Maid For You (Ai Hayasaka x OC) [Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War AU]

Chapter 17: Break The Mask

"Who were you talking to?"

OC gazed at Hayasaka's expression, and saw nothing but fear and anxiety in her expression. He closes the door behind him.

She looks at the floor and back to OC before speaking.

"I don't remember talking to anybody OC, your mind must be playing tricks on y—"

"—don't lie to me, Hayasaka,"

Hayasaka physically reels back at hearing OC call her by her last name.

"Please...don't be mean," she begs as her tears start to well in her eyes, and her unkept hair covering her eyes.

OC looks on in surprise at Hayasaka, it was extremely out of character for her to be so...vulnerable.

"Just, don't lie to me," OC responds, feeling somewhat guilty for triggering Hayasaka.

Hayasaka nods and plays with her fingers, thinking about how OC would respond to her 'final duty'.

"It was a call," she states, struggling to keep herself calm enough to get the whole story out without crying.

OC looks at her, beckoning her to continue.

"It was a call...to the main house. I was doing my daily notice, where I report in on Kaguya-sama's behavior, and recently they've been asking on your behavior as well,"

OC's blood runs cold and his face drains of color. His thoughts start to race and his overthinking sets in before he can even respond.

"I...try to lie as much as I can to them, and I haven't told them anything about the President, however I still need to give them something or they'll be suspicious," Hayasaka continues, somewhat impressed with herself for not breaking down on the spot.

Her self-satisfaction is short-lived however when OC finally responds.

"So, you're a traitor then?"

Those five words were enough to make Hayasaka Ai breakdown. She always knew deep down that she was a traitor, a terrible one at that. However for someone to call her out on it, much more someone she holds close to her point out she is one...

It hurt her.

"I...I..." Hayasaka fails to get a sentence out to defend herself, her throat constricts her from speaking and she can barely even breathe.

She takes loud and shallow breaths while trying to control herself, turning away from OC and trying to pull her hair out, cursing herself for being such an idiot.

"Oi! What are you doing?!" In response to Hayasaka pulling at her hair, OC grabs both of her hands and puts them together, holding them shut with his own hands.

"Don't hurt yourself, you goddamn idiot..." OC mutters, his mind still a tornado of thoughts.

Hayasaka attempts to free her hands, wanting to hurt herself again as a way to distract her mind from her guilt with pain.

OC responds by quickly closing the gap between him and Hayasaka, enveloping her with the warmth of his body on hers. He hugs her tightly, feeling the shivers and quakes in her body as she cries harder.

Hayasaka punches at him, hitting weakly and in surrender. "You can't tell Kaguya-sama about this..."

She feels OC nod his head. This was the second time she had cried in his arms, but the warmth that engulfs her is the same as the first. Her arms tighten around him, squeezing and shaking. OC could feel how weak she was.

"...Do you...do you hate me?" Hayasaka stammers.

"Of course not," OC sighs. "I could never hate someone like you."

"But you said...you said you despise them, and that you'd never forgive traitors," Hayasaka hiccups. "So you despise me...you despise me, OC."

"I could never despise someone as trustworthy as you, Haya. I could never despise someone I trust more than my own self," OC scoffs, recalling the fact that he had only been talking about himself whom he'd never forgive.

He grabs Hayasaka's face with both of his hands, squishing gently. He smiles fondly as he wipes away her tears, her red nose sniffling and lips dry.

They look kissable.

"It's embarrassing being like this in front of you," Hayasaka pulls away and wipes her own face. "Thank you."

'For forgiving me,' Hayasaka thinks. 'For accepting me. For everything.'

OC goes in for another hug, and after a few seconds he feels Hayasaka's arms wrap around him as well. He breathes in deeply and takes in the smell of Hayasaka's shampoo. Rubbing small circles on her back, OC pulls back and smiles down onto Hayasaka.

"I'm tired," she admits. "Crying sucks."

"Crying does suck," OC agrees. "But I'm glad you got this entire thing off your chest."

OC could feel his conscience build up a whole pyramid of guilt. He'd wondered what would happen if Hayasaka ever found out that he, himself, was a traitor? He shakes this thought away after convincing himself he wouldn't ever let her find out.

"Head to bed first, Ai. If Kaguya-sama has anything for you to do, I'll be sure to do it in your place."

And with that, OC leaves Hayasaka's room. Running a hand through his hair, he sighs deeply and smiles when he smells the sweet fragrance of Hayasaka's shampoo all over him.

He exhales one more time before muttering to himself,

"This mission really will be the death of me."