Commence freak out.

"Suzume, calm down." Rei looks around at all the attention they're gathering. Nearly everyone at the café is looking at them, some covertly, others not so much. She turns back to their table to see a cigarette in her sister's hand. "Hey, didn't you say you were quitting smoking?! Where'd you get a pack of cigarettes anyway?"

"I took it from mom's drawer," she casually explains as she lights it. "Don't give me that look, I've had a crazy morning. I need this."

Rei sighs. "Look, you're going to be fine. Mom's going to be fine." She stops smoking, but doesn't put it down. "I've dealt with the mafia before, don't worry about it."

Suzume lets out a huff of air, then finally puts the bud out. "Wow, since when did you become little miss badass?" This is definitely not the same fourteen year old she said bye to at the airport. Rei can feel a blush spread across her cheeks. The last thing she needs is to be proclaimed a "badass" in the middle of a restaurant. "I remember when we were little and I was always the one protecting you, and now look at things."

"Yeah, thank you for that, by the way," Rei says, unsure of if she's ever thanked her sister proper for it. The woman simply swats the compliment away, there's really no need for such things. "So, have you seen mom and dad yet?"

She shakes her head. "No, they won't be home until later. I just dropped my stuff off and came here. It was so weird seeing my room again. They changed it a lot from even the last time I visited."

"Well, you know how they are, when things change, they've got to change fast. The first time I saw them again, it wasn't even half a year after and they already completely changed my room too."

Suzume chuckles; yeah, that sounds accurate. "So you guys are alright now?"

Rei bounces her head from side to side. "We've come to an understanding."

"Well thank god," the older woman puts a hand over her chest, "I didn't want to have to play mediator at dinner tonight."

"Suzume, it's us," the girl reminds her, "you'll always have to play mediator."

They both laugh at that; it's probably true. "How have things been for you? You've sounded a lot better the last couple times we've talked."

"Oh yeah, I've definitely calmed down over the past few weeks. The counselor even said I don't have to see her anymore." The older sister nods her head; well that's good to hear. "While you're in town, would you like to visit my work sometime? Mr. Kunikida is there."

An old grin appears on the woman's face. "Oh, yes, I do remember you telling me you guys work together now. How's that been?" she asks even though she's sure of the answer. It's sure to be amusing nonetheless.

Rei can practically see the bubble pop up of all the times Kunikida has lectured her about schedules and what not. Sure, she can get her work done rather quickly, but that doesn't mean all her coworkers are the same. "About as you'd imagine."

Suzume laughs. "Is he still obsessed with his ideals?"

"Oh yeah," Rei emphasizes.

"And the book?"

"He'll flip the agency upside down if it leaves his sight for even a second."

The older of the two starts laughing even more. Man, it's been a while. "Well, as much as I'd love to pay old Doppo a visit, my trip's already short enough as is, and I think mom and dad may need me a bit more." She sits back for a bit, but then something pops into her head. "Hey, I just remembered, you got a boyfriend?"

Rei's jaw drops. "Mom and dad told you?!" She can't believe this. Well, she can cause their parents are like that, but still.

"The question is, why didn't you tell me? I'm the cool big sister, and I had to find out from our parents?" Oh, how unjust.

The agent shrugs. "It just never came up. Besides, we're not together anymore."

Suzume rolls her eyes. "Right, because you chose your other love," she says, only half joking. She waits for her sister to either laugh or protest, but all Rei's doing is looking at her like she's confused, like she genuinely doesn't get the joke she was going for. "Work," the older sister gives her the answer. The younger woman's lips purse into an "oh". Now that was weird. What was that all about? "Still taking life as seriously as ever I see."

And now Rei is confused once again. "What do you mean? What would I take seriously if not life?"

Suzume sighs. "Oh, nothing." There's really no point in having this conversation for the billionth time. "Just continue doing things as you have been. It works for you."

"I think you're a bad influence on me."

She shrugs. "Probably."

The waiter comes by with the check, and Rei starts digging around in her wallet for some cash. She finally comes up with the right amount, only to find that the bill is gone, already taken care of by one of her sister's many credit cards. "Really? I know you have more money than I do, but you're not even gonna let me pay for coffee and some noodles?"

Suzume laughs it off. "Consider it my payment for protection from the mafia." Her sister rolls her eyes and they get up. "Speaking of which, can you drive me back? I do not want to risk getting lost again."

Pink petals swirl in the distance. They drift in the breeze, so free and untroubled as they float to the ground. As if there were nothing else. It's so peaceful and unbound, so far away from here. What's it like there? To go beyond this city? Beyond the mafia and the agency. Where all there is is the Sakura that're just now starting to lose their bloom.

"What do you like so much about those trees?"

She can see her eyes flick upwards in the reflection. The ends of her lashes are nearly touching the glass. Her irises are so dark, so contrasting.

He looks out the window too, though he doubts he's seeing the same thing as her. The streets and buildings of the mafia block out any type of pleasant imagery. The trees are hardly even visible from here.

"They remind me of a different time, before any of this happened." Her voice is as soft as the petals. "When I was young, my parents would take us every year to see the Sakura bloom in the western city. Those are some of my best memories." Falling, drifting, falling. "We stopped going when I was fourteen, when my sister moved to Europe."

He turns away from the view, tired of staring at gray. "You've seen them before?"

She briefly turns to him, then back to the window. "Not these ones. These are very different than the ones in the west." It doesn't make much sense, but these seem prettier. Whatever the reasoning, it must be flawed; there's only one major difference.

Dazai can feel his eyes roam, watching her as she watches the trees. The air is so motionless in this room. What would it be like out there, with the light breeze? He shuts his eyes and looks away. He shouldn't be thinking about her like this. He shouldn't be thinking about anyone like this. But, he turns back to her. God has this been torturous. Seeing her, being so close to her, having her alone in his apartment like this. How would she react if she knew how often he jerked off after she left? If only he could move her hair back, lean in, and –

Rei turns her head at that exact right moment, her eyes a mixture of all kinds of fear. The look on his face is one she's seen before. It's a very dangerous look, especially considering Dazai's penchant for getting his way. Surely he knows this is an awful idea. She walks away from the window. "That's a dangerous game."

"Those are my favorite kind." He follows her into the apartment. Her arms are crossed, and her pose is stern as she stands some ways away from him. Of course, she is right. Especially considering what happened last time, this can only go badly. Any step would only go further down the rabbit hole. He can feel his leg starting to twitch. Why is he getting so worked up about this? She's just like anyone else. But you wouldn't have troubles sleeping with just anyone else.

He turns away from her, hoping, in some way, to take his mind off of this. "I met your sister today," he changes the subject.

She lets out a sigh of relief. That was a close one. "I heard. And the entire café probably did too."

"She's more like your mom than you are." Even though she didn't say a single word to him, it's easy enough to tell. The way they carry themselves is much more alike.

"Yeah, she is." It's been a fact all her life. Physically speaking, it can almost be argued either way, though Suzume would win that argument. But as far as anything else is concerned, her sister wins without any real competition. It's not so much that they're very alike, although they are, it's more so that Rei and their mother are very different. "Why'd you let her go?"

He scoffs. How foolish of him to not expect such a question. "Would you prefer if I didn't?"

"No." Now she scoffs. How foolish of her to expect a direct answer.

Dazai faces her again, and. She tries to gulp, but her throat is suddenly dry. The look in his eyes is so… hungry. This is not a good situation. He walks up to her with a new determination on his face. She's about to back away when he takes her hands and starts swinging them around. That's all he does. Swing, swing. She watches as their hands move about: nervous, trying not to be nervous, trying not to think about trying not to be nervous. After about a minute of that, he lets go and pulls her in by the waist. Now would be a really good time for this to not be happening.

The silence of the apartment is deafening. A weight sets beneath her chin, her head tilts up, and her lips connect with his. It's slow, cautious, and – no, no it's not. She grabs ahold of him quickly as she soon learns that Dazai is not here to play games. Their breaths mix in the sliver of air between them, but that doesn't last for long. He cups her face, deepening the kiss as soon as it starts. His lips smother hers, giving her no recourse for air. His fingers press into her neck as his tongue seizes control of her mouth. Ah Fuck. Mmm, God, this is so… She knows she's slipping away, but damn if she cares about that right now. That shit doesn't matter. All that matters is the feeling of his lips, the taste of his tongue, the touch of his hands. And dear God. It's downright addictive.

Rei can feel the weight of her breath as they break away. Shit. Fuck. Truly, this can't be happening. How can this be happening? She looks at him. I hate him. I honestly hate him. Literally everything he does ever in life should be illegal. It was a wordless, mutual agreement that this exact thing wouldn't happen, but now, only one kiss later. Ugh, it's really shit how kissable he is.

She tries to move back, but his grip on her is rock tight. "Osamu, I –" He grinds his pelvis into her, letting his erection do the speaking for him. "Aha, fuck."

He smirks into her collar. "Now we're on the same page."

Rei tears herself from his hold. We can't. He looks so fucking good. I can't. That rich, luscious hair. What would it be like to run a hand through it again? This is the worst idea. Those perfect, parted lips. To hear him moan again? It can only go wrong. His murky, lust-filled eyes. To feel him again? But what about –

It stops. There, in that room. In the space filled with exorbitant tension between her and the guy she's hated for almost a year. It all hits her. She's thinking about this way too hard. This doesn't have to be complicated. This isn't something she has to take seriously. It does not matter. She's just some girl who's having sex with a hot guy. It doesn't have to affect any part of her life.

The sound of her feet hitting the hardwood is made strikingly clear in the muted apartment. Step by step, she walks over to him. A hand traces up his chest, wraps around his tie, and pulls him down to her.

It's a similar attack to the one earlier, except the roles are reversed. She grabs him by the back of his neck, forcing him to meet her. It's a sweet kind of victory, having him like this. She shoves her tongue into every crevice of his mouth she possibly can. The hands on her back go limp, then tighten, then limp, then tighten. He's trying so hard to maintain control.

She pulls away, and his lips chase after hers. That seriously can't be all he's getting. She smirks and jumps up onto his hips, wrapping her legs securely around him. Before he can even process it, his tie has been ripped off and his shirt is busted open. She lets her gaze linger over his exposed torso, licking her lips at the loose bandages haphazardly covering his defined chest. It only lasts until their eyes meet and they return to pouncing on each other. He sheds off his jacket and moves them over to the couch.

Dazai lays her down and crawls on top of her. A series of searing kisses rains on her neck like shooting stars. His touch is blistering. A hand slithers underneath her shirt, glides across her stomach, and lands on her breast. He kneads the supple skin, causing her stunted gasps to hit the air. God, the things this man can do. It's such a simple thing, but when he does it, it can melt deserts. He throws off her vest, shirt, and bra in one fell swoop, discarding them somewhere in the nether. Now it's his turn to linger. His eyes ravish the sight he so well earned, but he's not done yet. He moves fast to unbutton her pants, dying to see how wet she is.

She pushes him off and switches their positions so that she's on top. His mouth hangs open as if to protest. Though he shuts right up as her hand traces over his crotch. She shimmies down his body and undoes his pants, sliding them down slightly. She reaches in and begins toying with his cock, lightly stroking it with the pads of her fingers. His fingers curl into the cushions; his hair is clumping on his forehead. She then increases the pressure of her strokes while her other hand circles the head. Moans escape from his mouth in a reluctant chorus. His back is pressed hard into the couch in a vain attempt to keep from bucking into her hand. She can feel the precum building. His body only becomes more uncontrolled as she begins trailing kisses from his chest. His legs are getting heavy. Why is it so hot in this room?! Her lips leave his abdomen and she pulls his pants down lower. He pushes her head closer. The constraint of his pants is so painful. Oh, but she's so close, so fucking clos –

Bzzz Bzzz. Rei turns her head to the messenger bag lying on the floor. Dazai glares daggers into it; if his gun were within reach, that bag would no longer exist. Bzzz Bzzz. She turns around and begins to get up. A pair of lips latches onto her shoulders; one hand snakes around to her breast, the other to her pants. He's sitting up behind her now, clearly intent on finishing what they started. His lips move all along her back, sucking whatever skin they can get to. She leans into him, her eyes closing. He can't be doing this. This isn't fair. He prods at her to lay back down. "God you're pushy."

Dazai looks at her through heavy lidded eyes. "It's been a while." She turns her head. What does he mean by that? Bzzz Bzzz. She turns back. Oh right, the phone. Rei gets up and hurries over to the kitchen counter, much to the dismay of a certain someone. The executive defeatedly groans and falls back down to the couch.

Rei leans her arm against the cool countertop as she gets her phone from her bag. Compared to her body, the stone slab feels nearly freezing. And man is it needed. She takes a moment to breathe, then answers her phone.

"Hey, where are you?" her sister's voice comes through.

"Huh, me?" she looks around at the dimly lit kitchen, "I'm just hanging out."

"Well, I'm at your place and you're not answering the door."

She checks the time on her phone. "Oh god, I can't believe I lost track of time like that! I'm sorry, I'll be there soon." She hangs up and scrambles to gather her clothes. Hurriedly, she gets dressed and starts work on making herself look like she wasn't just doing what she was doing.

Dazai's still laying on the couch, half naked, watching her reassemble herself. There's a certain pride to it, seeing her like this. There's a moment in her process when she catches his gaze, and the second it happens, she knows it's a mistake. His eyes are still glazed with lust, his hair is disheveled, his shirt is wide open, and his pants are – "I told my sister to come by today," she tells him for no other reason than to distract herself, "before we go see our parents for dinner tonight."

Dazai sits up. "Dinner with your parents?"

"Uh, yeah." Rei stops moving around and looks right at him. The way he said that was so weird. And now the look on his face. She feels like she must be in some alternate universe. He can't be serious. "You can't be serious."

He half redresses himself and walks over to her. "I don't know much about parents."

She pauses. What? She looks at him, then her phone. "I'm running late." She gets her bag and heads for the door.

"I can take you." She turns on her heel. "Well, not me, you wouldn't want to get in a car with me," he clarifies, "but I can get someone to drive you. It'd be faster than the train."

Being escorted by the mafia is not an ideal situation. Rei checks her phone again. But she doesn't have much of a choice. "Okay."

He takes out his phone and types something. "It'll be out front, just wave your card. You'll be dropped off two buildings down from yours."

She nods and starts to pull over her hood. Dazai grabs ahold of her arm. Rei's about to ask, when he leans in and places a kiss on her lips. "I'll see you afterwards?"

She smiles and gives him one last peck before leaving.