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|| June 19th
It was any normal day, there wasn’t anything particularly special on June 19th. Atleast, that’s what Osamu believed.
Dazai had never believed birthdays were all that big of a deal. “What’s the deal with the day one was born?” He’d ask himself often.
Since it was the “usual” day, Dazai got up from his bed, changed into his clothes. And went to the Agency’s office.
Upon entering the office, no one was in sight. Not Ranpo or Yosano, Kunikida or Kyouka, the Tanizaki siblings, Kenji, and not even Atsushi, who usually were the first person to greet him.
“Hellooo? Is anyone here yet…?” Dazai asked aloud, searching for anyone in the building.
The bandaged man began to frown a bit at no one responding, and he went to the corner at which his desk was. Except, it was occupied.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!” All his friends suddenly yelled. Everyone who he’d been searching for were hiding at his desk, planning to scare him as he walked over to begin to work.
“Happy birthday, Dazai-san!” Tanizaki and Naomi said cheerfully while laughing.
“HA-PPY BIRTH-DAY, DA-ZAI-KUN!” Ranpo said loudly with a grin on his face.
Followed by Yosano wishing him “Happy Birthday,” with a soft smile.
“Happy birthday!!” Kenji said happily.
“Happy birthday,” Kunikida spoke to Dazai calmly, a small smile tugging on his visage.
Kyouka walked up to Dazai, who was still quite in shock. “Happy birthday,” she said quietly while handing him a small chocolate cake. Dazai took the cake a placed it on a nearby table.
Atsushi walked over and smiled brightly at Dazai, “Happy birthday, Dazai-san! Thank you for everything!” The weretiger said in a grateful manner.
Dazai stood still, his face expressionless. Everyone peered at him, wondering if something was wrong. Then, Osamu began to laugh.
“Hahaha! I can’t believe you all!” Dazai said while wiping a tear from his eye.
Osamu’s eyes wandered around the room, then at his desk, as he saw a big box with Christmas wrapping paper.
Ranpo, who noticed this, explained. “The Agency only had Christmas wrapping paper, and your gift came in only last night, we were slightly rushing for the wrapping.” He said with an akward laugh.
“Go on, would you like to open it?” Kunikida asked Dazai.
Dazai nodded eagerly, and walked over to his desk and picked up the gift.
As he began to unwrap it, everyone began to giggle quietly, Dazai grinned at their laughter.
“Let’s see!” The bandaged man said excitedly, he gasped dramatically upon seeing the present.
He picked up his gift and held it up to admire it better, “You can’t do a double suicide by yourself.” He said, reading what his present said.
It was a poster in an elegant frame.
He began thanking his friends while holding it up like a small child.
“I’m glad you like it, Dazai,” Kunikida said, smiling.
Dazai nodded, and a genuine happiness that the Agency had never seen peeped through.
They then put a candle on the chocolate cake, lit it, and told Osamu to make a wish.
Osamu smiled, and he walked over to the cake, blowing it out.
Naomi peeked at Dazai’s glistening eyes, “What did you wish for, Dazai-san?”
“That’s a secret, Naomi-kun!” He said cheekily.
——————
|| Closing time.
It was time for the Agency to close, and everyone was to go to their homes.
Everyone said goodbye, and wished Dazai happy birthday once more as they left.
And just as Osamu was about to leave, Atsushi stopped him.
“Dazai-san!” He said.
Dazai turned his head, his eyes having more of a twinkle than usual.
Atsushi gave him two letters, “I wrote you a letter! And so did Kunikida-san but he was too embarrassed to give it to you himself.”
Dazai smiled, “Thank you, Atsushi.” Osamu spoke while ruffling his kouhai’s hair.
Dazai then left, and got back to his home.
———————
|| Dazai’s home
Once Dazai arrived to his home, he changed into some comfortable clothes and layed on his bed, flat, the envelopes in his hand.
He began to open them carefully.
(“ Dear, Dazai.
Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me. I will never be able to repay how you saved my from potentially being sent to jail, I’m forever greatful. And that time you saved me from Akutagawa. We would have ended up killing eachother otherwise, heh. Either way, thank you Dazai-san, for everything you’ve done for me.
-Atsushi Nakajima”)
Dazai stared at the letter, reading it over and over again. He felt… Pride. The boy felt as if he’d done well for once.
Osamu then opened the letter from Kunikida.
(“ Dear Dazai,
As much as I am embarrassed to write this, I will. Everyday is a bright day with you here in the Agency. No matter what you’re doing, you’re always the main source of the energy we need. Although you may be a slacker at times, you truly are amazing. You better not bug me about this tomorrow, okay Dazai? I hope you had a good birthday, we will all be here with you untill you’re next one.
- Doppo Kunikida”)
Dazai reread the letter over and over, not really believing that Kunikida would say things like that about him. After ten minutes, he started to cry. “People really do care…” he thought.
After laying down for a while longer, he got up and hung his new picture up on his wall.
“You can’t do a double suicide with just one person,” he whispered with a grin as he read the poster aloud once more.
———————
|| 11:56 pm
Dazai didn’t want the day to end. He didn’t get many days where he was truly happy these days.
Osamu Dazai had never like his birthday, but now, just maybe, he did.
He picked up his phone, checking the time, 11:58pm.
He closed his eyes as he sat against his bed.
Suddenly, his phone rang. Osamu immediately rushed to pick it up.
“H-hello?” He said across the line.
He heard a familiar laugh, “Happy birthday, Osamu.” The person on the other end said.
Dazai grinned, “Happy birthday to me indeed, Chuuya.”
12:00 am, June 20th.
Osamu Dazai’s birthday had come to an end.