Chapter Text
-8:47AM, Yokohama Plaza-
“Morning, Atsushi-kun,” Dazai smiled, waving from his window.
“Good morning,” Atsushi called back, his shoes tapping softly on the cobblestone beneath his feet. “I won’t be home for a few days after today, okay?”
“Oh?” Dazai asked, his arms hanging down from the windowsill. “Where are you going?”
“A little adventure out in the forest,” Atsushi grinned. “Have you heard about the old castle?”
“That old thing?” Dazai tilted his head.
“Huhn?” Ranpo, who was passing by, happened to hear their conversation. “The old castle in the forest, huh?” He paused. “Poe told me about that once.”
“Really?” Dazai asked.
“Anything cool?” Atsushi looked over at Ranpo.
“Only somethin’ about a cursed prince or whatever he called it,” Ranpo shrugged. “He said the castle’s abandoned except for this one prince who’s been there for..well, god knows how long. But he’s got this kinda curse, doesn’t he, Dazai-san?” He asked, looking up at him.
“I’ve heard rumors,” Dazai nodded, smiling down at the two of them.
“What kind of curse?” Atsushi asked.
“It allegedly is something real ugly,” Dazai replied.
Ranpo nodded. “Dangerous. Some kinda thing placed on him by a witch or whatever,” he began walking away. “I wouldn’t recommend meeting him!” He called, waving.
“Well,” Dazai looked from Ranpo to Atsushi. “Good luck on your trip, Atsushi-kun,” he said, closing the window.
Atsushi waved. “Bye, Dazai-san!” He did wonder, though.
Was this ‘cursed prince’ really so bad? Did he even exist, he thought as he walked. Right…I think Kyouka and Kenji like looking into these types of things.
-9:01AM, Cafe Uzumaki-
“The cursed prince?” Kyouka asked. “Mm..the castle in the forest. He lives there.”
Atsushi nodded. “Yes, though I’m interested in more about the prince himself. Do you know his name?”
Kyouka shook her head. “I don’t think anyone does.”
“What about how old he is or how long he’s been there?” Atsushi asked.
“Hm..” Kyouka paused. “Many years ago, he was cursed, I think…in his early twenties? Though how long he’s been there is unknown.”
“So there’s really not much known about him, huh,” Atsushi sighed, a pathetic smile on his face.
“No,” Kyouka replied. “Can I get you something to drink while we wait for Kenji-kun?”
“Oh, no, that’s okay,” Atsushi shook his head.
“I’m baaack!” Kenji called, dropping his hat around his neck and grinning as he entered the little cafe. He looked over at the booth Atsushi and Kyouka were sitting at and ran over, sitting down next to her. “Atsushi-kun! Hello!”
“Hi, Kenji,” Atsushi waved.
“I should get back to work..Lucy-senpai might be frustrated with me,” Kyouka muttered.
“Lucy likes you, Kyouka,” Kenji said, looking at her. “You’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve been thinking you need an off day!”
“You, too, then,” Kyouka sighed. “Anyway, me and Atsushi-kun were talking about that cursed prince in the woods.”
“Do you know anything about him, Kenji-kun?” Atsushi asked. “Everyone’s told me that he's pretty secluded, and I’m curious.”
“Oh, that’s a fun story!” Kenji smiled. “I read a storybook that featured some sort of cursed prince to one of the kids working on the farm the other day. His curse turns him into some sort of beast looking thing. I think the curse was called..Rashoumon, if I recall correctly.”
“Rashoumon?” Atsushi asked. “Interesting.”
“Are you planning to adventure in the woods, Atsushi-kun?” Kyouka asked.
Atsushi nodded. “That’s why I’m so curious. Even Ranpo-san advised me not to go, but..”
“I get it,” Kenji laughed. “Go if you want! I believe in you!”
“Thanks, Kenji,” Atsushi smiled. “I’m leaving tomorrow, so I’ll be back in a few days.”
“Mm,” Kyouka nodded. “Be safe, then.”
-10:30AM, The Next Day, Edge of ‘The Woods’-
“All set!” Kenji said, flashing Atsushi a thumbs up and Kyouka fixed Atsushi’s shawl one last time before he left. “Make sure to stop by Yosano-san’s if you get hurt!”
Kyouka nodded, stepping back. “Be safe, please.”
“I will,” Atsushi nodded with a smile. “See you in a few days! Take care of Poe-san and Ranpo-san for me!”
“Got it!” Kenji nodded. “Bye-bye!” He waved.
Atsushi waved back, heading into the forest as he heard Kyouka and Kenji walk back to the cafe. The forest was thick and dark, and he flinched almost every time he heard a twig crack under his feet. Small bits of sunlight peeked through the gaps in the tree leaves, casting beautiful rays onto the forest floor.
In the distance, Atsushi heard something that wasn’t a twig breaking, or a woodland creature passing by, it was…
..some sort of growl.
A wolf, perhaps?
Atsushi clutched his shawl, determined to keep going forward. The wolf didn’t sound too close, so he’d be fine, right?
Though again and again as he walked, Atsushi kept hearing the wolf..or was it wolves, now? He shook his head and kept walking, leaves crunching underneath him.
Suddenly, Atsushi snapped his head in the direction of..was it footsteps? A wolf leaped out of the brush, growling at Atsushi. Suddenly, another and another until he was surrounded.
“Crap!” Atsushi blurted, stumbling back, frantically looking around for an opening. “Leave me alone!” He mumbled.
One wolf stepped forward, snapping at his shawl, causing Atsushi to stumble back to another wolf. “Please leave!”
He heard something whizz above him, and instinctively looked up, some sort of black blur came into view, and quickly disappeared as a wolf whined. Looking back down at the wolves surrounding him, Atsushi’s eyes widened as he saw why the wolf had whined.
The other wolves backed away. One of their bodies, the one directly in front of Atsushi, had a black, spear looking object through it, blood pooling underneath it, its eyes beginning to roll back in its head. Atsushi covered his mouth, his face going pale. “Oh god..”
“Run!” The spear retracted, blood gushing out of the wolf’s side.
“Huh?!” Atsushi looked up towards the voice, but all he saw was another black blur- no, wait! It was a person! A person in a black cloak.
Atsushi briefly saw their face. Black hair, white at the ends, their face pale and their eyes dark as their shawl. Though he didn’t get a long look, as they whizzed away as quickly as they came, the wolves running back into the woodland.
“Wait!” Atsushi called. “Thank you!” He stepped forward, but the person in the black cloak was long gone.
A water droplet fell on Atsushi’s head. He looked up.
Ah. It had begun raining..and it was quickly picking up.
Atsushi sighed and pulled his shawl over his head, beginning to walk again.