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If someone asked one Dazai Osamu who Nakahara Chuuya was, he would immediately put an annoyed face. The scowl would make anyone flinched in fear. The annoyed face then morphed into a sugary smile—which temporarily rendering anyone into a short relief—before he docked the person asking to a trash bin and left while muttering about angry, small, annoying, unfashionable hat-rack disturbing his day even without being present.
If someone asked the people of agency who Nakahara Chuuya was, they would put a confused expression and said they knew no one by that name. Maybe Ranpo would know, but he was too lazy to listen, nevermind responding. However, if they were asked about a certain someone with characteristics of being small, angry, annoying, and unfashionable, they would immediately linked it to a person Dazai liked to mutter about with passion—in negative sense obviously—that they knew nothing of the said person name or face.
This was before Nakajima Atsushi joined the Armed Detective Agency.
# # #
If by any chance Nakajima Atsushi ever caught the name of Nakahara Chuuya and asked Dazai about this one person, the mentor would put his book of suicide-manual, displaying some sweet smile that chilled Atsushi to his spine. They would stare at each other without words, one in intimidating stare, while the other with intimidated stare. The mentee then would excuse himself as soon as possible in case he had incurred the wrath of the mentor.
If by any chance Nakajima Atsushi ever caught the name of Nakahara Chuuya and asked the people of agency about this one person, they would look at each other in confusion. If Ranpo was listening, he would answer that Nakahara Chuuya was one of the esteemed member of mafia. If Ranpo was not interested on the topic Atsushi had brought up, he would be snoring on his desk without a care to the world, and any answer of this Nakahara Chuuya would lose on Atsushi.
This was before the conflict with the mafia and the guild.
# # #
If any member of mafia ever uttered the name of Nakahara Chuuya, they would mention it in a reverie and respect. No one would seem to not know of him. Even Atsushi who was mostly clueless would catch the underline admiration on the utterance of said name.
If anyone ever mentioned Nakahara Chuuya to any member of mafia, some would put a frightened expression, others with solemn reminiscence, and selective few with serene fondness.
If mafia’s enemy ever heard the wind of Nakahara Chuuya, well, let’s just say this name brought great trauma for them.
In the underworld, not many people didn’t know of Nakahara Chuuya. Or so Dazai Osamu had told his coworkers in case they would face the bearer of an ability named The Tainted Sorrow.
Later when Atsushi mentioned Nakahara Chuuya to Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, truth to be told, Akutagawa put quite interesting expression—a spectrum of emotion ranging from being frightened to solemn reminiscence.
Later when Atsushi mentioned Nakahara Chuuya to Ozaki Kouyou, truth to be told, the woman put such heart-breaking expression—a spectrum of love that was shown through the ranging of solemn reminiscence to serene fondness.
One time Dazai Osamu mentioned the name of Nakahara Chuuya in front of the boss of Port Mafia. “Where was my favorite hat-rack?” he asked, looking around for some “hat-rack”.
The mafia’s boss was laughing so hard tears streaming down his face as the answer.
Some people had knowing look. Some people were confused.
For once Dazai was in the later category.
# # #
Atsushi found Dazai Osamu as quite forgetful person.
Sometimes his mentor didn’t remember some events that had passed.
Atsushi found Dazai Osamu as quite imaginative person.
Sometimes his mentor talked about some events that were never happened.
Ranpo told Atsushi that Dazai was fabricating reality.
# # #
Atsushi remembered that one time Ozaki Kouyou being held hostage by the agency.
“Oh, you meet Chuuya?” the executive of the mafia clasped her hand in delight, in a tone of entertaining a child. “How wonderful! I hope I could see him too, it has been years since the last time I see him.”
Atsushi also remembered that moment after the fall of the guild.
“Chuuya-san?” Akutagawa asked with scrunched nose. “You left Chuuya-san alone at the forest after he used corruption?” his voice sounded scandalized—no one blamed him though, Dazai had been out of line this time. “Could you be kinder to him next time, even if only in your dream?” he plead.
Atsushi also remembered that he never ever met this famous person even though he had heard of his name over and over.
Maybe because Ranpo could see the swiveling confusion and a dreaded suspicion on his face, and pitied him for it, the back-bone of Armed Detective Agency took a trouble to take a break from Kyouka’s welcoming party to approach him and whispered, “Don’t worry. Nakahara Chuuya exists.”
# # #
A long long long time ago, there was a partner dubbed as Double Black within the organization of Port Mafia. They were the strongest force the organization had, feared and respected by enemies and allies simultaneously. Unfortunately they must part way because one was assigned solo mission to foreign country.
While the other was missing, a tragedy fell on the half of the Double Black.
Time passed, the one who went never came back.
Both never came back.
THE END