Dazai's Childish Predicament

Finding Happiness

Notes:

Hi all! So back in March, I got a wonderful comment from a reader on AO3 who went by 'Blueberry muffins' asking for a sequel on what happens after the end of this fic. Namely how Dazai understands his new emotions and what happens to Chuuya now that Dazai is back to normal.

I, wanting to be honest, said that my priorities were elsewhere and that I'd play with the idea but a sequel wasn't guaranteed...

Well, seems like the universe aligned for you lucky readers! While doing a complete overhaul of my current project, Blood, and generally finding it hard to plan a fic worthy of being called 'an attempt at a light novel', I decided I needed a break from the seriousness and came back to have a go at a sequel.
It was also a nice break from all the angst going on with the main manga and Storm Bringer right now so I hope it gives you some respite from all that too lolol

Enjoy guys! You deserve it for being so wonderful and supportive!

Oh also, if you wanna know the 'vibe' I was going for when I wrote this, feel free to listen to Afterglow by Ed Sheeran on repeat for literally the whole thing, it's what I did while writing it haha

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"I really have to spell it out for you, don't I? Dazai, all these weird feelings you don't understand, the baking cakes, the taking walks through the park, that's your body's way of enjoying itself. The weird feelings are happiness, contentment, all the stuff you felt every day while you had amnesia. The hesitation when you consider killing yourself, that's your body's way of saying maybe you don't really want to die as much as you think you do. That there's something that might just be worth living for."

It was a clear Saturday afternoon. Dazai sat in the corner of a quiet café, chin resting on his hand and gazing out to the street. It had been a few days since he met with Chuuya, but his words replayed themselves in Dazai mind constantly.

Do I really not want to die?

Dazai sighed quietly, his eyes following a young girl skipping beside her mother.

But life is pointless...we all die in the end...all we do amounts to nothing in comparison to the universe...

A waitress came over and took his empty cup away, though Dazai's thoughts were too far away for him to notice.

So how...? How is there anything worth living for?

"Excuse me, sir? ...sir? Sir?"

"Hm?" Dazai started then turned to look at the waitress who was trying to get his attention.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but the café will be closing soon..."

"Oh...right, thank you," Dazai nodded and the waitress left.

He sat at the table for a moment, still trying to pull his mind back to the present.

Has it really been that long since I got here?

Once he felt suitably grounded, he stood and donned his coat, thanking the remaining staff and exiting the café.

Where to now...

The sun was beginning to set, and as Dazai looked in the direction of the reddening sky, he felt his heart ache.

Is this...one of those weird feelings?

Had Dazai still not recovered his memories, it wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to see him tug at Chuuya's sleeve and point at the sky. His eyes wide and his smile even wider.