Parted Entanglement { ④ }

Chapter 7

''Oi Dazai why are you lying here again ?!'' Kunikida dragged him towards where he was supposed to be at, his desk. And Dazai let him, because he wouldn't be able to make it there anyway. A loud beeping came from Dazai's pocket. ''Ah time's up, I can finally go now~'' Then his back hit the floor with a thud because Kunikida suddenly let go. In a blink of an eye, Kunikida leaned close to his face. ''YOU SET AN ALARM SPECIALLY FOR THIS ?!''

*

Dazai walked down the stairs while rubbing his ears. ''Aaa Kunikida-kun disregarded the safety of my eardrums again ,'' ''Because you ignored your work again, I bet ,'' Dazai noticed someone standing near the end of the staircase. ''Oh? Chuuya? You didn't tell me that you were gonna come today ,'' Chuuya crossed his arms. ''What? I can't come without notice? What have you been doing every day after work when I wasn't around ?''

Dazai smirked as he put his arms on Chuuya's shoulders. ''Nothing~ It's juz that I wouldn't be able to prepare myself to look at the lower places. You know, it would suck if I didn't see you~'' Chuuya nudged him. ''Shut up ,''

*

''Yummy !!'' Haruka chirped as she raised a piece of chicken nugget in the air. Dazai smirked and put some fries into his mouth. ''Juz wait till you get to the fries, bet you'll like it even more ,'' They were at the mall. After eating their meal, they passed by a shop selling earbuds and headphones, where Dazai walked into. ''I thought you have a headphone ,'' Dazai sighed and complained. ''A dinosaur destroyed it yesterday ,''

Chuuya laughed at the nickname, which Dazai referred to as Kunikida. ''Haku, do you want one ?'' Chuuya asked the boy. ''Papa, I wanna go to the restroom ,'' Haruka spoke before Haku could, so Chuuya left with his sister. ''Try this ,'' Dazai handed him a set of earbuds. ''Do you have music in your phone ?'' Haku shook his head, he hadn't taken the time to search for songs he liked. Dazai plugged it into his phone. ''Use mine then ,''

''Dad, what is this song called ?'' Haku looked up at him. ''僕ら (boku ra) ,'' Haku smiled. ''I like it ,'' Dazai smiled too.

*

They went to a pet shop. The kids were excited, they looked at rabbits, hamsters and birds. Then they went upstairs, which was an area dedicated to dogs only. Chuuya was undoubtedly thrilled. The puppies behind the glass walls were active, their eyes were just as curious as the kids'. But Dazai stood by the rail of the stairs and waited alone. The three turned around and looked at him at the same time, expectant eyes met his.

''Oh god please no ,'' Dazai knew exactly what they wanted. Chuuya went to him and wrapped his hands around Dazai's arm. ''It was one against one, now it's three against one, we win ,'' Chuuya pulled him to the kids. ''Juz one, look, they're only this small ,'' ''In case you haven't noticed, dogs grow, Chuuya ,'' Dazai glanced at the puppies in disdain, the puppies looked back at him, then he turned to see Chuuya, whose eyes were just like the puppies'.

Dazai sighed. ''Can I juz be the one who makes the decision this time ?'' Then Chuuya hugged him at his waist. ''Pleeease? Look, the kids want it too ,'' Dazai looked at the kids, then at Chuuya. ''I'm not gonna help you in taking care of them ,'' Chuuya grinned. ''Yess !!'' He cupped Dazai's cheeks and pulled him in for a quick kiss. ''I love you ,'' Dazai looked away, blushing a little.

''Haruka, which one do you want ?'' Haruka couldn't decide, then she looked like she suddenly thought of something and ran to Dazai. ''Daddy choose ,'' Dazai looked down at her. ''... seriously? This is the naughtiest thing you've ever done ,'' Chuuya laughed. ''Looks like your daughter's juz as crafty as you ,'' Dazai glared at him for a second. ''Ughh fineee ,''

He didn't walk further into the place, he just scanned with his eyes and pointed to a black one, a puppy much more quiet than the others. ''Yayy !'' Haruka ran to the puppy and looked at it, which looked back at her with it's dark blue eyes. All three of them were excited, but Dazai couldn't bring himself to feel that way. All in his mind was the annoying hell awaiting for him in the future.

*

Haku put the puppy down on the floor. It sat and looked up at them. Haruka squatted and slowly approached it with her hand. The little animal sniffed her hand before letting her pat its head. ''It's so soft !'' Everyone was focused at the puppy, only Dazai stayed seated with his phone in his hand at the dining table.

The people I love and the animal I hate living under the same roof, what a pleasant balance.

Then he felt something approaching him. He looked down and at that instant, he jumped off his seat. ''No don't come near me !'' He went to the couch, then he noticed the three looking his way. He knew what their faces meant. ''Tsk ,'' He turned around and looked down. ''Stop following me ,'' The puppy was following behind him. He continued walking, but he turned around again after two steps and pointed his finger at the little animal's nose. ''Sit ,''

Surprisingly, the puppy obeyed him. He sat on the couch, whereas the puppy sat in place and stared at him. Then it looked like it was going to stand up. ''No. Stay ,'' The puppy sat back down. ''Wow he listens to you ,'' Chuuya was impressed. ''He needs a name ,'' Haku walked up to it. ''Maybe Chuuya, you're the same species anywa--'' Chuuya hit him with a cushion. He got above Dazai who was laying on the couch and tried reaching for his hair, but both his hands were in Dazai's grip, their finger intertwined as Chuuya tried breaking free.

''Umm... Zuko ?'' The puppy didn't respond to Haku. ''Yuu ?'' No response. ''Akiko ?'' The puppy stood up and wagged its tail. Haku smiled. ''He likes Akiko ,'' Haruka picked it up. ''Akiko !'' The puppy licked her jaw. Haku looked at the two adults. Chuuya had given up. He was lying lazily on Dazai's chest. Dazai lifted his finger at Haku. ''I am not gonna help the dog take a bath. Chuuya, go ,'' He patted Chuuya on his head.

Haku and Chuuya took a bath for Akiko, but it was harder than they thought. As soon as water touched Akiko, it would jump out of the bathtub and shake it off, splattering all the water onto the two. Dazai was sitting on the couch, breaking cookies into smaller pieces for Haruka, whom was sitting on his lap. Finally it was done, both Chuuya and Haku looked like they had been in battle. Dazai burst out laughing. ''Can't believe the great gravity manipulator would be defeated by a dog ,''

Chuuya smirked and bent down, he took Akiko and ran towards Dazai. ''Hey hey hey no ew no ,'' Dazai lifted Haruka and put her onto the couch seat and closed the bedroom door behind him.

*

''Dazai, the Black Lizards are here, but no sign of Akutagawa nor Nakahara ,'' Kunikida's voice came from an earpiece in Dazai's ear. Then he heard Tanizaki's voice. ''Akutagawa is here. Dazai-san, Chuuya-san might be headed to your direction ,'' ''I know, he's already here ,'' Dazai informed as he dodged one of Chuuya's punches. A swift kick from the left came for his neck. He grabbed the ankle and pulled him, causing Chuuya's back to hit the wall behind Dazai.

Then Chuuya suddenly blurted out. ''I'm off for two days, you're gonna have to watch Akiko ,'' ''What ?!'' For a moment there, Dazai was taken aback by what Chuuya said. Not letting go of this chance, Chuuya pushed him into a room beside them and locked the metal door. ''Hey telling a lie like that to catch me off guard is cheating !'' ''You cheat all the time anyway !'' Chuuya said on the other side of the door.

Footsteps fade as Chuuya ran away. Dazai started to lockpick himself out of there. Then the same footsteps grew louder. ''It wasn't a lie by the way !'' ''What ?!'' The tool in his hand broke. Dazai stared at the broken thing in his hand, then he threw it to the back. ''Great, I'll have to wait for Kenji to break me out now ,''

*

''Stop that face ,'' Chuuya chuckled. They were at a train station, and Dazai was pouting like a child. ''It's juz two days ,'' ''Which equals to forty eight hours ,'' ''It's juz a dog ,'' ''That's the point, A DOG ,'' Chuuya pinched his brunet's nose. ''Bye, Mackerel ,'' Dazai was still pouting. ''Take care, Papa ,'' Haku waved his hand. ''Bye byeee ,'' Haruka too.