*•.¸♡ ʙsᴅ ᴏɴᴇsʜᴏᴛs ♡¸.•*

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa | The Park

You were at a park when you saw a man in all black, he was sitting on a bench coughing and muttering to himself when you walked over

"And dazai is probably.." he trailed on. Your eyes widened at the mention of your ex

"Hey excuse me." The man in black jolted in his seat, with a bewildered look on his face.

"What?"

"You know dazai?"

"What of him?"

"I hate that man"

Your statement made the man's eyes widened

"What? Why"

"He doesn't know how to love, he's only good at abandoning you and betraying you, if I where you I'd forget about him"

The man's eyes softened at your words, almost as if he could resonate with them.

"Why are you telling me this?" His voice was cold, mean, and sharp, but you ignored that.

"I'm not sure, I just wanted to warn you."

"I don't need your help."

You were about to leave, slightly embarrassed by your own words when the man stopped you. He walked in front of you, blocking your path.

"Why did you leave him?"

"He is not worth my time, or yours."

"Not worth my time?"

"You should find someone better."

The man didn't know what to say to your comment. You stood in silence, watching each other.

"What's your name anyway?" You asked him.

"You may call me Akutagawa."

"Well, Akutagawa, I'm Y/N."

"I don't care."

The two of you fell silent again, the only sound coming from the surrounding park.Akutagawa's eyes were trained on the ground and you were about to take your leave when he spoke up again.

"Can I ask you a question?" You turned to look at him and nodded.

"What makes you think Dazai doesn't know how to love?" He asked, still avoiding eye contact.

You shrugged, slightly taken aback by his question.

"Because he can't," you said bluntly. "He does nothing but betray and hurt the people around him. I don't think he can feel love."

Akutagawa's eyes widened at your words and he finally looked up at you. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it immediately, the words stuck in his throat.

"Can you feel love?" You asked him, curiosity getting the better of you.

He chuckled bitterly and crossed his arms.

"Love is for the weak," he said. "It only leads to pain and disappointment. Why would anyone willingly put themselves through that?"

"That can be true sometimes."

Akutagawa raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"You agree?" He asked, surprised by your response.

You nodded slowly, your eyes averted from his gaze.

"Love can be painful," you admitted. "It can cause a lot of suffering and heartbreak. But it can also be incredible. It can be beautiful."

Akutagawa narrowed his eyes at your words.

"Beautiful, you say?" His voice was laced with a hint of sarcasm. "Love is anything but beautiful. It's messy, complicated, and dangerous."

"It doesn't have to be all those things," you argued. "Sure, it can be difficult and painful at times, but when you find the right person, it's worth all the struggles."

Akutagawa let out a scoff.

"The right person," he repeated, rolling his eyes. "There's no such thing. People change, they leave. You can never truly trust anyone."

"That also can be true, Dazai left me, I was sad, but I'm so over him."

Your nonchalance took Akutagawa aback. He tilted his head to the side, studying you.

"You're so flippant about it," he said. "How come you're not more broken up about it?"

"I told you, he's not worth it." You were starting to get bored. "He's a waste of time."

Akutagawa studied your face for a moment, watching the way your eyes narrowed with disgust as you spoke about Dazai. He couldn't help but feel a strange sense of awe.

Akutagawa's expression hardened as he thought about Dazai.

"There's no doubt I hate him," he said. "He's constantly playing games and using people for his own benefit. And he cares for no one but himself."

"Exactly! I'm glad you feel the same, so no need to keep thinking about him."

Akutagawa took a step closer to you, his eyes still full of distaste.

"You're right. Dazai doesn't deserve either of our time or thoughts."

The two of you fell silent, both lost in thought. Akutagawa's mind was swirling with resentment for Dazai, but there was something else there too. A sense of relief, a feeling of connection to you.

Suddenly, he looked up at you and spoke again.

"Can I ask you another question?"

You were slightly surprised by his sudden request, but you nodded nonetheless.

"Sure," you said. "What is it?"

He hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to phrase his question.

"When you were with Dazai, were you...happy?" He asked, his voice laced with a hint of vulnerability.

You froze at his question, taken aback. Akutagawa watched your face intently, waiting for your response.

"I..." you started, but the words got stuck in your throat. "I thought I was happy."

Akutagawa noticed the hesitation in your voice and the way your eyes lowered to the ground. He could sense that there was more to the story, but he didn't press you for more.

"And now?" He asked, his voice softer than before.

"I'm happier with him gone." Was all you said.

Akutagawa nodded in understanding. Your words echoed through his mind, replaying in his head.

"Happier without him," he repeated to himself.

There was a strange sense of satisfaction in his chest, knowing that you didn't miss Dazai at all.

"Good riddance," he muttered under his breath.

"Why don't we get something to eat?"

Akutagawa's eyes widened at your sudden suggestion. He hadn't expected you to ask him out, but he wasn't opposed to the idea.

"Sure," he said, trying to sound casual. "Where do you want to go?"