Soukoku One-Shots

Tales of Mystery and Imagination

Alternate Universe

"Welcome everyone to Tales of Mystery and Imagination! I'm your host, Ranpo Edogawa, and today I'm joined by four stars of the newest TV series, Double Black." Applause erupted from the audience as Ranpo turned to the people sitting across from him with a winning smile. "Why don't you all introduce yourselves? Let's start with our leading roles."

"Chuuya Nakahara. I play Kashimura." The man sitting closest to the audience, wearing a wine-red silk shirt and black slacks, tossed his hand up in a lazy wave, sporting an easy, devil-may-care smile.

"And I'm Dazai Osamu, starring as Tsushima," Dazai grinned, leaning toward Chuuya to wave to the cameras and Ranpo before winking at the audience.

"Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Niihara." A predictably curt and to-the-point reply from Akutagawa, who was seated between Dazai and Atsushi, the final guest.

"I'm Atsushi! Nakajima," he added with a sheepish chuckle. "I play Hashimoto!"

Ranpo grinned at the guests. "Welcome to Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Poe and I are excited to have you with us this evening." Everyone looked to where Ranpo's eyes had trailed, behind the set to a tall man with a raccoon on his shoulder, holding a clipboard and waving awkwardly at the cameras that were now pointed at him. "Now then, you're all here to answer a few questions about yourselves and the show, and then we'll play a game! How does that sound?" A collective nod from the guests. "Excellent." Ranpo glanced down at his clipboard, narrowing his eyes. "Question number one: how does it feel to be the biggest actors of the year?"

"Fucking fantastic," was Chuuya's reply as he leaned back in his chair with a wolfish grin. "We worked our asses off to get here and it's pretty damn great to see it paying off."

"The slug can speak for himself," Dazai waved a hand. "I practically floated into success."

"Arrogant bastard."

"I think it feels pretty surreal!" Atsushi butted in in hopes of cutting off his co-stars and their endless arguing. "I never thought I'd get to this point and being able to be a part of something so incredible has been a really unique experience."

"Oh, look at my protégé! Speaking so sagely—I couldn't be prouder," Dazai sighed, pressing a hand to his chest and shaking his head fondly. Chuuya elbowed him in the arm.

"Akutagawa? Anything to add?" Ranpo arched a brow, smiling faintly with an amused gleam in his eyes.

Akutagawa stayed silent for a few moments. "It's strange to be recognized in public."

A pause.

"Well, I suppose that's what we should have expected from you," Ranpo grinned. "Now, next question. How similar are all of you to your characters in the show?"

Dazai was the first to answer this time. "I'm quite different, I'd say," he chuckled. "Tsushima is much more somber and gloomy than I am, though I suppose our views on death aren't too different."

"Is that so?"

"Well, I have no desire to die," he shrugged, "but I'm not scared of it, similar to the way Tsushima isn't either."

"They're both still assholes, though," Chuuya butted in with a frown in Dazai's direction.

Atsushi leaned toward Chuuya slightly with a worried look on his face. "Nakahara, you aren't supposed to curse, remember?" he whispered.

"Oh shit, I forgot," Chuuya blinked, before realizing his mistake and letting out a small chuckle. "Whoops. Sorry about that, Ranpo."

"Don't worry about it," was the gracious reply.