The clock's ticking was all that could be heard inside the dimly lit room. The quietness made the faint sound of shuffling papers resound in the enclosed area. The maroon-haired woman closed the file and leaned back on the couch with a soft, almost inaudible, sigh. She raised her head to look at the person seated across from her, finality glinting in her eyes through her glasses. The clipboard was set on the table.

The sound of metal clinking against glass echoed in the room.

It finally registered to Shijuuro Seika how unnerving the situation was. The minimalistic black and white theme of the room, and the serious adult clad in black business attire sent waves of apprehension to whoever was sitting right across them—which in this case, was her. She can just imagine the terror of those who sat there before her. Sanjo Hikari was a rather intimidating woman.

But Seika felt no fear. All that was running through her mind at the moment was a mix feel of excitement and smugness. She had no doubts that her scheme would succeed; she had planned it down to the detail. All she needed to hear were the sweet words of acceptance to signal the start of her long-awaited revenge.

Their revenge.

They will pay for what they did.

Sanjo-san pushed her glasses to the bridge of her nose. "You seem to already know the verdict."

Seika tilted her head and let-out a rather mocking smile. "Yeah, well, logic says you have no reason to decline." Her grin grew wider, just like the surprisingly hot and heavy feel which spread throughout her chest.

We will drag them down.

A brief pause.

"What if I say no?"

The transformation of the pink-haired girl was frightening. In a blink of an eye, her amethyst eyes turned several shades darker, and the smile was wiped of off her face. A heavy atmosphere enveloped the room and everything was tense.

Sanjo didn't know what to make of the girl in front of her. Seika had been all smiles when she had first met her, her charming smile managing to win both her and her boss, Sakurai Lovely. They were even more perplexed when she started to state her proposal, the words coming out of her smoothly and confidently. They found themselves agreeing to whatever she was saying as if entranced by charmspeak.

In all honesty, Sanjo had no plans to reject her proposal. But she had sensed something dangerous about the girl, that there had been something underneath the sweet smile and sugar-coated words. She had tested the waters and—

She was right.

"Sanjo-san," Seika started, her voice in a dangerously low tone. "I thought I have made it clear already. Even though A-Rise is an acting agency, it would do you better to start branching out into different parts of the entertainment industry, considering how the company's stocks and success had been in a gradual decline. The idol industry is the best aspect to start from, with the current rage and idol fever going on." The words were clear, precise, and curt.

Seika narrowed her eyes in a glare and leaned forward. "Or rather, would you like your company to die?"

Pin-drop silence.

Sanjo was rendered speechless. The nervousness she felt was no joke, and what the girl uttered sent shivers down her spine. She was the one who was supposed to act intimidating but the pink-haired girl had managed to turn the tables around. Shijuuro Seika was dangerous, Sanjo concluded. She was smart, and she was diligent. And what was scary was that-

She had a goal.

And she was not afraid of tearing down those who stand in her path.

Sanjo held her ground against those eyes which were staring her down, daring. Her eyes were cold, but the intent was there, burning with fervor.

Like a predator watching her prey.

The adult woman prided herself in her observation and deduction. She knew how to chip people's masks and reveal what was hiding underneath. From her encounters with the rosette, she knew that what was driving the girl was her hate. To whom? She didn't know. She was willing to tolerate that fuel since she knew how it would push the girl to success—how it would push the company to success. What she was afraid of was when the feeling of hate gets too much that it would burst in combustion.

Fire knew no ally nor foe—whatever was present, it would burn them to ashes. She had to figure out the girl's plan; she had to be assured that their company wouldn't serve as firewood.

She had to know.

"What are you planning?"

The question seemed to catch the girl off-guard. Her stance slowly relaxed and she started to crack a smile. "You don't need to worry, Sanjo-san," she said in a chipper tone. "Our dream to become idols is very much real and we would do our best to succeed." She smirked. "It just so happened that our revenge coincides with our dream."

Confidence and honesty was oozing from the girl and Sanjo decided to trust Seika and relax. "Seika-san, there's a high probability that I'd be your group's manager when you debut—"

"Oh, really?"

"—and as your future manager, it is my right and duty to know everyone's personalities, likes, dislikes, and characters. I can see that you are very dedicated to what you do, and I appreciate that." It is at this time that Sanjo decides to hand the contract to be signed. Seika couldn't hide the elation and satisfaction as she accepted it.

"I can't wait to meet the others," Sanjo commented as she watched Seika with a sigh. "If Miyamoto Mitzi, Kamiyama Yuki, Kanede Tenshi, and Sennousuki Ichigo all have the same—" She hesitated on the word. "—perseverance as you do, I'm sure we wouldn't have any other… problems."

Seika stopped for a second, the smug smirk stretching across her face. "Oh believe me, Sanjo-san, we all have the same goal."

They will never know what hit them.

Oh god, Sanjo thought, a brief headache starting to form. "Seika, as your manager—Wait, it is fine if I call you that, right?"

"Sure you can, Sanjo-san. I'd be under your care after all."

"—okay, well, pardon for the intrusion and the foul word, but just who the hell would elicit this much of a violent reaction from you?"

Seika stopped. Sanjo can clearly see the hard grip Seika had on the pen. A cold feel swept through the room and Sanjo Hikari swore she saw dark aura emanating in waves.

The evil glint in Shijuuro Seika's eyes were unmistakable.

We will have our revenge.

The one word she uttered echoed in the quiet room and Sanjo's eyes widened in what seems to be a mixture of fright and shock.

"STARISH."

I will crush them.

...

A/N: And that's it! Wow, just saying tho, the mood and tone of this story really changed to the complete opposite of before o_o

Tbh tho, Suki Daisuki was originally a 'feel-good' story-that is, something that I write because I just want to (hello plotholes, absent storyline, and OOC-ness). It's probably because of this that the originally story had a sort-of happy-go-lucky feel to it...

And the new version, Hate is Such a Strong Word, is the complete opposite.

Idk if it's just me but this take had a more serious and mature ambiance to it. (does it mean that i matured as a writer?)

And that is the problem.

One of the doubts that I had in whether or not I should rewrite is that i didn't want to remove the sort-of comedy vibe to it.

But now, with the reinforced plot and with the background story I had in mind... idk if that's still the genre I can vouch for...

Ugh. Help ;_;

what do you guys think?