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Chuuya had been thinking. If Dazai was there, he’d say “the chibi might combust with all that brainpower!”
However, that stinking mackerel isn’t here, and that’s what Chuuya had been thinking about.
That damn Dazai!
He’d left Chuuya with so many questions.
So many nights, saving him from suicide attempt after suicide attempt.
Chuuya wasn’t as stupid as everyone thought. Well, everyone looked stupid compared to Dazai.
He knew some of those attempts should’ve been unsurvivable. At the time, he’d just thought it was lucky.
He pushed it to the back of his mind, being satisfied with the fact that Dazai was alive.
But that one damn night! It kept him awake, the mackerel bastard.
After learning more about Arahabaki, he felt less like a human being. That probably also comes with killing people for a living.
But.
Dazai had said something that night that’d stuck with Chuuya ever since.
“I’m less human than Chuuya thinks.”
Chuuya knew that Dazai, in some ways, seemed more like a robot than a human, but he still bled red blood.
You know, as humans do.
Sometimes, he thought Dazai was being a dramatic son of a bitch. Just playing it up to “cheer him up” or some other. Which is odd for Dazai. If it weren’t for his melancholic tone, Chuuya would’ve thought he was being messed with again.
But less of his speculation, since he has to be at the agency in an hour to work with them.
For what, he has no clue.
But when he gets there, he notices the mackerel’s co-workers acting weird.
It’s the blonde one, and the scary doctor (who reminds him of his Ane-san).
He knows that the blonde one (he’s the one with the stick up his ass, right?) is Dazai’s new ‘partner’.
But for the doctor lady to be acting weird around Dazai means something is up. And Dazai’s medical history isn’t something to be messed with, not with all the suicide attempts.
So he walks up to her, to try and figure out what’s going on.
“Hey, I gotta ask, is there something wrong with Dazai?”
To Yosano, this question was shocking. She knew of Dazai’s past in the mafia, however, not of who he knew. And knowing Nakahara Chuuya is one hell of a ride.
But she wasn’t sure she could trust him. Yosano knew that Mori was still trying to get Dazai back in his grasp.
And, well, that’s Chuuya’s boss.
So, stiffly, she answers,”Nothing’s going on that I could tell you about. If you want answers, you’re going to have to get them from Dazai yourself.”
And wasn’t that just a pain in the ass. If anyone knows Dazai well (which they don’t, except maybe for Chuuya), then they’d know it’s hard to get the truth out of him.
Nearly impossible, actually.
So with that in mind, Chuuya decides to disregard it completely. And go talk to the ex- math teacher.
“Do you know what’s up with that shitty mackerel?”
And he gets a rather odd response.
First, a look of hauntedness passes over Kunikida’s face. That he then tries to hide, fixing his face to a (near) state of impassive recollection.
Then, he speaks.” Dazai is fine. If you have any issues with him, you may take it up with me, Nakahara-san.”
But this doesn’t fly over Chuuya’s head. He’s a mafia executive; he can tell when people are lying. That doctor was smart to not lie.
Kunikida’s tone betrays him; it comes out awkward and rehearsed. No doubt in Chuuya’s mind that that was something Dazai had probably said to Kunikida to keep him from spilling the issue.
A quick glance around the room let’s Chuuya know that nobody has heard them, and that same glance confirms that nobody else knows what’s going on.
Except that damn detective, who is now gesturing for Chuuya to come with him.
“I’m going to talk with Mr. Fancy Hat about our case over some cake, see you in a bit!” Ranpo exclaims, while glowering at Chuuya with those green eyes of his.
Chuuya directs Ranpo to the nearest shop of his choosing, after being told that ‘The Greatest Detective in the World’ cannot ride a train, nor read a map.
Ranpo orders a strawberry cake, but Chuuya wants his answers.
“What in the world is up with Dazai!”
Ranpo starts, “Look, it’s not my story to tell, and I’m not ‘supposed’ to know, since Dazai never told me, but he’s been hiding something big from everyone. And the only reason those two know about it is because they care too much. And Dazai never intended anyone to know.”
“But. They know, and he’s been trying to figure out whether or not to tell you, if you have the right to know.”
“And how come you know?”
“I’m the greatest detective in the world. Of course I know. He’s avoiding you because he hasn’t decided yet.”
And Chuuya hadn’t even told anyone that. That he and Dazai sometimes see each other around, and that they do their own Soukoku thing sometimes.
But it was true, that Dazai had been avoiding him recently. He wasn’t sure why, all he knew was that he was being avoided.
“And this secret is so important that he’d even bother telling me?”
“And if it was important to tell me, why didn’t he before?”
Ranpo snorts.
“When you two were in the Mafia together, did you think about your feelings? Of course not. But don’t worry. He’ll come around eventually.”
—-
Two weeks later.
Chuuya still hasn’t seen Dazai. He’s getting fed up.
When one is being kept from the truth, typically, they go stir-crazy. Everyone wants to know the truth.
So naturally, one Chuuya Nakahara was very easy to set off in this time period.
All of his subordinates, unused to this sudden aggression, were walking on eggshells.
Kouyou, being the (not really) omnipotent mother of the mafia, knew the reason.
(It’s because Chuuya rants in his office when he thinks no one is listening, but don’t tell him.)
On day fifteen of this madness, she sits him down.
“Chuuya-kun, you have to calm yourself down.”
“What do you mean, Ane-san?”
“Your issues with Dazai-kun are making your subordinates on edge. You’re quite aggressive, lad.”
“I suggest you try to resolve whatever issue it is with him this time sooner rather than later.”
“Yes Ane-san.”
And wasn’t that annoying. He knew that Kouyou was right, though he was NOT happy about it.
Later that day, Chuuya walked up to Dazai’s dorm.
“Hey Mackerel, you and I have to talk, and I’m not taking no for an answer!”
After a few minutes of waiting, the door opened, albeit slowly.
Dazai peeked his head out, and gestured for Chuuya to come in.
Chuuya knew this was serious. No taunts of his height, aggressive behavior, or brain power were uttered by the usually upbeat genius.
And wasn’t another indicator Dazai himself; he looked like a wreck. It was clear he wasn’t getting enough sleep, or food, considering he was skeletal and had dark under eye circles.
In a hoarse voice, Dazai grumpily replied,” What does Chuuya want to know?”
“What’s up with you and your coworkers lately? And what is this giant secret you’ve been keeping?”
He tried not to overwhelm Dazai, but he wanted answers.
So Dazai answers. He begins his whole spiel that he told Yosano and Kunikida. With the listening party sober this time, however.
And isn’t Chuuya shocked.
“But I thought you were just being dramatic when you said those things.”
Dazai snorted, but it was interrupted by his own throat giving out, in the form of spasming coughs.
“Dazai! Dazai! Are you okay? Oh shit!”
Is what he blacked out to.
When he came to, Chuuya was standing over him, and he felt cushioned by something.
When his vision refocused, he saw that he was on Chuuya’s bed.
“Hey Dazai?” “Are you awake?” Chuuya asks.
“Mmhm.”
That silence returns.
“Do you know what caused… that?” Chuuya hesitantly asks.
Dazai gestures for a pen and paper. Chuuya pulls one out.
‘The book. It was trying to make itself less known, by making me unable to speak.’
‘It has sentience, as well as some level of control over my actions. For example, only under certain circumstances can I leave Yokohama.’
‘I’ll probably be able to speak in a day or so.’
“Then rest. I’ll tell your doctor lady you’re out sick, so stay here and rest.”
‘Fine.’
Maybe, maybe just one day the curse that befalls him may end.