Withering moon lit rose

Chapter 38

Atsushi had been crying as he hugged Dazai. He didn't want to let go, he didn't want to leave, Dazai was someone he considered family. He'd only ever found one and he didn't want to lose it. But Nakajima didn't give him a choice. He pulled himself away from Dazai, confusing the elder slightly.

"I have a favour to ask. You can refuse if you want." Dazai gripped Atsushi's shoulders and forced him to lock eyes with him.

"I'll do it. Whatever it is, I'll do it. I've failed you, and I promise I'll do whatever I can to help." Atsushi nodded before presenting him a letter.

"Another letter? Who's this one for?" Atsushi smiled lightly.

"It's for Ryuunosuke. But I think it's selfish to give him this one." Dazai nodded in understanding. He'd gone through the same thing with Chuuya. They had to let them go for them to be able to live their lives.

"I don't even know why I'm giving it to you. I was gonna throw it away. But I have a feeling you'll know what to do with it." Dazai nodded and took the letter hiding it in his pocket. Atsushi then continued to speak.

"Now the favour I asked. Can you make sure nothing happens to Ryuunosuke and Kyoka? I know it's a lot to ask for and you don't even like Ryuunosuke that much." Dazai laughed lightly at Atsushi's words but quickly regretted it from the pain in his chest.

"Atsushi, I've never hated him. I just always assumed being cold to him would help him grow better as a person. I was very wrong about that. But I will assure the pair of them will be safe. I mean Chuuya is Akutagawa's mentor, I doubt he'll be getting away from him anytime soon." Atsushi gave a light laugh and nodded in agreement.

"But Atsushi promise me something." Dazai spoke in a serious tone.

"Hmm?" He questioned.

"Look after yourself. Don't let anyone change you." Atsushi nodded sharply.

"I promise." Dazai then hugged him. A single tear fell down the elders face, Atsushi never saw it.

The cold wind broke Dazai out of his trance in recalling his old memory. He stretched his arms and began to walk away. Akutagawa was stuck staring at the letter in his hands. Should he read it shouldn't he. He was unsure. But before he could come to a decision he heard a window be thrown open.

When he saw Atsushi drag Kyoka out the window and began racing down the street of Yokohama, he took that as a good reason to follow them.

They appeared to run for a long time until they ended up along some old warehouses on the port. Akutagawa had managed to follow them without any problems. They were now both inside a warehouse. Akutagawa had managed to climb into the eaves of the building undetected thanks to his Rashomon.

Atsushi had forced Kyoka to sit in a corner as he paced back and forth.

"When can I go home?" Kyoka questioned. It had been half an hour and she was starting to get hungry.

"You can't. You heard too much." Kyoka slammed her fist against the ground in annoyance.

"Could you at least get me something to eat?" She had started to become a lot more childish in the last three years. Atsushi sighed before turning to leave and locking the door behind him.

Akutagawa began to lower himself from the eaves as soon as Atsushi left.

"Took you long enough." Kyoka whined as she stood up and dusted herself down. Akutagawa rolled his eyes in annoyance. She was never grateful for rescues from him.

"So will you please explain why you and Atsushi are in this old abandoned warehouse?" Kyoka shrugged her shoulders.

"Not really, I heard him mumbling something. He then said I couldn't leave because I heard too much." Akutagawa thought over her words for a second.

"What did you hear exactly?"

"Soft? Assassin? Mother? That's it." Ryuunosuke thought over the words for a few moments. Assassin? Mother? Forbidden mention of his mother? Ryuunosuke started to put some puzzle pieces together but all he'd managed was that there was the possibility of Atsushi's mother being an assassin. Which didn't help explain the situation more. He was about to ask Kyoka her opinion on the situation but he could hear the lock on the door being opened.

He quickly shot Rashomon up into the eaves and pulled himself up to disappear once more. Kyoka sat herself down to make it look like she hadn't moved. Atsushi slammed the doors open and quickly made his way to Kyoka shoving the food into her hands.

"Here. Take it." Kyoka opened the package expecting some cheap street food. But was shocked to find some crepes. She immediately dug into them, and Atsushi sat himself across the warehouse. Making it look like he wasn't watching her but had a slight smile on his lips while watching her eat the crepes with such joy on her face.

Of course she loved them. It was her favourite, a peaches and cream crepe. (This is not canon, I just thought it'd be her favourite as it's really sweet)

After downing the thing quickly she looked at Atsushi. His eyes looked different somehow in contrast to the past month. They looked lighter somehow...

It took her a couple of seconds but something dawned on Kyoka.

"How did you know to get that specific crepe?"