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"I do so hate to leave early—"
"No you don't!"
"—but alas, I have a prior engagement for the rest of the afternoon~" Dazai continues on as if Kunikida hadn't interrupted him, smiling and immediately dashing for the door. Kunikida reaches out to grab him, but Dazai dodges, for once, which probably means he actually does have an appointment to keep, but... Still! At least once a week, lately, he's been skipping out on work to just... Go wherever he's been going! Ranpo doesn't seem worried - or even like he cares - so it's probably not something dangerous or bad, but still! It's even worse if he's just slacking off to go on a date with some woman, lest he try talking her into suicide! No, even if he doesn't, he shouldn't be skipping out on work so freely...!
Kunikida has to know. For the sake of the agency's honour, he has to make sure Dazai's not off doing anything skeevy...! But, well, he can't leave, himself... His schedule is so much easier to follow when Dazai isn't constantly harassing him... "Atsushi-kun!"
Atsushi practically jumps out of his skin. "Uh, yes, Kunikida-san?"
"Go after that charletan and make sure he isn't besmirching the agency's name!"
"Um... Okay." Kyouka stands up along with him, which Kunikida doesn't protest; they make a good pair and it's a slow day anyway. "We'll be off, then."
"Good luck," Kunikida says, sincerely, because he knows tailing Dazai probably isn't the easiest thing in the world, but hopefully they can catch up to him and keep an eye on him. Atsushi's heightened senses should be extra good at that, and Kyouka's good at sneaking, so they really are the perfect pair for the mission.
Ranpo snickers at the head of the room, but refuses to answer any questions when pressed.
- - - - -
Atushi really doesn't want to be doing this.
Especially with that little snicker from Ranpo! He clearly knows what Dazai is doing, and clearly doesn't think it's a problem... Then again, Kunikida and Ranpo's definition of "problem" is pretty different... Atsushi does understand Kunikida's worries, but... It's kind of nice and quiet when Dazai leaves? Not that there's even much work to do lately, but it's still easier to focus when Dazai isn't around?
... Oh, and Dazai's privacy or whatever, that too.
It's embarrassing, being made to use his enhanced senses for something like this, but... Well, they do help, and he's setting off shortly with Kyouka, nose guiding them. He hasn't even gone that far, is just standing on a nearby street, seemingly... Waiting for something? Or someone as it turns out, a few short seconds later, a motorcycle pulling up just in front of him.
Kyouka startles - rare, for her - at the sight of it. "Ah..."
Atsushi glances down at her, worried, but quickly looks back up to Dazai and the stranger as Dazai puts a helmet on and shamelessly clings to whoever the driver is. "Do you recognize that person?"
"It's Chuuya-nii-san," she says, quite matter-of-factly.
It takes a few seconds for the name to click in Atsushi's mind. "Wait, the Nakahara Chuuya?!" The one he'd been warned about?! The Executive who's even more dangerous than Akutagawa?! The bike speeds away just as Atsushi's about to jump out of the shadows, "Should we be stopping them?!"
Kyouka hesitates, then shakes her head. "No... They used to be partners. Chuuya-nii-san complained about him a lot... But if Dazai-san's comfortable with him like that..."
Atsushi falters in return. Nakahara Chuuya, one of the most dangerous - if not the most dangerous, according to how Dazai made him sound - people in the Port Mafia... Making off with Dazai... Atsushi knows Dazai isn't betraying them or anything, Ranpo wouldn't have just snickered it off if he were, so they must not be exchanging information or anything, or at least not any sensitive information, but... In that case, what are they doing?
"Well... We should still go after them, right? Just to see what they're doing, not to interrupt or anything. Just in case. Right?"
Kyouka seems thoughtful, then nods slowly. "... Okay."
Unfortunately, with it being the middle of the city, Atsushi can't just turn into a tiger and run with Kyouka after them, and Atsushi's not exactly carrying enough for a taxi, so... "... Hopefully they didn't go too far."
Kyouka nods, solemn, and follows along with him.
- - - - -
"You know they're going to follow us, right?"
"Eh~ Chuuya, don't be so suspicious~"
"It's not a matter of 'suspicion', I'm just telling it like it is."
"Atsushi-kun is a good kid, he wouldn't want to invade my privacy like that!"
Chuuya raises an unimpressed brow, giving Dazai a flat look for a few seconds before returning to his pasta. Despite Dazai's protests just now, Chuuya does know Kyouka and that other kid - Atsushi, apparently - are going to follow them, which is why he was merciful to them and picked somewhere nearby for dinner. Dazai may be the kind of ass who would purposefully pick somewhere far away just to play around with them, but Chuuya likes Kyouka and doesn't want to put her through that, so here they are.
Dazai hums. "Well, I'm surprised you're letting them find us~"
"Aren't you the one at more risk than me? They're your co-workers."
"It'd be bad for us both if your boss found out!" Dazai chirps, rather cheerful despite the words. "But Atsushi-kun and Kyouka-chan are good kids. They'll keep it to themselves. Ah, though if you're worried about it, you could always bribe them with dinner."
"I just said that you're the one who should be worried, not me." A pause, then, "... But I'll buy Kyouka-chan dinner anyway. Ane-san would flay me if she found out I had the chance to but didn't."
"But not Atsushi-kun?"
"Your protege, your problem."
Dazai whines, but Chuuya glances off to the side; there's a brief little flash of red ducking into an alley. Chuuya snickers. "Well, they're here. I'll leave dealing with them to you, then."
Which makes Dazai whine even louder, but Chuuya kicks him under the table until he gets up, crossing the street with blatant disregard for traffic, making Chuuya roll his eyes.
It's decent enough pasta, though, so he returns his attention to his plate until the three of them are headed back across the street, properly at the light this time.
Atsushi looks sheepish, Dazai's still whining, and Kyouka seems... Maybe a little embarrassed. Chuuya smiles at her and pats the seat next to him. "Hey, Kyouka-chan. Come eat dinner with us."
Dazai flops into the seat to Chuuya's other side, then gestures to the last chair for Atsushi. "You too, Atsushi-kun! Ah, but Chuuya won't pay for you, so be careful what you order."
Atsushi now mostly just looks bewildered, overwhelemed at the strangeness of the events, but takes the seat. "Uh... Nice to meet you, Nakahara-san...?"
Chuuya scoffs, amused. "Bet you didn't think you'd meet me in a situation like this. What did shithead Dazai tell you?"
"Um... Just to come join you, and that I'm not in trouble, he's just disappointed in me?"
Chuuya kicks Dazai under the table again. "Oh, so you don't know why Dazai and I are here, then."
"No."
"We're on a date." No point in beating around the bush. Seeing Atsushi get even more flustered and move to get up from the table, probably about to excuse himself, Chuuya waves him off. "Relax, it's fine. Dazai's right, I'm not buying you dinner, only Kyouka-chan, but you don't have to leave. I know you've probably got a lot of questions, but aim them at Dazai later, because I won't answer them. Clear?"
Atsushi nods, looking almost automatic. "Ah, okay, Nakahara-san."
Dazai whines again, finally interjecting loudly enough that Chuuya can't ignore him, "Chuuyaaaa, you're rich, you can feed Atsushi-kun too!"
"I can, yes," Chuuya agrees, and doesn't continue. Atsushi glances away, looking decidedly uncomfortable to be overhearing their bickering. Chuuya snickers at him. "You should be used to this from him by now, shouldn't you? Dazai's the whiniest brat in the universe."
Atsushi nods again, then flusters when Dazai turns that pout on him instead. "Well— sorry, Dazai-san, but Nakahara-san isn't wrong..."
"I bet he still slacks off all the time and makes work difficult for everyone, huh? You probably didn't even want to come after him, since he's been fine every other time he's left early." Chuuya starts taking a sip of his water as he hands Kyouka the menu to let her order.
"Well, he's had a limp once or twice, but..."
Dazai turns his head away, trying not to laugh, and Chuuya nearly chokes on his water. Setting the glass back down, Chuuya's quiet, and Dazai takes a few seconds to compose himself before answering, "Right, right. Walking's been really difficult, sometimes~!"
Chuuya smacks him in the arm. "Shut up, you."
Atsushi blinks, then seemingly puts two and two together, because his cheeks practically explode in a blush. "Ah... On second thought, Kyouka-chan, let's let them enjoy their date in peace, hm?"
Kyouka lifts her head from the menu, blinking owlishly at him. "... Can we get crepes on the way back?"
Chuuya, apparently willing to let them go this time, pulls out his wallet and hands Kyouka way more money than a crepe costs. Atsushi practically salivates at the amount of meat that one ten-thousand yen bill can buy. "It's on me. It was good to see you again, Kyouka-chan. If you ever need anything, just let me know."
"Okay. Thank you, Chuuya-nii-san." Sliding out of her chair, she gives Chuuya and Dazai each a polite bow, which Atsushi hastily mirrors before leading her out.
Chuuya sighs once they're gone. "... You're the worst, you know that?"
Dazai preens. "Chuuya's the one who always makes me too sore to walk~"
"Because you always goad me into it! Ugh, you know what? Shut up and eat your meal. You're sleeping on the couch tonight."
"Ehh!"