Double Black

dazai-san's soulmate

This world has always had the concept of communication with your fated soulmate by writing on your skin.

It was simple enough. Whatever you write on your skin shows up on your soulmate, exactly at the location where you wrote it. For example, if you write it on your right wrist, it will show up on your soulmate's right wrist.

Now, nobody knew how exactly two people are designated as soulmates. It was completely random. Fated, as some would say. 

It was, of course, easy enough to find your soulmate, as one would expect. After all, one can start writing to theirs as soon as they learn how to read and write. Sometimes, paired soulmates live thousands of miles apart. But they can also be neighbour. It was fate; who knows how it works honestly?

Once you meet your soulmate, there's no rule as to what happens next. It's common practice to be romantically involved with your soulmate, but some choose not to do so, opting to find someone they actually love instead. Most people just end up falling in love with their fated person anyway. 

One random day, the topic of soulmates was brought up amongst Armed Detective Agency members.

It was Kenji who first mentioned it, a part of his usual musings, "I wonder if everyone has a soulmate? Could there be someone who doesn't have one?"

Kunikida, who was writing in his journal nearby, looked up, "Studies show that 95% of the population have confirmed soulmates. As for the other 5%, it is theorized that their soulmates just choose not to respond. Or maybe the inked part of their skin is covered, and they fail to see it."

Tanizaki asked curiously, "How long do the inked soul messages last?"

Kunikida shrugged in response, "An hour, maximum."

Yosano raised her eyebrows at the ginger male, "You've never talked to your soulmate?"

Tanizaki shook his head, "Not really. I didn't feel the need to reach out, and they didn't either. Why, have you, Yosano-sensei?"

Yosano stared off into space for a second, deep in thought, before facing her co-worker again and responding with a light laugh, "I have. Don't ask who it is; I'm not gonna tell you."

Ranpo, bored of the book he was reading, decided to join the conversation, "Lame! Well I'll have you know that I've spoken to mine and we've decided to remain anonymous to each other for the time being. It's, of course, so I can continue to work here with no unnecessary hassles."

Kenji nodded sagely, "I agree! I know a lot about mine, and we've met a few times too! She's from my village. But we chose to stay friends."

Yosano nodded at him in approval before turning to the idealist in the room, "Kunikida-kun, what about you?"

Kunikida simply pushed back his glasses, "I have chosen to avoid contact with them for four more years."

Yosano snorted, "Of course. I'm not even surprised. Atsushi, what about you?"

Atsushi, startled at being called up suddenly, replied hastily, "Oh! No, I haven't spoken to them. I tried to reach out but they never wrote anything back."

Before anybody could say anything else, Dazai, the great nuisance, walked into the room.

He took a look at the sight of all his co-workers assembled near Kenji's desk and grinned at them, "Good morning, fellow detectives. What are we talking about today?"

Kunikida muttered under his breath, "It's afternoon, you lazy bastard."

Of course, everybody ignored that. Atsushi proceeded to answer his mentor's question, "We're all talking about soulmates, Dazai-san."