The Transactional Relationship (Ai Hayasaka X OC) [Kaguya-sama: Love Is War]

Chapter 4: Sorry!

It's been two days since Tsubasa and Kashiwagi started dating, and in those two days Ori was still stuck on how to break the two up.

He taps his pencil on his desk, uncaring of the History lecture his professor was babbling about.

He was only broken out of his daze when a slip of paper appeared on his desk, which he could only assume came from the girl sitting next to him.

That girl being, Hayasaka Ai.

He perks an eyebrow up at the paper, not knowing what the contents held. He flipped the sheet over and found a small note in the center that read...

"You okay?"

Ori paused and thought for a moment, not knowing how to respond to Hayasaka's sudden act of kindness.

For the past few days he's been completely ignoring her provocations and basically told her to buzz off the last time they talked, so why would she bother?

He flips his pencil around and writes a response, scratching his head as he ponders his choices.

Hayasaka quietly observes Ori out of the corner of her eye, genuinely concerned for his well-being.

She knew Ori was supposed to be an enemy, but deep down she knew better than anyone the stress of being a personal valet. Let alone if they're as stubborn as her own, Kaguya-sama.

It wouldn't hurt anyone if she were to merely check up on the boy.

She fully expected him at the very least to respond to her question. That's why she was somewhat taken aback when she saw the boy crumple her note and toss it into a nearby garbage can.

She groans in annoyance, now losing most interest she had in trying to help the visually panicked boy.

Hayasaka glances at the trash can, bregrudingly deciding to take a peek at what the boy wrote before tossing it.

The class passes soon after, and Ori quickly exits the room, with Hayasaka approaching the trash can, unwilling to grab the now besmirched note.

She sighs as she retrieves the note, uncrumpling it while furrowing her brows in annoyance.

Squinting her eyes, she's able to make out the word...

"Yeah ^_^"

"God..." she scoffs, quickly pocketing the note and walking out of the classroom, "...what an idiot."

—————

Later that day, Ori did some thinking. Maybe it was for the better that Tsubasa didn't choose Maki, but of course, it would be better to make his master happy and stuff.

Now that classes had finally ended, he could at least free himself from worry of any assignments.

He takes a deep breath in and steps outside to the courtyard, where he finds a familiar girl sitting alone. Snickering, he sneaks around and behind the bench, suddenly hopping over and stealing one of her earbuds.

"What the—?!" she yelps. "Hell, Cha." The boy sighs and sits beside her.

"No way, Hayasaka, you listen to Ress, too?!" Ori gawks, surprised by Hayasaka's music taste. She looks at him with a strange expression.

"Well, who doesn't?"

"Nobody actually listens to her from this academy, so yeah." He hums to the music, moving his head to the beat making Hayasaka look at him even stranger.

"Okay," Hayasaka exhales sharply, "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Waiting for Maki-sama to finish up in her class or something," Ori sings. "Oh yeah, did you know I went to one of her concerts last year and got a poster signed by her? She's so...freaking cool."

Hayasaka scoffs, an unusual and sheepish smile on her face. "That's cool, I guess."

"How long have you been listening to her?"

"A couple of months," Hayasaka estimates. "What about you?"

"Maybe a couple of years—oh, there's Maki-sama. Sorry," Ori gives back his side of the earphone and scurries off towards his master. He turns back and shouts out, "And sorry for being an ass lately!"

Hayasaka stares at him in awe, seeing him act so uncharacteristically. She looks down at the earphone in her hand and looks back to Ori, now further than he was just seconds ago.

A small and pleasant smile forms on her face again.

"Well, at least he's not a total prick," She mutters, putting the earphone back in and humming the part that Ori left off at.

"He's still an annoying idiot, though."