Bungou Stray Dogs: Love Race

Legacy

Atsushi stood there, eyes wide, jaws on the floor. His heart raced.
"But why me?!" he asked totally perplexed "I can't even drive, and I don't have a car!" he vehemently shook his head.

Dazai chuckled. "But you have a car Atsushi-kun." he smiled "And I can teach you how to drive."

The boy looked at him totally bewildered. "W-what?" he muttered. He was in total confusion. He met these people 5 minutes ago and they are putting their trust in him to race.

Dazai put a hand on his shoulder.
"Your garage is number 47." he said with a cheeky smile. "I once peeked inside it and saw an amazing car".
Atsushi's eyebrows raised.

"Okay but why me?!" he cried out "Why couldn't you drive it Dazai-san?

"Atsushi-kun, you may not believe it but you were born to race." cut in Kunikida "your father was the greatest racer I've ever faced, so we believe you have his potential inside you"

Atsushi stood perplexed. Throughout his life in the orphanage everybody told him that he was a failure, a nobody, who was destined to nothing but ruin. The boys heart twisted in the wake of these painful memories. But now before him stood three men who all believed in him. He looked through their excited faces. They had their hopes in him.

"They just want to use you to further their goals" the headmaster's voice rang out in his head "you will only disappoint them, and when that happens they all will turn away from you"

"S-shut up!" Atsushi tought. "I will prove you wrong once and for all!"

"Okay" Atsushi said with eyes balzing in determination "I will give it a try."

The room blew up from the sheer joy.
"Hurray" shouted Junichiro. He punched the air in his happines.
Kunikida nodded in agreement. And a little barely noticeable smile appeared on his face. Dazai smacked the boys back. "Now we are talking" he chuckled. Atsushi smiled he felt the three men's happiness and hopes in him.

The rest of the evening was spent in happines. Atsushi chatted with the man about racing and a lot of other things. They ate Dazai's delicious steaks. When they noticed the time it was way past midnight. Kunikida and Junichiro went back to their flats. Only Atsushi and Dazai remained.

"Atsushi-kun when I brought you over for the dinner I noticed there was something troubling you" asked Dazai with concerned eyes.

Atsushi looked at the ground. But remained silent. He didn't really knew what to say. Even he couldn't understand his problem.

Dazai gently put a hand on the boy's shoulder. He smiled at him warmly.
"I understand that it's hard to talk about it" he pet Atsushi's shoulder "but if you need help with anything you can ask me for help"

Atsushi felt comforted by his words and the warmth of his hand. This feeling was new to him. He never knew that another human's hand can give him anything other than pain.
He looked at Dazai. His eyes were teary.
"Thank you Dazai-san, but I think I can manage" he tried to put on a determined face only to fail miserably.

Dazai chuckled "If you say so" he smirked "you remind me of myself."
He raised his hand to pet Atsushi's head, but the boy shook insinctively. Fear spread through his body for a second. But in the next intense shame washed over him.
"I'm sorry Dazai-san, it's... just.." he couldn't end the sentence.
The man had an understanding gaze.
"It's okay Atsushi-kun" he smiled warmly "It's not your fault, please don't think that you did anything wrong"
Atsushi was on the verge of tears but Dazai's words comforted him.
"Now go and rest dummy, tommorows gonna be a big day" winked Dazai. Atsushi looked at the man. His eyes glew gratefully.

"Goodnight Dazai-san!" he smiled weakly.
"Goodnight Atsushi-kun" the man smiled back.

Atsushi fell down on his bed. He looked at orange ceiling light. Emotions swirled inside him. He felt determined to prove the headmaster wrong. He felt grateful to Dazai for reassureing him. But he felt shame and guilt for getting scared of his hand. "It must have hurt Dazai" he tought. Tears rolled down on his face.

He cried himself asleep.