2 days later
Chuuya pov
Dazai slaps his books onto the table in front of me. "Hey bestie!!!" He says, taking the seat next to me.
"We're not besties." I say, not even looking up from my texts with Higuchi.
He leans over my shoulder and looks at my phone, his hair slightly brushing against my face. "We're best friends now, remember? I told your sister that two days ago."
"Well, don't. Untell her." I put my phone down and look up before realizing that his face is about 2 inches away from mine. I feel myself turn red. "Anyways, let's get started. Where's your homework?"
"Aaaahhh, not homewooork." He groans and slouches down in his chair.
"DO YOU WANNA GET GOOD GRADES OR NOT" I snap. "I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS?"
"Oh, yeah are you ever gonna ask that guy out?" He asks, sitting back up.
"I- I- well-"
"Cause, I mean, if you're not going to, then-"
"I am! I mean, I will! I just- don't know how."
He rolls his eyes at me. "I'm literally right here."
I glare at him. "I'm sorry, have you ever asked anyone out?"
"No, but I've been asked out."
"Have you ever even dated anyone?"
"No." He responds simply.
This takes me by surprise. I mean, looking at him, you'd think he was such a playboy. I guess not. "Really? You?" I ask.
"Look, I know I'm very attractive, but yes, I've turned down every person who's asked me out."
"Why?"
"Simple. I don't deserve happiness." For a second I think I see something flicker behind his eyes, something darker than their usual shade of brown. But then it's gone. He smiles at me. "Anyways, so you need to find the perfect time to ask him out, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Okay, what about an important day to him- or like, some place with pretty scenery."
"We have a basketball game tomorrow."
Dazai raises an eyebrow. "You want to ask him out at your basketball game? Not exactly the most romantic setting. What if you lose?"
I blush. "Well- we both like basketball, so why not! We just won't lose!"
"Okay, I guess. I know! I'll disguise myself in the audience and be your moral support in case you get rejected!"
"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ENCOURAGING ME HERE, GOD!" I yell.
"Chuuya, keep your voice down, this is a library! I wouldn't sweat it. I have a feeling he might like you too."
"Really?"
For a second I swear I see that shadow pass behind his eyes again, but it disappears. Weird.
"Really." He says, and gives me a half smile. "Okay, so here's the plan: tomorrow after the game, you find him and maybe take him outside somewhere, like the courtyard or something. Then, you ask him to go out with you. If yes, then you guys will be happy and my work here will be done. If no, come crying to me and I'll give you a best friend hug."
"For the last time- ugh, nevermind. Thanks, Dazai." I give him a smile-grimace, which is the best he deserves. His face lights up. "Okay, now get out your homework."
...
A/N: Sorry if this next part is kinda inaccurate, I don't actually play basketball lmao
I feel like my legs are about to give out. I haven't tried this hard at a game in a long time. There are two minutes left in the second half, and the score is 71 to 70, their favor. If we can just get 2 more points in the next 2 minutes...
The ref blows the whistle, and the other team starts running towards our side of the gym. I push myself after them, trying to defend. The guy with the ball passes to his teammate, who jumps and shoots from the three-point line. I watch as the ball hurtles towards the net... and then bounces off the rim. The new guy on our team, Kenji, jumps up and grabs it, running towards the other team's net.
I can hear the crowd screaming. Dazai's out there, somewhere. I need to win this so I can ask Tachihara out. Dazai'll be proud of me.
Kenji slips by someone on the other team and passes to Tachihara, who keeps running. He reaches the 3-point line, but he's blocked by an insanely tall guy on the other team. I check the clock. 15 seconds.
Tachihara looks around frantically before spotting me. "Chuuya!"
He passes. I catch the ball. It feels light in my hands. The roar of the crowd fades away, and all I can see is the net. I shoot.
The ball rolls around the rim and falls through the net. The crowd goes bananas. Then Tachihara is next to me, hugging me, and so is the rest of my team. The final score is 71 to 73.
The sounds of the gym come back as my team jumps up and down around me. I can feel the happiness ballooning in my chest. I won, Dazai. I scan the crowd and spot Dazai in the second row. I wave to him, but he stands up to leave.
Where's he going? I want to follow him, but Kenji manages to lift me up entirely by himself and starts parading me around. I laugh.
...
Most of the team has left the locker room already, either to go home or hang out somewhere else. It's just me and Tachihara now, and I'm purposely stalling, fiddling with the strap of my backpack like it's broken. My heart feels like it's going to beat right out of my chest, either from leftover excitement from the game or nerves. Or both.
Tachihara picks up his bag. "Welp, I'm gonna get going."
"Oh, yeah me too."
He high fives me. "Great job, man. We might actually make it to nationals."
"Yeah, that's what Coach Oda said." I hold the door open for him and we walk through the abandoned hallways of the school.
"You know the new kid, Kenji? He's actually really good." Tachihara says. "Coach didn't let him play that much in previous games, but I think he might end up as team captain once we're gone."
"Yeah, he's surprisingly strong. He lifted me up like it was nothing." I say.
"Well, I mean, it's not that hard..." Tachihara says, grinning at me.
"Shut up!" I swat at his head. "Who just totally won that game? Be grateful!"
"Sorry, sorry." We push open the front doors of the school and head outside. "Well, I better get going now..." He says, and starts towards the bike rack.
Wait. I still have something important to say. I still have to ask you.
"Tachihara! Uh-" He turns around and looks at me expectantly and I find myself at a loss for words. C'mon, idiot. Don't make everything Dazai helped you with go to waste! I step closer to him. "Well..." I trail off. My heart is pounding. Just ask him. Dazai wouldn't be this nervous.
I look straight up, right at his eyes. "Tachihara, would you ever- go out with me?"
It's hard to see his face in the dark, and for a second I think he's going to laugh at me.
"Like, you want to date me?" He asks.
"Uh. Yeah." I say, looking down at the pavement.
He's silent for what seems like forever. I'm about to say something, to cover up, but he responds.
"Yeah. I'd like that."
I look up at his face, and he's smiling at me. "Really?"
He nods and steps closer to me. He leans down a little and his lips brush my forehead. "Yeah." He leans back and I can see how red his face is, even in the dark. "I- I should go. See you on Monday!"
"Yup!" I say, almost dazed.
Tachihara hops on his bike and pedals away, leaving me alone in front of the school. My heartbeat has slowed down. He said yes. He said yes! You have a boyfriend, Chuuya!
I feel weird. It's like my brain is throwing a party, but my heart isn't. It's like I'm not as excited as I imagined I would be. I start to walk home.
I want Tachihara to come back, so I can kiss him, so I can do something to prove to myself that I do like him, that I am excited. But he's gone.
But as I walk home my brain isn't thinking about how Tachihara said yes, or kissed my forehead, it's thinking about somebody else.
Dazai.
1394 words
A/N: I'm sorry y'all, this chapter was just as hard for me to write as it was for you guys to read- I'm just gonna remind you that this is a soukoku fic and I'm planning for it to have a happy ending, so dw. But oh god I could barely write Tachihara kissing Chuuya's forehead without cringing so bad lmao-