Dazai. Dazai. Dazai.

All hateful and glaring eyes were focused on him as he entered the office. Earlier that morning a member of the Port Mafia had called the boss and informed him that they would take one member of the agency into their own ranks and that they already had to candidates too chose from. He was also informed that Dazai had ruined connections between the two companies by killing off a major executive among their ranks. They stated clearly that it was one man for one man.

"Dazai, please see me in my office."

Confused, Dazai sang a lighthearted song about double suicide as he strolled along the hall, ignoring the multiple glares and curses he heard along the way, especially from Naomi, who never got like that unless it involved her brother.

"Yeah, boss? What's up?" As Dazai entered the room and sat down in the single chair across from the president. They were the only two in the room. For now.

"I wanted to inform you that the Port Mafia called me earlier this morning and informed me of upcoming changes that will be made because of your recent actions against a Port Mafia Executive." Dazai froze.

"One member of the agency will be joining their ranks this upcoming week." Two agents entered the office as if on cue and stood silently next to the door. "These are the two candidates that Mori came up with. Both of them understand that this decision is not up to us and under any other circumstances we would never allow this to happen, they also know that they are welcome here at any time."

Next to the door stood the two youngest male agents in the agency. Dazai was unnoticeably shaking. The Port Mafia saw the potential of murderers in the two kindest people ever. That meant they were capable of anything.

Junichiro had the ability of an assassin. He would be a perfect fit for the Black Lizard team. He wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones to suggest him to Mori. Dazai could definitely see that happening in the future if something terrible ever happened to Naomi. That would explain the especially rude curses coming from here earlier.

But Dazai couldn't breathe when he looked next to Junichiro. Atsushi. He could imagine what was going on in that boy's head right then. He was probably thinking that he was going to be thrown out again because he was always the one to be chosen before. He was kicked onto the streets by his parents, he was tortured by his headmaster at the orphanage, he couldn't control the tiger inside of him, he was kicked out of the orphanage. And now, after he finally found a perfect family for him, he was most likely going to be kicked out again.

Looking into his past would make him their pick because if they chose someone who had lost all hope in the agency and everything good in life, they could rebuild his broken mind into something strong and cold not to mention he was under Dazai's command in the agency. He would become someone perfect for the job.

Dazai turned back to the president. "Have they chosen yet?" The president shook his head.

"No, they said they would give their answer tomorrow at noon."

"Is Kyoka still out of town?" The room went silent and Atsushi's face darkened.

"She won't be here until Friday afternoon."

"I think she's going to kill me..." Dazai was trying to lighten the mood but to no avail.

"You are excused, Dazai. Junichiro, Atsushi, please stay." Dazai quietly got up from the desk and walked towards the door. "Might I remind you, Dazai, if something happens like this again, I won't think twice and throw you out of the agency." The president's voice was cold and serious.

"Yessir." And like that, Dazai was gone, into the now silent agency. Dazai turned towards the rest of the agency and whisper-yelled: "Who wants to eavesdrop?" Dazai smiled at all of the hands that shot into the air. All of them tiptoed over to the door and stuck their ears to it.

"Junichiro, Atsushi, I'm sorry for lying, but Mori has already made his choice." The eavesdroppers froze. Who was it?! "I feel like you two deserve the truth. One of you won't be coming to work tomorrow. Junichiro-" That was all the eavesdrop crew heard before the sound of a large chair sliding and footsteps came from the other side of the door. They all scrambled back to their workspaces and pretended as if nothing happened.

"Hmm. I thought I heard something out here. I guess it was nothing."

The president closed the door behind him.

Kunikida then went and lectured everyone about how serious eavesdropping is. But he didn't look at Dazai. Nor did he confront him about how his choices affect others.

"Aww~ Kunikida! Are you mad at me~?" Dazai whined.

Kunikida looked towards him and finally acknowledged him. "Dazai... I'm not mad at you this time." Dazai looked at him oddly. "I-I'm disappointed." Then he walked off to who knows where.

Everyone else could feel the tension in the room reach unimaginable heights.

The two young agents didn't come out of the president's office until late at night and at that time, only the president, the forementioned, Rompo, Kunikida, and surprisingly Dazai, were still at the office. When the two boys walked into the workspace, the three other men took caution not to stare at them. They both grabbed their belongings and walked out. The only thing that Rompo took note of was that unlike Junichiro, Atsushi took all of his personal belongings, except a small box that he never ever left behind. It had all clicked in his mind but he dared not to let anything slip.

The next morning, when all was hectic as usual in the office, Kunikida was ordering everyone around, Dazai was lazing away on a couch, Naomi was- there all alone? She was quiet that morning and didn't talk about her brother. She sat at her desk and worked efficiently. Junichiro went home late last night and hadn't told her about anything. He never did anymore. He probably slept in and didn't give a damn about him not being there. At eleven, they all went to Uzumaki downstairs and were surprised when they ran into Junichiro talking with another boy around his age. They could ever so slightly make out what they were saying.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

When they approached him, they realized the other boy was Atsushi in the flesh. But he looked tired like he cried himself to sleep. If you looked close enough, you could see the pain in Junichiro's eyes whenever he looked at Atsushi. There was definitely something going on between the two of them. The others sat in the booth next to the two and ordered their specials, as usual, nothing strange about it. It was only fifteen minutes later that Atsushi stood up and shook hands with Junichiro. He turned towards the others.

"Later!" He smiled.

"Wait- Where are you going now?" Akkiko intervened.

"Hmm? I'm looking into a case or mission that the boss gave me right now."

"But what about the-"

"Results? Well, all of the eavesdroppers," He eyed everyone at the table except Kunikida, "should know that Junichiro and I already know who it is. But don't worry, I'll see you guys in the office later, it's fine!"

"Later!" Junichiro half yelled.

Like that, he was gone. All of them had a feeling that he wasn't the one to be chosen and he would be back in the morning. At 12, all of them, including Junichiro went up into the office. All eyes were on him when he came in and there were even harder stares when the president entered the room.

"Now I know everyone has been on edge the past few days for reasons we shouldn't get into." He gave Dazai a small glare. "But, a Port Mafia representative called me a few minutes ago and told me who they chose as the candidate."

Time stopped for a split second. Everyone was edging on the answer.

"Nakajima Atsushi was chosen." No one spoke. No one could breathe. "Last night, he gathered everything and left the office. A representative should be collecting right about now."

Dazai ran out of the office and down the stairs, heading away from the building, only one destination in mind. He raced to the place where his apprentice saved him from suicide a second time. The place that Atsushi lived. Just as he reached the building, a helicopter with a ladder hanging out of it flew right above his destination. A familiar red-head and his pupil on it.

"Goodbye, Da- no. Goodbye, ." Atsushi's voice was emotionless as the ladder hoisted him into the helicopter and flew off, leaving a distraught man behind.

On Friday, Dazai didn't show up to work. During the afternoon, when everyone was busy, they all forgot one thing.

Kyoka.

"Where's Atsushi?"