human ~ dazai osamu

22 : if looks could kill

A/N: this chapter and the following one will be a 'flashback chapter' meaning it's some background on the character of Y/N and it will be in third person throughout :) also thank you all for being patient with my uploading schedule hehe the last months have been chaotic to say the least :')

WARNING: MENTIONS OF BULLYING AND SELF HARM IN THIS CHAPTER (as usual i will put a warning before it is mentioned :))

~

You remembered that it was a summer's day.

The prickling heat of the sun's rays were harsh upon the delicate, young skin atop of your scalp. Your mother's fruitless scolding reached your ears as you once again lifted the pink bucket hat off your head and tossed it to the sandy floor, unaware and unbothered by the fact that later that day your scalp would be peeling and stinging from sunburn. But it wouldn't be the heat rash that was the cause of your tears that summer day, something much more painful and upsetting would break its way to the surface as you play and laugh in the playground, on that one summer's day.

~

It's July, the sound of cicadas and the leaves of trees rustling fill the air. The joy-filled laughs of two young girls can be heard by everyone in a half a mile radius as they giggle and snicker, chasing after each other with twigs from a nearby tree. The pair run in circles around the playground, taking the role of either 'chaser' or 'runner' – essentially it is a game of tag, with sticks as added props to serve as swords – as you'd expect from six-year olds. The current runner was a small girl with short, messy H/C hair and E/C eyes that shined as she giggled, jogging away from the other with her arms flailed upwards.

Haru was a lot taller than the other girl, she had long, straight baby pink hair that reached the small of her back and perfect, round, sapphire eyes. The two chuckled once more as the runner leapt from Haru and wobbled on her left foot as she pivoted.

"How's Y/N-chan doing these days, Kimiko-san?"

The two mothers of the girls were sitting a few metres away from their daughters, basking in the summer sun's warm rays. They chuckled together whilst watching the children and made simple conversation to pass the time.

"She's well, Shota and I have noticed her talent for problem solving and he believes Y/N may well be a successful scholar one day at the University."

"Oh, how promising!" Yashiro Tsubaki, the mother of Yashiro Haru, smiles, bringing her pink painted nails up to her lips as she does.

"Mmh." Kimiko grins back with her mauve eyes shut. Her lips pull into a frown, however, as she glances towards her daughter, her E/C eyes shining brightly as she laughs towards her friend. "She's been having attacks of sudden unconsciousness recently..."

"Ah, yes, Haru said Y/N-chan fell asleep during class the other day." Tsubaki tries to stifle a small chuckle but Kimiko doesn't notice, she continues to gaze towards her child.

"Ougai says it might be narcolepsy, though she has no other symptoms of such disorder..." the dark-haired woman seems to be in deep thought as she brings lavender nails towards her chin, the paint matching her dull eyes as she basks in anxiety.

"Kimiko-san..." Tsubaki furrows her eyebrows in concern, leaning towards the woman, tilting her head slightly to try and see her expression.