Hayasaka's POV
Well, that was unexpected. I didn't realise that Ayanokouji's golden eyes had already caught hold of me. Indeed quite strange, in my 10 years as a butler for the Shinomiya household, never was I caught when I tried to gather intel.
Though right now, I am in a real mess. Hearing Shinomiya talk about me like that, in such a controlling manner did skew my previous perspective that she didn't care about me. But it wasn't all so well. After all, her controlling nature did produce a sense of discomfort.
Sigh, from the day Ayanokouji came, it was honestly annoying how extremely devoted she was in order to get information on him. It was quite bothersome, for me to continue tailing him. The amount of failed attempts and the fun time that he let me have, furthermore added to that strange guilt I had residing in me.
Unfortunately, such emotions had no space in my work.
If he could see me now, does that imply, that every time I tried to gather intel on him was simply washed away in vain? Oh god, I need a break. I walked into the cafe while waving my hand at the waiter speaking, "A cold coffee, please. Extra chocolate." I sat down with my head resting on my chin, as I tilted my head to try and wrap the concept of this boy around my head.
He comes out of nowhere, is able to catch every action of mine like it was laid out in the open. Not just that he also was able to uncover Shinomiya's true nature to me in a jiffy. What was his purpose? I wonder.
He is an anomaly and probably Shinomiya is right about him. But all of it is just probability, not certainty. Hence I can't exactly latch onto such weak thresholds. Rather I have to know more about him, from his own mouth.
I need information, in order to be normal with him. After all, which friend only talks to know their secrets?
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Meanwhile in another city,
"Kushida-chan!! Do you need a Handkerchief? Did you catch a cold?" A random simp spoke.
Who is this brat that's remembering me? Sigh f*ck you ANHS
"Nono, I don't need it." I would rather shove it down your throat "I simply got a light allergy"
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"Hey, Ayanokouji, why did you do that? If you caught me, why not reveal me to her?" I asked as I started sipping on my coffee waiting for a response. He sighed and gave me a glum look and spoke, "I didn't want my friend to be upset. Weren't you at odds with Shinomiya, so I cleared her point of view to you? She simply cares deeply about you."
"Isn't what she doing, called controlling?" I questioned his optimistic view on this rather serious situation. He sighed as he explained his thoughts out loud, "If she controlled you, she would directly force you to stop talking to me. She didn't do that, she simply expressed her wariness toward me. Though she blackmailed me, she didn't try to control you nor did she try to stop you from meeting me in any drastic way.
Her target is my character, she wants basic details about me. Anyone would want that if they cared for a friend. Right now, none of you knows anything about me other than my name and age. I am an unknown entity to all of you." I widened my eyes as he revealed his side of the story and painted Shinomiya's red with pure white.
Quite a way with words.
"Well, would you like to change that? Let us know you a little better?" I used my puppy eyes as I stirred the cold coffee and I heard a cold knuckle tap the hard desk as its owner spoke, "Isn't that my friend's responsibility? Of course, you are allowed to use any method possible. In that way, Shinomiya will get her end of the deal while we can get closer."
Oh, you want to play that game? Well, two can play that.
"How about a two-way game? You can do the same for me, can't you?" I smirked as I felt I could I give him a good challenge, I have over 5 years' worth of experience under my belt and all he has is his own secrets. He nodded nonchalantly as he said, "I have never lost to someone, even when I go easy on them."
"Oh, I am shivering in my boots. And for your information, I have never given up so please don't go easy on me." I smiled as I put my hand out. He immediately shook on it and spoke, "Who makes the rules and what is the reward for the winner?"
"Of course I do! You made the game and I agreed to it, so I get to make them~ Soo!..." I was rudely interrupted by him as he spoke"Why don't you drop the mask when you speak to me, it would be easier for the both of us." Well, that's a relief...
Sigh, I hope he doesn't regret it.
"Alright, let's get something straight, I will be doing this only when I have scanned the vicinity. Back to the rules.
1. The importance of the secrets will be revealed honestly upon hearing. So don't lie okay?
2. If the secret is something that can be found on the internet, it doesn't count. It has to be deduced by conversations only.
3. Every time we discover a secret, we can hand it over to see if they are right and we get 5 points. If not, well sucks to be you, because you lose 1 point.
4. Any method is fine, moral or immoral. Gotta keep things interesting, right?
5. We can total all the points at the end of the school year. So let's be friends until then?
6. The reward...hmm....you can choose what you want, while for me, I just want you to show your skills.I am curious about what you are hiding behind your 50's"
He seemed to agree as he nodded to my demands as he gave his, "Let's talk more from now. And....I want to...." He scribbled something on a piece of tissue as he walked out of the cafeteria
'Take you out on a date.'
Oh my, quite forward aren't we? Well, wait a year then Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji's POV
Seeing no way to say what I needed normally, I penned it down. This was the simplest way to get what I needed from the school in the first place. This situation simply paved way for me to seed this special game into her mind, giving me proper leeway to get more info about her without arousing suspicion.
If I hadn't done so, I wouldn't have had any chance to talk to her without a particular objective in mind and this gave her even more reason to start fishing for information which gives me more chances to control her. Thank you Shinomiya, your insecurities are simply more opportunities. Though I had to be careful to make sure that her loyalty as a maid of the Shinomiya's remained unscathed. After all, even if she dislikes her ways Hayasaka definitely enjoys her company. I simply would forward their relationship that would in turn increase my virtuousness towards them.
My secrets are hidden deeper than most while she has the most experience with people and emotions. A game with equal stakes, an unlikely one hence an interesting one indeed.
A game of Love indeed. I wonder if you will be the queen or the pawn.
Losing this, would be a tiresome situation.
Unfortunately for her,
I am very lazy
Narrator's POV
Ladies and Gentlemen, the true story will begin now!!
Tighten your seatbelts folks!!
Winner of Today's BATTLE:
AYANOKOUJI WINS!
THE GAME OF LOVE AND SECRETS HAS BEGUN!!!
Author's Note:
Dear Readers
Well, finally the true start of my fic.Did you expect that?
Up until now, it was simply setting up the scene. Hope y'all enjoy the ride!
Do vote and comment if you enjoyed the chapter! And do read my other books:
1. Fakekouji (Updated)
2. Shinzou wo Sasageyo Ayanokouji (Will update)
Thank you!