human ~ dazai osamu

epilogue

Mori is quiet as he flickers his mauve irises towards his subordinates standing before him. Five days had passed since you graduated, and no one had heard a single whisper from – or even about you. It was if you had fallen off of the face of the earth.

Chuuya stands with his gloved hands held behind his straight back, as do the Black Lizard Group next to him, patiently waiting for orders from their leader.

Hiding to the side of the Mafia Boss' desk, a discarded newspaper, with the headline:

'YOKOHAMA HIGHSCHOOLER GETS HIGHEST NCT GRADE IN 16 YEARS.'

An unnecessarily large amount of text following the headline, and your high school ID picture in a small box on the front page.

At the back of the room, Elise reads a picture book, her hair had been plaited into two, she wore her usual crimson dress with striped stockings, but the young girl was frowning in sadness and disappointment as she clutched onto the children's book – a bag of sweets on her left, untouched.

In the past five days, whispers and mutters of your betrayal had penetrated the walls of the Port Mafia offices, the red head tried his best to ignore them, but Chuuya knew in his chest that you had left for good.

He doesn't blame you, in fact, if he were ever to see you again and you were to apologise for leaving without a trace – he would forgive you.

The executive knew the person you were, and he knew that this was what you had to do.

Though it didn't hurt any less.

That's why, when Mori gave the order to search your apartment and bring you back dead or alive, he felt his chest drop in terror.

Beads of sweat started to form on his skin from the amount of control it took to not let his emotions show on his face.

"Yes boss." He replied in unison with the Black Lizards as he bowed, though he wanted nothing more than to dispute the order, asking Mori if he could just let you be.

He already knew what the answer was.
You were too good of a tool to let go.
You were either the Mafia's, or no one's.

So, he, Tachihara, Gin and Hirotsu make it to your apartment in the early hours of the afternoon. He had been here so many times it was as if it were muscle memory by now. He lifts his gloved hand to open the door, before he is stopped by a familiar voice to the side of him.

"Sir." Hirotsu starts. "Perhaps we should go first?"

Chuuya looks back, almost startled, this is how every mission such as this one was usually conducted, the Lizards, or lower ranking mafioso's would charge first – not the executive. He clears his throat, trying to maintain his composure.

"Ah yes, of course." He nods, before bracing himself for the break in.

He was afraid that you would be in there, that you would be caught by one of their stray bullets, or worse – dragged back to the mafia, by himself of all people, and kept in the dungeons where you would be used only when needed. A part of him wanted to know where you were, so he hoped you were behind the door so he could protect you once more, but it was overruled by a need to maintain your happiness.