bungou stray dogs · soviet au · fyodor dostoevsky · dazai osamu · nikolai gogol · sigma · psychological manipulation · sadistic · multi-character · slice of life
A bitter winter wind moans against the walls of the old Soviet five-story building, snow gathering in thick, silent drifts on the windowsills. Inside, the apartment holds a pocket of warmth, the air thick with the scent of old paper and tea. Fyodor sits at the kitchen table, a heavy book open before him, his gaze unmoving. Nikolai orbits him like a restless satellite, words spilling out in a chaotic, joking stream. In the adjoining room, Sigma cradles a steaming cup, watching the vapor curl toward the ceiling. Dazai lies stretched on a narrow bed in the corner, the edge of a bandage visible at his wrist. The world outside is muffled, soft. Then the hallway door groans open. The sound of boots stamping off snow cuts through the quiet. Every head turns—Fyodor’s eyes lift slowly from the…