Parted Entanglement { ④ }

Chapter 6

That evening, Dazai brought them to a shop by the street to buy a phone. It was crowded, so Haku resorted to staying outside with Haruka. He held her hand while they waited for Dazai. Haku was captivated by the clown performance near them, by the time he looked, Haruka wasn't there. ''Haruka ?!'' He was in panic, he ran around the place in search for his sister. Then someone covered his mouth from behind all of a sudden. ''Yell for help, and we'll kill that little girl ,''

They were in a dimly lit alley. Not far in front was another man covering Haruka's mouth. She was struggling, scared. The man holding Haku went deeper into the alley to the other guy. ''Lucky day, two brats at once ,'' ''How much do you think they can be sold for ?'' Haruka was crying, and Haku was frightened too. The men were going to hurt them, or send them to someone who would.

Then faint footsteps became louder, approaching them. ''Oya oya ,'' One of the men immediately recognised the voice. ''Da--Dazai Osamu ?!'' His breath trembled as he said the name. ''Laying a finger on my kids huh ,'' He chuckled. ''Bold of you ,'' The dark figure walked under the dim evening sunlight, his eyes gleamed red.

''D--don't come near! I--I'll kill them! I will !'' The man pulled out a gun and pointed it at Haruka, the other man did the same to Haku. Then the other adult spoke. ''If yo--you let us go, we'll give you fifty percent of the profit !'' His voice was trembling too. ''Oh ?'' Dazai smirked, his eyes were filled with darkness. This was the first time the kids saw this look on him. ''Eigh--eighty! Eighty percent !!'' Dazai took his time walking towards the men, who kept on backing away with their eyes widened.

''Do you think I'll juz let you get away with that ?'' ''Ninety five !! Ninety five !!'' Dazai finally stopped. He chuckled again. ''Deal, but if I find out that you're lying, you know what will happen~'' Haku couldn't believe what he had just heard. ''Y--you bastard... you BASTARD ! AND HERE I THOUGHT THAT I'VE FOUND A NEW HOME ! YOU HEARTLESS MONSTER !!'' Dazai didn't respond, he merely looked at him without any emotion in his cold stare.

Then a sudden loud grunt came from behind them. Something crashed the two men onto the wall at the side. ''You bastards, who do you think you are ?!'' It was Chuuya, he landed a heavy step on their chests, forcing air out of their lungs. He then tied them up with a steel rod found on the floor. Haruka immediately ran towards Dazai and hugged him. ''It's okay ,'' Dazai comforted the sobbing girl in his arms.

Chuuya saw the weird expression on Haku. ''Haku, you okay? Are you hurt ?'' Haku remained silent for a while, then he shook his head, eyes still fixed on Dazai. Haruka eventually stopped crying, Dazai noticed a long cut on her forearm when she pulled away. ''Let's go home ,'' He nodded at Chuuya, whom nodded back.

*

''Does it hurt ?'' Haruka shook her head. Dazai smiled as he took care of her injury. ''You're a strong girl, Haruka ,'' Haruka stared at where the cut was. ''What is this ?'' ''Bandages, something used to wrap up injuries to protect them from bacteria, to let them heal well ,'' The girl stared at the white fabric around her arm for a while, then she held Dazai's arm with both hands and looked up at him. ''Is Daddy hurt ?''

Dazai froze for a second, then he shook his head. ''No, I'm not... I'm not hurt ,'' He immediately changed the topic. ''You hungry? I'll go get dinner, Chuuya will be here with you two ,'' Haruka nodded. Dazai put his palm on her head. ''You okay ?'' Haruka looked away. ''The bad guys were scary ,'' Dazai smiled, reassuring her. ''It's fine now, they won't bother you anymore, but you have to stay close to us the next time we go out okay ?''

When her brother was watching the clown performance, Haruka walked about out of curiosity, that's why they got into danger. Haruka nodded. Dazai stood up and brought her to the living room. ''I'll get dinner ,'' He informed Chuuya before leaving. Chuuya patted Haruka's head. ''How's your arm ?'' She raised her hand up to him. ''Daddy wrapped it up ,'' Then Chuuya noticed Haku sitting on the couch hugging his knees before his chest, he looked troubled.

''Haku, what's the matter ?'' Haku slowly lifted his head to look at Chuuya, whom was standing before him. He didn't reply. Then Chuuya sat beside him, and Haruka climbed up beside Chuuya. ''You can tell me, you know ,'' Haku hesitated before fiddling his fingers as he spoke. ''I did something wrong ,'' Chuuya waited for him to continue. ''Back there in the alley, Dazai-san... agreed to the terms those guys offered, saying that he'll let them take us if they share the money with him ,''

''Well yeah, because he had to stall them to buy me time ,'' Chuuya responded like it was nothing, but Haku still had that expression with him. ''What's wrong ?'' ''... I thought he was being serious and I called him a... heartless monster ,'' Chuuya thought for a while. ''Well juz apologize to him when he gets back ,'' Haku was still worried. ''Do you think he's upset with me ?'' Chuuya smiled. ''Anyone would've thought he was serious the first time they see him like that, Haku, and I bet he understood that. Trust me, I know ,''

Haku was still feeling guilty, but he didn't have the courage to apologize yet. After dinner, Haruka sat at the dining table, she was drawing, then she went to Chuuya, who was doing paperwork. ''Papa look, this is us ,'' ''Oh wow that's a lot of colour ,'' Chuuya chuckled a little. ''Ooohh this is good, especially the fact that you got Chuuya's height perfectly accurate, brilliant ,'' Dazai came out of nowhere and poked his head behind Chuuya. ''AAAA? WHAT'D YOU SAY ?!'' Chuuya pulled the strings of Dazai's blue hoody, closing up his face in it.

Laughing, Dazai opened it back up and gently pushed Haruka to Haku. ''I think you should sleep early, must be tired after all that ,'' Dazai and Chuuya tucked the kids in. Haku gripped the corner of Dazai's hoodie when Dazai was about to leave the room. ''Dazai-san ,'' Dazai turned around to him. ''Mm ?'' Haku withdrew his hand. ''I'm sorry that I failed to keep Haruka close and... that I called you a heartless monster. I know you did it to protect us, I'm sorry ,'' Haku avoided eye contact, then he got patted on the head.

''It's fine, good night ,'' Dazai walked out their room. ''Good night ,'' Chuuya said before closing the door. Haku recalled everything that had happened since they moved in with them. He hadn't had any memory of a father figure protecting them, because something like that had never happened. ''Good night ,'' He whispered before he closed his eyes.

*

''Nii-san wake up, Papa bought waffles for breakfast ,'' Haruka pulled him out of the bedroom. ''Morning Papa ,'' Chuuya stared at Haku with a blank face. ''What did you just call me ?'' He thought maybe he heard it wrong. ''Papa ,'' Haku repeated. A wide grin spread across Chuuya's face. He ran into the master bedroom and pounced onto the sleeping brunet.

The abrupt movement startled Dazai. His heart skipped a beat. Then he rubbed his eyes as he slurred. ''What are you doing Chuuya you scared meeeee ,'' Chuuya chuckled and cupped his brunet's face. ''I'm sorry, come with me ,'' He pulled Dazai who still held a sleepy look out to the living room. ''Say it again ,'' Chuuya urged Haku. ''Morning Papa, morning Dad ,'' Chuuya was hyped. ''Did you hear that? He called me Papa! He called you Dad !''

Dazai was surprised too. He placed the back of his hand on Haku's forehead. ''No fever ,'' Haku held Dazai's hand and slowly put it down as he spoke. ''I juz-- I juz wanna call you that, there's nothing special about it ,'' He blushed a little and looked away. Dazai smiled at Chuuya, who smiled back at him looking really excited. Then suddenly there was clapping. It was Haruka who sat at the dining table not far away. She looked happy, like she knew what was going on.