Chapter 30: The Double Black
By the time Sato Goro returned with the information Dazai needed, it was already the afternoon of the third day. During this time, many people wanted to visit Dazai, but Dazai Osamu had Sato Goro refuse them on his behalf, citing that he had lost his memory due to an accident and needed to rest to recover.
After receiving the materials, Dazai Osamu began reading them.
As his fingers flipped through the documents, a faint rustling sound came from the paper, his expression focused. Sato Goro chattered on, adding details, but his gaze kept drifting to the person on the hospital bed, an inexplicable sense of unease lingering in his mind.
When Dazai woke up... something seemed very different about him, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The young man he once was, whether in public or in private, always wore a bright or gentle smile, and his appearance and demeanor alone made him seem like a kind and easy-going person.
Now, those iris-colored eyes no longer held any gentle emotion; instead, they were filled with indifference and aloofness, making him seem like a completely different person. Sato didn't know if this was how the other person had always been, or if it was merely a consequence of the terrible attack and the resulting amnesia. However, he ultimately convinced himself that it was the latter; otherwise, if everything before was a facade, this person would seem far too terrifying.
On the fourth day, the police delivered a report closing the case, identifying the perpetrator as former assistant Kyosuke Yamamura. His motive was simple and brutal: he harbored resentment towards Dazai because he had been fired for reselling personal items, and no one dared to hire him after that. He believed Dazai had deliberately publicized his past, causing him to be unable to find work.
He wallowed in despair in his rented room for a long time, blaming everyone and everything, and his hatred for Dazai grew stronger every day. A few days ago, he happened to run into the original owner of this body on the street. On impulse, and since he happened to be carrying a fruit knife, he deliberately followed him to a secluded place and committed the crime.
Originally, the place was remote and sparsely populated, and Dazai's body was already cold when he was found. However, Dazai Osamu miraculously survived for unknown reasons, so the village arrested him on multiple charges, including attempted murder.
Dazai Osamu's abdominal wound wasn't fatal, but he still needed to rest in bed. During this time, paparazzi and similar individuals tried to break into the hospital to interview him, because several people had confirmed his death when he was pronounced dead—a "resurrection" was a rare and highly sensational event. Fortunately, their security budget was sufficient, so these attempts were all resolved before they even reached Dazai.
During this period, Dazai Osamu, combining Sato's information with his own analysis, quickly sketched out the general image of "Actor Dazai Osamu": a person with exceptionally simple social relationships. His phone contacts were mostly work colleagues, and his chat history was filled with formulaic greetings and confirmations of schedules. He had neither close friends nor relatives (his profile indicated he was an orphan), and even his so-called romantic interests were limited to media hype (such as Ayako Uehara). His entire private life was strongly detached from the complex interpersonal relationships required in the industry.
Sato's initial "Dazai-san" confirmed Dazai's suspicion that the body's original owner shared the same name, immediately leading him to consider the possibility of a clone. Coupled with his own bizarre experiences in the previous world, he immediately suspected that another consciousness might be lurking within this body, just like his own and [Dazai Osamu] in the previous world.
He had seen a photo of this world's [Dazai Osamu]. The other person's facial features were extremely similar to his own, only he looked older (his ID card showed that [Dazai Osamu] was 22 years old), and his temperament was completely different. The world-weary weariness between his brows was gone, replaced by a kind of bright smile that was almost fake. Dazai had never thought that such an expression would appear on him. Looking at it made him feel nauseous and wanted to vomit, as if some non-human being was trying to disguise itself as a human.
Dazai once tried to use a mirror to determine the number of consciousnesses in his body, but the image in the mirror was always in sync with him, with the same calm and unwavering gaze. There was no sign of a second consciousness seizing control, nor any strange asynchronous movements; nothing appeared.
Later, Dazai Osamu used every method he could think of to test whether there was only one person inside the body, but without exception, the results all pointed to the same fact: there was only one soul in this body.
While browsing through his phone, he also found Chuuya Nakahara's contact information on those social media platforms. However, when he opened the chat history with the other party, he could only see a blank page, with no conversations or call records. It was as if this situation had been anticipated and deliberately formatted.
Sato Goro insisted that the two of them were irreconcilable enemies, but Dazai Osamu's intuition told him that if the original owner of this body was truly his counterpart, the relationship with Nakahara Chuuya could never be so simple. Sometimes, the so-called blank space can conceal secrets more effectively than any content, whether intense or ordinary.
That day, Dazai Osamu was leaning against his hospital bed, his eyes glazed over. Suddenly, his phone vibrated.
He opened it and his eyes lit up.
The vibration originated from a new message in my email inbox from an unknown number:
[If you don't want to end up in the emergency room again, get out of the entertainment industry right now. Otherwise, there won't be another miracle of coming back from the dead.]
A threatening letter.
The timing of its appearance was absolutely perfect.
Based on this, Dazai Osamu quickly decided on the course of certain events.
Shortly after, during a routine check-up, the doctor announced that he was recovering well and could be discharged in two or three days.
When Sato Goro arrived excitedly with his new announcement plan, he was greeted by Dazai Osamu's straightforward declaration: "Mr. Sato, I've made up my mind. I'm retiring."
Sato Goro was struck dumb, and the folder in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud": "Retirement?! Mr. Dazai, do you know what you're saying?! This is the rising period of your career. The popularity from your last drama is still there. I've already negotiated several new scripts, and your fans are waiting for your recovery! You can't give up because of one accident. Think about your ideals and all the efforts we've made!"
His words implied a desire for Dazai Osamu to calm down and not do anything impulsive.
Dazai Osamu lowered his eyes slightly, his thick eyelashes casting shadows on his pale face. His slightly pursed, pale red lips made him look fragile and hesitant. "Ideals... efforts..." he repeated softly, his voice trembling slightly. He frowned, as if trying to recall something. "Mr. Sato, I... I can't remember anything. Whether it's the feeling of standing in front of the camera or the feelings of facing fans... I can't remember any of it."
He looked up, staring directly at Sato, his eyes filled with conflict and pain: "Besides, does the popularity of just one drama really mean anything? The entertainment industry changes so fast; if I suddenly disappear like this, it might not even make a ripple. More importantly..." He picked up his phone and shoved the glaring threatening message in front of Sato Goro's eyes.
“I’m scared, Mr. Sato.” Dazai Osamu’s voice was hoarse with lingering fear. “I’ve survived this time by chance, but what about next time? Miracles don’t always happen to me.”
He also stated that, most importantly, he feared that if he continued in this manner, he might face even worse treatment.
Sato Goro stared at the text message, his face turning deathly pale. The message was unsigned, and the number it revealed was disconnected.
Currently, Yamamura Kyosuke, who might have done such a thing, is in prison. Who else would be so scheming to threaten Dazai? He quickly filtered through Dazai Osamu's network of contacts in his mind: a newcomer who had only recently risen to fame in the entertainment industry and became popular with just one drama. Before losing his memory, he was gentle and even somewhat introverted, and everyone he had worked with praised his easygoing nature.
Aside from that obsessive former assistant, he couldn't think of anyone else the other person had offended in the industry, to the point of life-or-death conflict. Could it be a crazed stalker fan, or some extreme tactic from a competitor?
At this stage, the only person Sato Goro can think of who can be considered a rival to Dazai is Nakahara Chuuya.
He looked at the young man's pale face on the hospital bed, and the fear in his eyes (a hallucination in Sato's mind), and then thought back to the terrible attack a few days ago and this anonymous threatening text message...
After considering it deeply, he finally sighed in dejection, his shoulders slumping.
He spoke with difficulty, his voice filled with deep regret and resentment: "I...I understand. If this is your decision...I will do my best to help you with the subsequent contract termination and public relations statement."
Sato Goro understood Dazai's concerns, so he reluctantly agreed. However, he also said that Dazai could come back anytime if he changed his mind. After all, the artist he was managing was one of the most handsome in recent years. Sato had initially been ambitious, believing that with the artist's outstanding looks and professional skills, he would definitely be able to make a name for himself in the Japanese entertainment industry!
Unfortunately, not long after, one of their artists announced his retirement from the entertainment industry, essentially ending any chance of him becoming famous again. After all, everyone knows how quickly the entertainment industry changes; new faces often replace the old. This was exactly what Dazai wanted, but he wouldn't say much to Sato Goro.
Dazai Osamu nodded slightly, a grateful expression on his face: "Thank you, Mr. Sato." But in his heart, he felt nothing.
Just as Sato Goro was composing himself and preparing to discuss the intricate details of his retirement with him—
Thump, thump, thump.
Three crisp knocks sounded on the door. But before anyone could answer, the door was flung open.
Dazai Osamu subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound.
In that instant, time seemed to be paused.
His amber pupils contracted to their limit in utter shock, and for a moment, all his thoughts and calculations vanished.
There stood a figure backlit at the entrance.
The other person didn't have the exaggerated stage look that Dazai Osamu had shown in those videos; their ochre hair seemed to still carry the dampness from outside, sticking up unruly on their head.
He wore a well-tailored black leather jacket and dark jeans, which accentuated his refined and powerful physique.
The face that Dazai had dreamt of countless times in the dead of night was devoid of any smile at this moment. Instead, his lips were tightly pursed, and his brows concealed an undisguised irritation.
What's most unforgettable are those eyes—cobalt blue eyes purer than the ocean—that pierce through the space between them, locking onto Dazai Osamu with a scrutinizing gaze and an extremely complex and unpredictable emotion.
This is no longer a photograph, nor a video.
It is alive, with a strong sense of presence—
Nakahara Chuuya.
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Author's Note: I made it! I'm working hard to update. I wonder if I'll be able to get featured [cheek resting on hand]
If all goes well, it should be available the day after tomorrow. I might continue revising the text tomorrow; I feel like I've revised this three or four times already.
Thank you everyone for your support! [hugs]
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