Matchmaker - Soukoku

Chapter Four

Dazai pov

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't checking this guy out. He's unusually short for his age, maybe about 5'3 or 5'4, I'm pretty sure he's a junior like me. He has red hair that curls around his face and sticks out on one side, over his shoulder. It'd look weird on anyone else, but he somehow manages to make it look cool. He's short, but he's all muscle. And holy shit, he has the bluest eyes I've ever seen.

"Right, well, uh," the guy clears his throat, looking up at me shyly. "I need to talk to you, I guess."

I flash my flirtiest grin. "Oh really?" I mean, I know this guy is probably only here for love advice, but might as well have fun while I'm at it.

"Dazai, I'm going home!" I hear Atsushi from behind me.

"Bye!" I keep my eyes on the redhead. He glances behind me to where Atsushi was before turning his attention back towards me.

"So. Uh. My friend told me that you, like..." He trails off.

"Yes?" I prompt, enjoying myself very much.

He glares up at me. "You help people with relationship stuff, right?"

I sigh internally. I mean, of course he wants advice, it's normal. Just, I kind of wish that somebody would just talk to me for the sake of talking to me for once.

"Yeah, sometimes. Why? Do you need help?" I poke his nose and he swats my hand away.

"Yes, okay?" He growls, his face bright red.

I smile. "Okay, tell me about it." I plop myself down on a bench a few feet away and cross my legs, staring at him intently. He hesitates for a moment before perching next to me.

"Okay, well I have this friend..." He starts, looking at his feet. "Um, I'm on the basketball team with him, we're pretty close, and, uh, I like him a lot... I just don't know how he feels about me, and I don't know how to ask him out and stuff..."

"So you want my advice?"

"Yeah, I guess. My friend told me about you."

I know how this goes. People come to me, asking for help, I give it to them, I make them happy, set them on the right track, and then they never so much as speak to me again. I get it. I'm not the most pleasant person to be around. I'm annoying and needy and... well, I still wouldn't mind having another friend, and something about this guy makes me want to spend more time around him. I make up my mind.

After a minute or two, the redhead gets impatient. "Well? Are you going to help me or not?" He snaps.

I sigh, feigning guilt. "You see, the thing is, usually when I help people out, they give me something in return." I'm lying, of course. "Sometimes it's money, sometimes it isn't. It depends on the person."

"What?" The redhead looks really mad. "You think I have any money? Jesus, I have no idea what I would give you! Forget about it!" He starts to stand up, but I grab his arm.

"Wait. I heard that you're actually pretty smart." I wink at him. "Let's see... my grades aren't the best right now... maybe you could, I don't know, tutor me or something?" While I'm talking, I slowly inch towards him, until our legs are pressed up against each other.. I give him my best puppy eyes. "You can help me get into a good college, I'll help you ask your guy out." I lean towards him, so that our faces are mere inches apart and I can feel his breath on my neck. "Deal?" I ask.

He turns bright red, and scowls at me before nodding once.

"Great!" I stand up and stretch my arms. "Alright, see you tomorrow. What's your name, by the way?"

"Chuuya Nakahara." The guy says.

"Alright, Chuuya Nakahara, see you tomorrow."

...

When I get home it's already pretty late. The sun is just starting to set. Most of the lights in my house are off, and my mom doesn't hear me when I tiptoe past her room, thank god. I flop onto my bed and stare at the cracks on the ceiling.

We've lived in this town since I was in 7th grade. We moved here from LA midway through my 7th grade year. My mom says it was because she wanted to get away from my dad after the divorce, but I know it was because of me.

Those 1 ½ years of middle school I had in LA might've been the worst in my life. To be fair, I was kind of an asshole back then. There was a lot of drama centered around me, and I may have gotten into a few fights, and been bullied and whatnot...

After my mom got tired of hearing about me from the principal and embarrassed over how much all the other parents were gossiping about me, about us, she pulled me aside and told me we were getting the fuck out of LA and were moving to some tiny town in the middle of freaking nowhere.

I agreed wholeheartedly, of course.

I met Atsushi in the second half of my 7th grade year, and we've been inseparable since. He's fun to be around. I guess that's why I asked him to join the debate team. Debate is fun, and I'm good at it. Plus, it's a distraction. It gets me out of the house. Being around my mom can be hard sometimes.

I pick up my backpack, dumping its contents onto my bed. My binder and folders fall out along with a half-eaten sandwich from yesterday. I throw it away. I open my math folder and start on my homework, but I have no idea what it's talking about. I should probably start paying attention in class.

I struggle through my homework, (I'm pretty sure I got everything wrong) and when I'm done it's almost 10:00. My phone chimes.

Unknown number: Hi it's Chuuya I got your number from my friend don't ask me how she has it it'll be useful to talk to each other in case we're meeting up or whatever

Me: Okay!

Chuuya: Right well I have basketball tomorrow, want to meet up with me outside the gym after?

Me: Okay, see you then!

I sigh and turn off my phone, flopping onto my bed and burying my face in my pillow. That redhead guy... he has a bad temper, but he's actually pretty cute...

My mind drifts to Chuuya, and before I know it I'm asleep.

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