“…In other words, you are preparing to go to Hokkaido to play with Chuuya?”
Hiiragi Eiji nodded calmly.
Dazai Osamu stared deeply at Hiiragi Eiji.
Hiiragi Eiji did not know what Dazai Osamu was thinking, but looking at those beautiful auburn eyes of his, he had an intuition that he might be rejected.
Ever since the “favorability reduction time” appeared, Dazai Osamu had changed his interaction policy with him again.
Hiiragi Eiji felt that he had completely adapted to this changeable social policy of Dazai Osamu.
From looking down on him at the beginning, to finally starting to regard him as an equal, to the favorability rising and having some kind of intimate relationship, to being ignored and alienated by Dazai Osamu but returning to normal quickly without that intimacy, and then becoming the current state—although not being avoided, he could definitely feel the kind of coldness radiating from Dazai Osamu.
…So why is this stinky kid’s heart as sensitive and changeable as a rebellious adolescent boy? Clearly, that age should have passed long ago!
Although he complained like this in his heart, Hiiragi Eiji had recently read many books on how to deal with adolescent children and could temporarily manage to face it calmly.
After all, he was not a devil. Although he already had a rough idea of desensitization therapy in his heart, he still mercifully gave Dazai Osamu a few days of relaxation time.
However, a surprising thing happened. Dazai Osamu slowly retracted his gaze from him, nodded decisively, and then said briskly: “Okay, then you go, have fun.” As he said this, he spun his office chair.
Seeing that he intended to spin himself dizzy, Hiiragi Eiji pressed down on the back of his chair, forcibly stopping him.
Dazai Osamu’s eyes became a bit unfocused because of this childish action. Finally, he said slowly: “Eiji, go help me send these reports to the Information Department.” He pointed to the pile of data papers on the desk.
When Hiiragi Eiji left clutching the documents as requested by Dazai Osamu, the bandage-freak poked his head out from behind the computer screen. After discovering that Hiiragi Eiji had really left, he nimbly slid the swivel chair to the computer.
That day, a hot post suddenly floated up on the Port Mafia’s internal network forum.
《Year-round without breaks, now applying for a year-end team-building trip, no one should object, right? : )》
OP: The sky is cool, the snow has stopped, I think we can take a vacation.
In winter, hot springs are the best match.
Why not just make this team-building trip—which never existed but was written in the recruitment benefits—set in Hokkaido? Far away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world, let’s enjoy a journey of physical and mental sublimation together.
1L: ?????? OP, you are so brave, but I second this.
5L: Hard not to support!!!!
11L: Angry like—!
149L: Damn, what’s going on today? Everyone has become so brave? Actually daring to bring up the non-existent recruitment conditions?!
In that case, I support it!!!
333L: …Silently supporting.
But, why… do I always feel that OP’s style? Seems a little weird?
Don’t you feel a little punchable!?
And a fierce man who dares to publicly DISS the entrepreneur’s recruitment conditions on the intranet (which, although anonymous, the technical department can know who you are under the skin if they want to)…?
389L: Damn, finally someone said it. I’ve wanted to say this for a long time.
Known condition 1: My boss was in a very good mood today when he handed over work to us, saying he has an appointment this weekend to go to Hokkaido.
Known condition 2: A few days ago, an undisclosed insider said they saw my boss invite the famous “male mother” of the Port Mafia to be his subordinate, but the result is unknown.
Known condition 3: My boss was photographed going to a bar to drink alone with the male mother, that’s right! Two people! Not that fixed trio of the boss’s boss and the boss’s subordinate! Just two people! No one else! It must be a date, right?!
Conclusion: Just… OP, is it you? The person who felt a sense of crisis because the male mother might be snatched away : )?
PS: If it’s true, boss!!! My dear boss! Please be sure to give it your all! I’ve heard that the workload in OP’s group is unusually low! It’s because the male mother is too capable—! Whether we can reduce our workload depends on you!
456L: ?????????
Damn, are we being used as a gun?! This guy has such a vicious heart! He grasped the psychology of us wage slaves who never get a break all year!
I’m sorry, that lord! But this time I am willing to be used—! Support—!
555L: …Um, please, subordinates of that happy boss, note: please don’t let him see this post…
The guilt is too much!! Damn it! OP precisely grasped the temptation that is hardest for wage slaves to resist; it’s completely impossible to refuse, but my conscience hurts secretly. Please be sure to make that lord happy…
606L: I used to think… everyone seemed to exaggerate OP’s character in some aspects, but today, I was silent, and wanted to slap myself twice for not believing it. This method of manipulating people’s hearts?! Substituting into that boss, it’s simply a brain hemorrhage (.).
Although I lost to desire, I still have to say, male mother, change your boss—!
The next day, Dazai Osamu was called to Mori Ougai’s office.
“…Dazai-kun, can you explain to me why you are committed to making me solidify the reputation of a black-hearted entrepreneur?” Mori Ougai scanned the tablet screen twice, then raised his head to look at Dazai Osamu, “Why such a strong pursuit of taking a vacation suddenly?”
Dazai Osamu sighed heavily, his face slumped immediately, “…Why does an anonymous forum have to be checked by the technical department to find the poster.”
Mori Ougai just looked at him with a smile and didn’t answer.
So, Dazai Osamu immediately put away that overly-performed expression and waved his hand casually: “Just simply don’t want to see the little shorty acting so smug.”
Mori Ougai couldn’t help laughing: “Dazai-kun, only at times like this do you make me feel like you are still a child.”
Dazai Osamu looked at him quietly for a while but didn’t speak.
Mori Ougai didn’t care. He took a document out of the drawer and pushed it towards Dazai Osamu, “The year-end team building you wanted, I agree to it. Hokkaido, isn’t it? That is indeed a very beautiful place.”
Dazai Osamu’s slightly jumping heart fell back again after seeing the document, “Eh? So during the vacation, do we still have to handle missions?”
He flipped through it roughly and was surprised to find that it was a follow-up mission regarding the drug smuggling incident at the port.
He remembered that organization; it was an underground force where all members had code names of alcohol. He didn’t expect Mori Ougai to have found the location of another batch of goods, and it seemed he was determined to burn it.
But according to Mori Ougai’s policy, this was indeed too normal. This was just an ordinary retaliatory strike, telling the other side not to reach out.
Seeing that he had finished reading, Mori Ougai then leisurely mocked himself: “You are right, Dazai-kun. A capitalist’s heart is black.”
After seeing Dazai Osamu’s hard-to-describe expression, he added slowly: “The harsh reality of the situation makes me have to do this. This organization is a target for official focus. Previously, because things from this place mixed into the Port Mafia’s warehouse area, the authorities have had a crisis of trust in us. If we don’t do something, we will likely be blacklisted by the authorities. What awaits me later is the endless insertion of undercover agents and the shrinking of our sphere of influence.”
Dazai Osamu didn’t know what he was thinking, pursed his lips slightly to suppress a little smile, and said: “Isn’t it already on the blacklist now?”
Mori Ougai shook his head slowly, “No, it’s gray.”
Dazai Osamu laughed, “That is still a unique insight.”
After Dazai Osamu left, Mori Ougai sent the email that had been reserved on the tablet.
“…Vicious guy.” The blonde little girl who appeared beside Mori Ougai at some point muttered in a low voice.
Mori Ougai raised his hand and touched her hair, “Elise, I’m so sad, but this is something that has to be done. Soon, at the latest in three days, there will be a result. I didn’t do anything excessive; I just need someone to describe for me in detail and objectively all of Dazai-kun’s choices during this trip.”
Will he choose Oda Sakunosuke, whom he has been observing for a long time, or Hiiragi Eiji, who joined the Port Mafia later?
On the weekend, in front of a prestigious hot spring hotel in Hokkaido, a group of mysterious guests arrived.
Long before they came, their person-in-charge had booked the whole hotel. After the hotel staff saw this group of people, each carrying murderous intent, they immediately guessed their identities.
“…So cold!” Just getting off the bus, Sakaguchi Ango shrank into his overcoat.
“Ango-san, why are you here too?” Dazai Osamu clicked his tongue in wonder, “I wanted to ask you on the plane, but you slept so soundly, there was no way to wake you up. You were the same when we took the bus just now.”
Sakaguchi Ango: “…” Is this something a person should do? You can’t find any evidence that you are acting like a human at all!
Calmly pushing his glasses, Sakaguchi Ango said: “Probably because I’m working year-round without breaks and have to work overtime until dawn or the next morning every day, and I almost fainted in the office a few days ago. I guess they are afraid that I will die of overwork on the post, so they want to send me away directly using the hot spring.”
Oda Sakunosuke, who had just gotten off the bus, heard this sentence and immediately asked: “Then do you want to be sent back?”
Sakaguchi Ango: “…”
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He couldn’t be angered to death by these two blockheads.
At this time, from the car in front, Chuuya and Hiiragi Eiji got off together. Chuuya was the person-in-charge of this team-building activity, so as soon as he got down, he walked into the hotel first to handle the procedures. Although it was just a back, everyone could feel his breakdown.
After all, the forum posting incident was no longer a secret. Among everyone who followed, except for Dazai Osamu and the oblivious Hiiragi Eiji, the eyes of the others looking at Chuuya were full of sympathy and guilt.
Sakaguchi Ango also fell silent. Finally, he looked at Dazai Osamu beside him: “Dazai-kun, next time, please act like a human.”
To this, Dazai Osamu just let out a low laugh, appearing unconcerned.
On the contrary, Oda Sakunosuke looked at Hiiragi Eiji in front, then at the drooping head playing with the bandages on his wrists.
“Dazai, aren’t you going over?” Oda Sakunosuke suddenly asked.
This head-and-tail-less sentence made Sakaguchi Ango and Dazai Osamu look at him in unison.
“…What?” Dazai asked blankly.
Oda Sakunosuke pointed to Hiiragi Eiji in front.
Dazai Osamu lowered his head again, “Choosing Chuuya, isn’t that the most correct thing to do?”
Oda Sakunosuke instantly understood his meaning. Chuuya was a normal and excellent existence in every aspect. Compared with Dazai Osamu, Dazai believed that Hiiragi Eiji would prefer to stay by Chuuya’s side.
Oda Sakunosuke showed an expression of confusion, but soon, there was a look of realization on his face.
Is it a lack of courage?
Just when Dazai Osamu noticed something, he saw Oda Sakunosuke suddenly strike; he gave Dazai Osamu a heavy push from behind, and Dazai Osamu staggered forward almost charging.
Hiiragi Eiji’s five senses were extraordinary. When he sensed the movement behind him, he instantly turned his head, and at a glance, he saw Dazai Osamu, who had rushed in front of him in a sorry state.
He looked at this bandage-freak curiously. A “good son” who delivered himself to the door; this was truly rare.
He held up Dazai Osamu, and then their gazes met when he looked up.
Hiiragi Eiji couldn’t help but have a faint smile on his face, “Not sulking anymore?”
Dazai Osamu gently brushed his hand away. He looked gloomily at the two people behind, and then at Hiiragi Eiji, who was still watching him with a smile.
Finally, the fear in his heart was eaten away little by little by this gentle expression.
…Humans are indeed phototactic creatures.
“Don’t use that tone of coaxing a child to talk to me,” as he said this, Dazai Osamu’s auburn eyes swept over Hiiragi Eiji, and he turned his head away again, his tone extremely cold, “…Eiji.”
This reluctantly added address made the smile on Hiiragi Eiji’s face grow even wider.
—This was clearly just a child who didn’t know why he was having a temper.
Sakaguchi Ango, who watched the interaction between the two from behind, was stunned. He pointed at Hiiragi Eiji’s back with trembling fingers and stammered: “Is this some kind of god descended to earth?” He could even endure Dazai Osamu at full firepower! And they were getting along quite well!
Looking at the focused expression of the light-haired boy staring at Dazai Osamu, and the gentleness that couldn’t be hidden in his amber eyes—
“Looking at it this way,” Sakaguchi Ango’s voice suddenly deepened, “Dazai is not without a chance!”
Oda Sakunosuke magically got his meaning, and he was also very shocked, “…But that is clearly the look of an elder looking at a junior, right?”
Sakaguchi Ango: “???!!!” Are you serious?!
Then wouldn’t that be a disaster?!