Chapter Text
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Oh, great.
It’s that time of the month again in Debate class.
“As you may know, the Essay Debate will be starting today for this month.” A loud grown can be heard from some kids. “Oh, you students are always groaning about this or that, do you see me groaning? I come to school from 5 in the morning to 5 in the evening and you don’t see me complaining! This is high school, not preschool.” The teacher lectured.
You just know the students are rolling their eyes at the statement that many teachers tend to repeat. It’s as if they all have the same stories. You’re only hoping the teacher will allow you all to choose your own partners this time.
But of course, and to your dismay, the old teacher was choosing.
“Alright, I will be choosing your partners this time and the due date will be in 1 week from now so use your time wisely!”
Scanning the classroom with your fingers crossed for a normal partner you were familiar with, it was like the cranky teacher read your mind. And did the exact opposite because she’s cruel like that.
“You and,” She pointed at you. “ Him will be partners.” She pointed at someone sitting at the desk next to you.
Oh no.
That “someone” just so happened to be Kunikuzushi. The intimidating, cold, and callous, student who’s actually surprisingly clever. It won’t be so bad since he’s smart, right? You’re totally not ignoring his red flags!
Wrong, of course.
The moment you turned your head to Kunikuzushi while the teacher was still pairing up kids, he scanned you up and down and rolled his eyes with a scowl. How impolite…
This is definitely gonna be the worst time ever especially working with Kunikuzushi.
Hesitantly getting up from your seat, you walked over to Kunikuzushi’s desk to get started with the draft of the essay. This essay project is a monthly thing your wicked teacher assigns along with a topic to debate about. Supposedly, the teacher claims that it will “help improve your writing skills” and “have more convincing answers for educational arguments when you need to back yourself up”. But those are your teacher's words and you aren't half as sure if they're actually working or not.
And as always, right when you were gonna say something, the teacher interrupted you.
“Oh, I forgot to mention! Everyone quiet down! The debate topic for this essay is, “should animal testing be banned”? And remember, start drafts on paper then make the final draft!” She shouted.
Reminders, reminders, reminders. School sucks enough already but hearing her annoying voice makes you wanna blow this place up.
“So, uh, what do you think?” You proposed the question to your partner.
“They shouldn’t be banned.”
“Oh, and why is that?”
“If you get a sheet of paper so we can start the draft and talk later, then maybe I can explain to you through writing as well as getting shit done.”
Okay, that was way ruder than you thought he could even get.
But you obliged his harsh request, and if you didn’t he presumably will oppose you. And Archons forbid you to even have good fighting skills.
Slipping a sheet of lined paper in front of you both and taking your chair to sit at the side of his desk, you seemed to catch his attention with all of your commotions. His eyes just screamed danger and it was definitely a sharp and piercing look, as if he was a predator about to kill its prey. YOU were the prey.
“Sooo…” You started drifting off, a bit nervous about his stares. “How are we gonna start this?”
“Tch, you really are hopeless like the rest.”
“Oh, okay..” Wandering off.
Kunikuzushi sighed in annoyance and started listing as to why animal testing shouldn’t be banned on a purple sticky note. You watched as he wrote 5 bullet points in the neatest handwriting you’ve ever seen. Not only was the writing neat and readable, but he was also writing quite fast yet nothing looked confusing to read.
Finishing his last sentence, he slapped the paper onto your forehead and it just hung there.
“There, maybe now the information can get into your brain so you aren’t as useless to this project.”
Archons, why is he so intolerable? He has a lot of pride and a high ego for someone who is only a mysterious loner.
Well, whatever, you took the note off of your head and read the list.
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- There is no adequate alternative to testing on a living, whole-body system.
- Animals are appropriate research subjects because they are similar to human beings in many ways.
- Some cosmetics and healthcare products must be tested on animals to ensure their safety.
- Animal research is highly regulated, with laws in place to protect animals from mistreatment.
- It’s mandatory for experimenters to not exploit or manipulate the animal for other uses.
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Well, damn.
Honestly, you’re kind of stuck on this topic. Animal cruelty is indeed bad, but how else are humans gonna have things today?
“Alright, let’s just start writing the draft.” You sighed.
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“You all have 15 minutes left until the bell rings so wrap things up!” The teacher howled at everyone.
Huh!? This project definitely won’t be able to be finished in time! You don’t know if the teacher just wants to see you all fail or you’re just really behind but either way, this essay draft is only 2 paragraphs in.
Now you’re really stumped, the two of you have 1 draft paper that you both worked on together. It wouldn’t be fair to take turns keeping the paper and researching on it since who knows what’s gonna happen to the paper if you keep switching. So…
Do I have to do this? I’ll fail this class if I don’t so I guess..
“Uh, Kunikuzushi, I don’t think we’ll be able to finish this project in time. Our lessons are 30 minutes long leaving us with barely any time to do the project in this class. We’ll have to work on it together during our free time.”
“Are you trying to imply that we should go to my house to work on it? What are you, my obsessed admirer?”
“NO! I mean,” You coughed out. “We don’t necessarily have to go to your house if you don’t wanna. I’m just saying that we can work during our lunch or something.”
“Fuck no, I don’t want to be caught with you during lunch.”
“So?”
“.. Fine, let’s just do it at your house.” He gave up, shaking his head in frustration.
This is gonna the biggest regret.
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