19Sakunosuke Oda walked quietly through the foggy streets of Yakohama. His footsteps were light. Not entirely silent, but anyone listening to them would have had to strain to hear them. Over a decade working as an assassin instilled that habit.
He wasn't one anymore. Retired.
No, he was something a step-down from that.
A lowly grunt in a mafia, specifically the Port Mafia.
He lived most of his life in the shadier part of society. Even after deciding to stop accepting contracts, he couldn't see himself moving out of the business entirely. It wasn't out of some sense of guilt, rather it was hard to find a decent job that didn't require background checks, or a resume that had… well, anything on it. He couldn't exactly list his successful jobs, nor put his clients down as a reference, could he?
Sakunosuke had little options from that. He supposed, if he really wanted to, he could cash in favors to start clean but that felt wrong. He didn't want to erase what he had done. He acknowledged his past, and wanted to move forward with it.
One thing lead to another while he drifted from city to city and he ended up in Yakohama with the Port Mafia.
He had the skillset to climb higher. He had the potential to rise through the ranks.
He didn't for the same reason he retired as an assassin.
He did not want to take another life.
A mafia member who refused to kill wasn't very useful for most leaders, and so he was regulated to the lowest position. All of his jobs were the menial tasks no one else wanted to do.
He accepted his work without complaint.
Sakunosuke stopped outside a door. Above it, a red neon sign read Lupin. It was the only place still opened in that alleyway. Sakunosuke stepped inside, unsurprised to find one other person there.
The bar was a quiet place he found shortly after moving to the city. It was small with warm lights, and usually empty on week nights. After work, Sakunosuke almost always went there for a few drinks before he headed home.
In the recent months, he was joined by one other.
The same person who was already inside.
Osamu Dazai: a high-ranking executive in the Port Mafia.
There was a saying among the Port Mafia. The biggest misfortune for Dazai's enemies, is that they are Dazai's enemies.
Despite being so young, he rapidly climbed to the rank of executive within a few years of joining the mafia. Some of the things Sakunosuke heard second-hand even made him wince. Dazai was calculating, and excessively cruel.
His enemies never lasted long, and the ones he let live always chose to take their own lives shortly after. His deeds were enough to make most members tremble in fear. Those under his command were borderline brainwashed into zealous loyalty.
As an executive he was one of—if not the—best.
And for some reason over the past six months he'd become a drinking companion.
"Good evening, Odasaku," said Dazai, swirling the alcohol around in his drink. He had a coy smile on his face.
"Good evening, Dazai," Sakunosuke said as he took a seat beside Dazai at the bar.
Dazai swirled in his bar stool to face him. "And how was your day?"
"Normal."
"What'd you do?"
"Mediation," said Sakunosuke.
"Eugh." Dazai's face scrunched up like he had chugged sugarless lemonade. "Talking to people to make peace is exhausting."
"Perhaps," was all Sakunozuke said in response.
Dazai had an odd smile on his face. "I've got a job for you, Odasaku."
"And if I tell you I'm off the clock?"
"Heh. Come by my building tomorrow morning."
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Sakunosuke had a small errand he had to run first. He arrived at Dazai's tower—each executive had their own tower—close to ten hundred hours.
The job, as it would turn out, was as a bodyguard for the elusive Snow White.
Snow White was a figure only whispered about among the grunts. Very few in the Port Mafia had ever seen her, and even fewer had interacted with her. She was under the protection from three executives (Dazai, Chūya, Paul Verlaine) and the boss so there were a lot of rumors about her. Things ranged from her being Mori's secret daughter, to her being an all-powerful hidden weapon for the Port Mafia to use, and everything in between. Some even claimed her existence was a hoax to leak misinformation about a potential weakness.
Sakunosuke knew she existed because of Dazai, although he could not say much else about her.
Some odd looks were tossed his way when he entered the main elevator of Dazai's building and chose one of the top floors. He had to use a badge Dazai had previously given him to even access that portion of the buttons.
The elevator took him straight up and let him off down a long marbled hallway. At the end of the hallway was an elegant and overly-designed door. He didn't see a doorbell, or intercom.
He hesitated for a split second, but before he could decide on what to do, the door swung open.
Dazai had opened the door for him. He held a finger to his mouth—a universal gesture of silence—as he allowed Sakunosuke to step inside.
Sakunosuke calmly entered the apartment. The sound of a piano could be heard, a soft, gentle song filled the air. Sakunosuke's gaze immediately went to the grand white piano in the living room. On the bench sat a young woman close to Dazai's age. She had long white hair, and wore a pale blue sweater overtop a white dress.
She played with her eyes closed. She swayed from side to side, completely absorbed in her task.
Dazai quietly approached her, a mischievous smile on his face. As soon as he was behind her, he pinched her sides.
She yelped, jumping up. Unfortunately for her, her legs were still under the piano so she really only banged her knees as she tried to stand up. She cried out, bending over and rubbing at her knees.
Dazai snickered. "When will you stop being so oblivious?"
"I shouldn't have to be on guard in my own home," she protested, her cheeks rosy. It was then that she noticed Sakunosuke. She flushed, scrambling to stand up. She bowed quickly. "H-Hi! I'm Snow White."
Dazai walked back over to Sakunosuke and clapped his back. "This is Odasaku, your new bodyguard."
"Ah–?" Snow White straightened up, her eyes wide. Sakunosuke almost reacted when he saw her iridescent eyes.
Gifted? Sakunosuke thought.
Could the rumor of her being a secret weapon be true?
Snow White folded her hands together in front of her chest. She smiled serenely. "Did Dazai tell you the stipulation for being my guard?"
Sakunosuke shook his head. "No."
"You can't kill anyone."
Surprise flickered over Sakunosuke's face for a brief few seconds.
That would explain why Dazai said Sakunosuke would be perfect for the job. He was the one mafia member who did not kill. Snow White was highly valued in the Port Mafia, and if that was her requirement, the higher-ups would be hard-pressed to fulfill it.
It did make him wonder why that was her condition. It contradicted the rumor that she was a trump card to use. What good was a trump card that had no teeth?
So then why was she so important?
"That won't be an issue," said Sakunosuke.
"That's right," Dazai agreed. "Odasaku is the one man who won't kill."
Snow White's demeanor brightened. She looked at Sakunosuke with shining eyes of admiration. "Really?"
Sakunosuke had to struggle not to smile. Her joy was dangerously infectious. It had also been a while since anyone affiliated with the mafia didn't react poorly to that piece of information.
"Mr. Dazai is correct," Sakunosuke calmly replied, aiming to remain professional.
"Mr. Dazai…?" Snow White whispered, perplexed.
"You can't call me Mr. in front of her," Dazai said. "The very idea of me being responsible is too abstract for her to handle."
Snow White flushed. "That's not true! You can be responsible. It's just–" Snow White gestured with her hands. "Weird. You don't even brush your hair."
What?
"Why would I when I have you?" he airily responded.
What?
Snow White sighed. She clapped her hands together and beamed at Sakunosuke. "Let's start over." She smiled at him. "Hello. I'll be in your care."
Sakunosuke couldn't resist smiling back that time.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Dazai had to leave on business shortly after. He mockingly blew a kiss to Snow White as goodbye which turned her face a vivid shade of red.
It was an interaction that almost made Sakunosuke visibly react.
Snow White's reaction was understandable. There were several mafia members Sakunosuke could think of off the top of his head who had an interest in Dazai. In spite of the fact that Dazai was unhinged, cruel, and eccentric, many clients or vendors would swoon at his polite smiles or fake platitudes.
The charm of a sociopath, Sakunosuke guessed.
What surprised him, however, was Dazai initiating anything close to romance. Mocking or not. While Dazai would remain polite, or professional when need be, he never indulged in the interest of others.
If anything, it was the opposite. Sakunosuke could vividly remember the story that spread like wildfire from the Christmas party last year. An associate's daughter boldly confessed to Dazai, and the executive verbally tore her apart and dumped his champagne over her. Then he laughed while she sobbed.
The story was everywhere in the mafia by the next morning. Dazai's subordinates were continuously vicious to the girl over the next week until she tried to kill herself. The details on that account were hazy, but the end result was the same. She left the mafia in shame.
In spite of that, it didn't stop others from making advances.
Correlating the Dazai from the mafia with the Dazai that just blew a kiss was going to be an adjustment for Sakunosuke.
Snow White, still red-faced, shyly turned to face Sakunosuke. She tucked some hair behind her ear. "Um… I've never had a bodyguard before. I don't know what to do."
Sakunosuke said, "Whatever you normally do. You can ignore me."
She looked scandalized by the very idea. "That'd be so rude! I couldn't do that."
"It's fine," he said. "I won't be offended by it."
"No way," she admonished, sounding genuinely offended. "You're not an object. You're a person. I couldn't treat you any less."
Sakunosuke wondered how exactly someone like her got on good terms with someone like Dazai.
"Um, are you hungry?" she hesitantly asked.
Not really, he thought. However, he had a hunch she'd get disheartened if he said that. Instead he said, "I could eat."
Like a wilting flower coming back to life, she perked up. "That's great! Let's have brunch together. I'd like to get to know you better."
"I'm not an interesting person," he said.
"That's for me to decide, isn't it?" she asked, tilting her head. "Are you craving anything in particular?"
"Never been a picky eater," he said. "Pick whatever."
"Oh, um…" Snow White tapped her chin. She beamed. "How about phở? I haven't had Vietnamese in a while."
"Okay," said Sakunosuke, thinking back to his past two contracts in Vietnam. He only had pho once in his life, but he thought it was nice. Working as an assassin, he never paid much attention to how the food tasted. If it had enough calories and was edible, he'd eat it. Bonus points if it was cheap.
Snow White brushed her hair out of her face as she smiled. She moved her right hand slowly through the air as if parting a curtain. Trailing behind her fingertips, a flat crystal emerged from thin air. It rapidly expanded until it was as tall as Sakunosuke and twice as wide. The reflection in the crystal distorted like a stone dropped in murky waters.
She took his hand, and they stepped through the mirror. She froze, her eyes widening as horror dawned on her face. "Wait–you don't have a nullification ability, right?!"
"No," he said.
She sagged with relief. "Oh thank goodness. We can take our time then."
"You can't against a nullification ability?"
"No," she said. "Or, well, can't actually touch anything. It's okay if we just float or fall through because it's a separate space but even that's got a time limit–" Snow White shook her head. "I just don't want to go through another forced exit. It hurts."
Sakunosuke made an acknowledging sound to that as they walked through the mirrored world.
A quick glance confirmed her ability.
Any intelligence agency would literally kill to have her. Any military would. No wonder she was so protected. Especially if her mirrors really could view—and transport to—anywhere in the world. Could she spy on other countries? Listen in on the secrets powerful people would start wars to protect?
How many people know what she can do?
Snow White guided Sakunosuke on a bridge of crystals. They walked in silence for less than a minute before she arrived at the mirror of her choice. Stepping through, they exited the mirror world and entered a skinny alleyway. To their right was a bustling street and at once Sakunosuke could smell a variety of food. From the sounds and commotion, Sakunosuke could only conclude they were near a foodstreet.
Snow White tugged him forward confidently, fishing from her sweater her wallet. She had to let go of his hand to fish out money. He noticed she had a variety of foreign currency at the same moment he realized no one around them was speaking Japanese, and the signs were written in Vietnamese.
"Three… four… five… okay, that should be enough," she said. "One bowl okay, or do you think you'll want more?"
"One is fine," he said. "Thank you, I'll pay you back."
"No need," she insisted. "You're—you're keeping me safe, right? Providing lunch seems kind of like a no brainer."
"Mn. Walk ahead of me," he said.
"Huh? But–"
"It's easier to keep an eye on you and the surroundings," he said.
Snow White pursed her lips. "Oh."
They got their lunch and returned to the apartment to eat. Snow White babbled excitedly as they waited for their food, and on the trip back. Words came easy to her, it seemed like she was used to carrying on one-sided conversations. Made it easier for Sakunosuke so he didn't complain.
"I want to know more about you," she said. "Would it be okay to ask you some questions?"
"Is it an order?"
"Of course not."
"Then no."
"Oh," she said, crestfallen. She thought it over for a few seconds before she immediately perked up again. "That's okay. Thank you for being honest." She pointed to herself. "Do you have any questions for me?"
"Not really," he said.
She nodded, accepting that. "Okay. If you change your mind, please let me know."
"Mn."
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Not for the first—or last—time Sakunosuke wondered how exactly Snow White and Dazai became acquainted.
How did they even become friends?
They were opposites in all the big ways. She held an optimistic reverence to life, while Dazai pessimistically dismissed it. She was sweet and overly considerate, and Dazai was malicious and self-centered.
They could both be cheerful, although for wildly different reasons.
The first week guarding Snow White, Sakunosuke was left with a strong impression that she was a sheltered princess; something carefully hidden away from the cruelties of the world to preserve her shining naïveté. But given her ability, that would make it impossible, wouldn't it?
She had to know. She had to have seen—
So how could she still love life so much? How could she still consider Dazai—someone whose blood practically ran mafia-black—so dear to her?
She was bubbly, sweet, and overly aware of Sakunosuke. Her considerate nature was appreciated, but not helpful in his job. He was assigned to watch over her, not the other way around.
Thankfully, she listened when he explained it to her. It was evident she didn't want to be a burden on him.
They went out for brunch and then a walk on one of her favorite trails. They picked up more paints for her, and when they were finished it was time to return to the apartment.
Sakunosuke was only supposed to guard her eight to five.
When they returned, Snow White put away the supplies.
Dazai came in shortly after. As soon as Snow White heard the front door open she zoomed out of her art room and ran straight to Dazai. Dazai had apparently been expecting that reaction because his arms were open as she rushed to hug him.
Actually, it was more than that, she jumped into him. She wrapped her arms and legs around her, and he spun her once before he sat her back down.
"Welcome home," she said.
"I'm home," he said.
Sakunosuke could only stare in fascination.
Those actions were something people in love would do, or friends who have not seen each other in a terribly long time.
He supposed it made sense why Snow White would initiate such things. He could plainly see she was an idealist and romanticized affection.
But why did Dazai indulge her?
Sakunosuke could not see much warmth in Dazai's eyes when he looked at her. The expressions were softer in comparison to his troops, but that wasn't a very high bar to overcome. If Dazai did not view Snow White as one of his soldiers, so then what did the executive think of her?
They weren't lovers–although he could guess from Snow White's blushes that she wouldn't object to it–nor were they family. It was hard to associate the word friend with Dazai, but it was difficult to find an alternative word.
Dazai cared enough to have her protected and for her to live with him. Sakunosuke initially thought Dazai viewed her as an entertaining pet–not his equal.
But then he watched her bully him into eating vegetables.
Literally. She pinned him down and everything. He fought hard enough to break a sweat but was overly mindful not to hurt her either.
Sakunosuke was flabbergasted by their bizarre relationship.
To correlate the mafia executive from his reputation with the one that was around Snow White was… hard.
It was the first few months of being drinking buddies with him all over again.
Except when the two drank together, Dazai never hid his dark deeds or horrific acts from Sakunosuke. No, no. The executive would cheerfully regale Sakunosuke with an abundance of graphic details the retired assassin had little choice but to listen to. Dazai was gleefully malicious.
Where did that malice go?
It was like watching a starved wolf play with a baby bunny.
Unnatural.
Dazai didn't change–he really didn't–so why did he go out of his way to hide his claws from her?
Sakunosuke shook his head.
While their relationship was puzzling, it ultimately wasn't his business to question.
All he had to do was protect Snow White without resorting to murder. That was exactly what he'd focus on.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Days and weeks blurred by as routine set in.
Guarding Snow White was easy most days. Between her considerate personality and easygoing temperament, Sakunosuke had no complaints about his charge.
Because she had a habit of exploring, they tended to visit a variety of places all over the world. Whatever caught her interest, she wanted to visit. It was good she didn't have such a predictable routine for someone to exploit, but it also meant a lot of the areas they went to, Sakunosuke wasn't able to properly vet.
It didn't help that the girl was painfully oblivious to dangers around her.
More than once she waltzed into seedier areas at some of the worst hours. Four in the afternoon in Japan wound up being three in the morning in New York when she had to take a walk in Central Park. Worst yet, she would approach random strangers and strike up a conversation.
Sakunosuke was honestly impressed that she hadn't been stabbed or mugged yet.
Thankfully, those stressful times only happened about once a week.
When she was craving social interaction, she tended to hover around parks until a group of people (seemingly) close in age started to play a game. Sakunosuke had watched her nearly a dozen times join random stranger's football or beach volleyball.
When she wanted to be alone, they'd visit an isolated island, or a remote spot in Switzerland.
When she wanted something exciting, she'd visit places bustling with people and watch.
There were days where they stayed in the apartment, but it wasn't often. Even when she wanted to paint, she liked to do ir outside. She loved feeling the wind and the lighting from the sun. Didn't like the bugs that flew into her paint, but it was all part of the experience for her.
She was… optimistic felt like too small of a word for her.
Happy.
Perpetually happy.
Sakunosuke could honestly say he had never met someone so plainly delighted with their life. From small things to big things—almost everything could put a smile on her face. And her smiles were hard to resist.
She was a good girl.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Snow White beamed at Sakunosuke as soon as he entered the apartment one morning. He noticed she was in a modest swimsuit. She bounded over to him. "Good morning, Odasaku!"
"Good morning, Snow," Sakunosuke politely responded.
"We're going to the beach today. Do you have a swimsuit?"
"No," he said, "and I won't be wearing one."
Her cheeks puffed out into a pout. "Surely you can guard me while also having fun?"
It wasn't the first time she asked, and he doubted it would be the last. No matter how many times he told her, she always made an effort to ask him to join her.
"No," he said. "Are you ready to leave?"
Snow White sighed. "Yes."
They stepped through her mirror world and into a crowded beach. Seven in the morning in Japan meant three in the afternoon in California. Or at least that's where Sakunosuke assumed they had gone. It was filled with attractive men and women in a variety of bathing suits. There were several games of beach volleyball going on, and the sounds of whistles, laughter, and screams of delight filled the air. Sakunosuke could barely hear the ocean waves with all the commotion.
Snow White wasted no time in bouncing over to a gaggle of boys and girls finishing up a game. She eagerly waved at them and asked, "Can I join you?"
She wasn't fluent in English. She only knew certain phrases–all taught to her by Dazai, or so she said—but that coupled with her personality was always enough for her.
Didn't hurt that she was pretty.
The group responded positively and she enthusiastically partnered up with a tall girl in a ponytail.
Sakunosuke moved off to the side, his gaze swept across the beach for any potential threats.
He was dubious–it was a public place, and no one should know who they were–but he had to be cautious.
The group played for a couple of hours then invited Snow White to join them for dinner which she agreed if Sakunosuke could join. Again, due to her lack of fluency, she had to gesture to Sakunosuke and ask, "Can come?"
She got several thumbs-ups in response.
"Yay! My treat," she said happily.
The group moved to an open bar off the beach (it had a big sign that read No Shirts? No Shoes? No problem. Sakunosuke realized they were in Hawaii not California when he finally spotted a clock. The Americans talked rapidly. Sakunosuke had learned English several years ago so he was able to understand their conversation without issue. Snow White had some trouble, but she never lost her smile and happily nodded along.
A language barrier never stopped her from having fun.
There were many more instances similar. Whenever Snow White had the urge to socialize, she would actively search out peers near her age. Sometimes she could speak their language, and other times she'd simply tag along.
She integrated herself as easily as she disappeared. He had never seen her meet with the same group twice, even if they asked to see her again.
Heh.
Another thing she has in common with Dazai.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
"You can leave," said Chūya Nakahara, one of the Port Mafia executives.
Sakunosuke did not have much interaction with the executive before. He had heard about Chūya from other members of the mafia. He was as young as Dazai, and so his rise through the ranks was equally impressive. Where Dazai utilized schemes, shadowy-manipulations, and was a virtuoso with money, Chūya was a clever powerhouse.
In terms of raw power, he was one of Port Mafia's strongest. In conjunction with that power, the executive had the intelligence to wisely use it.
Chūya stood beside Snow White in Dazai's apartment, both dressed in pricey name-brand casual clothes.
Sakunosuke hesitated.
He was, technically, under orders from Dazai but one did not refuse an executive.
"It's okay," said Snow White. "I'm going to hang out with Chūya today so I'll be safe."
Sakunosuke inclined his head. "Take care. I'll see you tomorrow."
Snow White gave him two thumbs up. "Yep! I'll see you tomorrow."
Just to be safe… Sakunosuke decided to alert Dazai of the development as he was leaving.
To Dazai: Exe. Nakahara will be with SW today. Both requested my absence so I will be heading home.
The response was almost immediate.
From Dazai: Did they already leave?
Sakunosuke turned back around, not surprised they were already gone–likely through Snow White's mirrors.
To Dazai: Yes.
From Dazai: K.
Sakunosuke pocketed his phone, happy to leave it at that.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Snow White
Snow White sat beside Chūya as the two of them sipped from their fancy coffees. It was fancy because Chūya added a lot of special steps. Snow White didn't know all of them by heart–Chūya ordered the drink for both of them—but she knew it was fancy-pancy.
They were at an expensive coffee shop. Chūya had expensive tastes, so any time the two were together they always ended up spending a good chunk of money. The two sat at a table in the back, planning out their day.
"Coffee, shopping, pedis," Chūya said.
"Shouldn't we do shopping last?" asked Snow White. "What if they don't have room for our bags?"
"We drop them off at my apartment through your mirror," said Chūya with a shrug.
"Oh. Right," Snow White chuckled.
Her phone dinged. She pulled it out, unsurprised to see it was Dazai who had texted her.
From Dazai: I hope that coffee tastes as bitter as your betrayal.
Snow White choked.
To Dazai: It tastes sweet like our friendship. :)
From Dazai: Don't you sidestep. How DARE you do pamper day without me.
To Dazai: You said you were busy.
From Dazai: And you couldn't wait until the weekend?
To Dazai: No. :)
From Dazai: RUDE.
To Dazai: We can still have pamper day on the weekend when you're free.
From Dazai: It's not the same.
From Dazai: You traitor.
From Dazai: Jerk.
From Dazai: Brutus.
From Dazai: You will regret this.
To Dazai: What if I make it up to you? :)
From Dazai: And how will you do that?
To Dazai: Is there something you want?
From Dazai: :) Your tears of misery and regret will suffice
To Dazai: D: I don't want that
From Dazai: Thanks
To Dazai: But I didn't agree
From Dazai: THANKS
"He's going to attack when I least expect it," Snow White mused, reluctantly accepting the retribution. Dazai was cleverer than her when it came to retaliation. He had a way of creating traps, and patiently waiting weeks for his vengeance.
She had only ever saved herself from his revenge tactics by pure accident.
"Why you put up with him is beyond me," sniffed Chūya. "You can stay with me, you know."
Snow White smiled at her friend. "It's fine. I don't really mind it."
Which was true. He never actually hurt her. They were (relatively) minor pranks that drew out chortles from him. Snow White wasn't one to get angry in the first place, so she could never scrounge up the energy to do much else other than laugh along.
She loved hearing his laugh.
Chūya clicked his tongue. "You're too soft, Snow. You keep spoiling him with how indulgent you are."
"Good," she said with a smile. "He deserves to be spoiled."
"Eh… That's a bit much…"
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Sakunosuke
Weeks went by again. Routine made things comfortable.
Saokunosuke did try.
He really did.
He tried to keep a professional distance between himself and Snow White.
But.
Well.
It was a lot harder than he anticipated. While she was respectful of the boundaries he set, she had a way of pushing the line. It was hard to say no when he could clearly see she meant nothing bad by her questions, or her concerns. She was attentive to him, treating him more like a friend staying over rather than a bodyguard.
He could understand why Dazai kept her around—her happiness had a way of worming itself into anyone she met. Her natural charisma had people keep their eyes on her, even from a distance.
Which wasn't always a good thing.
More than once Sakunosuke had to step close to Snow White to ward off potential… suitors?
They weren't a danger to her, but Dazai had given Sakunosuke extra instructions to make sure no one interested in her came close.
For the most part, him being close and glaring was enough to shoo them away. The few times it wasn't, he'd subtly signal to Snow White it was time for them to leave. She always did so without fuss.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Sakunosuke received a text early in the morning as he left his apartment.
From Dazai: Bring soup.
Sakunosuke rubbed the sleep from his eyes, shrugged, then went to pick up some food.
He filled two grocery bags that he carried over to the apartment. He knocked on the door, and a minute later it opened up to reveal Dazai in casual clothes. It was rare to see the executive out of his mafia clothes. Even when the two would drink together after work, Dazai would still be wearing his white shirt, tie, and long black jacket.
That day he was in a simple shirt and sweats.
Weird, thought Sakunosuke.
The executive looked Sakunosuke over, noticing the two bags. "Did you bring the soup?"
"Yeah," said Sakunosuke.
"I'll take—"
"Dazai," whined a familiar voice. Snow White came into view at the top of the stairs in the back, her face flushed as she wobbled with every step. Her long hair was disheveled and messy, and her normally bright eyes were dull. She was in a large white dress shirt—and only that—that she was halfway done unbuttoning.
Sakunosuke cleared his throat and politely looked away.
Dazai noticed her and had an exasperated look on his face. "Snow White, what did I say about stripping?"
"It's hot," she complained.
"You're shivering."
"Am not," she lied.
"If you don't go back to bed I will take your temperature again," Dazai threatened.
Snow White yelped, her hands quickly moving to cover her butt as she fled.
"Sick, huh?" Sakunosuke asked, meeting Dazai's coffee-colored gaze.
"Mm-hmm. Nothing too bad, but she'll need to stay at home today and tomorrow so you have both those days off," said Dazai. "Did you bring the soup?"
Sakunosuke held out the bag. "Yeah, and—"
Dazai noticed there was more food in there beside the soup.
"—food for you."
Dazai raised an eyebrow at that.
Sakunozuke shrugged. "You need to take care of yourself if you're going to take care of her."
Both of his eyebrows shot up at that, a look of genuine flabberghasted surprise on his face. It took him several seconds of stunned silence before he recovered. "Uh… thanks."
"You're welcome. Text me if you need anything else."
Dazai blinked. "Um… okay…"
There was the sound of a thud from further in.
Dazai whirled around. "This is why I told you to stay in bed! You don't have enough brain cells to risk head injury!"
Sakunosuke snorted.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Two days later:
From Snow White: Hi Odasaku! You have the next couple of days off. :) Paid of course! Dazai's sick and I'm gonna stay home to take care of him.
To Snow White: Okay.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Snow White
Snow White replaced the cold compress over Dazai's forehead. The slim boy shivered under the covers, sweat dripping down the side of his face which she quickly wiped away.
"Damn you," he mumbled tiredly. "Got me sick."
"Yes," she agreed pleasantly. "All my fault. I forced you to take care of me."
He pouted. "Stop being so nice. It makes me want to tease you."
"You can't do much of anything now," Snow White playfully said.
"I can, too," he said, weakly lifting a hand and poking her cheek. "See? I'm ferocious."
"Terrifying," she whispered. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll prepare some soup for you."
Dazai quietly asked, "Will you feed it to me?"
"Yes."
He tapped his mouth, a smiling slyly. "Mouth to mouth?"
Snow White's cheeks instantly burned, her heart jumped. Flustered, she stammered out, "D-Don't joke a-about that—"
"Heh-heh." Dazai's eyes were a shade warmer than normal, and despite his flushed state from the high fever his smile was as sweet as sugar. "When you react like that, it makes me want to pick on you more."
"Be nice."
"Be mine."
"I already am," she whispered.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Sakunosuke
A year had passed.
"Time slips away," Sakunosuke mumbled into his drink.
He and Dazai were at their favorite bar. It was late into the night. On nights that Snow White went to bed at a normal time, Dazai would meet with Sakunosuke at the bar, Lupin, and drink into the early hours. It was a quiet spot, and it was time they both enjoyed.
Six months ago they started to be joined by one more: Ango from records.
"Ri-ight?" Dazai sighed, swirling his glass around as the ice ball clinked against it. "You blink and a year has gone by."
Sakunosuke took a sip from his drink. "Mn."
"So. What'd you do today?" he asked.
"Nothing much. She wanted more paints," said Sakunosuke. "She wanted to paint about something she dreamed."
"Oya?" Dazai propped an elbow on the counter and leaned into it. "She told you about it?"
"No," he said. "We didn't get a chance to."
At that moment, Ango entered the bar. He silently took a seat beside Sakunosuke.
Dazai quirked an eyebrow. "What happened?"
"She was scouted," said Sakunosuke. "A young man approached her–"
"—with you there and looking all intimidating?" Dazai was surprised.
Sakunosuke nodded. Although it was an unspoken rule, Sakunosuke understood that the Port Mafia didn't want many people to approach Snow White. It was more acceptable if she approached them, but those who sought her out could be dangerous. Whenever Sakunosuke was out with Snow White, if she was not actively searching for social interaction, he would glare at anyone who approached her to ward them off.
It worked most of the time.
"Either a very brave man or a very stupid one," Ango murmured into his drink.
Sakunosuke could not disagree.
"Well?" Dazai probed. "What happened next?"
"He wanted to hire Snow White as a model," he said. Sakunosuke pulled out his wallet to take out the business card. A quick search confirmed its legitimacy. "Snow White told him she'd have to think about it, although she didn't appear very interested."
Dazai sighed heavily. "I can't say I'm shocked. She's beautiful. Too pretty for her own good, really. Maybe it'd be best if she stayed put… She'll only keep attracting attention." Dazai cocked his head. "Hmm…"
"Please don't lock the poor girl up in a tower," sighed Ango as he adjusted his glasses.
"Isn't she already?" Dazai's smile was bright. "My tower. She even has a fearsome dragon to keep the pesks away."
"You're the definition of scum."
"Ri-ight? I'd say she could do better but I'd never give her the chance to try," he laughed. "What a silly thing."
"Is it really that asinine?" Sakunosuke mused. For all his talk, Dazai did go out of his way to make her happy. He took care of her. And while he'd be reluctant to admit it, the mafia executive clearly worried about her.
Their relationship was strange, but not silly. Not pointless.
"Well," Ango said slowly, "they do say opposites attract. I can't think of a more polar pair."
"Mmm." Dazai swirled his drink in his hand, a smile on his face.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Sakunosuke had limited interactions with Dazai's men because Snow White had heavily restricted access. She couldn't simply pop up to visit any of her companions in the mafia due to the sensitive nature of their work, so each visit was requested in advanced and they almost always went to her.
There were a handful of exceptions. One day she wanted to surprise Dazai with a lunch so she asked Sakunosuke to find him for her, and if he was in a position to accept her surprise visit, to text her.
Those instances were how Sakunosuke met Dazai's men.
Any time Snow White was left unguarded, she was explicitly warned to stay put in the apartment.
And most of the time it wasn't an issue.
Most of the time.
Sakunosuke found Dazai in a warehouse. There was a row of tied up men, each struggling against their bindings. Dazai's own men stood firmly in line as Dazai inspected some kind of metal box. Dazai noticed Sakunosuke and waved him over.
"Look at this," said Dazai as he handed Sakunouske a box.
Sakunosuke carefully accepted it. He frowned. "A puzzle box?"
"Strange, isn't it?" Dazai nodded to a man bound. Upon closer inspection, Sakunosuke realized the man was dead. "The only one who swallowed poison. No weapons on him. Only this."
"Odd," Sakunosuke agreed.
"A taunt?" Dazai mused, as he took back the box. "Interesting." He pocketed the box. "I take it you're here for her?"
"She wants to surprise you with lunch."
Dazai smiled. "How can I say no?"
Sakunosuke was about to respond when he heard his phone ding. He immediately went to check on it. Not many people had his number, and fewer would text him.
He saw it was from an unknown number. He frowned in confusion, then opened the message.
Sakunosuke sucked in a sharp breath of air, immediately drawing Dazai's attention.
From Unknown: [a picture has been sent]
From Unknown: If you want her back, come to [link]
It was a picture of Snow White. She was sprawled on the ground, unconscious and tied up with rope.
Sakunosuke's stomach dropped, a fit of cold anger surged from within. He didn't have time to react any further because Dazai plucked his phone out of his hands and looked at the message.
Sakunosuke had seen Executive Dazai coldly, cruelly, and meticulously perform acts of violence. He had seen him give horrific orders with the ease of commenting on the weather. Dazai, whose blood was practically mafia-black, had always kept a stoic and cold face in each instance. He was not one to react, and any "expression" he gave was usually staged.
Dazai had a mask that he wore well.
At that moment Sakunosuke saw that mask slip and behind it was a dark fury that turned his brown eyes nearly black. His grip on Sakunosuke's phone tightened, and his jaw clenched.
"I see," he said quietly, his voice feathery soft, and cold like snow. "I understand now."
Dazai looked up at the sky, wordlessly handing Sakunosuke his phone back.
"If we rescue her, we would need to abandon the Port Mafia," he said, not looking at Sakunosuke. "Do you understand?"
He did not—
Snow White was kidnapped. That already had multiple requirements. One, the enemy had to know of her existence. Two, the enemy had to know where she would be. Three, the enemy had to be able to reach her.
It clicked.
Snow White was kept unconscious. The only reason for that would be if the enemy knew her ability.
They targeted her for a reason. They knew about her beforehand.
Only a handful of people could orchestrate such a situation, all of them within Port Mafia.
Sakunosuke could not believe it to be the work of Chūya. That meant it was either Executive Paul Verlaine, or… Ōgai Mori, the Boss.
Between the two options, Sakunosuke would guess Mori.
No, rather… his gut was telling him it was Mori.
Why?
The why didn't matter.
"I guess she'll have to rain check on lunch," Dazai commented.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Three hours.
It took them three hours to rescue her.
Every minute Snow White was kept away, the fouler and crueler Dazai became. His mood was so dark, even the members of the mafia would flinch away when meeting his gaze.
And when she was back in their arms, safe and sound, his fury did not abate.
"Take her to this hotel. Watch over her. I'll be there in an hour," Dazai ordered Sakunosuke.
Sakunosuke did not need to ask Dazai where he would be. The answer was obvious.
Snow White wasn't safe in the mafia. Someone—likely Mori—put her in mortal danger for reasons Sakunosuke did not know. He could hazard a guess or two, but he chose not to. It was ultimately pointless.
The reasons didn't matter to him, only the results.
Sakunosuke did as instructed, and as a result he left the mafia for good.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Dazai was welcomed into Mori's tower without fuss or fanfare. He knew Mori would grant him an audience.
Dazai entered Mori's front room. It was a long room with marble flooring and a window wall to overlook the city. The man in question was seated in a plush red chair with an end table beside him. Mori offered Dazai a quaint smile.
Osamu Dazai did not smile back.
"Good evening, Dazai," said Mori. "What brings you here?"
Dazai smiled. It was not a nice smile. "You already know the answer to that. You know what you did."
"She's safe and sound now, isn't she?" he asked. "Well done on a job done so quickly."
"Yes," Dazai said quietly. "Quickly. I had to, didn't I? She would have died otherwise."
Mori calmly took a sip from his teacup, not reacting to Dazai's words.
They both knew it to be true, there was no reason to dispute it.
And they both knew why.
To Mori, Snow White was the reason Dazai had softened. He saw the change, and while others would swear Dazai was as much of a monster as he was when he first joined, Mori knew that not to be true.
He saw what was coming.
With her presence, there was a genuine chance that Dazai would turn into a dull knife.
Or worse: a detriment.
Mori had intended to either cut Snow White out by having her die—or have Dazai realize how dependent he became on her. Mori banked that Dazai would not tolerate having such an obvious weakness and so after rescuing her, he would discard her.
Dazai was nothing if not pragmatic.
A lot like Mori.
Dazai knew that was Mori's thought process.
"Three hours," said Dazai quietly. "That's how long she was taken from me. You took her from me."
"And you got her back," Mori said. "What's the issue?" Mori set down his teacup and smiled thinly. "You aren't… you aren't… choosing her, are you?"
Dazai was silent for a minute. He stared at Mori with a chilling expression, his eyes unusually dark. He said quietly, "I will always choose that one. Always and always."
"I see," said Mori. "Disappointing."
Dazai cracked a smile full of malice. "Disappointing? Don't worry, Mori. You won't feel that way for long."
"I hope so," said Mori. "Goodbye, Dazai."
"Goodbye, Mori," said Dazai as he turned and left.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
Dazai was right.
Mori wouldn't have long to feel disappointed.
Three hours, Snow White had been taken.
So for three days the streets of Yokohama was thrown into utter chaos, with most of the damages inflicted on the Port Mafia. Hundreds suffered and were made to feel exactly how Dazai felt.
It was a warning, plain and simple.
And at the end of those three days Dazai, Snow White, and Sakunosuke had disappeared.
They would remain hidden from the world for four years until they re-appeared as part of Yokohama's Armed Detective Agency.
ଘ(੭ºัᴗºั)ﾉℷ დ
As requested, here is the second part one of the one-shot.
As of November 16th, 2022, has disabled email alerts for new chapters. If you would like to have email alerts, you have to log in & re-enable them. They will be disabled again every 60 days.
I made an interactive fiction on for Underfell if that's anyone's cup of tea.
Answer: [Alice in Wonderland] To make whatever I imagine reality.
Question: Who would you want to be partners with?
Reviews are love!