Two Years Ago…
Chuuya drags his right thumb over Dazai in the old photo. Young and frail, in a full work suit with that bandage over one side of his face as he had always remembered.
His expression was sarene— something he had never seen personally. Maybe that's why Dazai chose Oda Sakunosuke, despite him being far behind in ranks. It was probably because Chuuya couldn't give him this…. this thing captured between him and his friends in an old photograph.
Chuuya had pilfered this photo from Ango'd work camera as part of an investigation, and he had kept it with him since, tucked safely in his vest. It's nothing to do with Chuuya himself…. but it's a reminder.
A reminder of the reason why Dazai had left.
At first looking at it made him angry. How dare these people take Dazai away from him!? How dare Dazai left without even a word, and explanation, or a goodbye?
Then years had past without any sign of Dazai, and the photo doesn't make him angry anymore.
He's just resigned, now. The picture was in a fashionable glass case— why wouldn't he make it fit his classy apartment?— It sat proudly on his nightstand, as a reminder. Not that the very absence of Dazai Osamu doesn't remind him everyday, but that photo reminds him of the reason Dazai's left.
The reason he's here, drinking wine alone over the view of Yokohama.
It has been three years, since Dazai's disappeared, yet he could picture the bastard, sprawled on his sofa, bandage unravelling slightly and face red from the wine they've been drinking.
He could recall, far too clearly for his liking, the tightness in his chest, the overwhelming desire to touch Dazai's face….. succumbing to that desire and sitting on the edge of the couch, leaning down to touch his cheeks…. thumb tracing the corner of his lips as they stretch into a soft smile.
Most nights he didn't cry anymore, lately. But now before he knew it a few drops of tears were on the glass pane in his hand, blurring the young Dazai's smiling face.
Usually that was his cue. To end the day— wipe the tears, set the photo in its place, and fall asleep clutching the tightness in his chest…. holding it dear in place of someone he couldn't.
Akutagawa enters the dim workshop, squinting slightly to see through the darkness. In his hand was a time bomb— one not so different from several others he had planted in police stations and such.
This is just the warning, after all. No need to be more explosive than necessary.
The workshop has the appearance of being abandoned. Anyway, Akutagawa coughed softly, alerting the hidden camera of his presence. Even he had expected that it wouldn't e easy finding the culprit behind Chuuya-san's case. They had tracked this far, to this workshop with pictures of Chuuya-san all over one wall, and instruments that looks to be torture tools, but Akutagawa had been informed was used for tattooing.
Their objective this time was just to warn the tattooist that the Port Mafia is targeting him— judging by the state of the building, that rat already knows that— but also to deter any future attempts at imitating Chuuya-san's power again.
Akutagawa set the bag down on the patch of clear floor, then said, "This is the warning. Whoever you are, we know your new hideout. A bomb like this one is already placed there. Do not attempt to find it. Leave all your tools and get out, and no one will get hurt or die."
He coughs again, a few times. "You know what will happen otherwise."
It was a shame he couldn't fight this bastard just yet. But that will come soon, he suspects. For now, he'd better go back and meetup with the others.
"Please put it on the news, inspector, we need to warn people of this." Atsushi said to the hard-faced police officer. "Two red-haired people have been abducted and found dead already. Red haired, blue eyes, preferably male and short of stature. That should be quite rare in Japan—
At this Kunikida interjected, "We would recommend people who matches this description to come to the police to stay in protective custody for now, until we find the culprit. Also, the police should be able to patrol immigration control and prevent foreign people of this description from entering the country."
"But that will damage tourism and foreign relations, surely we would be criticized for that! And we shouldn't publicize this case— it might cause a panic!"
"It will cause people to be more careful." Kunikida said firmly.
"Still, I'm sure we can track down the culprit and prevent any more perpetrations! There is no point in attracting the public's ire!"
"Atsushi."
"Y-yes, sir!" Atsushi said reluctantly, moving behind the policeman, and before he could react, he was staring down at a tiger's claw, sharp and shiny and too near to his neck for comfort.
"We are not asking for an unreasonable request, inspector." Kunikida continued, voice firm and steady as ever.
As if they weren't threatening or coercing an officer, not at all.
"Please." Kunikida added after a pause, to be supplemented by Atsushi's assertion, "Please, inspector."
The inspector met Kunikida's earnest gaze for a while— this decision is not being made by fear, Kunikida could tell, the inspector is a decent officer indeed.
"I don't know why you guys have to go so far with this, but there is really not much harm in being careful." The inspector gave a deep sigh, and relented, "Fine. News announcement, protective custody, and immigration control it is then. You guys aren't the type to take things lightly after all."
Atsushi let out a breath of relief, and the claw was retracted, the white-haired boy rounding back to stand by Kunikida once again. "Thank you so much, inspector!"
"Then, if there's nothing else— there's a case to be investigated."
A flutter of black cloak sounded as soon as the officer was out of sight. Kunikida nodded to Akutagawa, not deigning to speak a word of greeting.
"I see your side of the operation went well." Akutagawa said calmly.
"Our forces will be preparing to patrol the immigration as well— better be careful when ability users are concerned. I'm sure the Port Mafia is taking care of the under-bellies for us?" Kunikida adjusted his glasses, looking at his notebook.
"Of course. Higuchi is monitoring the surveillance systems— any red-haired people will be incapacitated before they become more samples."
The word was uttered with such abhorrence that the other two could only nod.
"What about the target's hideout?"
"Message delivered, equipment destroyed. Black Lizard is trailing the target, keeping an eye on his reaction."
"Seems like everything's going as planned." Atsushi said with relief.
"Whoever they are, they're messing with the wrong person— Port Mafia won't let some dirty bastard steal our most valuable member."
"Nor would the Agency let such a versatile ability user do whatever they want."
No matter how powerful the target is, they're not standing a chance. The only problem, Kunikida thought, turning to look at a plane flying high above, is whether we'd be in time.