What you're name ?

Chapter 32 The Road Trip

Made by @cataclysmiceve1 on Twitter!
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The next week passes, and Dazai's exams do go well, despite the botched reward for studying. And as April 29th approaches, he's looking for any reason to get out of his marketing exam. But whether he likes it or not, it's still that Friday at 9 a.m.

By the time he's finished with a five-hour exam, it would be too late for him to make it to Yokohama.

Not a big deal. Just the love of his life's eighteenth birthday and he doesn't get to spend it with him. It's fine.Dazai isn't drowning in disappointment or anything.

"Are you gonna be at the finals, Dazai-senpai?" Dazai freezes. It's April 28th, and he's been on the phone with Atsushi for the last forty-five minutes, giving his protege advice on how to clear his head before nationals, which, as luck would have it, are tomorrow .

"No," he sighs heavily. "I have an exam tomorrow at 9, I wouldn't be able to make it to Tokyo before it was over."

Atsushi pauses on the other end of the line. "But they aren't in Tokyo this year?"

Dazai comes to a halt. He's been walking down the sidewalk, and was about to step inside and order some food for lunch, but this seems more pressing."They aren't?"

"No—the stadium they normally use is under renovations, so they've moved it to Osaka this year."Osaka.Which is an hour and a half away."...Now I'm not so sure I was supposed to tell you."

Dazai can guess what it is. As a matter of fact, he can hear it in his head— 'If I told you I was going to be an hour away, you would rush through your exam. And I don't want that to be my fault.' Because for some reason, the idea of Chuuya having any impact on Dazai's life choices is unacceptable.

"It's fine, Atsushi," Dazai waves him off, his tone light and unbothered, "I won't tell him I know. But good luck, okay?"

"Dazai-senpai, I don't think he hid it from you because he doesn't want to see you—"

"Oh, I know! See you tomorrow!"

" Wait —!"Atsushi stares at his phone after Dazai hangs up, biting his lip. "I..." he glances over at Tanizaki. "I'm pretty sure I just messed up."

Dazai knows for a fact Chuuya was intentionally hiding this from him, because he's asked about nationals before, and Chuuya always connected it back to Tokyo somehow, so Dazai would associate the two together in his mind.

And he appreciates Chuuya's mindset, stubborn and irritating as it is— b ut it's his birthday . Dazai isn't going to miss it.Even though the universe seems determined to make it so, he finishes his exam in two hours, when it was supposed to last five. And yes, he rushed—but Chuuya also strong armed him into studying more than he has in years, so it's fine .

But when he skids into the train station, to his utter frustration—the Osaka train is gone.There's another one, obviously, but it doesn't leave for another three hours.

"Shit..." he groans, running his fingers through his hair.

He doesn't really have another option. There's the bus, but it would take too long—wait.

His eyes narrow.There is one alternative.

Fyodor nearly jumps out of his skin when the door to their room slams open, slowly revolving around in his chair to find Dazai, standing in the doorway, looking utterly determined.