[He looks fondly at Aria for a second, putting his thoughts together.]
Dazai Osamu... Was the youngest executive in the history of the Port Mafia. He's a genius, almost never wrong about anything. He takes heavy things lightly and makes jokes about serious things, and he was always looking for a way to die.
...But he was too smart, and couldn't find anything that meant anything to him. There's an emptiness in him that I couldn't fix, and neither could anyone else.
He called me a friend. When I died the first time, he was holding me, and he listened to my last wish. 'Go to the side that helps people.'
When I came back, he'd already left the Port Mafia. Because I asked him to.
[Elaine listens, for as long as she needs to. Aria stirs and groans a little, and it's enough to make Elaine need to adjust her position in the middle of Oda's story, but she's right: that kid does like the sound of Dad's voice.
But it does make her say one thing:]
...so you were dead there, too.
I can't imagine what it must have been like for him to see you again.
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[And it is what it is: he can't undo what happened.
He's learned better than to try that sort of thing, now.]
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[She remembers that he said he had to say goodbye to a couple of them.
He must miss them terribly.]
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He was happy then, in that bar, clinking glasses with Dazai and Ango. He misses those moments.]
I don't mind. Have I said anything about Dazai or Ango to you?
[He doesn't remember. Space prison was a long time ago.]
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[Aria looks at peace. It's enough for Elaine to say:]
And I think she just likes hearing you talk.
tw: suicide mention
Dazai Osamu... Was the youngest executive in the history of the Port Mafia. He's a genius, almost never wrong about anything. He takes heavy things lightly and makes jokes about serious things, and he was always looking for a way to die.
...But he was too smart, and couldn't find anything that meant anything to him. There's an emptiness in him that I couldn't fix, and neither could anyone else.
He called me a friend. When I died the first time, he was holding me, and he listened to my last wish. 'Go to the side that helps people.'
When I came back, he'd already left the Port Mafia. Because I asked him to.
I mean
But it does make her say one thing:]
...so you were dead there, too.
I can't imagine what it must have been like for him to see you again.
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[Despite everything they were - that both of them still are - Dazai is his friend.]
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...did he at least know where you were going?
[Now she feels bad for separating them.]
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[He doesn't think Dazai was just being his usual flirtatious self there.]