Fragments of Us - Soukoku Oneshots

25. Playing Into My Hands 🖤

The room smelled of sweat and fear, mixed with the metallic tang of blood. Dazai Osamu sat casually, wrists bound tightly behind him, yet his posture screamed anything but defeat. He watched the leader of the underground group, a tall, brutish man with a permanent scowl etched across his scarred face, pace back and forth in front of him. Around them, the rest of the thugs lingered, awaiting orders, while Dazai's captor tried to decide the next move.

"I have to say," Dazai began, his voice laced with amusement, "I expected more from a group of underground elites. But all I see here is a lot of nervous pacing." He grinned up at the leader, completely unfazed by his situation. "What's wrong? Afraid of a little challenge?"

The leader stopped pacing and glared down at him, fists clenching at his sides. "Shut up. You're in no position to make jokes, Dazai."

Dazai tilted his head, the mocking smirk still plastered across his face. "Oh, but you're wrong about that. You see, making jokes is exactly what I do when I'm in positions like this. It keeps things... interesting."

One of the lackeys nearby stepped forward, clearly annoyed by Dazai's casual attitude. "You talk too much. Maybe we should shut you up permanently."

The leader held up a hand, signaling the thug to stop. "Not yet. He knows something, and we're going to get it out of him."

Dazai sighed dramatically, feigning boredom. "Ah, yes, the old 'interrogate the genius' routine. Haven't we done this enough? Surely, you could be a bit more creative."

The leader's face twitched in irritation. "We know what you're hiding, Dazai. The Port Mafia has plans, and you're the key to them. If you don't talk, we'll start breaking bones."

Dazai leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with the leader, his expression suddenly sharp and calculating. "You think you've captured me because you're smart? You think you've won?" His voice dropped to a deadly whisper, his smirk fading into something far more sinister. "You don't even realize you've been playing into my hands this whole time."

The leader stiffened but tried to regain his composure. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Dazai smiled again, slow and deliberate. "Let's think about it, shall we? You captured me, thinking you'd get some grand secret, some edge over the Port Mafia. But did you really think I'd let myself be taken this easily?"

The leader glared, but a hint of doubt flickered in his eyes. Dazai leaned back in his chair, eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched the realization slowly dawn on his captors.

"You're stalling," the leader growled, his voice growing more desperate. "You're trying to buy time."

"Stalling?" Dazai chuckled softly. "Oh no, my dear captor. I'm not stalling. I'm merely enjoying the show." He looked up toward the ceiling, as though listening for something. "Because right about now, things should be getting interesting."

The ground began to rumble again, subtly at first, barely noticeable. The men around Dazai tensed, their unease growing as the vibrations intensified.

Dazai sighed, his smirk widening as he closed his eyes in delight. "You really should've thought this through more carefully. Did you forget about my partner? The one you've so foolishly underestimated?"

The man scoffed, trying to regain his composure. "You mean that little partner of yours? Chuuya Nakahara?"

Dazai's eyes gleamed at the mention of Chuuya's name. His smirk stretched wider, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent chills through the room. "I mean Chuuya Nakahara, the man who will rip this building apart with his bare hands if I ask."