The Interloper

Chapter II: In for a Punishment

She got dressed and went out to find him, but to her surprise, it was actually him who found her. 

The moment she got out of her room, in the upper floor of the café that served as a small house with two rooms, she found Dazai in the hall, standing next to the café owner. 

"D-Dazai-san? What are you doing here?" She remarked in a state of confusion without taking much time to think before she speaks. Dazai tilted his head slightly to the left. "Why the surprise? I'm just visiting a friend." 

"Oh it's so good to see you finally came across someone you know. Maybe now you'll be able to remember something about your past. Isn't that right, Dazai-kun?" Said the shop keeper. "That's right, Obachan." Answered Dazai. 

A subtle hint of terror suddenly engulfed Stratoula, as if she was being stalked by a graceful and elegant predator, pouncing on his toes, eyeing his prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. 

"Ah." Uttered the shop keeper, breaking the silence. "Where are my manners? I'm gonna go make some tea." "Thank you, that would be most wonderful." Said Dazai. 

The two of them stared in silence for a bit before Stratoula took the initiative to talk first. "What are you doing here, Dazai-san?" "Where were you going, Sawako-chan?" "Just wanted to take a walk." "Well, I apologize for interrupting it." 

"Well, I suppose there is a good reason for doing so?" "Well, I am an old friend who just learned that apparently his dear friend lost her memory and is now lost. What better reason than that?" 

Stratoula was now assured that he indeed was on her tracks and knew more or less what happened. He practically confessed it. 

"Please, come inside, Dazai san. I've already been rude enough by keeping you in the hallway." Dazai slowly approached without breaking line of sight and gently reached out a hand to caress her chin. "Oh, you've been a very rude girl indeed. And rude girls deserve to be punished, yes?" 

The same feeling of excitement with surges of terror engulfed Stratoula. His dominative aura and gentle touch confused and heightened her senses to newfound intensities. 

As their faces came closer, she started feeling his body heat close to hers. Or was it just her body heat increasing? Was she blushing? Could he notice? This line of thinking only made her blush more, which Dazai found amusing. 

His hand slowly spiraled down from her chin to her neck, then slowly, carefully, intimately, closer to her chest, giving her enough time to react in case she didn't want this.

Light-headedness was already overwhelming Stratoula. She felt weak to her knees and her crotch was starting to itch.

"Sorry for the wait." Said the shopkeeper coming up from behind the hall and bringing tea. Dazai quickly and naturally jumped back to a neutral position and placed a pleasant grin on his face. 

They all sat in Stratoula's borrowed room as the shopkeeper placed the tea cups on a small table in front of them. Stratoula was sat next to Dazai while the shopkeeper was on the opposite side of them. 

"So, you are Sawako-chan's friend, right? Why don't you tell us a little bit about her? Maybe it will help her remember something about herself." Said the shopkeeper. 

"Well, you could say she's a fan of travelling. In fact, she's come a long way to get here in the first place." 

And now Stratoula's thoughts were confirmed. She thought he probably knows that she is the anomaly he's been looking for and he somehow already knows at least a part of what happened to her. 

Perhaps this is his way of telling her to surrender quietly. Or perhaps he just wants to toy with her. One can never know with Dazai. 

"Yeah. Truth be told, you both don't look much like locals." Said the shopkeeper and let out a chuckle.