ᴡᴇᴀᴋᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴠᴇɴɢᴇᴀɴᴄᴇ | ᴅᴀᴢᴀɪ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ✔️

Epilogue

Your POV:

The brain cells that died, you never knew what they were responsible for, not until the day you tried to enter Dazai's mind again five months after the coma.

After being inspected by the doctors, their final guess was that the brain cells that died were responsible for the skill.

You wanted to see Hotaru again and see all of the memories Dazai had of him. He went unconscious with some drugs, so you began trying. And it didn't work.

You weren't sure if it was because of his nullifying skill, so you wanted another volunteer.

At first, everyone was hesitant, and you were not going to blame them because entering someone's mind sure sounded scary. But only after a few days, a nurse volunteered to be the test subject since she had no skill.

But manipulating her, entering her mind, it didn't work. You learned that your skill was the one to disappear, it took days to take it in.

。。。

"The wind, it's chilly now," you looked up at the sky. "It sure is, fall should be ending by now," Dazai replied next to you. You warmed one hand in your pocket while the other hand was intertwined with Dazai's in his coat.

It had been a year... and you fully recovered eight months ago.

It was the same day a year later that a dear friend told you to live for him.

Both you and Dazai strolled on the path next to the tombs going toward that friend while stepping on the crunchy leaves like little kids.

"Here we are," you said, pausing in front of one of the tombs. His name was imprinted on the stone. Kenta. You kneeled, placing the flowers along with a can of his favorite instant ramen. "He was a ramen fan." Dazai stated, waiting for your approval. You hummed in agreement.

"He knew all types of instant ramen. Since his work had to do with sitting in front of the computer monitor all day, instant ramen was his best friend," you said. "In fact, he can advise you on the best instant ramen that would suit your taste," you continued, laughing at the thought.

The laughter then gradually died and only the sound of the wind filled the place around you. "This... this was his favorite; sweet chili ramen with cheese," you concluded, that smile never leaving your face.

A few people passed by both of you. Their sounds fading in the wind as they walked farther away. "I never wanted to live, never thought there was a chance to do so outside of the Jackals," you started, feeling Dazai's presence behind you.

"But... he told me to live for him, I knew fate would choose only one of us to continue, but he gladly chose me to live on," you tucked your hair behind your ear and pulled out your phone.

"My old phone was destroyed by the jackals, and all of the traces that I had of him were destroyed as well,"

"But..." you said, dialing a number you could never forget. "His voice message could be the only thing that there is about him now," you explained, a neutral expression on your face.

You pressed on the 'call" icon, but it didn't even ring.

"The number you're trying to call is incorrect," "this can't be," you said, closing the line and calling again.

"The number you're trying to call is incorrect,"

Before you could call again, Dazai placed his hand on your phone, so you gave up to the truth.

The last fragment left of Kenta was gone.

"It's gone..." you muttered, looking back at the gravestone. Dazai knew that look, the look of shock mixed with hopelessness.

The look of realizing the reality you were living in. "I don't think that's how Kenta wants you to remember him, Yn-san," Dazai said, breaking the silence as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders.

You both looked down at the tomb as Dazai realized you needed what could revive your memories of Kenta.

Like he needed it when Oda unexpectedly left this world.

"I did lots of searching, but Kunikida investigated more than I surely looked for, but here," Dazai stated, pulling something out of his other pocket. Your eyes followed his hand as he pulled a blank paper, he then handed it to you.

You flipped it to see what stole your breath away. "Where did you find this?" you asked, hands shaking as you looked down at the high school picture.

You and Kenta stood with hands wrapped around each other's shoulders, doing peace signs, wearing graduating capes.

"Being from the Detective Agency, we have the right to look into private data, so we looked up data on your school, the year you were graduating and requested access to all the photos and videos that were recorded that year," he explained while you stared at your faces in the pictures, the happiness that you both pretended to wear that day.

Because both you and Kenta were no longer minors that day and Hina knew you were ready to take orders from her. School was like an excuse for Hina not to kill you if she wanted.

Still, you were happy to have something of Kenta with you from that moment on.

"That's not all," Dazai continued, interrupting your trailing thoughts. You looked up at him to see his gaze locked on something behind you,

Or someone.

"Nakahara...san," you muttered, looking at his small figure that levelled you exactly. He pulled down his hat and placed it on his chest. It was when his eyes met yours.

"I could never forgive myself for what I could have done the day I questioned you," he started, his voice low and guilty. "You did what you were told to do, Nakahara," you reassured him, knowing full well that feeling that lingered in his chest.

"Thinking of Hotaru's face when he realizes what I was doing; threatening you, almost... killing you there," he continued, lost in his own memories. "I should be the one apologizing, Nakahara," you interrupted, walking toward him.

"Manipulating your memory, I know how traumatizing that could be," you said. You tilted your head, looking closely at his face. Your mind flashes back to the day he questioned you. "I definitely deserved it," he let out a small laugh.

"You sure are a softie when it comes to Yn," Dazai commented behind both of you. You saw Nakahara's expression change as he yelled at Dazai, making you laugh. "Ehh! You're the one to talk to, Mr-overprotective boyfriend!" He nagged.

"Enough now Chuuya, give her what you have," Dazai redirected the talk back to him.

You were lost, so you looked back at Nakahara, who had another photo in his hand. "Before he disappeared without a trace, Dazai, him, and I went to the amusement park," he explained, flipping the photo the other way.

A picture, of them; Nakahara, Osamu, and Hotaru.

"This was the last time I remember spending proper time with him," he said, pulling another photo.

It was the photo booth stand that takes three photos in the amusement park. They all looked pretty young and happy. Dazai later pulled another photo, making them three.

In Nakahara's photo, they made peace signs. In Dazai's photo, they were making funny faces. In yours, they were just laughing, making it the last photo of the three.

You smiled, then placed it inside your pocket.

This feeling,

It wasn't grieving,

What is it then?

Yes...

Acceptance, accepting fate... and learning that life can give second chances.

The end.