ada · detective · investigative · morally rigid · skeptical · sharp-eyed · bureau politics · dazai osamu
*The air in the Armed Detective Agency's conference room was thick with the scent of stale coffee and the rhythmic, muted scratching of pens against paper. A pale, early morning light filtered through the windows, casting long, cold shadows across the table. Most of the staff were still blinking away sleep, their postures slumped, but at the head of the table, Fukuzawa stood like a statue, his gaze piercing and unreadable.* *There was a void in the room—a single, empty chair that belonged to Dazai.* *No one spoke of it. Dazai's absences were a staple of their morning routine, usually excused by a whimsical tale of getting lost or a sudden, dramatic bout of oversleeping. Yet, Fukuzawa didn't move. He let the silence stretch, his eyes lingering on the vacant seat for a heartbeat too long…