What you're name ?

Chapter 26 The Most Magical Place on Earth

Made by @cataclysmiceve1 on Twitter!
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The rest of February passes quickly for Dazai, between midterms and planning his classes for the fall semester.

For Chuuya, it drags. He has practices, but now that he's finished his exams, school doesn't take up nearly as much of his time...And there are decisions to make.

Every time he's alone with Mori, the conversation goes to one of two things:

College, or the trial.

Chuuya doesn't really want to think about either. He's been accepted to Kyoto, Osaka, and Sendai—but he has no idea what he wants to study.

And the trial starts in 3 weeks.

But it's not the only issue picking at Chuuya's mind— a nd one of them is something he feels like he actually has control over.

He's standing at the sink, finishing washing up after dinner, when Mori speaks. "I called Fukuzawa today."

Chuuya tenses for a moment. "Did you?"

Before Mori can explain whatever it is—and Chuuya is sure it's about something he isn't ready to hear—he speaks first. "That actually reminds me: Elise-chan—her birthday is coming up, isn't it?"

Mori looks startled by the change of topic. "I—suppose it is, next Saturday."

Chuuya sets down the plate he's been scrubbing and turns around, "Are you going to take the day off?"

Mori's brow pinches with confusion, "Why would I?"

Chuuya's expression turns deadpan "That can't be a serious question."

"I highly doubt she'll want to spend the day with me."

"She's turning 12." Chuuya shrugs, leaning against the sink and crossing his arms over his chest. "She's just confused—it's not like she hates you."

The look on the doctor's face, so unsure and sad , makes Chuuya's chest ache. "Mori. She doesn't. And I can come too."

"At that rate, I could just let you two spend the day together," Mori sighs. "It's easier than dealing with the silent treatment."

Chuuya looks at the ceiling, gathering his patience. "Look—her parents got divorced, and her Dad moved out. She's lost, and she's pissed , but she doesn't hate you, she just knows that you aren't trying."

Mori turns his eyes down and stares at the table. "I did try. It's been over two years."

"...And if you love her, you'll keep trying until she comes around." That's what parents should do.

Well. That's what Chuuya assumes, anyway. Not like he's experienced it. He kind of tries to model his concept of an 'ideal parent' off of the brief, but vulnerable anecdotes Dazai occasionally gives about his mother.And apparently, she was an endless well of patience when it came to him.

"Did you ever even talk to her about the divorce?" Mori's expression isn't guarded, because he clearly wasn't expecting to be asked , and Chuuya sighs heavily. "Really?"

"Listen," Mori frowns, "it's not really something you can explain to a 9-year-old."

"She already knows that you're a workaholic. And she's 12 now—"

"I didn't leave her mother because of work. " Mori snaps.

Chuuya stills, obviously surprised.Dazai never said that Mori left her. He actually said it was the other way around."I didn't know—"

"It's fine." Mori wipes a hand down the front of his face. "It's not exactly like I wanted to make the real reason public."

Chuuya pauses, realizing he's eased into a deeper subject than he meant to. "If you don't want to talk about it—"