Chapter 131

The medical room was clean and tidy. Apart from the frightening electric saw next to the desk, the environment was comfortable.

The door panel could not completely block out the sound, and Gongye Shengliang vaguely heard the noisy conversation outside.

Oda Sakunosuke, whose five senses were already more acute, also heard it. He held his breath and focused on treating the wound. His emotions were well suppressed in his eyes, and only the color of his pupils was a little darker than usual.

After using soapy water, he cleaned it again with iodine. When the medicine first came into contact with her, her slender white fingers were irritated by the cold liquid, and she trembled a little. He then held them in his palm and smoothed them, wiping off the medicine that had overflowed from the surrounding area.

In the air that smelled faintly of disinfectant, there was only the gentle sound of metal trays and tools colliding. The tray was equipped with scissors, tweezers, gauze, tourniquets, and thermometers. Each of these cold devices seemed to be as formidable as the young man who used them.

The overly cautious and careful approach is actually a waste of talent for a minor wound like this that can be left alone - thinking so, Kono Seira lowered his eyes and looked at Oda Sakunosuke.

In order to facilitate cleaning, the latter was half-kneeling, with the hem of his beige coat hanging to the ground, concentrating on wrapping the last step of the bandage.

From this angle, Oda Sakunosuke was a head shorter than him, yet strangely he felt the same sense of security as when he was looking up at him.

Gongye Shengliang looked at the other person's calm and deep eyes and hesitated for a moment.

"...Mr. Oda, are you angry?"

Oda Sakunosuke paused and continued tying the bandage as if nothing had happened.

His reaction was so calm that when he opened his mouth to answer, Kono Seiryoshi was stunned for a moment.

"yes."

Oda Sakunosuke said, “I’m angry.”

The last knot had been tied, with the snow-white, clean gauze wrapped around half of his finger. The blue sea in his eyes was so deep that it seemed to drown people.

“…”

Gongye Shengliang avoided his gaze uncomfortably, retracted his hand, and leaned back slightly.

Such a straightforward and straightforward answer made him feel ashamed - from the other party's perspective, he had done many things that made people angry.

He used his powers to drag people back without any care, disappeared for several years and suddenly reappeared (although he didn't expect this), and always caused trouble when they were together...

He heard Oda's rare confused voice: "I was thinking, if only I hadn't called you then."

…Eh.

Is that why?

There was a blank in Kono Seiryoshi's mind for a few seconds. He didn't quite understand and subconsciously widened his eyes.

Oda Sakunosuke saw something in his expression, and the curve of his eyebrows changed a little, as if he was confused: "Why do you think I'm angry with you?"

Gongye Shengliang was speechless. He didn't know how to deal with this topic.

Of course he remembered that non-work phone call, which was also the last time they communicated, but it was the first time he knew that the other party viewed the call in this way.

He forced a smile and said, "Is this where Mr. Oda works now?"

Oda Sakunosuke didn't expose him, but agreed with him and said, "Yes, I usually help solve some commissions."

“It must be very satisfying to help people do good things.”

"Well, sometimes there are problems, but they are solved quickly."

"What about the children that Mr. Oda adopted? Are they all okay?"

"When they were old enough to go to school, I would go to the countryside to visit them on weekends."

"That's great." Gongye Shengliang breathed a sigh of relief, and his brows relaxed immediately.

He suddenly remembered something, and his golden eyes lit up expectantly: "Where is Mr. Oda's novel?"

“…”

The red-haired young man said nothing.

Kono Seira tasted something else in this unusual silence. Sure enough, the next second he heard Oda Sakunosuke's voice: "No more writing."

"Sorry for wasting your painting."

His face and voice were calm, only his hands hanging at his sides slowly clenched into fists.

Kono Seiryoshi was not expecting such an answer. He paused for a moment, and it took him a long time to find his words: "Why...? But you clearly..."

How could I give up if I like it so much, love it so passionately, and take it so seriously?

Oda Sakunosuke remembered that Kosuke had also asked him this question.

He has always believed that those who take away other people's lives are not qualified to create other people's stories.

From the moment he raised his gun to the vital point again, the life of the killer who retired from the business for the sake of creation, the henchman in the port mafia with a quirk of not killing people - his life ended here.

"But, but..."

Oda Sakunosuke saw the boy's furrowed brows and slightly pale face, and he pursed his lips hesitantly while speaking. He looked taller than four years ago, his frame was still slender, his figure was as straight as a bamboo branch, his delicate eyebrows and eyes had grown, and the paintings hidden in the book were once again filled with fresh warmth.

At this moment, his mood suddenly calmed down, and his eyes softened unconsciously - he should be happy about this.

Kono Seiryoshi didn't notice Oda's subtle change. He calmed his thoughts and took a while to organize his words: "I just think that this shouldn't be the ending."

"The life of the killer and mafia member Oda has ended, but isn't it Oda of the detective agency who is alive now? The new one, the one with the future—"

Something suddenly flashed through his mind, and Gongye Shengliang's pupils trembled. He couldn't say the following words no matter what.

Oda Sakunosuke said it for him very naturally: "It is you who gave me this life."

"Not only me, but also Kosuke, Katsumi, Shinji, Yuu, and Sakura."

"They have always wanted to thank you in person, but they never had the chance." Oda Sakunosuke's eyes were calm, hiding emotions he did not understand. "I am glad you can come back."

Kono Seiyoshi finally realized what the problem was.

"I wish I hadn't called you then."

"No more writing"

"You gave me life"

"Mr. Oda, are you taking the blame for my disappearance on yourself?"

He wanted to say "die", but changed his words midway. Seeing Oda Sakunosuke's eyes drop in silence, Kono Seira's throat choked and he was unable to speak for a moment.

It was so strange that the people he was trying to help were suffering because of him.

He thought of a lot of things uncontrollably, and fragments of past memories fluttered like snowflakes.

"...At that time, for some reason, my time was limited."

In addition to the requirements of the system tasks, due to the evil deeds sown by the previous leader, he could not hold on for too long, and it was only a matter of time before he was broken.

"You are not an accomplice." Kono Seiryoshi took a deep breath and felt his chest resonating with a certain frequency.

"You are part of my survival."

The sea-blue pupils dilated slightly.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

The young man who was squatting suddenly stood up, and a shadow suddenly stretched out from his height and fell on his face. Gong Ye Shengliang saw an unprecedented solemnity in the eyes that looked down at him.

Oda Sakunosuke seemed to want to say something, but at this moment, the wind from the opposite direction suddenly blew away the silver-gray hair on his forehead.

Gongye Shengliang was stunned, his eyes paused for a moment, and turned towards the door of the infirmary.

It was also a familiar face, with a tall and handsome figure leaning against the door, slightly messy black hair and iris-colored eyes.

Dazai Osamu has been standing at the door for an unknown period of time.

Their eyes met, and the black-haired young man blinked as if waking up from a dream. The next second, a smile appeared on his lips.

"Is it over? Aren't you going to come out and talk?"

Oda Sakunosuke glanced at Kimino Seiryoshi with a questioning look in his eyes.

"...Yeah, okay. I just came in and haven't greeted the others yet."

He occupied someone else's medical room and his appearance was not normal. He had to think about how to introduce himself and save some impression.

But before that.

Kono Seira stood up, extended his hand to Dazai Osamu, and his eyelashes curled softly: "Good evening, Dazai."

…

…

"Eh?! Did the three of you know each other before?!"

Opposite Kouno Seira, the young man with white hair and slanting bangs exclaimed for the umpteenth time today, and blurted out: "No wonder Mr. Dazai just now--"

With a "click", the pen was dropped on the table by someone, seemingly accidentally.

The senior whom Nakajima Atsushi respected was looking at him with a smile: "What's wrong with me?"

If it was Nakajima Atsushi who had just joined the agency, he would definitely complain in a low voice, "When you just came back, your face looked as bad as Dr. Xie Ye's, and he was about to take out a chainsaw. What are you saying now?" - But now he is already a mature member of the detective agency!

Seeing the gray-haired young man's puzzled look, Nakajima Atsushi was silent for two seconds, then suddenly changed the subject: "I mean, you worked hard today!"

Gongye Shengliang nodded with emotion: "It is indeed very hard..." He looked outside the living room with some concern, "Will I disturb you here?"

It was already seven o'clock in the evening, but the detective agency was brightly lit. Not only was there no one missing, but there were two more.

It can be seen that the working atmosphere is very good and everyone is very motivated to work overtime.

“No, no,” Nakajima Atsushi waved his hands hastily, “Because everyone is concerned about… ahem, about your commission.”

Time goes back. As soon as he walked out of the medical room, a clerk came to look for Oda Sakunosuke with a phone. Seeing the red-haired young man's hesitation, Kono Seiryoshi waved his hand to show that it was nothing to do with him.

“…Okay,” Oda Sakunosuke finally nodded, “Wait for me for a moment.”

Dazai Osamu stood quietly aside with his hands in his pockets.

When handling the commission, Kono Seiryoshi spent five minutes describing his current situation - a poor guy who was penniless, had lost his way, and was still hiding from his enemies.

In fact, that was not what he said exactly, but somehow, everyone looked at him with sympathy and love in their eyes.

Facing such a gaze, Gongye Shengliang felt very pressured and said shamefacedly: "Actually, I don't have anything..."

The uniformed JK said to him with tears in her eyes: "Don't be afraid of Mr. Kouno! Since Mr. Ranpo has accepted the commission, it will be solved quickly!"

"That's right, and you are your friend." Tanizaki Junichiro beside her nodded in agreement, "We will also help."

The atmosphere was harmonious when a bell suddenly rang in the office. Everyone had to put aside their curiosity and return to their workstations, leaving only Nakajima Atsushi in charge of taking notes.

Well, there was also Dazai Osamu, who was playing with a pen and was very quiet from beginning to end.

After chatting for a while, Nakajima Atsushi glanced through his notebook and said, "I have almost written down all the information I need... Hey, don't you have a place to stay tonight?"

Kono Seiryoshi thought seriously: "Park bench?"

Nakajima Atsushi's horrified face.

"Just kidding, it'll probably take half an hour by car." Kono Seiryoshi smiled and looked away.

Now he could go home, but when he thought about the dilapidated stall he would have to face when he returned after being missing for so long, he even felt that it would be better for him to sleep on a park bench.

"It's too late. Stay tonight."

The same faint voice reached his ears, and Gongye Shengliang was a beat slow to figure out who was speaking.

Hearing the sound, he was still not sure.

Nakajima Atsushi first said, "Are you going to the dormitory of the detective agency? But there are no empty rooms there—" He suddenly remembered something in the middle of his sentence, and clenched his fist and slammed it on his palm, "Ah, you two know each other, you can stay in the same room."

It's strange, even though he knew it from the beginning, why didn't he have the feeling that "these two people are friends" at all?

Come to think of it, Dazai-san seemed to be very cold since he sat down. He never showed this side of him, not only to his friends, but even to strangers.

The gray-haired young man pursed his lips, and when he looked up again, a gentle and polite expression appeared on his face: "Sorry for the trouble."

…

…

The back of the man in the windbreaker left a sandy trail in the afterglow. Two people were standing one in front and one behind, not too far away and not too close, with the empty air between them.

Kono Seiryoshi couldn't help but think of the scene in front of the infirmary door.

The black-haired young man did not shake hands with him. Instead, he was stunned for a long time before reluctantly extending his hand and touching the gauze perfunctorily with his fingertips.

Even Nakajima Atsushi, a bystander, could see the indifference, and the people involved would feel it even more deeply.

——Dazai was deliberately keeping a distance from him.

With a slight bitterness in his heart, Kono Seiryo opened his mouth and called out to the person in front of him: "Dazai."

Dazai Osamu stopped in his tracks and didn't look back.

"Everyone in the detective agency is very nice. I am very grateful, especially the detective who helped me."

"I will transfer the commission fee on time. I won't bother you tonight."

"...Also," said Kono Seiryoshi, "you don't have to force yourself."

“…”

Kono Seiryoshi turned his gaze away from the silent figure and was about to leave when Dazai Osamu suddenly turned around.

The sun had already completely set, not even a ray of afterglow remained. In the darkness, the emotions surging in those ink-black eyes were thicker than the night itself.

“I’m really trying hard.”

He opened his mouth, and the ending of his voice was unusually unstable, as if something was about to burst out.

The next second, Dazai Osamu suddenly pulled Kono Seira's sleeve and said coldly, "Come out."

As soon as the words fell, something seemed to move in the darkness, and then a long and thin shadow slowly appeared in the eyes of the two people.

Kouno Seira was stunned for a moment: "...Akutagawa?"

The young man with black hair and black eyes opposite him had a complicated expression and nodded very slowly.

"Mr. Kouno."

As a greeting, he coughed twice and said in a hoarse voice, "The leader invites you to speak."

The night in Yokohama is in chaos, but there is only one person who can be called the leader by Akutagawa Ryunosuke.

Dazai Osamu curled the corner of his mouth, and the coldness in his dim eyes became even stronger.

Kono Seiryoshi: ...

His face appeared in Yokohama for no more than four hours. The port mafia is so well-informed that it is no exaggeration to say that they can cover the sky with one hand. How dare Gin choose this place as his base?

Forget it, now is not the time to complain about the organization.

Perhaps because the mission given by the leader himself was more important, Akutagawa Ryunosuke did not show any strong obsession with Dazai Osamu. His black eyes stared straight at him, as if he would capture him alive in the next second.

In this situation, Gongye Shengliang is calm and peaceful.

"Oh," he said.

"No."