"What did she say?" Atsushi asked.
"She says that she doesn't recognize him," Akutagawa says, motioning to the photo Atsushi's shoving in her face, "Although that should be obvious. She's clearly a tourist."
Atsushi bristles a bit, pulling the photo down, "Well someone has to have seen him! Pardon me for asking."
Akutagawa has to hold in another sigh. It's been a long day of talking to people, which is far from his favorite pastime. He felt almost dead, which is saying something because he'd done far more physically demanding things than this and he rarely felt this tired. People were exhausting…
The tourist suddenly tapped his shoulder. Akutagawa winced involuntarily at the contact, but turned to face her again all the same.
She motioned to Atsushi's hair and smiled, "Tell him his hair's cute," she waved to the both of them and turned away to run into a shop.
This rubbed Akutagawa the wrong way immediately, although he could not even begin to fathom why. He looked to the man next to him–who was staring expectantly–and studied his hair. Is it because he felt his hair was stupid? No… He found it quite adorable actually. How about just the fact that Atsushi got complimented instead of him… That wasn't it either. He didn't feel as if he wanted compliments from tourists off the street.
When Akutagawa gave no translation, Atsushi finally spoke up, "What'd she say?"
Without missing a beat, Akutagawa started walking and said, "She says your hair looks dumb."
He hears Atsushi stumble behind. "What? Really?! How could she say that when you're standing right next to me?"
What's that supposed to mean? Akutagawa holds in his protest as they stop at the next person.
He takes the lead again, but he keeps losing focus on the conversation. For one, he's still not entirely certain why he lied to Atsushi. Why did someone else complimenting his hair bother him so much? For another, the statement is clearly bothering his partner as he keeps rubbing that awkwardly long lock of hair between his fingers. Guilt stabs Akutagawa directly in the gut.
Once the person confirms that he hasn't seen anyone that looks like the photo either (Akutagawa's starting to become convinced Dazai may have sent them on a fool's errand), Akutagawa smacks Atsushi's hand away from his hair as lightly as he can manage.
"Stop that," he says, walking away again.
Atsushi follows suit, "Stop what?"
Akutagawa sighs, He knows I'm not that stupid. "Stop playing with your hair. It looks fine."
He's a little concerned when Atsushi doesn't follow the statement up with anything and when he looks back at the man-tiger, he's still fiddling with his hair.
Akutagawa huffs and turns back towards him, snatching his hand away once more. "You're hair's cute, now just keep your mind on the task at hand."
He has started walking again before what he's said really catches up to him.
"My hair's cute?" Atsushi grins, his confidence clearly flooding back.
Oh God. Forget I said that… Akutagawa silently begs him. He rushes to cover up his mouth in his embarrassment as heat floods his cheeks. He hated it when those little thoughts slipped out.
"I said nothing of the sort. Keep moving, Jinko."