*A/N:

The fic is mainly about O. Dazai and S. Oda without S. Oda appearing in the story. POV Astushi.

Sorry for any errors. My fanfic was written in Chinese and translated with the help of ChatGPT.

Bungo Stary Dogs does not belong to me, it's Kafka Asagiri's work.

Hope you like the story!

*The Chinese version can be read on AO3. "Lodestar" by LoliMarionetto.

The night of Yokohama is heavily tainted by light pollution. Although one can sometimes see a massive moon — blue, red, or occasionally purple — few stars are visible.

Even when one looks up from the "lower depths," Yokohama is still awash with colors.

Whether it's the thick fog, the sparks of battle, the trajectory of abilities, the dance of lights, or the fantastic Ferris wheel, something in Yokohama always stands in the way of people's yearning for the stars.

This is why, during a rare agency trip to the mountains, the members would gaze at the sky, lost in thought.

Numerous stars shine in the night, forming the Milky Way. The city they risked their lives for just a few days ago offers such a beautiful view, washing away everyone's exhaustion. That said, watching a sky full of stars with co-workers seemed a bit too romantic.

"Ah … Big Brother! I've always wanted to date you under the starry sky …" Naomi lunged onto Tanizaki.

"Kyouka-chan, look," Atsushi exclaimed, pointing to the sky, "I've never seen so many stars ... I wonder how many there are in total?"

As Kyouka was attracted by the view, Kenji began to count. Tanizaki, being hugged by Naomi, laughed bitterly, "... Atsushi, are you serious? There's no way to know how many stars there are..."

Pushing up his glasses, Kunikida said, "According to my notebook, the number of stars visible to the human eye is 6,974. So it won't exceed that."

"… Don't answer like that when you're on a date with a woman," Yosano couldn't help but comment.

"… Having a date is planned for two years later," Kunikida responded. "And I don't plan to stargaze with her."

"Typical Kunikida." "I told you …"

Everyone started to chatter.

Amidst the laughter, Atsushi was still focused on the starry sky. One particularly bright star caught his eye.

"That star … is exceptionally bright ..." Atsushi mused.

"It's a lodestar, of course," Ranpo popped out from a pile of snacks.

"A lodestar?"

Ranpo, seemingly finding explanations troublesome, dived back into his snacks.

Seeing the puzzled Atsushi, Kunikida couldn't help but explain, "You don't know what a lodestar is? Listen well, Atsushi. A lodestar is a particularly bright star that guides lost people to the correct path."

"I see … guiding the lost …" Atsushi whispered.

It was these people by his side, the Armed Detective Agency, that took him in when he was like a stray, lost dog with nowhere to go. They provided him with a reason to live during his most helpless times. But every time he was lost, the one who pointed him in the right direction was that unpredictable man …

Without thinking, Atsushi searched for his revered senior, looking left and right, but Osamu Dazai had disappeared at some point.

"Where's Dazai-san?"

"He probably went to attempt suicide again. Honestly, he's disrupted the plan," Kunikida complained while checking his notebook. "Hey, Atsushi, we have an activity in half an hour. Go find that suicidal maniac. I have no interest in pulling him down from a tree."

"Ah, alright …"

Atsushi, trying to think of where the woods were, started running into the night.

—

Atsushi found Dazai at a hidden cliff. Contrary to what he expected, there were no trees or light sources — only the starry sky above.

With the entire sky filled with stars, Dazai was pondering the abyss of the valley.

"How interesting … it makes me wonder where I'd go if I jumped down from here ..."

"Dazai-san ..." Atsushi tried to interject.

"Ah, Atsushi-kun. Did Kunikida-kun send you to find me?"

"Yes, he said there's an activity in half an hour …"

Waving his hand, Dazai said, "Of course, I won't go! Atsushi-kun, I'm trying a different method of suicide."

"Even on a mountain vacation, you still think of this?"

"Come on, Atsushi-kun, it's because we're on the mountain that I wanted to try something new."

"I see…"

Not knowing how to respond or where to look, Atsushi raised his eyes to the sky. Because of the absence of any other light, the Milky Way seemed especially bright.

Dazai glanced at Atsushi, suddenly shifting his tone. "Speaking of which, this is your first time, isn't it? Seeing so many stars."

"Yes, it makes me … feel quite moved," Atsushi remembered, "Back in the orphanage, I never thought I'd see a real starry sky one day ..." he added softly, "All thanks to everyone ..."

Dazai chuckled lightly, "You've done well too, Atsushi-kun. You've been constantly protecting the city. This time, you saved many people."

Atsushi reflected on the thrilling experiences when, after an unlikely collaboration between the Armed Detective Agency and the Port Mafia, they had resolved the crisis.

"This time, it was all thanks to you, Dazai-san, the members of the detective agency, and many others. Even if I'm reluctant to admit it, Akutagawa also helped at the crucial moment … I just did what I could …"

"And you did it very well, Atsushi-kun."

The unexpected praise left Atsushi at a loss for words. He touched his warm cheeks, and with the earlier discussion in mind, unconsciously asked:

"Um, Dazai-san… How many stars do you think are in the sky?"

Dazai's gaze swept across the vast expanse above. "Stars, you say?"

Looking up at the sky, his voice was surprisingly soft.

Atsushi couldn't discern his expression.

It wasn't the usual playful madness or fake smiles. It was during such moments that Atsushi felt he could catch a tiny glimpse of the real Osamu Dazai.

Such glimpses always left him disoriented.

"... Dazai ... san?"

"Just one," Dazai smile faintly, slowly closing his eyes.

In the boundless darkness,

only one lodestar ever shines.

Fin.