Double Black

i'll save you, no matter what

Dazai was walking down the streets of Yokohama with his loyal protégé when he got the call. The day was beautiful; the sun was shining high up in the sky, and the streets were busy as usual. Dazai was quiet familiar to this scenery. After all, he has lived in this city for over two decades now. It's home, even though the lights lining up the streets of the city have witnessed several unspeakable things that the detective has done in his past. 

There are several secrets from his past that his current co-workers don't quite know. Dazai doesn't mind if they know, but he's reluctant to open up those old stitched wounds. There's no reason to bring them back up. His past remains a secret between him, his past self, and people he used to be associated with in said past. But the city knows. The trepid silence in the air, the lifeless vacant walls that line the streets, the soft footsteps against the concrete that never die. Yokohama will always know his secrets. 

But, despite that he lives here still; has his whole life here. His friends, family, his hobbies (places for suicide attempts, obviously). Anyway, Dazai was having a wonderful time walking with his apprentice, annoying him as usual.

Atsushi, the weretiger, asked cautiously, out of nowhere, "Dazai-san? Can I ask you something?"

Dazai tilted his head as he faced the younger boy, "Hm? Sure. Can't promise I'll answer, though."

Before Atsushi could voice his question however, Dazai's phone lit up with a phone call. The latter didn't know what to expect but he gave his colleague a wry smile, "Looks like your question will have to wait, Atsushi-kun."

Dazai then went ahead to answer the call, "Hello? Akutagawa? Why, you haven't called in a while."

The ex-Port Mafia executive fell silent immediately after the last word. He listened to the speaker on the other end of the call carefully, which happened to be Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Dazai's former apprentice. Dazai seemed to be listening to him quite carefully, which surprised and kind of scared Atsushi at the same time; after all, Dazai has always been fleeting to whatever Akutagawa had to say.

A minute or so later, Dazai spoke again, and this time the tone of his voice truly scared Atsushi. His voice was dead silent and lacking any sort of energy or emotion when he spoke to the caller again, "Alright. Be quick."

Atsushi wanted to ask his mentor about the call; he really did. But he figured it'd be a bad time to ask the question, and hence he remained quiet. Dazai on the other hand turned back to the direction they'd come from effortlessly. Atsushi followed his lead without question, of course.

Dazai requested in an usual soft, dreary voice as they back towards the Agency, "Atsushi-kun, call and let Yosano know that she should be expecting a patient and his accompaniment from the Port Mafia, will you? I want them to be treated immediately without any hassle. That's an order."

Atsushi couldn't help but wonder who the patient was as he made the call to Doctor Yosano. In his one year of working at the Armed Detective Agency, he's never seen his mentor act so serious. He's usually playful, and joking about everything. He isn't even serious during missions. Something serious must have happened for him to act this way, Atsushi told himself. 

The two of them reached the Agency in five minutes, considering Dazai had sprinted half the way here. They were greeted by the concerned, confused and suspicious gazes of their co-workers as soon as they burst in through the agency door.

Dazai asked immediately, "Are they here? Where are they?"

Kunikida-san beckoned in the direction of the Agency's infirmary, "In the infirmary with Doctor Yosano. But Dazai, what's..."

Dazai ignored his half-formed question as he all but raced towards the infirmary, the weretiger hot on his heels. Atsushi didn't really know what to do, but he wanted to be helpful, so he followed his friend. Dazai opened the door of the infirmary and walked in briskly without an invitation.