The Last Maple Leaf Falls

Part 4

"Yes. Got it." Dazai put his phone down onto his lap, and stared at Chuuya, currently sleeping. It has only been A week, but Chuuya has been sleeping for 14 hours a day. The disease is spreading.

Dazai recalled his phone call with Mori.

***

"Do you have anything to do with Chuuya's disease?" Dazai summoned all of his courage to call his ex-boss. Even though he doesn't usually show it, Dazai finds it hard to communicate with the doctor, especially after his betrayal to the Port Mafia.

"Oh my. The youngest executive in the PM's history, Dazai-san , has decided to give me a call? How's Manchester, snowy, isn't it, even after the blizzard?"

"Please get straight to the point," Dazai bit his lower lip, "boss."

On the other line, Mori chuckled with amusement, "Now, Dazai. Calling me Boss again means you are serious. Unfortunately, I have no interest in fulfilling anyone's desire unless you are a young girl under twelve. Except for little Yosano kin, of course."

"Please leave Yosano- sensei out of this." Said Dazai, "do you know anything about Chuuya's mission?"

"Oh, yes I do. I made the Port Mafia's most prominent gifted go on this mission to earn the trust of DoA."

"Decay of angels? So they're behind all of this?" Dazai thought of Fyodor's stupid face when they were playing chess in prison. Who knew Fyodor would do something so cruel to Chuuya, his accomplice in the vampirism? Well, everyone would know.

"Thank you, Boss. No, actually, fuck you." Dazai hung up. The last thing he heard from the other line was 'I would prefer Elise-Chan'. Stupid pedo.

The moment Dazai hung up, Chuuya started to walk up. Dazai immediately threw the phone out of the room, causing a loud bang. The last thing Dazai needed was for Chuuya to be worried.

"Hey, Dazai... what's that noise?" Chuuya rubbed his eyes. After all of the sleeping from the past week, Chuuya was now less hot-headed, almost behaving like a tamed kitten.

Dazai put on his carefree face.

"Oh? Are you already hallucinating? I thought it's only a fever, Chu-Chu." Dazai had told Chuuya the lie that he had a fever. Knowing Chuuya, Dazai was sure he would accept that explanation.

"Pft..."

"Oh, and Chuuya. Kouyou-nee san just came by for a visit. She left a bento box for you, and she bought some wine from Yokohama. But you need to remember your alcohol restrictions. So no wine until you're well."

"Ane San came? You should have woken me up!" Chuuya yelled as he slid off the bed to grab his lunch. It's like this everyday. Kouyou comes by, drops Chuuya his lunch, and leaves.

"Anyways, I need to go out right now, I have business." Dazai stood up from his seat and headed to the door.

"Where are you going?" Yelled Chuuya, rice stuffed in his mouth.

"Goodbye!" Said Dazai. (The way he said it in Season 5, episode 8)

"I'll go outside to look at the leaves." Chuuya swallowed his bento and ran out of the apartment slowly. The maple leaves were crimson. But one particular leaf seemed to be too crispy.

"'Cause I want you to know..." Chuuya hummed softly as the leaf falls on his hat.

"...that the world is ugly..." Dazai watched as Chuuya petted the leaf off his hat from afar. He quickens his pace, but he needed to look at Chuuya's pale face. His only way to give himself determination. He's doing this for Chuuya.

"But you're beautiful to me..." Chuuya sang quietly before coughing.

There was blood on his napkin.

Dazai ran.