i was screaming your name through the radio. | skk

Chapter 5: Call Me Hopeless, But Not Romantic

Early November, Six Years, Nine and a Half Months Since the Release of Corruption

Port Mafia Record's CEO Sets the Record Straight About Double Black Feud is the subheadline of the article. It's not even close to the most irritating thing about it, but Dazai is deeply annoyed by it. Mostly because of how it's a humongous lie.

He hadn't expected this when he'd walked into work this morning. After a couple weeks had gone by without a response from Chuuya, he hadn't thought he was likely to get one. Chuuya's anger usually had an extremely short and extremely explosive fuse. He didn't often take the time to plan out his revenges, he liked to get them as immediately and as viciously as possible. This is out of character for him.

(There's a nagging voice in the back of his head saying maybe this is in character for him now. Maybe he's changed, and Dazai just doesn't know him anymore. Dazai shuts that voice down harshly.)

Regardless, the article is an offensive series of half-truths designed by Mori to reclaim the narrative and make the chess pieces all line up in his favor. The beginning is a bunch of trash about the future direction of Port Mafia Records, Akutagawa, and some other rising artists and groups. Dazai skims through it to get to the parts about himself.

Q: What do you have to say about the escalating animosity between Nakahara and Dazai?

A: Oh, I wouldn't take it all that seriously. Those two are always at odds. It's much more frightening when they are getting along. People always used to ask me how I got the idea to put them together, but it was actually their idea. But when it comes to how they approach music, they are complete opposites, so arguing is their natural state of being. They used to do it in front of a much smaller audience, but now with things being what they are, it's turned into this. When it comes down to it they both deeply respect the other professionally, so I wouldn't place much stock in this squabble.

Q: What about Chuuya's comments about hating Corruption? There was a lot of fan outcry about that.

A: Chuuya is an artist, and he feels very strongly about the music he creates. I've never met anyone who pours more of themselves into their music. He's an inspiration, and we're very lucky to have him at Port Mafia Records. That being said, he can get very passionate about those feelings. I don't think he really believes that Corruption is overrated. I think he gets annoyed that people try to trap him in the success of that one song. Chuuya has been a guiding hand in creating phenomenal music the past couple years. He likes to focus on the future and new things instead of dwelling on the past.

The rest of it goes on to say more, but Dazai doesn't bother reading on. The worst thing is that it isn't all false. There had been a time where arguing with Chuuya was his normal. But that time had long passed. And this argument in particular is the most real and nasty one they've ever had, it is not harmless jabs. Dazai isn't usually an angry person, but he's still furious even months later.

Not to mention Chuuya's distaste for Corruption had nothing to do with being annoyed at the popularity of the song. Dazai actually wishes it were that simple.

Dazai can't help but admire Chuuya's response, getting the person Dazai hates most in the world to answer for him. It stings, and it also had a different message that Chuuya wasn't going to play this game anymore. He's still glaring at the article when the president approaches his desk.

"I just got off the phone with Ogai Mori," announces Fukuzawa. He doesn't seem pleased at all about the phone call. He fixes his gaze on Dazai, eyes solemn. "We've reached an agreement about this business between you and Nakahara."

"What sort of agreement?" asks Dazai, already dreading the answer. Leave it to Chuuya to have a double-pronged strategy. He'd never been one to back down, and there was a reason Dazai had never been able to pull off a definitive win in all their conflicts. Dazai would be impressed if it were directed at anyone other than himself.