i was screaming your name through the radio. | skk

Chapter 4: The Birth of Double Black

October, Six Years & Nine Months Since the Release of Corruption

One of the very few constants in his relationship with Dazai since they'd met is that he always manages to somehow prove Chuuya's assumptions wrong.

For instance, Chuuya had thought that after everything that happened in August that he couldn't possibly be more pissed at him, that his anger had finally reached its max.

Then he fucking sees what Dazai said about him musically peaking, and it turns out his rage actually has a much greater capacity than he'd originally thought. Chuuya honestly thinks he could kill him. Or at the very least maim him.

He didn't know how to write real or true music? It was almost funny in a sick kind of way, coming from the person who'd never poured an ounce of sincere human emotion into a single song he'd ever worked on.

The majority of the time, Chuuya doesn't enjoy how fame has changed how the rest of PMR's employees treat him. He'd hated going from talking and laughing with everyone easily when he was sixteen to people starting to act differently. Fame is weird, and people react weirdly to it. It acts like a shield, making people retreat into small talk and unnecessary compliments when he speaks to them. Normally, Chuuya makes an effort to break that shield down. He greets everyone by name, asks people about their current projects, tries to remind them that he's no better than they are.

Today, Chuuya is grateful no one dares to talk to him as he storms through the building on his way to Mori's office. The people he does meet on the way take one look at his expression and quickly get out of his way. The man who was going to take the same elevator as him conveniently forgot something from his office and almost trips in his hurry to exit the confined space.

It brings a smile to his face, although he doesn't feel any happiness. Chuuya leans against the back of the elevator as it ascends to the top floor, clenching and unclenching his fists in impatience. He pushes off the surface almost violently when the door opens at his destination.

Chuuya doesn't hesitate to walk straight into Mori's office, not bothering knocking. He opens the door to a thankfully empty room, other than Mori behind his desk. He doesn't seem at all surprised to see him, a knowing look and smile already on his face.

"I had a feeling I'd be seeing you this morning. I had my schedule cleared," says Mori, sliding the folder sitting in front of him closed. He gestures for Chuuya to come forward.

Chuuya crosses the room to stand in front of Mori's desk, too on edge to sit down. He forces himself to take a deep breath though, Mori doesn't deserve him acting out from his emotions. Especially not when he had things he wanted from him.

"I understand your reaction, Chuuya," starts Mori. He's using his patient and placating tone. "But while your outburst last time was salvageable, PMR can't have you and Dazai snipping at each other in the press. It doesn't look good, for us or the Audio Detective Agency. And it'll only spiral and get uglier. So you're going to have to be the mature one and let this go."

"I wasn't intending on responding," says Chuuya. He allows Mori his lecture, even though it was tough not to interrupt. Chuuya might get along better with Mori than anyone else at Port Mafia Records, but even he wouldn't be forgiven for that kind of disrespect. "I actually had a different strategy in mind."

"Did you now?" Mori raises a brow. Chuuya can never actually tell if he's genuinely surprised or not, but he seems it. "What did you have in mind?"

"Two things," says Chuuya. He smiles widely, feeling something other than anger finally-anticipation. "I'm going to need your assistance on the first one though."