Atsushi walked in the aisles of the convenience store.
*FLASHBACK*
''Atsushi-kun, have you ever drunk coffee ?'' Dazai walked in front of Atsushi. ''No ,'' He's never drunk coffee, the orphanage he had been in didn't have drinks like that. ''Wait a sec ,'' After a while, Dazai came back with a cup in his hand. ''Try it ,'' Atsushi took the cup from him and sniffed the brown liquid in it, then he looked up at Dazai. ''Try it, you might like it ,'' Atsushi slowly approached the unknown liquid and took a tiny sip. His face immediately became a hilariously twisted one. ''It's sooo bitter !''
Dazai chuckled at his reaction. ''Take another sip ,'' This time, Atsushi looked at him doubtfully. ''Go on ,'' Dazai urged. He hesitated for a moment, then he did as he was told. That was unexpected, but his eyes immediately shone with excitement. ''Woww it's so special ! It was so bitter juz a second ago why is it sweet now ?! Some sweetness in bitterness, some bitterness amidst sweetness, such unique taste !'' ''See ? Now you like it ,'' Atsushi could wait no more, he started drinking up the entire cup. ''Hey slow down it's still hot !'' The coffee still had some white steam coming out of the surface. ''Ah--'' Now Atsushi could feel the pain. Dazai chuckled. ''Look at you, silly ,'' Atsushi blushed a little out of embaressment as he let out a nervous laugh.
*PRESENT*
Atsushi stood still and stared at the coffee machine. He smiled.
Dazai-san, you'll be fine, right ? There's so much you haven't taught me, so much I wanna try with you.
He could feel a sense of sourness at his nose. A tear rolled down his cheek, but he knew he had to be strong, that's what Dazai would want him to do. So he wiped it away and pulled himself together before leaving the store.
*
''Chuuya-san ,'' Atsushi handed the bottle of water to him. Chuuya took it, but he didn't drink, he only held it in his hand. ''A building ,'' Sitting beside Chuuya, Atsushi turned to look at him. ''Hm ?'' Chuuya was staring at the door before them. ''I was... I was on the phone with him when walking back home with the kids, then someone attacked us. The kids went missing when I woke up ,'' As he was telling Atsushi all that, his eyes were filled with nothing, or somehow depressed.
''... Dazai must've heard the explosion, so he rushed to where we were...'' Chuuya continued telling him about what happened. ''... He fell off a building... protecting Haruka in his arms...'' Atsushi's eyes widened. He knew Dazai was severely injured, but he didn't know what happened. Now that he did, he couldn't help but feel more anxious.
Fell--fell off a building ?!
Atsushi tried his best to calm himself down. He turned away and looked at the floor. ''Chuuya-san, Dazai-san will be okay... right ?'' Chuuya weakly nodded. ''Yeah, he will be okay, that's what I believe ,''
*
Chuuya sat beside the hospital bed. The room was quiet, except for Dazai's weak breathing.
*FLASHBACK*
''The patient's condition is not good. During the surgery, his heartbeat stopped for almost three minutes. Right now, he's still in a critical state ,'' The doctor paused. ''His condition hasn't stabilized yet, he's in a deep coma now and... I'm sorry to tell you this but he's probably never going to wake up...''
*PRESENT*
''You'll wake up ,'' Chuuya held Dazai's hand before his chest. ''You will wake up and prove the doctor wrong, I know you will ,''
*
''How's Dad ?'' Chuuya walked into Haruka's room. ''He's in a coma ,'' ''A coma ?'' Haku didn't understand the term. ''A sleep, a sleep so deep that we don't know if he'll ever wake up ,'' Chuuya could see the emotion in Haku's eyes, then he looked at Haruka. ''Is Daddy tired ?'' A question from a pure little girl. Chuuya smiled and put his palm on the kids' heads. ''Maybe, but he'll wake up some day ,'' ''Yeah ! Daddy will wake up, then we'll go to the theme park together again !'' Haruka cheered. Her words reminded them of the fun and happy memories they had the last time they went there. Chuuya nodded. ''Let's go home ,''
We'll wait for you, Dazai.
*
After they had reached home, their pet dog, Akiko, ran towards them, wagging its tail excitedly. Chuuya locked the door behind him, but Akiko stared at the entrance, still wagging its tail like it was expecting someone to open the door and walk through that doorway. ''Akiko ,'' Haku bent down and stroked its head. ''Dad's not coming home today ,'' Akiko whimpered and stopped wagging like it understood what Haku had said. ''Don't worry, he'll be back soon ,'' Haku comforted as he stroked its head graciously.
*
''I see...'' Kunikida muttered after hearing what Atsushi had said. ''Kunikida-san, we'll help Chuuya-san in finding them right ?'' Then Chuuya came in. ''How are the children ?'' Kunikida asked. ''The girl's hopeful, but Haku's still trying to get over what he saw ,'' Kunikida sighed before speaking. ''Atsushi's told us everything he knows, but we'll need more info on the two young men in order to find them ,'' Chuuya looked at him. ''You'll help me find them ?'' Kunikida nodded as Tanizaki spoke. ''Of course we will, for the kids--'' ''And Dazai ,'' It was Rampo, he didn't look at them, just staring at the floor.
The room fell into silence for a moment. Kunikida pushed up his glasses. ''Actually, I hope you can stay out of this, Nakahara, you'll have to take care of the kids alone and go to work, plus I'm sure you're gonna visit Dazai every day ,'' ''Yeah, leave it to us to find the bad guys ,'' Kenji spoke. ''We'll inform you when we do ,'' Tanizaki assured. Chuuya was going to insist, but then he thought for a while. ''Alright, I'll leave it to you guys ,'' Atsushi nodded with determination, so as the others.
*
After Chuuya had left the agency's office, he wandered about alone and ended up on a plain field. A clear river separating the other part of the city and the field he stood on. In the middle of it stood a huge tree with a wooden tree house fixed on it. Chuuya went and sat on the roof. He caressed the empty place beside him, lost in his thoughts.
*5 years ago*
After setting their empty lunchboxes aside, Dazai gently intertwined his fingers with Chuuya's, making the shorty blush a little while turning to look at the brunet. The light breeze sent the leaves on the tree rustling, yellow petals came floating down gracefully. Dazai leaned close to him. He gently pressed his lips against Chuuya's, and the ginger head did the same. They lived in the moment, a long, lingering kiss between soulmates before Dazai pulled away.
He looked Chuuya in the ocean-blue eyes with a tender smile, and spoke in a gentle, soft voice.
''Happy birthday, Chuuya ,''
*PRESENT*
Chuuya smiled softly at the sweet memory. Then he remembered what the doctor said. He shifted his gaze to the view before him. He didn't realize just how long he sat there, until the blue sky turned into a gorgeous mixture of pink and orange. It's really beautiful, full of hope, like it was reminding Chuuya to pull himself together.
Chuuya went on wandering under the dusk mindlessly, then he found himself at the main entrance of the hospital. He didn't know how he got there. Maybe deep down, he just wanted to stay with his brunet until he wakes up. ''Atsushi ?''
YOU ARE READING
Parted Entanglement { ⑤ }
Fanfiction''Haku, where are Dazai and Haruka ?'' ''I don't kno--'' A loud bang echoed throughout the empty place. Shoes scraped the ground as Chuuya backed away unnaturally. Tears rolled down Haku's cheeks, who covered his mouth with both palms. Both of them...
