Soukoku Mini Stories

That summer day, we built a sand castle Together. (Story 36)

Dazai and Chuya (Age 12):

The ocean waves were clashing together creating a beautiful sound, Dazai was sitting under a nearby tree by the ocean. He was reading a novel minding his own business and enjoying the summer environment around him, kids playing on the beach laughing their hearts out, people swimming in the ocean, and the birds flying above him. Dazai took a break from his novel glancing above him and hearing a flight of birds, he smiled to himself and went back to his novel, until he noticed a lonely kid around his age was sitting under an umbrella by himself in the sand.

Dazai raised his eyebrow, did this kid not have any parents, friends, or siblings? Dazai hesitated on going over to the mysterious boy and eventually, he gathered up the courage to make a move. He put his novel in his book bag and walked over to the boy under the umbrella. "Hi, I'm Osamu Dazai, what's your name?" The boy looked up at him, "Chuya Nakahara." He replied coldly, "Are you waiting for someone?" Chuya looked away letting a heavy sigh escape his lips, "No, I am here by myself." Dazai frowned, "Oh, you shouldn't spend this nice day alone." Chuya looked over his shoulder, his blue eyes meeting Dazai's light brunette eyes.

"You wanna hang out with me?" "Yeah." Dazai paused and looked around spotting a food truck nearby, "Are you hungry?" Chuya nodded his head in response, "Let's go get a treat." Dazai extended his hand out, Chuya hesitated at first, but he took Dazai's hand. Dazai led them to a food truck. "What do you want to eat?" "Uh...A cherry fruit ice pop please." "Cool, okay I'll try the strawberry ice pop then." Dazai smiled and paid for their ice pops. They both left the food truck with fruit ice pops, both of them enjoying their treat. 

They sat under the umbrella, "What's in your bag?" Chuya asked, Dazai licked his ice pop before answering, "Oh, it is a book bag. I carry my books in here. Do you like to read?" "Not really, I don't own any books." Dazai smiled, "I'll you can have this novel. I've read this about fifty times." Dazai chuckled, Chuya almost choked on his fruit ice pop, "I can't accept that!" "You can." Dazai smiled finishing his ice pop, he grabbed his novel out of his book bag and handed it to Chuya, "Please read it, it's an amazing story." Chuya looked at Dazai and then at the novel, he took it from his hands reading the summary on the back of the book. "Wanna build a sand castle?" Dazai suggested, a smile forming on his lips. "Oh, sure." Chuya returned the smile placing the book next to his grey jacket in the sand.

The two of them started building a sand castle with their bare hands. Chuya ran back and forth to the ocean scooping water up in his hands and returning it to their castle. The sun started setting behind the buildings in Yokohama, the sky created a pastel art piece. Chuya and Dazai were laying on the sand out of breath, "What do we name this castle?" "Hmm...What was your novel's name?" Chuya looked over at his friend, "One with clouds and wind." "Hmm, what about cloud castle then?" "Sure."

Dazai smiled at Chuya, and Chuya returned the smile. "I'm gonna use the bathroom super quick, ill be right back." Chuya laughed, "Okay don't piss your pants." Dazai got up from the sand heading to the restrooms, once he was out of sight, Chuya got up from the sand rushing over to his grey jacket and novel. He put his jacket on and held the novel close to his chest, "I had so much fun with you, Osamu Dazai." Chuya smiled to himself, his cheeks getting flustered, he picked up his feet and started running out of the beach area. 

Dazai walked back to the beach, "That line was so long! I'm so sorry-" He only saw his and Chuya's sand castle, "He left?" Dazai frowned kneeling next to their sand castle, "Till next time Chuya Nakahara." Dazai went back to the umbrella spot and watched the firework show. A tide washed up on shore destroying their sandcastle.

Dazai and Chuya (Age 15):

"Let's spilt up Hirotsu and search for clues about the previous boss." "Alright, shall we report back here when we finish our searches?" "Yeah." Dazai left to begin his search, "And this boy was the one who witnessed the previous boss's death." Hirotsu shrugged off his thoughts and started his search. Dazai sighed not finding a single clue, "Man this sucks!-" Out of nowhere, a person forcefully kicked Dazai's back sending him flying into a shelter house. He choked out blood, as the mysterious person pressed his shoe against Dazai's stomach.

"You're from the Port Mafia eh? I didn't know they were hiring kids, pfft pathetic." "You're a kid yourself you know." Dazai's eyes found a blue sheep gang bracelet around the boy's arm. "You are a sheep member?" "Yeah? So what?" "Then, that means your Chuya Nakahara right? That also means you're the 'king sheep'." Chuya hissed under his breath pressing his shoe down harder on Dazai's stomach. 

"Wait, Chuya Nakahara?" Dazai looked at the male head to toe, the memories flooded back into his head. "You are stupid-" "We meant before!" Dazai exclaimed, "Huh? No, we haven't-" "Yes we did! It was a few years ago! On the Yokohama beach, you were under an umbrella, we got ice pops together and built a sand castle together." Dazai paused, "I gave you one of my novels...Shit, I forgot-" "One with clouds and wind." Chuya finished the sentence. "You're...Osamu? Right?" Chuya questioned, "Yeah! Osamu Dazai! I didn't expect to run into you like this." "Me either." Chuya chuckled and took his foot off of Dazai's stomach, he extended his hand out to him, "I know a nearby arcade, wanna go?" Chuya offered.

Dazai smiled taking Chuya's hand, "Of course." Chuya helped Dazai up, he dusted himself off, "So, did you read the novel?" Dazai asked, "Yeah, it was surprisingly good." The two of them headed to Chuya's favorite arcade, and they played games for a couple of hours. Eventually, the sun started to set and the stars came out filling the sky with their light. Dazai and Chuya finished their final matchup, "Damn it! You are a cheater." Dazai stuck his tongue out and pushed open the arcade doors for Chuya and himself. "I'm just naturally good, duh." Chuya hissed under his breath, "This was fun, let's do it again sometime-" Chuya grabbed Dazai's hand, intertwining their hands together. "What about tomorrow? I won't leave like that day on the beach. I'll keep my word this time."

Dazai looked at him and smiled, "Sure, I'm sure the boss won't mind if I take a day off." Chuya smiled and his cheeks blushing. "I'll see you here then." "Yeah, ill see you!" Dazai waved heading back to Hirotsu, Chuya stood by the arcade, "I still feel guilty for leaving you that day on the beach."