A Touch of Sorrow [Dazai x OC x Chuuya]

Septendecim

"Nee-san, what's your dream?"

"Hm? My dream?"

"Yeah! What nee-san wants to do when you grow up."

She had her eyes widen and fixed on the child next to her, the same black orbs stared back at her with such joy that was too contagious.

"I don't know. Maybe opening a bar?"

The face of the kid darkened a little as the memories of the night before flooded his mind.

"W-why do you want to open a bar?" His voice trembled a little.

"Nee-san won't let dad come, Ren. He will be banned of my bar. Nee-san will only bring mom and Ren there."

As if she could read the mind of the child, Rei gave the perfect answer to ease his growing worry. And he relaxed again once his sister pulled him into her arms. Such warmth from the girl was a pleasant gift for the child.

"I'm scared nee-san. I can't protect mom, I'm too small."

Her heart twisted, ached and throbbed as the words of the kid caught her ears. She pulled him even closer in, hand rubbing his back up and down.

"Nee-san will protect mom, nee-san will protect Ren."

"You will protect them from who, you ungrateful wench?"

She could feel her hair being pulled back, her eyes then were on the frightful man with a cast around his neck. Fear filled those eyes quicker than ever, she reached for the hand yanking her hair, but the man caught her face, ready to have her in a choke hold.

"D-dad..."

The more she called, the tighter the grip around her neck was. She wriggled in the sole hope for the grip to loosen some bit for her to gasp for air before that pair of lungs fail. 

"Let her go!" 

She could see the kid throwing punches at the man, but a mere child couldn't do much damage. 

"Did you teach him this? To hit his father? Is this what you bastards learnt while I was hospitalized?!" 

Her body collapsed on the ground, the hit ached her entire body, her throat was sore and dry but she gasped for air still even though it hurt. 

"Nee-san!" 

She couldn't hold in the tears, they streamed down her face uncontrollably as she crawled forward to the kid on the ground. Every hit came down on him sent a shot of pain straight to her heart. It hurt too much, it hurt her too much to even breathe.

...

"She's not breathing"

"Rei?!"

"She's having a cardiac arrest!"

"What?! Do something!"

"Stand back, Chuuya!"

"AEDs ready?" 

"No! She needs to release the chaotic surges inside! The shock will only bring more turbulent rushes into her system! "

The redhead yanked the AEDs away, his turquoise eyes sparkled with such pain that even shocked the doctor. The frown on his face only grew bigger the longer he stared at her. 

"Where's Dazai?!"

"Here."  

His coat dropped from his shoulders as a result of him running too fast. He stopped by the bed, not knowing exactly how to deal with the situation.