Week Eight, Friday
The group chat is chaos when Ayano wakes up, and her phone is filled with notifications. Ayano snorts, and rushes to get ready so she can read the messages.
As soon as Ayano is ready for the day, she sits on one of the couches and starts looking through the texts.
Osorō: Oh, hey. Thanks, princess.
Osano: Princess? Aya, who is this?
Osorō: Wouldn’t you like to know.
Kokona: Hi? I’m Kokona, who are you?
Osorō: ;)
Ayano laughs, watching as more people joined in, asking Osorō for his name. Osorō, of course, never gave in, continuously teasing the chat.
Standing up to grab her bag, Ayano sends one text.
Ayano: I’m glad that you all introduced yourself to Osorō already. :)
Ayano can’t help but laugh again when she steps outside, and is greeted by the sight of the five boys staring at their phones, along with her phone buzzing in her pocket.
Osano looks up when he hears her laughter. “Really, Aya? You added Osorō to the group chat?”
“Yep.” The group starts walking.
“..why?” Oko asks after a pause.
“He’s nice. Once you get to know him, he’s really kind,” Ayano explains.
“Yan, are you even capable of finding flaws in people?” Aso asks. “Because I’m starting to think that you’d befriend a murderer or Yakuza member at this rate.”
“There’s nothing wrong with her looking past someone’s faults!” Amao says, then turns to Ayano. “Dear, I’m glad that Osorō is kind to you, even if I wouldn’t have sought him out for his friendship.”
“Thank you, Amao. And Aso, I can find flaws in people. I just choose to ignore them if their positives outweigh the bad,” Ayano says in response.
Kizano sighs. “Alright. We’ll try befriending Osorō, just for you, darling.”
Ayano smiles. “Thanks. He’s amazing, just give him a couple of days.”
The boys seem skeptical at that comment, but they don’t argue the idea. For the rest of the walk, Ayano talks to Kizano about rehearsal plans.
Aso walks with Ayano as she heads to the incinerator, only leaving her a few moments before she turns the corner. When she gets there, she walks straight into an interesting conversation.
“Boss, you like her, we all see it,” One delinquent, Umeji, says. The other four nod along, muttering agreements.
“What? Where’d you get that idea?” Osorō responds. His back is to Ayano, but his stiff posture shows that he’s on guard.
“You ditch us all the time now! Mornings-”
“I’m getting tutored. You think I feel like getting expelled?” Osorō interrupts.
Umeji just smirks. “How ‘bout lunches, then?”
Osorō freezes for a second. Then he shouts, “So, what? So I like her! And?”
Umeji beams at that. “Nothin. I just wanted you to admit it. I’m glad for ya, boss.” Then he spots Ayano, and his grin doubles in size. “Oh, hey! Nice to see ya again!”
Osorō whips around, and his face is crimson when he sees Ayano standing there, waiting for him.
“Nice to see you, too. Umeji, right? Osorō’s told me about you,” Ayano greets, and Osorō huffs, staring at the sky.
“He does? What does he say about little ol’ me?” Umeji looks proud, like the cat who’s caught the canary.
“That you’re the worst person I’ve ever met, you punk,” Osorō snaps.
“He said you’re like a brother to him,” Ayano says calmly. “He loves you, ignore him.”
Umeji brushes away a fake tear. “Aww. Love ya too, boss.”
Osorō snorts and walks away, flipping Umeji off as he leaves. The delinquent just chuckles, and Ayano chases after Osorō.
“So, you like me?” Ayano asks when they’re nearly at the tree.
Blushing, Osorō doesn’t respond until they’re underneath the confession tree. Then he locks eyes with her.
“Yeah, I do,” Osorō says, cheeks red.
Ayano smiles. “I like you, too!”
“Really?” Osorō looks shocked, and Ayano blinks, confused.
“Of course? You’re one of my friends, why wouldn’t I like you?” Ayano doesn’t get it, but figures that Osorō isn’t used to having so many friends outside of his delinquent buddies. She has to fix that.
Osorō snorts, the shock giving way to amusement. “Alright, princess, whatever you say.”
Ayano feels like she’s missing a key part of their conversation, but she can’t figure out what it is. So, instead, Ayano pulls out her science textbook, and the two get to work.
When the bell rings to start the day, Ayano puts away her book. Osorō turns to Ayano.
Staring at the sky, he asks, “Hey, princess, want to go bake again today? The uh, the boys liked the cookies, and I want to bake more for them.” He looks embarrassed, admitting this, and Ayano can’t help but agree.
“Of course. Just the two of us, or do you want to bake with some of my other friends? They want to get to know you, Osorō.”
Osorō shrugs. “They can join, too, if they want. That’s up to them.”
“I’m sure that they’d love to join! Osano, Amao, and Kokona are all in the Cooking Club, so they’d enjoy sharing their hobby.”
Osorō smiles. “Alright.”
Grinning, Ayano messages the three as she and Osorō walk into the building. All three, of course, agree to join them at lunch.
Ayano is still smiling when she sits down for class. Some of her classmates notice, and they smile at her. Ayano talks to Inkyu about her week until the bell rings. With the bell comes Mido, who’s red faced and somewhat disheveled. He winks at Ayano when she raises an eyebrow, then turns to start the lesson.
Despite Mido’s passion for teaching, the hours seem slow to Ayano, and she can’t help her eyes from straying to the clock, longing for lunch time.
Finally, at last, the bell rings. Ayano smiles and stands up, and Osano is by her desk in seconds.
“Let’s go, Aya,” Osano says as he takes one of her hands. He looks at Kizano and says, “We’re going to the Cooking Club. See you later.”
Kizano sighs as dramatically as possible. “Of course. Farewell, darling. Until we meet again.” Waving just as dramatically, Kizano walks out of the room.
When the two get to the Cooking Club, Amao, Osorō, and Kokona are all already there.
“Hey, Yan!” Kokona greets. “Come help, we’re making brownies!”
Ayano immediately looks at Osorō. “You know how to make brownies, too ?”
Osorō shakes his head. “Not a clue, princess. Muffin man is teaching me, though.”
Amao huffs at the name, but smiles at Ayano. “Come on in, dear! It’s been a while since we baked together.”
The rest of lunch is spent baking, and Ayano enjoys watching her friends interact. As she expected, Osorō warms up to the others with every passing moment, until he’s joking back and forth with Osano.
She feels warm, watching them all get along. It makes her happy, and she’s glad to know that all of her friends like each other.
Sadly, lunch ends all too soon, and Ayano is back in the classroom before she realizes it.
Classes seem to crawl by, but on the bright side, Ayano gets out without any homework for the weekend. For cleaning time, Ayano takes the trash can to the incinerator, and talks with Osorō and his friends for a few minutes before heading back inside. Then Kizano and Aso walk with her to the gym, and the Drama Club runs through Good Cop, Bad Cop a few times.
The day ends nicely, and Ayano goes through her nightly routine. Checking her phone one last time, Ayano sees a reminder for tomorrow’s ice cream outing, sent in a group chat that has everyone from the Ayano Protection Squad but Hanakō, with Uekiya and Riku added. Ayano smiles and confirms that she’ll be there, then goes to sleep, dreaming of tomorrow.
Notes:
So, who enjoyed that 'confession'? ;)
1318 words.