Dazai's girlfriend Natsume

"too……"

Natsume Chiya opened her mouth, and wanted to speak, but suddenly realized that her voice was hoarse and stagnant.

She stared blankly at Osamu Dazai, unable to tell what emotion suddenly came to her heart.

Lost?surprise?Wronged?

It seems to have both.Mixed together in a mess,? I can't tell the truth.

Osamu Dazai conjured up a pack of tissues out of nowhere, and handed them to her: "Do you need it? Ah,? And this." He pulled out another cup of milk tea as if by magic, and put it in the palm of Natsume Chiaya.

Natsume Chiaya reached out to take it.Osamu Dazai noticed that there were still deep bite marks on the back of her hand that hadn't faded away.There was still some wet blood, but the wound had healed as before.His eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't ask.

Natsume Chiaya turned her head, wiped the wetness from the corners of her eyes with a tissue, and wiped off the blood on the back of her hand without any trace.She pursed the corners of her lips and took a small sip of the milk tea. The temperature was just right, and it dispelled the coldness of late autumn.She felt her dry and hoarse voice being soothed, and then said, "Thank you, Mr. Dazai."

Osamu Dazai unceremoniously sat down next to Natsume Chiaya: "Why did Chiaya suddenly come here? It was so hard to find you~" His ending sound rose, showing the familiar coquettishness of Natsume Chiaya.

Natsume Chiaya: "Sorry."

Osamu Dazai: "Why do you have to apologize?"

"Didn't Mr. Dazai say he was looking for me?" Chiya Natsume whispered, "It shouldn't be easy to find this place. Does the rest of the detective agency know? It still makes you worry,? I'm sorry."

Yahara's forest is huge, and those who are not familiar with it will often get lost in it.And no one will come to this shrine.I am afraid few people know,? There is also a shrine here.

"Don't worry,? Others don't know." Dazai Osamu felt helpless to Natsume Chiaya's politeness at this time, he said: "But Chiaya-chan seems to be in a bad mood? I promise you that you don't have to apologize for such a trivial matter. Really, when you are obviously in a bad mood, you should have a privilege."

"Privilege?" Natsume Chiaya repeated hesitantly.

"Hmm! For example, right now,? Qianya-chan can ask me to do something to make you happy."

Natsume Chiaya lowered her eyes and said, "Thank you... But, there's no need, Mr. Dazai. I... will be fine soon. It's just a small matter, nothing."

It can be heard that she is restraining small pauses and crying.

The people around were quiet for a while, and then there was a helpless sigh: "Qianling sauce is really, it doesn't make people worry at all."

Such an evaluation made Natsume Chiya startled for a moment.Osamu Dazai supported his chin with one hand, and tilted his head to look at Natsume Chiaya: "I am also your senior, you should trust me once in a while, Chiya-chan."

Natsume Chiaya didn't speak.

The hot air of the milk tea in her hand wet her eyelashes.On the girl's slender and curly eyelashes was a small drop of water, which soon fell down and disappeared.

When Osamu Dazai knew to ask questions at this time, Natsume Chiya could easily open her defenses and tell all the secrets.but……

Instead of asking, he said briskly, "Okay, it's so late, Snow White should go to the cabin to sleep."

Natsume Chiaya whispered, "But the dwarf's wooden house is not Snow White's home."

"Where does Snow White want to go?" he asked patiently.

"I don't know..." Natsume Qianling murmured, "I... want to go home."

"Then go home?"

"I can't find it." Natsume Chiaya repeated again: "I can't find it, Mr. Dazai."

"Then at least we can't stay here any longer." Dazai Osamu showed a pitiful expression: "It's so late, there will be evil spirits in the forest, it's so scary. Qian Ling-chan will go back with me, okay?"

"There are no evil spirits," Natsume Chiaya said softly, "In Yahara's forest, there are only a group of cute monsters."

"Monster? Do you mean the curse spirit? Or...?"

"It's not a monster that grows from negative emotions like the curse spirit, but a monster. Every monster has its own temper and its own story. But ah, they are all a group of very good monsters."

"Can't others see them?" Dazai speculated sharply.So it turns out that what Natsume Chiaya sees that ordinary people can't see is the existence of "monsters".

"Hmm. There are very few people who can see youkai. However, maybe in this world, there will be a lot more people who can see youkai."

this world?

Osamu Dazai grasped the key words of Chiaya Natsume's statement.Suddenly realizing something, he restrained himself and said, "Qianling-chan, sometimes it's not a bad thing to keep a secret."

"Actually...it can't be called a secret. Mr. Dazai, would you like to hear it?" Natsume Chiaya asked quietly with her head resting on her knees.

"As long as Qianya-chan is willing to say."

"Mr. Dazai, you must have been curious about my origin, right?" Natsume Chiaya said slowly.

"Well, it's a little bit." Osamu Dazai didn't deny it.

Looking at the shadow of the moon falling between the leaves, Natsume Chiaya said something like a slight sigh: "I am not from this world."

"..."

The Book of Friends and monsters—another world, just like this, showed a colorful corner to Osamu Dazai.

Osamu Dazai suddenly thought of what Natsume Chiaya said earlier, "The dwarf's wooden house is not Snow White's home."It turned out that Snow White really couldn't find a home.

"Thank you, Chiya-chan," he said.

"Hard work? Why did Mr. Dazai say that?" Natsume Chiaya was slightly taken aback.

"With that kind of existence alone, won't you be afraid? When you don't know enough about monsters, it's hard to tell the truth from the fake, right? Humans tend to only believe what they see. When they are considered to be lying, Chiya-chan doesn't Will you feel sad?" Dazai Osamu's tone was gentle and long, as if seeing through everything: "So, facing the malice of the two worlds like this, shouldn't it be hard work?"

"At first, I was a little scared. After all, not all monsters can distinguish between pranks and scary, or some monsters are indeed not friendly to humans. But I still have Mr. Cat and my brother to accompany me. I can see monsters Previously, my brother was the real one who took on those things alone. And, Dazai-san, you were wrong about one thing—"

Natsume Chiaya paused and said, "I have never experienced the malice of the two worlds."

Where do children know so much?They obviously would take the initiative to contact her and her brother at the beginning, but because of their strange behaviors, words and deeds, they gradually alienated them.As for the adults, there is no obligation to adopt her and her brother.If it wasn't for those relatives, perhaps she and her brother would have been sent to an orphanage.In this way, how can she resent those people?

Not to mention monsters, they are different from humans, they just long for contact, love and be loved.

What's more, whether it's humans or monsters, she has encountered too many gentle existences.It was because of meeting them that she became what she is today.

That's why I want to go home so desperately.

That's why I was so disappointed when I found out that I couldn't find those people and monsters.

"I think, I am loved by two worlds."

As if thinking of something, under the moonlight, a gentle warm color slowly swayed between the girl's soft and clear eyebrows.

This time, the slightly startled person was replaced by Osamu Dazai.

He suddenly realized that his understanding of Natsume Chiaya was still superficial like a superficial touch.That layer of politeness and self-restraint seen by outsiders from the beginning to the end is not Natsume Chiaya's shell hiding herself, but the gentleness engraved in her bones.

"..."

"Thank you, Mr. Dazai, it's much better after you tell me." Natsume Chiaya breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Please don't tell everyone in the detective agency about this."

It's not that he doesn't trust the Armed Detective Agency.But Natsume Chiaya felt that this was her own private matter, and there was no need for the detective agency to worry about it.What's more, she gradually discovered that the outside world and the inner world in this world are far from that simple.She must not reveal the existence of this different world, as well as monsters, easily.

"Of course not. This is a secret between Chiya-chan and me, right?"

"Ah."

Osamu Dazai got up and reached out his hand to Natsume Chiaya: "Speaking of which, there is a place that I am very concerned about. Would Chiaya-chan be willing to accompany me?"

"Okay." Natsume Chiya handed him her hand, and was about to follow Dazai Osamu's strength to get up, but she lost her balance and sat back down.Only then did she realize that her legs were numb from sitting for too long.

"Huh? Can't walk? How about... I'll carry you?" Osamu Dazai seemed to have come up with a brilliant idea. He turned around, squatted in front of Natsume Chiaya, tilted his head, and said with a smile: "I never I haven't recited anyone before, Qian Ling-chan, why don't you let me try and fulfill my wish!"

Natsume Qianling saw that under the moonlight, his brows and eyes were crooked, his smile was pure, and the words of refusal suddenly couldn't come out of his mouth.She paused for a moment, then lay on his back in silence.The clear and soft breath surrounded her again, and the unkempt black hair was like a cat's fluff, softly and properly sticking to her cheek.

"Hurry up, Chiya-chan~"

Osamu Dazai said, stood up easily, and stepped down the bluestone steps.

"Thank you, Dazai-san."

Natsume Chiling said in a low voice, not realizing that the tips of her ears were already bleeding red.

She didn't even know that the words she said while leaning on Osamu Dazai's shoulder turned into soft breaths, gradually encroaching on certain spaces.

The forest is very quiet at night.The autumn night wind blows over the leaves, making a melodious rhythm, rich in natural rhythm.Natsume Chiaya turned her eyes unnaturally, looking at the vast forest.The sound of the wind, the sound of footsteps, the sound of shallow breathing in the ear, and the temperature transmitted through the fabric, blended together to soothe the uneasiness in my heart.

It turns out that there are times when the forest in Yayuan is so quiet, she thought.

Natsume Chiaya didn't ask where Osamu Dazai was taking her.

So, seeing the familiar house, Natsume Chiaya was surprised and said, "Mr. Dazai? Why..." Want to come to her house?And how did Mr. Dazai know about this place?

Shallow doubts flashed through Natsume Chiaya's mind, but was interrupted by Dazai Osamu's words: "Has Chiya-chan gone in and seen it?"

"No. I asked someone, and I heard that no one has lived in it for decades." Natsume Qianling lowered her eyes and replied.

"Qian Ling-chan, do you want to go in and take a look? Maybe you can find a clue?"

Natsume Qianling hesitated and said: "The door is locked, I didn't bring the key." In fact, it was more because she was too timid to go in because of her closeness to the hometown.

"It's okay, it's okay~ I have a way."

Osamu Dazai put Natsume Chiaya down, took out a wire from the windbreaker pocket, inserted it into the door lock, and fiddled with it a few times. "Click", the door lock opened in response.

"Look, it's open." Osamu Dazai said with a smile.

Natsume Chiaya: "..."

Natsume Chiya didn't know for a while whether she should complain about Osamu Dazai's actions first, or should she suspect that the door of her house was so easy to pry open?

Osamu Dazai didn't seem to see her complicated mood, and asked, "Is Chiya-chan's leg still numb? Do I need to continue reciting?"

"No, no, it's ready." Natsume Chiaya's face was a little hot, and she changed the subject: "Let's go in, Mr. Dazai."

The two stepped into the house, and Natsume Chiaya fumbled to press the switch at the entrance.Unexpectedly, there is still electricity.

The warm lights came on, and the furnishings in the house were no different from the home in Natsume Chiaya's memory. The only difference might be that it looked a little desolate due to the lack of people to live in.But there was no dust on the ground, and everything was clean, as if it had been cleaned by Aunt Tazi.

Dazai Osamu followed behind Natsume Chiaya, looking around here.Although no one lives there, you can still see the warm atmosphere of this family from the details in the house.

Natsume Chiaya bowed her head and took out the friend account from her shoulder bag.The only remaining page of names is still quietly lying in the friend's account, without any movement.

Osamu Dazai leaned over and asked, "Is this the monster that might be related to this incident?"

"Yeah. It also appeared in my dream." Natsume Qianling sighed with some headaches: "But I don't understand why it still refuses to show up until now. Even Yahara has appeared, hasn't it?"

"Maybe it's not that it refuses, but that it can't do it? Maybe it's sealed?" Osamu Dazai speculated.

Natsume Chiaya wondered: "If it is sealed, why does Yahara appear in this world again? Can it do this?"

Osamu Dazai pondered, and asked back: "Chiya-chan said, did you know about Yahara from Ms. Mori?"

"Ah."

"Before that, no matter how much you searched Yahara, you couldn't find it on the map. In this way, Yahara seemed to appear overnight, and it was quickly accepted by people." The words fell, Dazai Osamu Suddenly, a possibility came to mind.

Yahara's appearance was like a sign.What if, instead of Natsume Chiaya returning home, someone from another world appeared in this world like Yahara?

Could this be the purpose of that monster?But why does it do this?Is it because it wants to see Natsume Reiko?The thinking of monsters is different from that of human beings. It is not impossible for the two worlds to collide just to meet Natsume Reiko.

Then, there is also a question, how did Natsume Reiko come to this world back then?Also, since Natsume Reiko is Natsume Soseki's younger sister, why are they two in different worlds?Or is Natsume Reiko not related by blood to Natsume Soseki?Tsk, if I knew it earlier, I should have asked Natsume Soseki for more information.

"Mr. Dazai, what's wrong?" Chiya Natsume noticed Osamu Dazai's pause.

Osamu Dazai didn't express his guess, and said, "It's nothing, let's find clues first, Chiya-chan."

"Okay. Look for it separately or?"

"Let's look for them separately." Osamu Dazai said, "It's getting late now. If you finish it early, Chiya-chan can go to bed earlier. Well, we shouldn't be able to catch the last train tonight?"

Natsume Chiaya frowned: "But I only asked Mr. Kunikida for today's leave."

"Don't worry, I said hello to Kunikida-kun before I came here, we'll be fine when we go back the day after tomorrow~" Osamu Dazai said without changing his expression.

Natsume Chiya didn't doubt Osamu Dazai at all, and nodded: "Okay. Well... wait a minute, Mr. Dazai, let me see if the bedding is still clean. If it is still clean, maybe we can just rest here tonight—as long as Dazai-san doesn't mind."

"Of course I don't mind. Where do I sleep?"

"There is a guest bedroom on the second floor."

Natsume Chiaya led Dazai Osamu upstairs, bent down and took out the futon from the closet.Unsurprisingly, these, like the entire house, were clean.

Natsume Chiya helped Osamu Dazai spread out the tatami mats, and said, "My room is the second on the right, my brother's room is opposite mine, and Grandma Reiko's belongings are all packed in a box in the corner. Mr. Dazai. I’ll go to my room to have a look. If Mr. Dazai finds anything in your brother’s room, you can find me there.”

——For questions related to monsters, if there is a clue, it can only be in her and her brother's room.

Osamu Dazai agreed without hesitation, and then urged: "Whether you find it or not, Qian Ling-chan must remember to rest early. Otherwise, you will have a headache tomorrow."

"Well, Mr. Dazai too."

By the window of the bedroom, the wind chime is still hanging in place, making a "jingling" sound with the wind.Everything was the same as before she left, as if she had never left.

After a moment of trance, Natsume Chiaya went to look through her bookshelf.There were some notes from Reiko's grandma's belongings on it, and she took them from her brother because she wanted to learn how to use demon power.

It's a pity that she read it again carefully, but she didn't see any relevant content about the "world".

Natsume Chiaya rubbed her eyes, feeling a little sore, and even her temples were swollen.She looked at the time and realized that it was already two o'clock in the morning, and she had read the notes for almost three hours.

She thought of Osamu Dazai's exhortation, and had to admit it.In this state, even if she continued to read, she might not be able to find any information.

Forget it... let's rest first.She is indeed a little tired today.

Natsume Chiya was thinking, opened the closet, and was about to take out the quilt, but suddenly saw a doll on the quilt that was neatly folded.

It was a very simple doll.The two shiny buttons are the eyes, and even the traces of needlework are not hidden, and a little thread is crookedly exposed at the edge of the stitching—it is a doll made by her brother.

Just like that, like Yahara, he appeared in front of her unexpectedly.

The emotions that had been calmed down suddenly got a little out of control.Natsume Chiaya hugged the doll, trembling uncontrollably, water vapor quickly condensed in her eyes.

Natsume Chiaya clenched the corners of her lips tightly, she couldn't cry, the sound of crying would make people worry.Mr. Dazai is already very troublesome, and no one can comfort her anymore.The corners of his lips were bitten, and a faint smell of rust overflowed, suppressing the broken crying.

Natsume Chiaya closed her eyes forcefully, forcibly suppressed all her emotions, and dragged out the quilt to make it up.Then, she hugged the doll and nestled under the quilt.

The pillows and quilts still have the smell of sunshine and warmth.It's like being hung out by Aunt Tazi for the sun, which is nostalgic.Her tired spirit was soothed and she fell asleep quickly.

Before falling asleep, she thought drowsily that when she left Yayuan tomorrow, she must take the doll with her.

"..."

The girl's sobs sounded like they were deliberately suppressed, intermittent and unconnected.

Osamu Dazai leaned against the wall by the door, looking down at a diary in his hand.This was dug out from Natsume Reiko's relics, and it is the only clue so far.

After waiting for an unknown amount of time, the voices in the room gradually died down, and Osamu Dazai slowly opened the door without making any movement.

The girl has fallen asleep.It's just that she obviously didn't sleep well.Her brows furrowed unconsciously, the redness in the corners of her eyes hadn't faded yet.

Also, there was still wet blood on the corner of her lips, which was bright red and glaring, making her face a little pale.

It was bitten by himself just now, Osamu Dazai made a judgment at a glance.

Osamu Dazai stared quietly for a while, his eyes wandered over the girl's sleeping face, and finally settled on the blood on the corner of her lips.

Like a ghost, he reached out and wiped the blood with his fingers.Then, slowly and gently, he licked his fingertips.