Dazai and I finally arrived in front of our class after a rather irritated conversation. I had to let Dazai walk in before me so he could give the teacher the hall pass we got from the creepy nurse. The old grey-haired man quickly read it over and gesture for the two of us to sit down after quietly introducing himself as Mr. Hirotsu to me.
It wasn't until I sat down in between Dazai and Tachihara that I realized the period we were in. Reading and Literature. Mr. Hirotsu walked around the classroom and placed a copy of some old book on every student's desk.
"Has anyone read 'Raging Camelia' before?" he asked.
So that's the title.
Nobody responded. I'm assuming no one has read it. Mr. Hirotsu nodded.
"Alright then" he said, holding up his own copy "We are going to read this as a class, and once a week there will be a short quiz on what you've read. I will not object to reading ahead, I only expect that everyone be up to speed with the rest of the class"
I stared at my book and made several attempts to swallow the lump forming in my throat.
'It'll be okay' I told myself 'The teacher's gonna read, and I've just gotta follow along in my head'
"Who would like to start us off?"
We're reading?
Nobody volunteered.
"No one?" he asked "Very well, I'll pick someone myself"
I shrunk in my seat to make myself less visible. Anything to make sure he doesn't-
"How about our new student?"
Pick...me.
"Chuuya was it?"
I nodded.
"Why don't you start by reading the first chapter?"
I nodded again and slowly opened the book with shaky hands. I tried to concentrate on the words in front of me while holding back the burning in my eyes.
"Chuuya?" Mr. Hirotsu interrupted my mild breakdown, causing me to snap my head up.
"Is everything alright?" he asked quietly, kneeling down in front of my desk.
I took a deep breath and decided to throw away my pride.
"I-it's just that-"
"I'll read first"
My head shot in the direction of the voice on my right. Dazai sat upright with his hand raised slightly in the air.
"Chuuya's a little overwhelmed because it's his first day at such a big school" he said, just barely loud enough for the teacher to understand without the rest of the class overhearing.
Mr. Hirotsu nodded and gestured for Dazai to continue. Dazai finished the first chapter of the book, reading so quickly that it seemed his brain didn't even need to register the words before he spoke. There were no pauses for longer words or fumbling over pronunciations. His tongue never got tied and his reading was never delayed, not even when he turned the page.
Needless to say I was a little jealous.
The teacher picked three more people to read the next few chapters before the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. I quickly shoved the book into my bag and slung it over my shoulder. I stood up and rushed out the door with the rest of my classmates.
Before I could make it out the door all the way, I felt someone grab my wrist. I turned around swinging my other hand up, only for it to be caught by a familiar hand.
"Chibi" Dazai whined annoyingly "Stop trying to punch me all the time"
I yanked my hand away "Then quit sneaking up on me, stupid"
I walked down the hall, and he followed still holding my wrist.
He shrugged "I like catching you off guard"
"Whatever, what do you want?"
He smiled and grabbed my bag, slinging it on his shoulder.
"Come on" he said, pulling on my wrist "I'm taking you out"
"Out?" I asked, stopping "Out where?"
"It's a surprise~" he cooed, his smile shifting to a mischievous smirk.
"I don't like that look on your face"
He took a step closer, tugging me toward himself. I slammed right into his chest, reeling back afterward.
"What look?" he asked, tilting my chin up with his other hand.
I felt my cheeks rise in temperature at the sudden boldness. I roughly pushed him away from me, taking a small step back to create some distance. The previous actions didn't make me uncomfortable per se, but they made me feel something. I don't know what it was, and therefore I don't ever want to feel it again.
"Aaww" he whined.
"The hell was that?!" I asked, still feeling the flush of my cheeks.
Dazai crossed his arms and leaned back a bit.
"What was what?" he asked innocently.
"Th-the touching! The holding!" I said, sputtering and stumbling over my words "The face! What was with the face?!"
Dazai placed a finger on his chin and sort of looked to the side. Like he was trying to recall the events that literally took place thirteen seconds ago.
"Oh that?" he asked "I just wanted to see my Chuuya all flustered"
"Your Chuuya?"
"Yes" he replied, moving a piece of hair behind my ear "My Chuuya"
Weird feeling again! I don't like this feeling!
Dazai turned on his heels and walked away. I stood there completely flabbergasted until I remembered: That bastard has my bag!
"Hey!"
I ran after him, finally catching up to his stupid ling strides.
"You have my bag, bastard" I sneered.
He nodded "So?"
"So" I said "Give it back"
"Have you forgotten already?" he complained "I'm taking you out"
"I have to get home moron!"
"Come on~" he said, leaning close to me "It'll be fun I promise"
I growled under my breath and lightly shoved his face away.
"Okay fine!" I relented "Just keep to yourself alright? Stay out of my personal space"
He nodded, but I knew that he wasn't going to respect my bubble. Because I knew that he knew that I don't dislike it.
He took me to the arcade that I went to a few days ago with Shirase and Yuan. Dazai pulled me over to the token machine and inserted a few bills. He then dropped a small handful into my hand and dragged me over to a fighting game.
We played several rounds, and he beat me ever single time. I was starting to get frustrated and began snapping at him.
"You have to be using some kind of cheat code!" I yelled after losing for the nineth time "There's no way you keep beating me this easily!"
"No need for a cheat when my opponent doesn't know how to think strategically" he said.
I growled in frustration "One more! I'll beat you for sure this time!"
"Wanna bet on it?" he asked, a smug smirk growing on his face.
"Fine"
He stood up and brought his face closer to mine "Very well" he said "The winner of this next round gets to ask the loser any question they want, and the loser has to answer truthfully no matter what"
"That's a strange request" I said "How will we know whether or not we answered truthfully?"
He shrugged "I guess we'll just have to trust eachother"
I thought about it for a minute. This is probably a very bad idea. It's just one question though. It shouldn't be too bad. Right?
"Fine" I said "Best outta three?"
He nodded "Perfect"
He won all three.
"Dammit!" I groaned "I was so certain I had you!"
Dazai laughed his stupid little laugh and leaned in toward me "I win!" he said "So I get to ask you whatever I want"
"Very well" I grumbled "What's your question"
He sat back down "Why did you get so nervous when Mr. Hirotsu asked you to read? You got stage fright or something?"
"That's two questions"
"Then answer the first one"
Do I really wanna tell him this?
He'll make fun of me for sure.
And what if this leads to follow up questions?
No, he said only one.
But what if he-
"Oi! Chuuya!" Dazai snapped his fingers in front of my face "No thinking! Honest answers only"
Fuck it.
I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the ridicule I was bound to get.
"I can't read" I said, only loud enough for him to hear.
Dazai's mouth fell open. He shut it quickly, but continued to stare at me, completely baffled. I waited for him to make fun of me. To call me stupid or childish. But he didn't.
Instead, he smiled and pointed to his chest.
"I'll teach you"
"Huh?!"