DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

Chapter 4: Ooya-san was Ecstatic

"Ooya-san, can we borrow some cleaning tools?"

Ooya-san nodded impassively at the request of the two teenagers before her while casually flipping the page of her book. She then put the book down and gestured the slightly agitated two to wait her in there.

Hachiman and Yumiko awkwardly glanced at each other before they waited the eerily monotonous woman. Even if the former, and surprisingly Yumiko sometimes too, respected the weirdness of one loner, it still creeped the hell out of them how seemingly inhuman the landlady acted.

Oh, only if they knew.

The woman who they thought as robot has to stop and breathed heavily with anticipation in her storage room, complete with manic look on her face. She never thought it would be this fast, but the suddenness delighted her even more with unadulterated joy as it proved that the two teenagers were in fact an actual rom-com couple, or would be one if she being realistic.

'Calm down, Aoi!' She thought to herself as her breath become steadier. Her goddamn perfect poker face resurfaced yet once again.

Contrary to popular belief of people around her neighborhood, Aoi Ooya was actually not an unfeeling woman who acts like a machine. She was just like normal woman. She was a sucker for romance story, especially with less drama included such as romantic comedy or fluffy sweet kind genre. In fact, the seemingly plain book she had read outside was in truth a covered cheap rom-com light novel from amateur writer, yet, she still wholeheartedly enjoyed it without any regret for paying the garbage.

But after a very long journey of fluff feast, she eventually questioned whether or not that kind of relationship exists. So far, most people were rather shallow for her taste. Their story lacked what she liked, which are the unexpected situation, the aggressive banter that made the couple looks like an old married pair and how bizarre the way their relationship grew.

Kami-sama then answered her pleas for fluff by giving her the chance to watch these two teenagers at the front row. She definitely won't let that chance slipped away from her grasp and relished it with great interest as well as protecting it from any danger.

As she came back with the tool in hand, she finally spoke to them, "do you two mind if I'm watching?"

Luckily, they don't see any reason to refuse even though the landlady's presence on there would make everything unnecessarily awkward. That's why, they both nodded albeit a bit hesitantly.

With subtle spring in her steps, Ooya followed the anxious teenagers back to Yumiko's apartment. But really, she should at the very least contain her excitement as the poor two were shivering in fear for some unexplainable reason, at least in their perspective.

-oOo-

"So what we gonna do now?" Glancing at my companion, I casted a questioning look at him in which he answered by rolling his long sleeve. Wait, I thought he was skinny stick!

"First thing first, we need to move the thing that took a lot of place before we clean the uncovered part in your house. Wait, don't tell me that you are eating some of that on your futon!?" I grimaced at the way he looks at scattered pack of snack around my living room.

"W-well... um... uhhhhahaha..." Please don't stare at me like that because you look exactly like my deceased grandma, Hikigaya!

He sighed in frustration while pinching the bridge of his nose, "I can't believe there's existed someone who is much more lazier and worse than me."

"Hey! I take offense on that!"

"It was justified after looking at this, damnit! What are you, a trash hoarder?"

"Ugh..." I won't say it, but it was actually hurt, "fine..." Grumpily accepting the scolding, it was not long when my saddened look turned into creeped one.

"Hey, Hikigaya." I quietly whispered to him, which luckily managed to reach him, "don't you think the way Ooya-san looked at us is... a bit weird?"

"Don't remind me about it too, woman. I had enough with my own paranoia shouting danger at me, so please don't join the fray."

Behind us, there stood our landlady with hand crossed while gaze impassively surveyed the room, and sometimes both of us when we're not looking. I swear that I could feel the pure unadulterated joy and excitement behind those cold eyes, for some unfathomable reason.

"Ahem," I was snapped out of my suspiciousness by Hikigaya who cleared his throat, which sounds a bit shaky and nervous, "let's do this, I'm starving already."

The time was passed rather briskly as both of us worked together to move the furniture from its original position and cleaned the combination of living room and kitchen. For some reason, I felt like my old, irritating competitive habit resurfaced back when I watched how skillfully he can be in house chores. And note to myself, no matter how strange someone's dream, never ever underestimate them or they will smugly commented at your lack of skill.

This is totally not from experience. Totally.

Looking at my living room and kitchen right now, I can't help but felt a satisfaction and pride swell inside my heart. Unfortunately, Hikigaya was a heartless bastard to destroy one of the moments I can be really proud to myself.

"Oi, why are you looking that smug when I did the majority of the workload?" I felt like I was going to cry if this guy keeps destroying my self-esteem.

I glared heatedly at him, "H-hey! At least let me enjoy this, y'know! It was not everyday I can be this proud to myself." Suddenly, he stretched his hand toward my hand before annoyingly patting it.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Here's your mandatory headpat." Without a warning, he turned my head back to the room forcefully, "but don't forget that we still have a lot of thing to clean, mainly your bathroom and bedroom."

Get your hand off my head! Get your- grrrr...it feels not good! This is so annoying! And stop making me feels weird, you dumb brain! And stop brushing and patting it you creep!

Grr... it feels not good! It...It's not good... not good... totally not good for me... why did my head feels fuzzy and warm? W-why did I felt something wet on my cheek? Why... did this remind me to mom?

Mom?

I... I missed her so much... P-please, don't go and keep patting my head like this, mom...

From my side, I heard the confused noise Hikigaya had just made. The warm sensation soon disappeared from my head. With tear filled eyes, I looked up at him who has a genuine confusion as well as panic clear on his face.

Brows furrowed, I asked him, "Why are you stopping?-"

It was then the realization hit me with how stupid and embarrassing I was in this situation.

"U-uh... sorry, for creeping you out... Anyway, I... gotta go to bathroom..." Cursing under my breath, I frantically escaped from him with crimson filled the entirety of my face.

After slamming the door loudly without caring the presence of my landlady, I leaned my back to it before slumping down on the floor. I felt like clawing my burning face since my hands was covering them. Yeah, it sounds really good. Then I need to find a hole to crawl. No, not the toilet stupid Yumiko.

But... b-but, it was totally unfair! Why did he need to remind me about mom? Look! Now I want to cry again... uuwwhh...

After wiping the tears from my cheeks and some snot (only a little!), I shoved back the tears from keep coming out of my eyes. I stood soon after that and noted to myself that slapping your own face wasn't actually pumping you up with courage. Sigh, I should actually blame myself for believing that kind of thing from anime. Oww, it really hurt...

Suddenly, a few knocks from behind snapped me out of my bubble. "Miura, you alright?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just... had something in mind. That's all." I quickly opened the door with a strained smile, hoping that I don't look stupid in front of him.

Instead of the usual bored stare or the annoyed look and snarky comment, I was greeted by a concerned frown.

W-wha- did he actually worried about me? Well, I think I was not fair again about him, but it completely caught me off guard, really. I then remembered some moments where he acted like this. I think it's just my head that was too hazy to remember it.

But it does kinda cut-

Yeah, there's something wrong with my head. Am I gonna lose my mind? *sneeze. Yep, that's the answer.

"Hey, watchout!" Not sorry, I guess I was at the very least still kinda sane, thanks god that you're not yet making me lose some screw, "For some reason, the way you looked at me telling me that I should probably be angry about something you say in your mind." Ah, there's my old Hikigaya, glad to see you back.

"Well, it's up to you. Unless you're a telepath or something, then you don't have any right to be angry to me. After all, being insulted was one of your responsibilities and the only proper reward for you." Smirking, I shot him a challenging look.

"Oi, am I not allowed to be offended from having my right as human being harassed like that?" Better use this to steer the topic away from my stupid slip before.

"Oh? You're a human? I never know about that."

He growled angrily, before breathe out deeply, "um, anyway, are you really alright? That sudden... breakdown did catch me off guard, y'know."

My breath hitched after he quietly uttered that with embarrassment, and guilt. Wait, did I make him feel bad for that? He don't really creeped out by that? Looking at him, I saw Hikigaya refused to look at me with guilt clear on his face. It made him looked like a kicked dog... um, cat? It was honestly really cute- I mean weird! Yeah, and it also make me feels weird, or bad? I don't know, it's really weird. I hate you Hikigaya.

"Oi, you spaced out again, y'know. Are you really okay?" Shoot, hope he didn't notice me checking on him.

"Yeah! I'm alright! Just reminded about my... mom." Damn you jerk, why did you have to remind me about her.

"O-oh, well... sorry, I guess. Though, you really made me panicked there." Chance!

"Hoh, you sure have heart, huh. That's good, that's good."

"Yeah, yeah. Now I felt like panicking about that was the most stupid thing I've ever done. Happy?" I shot him a mocking smirk.

"Delighted. As always, your sense of humor succeeded to entertain me, peasant."

"At the very least, I was a human now." A surprised look flashed over his face, before it scrunched in a frown as he muttered under his breath, "Wait, knowing how that kind of noble, they usually see peasant as something below animal."

Ignoring that last part since I began to felt bad, I looked around, realizing the lack of third party in here.

"Hold on, did you know where Ooya-san is?"

"Oh, she said she have to do something while clutching her chest." the concerned hint on his eyes resurfaced back, "did you know some kind of disease she have? You know, since you have been living here longer than me."

"Well... not really. She's a very silent person, so there's close to nothing I know about her." Really, the woman was so damn secretive that I barely know anything about her except the fact that she frequently visited a lot of bookstores.

"Okay, let's just hope she's alright since this is definitely the most cheapest good apartment I had ever found."

"Wait, I thought you were really worried about her."

"Well, I was, partly." This bastard.

-oOo-

Meanwhile, at the outside of the apartment, Ooya-san was found clutching her chest while panting through the gaps of her fingers that cover her face. 'So cute' was heard from her mouth several times between ragged breaths as she recalled everything about the two teenagers.

Helping each other cleaning their apartment was a big progress already in her opinion. Really, it took her completely off guard or else, she would be ready with everything they may need or even sabotage a few things.

Then they surprised her even more from how they acted an like old married coupled, which was a big sign that they was a great potential- no, it was a great sign that they was a rom-com couple!

The way he suddenly patted her!

The way the situation grew awkward before they reconciled!

Everything is just perfect that she won't be surprised if her heart burst in happiness right now. Truly, what a great and dangerous day to live for Ooya-san.

But even if she risked her own damn life to watch them, she keep wanted to see how it's going until her last breath. After regaining a bit control, she then slowly crawled back to the front doorway and then making her way before peeking into the bathroom.

There, she saw Yumiko frantically squirming and cradling him while she refused to release her choking hold on the poor boy, which was done with her legs and arms, and screamed like a banshee. Meanwhile, a flustered and struggling Hachiman tried to shoo away a black, mosaic censored creature. Why is it blurred? Because it was hilarious.

Ooya-san dropped dead due to diabetes along with heart attack at the moment and the story fucking end. Joking.

Conclusion for today: Ooya-san died but she wins the war.

-oOo-

I don't really have anything to say or comment about this chapter. But, i hope y'all liked it. Oh, I forget to mention that the majority of the pov was done from yumiko's perspective because I don't think it would be a good idea if i used hachiman's instead, except if i wanted to add some emotional and crisis shit here on there.

This is a pure hachiyumi fluff with maybe a bit of story about the side character.

like in the last chapter, i would explain again that, if you're asking, why was yumiko a bit, or maybe not just bit, ooc, my explanation is that she was still in the first year and didn't meet hayama yet. also with some background that will come later too.

Hachiman has a similar explanation too. His hopeful self hasn't yet died like in the canon but he grew a bit cynical not just the crash and orimoto rejection. Well, *spoiler, he didn't propose his feeling to her so there was completely different reason here.

Till next time, my fluff enjoyer brother.