Ranpo liked to think of it as an office crush—nothing more, nothing less. But anyone who had spent more than a few minutes around him could tell it was a little more complicated than that. Especially when it came to you.

You worked at the Armed Detective Agency alongside Ranpo, and if he were being honest with himself, you were a bit of a puzzle. He wasn't used to not figuring things out right away, but you—you—had a way of keeping him on his toes. And that, surprisingly, was kind of charming.

So, Ranpo did what he could to keep you close. It wasn’t exactly obvious—he wasn't the type to go around declaring his feelings—but the little gestures added up. He'd slip candy into your hand, his candy, the kind he never shared with anyone else, and he'd do it with that same teasing smile.

"Here," he’d say nonchalantly, "It's the best one, I promise. Try it."

And when he wasn't sneaking candy your way, he'd find reasons to be near you. He'd request you as a partner on cases, claiming that he got lost easily or needed someone to keep him on track. "You're coming with me," he'd say, voice casually confident, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The others might’ve caught on by now, but you? You were oblivious, at least for the moment.

It wasn’t like he was trying to make it painfully obvious. No, that wasn’t Ranpo’s style. He just couldn’t help himself. You made his heart race in a way he didn’t quite understand, and despite his usual confidence, he wasn’t sure how to navigate these feelings.