"Do you really no need to have any Itsuho-san?" After stumbled into a tea house Kunikida begrudgingly treated Dazai and Atsushi while Itsuho rejected.
At Atsushi's twentieth bowl of chazuke. He finally gathered courage and offered his bowl to Itsuho but only to get rejected again.
Itsuho chuckled as she ruffled his hair as the boy somewhat freaked out but sensing her soothing caresses he calmed down as he almost melted to her hand, making Itsuho to laugh lightly.
"You are like a big cat Atsushi-kun, very scaredy one at that"
Atsushi stunned by the adoration in her tone because no one has ever treated like that as his eyes somewhat become moist but soon he pouted to protest her though silenced by the intense gaze of Kunikida.
"For a stranger, aren't you too chummy with Atsushi-kun, Itsuho-chan?" Dazai smirked while stretching like a cat.
Itsuho didn't offend by his comment as she smiled faintly. "I trust my judgment Dazai. Beside he reminds me of my youngest brother"
Her tone became distant as she reminisced a certain bundle of joy who always drag her to eat ramen.
"You have siblings?" Seeing the softness that appeared in her sharp stunning face, Kunikida taken aback as he felt he judged her too hastily.
From the way now she looked now, he can tell that she is a someone with a story.
"Yeah, I had five of them" Her smile became more gentle as a hint of pride added to it as she mentioned them.
"Had?" Atsushi felt she wasn't scary as he imagined.
"My older brother sacrifice himself in order to keep me safe, and eldest of us became a ghost. I don't know where he is now" She said almost indifferently, but if one listen closely they can hear the sorrow in her tone.
"...My condolences" Kunikida said in a low voice as his gaze towards her became more conflicted.
"Don't worry about that" she waved her hand dismissively. "I am not sad because of those irresponsible assholes" She smirked.
"How heartless!!" Kunikida look at her in annoyance, almost feeling regret for the pity he felt for her.
"Pfft hahahaha" Out of sudden Dazai burst in to a laughter, earning another throbbing vein from Kunikida.
"Oh??" Hearing his laughing fit, Itsuho turned her head to him as she raised an eyebrow while 'looking' at him with her signature faint smile.
In a few moments it turned to a small chuckle as Dazai looked at her with an undisguised amusement. "You are really an interesting person Itsuho. I must say that I am intrigued by you"
"Then glad to be your entertainment" Itsuho said indifferently as she turn her head to Atsushi as she felt he already finished eating.
"Haaa..." She sighed with a wry smile as she pressed her hand on top of his head. "You should have eat slowly Atsushi-kun who knows if you might get an indigestion. Beside it isn't like anyone going to snatched your food."
Seeing her concern, after a long time in his life Atsushi felt happy even though he didn't want to admit it but the small smile when her hand still pressed on head is too obvious. Both Dazai and Kunikida look enviously at him for getting patted by a stunning woman.
"Why you....How dare you to be so shameless after eating on my dime?!!"
Kunikida growled in low voice as he looked at him enviously.
Seeing Kunikida's expression change, Dazai changed his target as he goofily smiled at him. "Oh Kunikida-kun why?.... Is Itsuho-chan is your type? Did she according to....."
Without letting him to finish, Kunikida strangle him as he started to shake Dazai while Dazai took it blissfully.
Sensing the situation Itsuho's lips twitched. "What had gotten in to them?" She had an idea nevertheless she still asked.
Atsushi also looked at Kunikida like he did something wrong but his look mixed with gratitude.
"Kunikida I will pay back for Atsushi-kun once I am able to do a job." Itsuho said earnestly.
Kunikida taken aback at her earnest tone that is unlike the deattached indifferent tone she use to talk with them from the beginning as he let go of Dazai with that.
"No need I was just saying. Beside it is not like we can let you do a job outside without our supervision" He flustered at her sudden niceness.
Dazai sat back while fixing his neck as he look at her with a smirk. "Well if Itsuho-chan like to do a job I have a perfect choice for you. But...." Dazai's tone got mischievously mysterious with that pause.
"I can tell the details yet. Itsuho-chan what do you think? Will you dare to accept it without knowing?" Kunikida rolled eyes knowing where this is going to. Itsuho also chuckled as she understood something.
"Alright" Her tone became playful as she rubbed Atsushi's head with reassurance yet not letting him to protest or say anything else.
"Since Dazai bestowing me a such a grace, I must accept it gracefully." She said in the same tone that Dazai used to say it.
In response Dazai chuckled mirthfully as his eyes focus on her with intrigue.
"Whatever...." As the waitress came Kunikida paid the bill with grumble.
"Even though he offered a job, don't keep too much hope for that. This guy is too unbelievable and unreliable.
After all Who goes 'That's a nice river' and jumped into it in the middle of a job?! Thanks to that look how off scheduled we are now!"
Kunikida sighed as the waitress go away with same business like smile with payment while Itsuho raised an eyebrow as she listened without answering.
"You sure like your schedule, Kunikida-kun" Dazai remarked while giving a glance at Itsuho who ruffling Atsushi's hair absent-mindedly.
"Schedule?! With the way you took me to watch over after knowing I am not from this world, are you guys be the one who wield authority here?" Itsuho asked with hint of wonder at her luck.
"This isn't a schedule." She heard he pressed a somekind of book on the table. "This is an ideal"
"A book?" Itsuho intrigued.
"It is my guide in life" he said then he look at Dazai with a grumble. "And never in this book is written that my working partner is a suicidal maniac!"
"As for your earlier question," he looked at the pale face of the girl. "We directly don't have authority. But our job is aligned with protecting people and this city. So we can't let you, an outsider with unknown facters from another world to wander around here freely."
"So then... what are you?" Itsuho chuckled as she understood what kind of situation that she is in.
"We are private investigators."