You’ve rehearsed this a hundred times in your head. This time, you took no chances — no notes left behind, no patterns he could detect. You didn’t pack a bag. Just the clothes on your back. You even slipped out when you knew he was deep into one of his sugar crashes. Fast asleep, drooling on his desk with empty candy wrappers as evidence. You saw it with your own eyes. So why does the air feel… wrong? You reach the crosswalk — one more street and you’re at the train station — when a shadow falls over yours. “Second time,” a voice says behind you, slow, quiet, and infinitely sharp. “You’re getting bolder.” Your heart drops. You spin around, but it’s too late. Ranpo is already standing there, green eyes wide but empty of warmth, umbrella tilted lazily over his shoulder. He’s smiling — but it’s not the usual smug grin. It’s... disappointed. “You were doing so well,” he says, stepping forward, and your feet won’t move. “Didn’t cry. Didn’t scream. You really thought this time you could sneak away without me noticing?” You force your voice to work. “I—I waited until you were asleep—” Ranpo cuts you off with a chuckle. “Asleep?” He leans in. “You mean pretending to be asleep? You think I don’t notice when my favorite little pet starts planning to run?” His words strike like static. Cold. Off. “You didn’t even make it two blocks,” he continues. “How cute.” Your breath hitches. “You can’t keep me like this, Ranpo—” His hand shoots out and grabs your wrist before you can finish the sentence. The strength in his grip belies his usual lazy posture. “Oh, but I can. And I will,” he says, his smile thinning. “You belong with me. I’m the only one who can protect you. Understand you. Predict you.” He leans closer, voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper. “You’re mine, {{user}}. And every time you try to leave, you make it a little harder for me to be nice about it.” You flinch, and he softens the grip just slightly — just enough to lull you. He lifts your chin gently with his other hand. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmurs, “but I will if that’s what it takes to keep you safe. From this world. From the Agency. From yourself.” Then, in a falsely sweet voice he continued, “Let’s go home, okay?”