Matchmaker - Soukoku

Chapter Nine

Tachihara pov

I push my way through the mass of people in the hallway, trying to get towards my locker. Who ever thought it was a good idea to cram so many high schoolers into a building? I get to my locker and unlock it. I reach inside, pulling out my social studies textbook.

"Tachihara!" Higuchi jumps up from out of nowhere and startles me, making me drop my book.

"Geez, Higuchi. What?" I ask, bending down to pick it up again.

"Soo uhh..." She glances down the hall. "How's your day going?"

"What?"

"It's nice out today, right?"

I sigh. "Higuchi, what are you scheming now?"

"I'm not scheming anything!" She protests as I slam my locker shut and lock it again. "I just... have a question for you?"

I start walking. "Okay, ask away."

"So, like I was thinking, you know-"

"You, thinking?"

"Shut up!" She slaps my arm and I laugh. "Anyways, I was thinking, you know, like the way you and Chuuya act around each other is different than how you used to."

I slow down my pace. "What?"

She looks a little uncomfortable, but shakes it off. "Well, I mean, do you, uh, like him... or something?"

I stare at the floor. Like him? Do I like him? Chuuya? I mean, sometimes I get flustered around him, and I get jealous, and... but that's not what having a crush is like, right? None of my previous crushes have felt like that. Yeah, I don't like him.

I turn back to Higuchi. "Higuchi-" I start, but she cuts me off.

"Look." She points farther down the hallway to a small crowd that's formed around a few people. Is that Akutagawa?

I jog closer and I start to make out their voices. There are two boys jeering at Akutagawa, poking him and sneering in his face. He looks totally disinterested.

"C'mon, loser, aren't you gonna fight back?" One of them says.

"You know he's too much of a freak to do that." The other one laughs.

My eyes narrow, and I'm just about to step in to defend Akutagawa when somebody else does. Chuuya.

"Hey. That's my friend you're talking to, you assholes."

"Oh nooo, the freak's friend showed up!" One of the guys says. "I'm terrified!"

Chuuya is basically seeing red at this point, and I can tell. You really don't want to be anywhere near him when he gets this mad. "You wanna fucking say that again?" He says, glaring up at the boys.

"Yeah, I will." One of them says. "Your friend. Is an absolute. Freak." He spits at Chuuya's feet. Oh, gross, man. Too far. "Whatcha gonna do about it, shrimp?"

Chuuya seems oblivious to the crowd around him and the other boys, his eyes narrowed, only seeing them. Here it comes.

"Exactly. That's what I thought." The boy says, banding down and leaning towards Chuuya. "You're not even strong enough to protect your wimpy little fr-"

Suddenly Chuuya's fist whips forward, punching the guy in the face and pushing him backwards. "Keep talking, I dare you." He growls.

The guy stands up and grins at Chuuya before running at him. The two topple onto the floor, and although it looks even for a moment, Chuuya is clearly winning. I don't like him. I don't. Chuuya beats his fists into the guy's face, over and over. He's just my friend. Nothing else. I can start to see blood. I almost feel bad for the guy at this point. We're just friends.

Tachihara, if you're really just friends, why do you feel like this all the time?

I'm not supposed to feel like this. This isn't normal.

Suddenly teachers are running into the circle, pulling Chuuya and the other guy apart. Chuuya only seems to take in the crowd around him now, which is quickly dispersing. He glances down at the guy below him, a little surprised at how bloody he is. He looks up and his eyes meet mine. He gives me a small smile and that feeling comes back.

"Let's go." A teacher says to him, and she leads him in the opposite direction, towards the principal's office.

"C'mon, let's get outta here." Higuchi says. I nod and we walk away with the rest of the crowd, who're all whispering about what just happened. "So, uh-" Higuchi hesitates, but keeps talking. "My question?"

Do I? Do I like him?

"I don't know." I respond, and that's the truth.

...

I breathe in a sigh of relief as soon as I get home. Today felt so long for no reason. I avoided Higuchi for the rest of the day, and I didn't see Chuuya, either. He wasn't at basketball practice.

Jouno's backpack is sitting in the entryway, so I guess he's over. Oh, right. I have to give Tecchou that book he asked for from the library. I pull it out of my backpack and walk up the stairs. The cover reads: Hunting Dogs: The Complete Guide and History (Including bonus poster!) Kind of a weird choice, but okay Tecchou. He's always been a little weird.

"Tecchou, I got your book-" I throw open his door and immediately wish I hadn't. Tecchou and Jouno are lying on Tecchou's bed, pressed up against one another.

Making out.

I feel my face heat up. "I'm just gonna leave this outside your door." I say, and slam the door shut before either of them can respond. I run back into my room and shut the door behind me. What is even happening today?

I collapse onto my bed and sigh. Oh, what's mom gonna think if she finds out that Tecchou and Jouno are probably dating? Would she be okay with that? Would she kick him out? No, she'll still have me, her perfect child.

But am I like him? Do I like Chuuya? Would she be disappointed in me if I did? Would she treat me any differently? I've always been the good child, the smart one, the responsible one, the one who turned out exactly the way she wanted. I don't know if she wanted this.

I don't know what she wants. And I'm scared. I've never felt like I do with Chuuya with anybody else. I've never liked a guy before. Wait, does that mean I do have feelings for him?

I get out my phone and call Higuchi.

"Yeah?" She picks up almost immediately.

"How do you know if you like someone?"

1060 words

A/N: I ship a lot of people from BSD, and I love Tecchou and Jouno sm

You can fight me about it idc they're insanely cute