The homicide department was buzzing. A detective was coming back after spending some time in the hospital. Matsukata Satoru had returned to his duty when the storm around — technically his — controversial case had subsided. The homicide detectives were having a brief but cheerful welcoming party where the most frequent question was regarding Matsukata's stitches. Blok walked in on the part of the conversation, expecting something like that.

"How many?" Ueda Hiroto asked, slightly nudging his colleague on the shoulder.

"It wasn't anything too bad," Matsukata answered, waving it off. She picked up the pastry from the shared box of different sweets as a part of the welcoming party.

"Wucky wou," she said, chewing. Upon hearing her voice, the two men turned around to her. Ueda told her to chew before talking, they can barely understand her. But Satoru just looked at her, strangely intently.

"Lucky you," she said again, "got to miss out on all the PR fun we were having."

Neither of the men commented on that. Hiroto looked least pleased with the topic of the discussion. He was the one officially picking up the case when Matsukata was incapacitated. Detective Blok's name was second.

"He's got stitches now," Ueda changed topics, "and won't tell me how many."

"I won't tell you now that's there's a woman here," the other man bashfully replied. Saskia raised her hands, holding the folder in her right, to signify giving in to the situation.

"I just came to see you and give you files back," she defended herself, placing the files on the table. The man nodded and offered a smile. Saskia barely reciprocated.

"Blok!" the captain called. That guy again. Saskia reluctantly walked out, holding a grudge against her superior. Come on, she'd just caught up with her done with her workload. He couldn't possibly be giving her more. She walked into the office and closed the door behind her. The chief was sitting behind his desk with papers all over it.

"You called," Saskia stated simply, crossing her arms. She was in no mood to sit down and have a chat.

"You know about Matsukata," the man said, not bothering to look at her. He was too focused on one particular document in his hand.

"A little," she confirmed.

"He needs a partner to help out," he continued, "just in case. He is after surgery after all."

"If he can't do his job, let him recover at home," Blok protested. Another partner in crime is not something she welcomed. She was fed up with Dazai enough. Another person's issues on top of hers and she felt she would break.

"He's out of his sick days. He recognized his temporary incapability and asked for help," the captain explained. "Why shouldn't I assign you to him? You are capable if not very sociable. And just got a case on your hands. You should use some help too."

Saskia groaned. When it rains, it pours. Misfortune never come alone. It wasn't a matter of her agreeing to this. Everything was written in stone already, she was just getting informed. Her blood boiled in anger. Yes, another nuisance, now at her actual work. But she cannot simply refuse, this was her superior talking. Why is that everyone had something to hold above her head, some sense of superiority over her.

"Fine," she begrudgingly complied. It was only temporary. And she had no saying.

"For that, however, I need a tiny little favour," Saskia said, putting her hands behind her back. She can't escape it, might as well try and turn it to her advantage even if a little.

"If asked, I will deny any involvement or knowledge of this," the man stated before walking away. Saskia grinned. Now, she needs a technician or something…

When she stepped out of the building, she knew what she would be getting herself into.

"Hello," spoke the familiar voice. Blok looked at the direction of the voice to see the man in the sand-coloured coat. She knew he'd be here, but he shouldn't be here, though. For one damn good reason is that she didn't want to be seen with him. She was getting agitated by his frivolous behaviour. He had no right to mess with her life so carelessly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, angered. "You could have given a call, you know."

He smiled at her. That smile was empty. Yes, that's how she could describe this smile. No maliciousness behind it but neither was there any amiability. It's derived of the emotions people attach to their expressions. As if he knew that in this situation he soulld smile and so he did.

"Come," he said, turning around. Saskia had little choice but to follow him. In fact, she caught up with him, grabbed him by the arm, and dragged him to her. The physical contact relieved her of the pain she'd been carrying with her a good portion of the day. But she'll thank him later. Maybe. They needed to get out of here as soon as possible. No one needs to see her with him. Dazai seemed to understand her hurriedness, catching up, offering no resistance. All that with no need for words. They got into the car and as far as Saskia could guess, no one noticed her getting into the car with a man. She drove away as fast as she legally was allowed to get away from the station.

"Take the next turn," he said.

"What you've been up to?" she asked, referring to the whole agency.

"Meeting old friends, pulling some favours."

It's not that he lied. She couldn't sense him anyway. But his answer was ambiguous enough to understand there was some truth to it. Hiding the whole truth, he called it. Which means, he offered her some truth then, right? Truth that he won't share further no matter how much she would press for it.

Is this what her life coming down to? Exchanging one office for another? At least the first office she chose. This was forced on her. It was uncomfortable here. Tanizaki wasn't here, which was reasonable considering the day of the week, but it meant she knew no one else. Well, maybe except for Dazai who was considered her partner on this case. Nonetheless, she spent a day with the guy. And the night she spent with him was a terrible-very-bad-no-good-experience. Everyone was at peace with their assigned tasks. And by everyone meaning Kunikida. He was the only one who was doing any real work. Dazai was trying to lure Atsushi into writing his report. No one else was present here. Since this wasn't about the case, she couldn't quite comprehend why she was called to come in. To watch and listen to them? Oh god….

"Care to tell me why I am here?" the woman asked, looking at the watch. It has been precisely 42 minutes since they arrived here. All she had done was witnessing Dazai's strange antics and Kunikida's annoyed face. Their arguments were hilarious to watch but it didn't negate the fact she didn't want to be here. She was supposed to help solve the case, catch a dangerous ability user. Nothing more, nothing less. They didn't have to become friends.

"Oh?" Dazai turned to look at her. "To get dinner with us, of course." His answer came out to be so simple-minded. That is precisely why she didn't believe it.

"Thanks, but no, thanks?" Blok retorted. She wasn't planning on having drinks with these people. Least of all Dazai Osamu. The man was all shades of grey to her. And to simply put it, she didn't give a shit about bonding with him or any other people from this office. This very man blackmailed her into helping them. He showed her face to a mafia member.

"Aw, come on, Saskia-chan," the man spoke in his childish manner, "we are partners —"

"Temporarily. And let me remind you that you threa—"

"It's bonding time!" declared Dazai, standing up. "Kunikida, come on!"

"You didn't finish your report," the blonde man firmly reminded.

"But we can't make a woman wait!"

"I'd say she isn't thrilled by the idea of spending time in our company. You should have waited for Yosano to be able to join."

To everyone's surprise, the next question made two men very curious about the answer.

"Blok-sama," Atsushi spoke sheepishly, "would you be my guest, please? Whatever you want to have will be on me."

Gods, the kid doesn't lie. Saskia glanced at Kunikida, who looked intrigued by Atsushi's offer more than her answer. Nonetheless, he spared her an expectant glance. Then her eyes traveled past the teenager and towards Dazai. He wore a knowing and almost benign smile. Saskia couldn't refuse Junichiro, what would make her able to refuse Atsushi? Soft spots are kinda like that: an attenuated spot that makes one easy to bend to another's will. The woman sighed loudly, feeling her resolve breaking more and more each second.

"Alright, kid. I'll come. But you don't have to treat me."

And that what her life came to be. Sitting in a café with three men she barely knew. That was not part of the contract. But she had to admit, it was nice and cozy here. With some great choices of food. Ah, and she was indeed hungry. Only by staring at the menu did she remembered that her last meal was almost eight hours ago. Atsushi again asked if she would allow him to treat her. Saskia still denied. The kid was no older than Junichiro. And she probably should stop thinking about them as kids. The difference between them isn't great. He is not a legal adult, though. That was her justification.

"Perhaps you should treat her, Dazai, since you were the one who invited her," Kunikida chimed in. He never looked up from the menu, though, Saskia could tell his eyes weren't reading anymore. Osamu placed his elbow on the table, head resting on his closed palm. And a stupid —no, really, there was no other word for it — stupid smile on his face.

"Then why won't you, Kunikida? Aren't you a gentleman?" Dazai asked. Saskia should have guessed that taunting others would be Dazai's hobby.

"Noone's treating me, thanks," Blok put an end to the discussion with a slap on the table.

"So, Saskia-san," Atsushi asked, "you work as a police officer?"

"I'm a homicide detective," she answered.

"Oh, right, Tanizaki did tell," the boy rubbed the back of his neck in awkwardness.

Small talk? Saskia didn't like small talk. How many times did she hear innocent and polite lies that gave her minor pains? The I-am-good and everything-is-great were thrown into her face as if she couldn't tell. She could. Always. It was both frustrating and horrifying to realize that people felt the need to lie about those things too.

"And you, Atsushi? How come you become a part of this detective agency?" the woman questioned.

"Um, Dazai-san recruited me," he answered unsurely, "because of my ability."

"Oh?"

"Atsushi," Dazai eagerly interrupted, "but that's not the only reason I decided to recruit you."

"Not the only reason?" Saskia asked.

"Atsushi wants to help people," Osamu answered, placing his hand on her shoulder. She didn't know whether to be grateful for the fact that is was he who sat next to her. After all, he was the only person she spent some time with and was more familiar. Or to hate it because Dazai was — for a lack of a better expression — hot-and-cold. Saskia remembered that death glare he gave her. But she also saw that smile on his face when Atsushi asked her to join them.

"Thanks to Dazai-san I was able to join the agency and I didn't have much at the time. I was starving," Nakajima gave a smile. "And I am very grateful."

"Now I remember you," she hummed, taking in the young man's features, "I saw you in a newspaper."

Saskia took a moment to think about what to say next. The young man before her was indeed the one from the newspaper. It's been some time, but Atsushi was the one whose picture was framing the recent story. A massive aircraft was heading to Yokohama wand would likely crash in the heart of the city if not for… And then there was that outbreak. The mass madness, the mutiny that unfolded and claimed the lives of many. Is this what she was going to be involved in? It was rarely just a matter of one individual case, was it? Whatever came to ADA's attention would spread like a plague. This was an opportunity to open their mouths.

"Tell me more, Atsushi," Saskia asked, reciprocating a smile.

She eyed Dazai, who was too involved with his drink right now. The men were chatting, mostly reminiscing of their shared past. And Kunikida got annoyed more than once already because Dazai won't stop bringing up something embarrassing. Saskia enjoyed hearing some very embarrassing lines Kunikida apparently said under the curse. So cheesy, so embarrassing. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't joined in on the fun.

"I'll remind you, Dazai, you were the one who hosted her," the blond man huffed in annoyance. Yet his face was dusted with an intense pink blush.

"I knew you would misunderstand," the dark-haired man playfully retorted, "that's why I said it that way."

Kunikida pushed forward, leaning over the table a little, trying to reach Dazai. The other man pushed himself as much into a chair as possible, trying to avoid the prying arms of the man he annoyed on purpose. The woman gave Atsushi a questioning look. The sigh answered it all.

This man… Dazai Osamu… is something else. Saskia couldn't place her finger on him. Dazai Osamu was something she didn't expect him to be. Admired by Atsushi. Even respected by Kunikida, however, the latter would hide the fact very thoroughly. Yet Kunikida didn't dump Dazai's ass, so it must mean something. Dazai saved Atsushi's skin quiet literally. And Kunikida was the one who approved Dazai's entrance exam. So, the man had to be capable of kindness and self-sacrifice? Or was it an elaborate game? And yet looking at him, she could only think of those cold brown eyes, staring at her, telling her to follow his command. And the devilish smirks she had noticed. Not to mention his involvement with mafia. He was more than familiar with the short redhaired man and someone named Mori...

"Really? Ideal woman? You weren't kidding," Saskia chirped. Her attention was captured by the current topic of discussion. And it made her disapprovingly shake her head, "How many was it, again?"

"Fifty-eight!" Dazai cheerily replied. It seemed this fact amused just as greatly as it amused her. Saskia dramatically placed her hand on her eyes, sighing deeply and loudly. The ideal woman who met all fifty-eight of Kunikida Doppo's requirements. About that, Kunikida…

"Would you like to take a look, Saskia-chan?" Dazai asked. Atsushi's eyes widened in shock. Kunikida abruptly stopped hi actions, watching the pair of them, surprised by the honorific. Saskia sighed in annoyance. She gave him no permission to call her this way. She removed her hand, ending the theatrics. She hoped the message of "what you want doesn't exist" got across to Kunikida. Whatever his requirements were fifty-eight is not a number to go about it.

"God forbid," the woman replied, "the woman is incredibly unrealistic anyway."

"How could you know?" Kunikida asked, badly masking his offense. He crossed his arms in defense, eyes watching her intently.

"You are a man," she replied simply, shrugging his intense gaze away.

"Oh-la-la," was all that Dazai let out. He looked intrigued for a moment and almost excited as if something was about to unfold. There was that mischievous glint in his eyes again. But this time it didn't make her feel as it did before. This look on his face was playful and not malicious. As if his two partners would get into a heated argument or a battle of wits. But nothing happened. The two of them just shared a look for a few seconds and everything died down.

"You aren't wrong, Saskia-chan," he said in a whisper. He whispered, sure, but no quiet enough for the two men on the other side of the table to ignore. Kunikida Doppo was positively starting to boil on the inside. Like a teapot with a whistle, you could hear the faint sound sipping in, but it's not done just yet. A few more seconds were needed for the water to start boiling.

"Wanna take another guess?" Dazai Osamu would not give up so easily. "Each time you guess earns you a free drink from me."

Saskia measured the man. He couldn't be serious right now, could he? He was begging her to take a dig at his partner? Is this bonding? However, Doppo's feelings out of the way, and this was an opportunity.

"How about for each guess you owe me an honest and full answer?" she asked. And there it was. A more familiar glint in those dark eyes. She had seen it before, during the staged bombing. In a fleeting second, she saw that spark in his dark eyes. Like a lighter, flickering in the dark, unable to start a fire. If he says no or questions this, it would imply that he had been lying about something to her already.

"So be it," he agreed, a bit too easily, perhaps. "You have my word."

Atsushi smiled at them, watching the interaction taking a warmer, friendlier turn. It wasn't the most genuine turn, however, right now this was all he could hope for. Kunikida wasn't the least bit amused by being the scapegoat in their games and bets. He huffed, crossing his arms.

"The ideal woman is pretty, like, above-average pretty. But not vain," Saskia started to count on her fingers. "Polite, well-spoken with no bad habits like smoking and nail-biting. Very feminine. And she is smart. But not smart enough to see how much of a disadvantage the marriage would be."

"Why would our marriage be a disadvantage?" the blond man asked, clearly offended. His crossed arms fell apart, mouth agape. That must have hurt.

"Your job," she said, "is dangerous and could leave her a widow early in life. It also offers questionable benefits. She'd better be in the known of the ability users or it could become a problem. People aren't kin on being so close to the unknown. Lastly," she offered a short pause, "is your hair. Very questionable. So, I do hope you are filthy rich, Kunikida."

"Nu-uh," answered Osamu. Blok looked at the blond man again. He looked very stoic for a man whose taste in women was discussed so frivolously. It's not that Kunikida Doppo would be deemed unattractive, he wasn't an idiot either. But whatever woman came to know about the list, well, probably wouldn't hang around for long.

"I'll give a deal, Kunkida," Saskia started, intriguing the man addressed. "When we are both old and unmarried, I can marry you," she spoke in a very relaxed manner, "then it will just turn into a game of who will die first to inherit whatever little we acquired through our miserable lives."

Kunikida Doppo, detective of the Armed Agency, turned beet red. And there it was, the whistle of the teapot. Dazai started to laugh maniacally while Atsushi barely contained his giggle. Kunikida Doppo, an idealist, couldn't say or do anything in the face of the situation. Except for getting pissed at the laughing Dazai.

"What are you laughing at, you waste of bandages?!" The blond man reached his boiling temperature. And the familiar commotion started again. Kunikida was trying to cause as much physical suffering to Dazai as Dazai caused him in embarrassment. Atsushi leaned closer to Saskia, whispering if she meant what she said. The other two men didn't pay attention to their whispers.

"No, I have a better chance of getting married still," she replied in a whisper. It took another few minutes for the two partners to calm down. Well, Kunikida needed to collect his cool and Dazai needed to stop laughing. And he did, abruptly so.

"How many?" asked Dazai, looking at his fingers, lost in the count.