diamonds || shin soukoku

diamond

surprise?

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11 o'clock. The neon light from the small clock on the table glows intensely in the darkness of the room. Atsushi was covered in a blanket, a mug of hot milk in between his hands. It was warm. He didn't dare to turn on the TV, knowing that it would just be full of news about the latest events, which is his little play time. Akutagawa Ryunosuke is known to be one of the greatest detectives, alongside him is Nakahara Chuuya. Every millionaires and museum owners have faith in them to finally catch the thieves that wander the night. But who can really catch them? His senior, Dazai Osamu is the most wanted of them all. He is merely coming at fourth and yet they couldn't catch him. The media should step up their game. 

Atsushi smiled at the thought and took a sip of his hot beverage. 

Not a moment later, the door of their small apartment opened and came his still looking energetic senior. He has a huge grin on his lips as he carries an innocent looking paper bag. Atsushi knows it's his coat and mask. 

“You're back awfully late, Dazai-san.” Atsushi said, placing his mug down and standing up to help Dazai. The latter only grinned wider as he wrapped his arm around Atsushi's shoulder. 

“You can't believe what happened, Atsushi-kun!” He exclaimed, Atsushi only nodded in acknowledgement. Here we go again. “After I have made an awesome move of misleading a small detective, I went to change in my overly handsome clothes and took off my mask to show my overly handsome face–”

“Uh-huh.” Atsushi carefully disentangled himself from Dazai's hold. 

“–And then I thought, "maybe I should grab a drink" and grab a drink I did! And who did I see upon entering that lavish establishment?”

“Who?” Atsushi asked because he doesn't have a choice anyway. He picked up the paper bag that somehow fell on the floor.

Dazai doesn't have any awareness of it and continued to speak, “None other than Nakahara Chuuya, of course! He had these multiple bottles of wine around him, no joke! He's drinking it like it was water! And oh, he's so adorable! With his flushed face and pouty lips, he looks like a kid that got his candy stolen!”

“Is that so, Dazai-san?” Atsushi said just so Dazai can say that he is still listening to his blabbing. “Wait, you didn't drink too much right?” He suddenly asked and whipped his head back to look at his senior. Continuous chatter and wide smile, doesn't he look drunk? Thankfully, Dazai is still standing near the doorway, but now with his arms crossed. 

“What do you think of me, Atsushi-kun? I only drank a little. A little! How can I look at him properly if I get drunk?!” Dazai pouted. Atsushi heaves a sigh of relief. Well, as long as he's not drunk then it's okay. 

But it seems like Dazai's tale still hasn't come to an end. “I sit near them, you know! And they didn't even know it was me! My mask really hides my handsomeness that well, it's such a pain! And who is 'them', you ask? Why, who else! It's my Atsushi-kun's beloved Akutagawa!”

Atsushi froze on his seat. Uh-oh. Maybe he really should stop forgetting that his senior is sharp and intelligent no matter how much he speaks nonsense sometimes. He heard Dazai chuckling from behind him and walked towards him. He grabbed the paper bag, pushed all the clothings away and then revealed two velvet boxes. Atsushi knows what it was without opening either. 

One should contain a ruby ring, an antique that belongs to a foreign family that resides in Yokohama for the time being. It was owned by the Lady of the said family, it should be an heirloom of some sorts, being passed down generation to generation. The other one was the diamond he failed to get, Dazai must've gotten it for him for a reason he clearly knows. It was nothing of importance. Just a silly pretty stone treasured by a museum because it attracts people. It's a mission for newbies, or so Yosano-san said. 

“Atsushi-kun, I'm not mad if you ever got a crush or something. Never will be. I'm even glad that you are experiencing it like a normal person.” Dazai said carefully. Atsushi can only curl up on the sofa once more. “But you already took a job. You should prioritize it more. Better if you put personal things for later.”

Atsushi nodded his head, “I understand.”

Dazai patted his head, “As long as you do.” He stretched his arms, put a hand on his mouth as he yawned. “You do know how grumpy Yosano-sensei get whenever someone fails, right?”

Remembering a specific scene, Atsushi nodded his head in horror. Dazai can only laugh at his reaction shortly, and then he stood up and sleepily walked to his room. “What do you even see on Akutagawa?” He muttered and clicked his tongue, then shut his bedroom door. 

Atsushi hugged his knees closer to his chest and remembered the encounter they had earlier. The closest they have ever gotten. He only groaned and buried his face in his hand, and before long he took it off to stare at the ceiling. 

“He's pretty…”

By midnight, the living room was empty. A half empty cup of milk abandoned on the sink. 

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time to disappear again. byeeee~~