Chapter 20

Fourteen Years Old (Twenty)

“So, Ango, you’re saying Odasaku went too far?” Inside Lupin Bar, Osamu Dazai raised a glass with one hand, swirling the ice cubes inside the drink so that they clinked together, making a tinkling sound. He turned toward the person who had just pushed open the bar’s door and entered, voicing his complaint.

“...? What did you do to Odasaku?”

Sakaguchi Ango, who had just come into the bar and was completely unaware of the situation, cast a puzzled look at Odasaku.

“Odasaku plans to resign from the Port Mafia and become a full-time assistant to Koka!” Dazai raised his hand high like a schoolboy eager to answer a teacher’s question, shaking it, “Really, isn’t that just abandoning all of us?”

Though his words were harsh, Dazai’s expression betrayed none of genuine anger or displeasure—it was clear he was merely teasing a friend.

Ango ordered his drink from the bartender and answered Dazai’s question: “Isn’t that a good thing? Odasaku leaving the Port Mafia is much easier than you or I doing so.”

That was true. Both Dazai, who was a high-ranking officer, and Ango, the intelligence officer who reported directly to the boss and was said to know everything happening in the Port Mafia, were bound to the organization for life. Aside from death, there was no way out for them.

But Odasaku was different. As a low-ranking member, his departure would have little impact. Furthermore, with Dazai willing to help manage things for him, there was no real problem.

Judging by Dazai’s current demeanor—he certainly wouldn’t refuse to help a friend—Odasaku would have a hard time persuading him otherwise.

“Any job outside should be better than working in the Mafia,” Ango commented.

Dazai flopped his face onto the table like a pancake, rolling from one end to the other before returning. If the bartender didn’t carefully polish the counter several times daily, one could only wonder what state Dazai’s face would be in after such a tumble.

“By the way, Ango, what have you been up to lately?” Dazai tilted his head and asked. “It’s been a while since we last saw you—I and Odasaku even came looking for you, but you weren’t around at all.”

“I’ve had a lot on my plate...” Ango’s voice carried the weary tone of someone half-alive. “You came looking for me recently? I must have been on a business trip in Tokyo then.”

“A business trip? Nice, I want to go on one too!” Dazai raised both hands. “Business trips must be interesting!”

“...I’m actually working, Dazai,” Ango sighed, then looked toward Odasaku. “I’ve heard about what’s happening in Yokohama. I figured you’d need intelligence on the Sanctuary, so I brought it along tonight.”

He opened a briefcase he always carried, pulling out a thick stack of documents and placing them on the table.

Dazai noticed other items in the bag— a paper box, a stack of cigarettes, and a shotgun.

He blinked quietly, saying nothing. After some casual drinking and chatting, Dazai suddenly and naturally asked, “By the way, Ango, when did you get back?”

“Around eight o’clock... Why?”

“Nothing~” Dazai replied in a cheerful tone, quickly brushing off the topic he’d raised. “Since Odasaku is leaving soon, today’s probably our last time meeting as Mafia members—all three of us together, right?”

He smiled and said, “Come to think of it, we’ve known each other for so long but never had a photo together... Let’s take one to commemorate this!”

“Dazai, did you just spot the camera in my bag?” Ango sighed, helpless. “Fine, since you say so, I’ll obey the officer’s order.”

“Boss, could you please take a picture for us?”

“No problem.”

With no customers in the bar, the bartender wiped his hands and cheerfully took the camera.

“Alright, look this way...”

***

When summoned by the boss to meet him, Odasaku was surprised—after all, a small-time member like him shouldn’t have the privilege to see the boss face to face.

If anything unusual had happened to him recently, it was probably just his plan to leave the Port Mafia.

Nearly a week had passed since Odasaku submitted his resignation. Frankly, the length of time was unusual. According to what Dazai had told him, low-level members like him only needed signatures from two levels of superiors to leave.

Those two levels could not bypass Dazai, so no one expected Odasaku’s resignation to be rejected.

Though puzzled, Odasaku’s priority was to head to the office immediately.

“Odasaku? Heading out so early?” Koka met him in the living room on the first floor. She looked at his going-out clothes and the sky outside, a hint of curiosity on her face.

Besides Odasaku, the other children and Koka were all gathered around having breakfast—the happy summer vacation was long over, and they were back to being hard-working students, including Koka.

“Odasaku! Want some breakfast?” Kimi called out. “The sandwiches this morning are really good!”

“No, you all go ahead,” Odasaku said, quickly bidding farewell to the children. “I’m heading out first.”

He rushed to the Port Mafia office as fast as he could—being summoned by the boss was no ordinary matter. In both reason and feeling, while still part of the Port Mafia, Odasaku had to obey the boss’s orders as his top priority.

The boss’s office was on the highest floor. Whether for security or status, the entire floor belonged exclusively to the boss; no one else was allowed inside.

Though he had been with the Port Mafia for years, this was Odasaku’s first time being summoned by the boss.

After taking the exclusive elevator to the top floor, Odasaku approached the boss’s office with a mix of anxiety and unease—and then, without any preparation, was forced to endure an entire theatrical display involving a pedophile and a masochist.

Odasaku: ...Is this really okay?

Even Odasaku knew better than to speak, pretending to be a statue that understood nothing.

Fortunately, the boss, Mori Ougai, had some flair for performance, but not excessively so. Upon noticing Odasaku’s arrival, he quickly ceased his interaction with Alice and turned serious, giving Odasaku a slight nod and a socially appropriate smile.

“You’re here, Odasaku.”

Odasaku bowed his head respectfully to the boss.

“I have seen your resignation letter,” Mori Ougai said, folding his hands and resting his chin on them, elbows on the desk, his gaze pressing on Odasaku.

The pressure wasn’t heavy but slightly suffocating—nothing pleasant.

Odasaku responded with a short “Ah”: “Do you oppose this?”

“No, I never said that.” The black-haired boss studied him with interest, while the blonde little girl Alice glanced over.

“Rintarou—stop with the bad jokes—” Alice grabbed a nearby cushion and smacked Mori Ougai on the back. “Get to the point!”

“Alright, alright, Alice, don’t be mad, I get it...” Mori Ougai appeased her, then turned back to Odasaku, smiling brightly. “I don’t oppose your leaving the office.”

“But—”

“You understand that to leave the office, you must pay a sufficient price. That is the rule.”

“I understand,” Odasaku replied. “What do you need me to do?”

“You’re sensible, Odasaku...” Mori Ougai sighed. “I won’t deliberately make things difficult for you. Just complete one task, and you’ll be free.”

His smile grew wider, and in his deep, red-violet eyes, like matured red wine, a meaningful glint flickered.

“You just need to find one person.”

“Find someone...?” This was different from what Odasaku had imagined. “I’m not very good at things like this.”

“No, Odasaku, there’s no need to belittle yourself,” Mori Ougai said with a raised brow. “This is something only you can accomplish.”

“Because the missing person is the intelligence officer, Sakaguchi Ango.”