Mistress Of The Shadow | Bungo Stray Dogs

Chapter 8

Dazai sat on his bed with a book in hand when the door opened. He turned his head quickly as his eyes narrowed.

He watched Sayuri prance into the shipping container and his expression softened slightly.

"I thought you were going to hang out with Chuuya today," Dazai spoke as he looked back down at his book.

"I did! We were with the Young Bloods and we played some pool. They're probably still playing. I told them I had to leave," Sayu replied, plopping herself down at the end of his bed.

He was sat crisscross so she mirrored his position.

"You could've told me you were coming," Dazai said, looking back down at his book.

"I wanted to surprise you," she said, setting a bag in front of him.

Dazai glanced at the bag before quickly digging in to find the bag filled with sweets.

"I got you some daifuku and dorayaki. I thought you might like it," Sayu said as she smiled at him.

Dazai clutched the bag to his chest with a childish smile. "You are the best! I will savor every bite!"

The two began talking aimlessly as Dazai shoved the treats in his face contently. Eventually, Dazai convinced Sayu to let him braid her hair.

She sat in front of him as he pulled her hair into smooth plaits. Her eyes closed as she allowed herself to relax a bit.

As Dazai finished braiding the second half of her hair, he broke the comfortable silence that had settled between them.

"Do you like me?"

Sayuri stiffened a bit as her cheeks became warm. "What?"

"Do you like me? Sometimes I wonder if you don't actually like me and just hang around me because I scare you," Dazai spoke quietly.

He waited for her response as her shoulders started to tremble. He then heard her began laughing as she leaned back, her head landing in his crossed lap.

"You're funny, you know that?" Sayu giggled as she looked up at him. "You really think I'm scared of you?"

"Well, I don't really think so, but I've just been thinking about it a lot lately..." Dazai admitted, looking down at her. "You're the only person that I really talk to. Koyo told me that I scare most of the members in the mafia."

"I guess you are pretty spooky," Sayu teased as she pushed herself back up, turning to be able to look at him. "But I'm not scared of you. You're not the only monster in the mafia, Osa, but you're my monster."

Dazai's gaze fell to his lap. "I'm glad you stuck around. I feel a little less alone in this awful existence when you're around."

"I'll always be here for you. We're partners, remember?"

"Yeah. Partners," he mumbled. He recalled the conversation he had heard between her and Chuuya a few months back.

He didn't really know what he had done to gain her trust, and it made him feel guilty that he hadn't fully trusted her with his secrets. He wanted to call her a friend, but friends tell each other their secrets. For the first time, he was afraid to tell his secrets. Normally he kept it secret because it was no one else's business but his own, but Sayuri was different.

He knew everything about her. The only person who knew her better than he did was her brother. And while she knew him better than anyone else, she didn't truly knew him.

"Why do you trust me, Sayu?" He asked, his deep brown eyes boring into her soul.

Sayu hummed as she smiled at him. "Because you've given me no reason not to."