A Touch of Sorrow [Dazai x OC x Chuuya]

Quadraginta Septem (End)

Yozakura wasn't a custom they would normally join, but they missed Hanami that morning as they went a bit overboard with a mission. Everyone knew it was mainly Higuchi's fault that day, since it was her first mission with her beloved senpai - Akutagawa.

"I'm sorry, Akutagawa-senpai!" Higuchi bowed low, expecting something bad to happen. But to her surprise, Akutagawa only covered his mouth and coughed.

"Shut up, Higuchi."

Higuchi looked up just a second later, in the nick of time to catch her senpai looking at her. Blushing cheeks, widened smile, the girl picked up her pace to catch on with Akutagawa.

Port Mafia made sure they had got the best spot for sakura viewing. The road was cleared of people wherever they passed by, the infamous mafiosi of Yokohama made their way to the Kamonyama Park up the hill.

"Oi Akutagawa, Higuchi! Hurry up!" Tachihara called for them from the front, though unsuccessful of reaching them. Or that they chose to ignore him.

"Senpai, are you cold?" Higuchi offered Akutagawa a body warmer pack which he refused even before she could take it out.

"Hurry up, Higuchi." He walked up ahead of her, hands shaking slightly in the sleeves of his kimono.

"Ah- yes!" The girl looked up from her satchel, yet this time failed to see her senpai's gaze waiting.

The park was a famous spot for sakura viewing, thus if one wasn't there to reserve the place first, they would have to have their picnic standing far away from the sakura trees. Yet, to Port Mafia they never seemed to be bothered by reservations like so, if they failed to have the spot reserved, they would take others' in place of it.

"Ne Gin, have a drink." Tachihara pushed into Gin's hand a can of beer.

Gin didn't say a thing, didn't remove her mask either, she simply placed the beer back down after Tachihara had turned away. Hirotsu sitting there next to them bloomed a soft smile. Young people seemed so interesting, he thought.

Akutagawa only sat there quietly under the tree, his eyes lifted from the dark blue mattress under their feet to the sakura blossoms above their heads, illuminating in a gentle color. It brought a sense of peace to his mind, something he hadn't experienced for the past 5 months. The male held out his hand unconsciously the moment his eyes saw a blossom falling from the branch, it landed perfectly into his palm.

With that precious, delicate flower in his hand, he somehow lost the strength to close those fingers. His palm remained open for as long as the bloom was still in there. Akutagawa was surprised at how such a feeble, fragile little blossom could hold so much grace and beauty, and also strength. Had the blossom not thrived in this cold, had it not possessed such strength to hold out in this weather, they would never have the chance to witness its charms.

He wondered if he had understood the flower in his hand correctly.

In a spot not too far from the mafiosi, their enemy cheered and dined, enjoying their time just like the mafia themselves. Well, they cheered, but they didn't dine, not as much as they should have.

"Yosano-san! Another!" Dazai raised his empty cup to his senior who was too eager for the offer and went a tad too much on the pouring.

Dazai stared with mouth hung agape as Yosano filled his cup up to the rim, and still there was no sign of stopping. "Drink up now!" Though her laugh was comfortable, Dazai couldn't seem to be in such a mood.

Meanwhile, Kunikida was sitting still, his soul seemed to have left his body after he took a bite of the onigiri. The rice was both uncooked and overcooked, the tuna fillings was not tuna but pure mayo, he couldn't even swallow the bite properly and the food was puffing out his cheeks, thus intensifying the horrible taste.