Parted Entanglement { ⑤ }

Chapter 7

''No... no no Dazai !!'' Everything was fine a second ago, but then the monitor started beeping. Dazai's heart rate went down, then it became zero, along with a continuous long beep as flat as the line on the monitor. ''Dazai ! Dazai stay with me !'' The doctor and the nurses rushed into the room. ''Clear !'' The doctor used the defibrillator after making sure no one was in contact with the patient. ''No... No...'' Chuuya couldn't believe what was happening. Atsushi fell on his knees. ''Dazai... san... ?'' ''Time of death, thirteen forty thre--''

''DAZAI !!'' Chuuya sat up, he was panting, his shirt was wet with sweat. He looked around, it was his dimly lit room. ''Papa ,'' It was at this moment that Chuuya realized the kids by his bed. ''Haku ? Haruka ,'' ''You kept yelling Daddy's name ,'' Haruka said. ''Are you okay ?'' Haku asked. ''Yeah, yeah, sorry to wake you ,'' Chuuya's still panting slightly. Then they got on the bed with him, Chuuya looked at them, confused. One of them climbed over to the other side of him, now each of them at one side, with him in the middle. ''We'll sleep with Papa ,'' Haruka said as Haku nodded. Chuuya smiled and laid back down. ''Thanks, you two ,''

*

Chuuya didn't say anything. He was just looking at the brunet in silence, one of his hands holding his, whereas the other fiddling with his brown hair. The nightmare from the night before flashed through his mind. He gripped his brunet's hand tighter, then suddenly Chuuya felt something move in his hand. ''Dazai ?'' He got no response in return.

Maybe it's juz my illusion...

Then he felt it again. This time, he was sure it wasn't illusion. Dazai's eyelids moved a little, then he opened his eyes weakly, like his eyelids were weighty. Those hazel eyes Chuuya missed so much came in sight. ''Dazai !'' Chuuya stood up.

It's not a dream right ?! No, it's not. He's awake, he's really awake !!

Chuuya couldn't hide his grin, he was so happy that after five whole months, his brunet finally woke up. Those half-open hazel eyes looked weak, they met with Chuuya's blue ones. ''Hey, hey, Dazai can you hear me ? Hold on, I'll call the doctor ,''

*

''Chuuya-san ! Is Dazai-san really awake ?!'' The agency members came. Chuuya leaned against the wall outside the room. He didn't look at them, he merely gave a nod as a response. ''Nakahara, what's wrong ?'' Kunikida saw his face, Chuuya didn't look as happy as he thought he would. On the contrary, he had a glimpse of disappointment in his eyes. ''He doesn't remember anything ,'' Rampo frowned slightly. ''That's normal, people usually forget what had happened before they got severely injured ,'' ''... I mean he doesn't remember anything at all ,''

*FLASHBACK*

''Hey, hey, Dazai can you hear me ? Hold on, I'll call the doctor ,'' Chuuya turned around to leave the room when he heard a soft, weak voice. ''Who... are... you...'' Chuuya could feel his heart skip a beat. He looked back. ''... What ?'' Dazai looked at him. ''Who... are you ?'' Anxiety hit him. ''I--I'm Chuuya, don't you remember me ?'' Dazai slightly frowned. ''... Who ?''

*PRESENT*

Chuuya's words sent a moment of silence in the air. ''... How is he ?'' Yosano asked. ''Resting inside. I've asked the doctor, he said that he's not sure if his memories will come back ,'' Then Kunikida spoke. ''Have you told the kids ?'' Chuuya shook his head. ''I don't know how to tell them this ,'' Atsushi raised his hand. ''Can I go in ?'' Chuuya nodded. ''Yeah ,''

Atsushi went into the room with the others behind him. Dazai was sitting with his back leaning against a pillow placed against the headboard. ''Dazai-san, how are you feeling ?'' Dazai looked at them, his eyes seemed like someone who was looking at strangers, it felt distant. ''Is Dazai my name ?'' Atsushi smiled at him. ''Yeah, Dazai Osamu. My name's Nakajima Atsushi, we're colleagues in the Armed Detective Agency ,''

''Are you all my colleagues ?'' Dazai asked. Atsushi nodded, then he gestured to Chuuya. ''Except for him. Chuuya-san's your husband, you married him seven months ago ,'' Dazai shifted his gaze to Chuuya, he looked lost as he stared at the ginger head. ''So I'm a detective, and you're my colleagues, and he's my husband...''

Kunikida walked forward. ''I'm Kunikida, your partner ,'' ''The doctor of the agency, Yosano ,'' The members started introducing themselves to him. ''My name's Tanizaki, and this is my sister Naomi ,'' ''I'm Kenji !'' Kenji chirped behind Tanizaki. ''Rampo, and this is our chief ,'' They were friends who trusted each other, and yet they had to introduce themselves all over again like it's the first time they met. It felt weird, but Dazai losing his memory was also a heartbreaking fact.

''Are we close ?'' Dazai tried to understand more, then Kunikida rested his palm on Dazai's shoulder. ''You've just waken up from a five-month coma, take it slow. You should take some rest, we'll head back first, and we'll tell you more about us some time ,'' Before the chief left the room, he turned around and spoke. ''Don't feel stressed, Dazai. It's okay even if you don't remember, we'll help you ,'' The agency members went out.

Dazai stared at the closed door, then at Chuuya. ''You're... Chuuya ,'' Chuuya looked up from the ground. ''You really don't remember ?'' Dazai kept quiet, he looked down looking sad and disappointed at himself. Then Chuuya sat down on the chair. ''How are you feeling ?'' ''... A lot. I don't remember any of them, I don't remember my own husband, I don't even remember myself ,'' Chuuya held his hand. ''It's okay, take it slowly ,'' Dazai looked at where Chuuya held him as he nodded, Chuuya saw that, so he withdrew his hand and smiled softly as he apologized. ''Sorry ,''

Dazai looked at him, he didn't mean it like that, he was just a bit caught off guard. ''I remember a red-haired guy resting his palm on my head. He told me to go back to where I was supposed to be at, but I can't remember who he is ,''

Red-haired...

''That's your good friend, Odasaku. But umm... he died four years ago ,'' Dazai nodded, disappointment visible in his eyes. ''Actually, we took in two kids more than a year ago, a boy named Haku and his sister, Haruka. But I haven't told them that you've woken up because...'' ''Because I don't remember them ,'' Chuuya nodded. ''Chuuya, can you tell me more ?'' ''Yeah, sure ,''

Chuuya told him about all sorts of things, about the agency, about the mafia, about their past, about the kids, about how he got into a coma, he told him a lot. Dazai pursed his lips, he looked down. ''I really don't remember all of this ,'' Chuuya smiled softly. ''Hey, it's fine, really. We can make new memories, what matters most is that you're okay now ,''

He's trying to comfort Dazai, but he himself felt down too. The man before him was the man he loved, but the way Dazai looked at him was different than before. Those same eyes, yet seeing him as a stranger. The eyes he once knew was no longer there, the Dazai he knew was no longer there.