Spain Without The S!

Chapter 8: Good News

  Kouyo had taken Elise for a walk outside. She racked her brain for a way to distract little Elise, but she couldn't think of anything. Her mind kept wandering in random directions and so had her feet.
  Elise hadn't said a word since they left the room. Kouyo could tell that Elise might start crying if she tried to speak.
  Then, all of a sudden, there was a loud scream drawing their attention.
  "Elise-chaaaaaaaaaaaannnnn!"
  Elise whipped around, the light returning to her eyes at the happy tone in Mori's voice.
  Kouyo turned around, allowing a bit of hope to enter her heart.
  Mori stopped in front of them, "come on, let's go talk inside!" He took Elise's small hand and started running back. Kouyo ran as well, a few steps behind, holding the fabric of her kimono up so she wouldn't trip.
  Once in front of the room, Mori stopped to catch his breath. "Okay, so... Chuuya doesn't really respond to anything, but he did have a small reaction to touch. So he can at least sort of feel things. So I would like to have someone always holding his hand or something. I can tell he's trying to come back... but I have no idea how to help him. I'm going to try to contact Miss Yosano," Mori headed off again.
  Kouyo pushed the door open.

——

  It was silent. Dazai had stayed in the far corner in the room. Occasionally Chuuya would slightly move and it would catch Dazai's attention, but he wouldn't look in that direction.
  He held his arms around himself tightly, the room felt weirdly cold. He didn't like it.
  Dazai wasn't sure how much time had gone by since Mori left but it wasn't really that important anyways.
  Then, the door opened again and Elise and Kouyo stepped back in.
  Dazai turned his head away from them.
  Elise walked over to the bed with purpose in her steps. She carefully took Chuuya's hand in both of her tiny ones and squeezed it tightly.
  His eyes were closed now but his hand twitched weakly closed in Elise's dainty fingers.
  Kouyo smiled as she placed her hand on Elise's shoulder.
  "When he wakes up I'm giving him the biggest hug ever!" Elise said as her eyes started to fill with tears again.
  Kouyo wrapped her arms around Elise, "I think he'd like that..."

——

  It was late and Dazai couldn't sleep.
  Kouyo said she wanted to stay with Chuuya that night and had sent Dazai on his way home.
  That was a few hours ago.
  Dazai lay in bed staring at the ceiling. His mind was strangely blank. He lifted his hand up towards the roof and spread out his fingers.
  He sighed dropping it back at his side. He wished sleep would just take him away already.

——

  Kouyo had almost fallen asleep a few times that night, but managed to stay awake until Mori returned in the morning.
  The mafia boss seemed exceptionally tired.
  "Couldn't sleep?" Kouyo asked with a yawn.
  He shook his head. "I was up looking for a way to help him," he gestured towards Chuuya.
  Kouyo looked down, "the longer I hold his hand the tighter he squeezes back, but it still isn't by much."
  "It's the small things that count," Mori smiled.
  Kouyo nodded, "I know he'll wake up soon."
  Mori chuckled, "what's with the sudden confidence?"
  "I can just feel it." She said, her resolve never wavering.
  "Well, I certainly hope your faith isn't ill-placed."
  "It isn't." She said hardly.
  Mori pursed his lips, "mhm... alright, then. I'll be back in a bit," he took his leave.
  About an hour later Dazai stepped in. He seemed off, in a way.
  "Morning," he said quietly.
  "Morning," Kouyo smiled. "Come here, I want to show you something,"
  Dazai stood by the door for a moment, watching her, as if debating. Then, he slowly walked over to Kouyo's side.
  "Look," she whispered and showed Dazai that Chuuya's fingers were closed over her own.
  He stared blankly at their hands.
  "He reacts to touch, Mori said it could be a human warmth thing..." she reached out her hand to take Dazai's arm.
  Dazai took a step back shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
  Kouyo hesitated, for a moment, "Dazai... what are you so afraid of?..."
  Dazai stared at Chuuya, his eyes tired and unfocused, "I'm not scared."
  Kouyo sighed as she turned in the chair to face him, "you're obviously avoiding touching him. What's wrong?..."
  Dazai didn't respond for a least a whole minute. Then he sighed, "that," he gestured with his chin at Chuuya, "has never happened before. Six hours is a long time, Kouyo... he should be dead."
  Kouyo looked back over at Chuuya, "but he isn't. And I'm grateful."
  Dazai shook his head, "that's not what I meant... He's never lasted more than a few minutes like that..."
  "Well, for the majority of the time he seemed to just be... standing there..." Kouyo said quietly, "Mori still hasn't told me why Chuuya used corruption..."
  "It had better be a good reason," Dazai said. It sounded like he was going to add a threat at the end, but he knew better than to openly threaten the mafia boss.
  Kouyo sighed, "I can't say Mori-dono has the best judgement all the time... but this is something serious, he wouldn't risk Chuuya's life for something silly..."
  Dazai seemed distant, "I hope you're right."
  Kouyo rubbed Chuuya's hand again, "he's going to wake up, Dazai. It's only a matter of time... and you touching him isn't going to hurt. If anything, it might even help..."
  Dazai shook his head and uttered quietly, "he always complained about my hands being cold..."
  Kouyo held out her hand to him again with a smile.
  Dazai waited a moment before slipping his hand out of his pocket and placing it in the executive's.
  She squeezed his hand gently, "it can't hurt to try." She stood and let go of Chuuya.
  Kouyo moved to the side, gently pulling Dazai with her so that they swapped places.
  Kouyo ushered him into sitting down in the chair, which he did begrudgingly and without expression. She held Dazai's hand tightly, "he wouldn't be angry just because you held his hand."
  Dazai nodded absently, as if lost in his own mind.
  Kouyo held their hands above Chuuya's, pausing for a long moment. Then she let go.
  Dazai slowly rested his hand over Chuuya's with no emotion, but his eyes looked full of sorrow. He closed his hand around Chuuya's tightly as he closed his eyes and pressed his face into the mattress.
  Kouyo smiled to herself as she exited. She hated to admit it but she felt like she would fall asleep at any moment.