Drowning in a sea of ​​moonlight

The sound of music is like wine, scattered among the fluttering skirts, flowing into the thick and slightly drunk night.

The mirror-like floor is also flowing with crystal lamps and shadows. I sway a glass of wine and lean against the wall to watch the people in the ballroom gather and disperse gracefully, like huge flowers in full bloom, and like swans bright as day swimming in the lake.

It's a grand event.

I lowered my head and took a sip of the wine, feeling the aroma spread between my lips and teeth.

Just now.

With a "click", a cane hit the floor, and the echo was crisp.

The man with the cane stood in front of me and stretched out his hand: "Dance one?"

I was a little surprised, but still smiled and took his hand: "It's a great honor."

We slipped silently onto the dance floor, twirling to the brand-new music, the hems of our clothes flying, and the sound of our heels hitting the floor almost became one.

His hand rests on mine, and we can know each other's intentions through the slightest movement. Every step, every turn, is as harmonious as the high and low parts of a piano.

——Speaking of which, I can still stand here and dance with him intact, I really should thank God.

To make it clear, we have to go back to this morning.

Both Alisha and Edogawa should have noticed that the purpose of Fyodor's trip was not the notebook, or any incident related to the captain.

Otherwise, there are too many ways to find the captain and extract useful information from him before sailing.

His real purpose should be the victim in the murder case.As for other performances, compared to planned actions, it is more like "watching the excitement is not too much work".

So you don't need to deliberately avoid him when discussing countermeasures, and you don't need to be too defensive about him in the final confrontation.

Only the throwing knife at the end was unexpected, but I can handle this level of unexpectedness.

It's just probably because I didn't have a good rest before, and then my spirit has been tense. When I saw the medium of "Sky Eye" was discovered, I still accidentally shot it.

As a result, I may be mutilated by Mr. Ellery.

After the two Russians left, the captain and the first mate settled their affairs, and soon they restarted the satellite signal on the ship, docked at the port closest to their current position, and then surrendered.

Some passengers chose to disembark and take the plane at this time, and others who were willing to take the boat were arranged by the shipping company to a new, smaller cruise ship to continue the journey according to the original route.

Of course, before that, we also contacted all the people who should be contacted, deleted all the memories and data that should be deleted, and then physically awakened everyone in that room.

During this time, Mrs. Ellery and I had a 15-minute cup of tea—

His posture almost made me think that he was going to scald me with tea to clean up the school - and then said that he hadn't come out for vacation for too long, and decided to go with us until the end of the vacation.

Of course I agreed, and at the same time Donna and Alisha were very grateful that he spared my life, so the three of us invited this god to join us on the new ship.

("Let me introduce, this is my mentor, I just met here."

I say so.

"It's an honor to meet you." Kunikida, Dazai and Yosano nodded slightly.

Teacher Ellery smiled lazily: "I, an incompetent student, have been bothering you these few days."

Only Edogawa looked at this side silently, and after a while, he muttered in a low voice: "...Mentor. No wonder. I think it's the parents.")

People who can get on the new ship are big-hearted, and they are not afraid after going through this incident. Then they can play as they want. The dance party held in the hall tonight is also bustling and lively.

Among them are the people of the detective agency, who wake up alive and well, and today is no exception.

Edogawa ate very happily in a corner of the ballroom, and Yosano and Kunikida were also happy and relaxed after the entrusted mission was over, and danced with others.

Only Dazai has been missing tonight.

The person in front of me squeezed the back of my hand: "Are you distracted?"

I came back to my senses and said: "...I think it's been several years since I danced with you last time. I miss it. Speaking of which, you taught me how to dance."

Mrs. Ellery laughed, obviously so joking, but his expression was so young, the light from the crystal chandelier shone on his hair, giving off a golden-brown color that can only be described as "warm". The color, even the look in those lake green pupils softened: "Ha, yes, it's been almost three years, do you miss it? When I first taught you—it was eight years ago—I almost didn't I stomp it off. I'm still thinking about it, and just be a stake at the ball for the rest of my life."

Although he said so, he couldn't bear to dance with me over and over again.

I took his hand and turned around, and said with a smile: "Isn't it because you teach well? Now that I can dance like this, at least it's reasonable, right?"

Mrs. Ellery snorted: "Yes. There were quite a few people looking at you just now, and you can dance with them when you feel like it. Whether it's a mule or a horse, I have to take it out for a walk. I have to spend so much effort After you taught it, wouldn’t it be too much of a loss if you didn’t show it off.”

"Hey, I'll show off for a while, so you can feel the fruits of your labor."

It was rare for me to be praised bluntly by him, so I couldn't help but feel a little smug.

"You, you unlucky boy." Teacher Ellery scolded with a smile, "After all these years, among other things, you have grown so thick-skinned, it's really terrible."

He and I unknowingly rotated to the middle of the dance floor, where the light of the crystal chandelier was the brightest, and we felt a little dizzy when we stepped on it.

In a trance, the time is reversed, as if I have returned to the year when I was 15 years old. In the same bright hall, the young teacher stood in front of me as always, pulling me to teach me how to dance. So reassuringly familiar.

"...Speaking of which." Mrs. Ellery looked around, "The other two children went to the house to be paralyzed at night? Are you emaciated?"

"." Recovering from the delusion just now, I curled my lips. "No, how big are their hearts. It's just that Arisia was infected with the power of salted fish by Donna. Don't worry, it's temporary, and it will be fine tomorrow."

At that time, the three of us walked around the ballroom.

Then Donna said "I'm tired" and walked back, and Alicia happily said "Wait for me!" and ran away, leaving me alone in the wind.

When they contacted 5 minutes ago, they were still slumped on the sofa watching a movie with potato chips in their arms.

Haggard?I think it is very beautiful.

Mrs. Ellery raised his head slightly, and the light fell on his irises, which were dotted with glittering gold, a mottled bright color: "...you are the one who worries the most."

"Remember, no matter what happens next, you don't have to worry about what's going on in the club, I can take care of it for you. You just need to think clearly about what you want most in your heart. Do you understand?"

"...Well. I get it." I actually didn't quite figure out where the words came from, but I knew he couldn't be harming me, so I nodded in response.

"." He looked at me, sighed, and said in a voice I could barely hear.

"It's really stupid."

After the dance, Mrs. Ellery raised his cane and said, "You play first, have fun, I'll go and explain something to your two little friends", and then left without looking back.

Leave me in place with question marks all over my face.

... well not really.It's just that I originally thought that since he was here, he would stay a little longer.

But because I promised him to have fun, and I happen to be on vacation right now, it's a rare opportunity, so let's relax.You might even meet someone interesting.

After a dance, it did attract some people's attention.As I was walking out of the dance floor, a lot of people came towards me as soon as they saw Mrs. Ellery go.

There was a very petite girl who moved faster than everyone else, stood in front of me, and was about to speak, but hesitated for a second.

I happened to think that our heights didn't match well, so I smiled at her, and was about to refuse her in a joking way.

But I heard a faint commotion, as well as many extremely low exclamations.

I turned my head and met the eyes of the figure who was admired by others.

He stared at me for a while, then walked towards me.

He was dressed in a white dress, with the hair on the left temple pinned behind his ear, wearing such a plain color, but his whole body seemed to exude a dizzying radiance.

For some reason, when I looked at his eyebrows and the way he looked at me, I thought of a poem.

"Bright moonlight at night".

He was already surrounded by people who wanted to invite dancers, looking at him eagerly, but he seemed to have never seen him. He walked straight through the crowd, walked into the dance floor, and walked towards me. Every step was extremely slow, but very fast. Determined, as if heading towards destiny.

After what seemed like a century, he finally stopped in front of my eyes, raised his head slightly, stretched out his hand, and said in a very soft voice, "May I invite you to a dance?"

Looking into his crystal-clear eyes, I said,

"it is good."

Then he laughed, the cloud opened and the moon brightened in an instant, his face suddenly overlapped with the person who smiled so happily at me that night more than two years ago, like lingering clouds, like rouge-colored peach blossoms, like flowing clouds in the sky Bright moonlight.

Just at this moment, a brand-new piece of music was playing, and he took a step forward. I held his waist and held up his hands, as if embracing the bright moon in the sky.

Although it was the first time to dance, our dance steps matched surprisingly, like two butterflies meeting for the first time, fluttering their wings, hesitating, hesitating and circling around each other, their tentacles touching each other.

And because it was the first time to cooperate, I didn't have much time to pay attention to other people on the dance floor, let alone be distracted. All my mind was on him and his movements.

The top of his head is now almost at the same level as my line of sight, and I can see his fluffy hair top, slender neck, and the moonstone at the neckline by slightly lowering my head.

I originally thought he would say something to me, but he held my shoulders, just lowered his head, and didn't say a word.

Although his expression was normal before, he always looked faintly tired, and the blue color in front of him has not faded. The already thin person seems to have lost some weight these days, as if he would fall down if the wind blows .

Today, however, he seemed to be a different person, with unprecedented brilliance in his eyes, and some kind of restless hope in his expression, and the palm on my hand was trembling imperceptibly.

I leaned closer to him and asked in a low voice, "...Are you all right?"

He seemed taken aback, and bounced slightly on the spot.

Then he relaxed again, raised his head, and said, "...It's true that you haven't had a good rest recently, so you're worried."

"Then do you want to go back to your room to rest later?"

He pursed his mouth, puffed his face, and looked aggrieved, but his eyes were smiling: "Are you so unwilling to dance with me? I'm so sad——"

I said helplessly: "...No, my pleasure. But your body is more important, right? If you are really tired, don't force yourself."

He looked at me, blinking his eyes slowly, like a deer pointed at by a hunter with a muzzle. His eyes were so clear that it was heartbreaking, but there were so many things I couldn't read.

Then he lowered his head and said obediently, "Yes. I'll listen to you."

Somewhere in my heart seemed to melt suddenly in this sentence, turning into spring water flowing eastward, the kind that couldn't be squeezed even if I tried it with my hands.

... ahhh.

... so obedient.

......so cute.

...cute enough to be foul.

...If he could do the same two years ago, maybe there would not be so many things after that.

Maybe, instead of taking such an extreme way, I can say goodbye to him and leave with peace of mind.

I unconsciously tightened my arms around his waist, pulled him closer to me, and whispered in his ear: "...Thank you, Dazai-kun. That way I can feel relieved."

After hearing this, he suddenly raised his head, with a trace of panic in his eyes, just about to say something.

At this time, the music faded away and stopped, and the violin played the last silky note.

People stopped at the closing beat, and then saluted their partners.

I let him go and saluted relative to each other.

When he raised his head again, he had returned to his previous smiling appearance, with his hands behind his back, and leaned in front of my eyes: "...Oh, this song is too short, it ended so soon." I I listen to your words and go back to rest, so you are responsible for sending me back~? "

"." I couldn't help laughing, "Okay."

Then he almost skipped and followed me, and we walked out of the ballroom together with the disappointed eyes of other people who wanted to ask me or him to dance.

Going back to the rooms from where the ballroom is is through the open air area, and even in the Mediterranean, winter nights are not warm when there is wind.

Just before going outside, I stretched out my hand and put the black windbreaker that I wore when I came here on him.

He looked at me, pursed his lips and smiled, and raised one hand to grab the hem of the windbreaker to prevent it from falling off.

His flustered expression when I said "Don't worry" just now may be faked, and there is also a slight possibility that it is sincere.

...but, no matter what, I'm leaving.

Because, even if he really thinks he needs me, that's not the case.

There are many people who care about him, and there are also many people who treat him well.There will only be more to come.

I don’t have to be the one who blows his hair after he falls into the water, it doesn’t have to be me who cooks porridge and medicine for him when he’s sick, and it doesn’t have to be me who stays with him when he’s sad.

I was not indispensable to him.

Even if he thinks he needs me, it's just because the way I left was so dramatic, right?

It's just because I've been taking care of him, so I'm not used to leaving suddenly, right?

Not because of me.

He never trusted me, never cared about what I did, and after all, I kept a lot of secrets from him.

Rather than walking together all the way, it is only natural to separate like two years ago.

...Besides, there are reasons that were decided long ago.

When a member is born, "Human Moon." will display their name.

The president will observe their growth trajectory and consider whether to absorb them.Theoretically speaking, a happy person can be blissfully ignorant all the time.

But if we are orphans with nowhere to go, we will be led into the Moonlight Society by our mentor, and we will lose our place in the world forever.But at the same time, you will also have a brand new home.

However, those who do not display their names will never be able to join the Moonlight Society, and are not even allowed to know our existence.

It is impossible for me to do anything that will harm the interests of the Moonlight Society.

It is impossible to tell him about our existence, let alone leave here to accompany him.

So, I knew from the very beginning that we would be separated eventually.

It's just a matter of when that moment will come.

Originally, two and a half years ago, the fate between us should have ended, but the unexpected encounter on the cruise ship delayed this moment.

But this time, it was a real farewell.

I walked with him into the starry night, past the crowd laughing in the lights, and then went back inside to the hallway where his room was.

There was no one along the way, and the lights were brightly lit.

When I got to his room, I stopped and wanted to say goodbye to him.

But he grabbed my sleeve, lowered his head, his hair hanging limply behind his ears, and said:

"...May I come in?"

"I have something to say to you. Just the two of us."

The author has something to say:

Well, the dance of the master-apprentice group + CP group.Each has its own merits hhhh

Is this chapter so sweet that you lose your teeth?

From the perspective of Zai in the next chapter, I will talk about his mental journey since these few chapters. (And how to be madly jealous of the master-student group hhh)

Then in the next chapter we will open up.

In the Eyes of Ranpo: Ellery & Now: Master and Disciple (x) Parent-child (v)

All I can say about this is hhhh

A knife in sugar:

"I know he can't hurt me", yes, that can be said about Mrs. Ellery these days.

As for Dazai...

Zai tugged at the hem of the windbreaker: Mr. Mori's coat is fine, anyway, he has the skills to keep the coat, but today's clothes should be cherished.

"Not because of me": Now I think that Zai is close to me because I am taking care of him, and the impact caused by feigning death, not because of him.It is exactly the opposite of the psychology in the little car in the Fanwai.well.

Zai walks towards you, just like towards fate.You are indeed his destiny, eh.For the first time, I accurately controlled (by accident) to my own position.

Isn't this chapter too beautiful?Also too good.So good.So obedient... (covers nose)

Now I can faintly feel it, and then my heart beats wildly.But because he was stupid and honest, he didn't do anything. (beat the ground)

(The three metaphors for Zai’s appearance here are exactly the same, but the wording has changed, which can be regarded as an echo.)

The last word Jay said.Anyway, I wanted to hit him.The little angels in the comment area have any ideas, please... (pen)

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!