◣ dazai ◥ :

This is the first time Dazai has heard Kyouka talk so much in one sitting. For a moment, he struggles. He struggles to find a way to combat her words—words so genuine and true—to get her to retreat back into herself, and to force her to cease the continuation of this uncomfortable conversation. He feels as though he’s grasping at straws, circulating through whatever cruel, heartless thing he could say to her, but he doesn’t come up with much. Dazai sighs and closes his eyes, a wry smile spreading across his lips.

「 So then, you mean to say I’m your role model? Or something along those lines, right? Oh, Kyouka-chan, I doubt you’d want someone like me as a role model. To avoid these conversations, I made those who care about me cry—on purpose! 」 He slides his hands into his pockets, eyes opening and remaining half-lidded, voice low. 「 You should quit before I do the same to you. 」

◣ ✿ ◥ “Not quite.” Role model was more Atsushi’s job. No, she felt differently about Dazai than something so simple and straightforward. “I would have given up if you hadn’t spoken you me. I respect you for that, and I care about what happens to you. I don’t want you to feel the same way I did.” 

She coughed a bit then–remind her to never speak so much again. Even as a young child, she never spoke at such lengths; she was starting to hate the feeling. But she had a goal, a clear objective in mind, and she was finished with giving up. His words did little to comfort her on whether moving forward was the right decision, yet she didn’t consider heeding his warning.

“I don’t care about that. You’re family, and if you’re hurting, then I want to help.” Not that she knew how, but surely she could figure it out at some point.