Chapter Text
Yokohoma, Dazai Osamu
Today started out just like any other day. In the morning I stole something from the fridge and then tried to sneak out of the apartment before Dad found out what I was planning. It's better if he doesn't know what I'm doing, then he'll just drink even more. He says it's so he doesn't get sick, but I can't really believe this excuse, I think it's because of Mom that he feels bad.
I never knew Mom, I only know that she died when I was very little, I don't remember her anymore, but I imagine she must have been a very nice woman. Dad never talks about her, and I don't dare ask, to be honest, I don't really see the point in talking to Dad. I tried before, but now it's pointless. I'm much better off just existing silently next to him.
The only time in my days when I can be a little happier is when I run away from home, like today, and explore the streets of Yokohama. Although I'm not playing explorer today, I simply decide that today will be a day of rest, since it's summer and the sun is shining so beautifully. That's how I ended up in the park, on a bench there, and I just look ahead.
"Hello, little one!" I look up at the unfamiliar words, only to find myself facing a gentleman with glasses. "Hi!" He says in a language I understand. "Are you alone, where are your parents?" He asks and looks around the park worriedly.
"Home..." I mumble to myself, the man falls silent for a moment, then sits down next to me.
"Do you mind if I stay here for a while?" He asks, and I shake my head. After that, we sit in silence and just look at each other, but I'm already thinking about how I can get out of here, it's not smart to be in the company of a stranger. "We're having such a nice day, how could a kid like you not be playing with his friends?" The question comes.
"There aren't any." I say quietly, which only manages to surprise the man.
"You just haven't met the right people yet." He waves. "You know what, I'll be your first friend." He grins, but I just blink at him suspiciously. "I'm Imre, Imre Madách." He extends his hand to me. "And what's your name, young man?"
"I don't know." I give the answer, and the man starts blinking again and grimaces.
"That won't do." He shakes his head, then the smile returns to his face. "Would you like to know your name?" This question surprises me now, but I finally nod. "You know, I have a useless ability that allows me to tell other people's names. I usually use it to pick up girls, it's not very good for anything else." He looks at the ladies walking in the park. "But I'm in a good mood today, so I'll tell you your name." He winks and then extends his hand towards me. "Just give me your bag." I press on the bag a little, but in the end my curiosity wins and I hand it to the man, who just holds it in his hand for a while, then hands it back. "Nice to meet you, young Dazai." He smiles at me, and my lips part in surprise.
"Dazai?" I ask back, and he just starts nodding.
"Yes, Dazai Osamu, that's your name." The man says it so confidently that I can't help but believe him. "I don't know about you, Dazai, but I'm hungry. Let's find an ice cream parlor, I'll treat you to an ice cream." He winks at me and gets up from the bench, then heads towards the park exit. I hesitate for a few moments, then hurry after him.
"Why are you nice to me, sir? What do you want from me?" I ask the question.
"Because I was taught to be nice to everyone and I don't want anything from you, kid. I'm just bored, when I came here I thought a Japanese vacation would be exciting, but I was wrong. You're the first exciting thing that's happened to me in days." He shrugs.
"Where did you come from sir?" I ask, just to find out as much as I can about the man.
"Madách, feel free to call me that. Where did I come from? Far out west, from Europe." I'll get the answer, after which we continue walking through the streets asking each other questions. Strangely enough, the man doesn't ask anything that most people usually ask, just trivial things like what flavor of ice cream I like, what my favorite color is, why I like the park, and so on.
We finally find a suitable ice cream shop and soon we're walking on with two cones of cold goodness. I thought the man would leave me alone after we ate the ice cream, but to my greatest surprise, that wasn't the case. On the contrary, we walked around the city together, seeing parts of it that I didn't even know about before. It was somewhere between afternoon and sunset when we reached the riverbank.
"What's this noise?" Madách suddenly asks, as we approach a house surrounded by a bunch of people and a man standing on the roof. "Seriously? In broad daylight!" The person next to me grumbles. "Listen, Dazai, stay here. I'll take care of this idiot, then we'll have dinner and I'll walk you home, okay?" He looks at me with a kind smile on his face l.
"Okay." I answer, and he just nods then literally runs to the front of the house and, not caring about the onlookers, slaps his hand on his hip and shouts.
"Come on!" The man standing on the roof freezes, then speaks tremblingly.
"I'm going to jump off. I'm going to jump off." He says, and Madách just grimaces.
"I said the same. Jump off, for God's sake!" He shputs, causing the man to stagger backwards on the roof, but he finally takes a deep breath and jumps off the roof amidst the screams of the crowd. Madách just stands there and watches the figure falling towards him. "There is only problem with your kind." He shakes his head, then raises his hand and snaps. The sidewalk cracks around him and huge lush bushes grow out of nowhere, into which the falling man falls neatly. "You're welcome. I'd recommend that you focus on solving your problems instead of committing suicide. If you really wanted to die, you wouldn't be crying." Madách notes, then turns his back on the man, comes back to me and takes my hand. "Let's go, Dazai." He smiles at me, but the smile on his face isn't genuine. I look back at the figure in confusion, then up at Madách, who just grumbles under his breath.
"What did he think, he'll end up falling on someone in broad daylight." He looks ahead sullenly.
"Why are you mad at him?" I ask softly, which makes the man huff, but his calm doesn't last long.
"That cripple did it wrong! If he jumps, then jump at night or off a bridge, where he won't hurt anyone. The only problem with these people is that if he wants to die, he shouldn't give anyone a headache!" He grimaces next to me.
"Don't give anyone a headache..." I mutter to myself.
"Exactly. I understand that he's tired of the world and his life, so he wants to end it, but if he's going to do that, then please leave without causing anyone any trouble." He sighs. "Let's leave the crazy guy alone. Will that restaurant be any good?" He points to the building across the street.
"Yes." I say enthusiastically, hoping that this will be the place where we have dinner. I feelt as happy as I haven't in a long time and Madách seemed to be feeling good too. After eating, however, I reached the most hated part of the day, I had to go home. No matter how hard I tried, the friend I met today wouldn't leave me alone, so I had to let him walk me home.
"Do you live here?" He asks when we arrive, I don't answer, I just nod. "Why do I get the feeling you don't want to go in?" He asks, and I swallow hard. "You don't want to go in." He states and his eyes narrow just like when we saw the suicide. Suddenly, something starts to ring, the man takes a phone out of his pocket and puts it to his ear. Then he starts talking to the person on the other side of the line in some language I don't understand. But his face is just as expressive as it has been all day. That way I know that whatever he hears, he's not happy at all.
"Is there a problem?" I ask when he hangs up the phone.
"Just a little complication. I have to go home sooner than I thought." He sighs, then takes my hand and turns his back on our house.
"Where are we going?" My eyes widen, and he just smiles at me.
"Just over here to the bench." He sits down on the bench and pulls me to him. "Talk to me honestly, Dazai. Did he hurt you?" The question comes, which makes my whole body freeze.
"I... Yes." I lower my head.
"I figured." The man sighs, then puts his hand on my head. "Stay here for a moment." As he says this, he stands up and goes back to our door, fiddles with the frame, then comes back to me and takes out a business card, which he hands to me. "That should be enough to make your situation a little easier for now, but if you absolutely cannot bear it, find this gentleman." He tells me as I take the card. "He said that if he sees this, he will help me with anything. However..." He pauses here, then just starts to smile and shakes his head. "You need it more, kid. I hope fate has a bright future for you, young Dazai."
"Are you leaving?" I ask desperately, and he nods. "Will we meet again?" I ask, and he looks at me sadly.
"I don't think so, but there is something I would like you to remember." He announces and smiles broadly. "You are human. So, strive on like a human, have faith and trust. Farewell." He waves at me and turns away.
"Farewell." I repeat and just watch the man's retreating figure. This was the last time I saw that person and to be honest, I had completely forgotten about him.
Fifteen years later, Yokohama, Armed Detective Agency building, Imre Madách
"So this is the famous Detective Agency." I grin. "It's time for denial to find a new foothold."