Timeless

Chapter 8

1st Person POV

I yawned. I was in my room. Supposedly I was supposed to have another person—gender undecided of course—to be in place. However I was the odd 1 out from the mafia that I had gotten this room for myself. Until they find someone that Kouyou would accept into her barracks. It had been this way for weeks and I enjoyed having an entire suite to myself.

I wonder how he's doing... that fool. My mind wondered off to Dazai Osamu, the renown right hand man of Ogai Mori. It had been around the time of receiving this suite to myself and living in it that I had last saw the boy. Maybe it was because I was 16 that I somehow thought about it. Maybe because he left such an impact as a strange creature—a psycho genius yet a lonely kid unable to understand his own feelings. Was it because I felt we were somewhat of the same. Kids—of teenagers—unable to understand our own feelings. God that sounded edgy. But somehow the 15 year old boy leave an impact on my heart. But it was definitely a problem. He's dangerous. He's sharp—like Mori. He could realize I am actually a traitor—a problem—before I realize that he would know. He'll report it and I'll be killed. Swiftly without a chance. Too dangerous. After all, I need to focus on the mission that was in front of me—despite these growing feelings. Remember the government rules. Remember what Chief Taneda said to you.

I stood up from my seated position on my bed and stretched a bit. It's time to get to work.

The mafiaso suites were connected to the main building. So getting to the main building wasn't much a problem. But the only thing stopping me now was a knock on the entrance door. I made my way to the door, turning the copper knob. I was meet with a slightly taller women. Kouyou Ozaki. The 1 of the most important executive under Port Mafia. Known as the leader of the interrogation squad and a trained assassin, her ability Golden Demon. A similar ability I remember seeing in the government, a top female government assassin—Kyouka's Demon Snow. I remember hearing about her retirement, saying she was going to settle down 1 of these days because she had a child of her own now to protect.

I eyed the older lady in confusion. Her pink hair tied in the usual geisha attire. She was 1 of the few people that Mori cares about. If I remember her mentioning before—well a long time ago, she tried to run away with a lover of hers. However it ended in a tragic. He was killed by Mori and Kouyou enraged but went back to them. Saying something along the lines of wanting to watch yes demise 1st hand by her hands. But I feel like that what she said wasn't exactly the full story. She was hiding something.

She smiled, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. She would usually do that when she would be acting sly of some sort. There was something about her smile this time that wasn't like the others. It was nothing like the times I was appointed to her. I frowned. She was plotting something. She wasn't the type of person to do anything unnecessary. That made it fun to work under her command. She also taught me a few new things that could help me as an assassin in the future. So it really wasn't bad.

"It's been long, [S Surname]-san"

I froze, knowing who's that voice belonged to. Dazai Osamu. He stood at the left hand side of Kouyou. I forced a smile. Not him... of all people... It had to be him...

"It has," I said, scratching the back of my head. "What brings you here?"

"Seems this lad came here for you." Kouyou said. She moved to the side a bit. A cozy grin made its way up her lips. This revealed the suicidal boy holding up a... silver sheet of paper with a blue inked message. I blinked in confusion. "This is your 1st time you saw a Silver Message before correct?"

I nodded my head, adding this to my storage of information. Silver message. What properties does this piece of paper have?

"Under the rules dating back years ago, a Silver Message was a show of power that enabled the wielder to be able to recruit temporary any member of Port Mafia for a mission. This was a forced proposition that the wielder has over the recruited—it cannot and will not be overthrown and disobeyed. It is authority."

I deadpanned. So you're saying I'm dead meat to any schemes that Dazai has install for me...? That doesn't sound fun, especially if it's Dazai...

She laughed. "It seems so, if you put it in those terms [S Surname]-chan." My face burned. I guess I mindlessly said that out loud...

"Since you worded it like that, I'll make sure you'll be working to the bone." Dazai said, annoyed a little. I paled, being dragged out by the bandaged boy. I helpless watch the image of the woman disappear, knowing I couldn't plead to her to help me in my bind. I guess facing the wrath of Dazai is the enviable. 

I laughed awkwardly, cutting the tense in the air between the 2 of us. We were still linked hands as he dragged us out the floor and into the elevator. His hands were pretty cold. "So what's the mission?"

He looked a bit cooled down. Without turning to me, in the empty elevator, he spoke. "We and another member are going to head to Suribachi city to do a quick investigation about a rumor that has been surfing around. I trust you know who is it."

A quick recollection from my memories started to appear about the last week. 1 stood out the most. "Some type of recurring witness of a zombie boss of some sort?"

"Correct" He grins, looking down at me. "Seems you still have some brains up there despite not speaking to me for awhile."

I didn't know how to respond to that. Was he teasing or was he just being rude? My face flushed in a mix of  confusion, embarrassment and anger.

"Oho~? Is that so~?" I said, walking closer to him. At this point, there was practically no space between us. I could feel the grip on his hand tighten. I smirked. "I'm sorry for being dumb so I going to have to ask you to explain why you chose me out of everyone of the of mafia—you have your own guerrilla squad if I remember—to come along. I'm sure I'll just hold you back~"

"You're single strong unit, better than the average Mafioso and it'll be an overkill to bring an executive."

"So that's why you brought along both Hirotsu and I? Is that not also overkill, Da~za~i-kun~?"

"I—"

"Not to also mention that," I said, lifting up my hand that he seemed to knit with his own. "It seems excessive behaviour to have to hold hands. What's the reason behind that?"

His face flushed scarlet red as he let go of my hand. His eyes that were on me looked away, making contact to anything else in the room. He was ignoring me. I smiled, rejoicing in excitement that I felt like I couldn't maintain. I could see that I won by the absent behaviour he was displaying. Before I can push on to him why he suddenly piped down, the elevator opened. We reached the designated floor. The lobby.

"Let's go, we shouldn't have him wait any longer."

I watch the boy quickly move out of the elevator as I stood in place. The few mafiosos watch in confusion as soon they went back to their own activities. I grinned. A new side of Dazai... It's fun to tease him more than it is the other way around. I quicken my pace, catching up to the boy.