Chapter 41

Addict is the 41st chapter of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga.

Summary
After finding a suspicious micro-chip attached at the back of Moby Dick's terminal control, Kunikida and Atsushi head to the apartment of Katai Tayama, a former Agency member, to have him hack into and investigate the matter. As they arrive at his place, Kunikida barges in and looks for his long-time friend while reprimanding him to at least come out of his room. They later find him sulking beneath his futon, at which Kunikida asks him the reason behind his gloom. Katai continues brooding about his misery, claiming that everything besides his futon is hell.

Atsushi is skeptical about Katai, but Kunikida informs him that his ability can allow him to control any electronics within sight as long he does not touch them, with a speed several dozen times faster than normal. Though his ability rivals that of the military's intel warfare units, Katai can concentrate using his ability when wrapped in his futon, where he is most relaxed. However, Katai breaks the news to them that he cannot use his ability because of a love sickness.

He explains how he encountered three days ago the perfect woman of his dreams with such beauty and grace, managing to capture a mere photograph 500 meters away. Despite his emotions, Katai knows that it is a fruitless love, since he cannot talk with a woman save for his futon, Yoshiko. With his help badly needed, Atsushi suggests they find the woman and have Katai confess to her. Kunikida tells Atsushi that doing so might kill Katai, but the latter decides to ask the Agency to help him find the woman.

Higuchi wearily drives along the highway at night, but she suddenly stops her car after spotting Akutagawa from a distance clad in casual attire. As she devises a plan to offer him a ride home, she spots a woman approach him. Afterwards, they depart together, leaving Higuchi shocked. The following morning, Higuchi's sister enters her room to wake her up, only to find Higuchi dejectedly pondering about the woman's identity all night.

Kunikida and Atsushi search for the woman in an attempt to hand her Katai's letter of confession. Meanwhile, the dispirited Higuchi convinces herself that the woman must be an undercover assassin sent for an evil scheme, hence deeming it as her professional mission rather than personal curiosity to uncover the woman's identity. As she spots Kunikida and Atsushi with her binoculars, she finds it troublesome to come across the Agency of all times, especially when Mori has issued a decree for the Port Mafia not to antagonize them in the aftermath of the Guild war.

She then notices Atsushi holding a photograph of the woman, wondering why they are also searching for her. Kunikida suddenly appears behind Higuchi, asking if she has any business with them despite the détente ordered by their organizations. Determined to obtain any information for Akutagawa's sake, Higuchi begs the Agency to tell her what they know about the woman. Atsushi quips that they, too, are clueless like her, though they are looking for her to give a confession letter. Thinking that Atsushi shall confess to her, Higuchi realizes that doing so shall result to the woman "breaking up" with Akutagawa. Thus, she cheers for Atsushi with his bold move.

As they walk down the streets to look for the woman, Higuchi voices out her full support in Atsushi's confession. Katai arrives correcting her, saying that he is the one confessing. Moreover, he tells Higuchi that he would never work with a mafioso even after his resignation from the Agency. Atsushi then spots the woman exiting a laundromat, much to the shock of the two. Higuchi decides to chase the woman, but she quickly runs away. To help the woman cross the busy road, Katai activates his ability on the traffic lights, plunging the vehicles in disarray. Katai and Higuchi remain steadfast to protect and eliminate, respectively, the woman they are after. As the woman reaches a dead-end alley, Katai and Higuchi reach her to see the woman with a ponytail up and putting on her mask, whom Higuchi soon recognizes to be Gin.

The four discover that Gin is Akutagawa's younger sister, making Higuchi cry out of relief. Kunikida asks what Katai shall do, knowing that he hates the mafia where Gin works. Nonetheless, Katai hands Gin his confession letter, with his feelings unchanged ever since he first saw her, when he understood the true definition of beauty, even if she belongs in the criminal underworld. Later, Kunikida and Atsushi listen to the wails of the rejected Katai back in his apartment. Kunikida tells him that he should have expected rejection, afterwards leaving him to spend time alone.

As they head back, Atsushi worries for Katai, but Kunikida assures him that his confession, though nonsensical, is a medium for Katai to move past his unrequited love for Gin. As a result, this catapulted himself to investigate and focus on the matter asked by the Agency. In the end, Kunikida sincerely thinks that Katai returning to the Agency would be a big comfort. Meanwhile, Higuchi asks Gin to call her as "older sister" as her superior, much to Gin's confusion.