In Memory of a Dark Era

Dazai's Lover

"(Y/N)-chan..."

You hummed in response to the distinguished call that came from the hustle of a busy street.

Kunikida was in the president's office when he came out and announced an assignment to his suicidal partner. By the time Dazai had received all the necessary details, it was already late into the noon. A glorious time for everyone to either leave their desks for a certain task or for their personal tasks.

Everyone was out, except your pitiful being drowned in paperwork which made you the perfect candidate to assign as Dazai's babysitter while Kunikida had important business to attend to.

In return for the wonderful picnic he had arranged for you and a suicide lover, Kunikida had only asked that either of you would update him on the case and send him your location.

Which brings your current state.

Your location, or the one you're currently heading to, is one that belongs to the recently titled, 'Gifted Murderer'.

The two of you have already checked the crime scene and according to the eye-witness accounts of a fleeing man, the murderer's gift was most likely related to sharp claws. Adding to that, the victim was a female, young and with bloody claws over her unidentified features.

You've worked all afternoon on interrogating whoever's related and investigating the crime scene and finally grasped onto a thread.

The criminal's residence.

A humble, shabby apartment in a low-class neighbourhood at the outskirts of Yokohama.

Dazai couldn't help but comment on how predictable that was while you, on the other hand, couldn't help the dust of your past memories from leaving your lips: "All criminals thrive in the dark. Helps them cultivate their hatred towards the fortunate."

He's been quiet ever since.

You didn't realise the quote was loud enough for anyone to hear. What's worse is that you didn't even know what your face might have given away to others or to Dazai.

"I have a question."

As you fiddled with your phone, your hands started to sweat at the discomfort of that sentence. It might be just a normal question. One that belongs to the list of questions Dazai had asked you in the past two months, but you feared your last exchange might have sparked his interest in a side of your story that wasn't all that pleasant.

Dazai, regardless of noticing how nervous you seemed, turned to you with his question, "why didn't you answer Lover Boy's call?"

"Just doing my job," you answered plainly turning your eyes to anything but Dazai.

The man hummed in a mischievous way as he pressed on with amusement hinted in his voice, "so your job is to dress and act like a snobby bitch?"

"Was I dressed like a snobby bitch the first time we met?"

"That was for Lover Boy?" you were too occupied to stay on the right direction, yet he acknowledged that to be your dismissive reply, "Ah~! But was it really safe to ignore a spoiled, rich brat?"

You didn't know why Dazai was suddenly interested in your job but if this topic can prevent any unwanted ones, then you were more than willing to talk about 'Lover Boy'.

"No, if anything, right about now, he's probably vowing to his hurt ego to pin me down," you explained in a whisper finding it a little too uncomfortable to talk about it to Dazai, after all. Still, you continued, "If he calls, I'll just say that the phone was on silent ever since last night. He knows how much of a klutz his fiancée is."

He asked appalled, "That's his type? A klutz? Are we still talking about the same man?"

"Yes," you affirmed not appreciating the dramatic exaggeration he was displaying in the middle of the street. "His type is someone innocent. Someone with her head in the clouds, clumsy, clueless and appropriately dressed. The more that's covered the better. That's how the Devil likes it."

Dazai chuckled, "The Devil? I thought that was God's type."

"Not many believe in God and not many remember the good things in life, so the Devil has a better role, don't you think? Pick the most innocent and ruin her to the point that she obsesses over you. I don't think he cares whether the obsession is related to love or hate."

Suddenly you heard clapping from your side and turned to see the sparkling child-like gaze Dazai had as he beamed, "you were so cool just now, (Y/N)-chan~!"

Your cheeks flamed up as you fought the urge to bury that cute being's head into your chest.

It didn't matter if he was genuine or not about his comment, you just wanted to have that cuteness, but you had to look away and conceal the monstrous urges and set your mind back to the essential task at hand.

"So (Y/N)-chan."

'What now?' You thought grumpily after finally nailing down your composure.

"Let's say I'm your next target, who would you be as my lover?"