Matchmaker - Soukoku

Chapter Twelve

A/N: I apologize in advance if this isn't actually how debates work, I genuinely have no idea what I'm talking about I just needed like a team or smth for Dazai and he seems like a debatey person idk I'm sorry if this is like super inaccurate

Also: Thank you guys so much for 100 followers it really means a lot!! <33

Atsushi pov

"You have all your stuff, right?" Dazai asks me as we run up the steps of the school building. The hallways are entirely deserted, since it's 2:00 on a Saturday.

"Yeah."

"Okay, good."

I don't know if it's just me, but Dazai's seemed a little off these past few days. It's like his usual good mood just vanished. I asked him about it, but he brushed me off.

I follow him into the debate room where most of our team is already gathered. Tachihara's here, and so is Kunikida. He still scares me.

Dazai dumps a pile of papers on a desk and slams his hands down on it. "Okay guys, the other school arrived about half an hour ago and the debate starts in another half hour. Does everybody have all their stuff?"

"Of course." Kunikida says, his hands on his hips. Everybody else nods.

"Okay. We have maybe 20 minutes before we should head over to the auditorium, where the debate's gonna be. Use the time wisely."

Dazai takes his phone out of his pocket and starts scrolling through something, scowling.

Maybe I should try asking him again. I approach him, twisting my hands. "Uh, Dazai, are you ok? You've seemed kinda pissed these past few days."

He looks up at me. "Yep. I'm totally fine."

He's lying and I know it. And he knows I know. And I know he knows I know. And- Wait, now I'm confused.

Not the time, Atsushi. Your friend is sad!

"Well, if you ever wanna talk about anything you can tell me..." I say, fiddling with my hands.

Dazai gives me a forced smile. "Thanks, Atsushi."

What must be the quickest 20 minutes of my life pass as I read and reread my argument. Suddenly the whole team is gathering up their stuff and we're walking through the hallways towards the auditorium. I feel a knot forming in my stomach.

I've honestly never been that good at public speaking. I've never been that good at speaking, really. Talking to most people stresses me out. Dazai is a rare exception, somehow. He pretty much guilt tripped me into joining the debate team.

However, when I joined I kind of forgot that debate involves a lot of speaking. In front of other people. And arguing. Great time to remember, Atsushi. The knot in my stomach grows bigger. My body feels tense.

We reach the auditorium and enter through a side door that leads backstage.

"I'm pretty sure they've already set everything up on stage, so we just go out when they tell us."

Tachihara disappears for a moment and comes back. "Wow, there's more people here than I expected." He laughs.

The knot in my stomach has somehow worked its way to other parts of my body. I feel frozen. "People?" I squeak out.

"Yeah, people are watching the debate." Dazai says. "That's, like, how debates work."

People. Watching me. Watching me talking. I can feel the knot rising, I can feel the tears welling in my eyes.