Soukoku Mini Stories

The red String. (Story 14)

This is a Red String AU, In this story, Dazai and Chuya are in middle school (aged 14). !!

The red string of fate. As the myth goes, there's an invisible thread connecting you and your soulmate, only able to be seen by the 2 of you, no one else.

Dazai's POV(Age 14.):

For years, all these kids around me had the red strings, even teachers and school counselors. Where is my red string? Am I not loved? Will I die alone? I rested my head on my arms and cried in my bed over the thought of being alone for the rest of my life.

3rd person point of view, the next day(Age 14):

Dazai woke up the following morning with red puffy eyes and dark eye bags. He got up looking at his fingers. No red string. A sigh escaped his lips as he got ready for the school day. He wore the school's uniform and bandaged his right eye, arms, and his neck. He sat down at his desk, opening up his journal. 'Day 260 of no red string.' He grabbed his journal and his bag heading to school. The school bell rang for lunch, and the spring air breezed in Dazai's pure brunette hair as he grabbed a book off his desk heading outside with the rest of the children. He sat under the large oak tree and read his book. Kids were running past him playing games with their friends, eating lunch, laughing, and enjoying their lives. The school day came to an end, and Dazai reached his abandoned home.

He got into his small bedroom and sat at his desk doing his homework for his history class. A couple of hours passed by, and the moon was now shining over Yokohama. Dazai let out a yawn finishing the last of his homework. He closed his book and noticed a red glowing color on his finger. He looked down, the ring finger on his right hand was glowing. Dazai's brown eyes widen, "Is it my soulmate?" Just as the words left his mouth the glowing disappeared, and nothing was on his finger, no red string. He sighed getting into his bed, he looked at his hand. "Was it real, or was it a fluke?" He eventually ended up falling asleep with that question on his mind.

The school bell rang, and it was lunchtime. Dazai grabbed his book and headed to his usual spot. As he was walking, he felt a 'tugging, pulling' feeling. Dazai looked at his hand seeing a red string form, his eyes widen as his eyes followed the red string trail, it led to a small ginger kid running with his friends to the field area. Dazai felt his body moving on its own, he started walking toward his potential soulmate. The group of kids got to the field, "Let us play freeze tag! The winner gets the loser's lunch!" A kid said, "You're on!" "Chuya should be it!" "Yeah Chuya!" Dazai sat on the grass nearby the group of kids, he pretended he was reading his book, but he was looking at his potential soulmate.

He looked down at his hand, the red string was still there. The kids were running around trying not to get tagged by Chuya. Chuya ended up tagging everyone within a few minutes. "Haha! I am victorious! Suck it!" Chuya stuck his tongue out as the kids were all out of breath. "Okay...we will give you our lunches. Let's go guys." The kids walked to get their lunches, and Chuya was following them. They walked past Dazai, "Do you have lunch kid?" Chuya stopped in his tracks looking down at the lonely kid in front of him. Dazai turned his head looking up at the boy, "Uh, no I don't." "Well, these losers are giving me their lunches, come you can get one." Dazai got up following the ginger boy, his hands were stuffed in his denim grey jacket, Dazai wondered if that's how he didn't notice the red string yet.

"What's your name?" "Osamu Dazai, what about you?" "Chuya Nakahara." They both sat down at the picnic table as the losing kids gave Chuya their lunchboxes, Chuya gave a lunchbox to Dazai. He accepted and they ate together. "So you are good at history? You understand the jackshit we're learning?" Chuya asked eating a turkey sandwich, "Yes, it is quite easy, to be honest." "Tch, not for me. I'm failing the class." Chuya laughed, "How are you failing? That's-" "Because I'm not smart in that subject." "Let me help you then. I'll tutor you after school." "Really? Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure, after class come to my place. I'll help you." Chuya got flustered and smiled, "Thank you Dazai. You're something." Dazai smiled and continued eating. The school bell rang and Dazai was waiting in front of the school for Chuya. Chuya walked out of the doors waving to some people, he spotted Dazai and waved to him. Dazai smiled and waved back, "Sorry, did I keep you waiting? My bad my friends have a game tonight." "No, I wasn't waiting long." They both walked together to Dazai's place.

They arrived at a small single apartment, Dazai unlocked the door and they both walked in. They both lay on Dazai's bed, closely together. They read history books, and Dazai helped him with the homework. A few hours passed by, and Chuya grabbed his bag and books left. Dazai walked with him to the traffic light. "Get home safely." "Thanks, Dazai." Chuya waved and crossed the street. Dazai turned around running into a man in a doctor's uniform, Dazai's history book fell between the both of them. "Oh my, I'm so sorry, here let me get that for you." The man picked the book up giving it to Dazai. "Thank you." Dazai took the book back holding onto it. "Do you live in those apartments over there...alone?" "Yeah." "When was the last time you've eaten, a good meal?" Dazai raised his eyebrow, "Uh today I had a sandwich for lunch."

The doctor crouched down to the boy's height, "What is your name?" "Osamu Dazai." "Dazai, why don't you stay with me?" "I can't, I can't pay you rent I have no job." "That can be arranged, you can join me. What do you say?" Dazai thought for a moment and looked down at his hand seeing the red string. "I can't leave my soulmate. But, you're offering, I can't pass that up." The doctor got up, "If you change your mind, I'll be at Coco's Cafe tomorrow at four." The man waved to Dazai and walked away, soon vanishing in the shadows.

"Do you want a job?" "Hmm, yeah I get bored doing nothing all day." "This man yesterday, he offered me a job." "Oh? Did you take it?" Chuya looked at Dazai, both of them were in an empty classroom waiting for class to start. "No. I wanted to see if, you could work with me." Chuya raised his eyebrow, "I don't even know the guy though-" "He said he'll be at Coco's cafe after school. Wanna go together?" "Sure why not." Chuya smiled at Dazai, and Dazai returned the smile. 

The skies were blue and bright in Yokohama, the school bell rang dismissing the students, and Dazai was waiting for Chuya in front of the school. Chuya waved to his friends running towards Dazai, "Ready?" "Yeah, let's go." They both walked to Coco's cafe. Once they arrived Dazai pointed out the man he ran into yesterday. "May we join you, sir?" "Ah, yes please take a seat. My name is Ogai Mori." Chuya and Dazai sat down, "Nice to meet you, I'm Chuya Nakahara." Dazai grabbed Chuya's hand intertwining their hands together, "Let us get to the point. This is my soulmate, I am interested in what you're offering. But I can only accept if you let my soulmate join as well." Mori sipped his black coffee, "The more the merrier." Dazai and Chuya looked at each other smiling, "So, what's the job? When can we start?"

Current Day, (Age 23):

Chuya put his hand on the window looking out into the city. His arms were bleeding from his ability, and blood dripped down his chin. The red string around his ring finger. "Damn it Dazai."