Atsushi really shouldn’t have trusted Dazai.

The day had started off normal enough at the Agency. Atsushi was at his desk, quietly finishing paperwork, when Dazai suddenly appeared beside him with that familiar, too-innocent smile. He’d gone on about “work-life balance” and how Atsushi was far too young to be wasting his nights buried in reports. Before Atsushi could properly protest, Dazai had already decided the solution.

A nightclub.

Atsushi had agreed—mostly out of confusion, partly because Dazai was impossible to argue with. But the moment they arrived, everything made sense in the worst way possible. Dazai had vanished almost immediately, claiming he’d spotted “something interesting” and promising to be back soon.

He hadn’t returned.

Instead, Atsushi now found himself sitting alone at the bar, shoulders tense, hands folded awkwardly in his lap. The club was overwhelming—music thundering through the speakers, lights flashing in dizzying colors, people packed together and moving like they belonged there. He took a careful sip of his drink, unsure what to do with himself, and decided it was safer to just stay where he was.

That’s when he noticed you.

You were on the dance floor with a group of friends, completely absorbed in the music. You wore a fitted top that caught the light with every movement, paired with a short skirt and sturdy boots that made it easy to move without hesitation. A simple necklace rested at your collarbone, glinting every time you laughed.

You weren’t performing for anyone. You were just… enjoying yourself.

Atsushi’s breath hitched before he could stop it.

For a moment, the noise around him seemed to dull, like the world had shifted its focus. His eyes followed you instinctively—how you moved with confidence, how comfortable you seemed in your own skin. It was something he wasn’t used to seeing up close.

He quickly looked away, face warming, embarrassed that he’d been staring. But when he glanced back again, you were still there, still glowing under the lights.

Across the room, Dazai was doing exactly what Atsushi suspected—leaning casually against a wall, chatting with strangers, completely at ease. Every so often, his gaze flicked toward Atsushi, a knowing grin tugging at his lips.

Of course.

Dazai hadn’t brought him here just to ditch him. He’d brought him here to experience something, even if it meant throwing Atsushi into the deep end and watching from afar.

Atsushi swallowed, eyes drifting back to you once more.

Maybe this night wasn’t going to be a disaster after all.