Drowning in the swamp of memories

the 4k dora

With a death glare, I shot the person who had cost me my chance at Dazai's apartment a look that could melt steel. He was nothing but a walking disaster-a kid who looked like he walked straight out of a 4K cartoon, his haircut probably done by a blind barber. Seriously, did he think he was cool with that awful style?

As the food arrived in the quaint old Japanese restaurant, the air filled with the mouthwatering aroma of miso soup and grilled fish. The wooden beams overhead and the paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling gave the place a cozy charm. It felt like stepping back in time, surrounded by the soft rustle of tatami mats and the gentle sound of water from a small koi pond. I should have felt more at home here, but instead, I was stuck with Dazai and his antics.

While I savored my milk, Dazai leaned over with a smirk. "You know, Mizuki-san, drinking milk in a place like this is just so... childish."

I didn't even think twice before smacking him across the face. "And your face is so... unoriginal!"

"Touché," he replied, unfazed, as if he enjoyed my irritation.

Our guest, Atsushi Nakajima-who I now mentally dubbed '4K Dora'-was stuffing his face with rice, as if he hadn't eaten in days. I watched him with a mix of disdain and morbid curiosity. He finally finished his meal and turned to Kunikida, who was visibly annoyed at having to pay for all of us.

"So, um, thank you for saving me," Atsushi said, his voice nervous and shaky. "You're my heroes!"

"Heroes? More like babysitters," I muttered under my breath, still not bothering to look at him. I was convinced his sob story about being an orphan and being kicked out because the food couldn't feed everyone was just that-an obvious lie. I had solved the mystery, I thought smugly to myself.

Kunikida sighed, rubbing his temples. "Right, but we're actually here to hunt a tiger."

Atsushi's eyes widened in terror, and he looked like he might bolt at any second. But just as he made a move to escape, I swiftly kicked him down to the ground.

"Hey!" he yelped, landing face-first on the tatami mats.

I smirked down at him, enjoying the moment. "Look who's the real child here now!"

Kunikida let out a sigh of relief, while Dazai suddenly turned serious. "Mizuki, let him go. We need him to catch the tiger."

I raised an eyebrow at Dazai, then smacked him again for good measure. "You think I'm going to listen to you? This little dork is just going to run away again!"

Dazai smiled like a creep, clearly unfazed. "You're right; he probably would. But let's see what he has to say first."

Atsushi scrambled to his feet, looking like a deer caught in headlights. "The tiger... it wants to kill me! It was chasing me!"

I chuckled darkly. "Of course it was, 'Dora.' You probably tripped over your own feet trying to escape it."

Atsushi flinched, but Dazai leaned in closer, his interest piqued. "You think we can make some money off this, huh? How about I give you 250,000 yen if you help us catch this tiger?"

Atsushi's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really?! That much?"

"Sure! It's a small price to pay for your safety," Dazai replied, grinning like he'd just won the lottery.

I couldn't help but laugh softly to myself, thinking, Hehe, Osamu, are you really the only genius here? "What a nice game," I murmured, a sly smile creeping onto my face.

"Shall we play?" I didn't tell anyone my real intentions.

Atsushi looked confused, his gaze flickering between Dazai and me. "Wait, are you serious?"

"Of course!" Dazai exclaimed, feigning innocence. "What could possibly go wrong?"

I chimed in, "Only your life, Nakajima! But don't worry; Dazai will be there to rescue you-right before he uses you as bait."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Dazai protested, crossing his arms defensively.

"Life isn't fair, Dazai. Just ask your barber," I shot back at atsushi, unable to hold back my laughter.

With a reluctant nod, Atsushi finally agreed, and we left the restaurant, ready to chase down a tiger and, hopefully, have a little fun at Dazai's expense along the way.