Hello & Goodbye

Odasaku told Dazai before. He wants to become a novelist. But Oda thought he wasn't qualified to write novels if he killed people, because writing novels means writing people.

Dazai then asked himself, what should he do to make what Odasaku wants to do become possible? Is there any way to give Odasaku a place where he could write novels comfortably? A place where Odasaku's job doesn't need to kill people. A place where Odasaku can write novels freely and happily.

There is actually a place like that. There is a way to make it happen and for Odasaku, Dazai made it possible.

There's a book where whatever is written there becomes reality. Protecting that book is Dazai's main priority, aware that it is the only world where Oda could continue to live and achieve his goal of becoming a novelist. Dazai has a deep care for Oda, as he tries to make friends with him in all the fake worlds that could easily crumble like a piece of paper. But he always failed because deep down, no matter how many times he tried to save Odasaku, in those fake worlds, their friendship never existed.

Using his own ability, No Longer Human, Dazai triggered a singularity and forcibly connected the division between his world and the original world, which made him able to read the memories of his original counterpart.

He became the boss of the Port Mafia. Atsushi and Kyouka worked for him, while Akutagawa and Oda worked for the detective agency.

In that world, Dazai is much grimmer, although he still holds his dark, sardonic sense of humor at the worst of times. Dazai made many enemies, but the Mafia's influence spans even greater than Mori's influence during his leadership.

According to his plan, Akutagawa did attack the Port Mafia thinking that his sister, Gin, has been kidnapped by the man in black, which is Dazai himself. He says that he wants to get his sister back, when the truth is, he just wants to kill Dazai. If he really cared for his sister like what he said, then he shouldn't have left her to get revenge for his dead friends.

While avenging his friends, he lost his own sister. He didn't search for Gin the moment he stepped on the Port Mafia's base. Instead, he shouted that he wanted to see the man in black because he wanted to kill him and that's the reason why Gin didn't choose to come back or visit him for the past years that Akutagawa thought she was kidnapped by Dazai.

Akutagawa has a fierce battle with the Port Mafia's White Reaper, Atsushi Nakajima and even makes his partner—Kyouka Izumi, as bait. While the two of them are fighting, Dazai goes to the bar somewhere in Ginza to meet a certain person to greet and say goodbye to him for the last time.

Oda, at the same time, heads to a bar to rendezvous with a Mafia accountant and acquire information that can threaten the Mafia in exchange for Akutagawa and Gin, but instead of meeting the Mafia accountant there, he meets a mysterious man in black.

"Who are you?" Oda asked in confusion.

At his voice, the man in black raised his face and stared at Oda from a distance. A couple of seconds passed, the man smiled at him.

"Hello, Odasaku... It's been a while," the man in black coat greeted him like an old friend. "Is it too early for a drink?" the man added.

"It's been a while, you said." Oda asked as he walked towards the stranger with heavy steps.

"Have we met before?"

The man who was waiting at the bar had a soft smile that he seemed to have been using since he was born.

"No, it's the first time." the man in black answered, squeezing the glass with ice. "It's the first time I come to this bar, the first time I have a drink here, and the first time that I meet you here, Odasaku."

The jazz music that resounds inside the bar is singing a song about a sad farewell. 

"I want to ask you one thing." Oda spoke.

"That Odasaku, is that a nickname of mine?"

"It is," the man answered and smiled sheepishly. "Have you ever been called by that name?"

"No. Most of the people call me Oda. I would not forget if someone had called me that strange way."

The man looked at Oda and smiled while tilting his head. It was not a smile for Odasaku, but for the man himself. The man seemed to smile because he didn't know what other expressions to put on.

He is a strange man, Oda thought.

"Have a seat, Odasaku... What are you drinking anyway?"

"Gimlet, not bitter."

Oda sat in the seat opposite the designated one, next to the man in black, just in case. The man looked at the empty space next to him, then went to the other side of the counter to pour for himself. The man introduced himself as Dazai.

Dazai returned to his seat and raised his glass to make a toast. However, Oda did not respond with his glass because he didn't know if he could trust the man.

Dazai drank silently for a while. Only the sound of the ice spinning on his glass was heard.

"Odasaku, do you have any interesting stories to tell?" Dazai asked suddenly. When the man didn't speak, he just tell him his story instead.

"...earlier, I received ammunition that didn't explode." Oda looked at Dazai. The man's eyes look serious. His gaze was intent and directly at Oda.

"The dream came true. I inadvertently received an unexploded bullet! I thought I could tell you. I said yes."

Oda couldn't imagine where the conversation started or where it was going to end.

"One more thing, I improved the hard tofu I wanted to feed you. The flavor and firmness were up thirty percent! I tried to get my men to taste it, but they lost some teeth, so be careful when you try it too!"

"Is it that hard?" Odasaku asked. "And how could you eat it?"

"I don't actually know," Dazai replied and laughed. He seemed very happy.

When he laughed, he looked different. It's like a lost child who finally found his home.

"Right, I was about to forget an important story... Odasaku, I heard you went to the award for new novelists?"

Oda's forehead furrowed. Wondering how the man found out that he's been writing novels.

"Where did you get that information?"

"There's nothing I cannot discover." the man answered and smiled mysteriously.

"That information is a little different."

"Why?"

"There is only one story I want to write." Oda tapped his head with his fingers. Gesturing, it's in here. "But I don't have the tools or the technology to project it in the real world. I feel like a mountain climber facing the tallest, most sacred mountain at a total loss with nothing but a small ice axe in his hand." 

"You already have the tools you need." Dazai said transparently. "If you can't write it, nobody else in this world can... I can guarantee that for you. Have some confidence." he added, trying to cheer his friend's mood up.

"Thank you, but receiving a guarantee from someone that I don't know well isn't all that convincing." Those words came out from Odasaku's mouth harshly.

Dazai's glass rang. While looking at him, Oda noticed that the man held the glass firmly. He even stopped breathing as if he got frozen by ice.

For a moment, Oda imagined something impossible. He thought that the man with a childish appearance in front of him would cry. But that should not be the case. He had a feeling that it wouldn't happen. At least, not at that moment.

"You're right." Dazai speak. He returned to his original expression. "I was just wondering. Forget what I said."

All signs of childhood have disappeared from Dazai's face. After some thought, Oda decided to get straight to the main topic.

"My subordinate is in danger... I think you've heard the main thing. But he's causing a little trouble in the Mafia headquarter's building. It would be a miracle if he managed to get out there alive and whole. But even if he comes out alive, the mob would constantly seek to take his life. I am here to avoid it. I hope you can do something to help me save him."

Dazai stares at Oda. After a few seconds, he quietly answered,

"Akutagawa-kun seems to have met a good mentor."

"What?"

"You don't have to worry about Akutagawa. I can assure you that no gangster can try to hurt him starting from tomorrow. It will be a perfect peace, without exceptions or reservations… I meant it to be like that from the beginning. Only if he survives and manages to leave the building alive."

Hearing those words, a thought came to Oda. It was a rather strange idea. But all the pieces fit perfectly together.

"Why did you lure Akutagawa to mob the building, Dazai?" 

A slight crack was drawn on Dazai's face when he heard that question. It's just for a moment.

"You noticed," Dazai said.

"I just guessed it." replied Oda. "But there is a constant basis. You know the name of Akutagawa. I think I haven't talked about the Akutagawa negotiation yet, and you said that you were unwilling to retaliate from the start so you knew beforehand that Akutagawa would enter and attack the Mafia building. Only one person could have known that. It is the mafia leader who sent the letter and the photo to the detective agency."

Oda put the glass on the counter. Next to it, there is a case. Dazai's gaze fell on Odasaku and asked, "What is that?"

Inside the case, there was a gun that Oda was currently aiming at Dazai.

"It is the announcement of the end of the negotiation." Oda said quietly. "It is an awkward way to target an enemy, but it is the only way to have it at hand."

It was an old but well-kept weapon. Oda has used it for so long that he considered it as a companion. With that gun, if he closes his eyes and shoots, it will hit the target. Dazai seemed to dislike the gun. He was looking at it sharply.

"Take away your weapon," said Dazai.

"That is not under negotiation. My opponent is evil." Oda stated. His one finger ghosting on the trigger. "Who accompanies me is the embodiment of the night in this city. The leader of the Port Mafia. It would be much more serious if this meeting itself was a trap."

"I didn't want to become a leader!" Dazai said. His eyes stared at Oda intently. "It is true."

His eyes were so serious that they became a reflection of his words. But if he was the legendary leader of the Port Mafia, it would be easier to trick a cheap detective like Oda in a breath. Oda took his gun.

"It seems that to help Akutagawa, I have to twist my other hand." Oda stated. "If I can get out of this bar alive, we'll see."

"I never thought of setting you up!" Dazai said. It sounded sincere as it is actually the truth.

"Odasaku, you asked me why I lured him to mob the building.. It is to protect this world."

"This world?"

"This is just one of the countless worlds." Dazai answered. Looking at Oda with his lonely eyes.

"And in another… In the original world, you and I were actually friends." 

"​Be on the side that save people… If both sides are the same, become a good man. Save the weak and protect the orphans. Neither good or evil means much to you, I know that.. but that would make you at least a little bit better."

"How do you know that?"

"I know better than anyone else.. I am your friend, afterall."

"We drank and chatted about some nonsense things at this bar." Dazai continued.

Oda thought about that possibility.

"Even if that's the case, it doesn't mean that what you've done to Akutagawa doesn't exist here," he stated.

"Odasaku, listen to me.. I—"

"Don't call me Odasaku." Oda cut his word before he could finish what the man is saying. His voice sounded sharp and rigid.

"My enemies don't have the right to call me that," Oda continued.

Dazai seemed to have a hard time breathing. His expression was distorted and his line of sight was drawing meaningless figures in the air. He opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something to Odasaku but was thinking twice whether to say it or not. He was fighting against something that is invisible.

"It was hard." Dazai admitted. "It was truly difficult for me to fight Mimic without you. I fought the Mimic organization to achieve Mori-san's success... And that.. all of it, was for this world's—"

Dazai's words disappeared into the air with his ragged breathing. For a few minutes none of them speak. There was a moment of silence.

The music from the bar was playing a parting song in tune with a sad melody of a piano. What a perfect song for a friendship that only one person could remember.

"I invited you here one last time to say goodbye." Dazai said after a long moment of silence. "If you have someone you need to say goodbye to, that means you've lived a good life. If the farewell to that partner is very painful, there is nothing more to say. Or am I wrong?"

Dazai looked at the tip of the weapon silently and then at Oda.

"I'm heading out now. If you want to shoot me, you can do it, but if you'll grant my last request, please don't shoot me here. Shooting me anywhere else is fine, just not here." said Dazai, voice sounding soft and friendly.

This place has a lot of good memories that he doesn't want to erase. He doesn't want to be killed by Odasaku here.

Oda looked at him softly and without knowing the reason, Oda put his gun aside, granting Dazai's last request.

"Thank you," Dazai said with a smile when he saw Oda lowered his weapon. "Goodbye, Odasaku."

Dazai didn't look back. He climbed up the stairs to the bar and finally disappeared from Oda's sight. The sound of the closing door quietly echoed inside the venue.

It was the last time Oda saw Dazai.