Midnight Ride | SKK/SSKK

Part 3

Atsushi was panicking. He didn't know who he was going to go with at the prom the school was having in a few weeks. Seems like his other freshman friend didn't have a date yet either. "Hey, Akutagawa! Any new dates?" The black-haired male just stared bored at his friend before answering. "No, and I'd like it if it stayed that way." Atsushi blinked in confusion. "Huh? But we need a date in order to go to prom! It's the school rules."

"I'd rather go with you than any other girl in this class." Said Akutagawa bluntly. Atsushi, once again, was confused. "But... I'm not a girl?" Akutagawa sighed. "You'll die from your own stupidity, jinko." the black-haired man said before heading out of the classroom. "Huh? Akutagawa, wait for me!" Atsushi yelled before going after his friend.

They went to their usual place under the sakura tree, just to find Dazai sitting there lost in thought. "Dazai-san!" Atsushi called, snapping the brunette out of his thoughts. "Oh, Atsushi-kun, Akutagawa-kun, hello." he answered in a low voice. The two freshmen boys sat down beside Dazai and pulled out their lunch. The brunette still looked troubled and it worried the boys. "Dazai-san, is there something wrong?" Asked the albino.

Dazai looked in the distance for a minute, and then back at Atsushi. He took some time to answer but then he took a deep breath and told them wholeheartedly "I think I'm in love." Akutagawa, which sat beside Atsushi, choked on his homemade bento. Dazai? In love? Impossible. There's no one who can steal this bandage freak's heart. Well, at least that's what everyone thinks. Dazai really just keeps a hard front with everyone but his beloved ginger. He just finds it comforting.

The two boys stared in awe at their mentor, seemingly speechless. I mean, who would blame them. What can you say in this situation?? "Uh, well, that's great Dazai-san!" said Atsushi, breaking the awkward silence. "Who's the lucky girl?" he continued. Dazai stared at him for a second then started to laugh. "G-girl?" he couldn't contain his laughter "H-hah y-you could say t-that." Dazai was holding his stomach at this point from the fit of laughter that hit him. Atsushi looked at him puzzled while Akutagawa slapped him behind his head. "Jinko, you dumbass." "H-huh? Did I say something wrong?" asked the albino, now massaging his head from the hit he received.

"It's obviously a guy. You should know that since Dazai-san is our mentor!" The brunette stopped laughing and looked at Akutagawa surprised. "How did you know?" he asked, genuinely curious. Akutagawa looked flustered as he hid his face between his palms. "W-well, I had to make sure you arrived home safe s-so I followed you-" The other two teens just stared at Akutagawa, seemingly uncomfortable. "Uhm, well, uh, how much did you see?" asked Dazai out of the blue. The black-haired teen took some time to answer as he was collecting his thoughts.

"Well, you bought some flowers on the way there, so I figured you had a girlfriend, but once you arrived, I waited a bit in front of the house and heard someone yell. Then that someone got out on the porch to smoke. They looked like a girl at first, but you could tell he was a male at second glance." Dazai stared at Akutagawa in mild disgust. "You... really shouldn't stalk people like that, Akutagwa-kun." said the brunette with a glare as he got up and went to class. 'Well, that conversation was pointless.' Dazai thought. 'At least now I know I should watch my back when going anywhere.'

He shortly arrived in his class. He could hear all the girls freaking out about prom in a few weeks. It wasn't that important, really, and Dazai also didn't have a date to go with so it was pretty pointless from his point of view. Not long after he sat down, a group of girls came over to his desk pushing and screaming at each other. "H-hello Dazai-san!" said one of them "W-would you maybe like to go to p-prom with m-" "HAH! Like he'd ever choose you over me!-" "In your dreams! He's bound to choose me!-"

The bickering only continued as Dazai groaned in annoyance. This happened almost every year. Why did he have to be this handsome?? He hoped he'd develop a crush for one of the girls in the class so he'd have someone to defend himself with. But sadly, or not, he fell for a ginger guy who works at a bar and lives in the middle of nowhere. He sighed before something popped into his mind. Something that would make the girls leave him alone for the rest of the year.

He cleared his throat, getting the girls' attention "I'm sorry, ladies, but I already have a date." The class fell silent after that. The girls froze on the spot, looking at him shocked. No one dared to speak for the rest of the day. Dazai was amused by the reaction and said nothing about it.

After school, he immediately headed back to Chuuya's house, making sure that no one was following him this time. He arrived and opened the door without knocking as usual. "Chuuya~ Your husband's home!" he yelled with a big grin on his face. When receiving no response, he walked throughout the house to find the ginger. When he saw that he wasn't anywhere, he panicked. But before he left the house, he heard a thump from the bathroom. He approached the bathroom door and slowly started to open it. He had a really bad feeling about this.

When he opened it, there was Chuuya. He was sitting down beside the tile wall, his head resting on it. His hands were hanging beside him, full of blood and bruises. Beside him was also a bottle of Spirytus Rektyfikowany. Dazai gasped as he hurried to the ginger. He knew Chuuya didn't have good alcohol intolerance, and yet he was drinking one of the strongest drinks out there. While he cleaned the wounds on his arms and bandaged them, he saw an empty bottle of sleeping pills under Chuuya's arm.

Dazai could feel his eyes go blurry as he held Chuuya close. He didn't know why he'd do this. He seemed so happy that morning. His eyes were full of light and resolve. And yet, now they're empty and dark. Dazai was afraid. He didn't know what to do. He was too scared to check his pulse in case he really was dead.

After Dazai started weeping between Chuuya's fiery locks, he heard a small groan from the smaller man. He was alive. There was still hope. "C-Chuuya...?" he asked between sobs. The ginger didn't move an inch. "...Dazai?..." he said after some time. "Yes, I'm here, it's okay now, everything's okay." Dazai half-whispered. After some more time, Chuuya finally looked up at Dazai with dead eyes. "...Why am I still alive?"

Dazai's eyes widened. He really tried killing himself, while Dazai was at school. 'Why? Why would he do that?' he stared in awe at the figure he was embracing. He then picked Chuuya up bridal-style and got him into his room and onto his bed. "You're such an idiot, Chuuya. The biggest idiot I know. You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to die!" Dazai said as tears were streaming down his face. He then heard a small chuckle. "L-look who's talking." Said Chuuya with a small smirk.

Dazai couldn't contain it anymore as he jumped on the bed and embraced Chuuya tightly. "But... without you, there's no me, Chuuya." The brunette softly whispered as he placed his face between the ginger's auburn locks. Chuuya softly sighed.

"I know, Dazai."