Chapter Text
“You’re coming with me,” Kouyou told Chuuya on a warm summer morning in Yokohama.
Chuuya, still groggy from a late-night flight, wore a dark red band shirt and loose, ripped jeans, and his auburn hair put into a low messy bun. He laid on their couch, giving Kouyou a look that represented his sheer tiredness. His vivacious roommate, Kouyou, donned a light pink floral sundress, eagerly awaiting Chuuya's response, which remained elusive.
“Hirotsu from work canceled for tonight, you have to come with me instead. I paid 10,000 yen for these tickets, no way I’m going to let them go to waste.” She said, trying to sway him
“What concert is it?” The redhead asked, blue eyes flashing Kouyou’s direction
“It’s a musical.”
Oh great.
“Thanks for the offer, seriously. I would love to watch people make a total fool of themselves while on stage, but unfortunately, I’m gonna have to decline.” He replied, smirking.
In truth, Chuuya would do anything for Kouyou. They became friends in grade 3 and have become inseparable since. Their friendship was built on various joke marriage pacts, sharing crushes on the same boys and mutual family trauma. The two of them just got out of college in the Spring, Kouyou becoming a grade school teacher and Chuuya training to become a pilot. Their tight bond led them to share an apartment conveniently located in Yokohama, with Kouyou working in a nearby school district and Tokyo's airport, just a stone's throw away.
“You’re coming. Show starts at 7, be ready by 5:30.” She commanded.
“I’m already ready” Chuuya grimmaced at his roommate
“The actors might see you, you know that, right?”
“Another reason for me not to go.”
“I’ll take you out for dinner beforehand”
A pause.
“Deal”
꧁༒☬༒꧂
Navigating through the bustling crowd, the duo made a stop at a quaint convenience store. Amidst the shelves, Kouyou sought out the fresh flowers, eventually choosing a diverse assortment of roses—cream, pink, yellow, and a striking ruby red. Chuuya observed the eclectic bouquet as she placed it on the counter, confused about the purchase. They resumed their journey through the lively streets.
"Another hookup tonight?" Chuuya quipped sarcastically, genuinely curious about the floral motives.
"Very funny. No," Kouyou promptly dismissed.
"So, the flowers are for me? You're confessing your love tonight. Please don't. Save the embarrassment of rejection for both you and me," he teased.
She chuckled, "No, no. You'll see."
They finally got to the theater and were seated in plush red seats. They were placed first row in the center lower balcony, in which Kouyou claimed to be the perfect spot. They were surrounded by the scent of expensive perfume and cologne.
Chuuya had only seen one production prior to this one, where Kouyou played Babette in her high school’s production of Beauty and the Beast . He was always too busy to go out of his way to see any of the nearby productions, nor did he really care. He would hear all about them from Kouyou anyways.
The evening's performance was titled Moulin Rouge, unfamiliar to Chuuya but a favorite of Kouyou due to its movie adaptation. The set was a fascinating blend of bright cardinal with gold accents, adorned with large hearts in the background and a prominent sign proclaiming "Moulin Rouge." Crimson curtains hung above their heads like heavy eyelids. On either side there was a cherry windmill and an oversized elephant.
The color red seemed to surround him wherever he looked. The intimate setting, atypical for such productions. Chuuya hated to admit it, but it was already captivating.
“A romance...Really, Kouyou?” Chuuya remarked, his tone rich with skepticism.
She slightly smiled in response.
As the lights dimmed, the show commenced with a low instrumental, featuring two ladies in leotards who effortlessly swallowed swords.
Hm. What a way to start a show.
Then, a man took the stage, clad in a long navy trench coat. His brown, scraggly hair framed his face, and his presence caught Chuuya's attention. There was a captivating quality to him, as if it were his first time performing, despite repeated shows. His performance was raw. It was evident he absorbed the energy of the audience, and there was something in his eyes that proclaimed a natural affinity for the stage. He didn’t even need to say a single line.
Kouyou was right about actors being able to see the audience.
The man's gaze locked onto Chuuya for a lingering moment before he gracefully moved to the other side of the stage and disappeared. The subsequent flashy numbers failed to divert Chuuya's thoughts from the mysterious man. The longest ten minutes of his life were spent in the theater, eagerly awaiting the man’s return to the stage.
And eventually he did, not only that but it was made obvious that he wasn’t an ensemble member, but the lead.
Should have read the damn Playbill.
Once again, Chuuya was captivated by him. Each movement, each line delivered, resonated with an authenticity not many actors can show. And then he sang.
Shit. He’s good.
Chuuya almost wished he was bad at singing, just to make this person on stage seem at least a little bit more like an actual human being with at least some sort of flaws.
Time passes and intermission arrives too soon. Chuuya’s first instinct is to rummage through the Playbill.
“The main guy, the character’s name is Christian, right?” Chuuya questioned, flipping through the pages.
“Yeah” Kouyou paused, “He’s pretty good, isn’t he? I guess this is his debut, he hasn’t been in anything before this”
“Mhm” Chuuya murmured.
Christian…………………………………..Dazai Osamu
Satine…………………………………………Kyoko Minatozaki
Harold Zidler……………………………Yuzuru Tanaka
“Dazai Osamu…” Chuuya said under his breath. His name came out of his mouth almost a bit too seamlessly.
The lights dimmed once more, and the second act commenced. Chuuya watched intently on Dazai Osamu, his thoughts lingering outside of the musical.
Has he ever messed up a line?
Are those actual tears?
Is he into broke ginger guys who love to fly planes?
About an hour later, the show concluded, and the actors took their bows. Kouyou distributed roses to the people around them, presenting a red one to Chuuya. Uncertain of what to do, he glanced down at it, and then Dazai came out, bowing on stage.
“Throw it. It’s tradition” Kouyou instructed
“What?” Chuuya said and then witnessed the audience throwing various flowers onto the stage. It was beautiful—a cascade of yellows, whites, and pinks falling like a gentle rain. Instinctively, he threw his rose onto the stage.
He watched it as it delicately fell and as Dazai caught it in his hand. Dazai smiled at the rose and then up at Chuuya.
How the fuck did he know it was from me. Cocky.
The actors left the stage and Kouyou pulled Chuuya alongside her to get out of the theater. It was now dark out. The two managed through the crowd until they got to a barricade.
“What’s this all about?” Chuuya asked
“Stagedoor. It’s to meet the actors.” Kouyou responded
“No, let’s just get out.”
"Chuuya..." Her voice was commanding, making him hesitate.
Some actors and actresses emerged from the stagedoor, signing playbills and posing for photos with the theater-goers. It felt like an eternity until Osamu Dazai walked out, greeted by extra cheers compared to his castmates.
Chuuya observed closely as Dazai interacted with the fans. He stared at him, city lights shining on his face. He exuded charisma, offering compliments, expressing gratitude, and even going so far as to hug a few younger admirers.
It took ages for him to reach Chuuya and Kouyou.
"Oh, you, thanks for the rose!" Osamu Dazai exclaimed as he signed Kouyou's playbill, adding with a smirk, "Must have made your girlfriend here jealous."
"Not dating," they both said in unison. It was a familiar response, one they had synchronized to perfection after hearing the comment countless times.
"Hey, Chuuya, can you take a photo of us?" Kouyou asked. Chuuya obliged, grabbing his phone and snapping a quick photo.
"And would you like a photo as well?" Dazai grinned at Chuuya.
"I'll pass," Chuuya replied bluntly.
"Just let me take a photo," Kouyou interjected, taking the phone from Chuuya and capturing a shot of him with Dazai.
"Come and see the show again sometime!" Dazai called out as he moved on to the next group of people.
Will not be doing that.
꧁༒☬༒꧂
The two returned to their apartment, exhausted. Kouyou enthusiastically raved about the show, discussing the fantastic lights, vocals, and offering her own critiques.
Once her rant concluded, Chuuya retreated to his room. He kicked off his boots and sprawled on his bed, feeling the exhaustion of the day in his bones. He took a quick look at his alarm, to his right that read 1:15am
Just sleep.
…
Realizing that sleep wasn’t going to quickly come to him, he grabbed his phone and scrolled on Instagram. Not to his surprise, Kouyou had already posted about the experience, the cover photo featuring her and Osamu.
What a fan.
…
Who can blame her.
A direct message notification popped up at the top of his phone. Expecting it to be from Tachihara or Gin, he was surprised to see it was a message from a profile he didn't recognize.
osamudazai
How did you enjoy the show?
I’m too tired for this shit.