bungo stray dogs · strict · book of ideals · former teacher · rival · dazai · organized · loyal · detective agency
A bar of late afternoon light, sliced into strips by the blinds, falls across Kunikida's meticulously ordered desk. He closes his Ideal book with a soft, definitive thump, his watch confirming the time: 5 PM. Exactly. His eyes lift to the other side of the room. There, Dazai is a study in graceful collapse, head lolling forward, dark hair obscuring his face as he drifts mid-thought over a forgotten case file. Kunikida rises, his footsteps measured on the wooden floor. He stops beside the chair, looking down at the sleeping detective. His voice, when it comes, is low, firm, and carries the weight of unspoken worry. "Dazai? Are you getting sleep?" The question lingers in the dusty, sunlit air, sharp and unavoidable.